A Food Focused Jewish Wedding at One Marylebone in London

For Rachael and Jason, the strongest wedding ideas connected their Jewish ceremony, family stories and shared appetite for good food. Their celebration at One Marylebone in London brought those elements together with pink flowers, deep green foliage, a lively dance floor and details that made the day feel like their own.

Rachael works in event catering at Melanie’s Catering, so food was a major planning decision. Her colleagues were attending as guests, and the couple wanted them to enjoy the day rather than work. They chose Eat Me Events to create the menu and service. Their friend Lara and her team at Uptown Events helped bring the plans together. Photographer Alex Wysocki and videographer Tete-a-tete Films documented the celebration.

A lockdown match and an unexpected proposal

Rachael and Jason met on Hinge during lockdown, matching the day before Rosh Hashanah. Jason’s opening “Shana Tovah” won Rachael over. When restrictions allowed, they met for a drink at an outdoor pub. Jason proposed that same evening using a paper straw—a small, spontaneous beginning to a much bigger story.

Rachael, the bride shared how quickly that first date became a lasting memory. The couple’s wedding would later draw on Jewish tradition and family connections, with room for plenty of humour and unexpected moments too.

Choosing a venue with a clear vision

Rachael’s experience working at venues through Melanie’s Catering gave her a strong sense of what she wanted. The couple visited several spaces, but One Marylebone had already caught her attention through its website photographs. Once they walked inside, they could picture the celebration there.

The venue choice meant reducing the guest list, including the numbers their parents had hoped to invite. In return, they found a setting that felt right for their plans and different from the London hotel wedding they wanted to avoid. Their experience is a useful reminder that venue and guest count are closely linked: deciding which setting matters most can help couples make those choices together.

Pink florals, foliage and a family connection

Rachael’s original idea for the look wasn’t especially pink. As she began making choices, though, she found herself mixing more shades across the flowers, tableware and stationery. Dark green foliage on the chuppah and around the room’s pillars brought the palette together and suited the venue.

Lara, Rachael’s close friend at Uptown Events, helped guide the planning. Rachael recalls messaging her daily with questions, while Jason joined the meetings too—including a detailed discussion about napkin colours at The Social Kitchen. The couple’s experience points to a helpful planning approach: choose a few visual elements you care about, then let the colours and details build from there.

Funky Flowers created the arrangements. Rachael says Liz understood the vision quickly, and the flowers exceeded their hopes. After the ceremony, the couple repurposed flowers from the chuppah for table centres and stage decor. They also had foliage added to the venue pillars, carrying the look through the room.

The bridesmaids carried small floral hoops rather than traditional bouquets. The choice honoured Rachael’s mother, whose own florist had made her a hoop bouquet because it was easier for her to carry while walking down the aisle. Seeing the bridesmaids with hoops became a moving moment for her mother. It’s a personal detail with a practical origin, and a reminder that wedding accessories can be adapted to suit the people carrying them.

Getting ready and finding the dress

Rachael found her dress at Angelica Bridal, where she says the experience felt warm and easy from beginning to end. The gown was by Essense of Australia. She had tried on several designs from the label at different boutiques without realising they were from the same designer, a sign that its style already appealed to her. Beading on the bodice and the long, detailed train sealed the choice.

Dani Levi did Rachael’s makeup, while Gaby Goldring styled her hair in a half-up, half-down look. Rachael remembers the pair as a calming presence as well as her beauty team. They helped settle her nerves, kept her company when the bridesmaids went ahead, and stayed with her until she walked down the aisle. For couples planning the morning, that emotional support can matter as much as the finished look.

A ceremony rooted in Jewish tradition

A close family friend, chazan Stephen Lees, led the ceremony. His singing gave the music an emotional quality, while his humour added lighter moments. Rachael and Jason also invited pianist Josh Nesbitt to play at the chuppah. Rachael had known him since primary school, when she remembered him as a gifted pianist.

Standing beneath the chuppah moved the couple more than they had expected. They reflected on its symbolism as the home they were beginning to build, stood with both sets of parents and thought about the generations who had shared the tradition before them. The flowers made an impression too: the couple say the design surpassed their expectations.

Food, music and a dance floor that kept going

With Rachael’s work in catering and both partners keen on food, the meal needed to feel considered. Eat Me Events worked with them on their ideas, including requests from Rachael, and provided the food, drinks, staff and service. The couple had attended the team’s events before and felt confident in their choice. Their main priority was that Rachael and her colleagues could relax and enjoy the day as guests.

Music came from Totem, whose band and DJ kept the energy up through the evening. The couple say the DJ set was extended during dinner because guests were having such a good time. At their request, the band also included a UK garage set. Rachael joined them on stage to rap along to “Do You Really Like It,” a surprise that became one of the night’s standout moments.

Personal details from tequila to South Africa

Tequila was part of the couple’s story, so they made it part of the celebration. Steven, a close family friend who had served as a flower girl at Jason’s brother’s wedding, took on a new role: he pushed a tequila trolley down the aisle and offered shots before the couple walked in. Two friends served shots later in the evening, while John brought them to the dance floor.

Jason is South African, and some guests had hoped the wedding might take place in Cape Town. Since that wasn’t practical for the couple, Jason’s mother brought back 250 beaded animal key rings to use as escort cards. Rachael says they still see the keepsakes on friends’ keys more than a year later. The couple also brought their pets into the party with oversized cardboard cutouts of their faces on the dance floor.

Photographs, film and a honeymoon in Thailand

Rachael and Jason describe photographer Alex Wysocki as talented and easy to work with. Although they felt awkward in front of a camera, she helped them relax. Videographer Steve and the team at Tete-a-tete Films captured both the major events and smaller moments, producing a highlights video and a two-hour film. The couple watched the longer film again on their first anniversary.

For their honeymoon, they worked with travel agent Lara Harris to consider different trip ideas. They chose Thailand for a mix of adventure, luxury and time to unwind.

Rachael and Jason’s advice for couples

Rachael’s advice is to eat something and pause to take in the day. She deliberately made time to notice moments beneath the chuppah, at the dinner table and on the dance floor. Looking around and seeing the people they loved in one place was especially meaningful.

She also encourages couples not to let small planning details take over. The shade of the napkins may feel important during the decisions, but the day’s meaning comes from the people and memories around them. Their celebration shows how a wedding can bring together tradition, family stories, favourite food and a few wonderfully unexpected turns.

Rachael and Jason’s wedding suppliers

Photography – Alex Wysocki
Videography – Tete-a-tete Films
Venue – One Marylebone
Planner – Uptown Events
Bride’s dress – Essense of Australia, found at Angelica Bridal
Hair – Gaby Goldring
Makeup – Dani Levi
Flowers – Funky Flowers
Music – Totem
Live piano – Josh Nesbitt
Catering – Eat Me Events
Tableware hire – The Social Kitchen