A Pair of U.S. Transplants Hosted a Beautiful, Flower-Filled Wedding in London's Kew Gardens

Most people don’t plan to find the love of their life on a girl’s trip, but that’s exactly what happened to Chloe Swenson. In February of 2018, she was in San Francisco for the weekend with her closest friends, and one of them introduced her to Brandon Love. It was a love match, and the couple began a long-distance relationship for more than two years between San Fran and Denver. When Brandon’s job transferred him to London, Chloe went with him. “London was the first time we had lived together, which was risky in hindsight,” she says, “but the best decision we’ve ever made.”

Their ability to move across the globe together was further proof that everything felt right. They got engaged shortly after, and began planning a London wedding that would be a celebration of their new life together. “With most of our friends and family traveling over from the U.S. to celebrate, we wanted to show them the best of London, our new home,” Chloe says. “Kew Gardens offered a perfect blank canvas as a venue for us to put our own stamp on, whilst also allowing our guests to visit an iconic London landmark.”

“In terms of style, we wanted to create something classy and luxurious, with a stylish and contemporary twist,” she continues. “We wanted a simple palette of contrasting black and white tones for a bold and striking look, with unstructured florals and foliage to soften the look.” Most importantly, they were going for a vibe. “Overall, we wanted to create a really fun party—so, good entertainment and music throughout was a must. It was also really important for us to be able to inject our own personality into the day and ensure there were lots of personal touches to incorporate all of our favorite things.”

Read on to see how their big day came together on April 2, 2022, as planned by Mirabella Weddings and photographed by Imogen Xiana.

Chloe prepped her skin for the wedding with regular facials at London spa Pfeffer Sal and with one of her favorite beauty must-haves: Sunday Rile’s retinol Luna Night Oil. “The makeup artist used makeup I already owned, so I felt very comfortable and nothing was too different.” 

For her hair, however, she did want to mix it up. “I see lots of low buns or hair down with extensions, but [my look was something] different,” she says. “The sleek pony was key to not-my-normal look but very comfortable and elegant.”

She dressed up a simple and sleek sheath gown by Halfpenny London with different accessories throughout the day to make the look her own, including a sheer floor-length cape veil and a tiered shrug; YSL heels got swapped for Chloé sneakers in the evening.

“I really loved our florist and trusted her judgment,” says Chloe, who gave Liberty Lane free rein in creating a bridal bouquet. The hand-tied arrangement featured roses and delicate sweet pea with pops of black-centered anemones.

Brandon looked classic yet original in an inky blue velvet tuxedo jacket with black silk shawl lapels and black trousers, custom-made by a London tailor. He got a facial before the big day, and wore a black leather Shinola watch that Chloe had gifted him early in their dating days, kicking off his timepiece collection.

They found a lovely “mews”—it’s a Brit term for a street or yard lined by buildings that used to be stables—to serve as backdrop for their first look. “Then we had photos with all of our bridal party in the beautiful streets of Kensington, and hired an iconic classic black London taxi to take us across to the venue.” They loved doing a first look, and are keen to myth-bust one of the main reasons couples don’t do one: “Walking down the aisle is still so special—and the first look didn’t take away from that moment.”

Bridesmaids each chose their own black-tie-appropriate attire. “Some were pregnant or recently had a baby, and I wanted everyone to feel their best,” Chloe says. Selected styles included a one-shoulder gown from Solace London and a jumpsuit from Galvan London. “Each bridesmaid carried a bespoke single-variety posy of spring florals, giving each her own individual and unique bouquet which overall complemented the bridal bouquet perfectly,” the florist says.

The couple utilized multiple spaces across Kew Gardens, beginning with a ceremony in The Nash Conservatory. “Liberty Lane adorned the aisles with meadow-style clusters of seasonal flowers, and tall delphiniums added height and texture,” Chloe describes. At the altar, an organic floral backdrop encircled the couple for an intimate feel.

A string duo performed as the couple’s 138 guests found their seats, then played instrumental versions of popular songs as the couple and wedding party entered, including Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me” as the bride walked down the aisle with her father. “Our ceremony was conducted by a very close friend, which allowed it to be totally tailored to us and so personal,” Chloe shares. She and Brandon exchanged personally written vows.

“After the emotion-filled ceremony, guests enjoyed drinks in the spring sunshine before hopping aboard the ‘train’ to Temperate House for [cocktail hour],” shares their wedding planner. “Home to more than 10,000 individual plants, the iconic light-filled glasshouse was dressed with contemporary lounge furniture for guests to sit and mingle.”

“The cocktail party was an amazing touch, and Temperate House made for some amazing pictures,” Chloe says. Guests gathered together for a unique group shot as they sipped signature French 75s and margaritas. 

The final stop? Kew Gardens’ The Orangery for dinner and dancing. “The Orangery provided a great blank canvas for a striking and stylish setup,” shares the Mirabella team. Black was an impactful base color, appearing in the zinc-topped tables, chairs, and chargers. Pops of emerald green—in the linens, personalized menus, and seating chart—were a lovely foil. Floral runners and glowing lanterns completed the romantic, modern look.

“We wanted to incorporate some of our favorite foods, whilst also being suited to the season,” Chloe says of the menu. “We had a starter of burrata with almond pesto, followed by pan-fried seared fillet of salmon. For dessert, we served a delicious summer berry cheesecake.”

“We didn’t want a wedding cake but instead opted for a Champagne tower,” Chloe says. “This made a great feature and was a perfect way of getting the party started before the dancing began!”

A live band kept the dance floor packed, beginning with the newlyweds’ first song, “My Love Is Your Love” by Whitney Houston. 

The party didn’t stop there. “The highlight of the wedding was the after-party at Beaufort House in Chelsea,” Chloe shares. “We had a DJ and partied until 3:30 a.m.” Afterward, it was finally time to chill—and the couple did just that on a luxe honeymoon at Amanruya in Bodrum, Turkey.