An epic dance party ensued at this romantic Kimpton Fitzroy wedding

As one of our London Venue Specialists, Kelly knows every single wedding venue in the city like the back of her hand. So, when it came time for her to choose her own, you can imagine all the options and ideas she had at her fingertips. Keeping her priorities in mind (a buzzing dancefloor and a beautiful space in a central location), she opted for Kimpton Fitzroy.

Kelly and Ross had one of those classic 2020 engagement stories. While out on a walk during one of many, many Covid lockdowns, Ross popped down on one knee on the grounds of Strawberry Hill House just next to St. Mary’s University, where the couple first met. “After he proposed, all of our friends surprised me by basically jumping out of a bush with plastic glasses and Champagne,” Kelly says. A true Covid-style celebration of love.

Once it came time to start planning their wedding, Kelly took the most pragmatic approach, as you’d expect of an industry pro. She honed in on what mattered most to them as a couple, what they liked and didn’t care as much about, and ended up going with one of her favourite London wedding reception venues.

“We didn’t want a huge space where guests have several areas to disperse into,” Kelly says. “So, the fact that Kimpton Fitzroy has just two indoor spaces felt ideal. There was no outside area, which was a plus for us because it meant people weren’t gathered outside. So, the dancefloor was packed, which was exactly what we wanted.”

“I hadn’t really been someone who dreamed of what their wedding was going to look like, but luckily enough, working in the industry, I’d visited lots of different venues and slowly whittled down my/our likes/dislikes. We both wanted to get married in a church and when I first saw Farm Street Church, I thought it was stunning. It wasn’t too far from Kimpton Fitzroy, so seemed like the perfect pairing.”

Read on below for more about this Autumn 2022 wedding from Kelly, the bride. All photos by Victoria Crocker Photography.

Kimpton Fitzroy London Wedding Venue Highlights

Location: Bloomsbury’s Russell Square Park

Capacity: up to 196 guests

Accommodation: 334 luxury suites

Venue Style: Elegant, refined, classic

Tell us about the dress.

I went to 13 different wedding dress shops before I found *the one* on my 30th birthday! It’s from Suzanne Neville in Knightsbridge. Loved it!

You looked so glam! What’s your secret?

For makeup, I used @georgiam.makeup – she was amazing! I’m sooooo particular about make up, rarely have it done. My skin’s quite dry so I need dewy moisturising foundation and Georgia understood my vision. I went for a full face glam as opposed to a natural look. Georgia is such a nice girl too, she fit in so well the morning-of.

Kimpton Fitzroy Wedding Kelly Ross Photo by Victoria Crocker 41

Anything you’d do differently if you could do it all over again?

I’d do it all again in heartbeat (just not the planning). If I could do it again though, I’d probably get up earlier to soak up the day more; have a cup of tea in bed with my bridesmaids – that sort of thing. I got up at 7am, which is still early, but it felt like it was go, go, go from the minute I got up. Other than that, wouldn’t change a thing, which is a great thing to be able to say!

What did the bridesmaids wear?

I wanted dresses that were sleek and slip-like. We ended up finding these gorgeous dresses on ASOS, from the brand Pretty Lavish. The champagne colour looked beautiful with the bouquets.

Kimpton Fitzroy Wedding Kelly Ross Photo by Victoria Crocker 18

Kimpton Fitzroy Wedding Kelly Ross Photo by Victoria Crocker 17

Any tips for other couples who are currently planning a wedding?

Yes! Hire two photographers!!! It’s a must!! For us, this meant that they captured both Ross and I getting ready, as we were in 2 separate locations.

Tell us about the entertainment.

One of my main goals was to have a packed dancefloor, and Seventh Second Band more than delivered. They were amazing! We also had a lovely singer, Kelly Barnes, for the reception drinks and she was great.

Anyone you found integral to the planning?

Yes, I have to give a special shout out to the staff at Kimpton Fitzroy, who were all amazing, especially Radhika. Also, a HUGE shout out to my mum! I wouldn’t have been able to pull off the wedding without her help.