Katy & Joe | A London Wedding with a New York Style

Lucca Studios – Journal Feature

When a love story begins in New York and culminates in a timeless celebration in London, you know it’s going to be special. Katy & Joe's wedding at the Kimpton Fitzroy on 31st August 2024 was the epitome of elegant opulence, with on the day stationery to match. Designed in collaboration with both the couple and their planner, Ann Nicholas, every element was carefully crafted to reflect their story, style, and shared vision.

A Tale of Two Cities

The brief was clear: combine the couple’s sophisticated London venue with the atmosphere of an old New York cocktail bar. Think jazz band, martinis, cut crystal glasses, tailored silhouettes, and elevated detailing. Katy, a British bride now living in the US, was marrying Joe, an American groom, and they wanted their guests, many of whom had travelled across the Atlantic, to feel immersed into a world that beautifully merged both cities.

The Kimpton Fitzroy’s stunning architecture, with its filigree ceilings and grand interiors, served as a key inspiration throughout the design process.

The Stationery Story

Stationery played an essential role in the guest experience. As Katy was unable to post physical invitations (with so many guests overseas), the on-the-day stationery needed to create that same sense of occasion that was unfortunately lost with digital invitations. We focused on the luxurious textures and the experience between the guests and the stationery, creating anticipation and excitement.

We designed a rich suite of pieces that complemented the venue’s grandeur and captured the couple’s creative flair and that all important taste of New York:

Menus:

These were a highlight of the day. Guests received personalised menus, printed on luxury ivory card with a green designs of an elegant script font and bespoke illustrations. The menus we finished with a gold eyelet and tassel before being slipped into bespoke racing green wallets. Each wallet was adorned with a foiled filigree illustration inspired by the ceilings of the Kimpton’s ballroom and the guests’ names. The menus were elevated, and utterly unique. Katy told me many guests took theirs home as keepsakes.

Silk Table Plan:

A three-panel silk table plan hung on a bespoke frame built by hand for the occasion. It became a focal point of the cocktail bar - elegant, understated, and opulent. Katy & Joe have since used their table plans as runners on their dining table for family dinners back at home.

Table Numbers:

Designed to echo the graphic details of the menus and table plan, featuring the same bespoke architectural motif and script type.

Each piece featured a filigree illustration unique to the wedding, tying together the venue’s interior details with the overall design narrative. The palette was white, green, and gold with blush pink brought in through the florals by Petal Collective.

Behind the Scenes

Working with Katy was a dream. She was passionate about every detail and going above and beyond sending me playlists to listen to while I designed. She fully immersing herself in the creative process. After a little initial indecision, the moment she saw the final designs, she said the visions had been brought to life perfectly. There’s no better feeling.

One of my favourite parts of designing this suite was creating something that wasn’t just beautiful, but meaningful. The menus, especially, felt created the perfect opening experience for her guests and a perfect keepsake from the day.

A Note from the Couple

“We chose to work with Laura because her designs felt so considered and beautifully done. We wanted something that connected the sophistication of our venue with the city where we met, New York. Think old New York cocktail bar vibes, jazz, and timeless details. From the start, Laura just understood what we were looking for. Every meeting with her was such a joy. Her energy and genuine enthusiasm for our day meant so much to us. She took the time to get to know us and brought incredible care to the design of our table plan and day-of stationery. She even thought through the hardware to display the work. She was an excellent communicator with our planner and made the whole process feel easy. We truly can’t recommend her enough.”

The Dream Team

Venue: Kimpton Fitzroy
Planning: Ann Nicholas Weddings
Photography: Natalie J Weddings
Florals: Petal Collective UK
Dress: Jane Hill Bridal
Shoes: Manolo Blahnik
Suit: The Black Tux
Make-up: Maira HMUA
Band: SupaTight Band
Stationery: Lucca Studios