A Relaxed Wedding at Kingswood House, Making History with the First Same-Sex Church Blessing in the North East

Welcome to Real Wedding Inspiration, where we collect and curate beautiful wedding stories. We invite Wedding Present Company couples to share favourite moments from their special day — and we have stunning photos of every last detail. 

The elegant Kingswood House, a 19th-century mansion within the Kingswood Estate in South East London, played host to their relaxed celebration. From a comedian officiating the ceremony to actors delivering moving speeches, and photographers, musicians and videographers lending their skills, every element reflected the couple’s personalities: “There wasn’t a single detail that didn’t feel like us,” they share.

All The Details From Emma & Claudia's Relaxed Queer Wedding at Kingswood House

“We’re not big ‘theme’ people, so we just went with: can it be absolutely lovely?” says Emma. Guided by that brief, she and Claudia look back on their Kingswood House celebration, share favourite picks from their wedding registry, and show how they created a calm, joy-first wedding day.

There was no planner, no wedding-coordinator checklist, and no strict wedding planning timeline. Emma and Claudia organised the whole celebration themselves — and were lucky to have a brilliantly creative circle of friends to help bring it all together.

“A fashion journalist and comedian — the fabulous Henry Conway wearing an iconic pink suit — ran our ceremony,” Claudia says. “Our actor friends gave speeches, others took care of the cake, the signs, the music, the booze… There really wasn’t a single part of the day that wasn’t personal.”

“We just wanted as many of our people there as possible, with as little stress as possible,” she adds. “So I suppose the theme was Wedding Without the Stress.”

For Emma and Claudia, creating their gift list with The Wedding Present Company was one of the easiest parts of wedding planning — and one of the most fun. “We loved the flexibility The Wedding Present Company offered,” they explain. “If we changed our minds about presents over the months, it didn’t matter. Somehow, it just made the whole wedding planning process feel easier.”

When delivery day arrived, it felt like a celebration in its own right. “It was like Christmas morning — but dialled up to eleven,” they laugh. “Our home instantly felt so luxurious. It was brilliant.”

Friends and family loved the wedding registry too — not just for the stylish pieces, but for how much it captured Emma and Claudia’s personalities. “So many of our friends said they saw us in the gifts,” they recall. “They chose things that reflected our friendships. It felt really personal.”

Choosing favourites is no easy task, but a few standouts come to the couple's mind:

• Le Creuset signature cast iron casserole — “We squealed when someone bought it.”
• Nicholas Mosse jug and trivet — “Absolutely stunning.”
• Katana Saya knife — “Razor sharp and beautifully made.”
• SARAH.K napkins & Maison Margaux tablecloth — “They’ve added some much-needed maximalism to the dinner table.”
• Skye McAlpine Romilly dish — “We’re basically Ottolenghi now.”
• Brabantia bin and ironing board — “Laugh if you like, but they’ve genuinely upgraded our everyday routine.”

Naturally, a few indulgences made the list too, making the registry feel entirely bespoke: “We’re lesbians, so adding YETI to our list was a must,” they laugh. “The Bang & Olufsen speaker has taken our Bluetooth sound to the next level. The Crosley record player? Yes please. The LSA International tea light holders come in the sweetest colours. And the Neom three-wick candle? Pure indulgence — we’d never buy one for ourselves.”

While narrowing down their shortlist of the best wedding venues in London, Emma and Claudia came across a charming hidden gem, Kingswood Arts CIC. Set within the elegant Kingswood House, a 19th-century beauty tucked away in the heart of the Kingswood Estate, it’s just a stone’s throw from Sydenham, Dulwich and Crystal Palace. “It’s a Dulwich wedding venue you’d never know exists until you step through the gates,” the couple shares.

The historic mansion’s wood-panelled rooms and light-filled Palm Court provided the perfect backdrop and turned their wedding ceremony idea into a reality, with minimal need for extras. “We let the house do the work,” they explain. “Just some flowers, good lighting, and a little confetti — including confetti portraying our poodle, Heidi. It didn’t need much more.”

Emma and Claudia chose their wedding outfits together, guided by one shared motto: buy for the marriage, not just the wedding. “We’ve already worn a lot of the pieces again!” they admit.

They both wore tailored white Me + Em trousers and crisp white shirts from Emma Willis, striking a balance between classic and modern. From there, each bride added their own flair with statement jackets that turned heads and told stories. “We wanted something that had longevity but also felt unique — wedding-ready, polished, elegant, and a clear step away from our day-to-day,” Claudia explains. Emma’s cropped black jacket from Alice Temperley was intricately embroidered with a bold, almost military-style design. Claudia’s long, dark navy coat was handmade in Morocco by a wonderful woman her family knows, and featured gold threadwork, flowing silk, and all the drama. Both completed their looks with sharp Duke + Dexter loafer shoes.

