This Couple Held Their Ceremony in One of Budapest’s Most Iconic Places

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Location: Budapest, Hungary
Setting: Ceremony – outdoors; Reception – ballroom
Wedding season: Spring
How long did the couple plan the event: 1,5 years
Number of guests: 70
Wedding theme/style: Royal, traditional, intimate, timeless.

Tiffany and Myles’s first encounter was a family affair. In 2017, Tiffany was working at the BBC as a journalist and living in London, looking for a new roommate. That’s when she met Emma, Myles’s sister. The two instantly connected and began exploring London’s nightlife, from masquerade parties to spontaneous nights out. They were both single, and London was the place to be! One night, Tiffany, who is of Guyanese heritage, was doing Emma’s makeup and, for no particular reason, asked: “Do you have a brother, and is he single?” Emma’s response was yes, and the rest is history.

Once they began dating, Tiffany and Myles frequently traveled together, sharing a mutual passion for exploring new destinations. Myles used their holiday in Dubai to surprise Tiffany with a proposal. On the morning of December 14, 2021, he told her they were having a photoshoot at the Shangri-La. This wasn’t uncommon for them, as the year before, Myles had planned something similar during their trip to Bali.

A couple of days earlier, they had gone to the gold souks to look at rings, all part of Myles’s master plan to keep Tiffany unsuspecting. They pulled outside the hotel at 7 pm on the proposal day and went straight to the 42nd floor. As she turned the corner and walked outside, she was blown away by a grand ‘Marry Me’ sign, a red carpet, and an area flooded with red roses. “There was a table set up for dinner for two with the skyline of Dubai as our backdrop. I was completely shocked. It was the most thoughtful proposal I could have ever imagined, and there was a photographer and videographer to capture everything,” Tiffany recalls.

The couple wanted to create a fairytale wedding in Budapest, a city they both loved. Guests traveled from all around the globe, including the UK, The Netherlands, Canada, and Australia. Their three-day wedding took family and friends on a journey through Budapest, showcasing the city’s charm and beauty. Central to their vision was honoring their English and Guyanese heritage, which they incorporated into the finer details of the celebration.

Teodora Simon, the photographer, perfectly captured the essence of their wedding days. Her photographs highlighted the couple’s love, the beauty of the city, and the joy of their guests. The result showcased the unique style of the celebration and took a special place in the couple’s hearts.

The three-day wedding began with a sunset boat cruise along the famous River Danube, providing guests with breathtaking views of the city from the water. They incorporated Hungarian culture through live folk music, and the dress code of all white created a vision of elegance among the guests.

«One of my planners was local, thats when I connected with Ildiko a wedding planner in Budapest. As an international bride, her knowledge of the city was invaluable and she bought my grand vision to life,” shared the bride.

On the wedding day, the bride began preparations at the Parisi Udvar in the supremely luxurious Paris Presidential Suite. This suite boasts 291 square meters of space on the hotel’s top level and an incredible view of the city below.

“I went to the Parisi Udvar to finalize my rehearsal dinner a few days before the wedding. That’s when the hotel surprised me and informed me I had been upgraded. I was now staying in the penthouse the night before the wedding and could have my bridal preparations there the following morning. That moment really overwhelmed me. I felt so grateful, and it initiated the feeling that everything was coming together to make it our dream wedding,” recalls Tiffany.

On the morning of the wedding, Tiffany had her three bridesmaids and her mum to keep her company. She wanted an intimate circle of bridesmaids, that was important to her. Tiffany’s sister, Chelsea, was the maid of honor, and her two bridesmaids were Myles’s sister, Emma, and her best friend, Jessica.

Tiffany knew she desired two dresses, and after a recommendation from her sister Chelsea, who happened to be one of her wedding planners, she came across Avamiacouture. “From the moment I met Halle, I knew I wanted her to make my custom dresses. I sent her the inspiration, and she created a vision of timeless beauty,” says the bride.

She wanted her dresses to be dramatic, so she chose a 6-meter train and an 8-meter veil. She had a custom headband made with the same white lace as the dress. “To complement the statement dresses, I wanted to keep my hair and makeup simple. I worked closely with Karina, who styled a sleek bun and natural makeup,” shares Tiffany. She wore Dior pearl earrings, Penhaligon’s fragrance, and Jimmy Choo shoes.

From the bride: “The pictures that Teodora captured in the morning were iconic and some of my favorite images. They encapsulated the rollercoaster of emotions, from drinking champagne and dancing on the sofa to the pre-wedding nerves and more vulnerable moments like my dad seeing me for the first time.”

The wedding etiquette recommends staying away from wearing white dresses to avoid upstaging the bride. But do the same rules apply to the groom? Myles chose a three-piece suit from Hackett London to honor his British culture. He also decided on a white dinner jacket that was clean, elegant, eye-catching, and really made a statement.

The ceremony at the Fisherman’s Bastion brought their fairytale vision to life. Guests were treated to panoramic views on the terrace, a live string quartet, and the bride and groom’s favorite cocktails. “In my opinion, it is one of the most beautiful venues in the world, and to walk down the aisle with my dad was a magical experience,” the bride says.

The wedding was meticulously planned, and Tiffany was fortunate enough to have her sister as one of her wedding planners. Her cousin Jay provided the entertainment as the lead singer of the band Roameo. Myles’s sister Emma gave a deeply personal speech at the ceremony and shared how they met, and Tiffany’s mother, Maureen, walked down the aisle with her nephew Carter carrying the rings. The bride says, “All these touches emphasized how close we are as a family. Even though it was our day, it was important for us to let our family know how much we appreciate them, and we didn’t just want to do it the usual way through speeches; we found unique ways to show our love.”

After the ceremony, the couple drove to the reception venue separately from the rest of the guests. It was a private moment for them to reflect and savor their first minutes as husband and wife.

The night continued at The Corinthia’s magnificent ballroom for the grand banquet. The gold, incredibly high ceilings, and sense of living history oozed opulence and gave the bride and groom the regal theme they desired for the reception. They wanted the venues to be opulent and let the flowers, cake, and general decor enhance what were already iconic venues. The color combination of nudes, white, and green resembled earthy tones and emphasized the beauty of the venues without being too much.

Celebrations came on the giant dance floor where the band stole the limelight. They intertwined with guests and got everyone off their feet. That’s when the Guyanese side of the family shone with their infectious energy, and they danced all night.

Tiffany had her first dance with her dad, and she also made sure to have that special moment with her mother. She recalls, “I was raised by both my parents and have a beautiful relationship with both of them. Traditionally, the father of the bride gets to walk you down the aisle and have the first dance. Why couldn’t I have that moment with my mother, so we did, and it was the best decision.”

The morning after, a soiree was organized at Haraszthy Winery in the Budapest countryside. The weather was perfect, and the DJ really set the tone. Guests had the option to enjoy a wine tour or relax by the pool. Then, everyone came together for one final lunch. These amazing days filled with love, family, friends, and the beauty of the city were simply incredible—a story worthy of being written in a book.

Advices from couple:

• Do a photoshoot for you and your husband the day after you get married. The wedding day is over in the blink of an eye, and if you do a destination wedding, your guests have traveled far and wide to be with you. We didn’t want to be off for hours, so we left them to take pictures by having a photoshoot the day after. We could embrace marriage and relax by taking shots without feeling guilty about leaving our guests.