Chinese Lion Dance At City Wedding

Have you ever heard of a Christmas wedding that included a Chinese Lion Dance? No? That's hardly surprising. But prepare yourselves, because you're about to be amazed. Lara & Gus wanted a wedding that was theirs and theirs only - and they certainly did. Wanting to pay tribute to Lara's Malaysian/Chinese heritage, the couple decided on bringing out some Chinese Lion Dancers. Talk about wedding entertainment! The vibe of the day was split into three, by rooms in which the parties occurred. The downstairs hall had an incredibly exotic and oriental vibe, brought together by the funkiest streamers from Recommended supplier Streamadelica. The whole day, in its magnificence, was planned and designed by Recommended supplier Whole Lotta Love Weddings, and can we just say - what an AMAZING job.

Hanging tinsel streamers, fairy lights, a Lion Dance and a Christmas wonderland - what more could you want?

We actually had a process for this, which is unlike us! We started scouring as many resources as we could. Websites like Rock My Wedding were invaluable for collecting inspiration. This then got distilled into a PowerPoint presentation of mood boards for each element of the day. We then started sharing this with venue-recommended suppliers. When we were running out of ideas (and steam!) we brought Whole Lotta Love weddings on board. She really brought the whole show home for us.

Lara & Gus

Bride in princess wedding dress with long lace sleeves and gold, pearl and emerald bridal crown standing at the alter

Bride in cropped faux fur bridal cover up and gold, pearl and emerald bridal crown smiling

Groom in stylish black tuxedo with black bowtie and light orange rose boutonniere holding hands with bride in taffeta material princess wedding dress with long lace sleeves

Groom in classic black tux with bowtie and rose boutonniere holding hands with bride in taffeta material princess wedding dress with long lace sleeves and gold, pearl and emerald bridal crown holding bouquet with light pink poppies, orange garden roses, eucalyptus, Christmas red berry garlands, dried flowers and sage green and orange ribbon

Groom in stylish black tuxedo with black bowtie and light orange rose boutonniere standing with groomsmen in matching black tuxedos

Bride in taffeta material princess wedding dress with long lace sleeves  and cropped faux fur bridal cover up with gold, pearl and emerald bridal crown holding bouquet with light pink poppies, orange garden roses, eucalyptus, Christmas red berry garlands, dried flowers and sage green and orange ribbon

Bride in gold, pearl and emerald bridal crown wearing princess wedding dress with long lace sleeves and groom in black tux holding bouquet with light pink poppies, orange garden roses, eucalyptus and dried flowers

Bride walking down the aisle wearing taffeta material princess wedding dress with long lace sleeves holding rose, eucalyptus, dried flowers and Christmas berry garlands bouquet, walking towards the groom

Groom in black overcoat, classic black tuxedo and a black bowtie holding bouquet with light pink poppies, orange garden roses, eucalyptus, Christmas red berry garlands, dried flowers and sage green and orange ribbon with bride in Bride in taffeta material princess wedding dress with long lace sleeves  and cropped faux fur bridal cover up

Bride and groom standing at the alter of multicultural Christmas wedding with a Lion Dance and disco decorations

Grooms party in matching black tuxedos and sunglasses going down the escalator in the London Tube

Groom running toward bride with open arms, bride wearing taffeta material princess wedding dress with long lace sleeves

Groom in stylish black tuxedo with black bowtie with light orange rose boutonniere at multicultural Christmas wedding with Lion Dance

Bride in affeta material princess wedding dress with long lace sleeves  and cropped faux fur bridal cover up holding hands with groom in stylish black tuxedo with black bowtie walking around London

Bride wearing taffeta material princess wedding dress with long lace sleeves  and cropped faux fur bridal cover up and gold, pearl and emerald bridal crown

Bride in long sleeve lace wedding dress and groom in classic black tux doing confetti walk at Christmas multicultural London wedding

Bridal bouquet with light pink poppies, orange garden roses, eucalyptus, Christmas red berry garlands, dried flowers and sage green and orange ribbon

