Real Wedding : Neil & Jessica

Wedding StationeryReal Wedding

19 Feb

Written By Laura Messin

Lucca Studios – Journal Feature

Photography: Abu Bakar Sarfraz

19th February 2026

Jessica & Neil. An Elegant, Immersive & Cultural Oxford Wedding

Spanning four days, multiple historic venues, and rich cultural traditions, Jessica & Neil’s wedding was elegant, energetic, and layered with meaning. Designing the on-the-day stationery for such an expansive celebration was an honour and one of those projects where stationery became the thread that brought all of the celebrations and rituals together.

A City That Held Their Story

Both Jessica and Neil studied at Oxford University, and returning to the city that shaped their relationship felt like a full-circle moment. From grand civic spaces to ancient cloisters and world-class museums, each venue added its own chapter to the weekend.

The celebrations unfolded across Oxford Town Hall, New College Oxford, and the Ashmolean Museum, all seamlessly orchestrated by Katie Lou Weddings and beautifully captured by Abu Bakar Sarfraz

Four Days of Celebration

The wedding weekend began gently on Thursday with punting along the River Cherwell, followed by a relaxed English pub night, a true British welcome for guests arriving from around the world.

Friday evening brought a shift in energy with a vibrant Sangeet at Oxford Town Hall. Music, dancing, henna, and movement filled the space, immersing guests in the cultural aspect of the wedding celebrations.

Saturday was unforgettable. The Baraat procession travelled from the Bodleian Library to New College via Radcliffe Camera, live music pouring from a jeep, drumming echoing through the streets, and pure joy radiating from everyone involved. Seeing such a high-energy Punjabi tradition set against the historic Oxford architecture was extraordinary.

The wedding ceremony itself took place at New College, a traditional English ceremony made deeply personal as both Jessica and Neil delivered a reading to one another. Drinks followed in the cloisters before guests moved on to the Ashmolean Museum for the evening reception. The celebration of Jessica’s Chinese heritage began with a traditional tea ceremony, followed by dinner and dancing.

The Wedding Stationery

With so many locations and cultural moments, the stationery needed to do more than simply guide guests; it became the continuous thread that sang throughout the weekend and Jessica and Neil’s way of bringing their colour palette and aesthetic to all of the celebrations and events.

All on-the-day stationery and signage was designed in a refined palette of navy, ivory, and gold, layered with a bespoke Chinese floral pattern. Every piece was also translated into Chinese, ensuring inclusivity and meaning throughout.

I designed:

Itinerary booklets
A hexagonal welcome sign
Order of service
Escort cards
Table names and menus
A bespoke illustrated cocktail menu

Rather than responding to individual venues, the design was rooted in Jessica’s culture and their shared colour palette.

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A Standout Design: The Escort Cards

The escort card table was the true focal point of the evening reception. Inspired by Portuguese tiles, the cards were tent-folded to stand upright, creating a striking visual moment as guests entered.

Each escort card was double-layered: an ivory top card with a gold hot foil border lifted away from the patterned layer beneath, giving a subtle three-dimensional effect. The tables were named after countries meaningful to Jessica & Neil, each paired with the number of miles from Oxford; a nod to a couple who spend much of their time travelling and living between multiple countries.

Menus and table names mirrored this design, ensuring the tablescape felt cohesive, detailed, and considered.

Collaborative Design Journey

Jessica and Neil live overseas, so collaboration with both the couple and their planner, Katie Lou Weddings, was key. We worked closely together through design calls, shared visuals, mood boards, and multiple design rounds. The process was thoughtful and intentional, evolving naturally from initial sketches into a fully realised collection that supported every event.

When you’re designing for a wedding of this scale, clarity and trust matter and this was a huge focus from the very beginning.

Moments I’ll Never Forget

With so many cultural events across the weekend, outfits were of high importance. Unlike a traditional wedding, where the bride might wear one dress and perhaps a secondary evening look, Jessica wore five different looks and Neil wore four. Each one traditional and perfectly suited to its event. Every celebration had its own identity, yet together they formed a seamless, beautifully curated weekend.

Designing stationery for weddings like this, where story, heritage, and experience come together, is exactly why I do what I do.

If you’re planning a multi-day or multicultural celebration and want your stationery to become the thread that connects it all, this is where truly bespoke design comes to life.