Anna Cleveland and Jefferson Hack’s English-Country Wedding Was a Fashion Family Reunion

Equally important as the vicar—and possibly even more important, for a couple so invested in the world of fashion—were the looks. Suffice to say neither had to flick very far through their respective Rolodexes to find options. The bride called up Lavinia Biagiotti, the second-generation Italian designer who once served as a babysitter while Anna’s mother, Pat, was walking the runways for Biagiotti’s mother, Laura. “I did my first show down the Spanish Steps for Laura Biagiotti when I was six years old,” Anna laughs. “Pat was dressed as Charlie Chaplin, and I was the little orphan from the movie The Kid. That’s when I fell in love with fashion.”

The mandate for the bridal gown was something timeless and elegant, arriving in the form of an ethereal boatneck lace dress with a dramatic train and matching veil. “I knew Lavinia would understand who I truly am,” Anna says of the final look, which she paired with Roger Vivier shoes. “That was what was important for me.” To accessorize—and to add a touch of theatrical glamour—Anna turned to Bulgari, choosing the Italian house’s Serpenti necklace as her star jewelry piece. That came with a deeper meaning too. “The snake is a symbol of endless metamorphosis, which in this case was perfect,” she adds, “to represent this new evolution in my life towards a future full of changes—and new beginnings!”

Given Jefferson’s role in shepherding many generations of London fashion talent, there was no shortage of designers he could call up for the big day, either. Still, he knew exactly who to ask: Kim Jones of Dior Men. “Kim and I have been friends since the early ’00s, when he first started his own label,” says Jefferson. “He’s now the greatest menswear designer of his generation, so it was a real honor to have him and the house of Dior make two custom looks for me.” For the wedding service, Jefferson and Kim selected a double-breasted baby blue two-piece suit. “I love the twist on the styling of a double-breasted jacket with only a single button—it’s brilliant,” Jefferson adds. “And the color is superchic.” The best detail of all? The illustrations of the newly married couple by the maverick French designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, hidden in the lining of Jefferson’s jacket. (They also cropped up across the wedding invitations and in a gray tie featuring a custom crest worn by Jefferson.)

On Saturday, July 15, friends and family descended upon the church of St. James the Less in Dorney to witness the couple tie the knot. Jefferson and Anna chose the church for its “romantic and intimate” feel. “It’s small but just picture-postcard beautiful,” Anna says. “La Stacey created a joyful and fun atmosphere and as a woman vicar framed this ancient ceremony in a very modern way for us. We love her. The organist played ‘God Only Knows’ by the Beach Boys, and Benn Northover read Bob Dylan’s ‘Wedding Song,’ so we brought our own twist to the service.” Once the ceremony began, any jitters immediately melted away. “I was so nervous until I saw Anna enter the church, then the emotion just soared,” says Jefferson. “The energy in the room made me feel so held.” Adds Anna: “I felt like I was floating on cloud nine! It was an incredibly transformative ritual and spiritual moment for both of us.”

When guests exited the church, the party could truly begin. “Our dear friend Waris Ahluwalia has just launched his new nonalcoholic champagne called Love Conquers All, so we were so proud to be able to serve it, as neither of us drink,” they say with a laugh. After the pair were driven away in a 2016 Bentley Mulsanne for afternoon tea—with the wedding party following closely behind in those aforementioned Routemasters—everyone convened at Oakley Court and was swiftly guided to the riverside bell tents, where a vegan and gluten-free feast, courtesy of chefs Johnnie Collins and Mateo Zielonka, was served. The tables were lavishly decorated by Alex Eagle and Sophie Hodges, featuring wild seasonal flowers plucked from the hotel grounds, including cornflowers, pale pink and white English roses, jasmine, sweet pea trails, and peonies.

Naturally, the guest list was filled with fashion luminaries—most importantly Jefferson’s ex-partner, Kate Moss, and their daughter, the rising model Lila. Elsewhere attendees spanned the worlds of film, art, music, and photography, including Tilda Swinton, Björk, Haider Ackermann, Nick Knight, Debra Shaw, Bella Freud, Karla Otto, Zac Posen, Daphne Guinness, Juergen Teller, Andreas Kronthaler, Erin O’Connor, Marc Quinn, Tim Walker, Hans Ulrich Obrist, Pam Hogg, and Sam McKnight. “We are very grateful for everyone’s support and the incredible love they have shown us,” the couple says. “And we are so blessed to have such beautiful friends and family in our lives.”

As the evening’s events kicked into high gear, both Jefferson and Anna ran off for a quick change inside their honeymoon suite at Oakley Court. Jefferson reemerged in a black Dior Men by Kim Jones tuxedo with a pair of creepers he designed for the 30th anniversary of Underground Shoes—plus an Octo Finissimo Tourbillon watch from Bulgari—while Anna switched into an iridescent paillette dress by Laura Biagiotti. “I love the way the dress moves and shines—it felt like a magical choice for a glittering day,” she notes.

Finally, then, to the party: something both Jefferson and Anna, with their shared background in fashion, know a thing or two about. Pat Cleveland herself kicked off the festivities with the help of the group the Soul Diamonds before everyone moved to the interior of Oakley Court, lured in by strains of club classics courtesy of an array of legendary London DJs, including Louie Banks, Josh Quinton, Princess Julia, and Jodie Harsh.

As a throng of new revelers descended from London for the after-party, the cake—a kaleidoscopic edible sculpture crafted by Jefferson’s friend Marc Quinn that was designed after the couple’s combined thumbprints—was cut to the tune of Etta James’s “At Last.” And just when everyone was ready to go to bed, a fleet of vegan cheese toasties was served: an English classic, with a personal twist.