This stunning Grade I listed venue boasts beautiful Georgian architecture, historic accents, and the best modern facilities, perfect for your wedding day. Ideal for couples planning a stylish and romantic central London wedding, just north of Oxford Street.
We talked to Charlotte, the Head of Events and Marketing at St Mary’s London, to find out more about this unique venue.
Tell us about yourself!
Hi, my name is Charlotte and I have been with St Mary’s for the past 4 years where we have hosted hundreds of events! Outside of work I am an avid seamstress and made my own wedding dress as well as nine bridesmaids dresses – not to be recommended unless you have lots of patience and time on your hands! I am also a big fan of rabbits and have two house rabbits called Jack and Rose – a budding bunny romance.
What drew you to the wedding world?
Who doesn’t love a wedding? When I was at school I always dreamed about having a wedding dress boutique however, as a student I got working in the world of events and fell in love with it. I am able to combine my passion of organisation, people-personyness and creativity. The joy and romance of weddings makes them such a special day to be a part of. Being able to guide couples through planning their wedding in our stunning venue and watching it all come together is something magical and really special.
What do you think makes St Mary’s London unique?
Firstly, our location. We are bang in between Hyde Park and Regents Park, the perfect location for an iconic, London wedding. We have the perfect blend of a beautiful, classic space and the flexibility to transform into something that really reflects your personalities as a couple. Secondly, not only is the venue beautiful but you get to benefit from my years of my expertise. We have hosted many weddings over the years and I also got married at St Mary’s! I know exactly what it is like to be a bride with us and I use that experience to help you have an extra special day. Finally, we are a dry hire venue. What that means is that we don’t do ‘copy and paste’ weddings. You have the freedom to create the perfect day that reflects you, from the food to the decor and we, or our wedding planning partners, are here to offer guidance along the way. We are lucky enough to work with incredible people like Revelry Events who provide an award winning planning service.
How do you get to know your couples before the big day?
Your site visit with us is where we really start getting to know you. We will sit down with a glass of prosecco together and talk about what matters to you. This helps us know how we can tailor our venue to you and help you get exactly what you want. Getting to know you and asking the right questions is incredibly important to us as we want every step of your wedding experience to be joyful and exciting.
What do you think makes for the perfect wedding?
Oodles of love! There can be so much pressure when you are trying to plan the perfect day, so having a team behind the scenes who love what they do and really connect with you makes such a big difference. Also, it can be so easy to get caught up in the details, but when it comes to the day everything melts into the background and being surrounded by those who love you is often what makes the magic.
What is your #1 wedding planning tip for couples?
Join Bridebook! I know you are probably thinking I am paid to say that but honestly, having something to guide you through the planning of such a momentous day will make such difference to how much you enjoy the experience. Take advantage of knowledge from friends who got married before you and always accept offers of help!
What do you love about Bridebook?
I came across Bridebook when I was planning my own wedding and I probably haven’t stopped singing their praises since. The team genuinely love weddings and I think that comes across on their app because they really have thought of everything and are constantly producing amazing, helpful content.
What’s the most memorable wedding you’ve had at St Mary’s London?
Each wedding is incredibly unique because they always reflect the couple. One of the most fun experiences was when the bride, who is a singer, got up and performed with her new husband on the stage and the whole crowd of guests got up and started dancing and cheering. It was so special!
Why should a couple book St Mary’s London?
Our reviews from past couples probably answer this question better than we ever could. We always get the most amazing messages from our couples about how our beautiful venue and wonderful staff exceeded their expectations. We hope their words speak for themselves and give any couple reading this the confidence to book! We are also a Grade I listed venue and our gorgeous Georgian features mean that the space looks great before you have even begun decorating. St Mary’s was designed by the same architect as the facade of the British Museum which is always a fun talking point! Plus we were heavily featured in the popular film Last Christmas. It is always exciting knowing you’ve been in the same place as stars like Emma Thomson, Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding.
What’s the best photo spot at St Mary’s London?
Because of our location there are so many, for example the Japanese Gardens at Regents Park are only five minutes away! If you want to stay on site though, the beautiful coloured stained glass windows on our balconies makes a wonderful romantic and ethereal photo spot.
What part of your business are you most proud of?
We are a non-profit and everything we make goes back into the charitable work we do for our community. It makes me incredibly proud knowing the amazing things that our couples enable to happen, from homeless meals to a partnership with the local school. All our teams are so kind and knowledgeable and always give 100%. I am so proud to be a part of the team that creates magic not only for our couples but for our community too.
How do you feel technology is changing the industry?
Technology is such a big part of our lives and keeping up with the advances is something I have always found exciting. It is helping us so much because we can connect despite being miles apart. Over the summer my friend had a hybrid wedding and I was able to attend despite being in another country. So many couples have also been attending virtual viewings with us and it helps you get a really good sense of whether our stunning venue will be the fit for you. You also get to find out what I am really like, ask your questions and decide if we are people who you would really enjoy collaborating with.
What is the one piece of advice you would give to couples that are currently struggling amidst the COVID-19 crisis?
Technology is such a big part of our lives and keeping up with the advances is something I have always found exciting. It is helping us so much because we can connect despite being miles apart. Over the summer my friend had a hybrid wedding and I was able to attend despite being in another country. So many couples have also been attending virtual viewings with us and it helps you get a really good sense of whether our stunning venue will be the fit for you. You also get to find out what I am really like, ask your questions and decide if we are people who you would really enjoy collaborating with.
A huge thank you to Charlotte for answering our questions. Check out St Mary’s London on Bridebook!
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