Some weddings feel less like a ceremony and more like a fun party thrown for the people you love most. Nina and Tom’s was exactly that. With 24 of their nearest and dearest flown in from across Germany and beyond, their day unfolded like a beautifully choreographed city adventure. A private ceremony at Fitzrovia Chapel, a sightseeing tour aboard a classic London Routemaster bus, and a night of dinner and dancing at Broadwick Soho Hotel; this was never going to be a traditional wedding and was never intended to be. In Nina’s own words, ‘we wanted to build a day that would feel more like a holiday trip with our closest family and best friends than a traditional wedding.’
400 Kilometres Apart – Then Together in Sydney
Nina and Tom’s love story doesn’t begin in Germany, where they both grew up, but nearly 10,000 miles away in Sydney, Australia. In 2015 the pair arrived for a semester abroad during their university studies, and, as fate would have it, they landed in the same student house! It’s the kind of detail that makes their love story so charming. Nina is from Köln and Tom from Hamburg, two German cities separated by around 400KM. “If it hadn’t been for our time in Sydney, we would probably never have met!” exclaims Nina.
On One Knee in Central Park
Nine years after that first meeting in Sydney, Tom proposed to Nina in October 2024. In Nina’s favourite city, New York, Tom led her to Central Park and found a quiet bench away from the crowds with a breathtaking view of the skyline.
‘He made a very cute speech about our relationship, how much he loved me, and then got down on one knee to propose. It was absolutely beautiful, and by that point I was crying’
It was a proposal built entirely around Nina; her favourite city, her favourite corner of it, and a quiet moment carved out amid the noise of Manhattan. That same thoughtful, personal detail would go on to define their wedding day and later their honeymoon.
A Wedding Day That Felt Like a Holiday
Early in their wedding planning, Nina and Tom knew one thing for sure – they wanted a destination wedding outside of Germany, and they wanted it to feel like a holiday with their loved ones rather than a conventional wedding. It was that idea that shaped every decision that followed, from the choice of London as the destination to the activities throughout the day and the intimate guest list of 24.
Ask Nina for her most memorable moment of the day, and she doesn’t hesitate: walking down the aisle at Fitzrovia Chapel. She had pictured this moment hundreds of times in the lead-up to the wedding, but the reality surpassed her imagination. Walked down the aisle by her father, with the congregation deliberately kept from seeing her until the last moment, she and Tom saved their first look for the aisle itself.
I saw all our best friends and closest family together, who had all come to London for us. It was one of the most amazing moments of my life.
Not every memorable moment was quite so planned. After the chapel, the wedding party boarded an iconic London double-decker bus for a private sightseeing tour, part of the day’s playful nod to being tourists in their own celebrations. London traffic ran the tour a little too long, and the group was dropped on Regent Street, considerably further from Broadwick Soho than intended!
For most guests, the walk was no trouble at all. But for Nina, in her full gown and wedding shoes, in a rare London heatwave, it was another matter entirely. With traffic too heavy for taxis, Tom’s father stepped in with an inspired solution: a rickshaw.
Tom and I got on the rickshaw with my big wedding dress and my bouquet, and were driven to the hotel while ABBA’s ‘Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!’ was blasting at full volume. It felt like the whole city was staring at us, but it was a really funny moment for us two.
The Low Bun That Stole the Show
Nina’s bridal beauty journey began well before the wedding day itself, with Izabella taking a full 360-degree view of her hair and skin. Rather than thinking about the wedding style in isolation, Izabella and Nina worked together on a fresh new cut and colour, one that would suit both her bridal look and everyday life long after the wedding.
At the first trial, two different directions were explored: a sleek ponytail and a soft, low bun. The low bun won hearts instantly and paired beautifully with Nina’s I am Yours dress. Wanting Nina to feel completely certain and at ease, Izabella scheduled a second trial ahead of the big day, a decision that was a game-changer on the wedding morning as it allowed everyone to remain calm, relaxed, and stress-free.
For her make-up, Nina opted for a soft, natural look that ensured her natural beauty could shine through. Izabella opted for delicate tones and lightweight products to create a look that enhanced Nina’s features and photographed beautifully in every light, from the chapel to the dance floor.
I always remind my brides that the most important thing is to feel entirely confident in the look you choose. When you feel like the absolute best, most authentic version of yourself, that inner confidence shines through. – Izabella
The Izabella Bordignon Experience
The Izabella Bordignon experience begins long before the wedding day itself. Nina chose us at Izabella Bordignon for a simple, yet important reason: she wanted a salon offering both hair and makeup under one roof, with genuine wedding expertise in a convenient and central London location. As a bride planning from abroad, that mattered enormously; Nina needed a team she could easily meet for consultations and trials whenever she was in the city, and one she could trust completely.
