Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park
My parents had a wedding tea at the Hyde Park hotel back in the 1960s after marrying at St James’ Spanish Place so this landmark Knightsbridge hotel has a lovely nostalgic familiarity to me. Our featured wedding took place at Chelsea Register office and the couple then took their guests on to the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park Hotel – as it is now called – for a champagne tea in the lovely Loggia room. This light-filled reception room backs on to Hyde Park itself and is in complete contrast to the busy front entrance opposite Harvey Nichols on Knightsbridge. The Loggia has glass doors that open out onto a formally planted paved terrace that looks across the beautiful park trees. It works really well for wedding group photographs away from the public gaze. Our bride had the model looks of Cindy Crawford and wore her blonde-brown hair in a side parting and loose chignon. Her 50s style dress was simple understated elegance – ivory silk with pin tuck pleats and a straight three quarter length skirt – Jackie Onassis style.