Bride in taffeta material princess wedding dress with long lace sleeves  and cropped faux fur bridal cover up holding up bridal bouquet with bridesmaids in deep green satin bridesmaid dresses with faux black coverups and black open toe heels

Lion Dance At Multicultural Christmas Wedding

We wanted a wedding that felt truly ours. For us, that meant a civil ceremony. Following that, an exceptional meal, cocktails, a lion dance to surprise our guests, a classic wedding disco upstairs followed by a nightclub "afterparty" downstairs. Lots of this might be standard fare for a wedding. But it took place in the coolest environment we could've imagined. The lower hall was transformed into an Asian Speakeasy Boudoir (and later nightclub!), while the upper hall was a twinkly winter wonderland. This was complete with a Christmas tree (decorated by our guests), bespoke bauble place cards, foil streamers and more!

Lara & Gus

Wedding guests watching Chinese Lion Dance at multicultural Christmas wedding in London

Bride and groom standing in reception room of Marylebone Town Hall with silver and gold wedding streamers, orange tapered candles, orange napkins, orange rose and foliage tablerunners and fairy lights

Gold wedding streamers, large hanging disco ball, Christmas tree projection and large Christmas tree in reception room of Old Marylebone Town Hall wedding venue

Wedding cheese tower with foliage, baby's-breath and seasonal fruit decorations at London wedding with Chinese lanterns hanging above and personalised neon light

Silver and gold wedding streamers and traditional Chinese Lion Dance wedding entertainment

Close-up of traditional Chinese Lion Dance at multicultural Christmas wedding at Old Marylebone Town Hall, London

Neutral Christmas wedding tablescape with orange tapered candles, orange napkins, orange rose and foliage tablerunners and fairy lights

Forest green and orange wedding stationery with Chinese lucky cat and retro lettering

Reception room of Marylebone Town Hall with silver and gold wedding streamers, orange tapered candles, orange napkins, orange rose and foliage tablerunners and fairy lights

Bride and groom sharing a glass of wine in the reception room of London wedding venue with gold wedding streamers, projections, orange tapered candles, orange napkins, orange rose and foliage tablerunners and fairy lights

Gold wedding streamers, Christmas tree projection, large hanging disco ball and Christmas-themed wedding tablescapes in reception room of London wedding venue

Bride in taffeta sweetheart neckline wedding top and dark green sequin disco trousers and groom in black tux having a dance at their wedding disco

Bride in taffeta material princess wedding dress with long lace sleeves  and groom in black tux standing in reception room with silver and gold streamer decorations and fairy lights

Head table wedding menu, orange tapered candles in gold candlestick holders with orange flower and foliage table runners

Head table of Christmas multicultural London wedding with streamer decorations, orange flower and foliage table runners, orange tapered candles and suspended foliage decor

Chalkboard style seating plan and order of the day sign and small circular retro style pink wedding sign

Bride in low-back detail taffeta crop top, dark green sequin trousers, chunky velvet green platform heels and bridal crown dancing with groom in classic black tux

Silver and gold wedding streamer decorations, orange tapered candles, orange napkins, orange rose and foliage tablerunners and fairy lights

Neutral Christmas inspired tablescape with orange napkins, orange tapered candles, gold candlestick holders, a large Christmas tree and fairy lights

Across the three rooms, we were able to get 3 styles that reflected exactly what we wanted. The Westminster Room at the Marylebone Town Hall is their grandest room. The whole place felt majestic... Perfect for a ceremony. The upstairs hall then was a Disco-Christmas wonderland. We created fauna archways as you enter, pink-hued tablescapes, a Christmas tree that we asked guests to bring an ornament to decorate, a grant piano (& pianist!) and lights galore. Finally, the downstairs hall had an exotic, oriental vibe that invited our guests to relax, mingle and (most importantly) party.

Lara & Gus

Lara's bespoke princess wedding dress is next-level gorgeous!

This wedding screams joy from the moment you look at the photos. And who doesn't want that from their wedding shoot? That's why choosing the right photographer is critical. Luckily for you, our podcast episode on wedding photography goes over all of that and more. If you want a wedding like this but are not sure how to even begin planning it, our wedding planning timeline will definitely help you out, there.