Both Emma and Claudia did their own make-up for the big day. “We were lucky enough to have been trained to do our own wedding make-up by Vale Von der Wehl — a genius make-up artist I’ve worked with,” says Claudia. Hair was also a DIY affair, thanks to their long-time friend and go-to stylist, Ciler Peksah. “We both get the best cuts from Ciler — she’s incredibly talented. Both of these women work with some of the best in showbiz, so we felt lucky and confident enough to take care of it ourselves, calmly, on the day.”

For their autumnal wedding flowers, the couple went with a palette of blues, pinks, greens and whites — soft, romantic, and full of seasonal texture. “We’re HUGE fans of hydrangeas, and we were in the right season for them. They bring such bold colour and a bit of drama with their shape — they really made the wedding bouquets sing.”

The couple shares that while most of their suppliers came from their creative circle of friends, flowers were the one exception. “We were a bit light on florists, so we went down the rabbit hole on Hitched and asked a LOT of people for quotes.”

That’s how they discovered Harlequin Florals, run by Francesca — a local florist who launched her business in 2020. “We loved that she was just getting started, and also based near us and our Kingswood venue,” they explain. “But what really stood out was that she donates the wedding flowers to a local hospice after the day”. Francesca even came back at the end of the night to de-dress the venue herself, ensuring the arrangements could be repurposed and delivered the very next morning. “We thought that was not only resourceful, but such a genuinely thoughtful touch — something lovely to have built into the whole wedding process,” the couple admits.

When it came to planning their wedding catering, Emma and Claudia opted for The Greek Way, served buffet-style — the perfect choice for their laid-back celebration at the Kingswood wedding venue. “They were fantastic. Everyone was fed very well, which meant they could enjoy plenty of wine and margaritas without too much concern!” says Emma.

For a sweet finale, a close friend (and a star baker) made their wedding cake, complete with a handmade topper crafted by Emma herself — a tiny fondant version of their beloved poodle, Heidi. “It felt so special and was such a hit. Easily one of the standout moments of the whole day,” the couple recalls.

Keeping things crisp, celebratory and effortless, Emma and Claudia chose a signature wedding cocktail and two crowd-pleasing wines. “We were lucky enough to have multi-award-winning Mirror Margarita — a crystal-clear twist on the classic Margarita, expertly pre-mixed, beautifully bottled, and ready to pour. It kept both the guests and the bar staff happy!” they say. “For our wedding toast and beyond, fine wine merchants Lay & Wheeler sourced some wonderful Ridgeview English Sparkling, and Hallgarten found us a delicious Groot Sauvignon Blanc."

Instead of following the staple tradition, they flipped the script: “I was too freaked out by the idea of a ‘first dance’, so we opted for a ‘last dance’ instead.” The DJ closed the night with Celine Dion’s 1996 classic, ‘It’s All Coming Back to Me Now’. “We didn’t want the night to fizzle out, and a ballad ensured everyone sang and danced along with us.”

“I’m so glad we stayed true to our wedding-without-the-stress ethos and did the day our way,” says Emma. “We skipped a few British wedding traditions — including the first dance — and saved the big sing-along for a last dance instead. It felt perfectly us.” Little details became big memories. “Emma’s Heidi-the-poodle cake topper — with matching confetti — was such a hit,” Claudia smiles. “Honestly? All of it felt like a highlight.”

When reflecting on their wedding day, Emma and Claudia are clear: “Prepare for the marriage, not just the wedding. We filled our day with everything that makes us who we are and kept it as low stress as possible (hence no seating plan), because low stress means you’re present in the moment and that stops it flying by.” Their advice would be to tune out outside pressures and have the day that’s right for the two of you. “Your guests will have a better time for it.”

They also share one practical idea they swear by: “Ask each guest for the one song that gets them on the dancefloor. It made a Spotify playlist for the ages and meant the DJ wasn’t pestered all night.” And for the finale? “End on a ballad. You won’t regret it, and it neatly stops the shouts of ‘one more song.'" Above all, “have fun. It’s a celebration of love, so stay relaxed and enjoy yourselves.”

Photography: Helen Murray, Videography: Fabio Santos, Florals: Harlequin Florals, Venue: Kingswood Arts at Kingswood House, Catering: The Greek Way, Cocktails: Mirror Margarita, Wine: Lay & Wheeler, Hallgarten, Wedding Outfits: Me+Em, Temperley London, Emma Willis London, Shoes: Duke + Dexter, Music: James Maloney, Cake: Friend, Gift List: The Wedding Present Company

Special thank you to Claudia and Emma for giving us permission to share their gorgeous wedding photos. If you would like to join them and be featured on The Wedding Present Company too, submit your wedding below.

The Wedding Present Company is a bespoke wedding gift list experience; couples come to us seeking the extraordinary. We offer a tailored and completely personalised wedding registry experience free of charge. Our team goes above and beyond to help you create a wedding list that is unique to both of you and full of items that you will love and use for a lifetime.