A MODERN WEDDING IN NOTTINGHAMSHIRE WITH A MINIMALIST AND ETHEREAL AESTHETIC
Alyx Vinieris-Giancola and Simon Goodwin first connected on Tinder, when Alyx swiped right and Simon responded. At the time, Alyx was in Nottingham, England, for a master's program interview at Nottingham Trent University while Simon was working and living in Nottingham. After matching on Tinder, they chatted online and had numerous phone calls for about five months. In September 2019, Alyx moved to London to attend Leiths School of Food & Wine.
A First Date in Birmingham and An Engagement in the Canary Islands
Simon and Alyx had their first date on September 20, 2019. They spent a weekend in Birmingham, England, where they visited some lovely restaurants, explored Chinatown, and went to an aquarium. It was a wonderful weekend that allowed them to get to know each other better and meet in person for the first time.
“I loved how kind and funny Simon was,” Alyx recalls. “Even though it was the first time we met each other, he was a real gentleman and made me laugh from the start. He also has always told me how beautiful I am, every day of our relationship, and it really makes me feel special and loved.”
“He has always told me how beautiful I am, every day of our relationship.”
After five years of being together, the couple cannot recall who said “I love you” first or when it happened in their relationship. Simon simply adores everything about Alyx, especially her kindness and beauty, both inside and out. Alyx cherishes Simon’s ability to make her laugh and brighten her days with his caring and genuine attitude towards everyone.
On November 15, 2022, Simon proposed to Alyx while vacationing at the Elba Lanzarote Royal Village Resort in Lanzarote, Canary Islands in Spain. He gave her a platinum salt-and-pepper kite-shaped diamond ring.
Planning a Modern Wedding with a Minimalist and Ethereal Aesthetic
The couple’s vision for their wedding was an elegant, modern, and timeless celebration. For a muted yet refined aesthetic with an ethereal touch, they opted for a minimalist color theme of black and white with natural accents. The floral arrangements included greenery and whimsical white and black wildflowers.
Abi Terry, owner of AR Weddings, was the couples' coordinator. She helped assemble everything and sourced the final touches: plates, tableware, candle holders, outdoor furniture, games, and more.
“There was so much more than I thought that goes into planning a wedding,” Alyx adds. “Until I started planning the wedding, I didn’t realize how much went into it – all the small details and finishing touches. The process started off by working with my mum to put together a PDF (mum always works with mood boards and PDF’s for everything). This helped me visualize each part of the wedding, such as the welcome tea, the entire wedding day, and the brunch following the wedding day. It all gave my wedding planner and each vendor a clear visual of what my expectations were, which was tremendously helpful as there was no miscommunication.”
The Bridal Fashion
As the daughter of world-renowned bridal designer, Rita Vinieris, Alyx’s bridal wardrobe was a bespoke fashion statement with unique details. Her wedding attire consisted of a customized hand-painted tulle ball gown with a translucent corset bodice, which was perfect for the ceremony. She changed into an elegant Chloe for the dinner reception, a corset fit and flare all-over lace gown. Lastly, for the cake-cutting and first dance, she dazzled in a customized version of the Celine style – a strapless large textured tulle ball gown in black with a detachable skirt that transformed into a short black satin mini dress for dancing.
Alyx’s veil was also a special creation by Rita Vinieris: A hand-painted cathedral veil framed with floral clusters, including Alyx and Simon's initials and wedding day, hand-painted within the floral clusters.
For Rita, having her daughter as a client was a surreal experience.
“The most important thing for me was to ensure that Alyx made her own decision on her wedding dress… in this case dresses…. without any outside influences from anyone when she was trying on dresses,” Rita explains. “It was truly a beautiful thing to see my own daughter fall in love with not one but a few of my designs.”
Keeping with the modern vibe of the wedding, the bridal bouquet was a natural, wild mix of foliage and flowers including eucalyptus and anemones. The bridesmaids bouquets featured similar blooms and foliage, and each bridesmaid chose a long black dress that reflected their own personal style.
The Wedding Day
The wedding took place at Hazel Gap Barn in Nottinghamshire.
“Every type of positive emotion possible was felt and it was all heightened,” Simon notes, describing the mood before the ceremony.
“Because the ceremony was later in the afternoon,” Alyx adds, “the real emotions of the day didn’t hit me until we were driving to the ceremony and I knew we would be there in a few minutes. When I got there and went into the back room before the ceremony, I could feel the butterflies in my stomach and I tried my best not to cry (good tears). After the ceremony I was just amazed at how beautiful everything looked and all the love we were surrounded by. It was by far the best day ever.”
The reception took place inside the venue's barn, which was beautifully decorated with an ethereal mix of white anemones, green foliage, other white flowers, black stoneware, natural linen tablecloths, and napkins. There were tall white taper candles in marble candle holders, and the signage and menus were all black with off-white writing.
The dinner menu featured a variety of appetizers followed by main entrées such as top rump with chimichurri or béarnaise sauce, as well as BBQ chicken. The sides included lemon garlic roasted squash with ricotta, chili pesto, green salad with mustard vinaigrette, grilled tenderstem, chili garlic roast potatoes, garlic rosemary, caramelized sweet potatoes, Turla-turla vegetables, and cumin yogurt.
The wedding cake was a beautiful three-tier cake with layers of carrot, chocolate, and lemon-elderflower flavors. It was decorated with sugared berries, olive branches, and black chocolate drips.
The most memorable moment of the event was their final song, “We Are the Champions” by Queen. During the final dance, everyone joined in a large circle around the dance floor with Alyx and Simon in the middle.
The newlyweds have not yet planned their honeymoon, but are setting their sights on honeymooning in either Japan or New Zealand in 2025.
WEDDING TALENT
Location & Caterer: Hazel Gap Barn; Planner: Abigail Terry; Floral Designer: Millefleur–Pearl Watt; Invitations: Loreina Chew; Linen: 88 Events; Cake: Green Kitchen Cakes; Entertainment: Jackstar Weddings; Wedding Dress: Rita Vinieris; Reception Dress: Rita Vinieris; Bridal Salon: Iconic Bride Dallas; Engagement Ring: Aurelius Jewelry; Hair: Leigh Keates; Makeup: Emma White Turle; Groom’s Attire: Paul Betenly; Groom’s Watch: Tissot; Cinematography: Rob Dunlop; Photography: Rebecca Rees