Ally & Gareth | A Classic and Refined Wedding at Ashridge House

Wedding StationeryReal Wedding
Written By Laura Messin

Lucca Studios – Journal Feature

Photography: Sarah Elliott Photography

15th January 2026

There’s something undeniably special about working on a wedding where the setting alone takes your breath away. Ally & Gareth’s wedding at Ashridge House was the epitome of classic elegance. Planned by the phenomenal Ann Nicholas, this wedding was breathtaking in so many ways.

Flying over from America to celebrate their marriage in England, Ally & Gareth envisioned a quintessentially English wedding. Ally, like many Lucca brides, was incredibly detail-oriented and drawn to a palette of soft ivory and warm gold. She was draw to designs that whilst simple were elevated through beautiful materials, thoughtful design, and luxury finishes.

Designing stationery to complement a historic setting

I worked with Ally & Gareth exclusively on their on-the-day stationery and signage, collaborating closely with their planner, Ann Nicholas, to bring their vision to life.

Ashridge House itself became the central source of inspiration. Its grandeur, architecture, and historic elegance inspired the stationery design, ensuring the stationery felt entirely at home within its surroundings was of high importance. We began with moodboards, sketches, and carefully curated card samples before moving through several design rounds, ensuring that a high level of care and detail was taken at each stage to ensure the stationery complemented the rest of the wedding’s aesthetic and style.

Bespoke details, crafted with care

The final suite included:

  • Hot foiled order of service booklets, featuring a bespoke illustration of Ashridge House

  • Custom-shaped menus, finished with gold hot foil border and detailing on luxury cotton cardstock

  • A mirror welcome sign, layered with soft vinyl serif typography and framed by a cloud of gypsophila

  • A mirror table plan, to complement the welcome sign, paired with individual cards featuring gold calligraphy and wax seals

  • Hot foiled table numbers, framed to complement the elegant tablescape

The menus were the highlight of the on the day stationery suite. After exploring several shapes, we settled on a bespoke framed silhouette inspired by classic architectural detailing. Finished with a simple line border in hot foil and placed atop vintage glass charger plates.

A seamless blend with the tablescape

Seeing the stationery within a tablescape is always one of my favourite moments and Ally & Gareth’s styling was no exception. Sage napkins tied with gold bow napkin rings softened the palette, while tall glass candle centrepieces and an white floral arch behind the sweetheart table created a truly breathtaking reception setting.

A moment I’ll never forget

Although I wasn’t present on the wedding day itself, one moment stood out immediately. As the drapes were drawn back to reveal Ally and her father standing at the top of the mirrored aisle, lined with gypsophila and white roses, it was impossible not to pause. A moment of magic and pure beauty.

Being on site the day before the wedding to install the signage made this project particularly meaningful. Watching each element come together within such a magnificent setting was a reminder of why I love creating on-the-day stationery.

A truly collaborative celebration

This wedding was a beautiful example of what happens when thoughtful design, expert planning, and a clear vision come together. It was a joy to collaborate with Ann and to see the day captured so beautifully by Sarah Elliott, alongside the exquisite florals by Ivy Amelia Florals.

Ally & Gareth’s wedding was classic, elegant, and captivating, a perfect reflection of their vision and the timeless setting they chose to celebrate their marriage.

Laura Messin
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