A GLAMOROUS WHITE WEDDING AT MONKEY ISLAND ESTATE: BRAIDE & ELLIS
Photography By Chloe Lowe
Monkey Island Estate in Bray is a luxurious and picturesque retreat nestled on a private island in the River Thames. This elegant property combines historic charm with modern luxury. The estate features beautifully restored pavilions, stunning gardens, and serene river views. Its lush landscape, historic architecture, and refined interiors make it a perfect backdrop for an exclusive event. For Briade and Ellis, they wanted to keep some of the glamour of the property but soften those modern edges with ethereal beauty,
The couple contacted us to be their UK wedding planners with the main priority being for their day to be one huge party! Music was so important to them but Braide always dreamed of that fairytale white wedding. We assisted in balancing all of the experiential fun with a beautiful classical backdrop and scattering their day with personal notes.
The outdoor wedding ceremony took place outdoors amongst the secluded mosaic of Oxfordshire nature in the beautiful quintessentially British gardens. We worked with Knightlights production to build a mirrored aisle which was adorned with contemporary white and green floral floor installs leading up to the altar covered in an explosion of white blooms. A real showstopper. At the conclusion of the ceremony guests were invited to enjoy champagne and canapes on the terrace whilst being serenaded by a sequined string duo playing the Ibiza classics.
Evoking the magic of the bride’s fairytale dream, we transformed Monkey Islands corporate dining room into an ethereal, immersive floral wonderland. Our goal was to seamlessly blend the beauty and greenery outside, visible through the large 360-degree glass windows, with the interior ambience. Drawing inspiration from the glamour of Dubai, a favourite holiday destination for B&E and where the bride celebrated her bachelorette with 45 guests, we incorporated single rose stem vase centrepieces with cut glass candlesticks whilst layering embellished glass and cream crockery, elegant monochrome stationery, and sage green napkins.
The heartbeat of any atmosphere lies in music, it creates a huge sense of familiarity and emotion in how and where it’s used at an event. The soundtrack we choose becomes the connective thread in your celebration. Eschewing the more traditional relaxed candlelit wedding dinner, B&E opted for an almost anti-bride celebration. Once guests had found their seat via a champagne escort system Aston Band’s vocalists, sax and guitar player made a glamorous entrance, with members in black velvet jackets and tulle floor-length dresses, performing Rufus and Chaka Khan’s ‘Ain’t Nobody’. After the speeches had finished and tears had been dried, it was more of a standing affairl, with a dinner party atmosphere like we have never seen!
Our mission is always to assist in planning a meticulously curated experience that perfectly encapsulates your relationship, passions, and shared memories. B&E love going to Ibiza and it is somewhere they visit every year. For the evening reception we transformed Monkey Islands Malborough Ballroom into an exclusive Ibiza white party-inspired club. They were welcomed with cocktails and surprised by a Beyonce bridal party flash mob performance. This transitioned the atmosphere seamlessly from an ethereal fairytale to a vibrant discotheque. Disco balls, white gypsophila floral installations, and production lighting were the perfect backdrop as Aston Band dazzled the dancefloor and rose the roof until the early hours.
