Wednesday 23 July 2014

Louisa, Doug - them cars, those tears and now everyone say 'Pooooooo!"

I love Lou. I did at Uni and I do now. Regardless that we haven't seen that much of each other over the last 14 years, I love that my job has brought me back in touch with this amazing lady and her equally amazing new hub. It is then with no shame that I admit I blubbed at her wedding. But heck did I laugh too. When they were just about to leave, sat in a 1959 Rover (who knew Rovers could be so cool... sorry Rover!), Lou looked at me with those big, beautiful watery eyes (she is a fellow cry-baby too), she thanked me and then the little frog got stuck in the back of my throat again… I couldn't help but well up (again) and it made me think how lucky I was to be part of their day and how happy I was for my old friend. This girlie deserves the very best. I knew it back then when she sat cross-legged on the floor in our (ironically) scummy student halls, Lou making an ashtray or something ‘arty’ whilst I sat and smoked cigarettes and philosophised about the world and bemoaned the lack of cutlery as it was stockpiled in the sink soaking in three-day old water. Those were the days!

Fast-forward to 2014 and we’re at the oh-so swanky Belair House in West Dulwich (this place does the BEST cocktails – two of them – and I defy anyone not to grin like a fool or go home with the wrong person!) and Lou is dressed in a stunning 1950’s style wedding dress created by the very talented Olivia, Creative Director (at age 24!! Wowzers) of the House of Mooshki, while her hair and make-up have been primed and coiffed by the very talented Amanda from Lipstick and Curls… she looks utterly beautiful and of course she's laughing… always laughing! I can see where she gets it from - all her family are staunch gigglers!


The handsome Doug is in a fabulous three-piece number with an exquisite vintage time-piece dangling from his pocket; the classic cars are in abundance, the flowers are big and beautiful, the cutlery is CLEAN and everything is just so perfectly elegant that my heart does a little happy jump. But over and above all the pretty stuff, there is an enormous sense (amongst the small and lovely rabble of guests) that all is exactly as it should be with the world... two bundles of awesomeness are so in love, are evidently meant for each other and are hence getting married. Not a bad way to spend a rainy Thursday now really is it?!

Oh and yes, it rained. A lot. This did nothing to dampen the mood and thankfully it did eventually stop and we were able to get outside and shoot in front of the incredible house and of course, in front of the amazing cars! Lou did get a little wet on the way thanks to the leaky roof of the 1926 Bentley – but of course, in true Lou style – she just laughed about it. One of the gazillion reasons why we all love Lou. Plus... Lou rhymes with poo (nifty segue there I thank you!) aaaannnnddd thanks to Frank, 'poo' replaced the dreaded 'cheeeeese' - apparently it helps with the pout! Who knew?! Probably won't be using that badboy at my next wedding though.

And so moving swiftly on... Mr. and Mrs. Hammond! Here’s to the two of you and your hideously exciting future together. I have no doubt it will be full of creativity... (Doug, if you're lucky Lou might make you an ashtray!! ;-) an obscene amount of laughter, and an equal amount of love, and of course them cars (and lest we forget, the dancin'... swing stylie!).

Go forth kids, be merry, swing (in the right way ;-) and enjoy ... 


My love and best wishes to you both.


Loukie-Lou xxx 


P.S. Say 'ciao' to my new admirer please ;-)