Planning a fusion wedding: Ghanaian-Italian wedding in a London dry hire venue

1. A modern twist on tradition

Their wedding day began with a beautiful intersection of cultures. To honour the couple's roots, my team and I helped facilitate a revised, shorter version of the traditional Ghanaian "knocking ceremony." This is a spirited tradition where the groom’s family enters and presents gifts. Questions are asked of the groom to ensure he is marrying the right person and to seek formal permission to marry the bride.

Orchestrated beautifully by Jacqui Bull, the celebrant I sourced for them, this ceremony provided a soulful, high energy opening to the day. It was followed by a traditional British ceremony, creating a seamless transition between the couple's multiple cultural identities.

2. Translating the wedding vision - The "Italian Essence" design

I worked with Tash and Darren for 6 months, from sourcing key suppliers for them who understood their needs, to creating their wedding design. They wanted a day that felt colourful and relaxed yet undeniably elegant and blended their cultures. I presented three distinct design ideas, and they were drawn to the "Italian Essence" concept.

The palette was a sophisticated blend of ivory and lilac. To transform the space, I and my team and I curated several striking features:

• The floral details: I recommended Tubes Floral, which provided beautiful flower arrangements in ivory and lilac that softened the venue.
• The focal point: From my own styling collection, I provided a stunning two-foot eucalyptus moongate, creating a lush, organic backdrop for their vows and as repurposed later in the evening as an ideal spot to display their gorgeous wedding cake.
• Travel inspired wedding details: The couple’s love for travel was woven throughout the day, including tables named after the various countries they travelled to and a little detail about each country. They also had a bespoke cake by Keep it Cake, featuring a hand-painted map and a lilac-toned flight path.
• Extra details - they even had an ice cream truck, providing Italian gelato to guests.

3. Orchestrating the "reception room flip"

A wedding of 180 guests in a dry-hire venue requires a high level of logistical mastery. While Tash and Darren were immersed in their ceremony, my team and I were working behind the scenes to lead the operation.

This involved managing a dedicated crew of four Pearline Events professionals and a curated team of specialist vendors to execute the "reception flip." Turning the same room from the ceremony to the reception. We handled every detail, from the layout of the furniture to the fine-tuning of the aesthetic features. By acting as the central point of contact, I ensured that the heavy lifting remained invisible to the guests.

4. Protecting the cultural heartbeat

The true value of having an expert hand-off for your wedding is that it creates space for the family to be entirely present. In multicultural celebrations, family dynamics and traditions are paramount. My background in counselling allows me to act as an emotional safety net, navigating these complexities so that the families can remain guests of honour rather than feeling responsible for the day's success.

By managing the logistics and supplier timelines, my team and I made space for Tash and Darren's cultures to truly shine on their wedding day. The result was a vibrant, relaxed and unforgettable day defined by their love story and a sense of shared heritage.

A heartfelt review

"Natasha was absolutely fantastic to work with. From the moment I found her website, I knew she was the planner for us and I haven't doubted the decision once. She completely 'got' the vision I had for our Ghanaian/Italian mixed wedding and went above and beyond to bring it to life. She had so many wonderful ideas and found us so many fabulous vendors. Perhaps most importantly, it felt like she was always in our corner.

She was meticulously organised, which helped keep the last minute stresses to a minimum and meant that as a couple we were able to completely enjoy the day. I honestly cannot recommend her enough. She was simply fabulous and will go above and beyond for your event. She is wonderful as is her team. Thank you Natasha for absolutely everything!"

Natasha and Darren

Planning a celebration that requires an expert touch?

If you are navigating the complexities of a multicultural or dry-hire wedding in London or the South East, I provide the strategic mastery and creative direction to ensure you remain fully present.

Book your discovery call to discuss how I can bring your vision to life.

Natasha