I met Izabella for our initial consultation in June 2025 when I was on vacation in London, and from the first moment, I was so happy I found her! My experience was outstanding from start to finish and I have truly never felt so beautiful in my life. Bonus points for the warmth, kindness and care that both Izabella and Silvia put into their work!
The Honeymoon: Back to Where he Got Down on one Knee
For their honeymoon, Nina and Tom returned to the city where they got engaged – New York. It may not be the classic honeymoon destination of white sand and turquoise water, but for two self-described city people, it was exactly right. From a park bench proposal to a honeymoon spent rediscovering New York, it bookended their love story in one of the most fitting ways possible.
Nina’s Advice for Brides-to-Be
For brides-to-be, Nina offers this invaluable advice: “The day really goes by as fast as everyone says! Enjoy all the planning leading up to it, even the stressful days. And enjoy every minute of your day, with your husband and your guests. Don’t worry too much about the little details; everything will be fine!”
It’s advice that echoes what so many of our Izabella Bordignon brides come to discover on their own wedding mornings: presence, not perfection, is what makes the day unforgettable.
Supplier Spotlight
Every beautiful London destination wedding is built on a foundation of exceptional suppliers. Nina and Tom’s day was brought to life by a dream team, including:
- Hair and Makeup: Izabella Bordignon
- Photography: Yana Korn Photography
- Dress: I am Yours
- Alterations: The Perfect Bride by Elena
- Ceremony Venue: Fitzrovia Chapel
- Dinner & Party Venue: Broadwick Soho Hotel
- Flowers: Into the Wild Florist
A Particularly Lovely Personal Touch
The ceremony itself was officiated by two of Nina and Tom’s closest friends, who delivered a speech the couple describes as some of the most beautiful words spoken about them. And in true hands-on bridal fashion, Nina hand-made the wedding place cards the weekend before the big day, a last-minute DIY project involving a stubborn printer, a rescue mission to her parents’ house, and, in the end, a flood of compliments from guests who had no idea of the panic behind the pretty lettering!
Why Choose Izabella Bordignon?
For brides planning a London destination wedding from abroad, the choice of hair and makeup artist carries extra weight. It needs to be someone reachable during flying visits, someone experienced in bridal beauty, someone who makes every consultation feel exclusive.
The team at our central London studio was built with exactly this in mind, delivering a full 360-degree approach to hair and make-up. Multiple trials, genuine warmth, and a team who treat every bride’s day as though it were their own: this is what transforms a service into an experience, and a client into a friend.
Planning Your Own London Destination Wedding
London offers the perfect backdrop for couples dreaming of a destination wedding that feels personal, intimate and full of character. Nina and Tom’s day is a masterclass in how to do it well.
For a ceremony, few venues in the city rival Fitzrovia Chapel. This beautifully restored Grade II listed chapel in the heart of Fitzrovia features an ornate gold leaf ceiling with an intimate, light-filled interior offering a fantastic backdrop for any non-religious ceremony.
For couples wanting to give their guests a taste of the city itself, a private tour by classic Routemaster bus turns transport into entertainment, though as Nina and Tom learned, it is worth building in a little extra time for London traffic!
An Intimate Soho Wedding at Broadwick Soho, London
For the reception, Broadwick Soho Hotel brings a chic, individually designed sensibility to dinner and dancing, with an atmosphere that feels more like a stylish house party among friends than a formal wedding breakfast, ideal for a couple whose vision was always a holiday spent with their favourite people. Add in florals from a specialist like Into the Wild Florist and a photographer who can capture candid, editorial-style moments as they unfold, and you have the makings of a London destination wedding that feels both effortlessly elegant and entirely your own.
For Nina and Tom, getting married in London meant making the wedding part of a trip. Coming from Germany, they treated it as a destination wedding in one of Europe’s most stylish cities, and they chose Broadwick Soho for it. Broadwick Soho is a luxury boutique hotel in the heart of London’s West End, with only 57 rooms. That makes it a natural fit for an intimate London hotel wedding, where a small group of guests can celebrate, dine and stay under one roof.
The hotel’s character suited the chic, relaxed feel Nina wanted. The interiors are bold and glamorous, with a design inspired by 1920s London, and the Soho setting adds energy you won’t find at a country house or a traditional ballroom. Guests could step out of the hotel and straight into the city. That gave the day the holiday feel the couple were after, and it made a wedding at a Soho hotel very different from a typical English wedding.
Ready to Bring Your Wedding Vision to Life?
If Nina and Tom’s story has you dreaming of your own London destination wedding, complete with a beautiful chapel ceremony, a city adventure with your favourite people, and hair and makeup that makes you feel like the most confident version of yourself, we would love to hear from you.
Get in touch with Izabella Bordignon to book your bridal consultation and begin planning a look, and a day, that is entirely your own.
