Talita and Tom met in August 2019, moved in together that November and were expecting twins by the summer of 2020. They were married in Dorset this past June, with the reception held at the bride’s father’s home and the ceremony at Highcliffe Castle. It had always been Talita’s late mother’s dream for her to marry there, and Tom had secretly booked the venue even before proposing!

The theme, which they described as ‘Disco Sunrise’, was a a vibrant mix of bright sunrise colours, sequins and glitter. It was a reflection of their personalities and careers in the music industry. “My starting point became my orange sparkly shoes from Irregular Choice”, Talita told us. “I was then delighted to find the Duntry collection of bridesmaid dresses. I used swatches of their dress colours to make our colour scheme which we called sunrise rather than sunset because that sounds more like a beginning than an ending, and we were looking at this as a beginning of the rest of our lives together.”

The ceremony began with Rival Sons (Talita is their publicist) playing Blackbird by The Beatles as she walked down the aisle. The couple wrote their own vows, taking a collaborative approach with help from Talita’s therapist! After the formalities, French theatrical brass band Les Grooms burst in with a lively rendition of It Must Be Love, leading guests on a procession to the reception at Talita’s father’s seaside garden.

“I worked with them at The Olympics in 2012”, she explained. “They were fabulous and such a unique experience. Even the rock stars from Rival Sons had never seen anything like it! From their opera singer hiding amongst the guests, the band disappearing into the woods, lying down for a rest on the promenade and dancing with strangers passing by, all whilst playing, singing and providing unique entertainment.”

Every element of the reception was thoughtfully planned to minimise stress on the family and their surroundings. “We hired everything, avoiding anything fiddly or DIY-heavy to make setup and takedown easier,” Talita said. “The presence of children (including our 3 year old twins) was also built into all the ideas, including hiring our babysitters and having a kid’s activity tent.”

The epic performances didn’t end at the ceremony. A pianist serenaded guests during dinner, and later, the band Zoot Zazou got everyone on the dance floor. Talita and Thomas debuted their months of Lindy Hop lessons with a choreographed first dance to Sing, Sing, Sing! The evening wrapped with a silent disco featuring three channels—“Funky Groomsman,” “Karaoke Bridesmaids,” and “Classical Grandad.” The sight of guests grooving in wildly different styles will remain one of Talita’s favourite memories.

Talita and Thomas avoided traditional wedding industry pressures, opting instead for choices that felt authentic to them. “We just went with what we wanted,” Talita concluded. “We saved money by doing all the planning ourselves, having the reception at dad’s and borrowing the lighting and sound equipment from a friend. The secret disco at the end was an unexpected delight. Tom was adamant we needed one, and it was brilliant fun!”