Music, the food of love: Izzy and Harry are joined by their musical friends – Izzy’s former Escala bandmates Chantal Abel, Victoria Lyon and Tasya Hodges, and Harry’s fellow McFly members Tom Fletcher, Dougie Poynter and Danny Jones. It was important to the happy couple to include them in their big day, a 60 thought that was appreciated by Tom, who told HELLO!: “We have never met another band who are genuine friends like us” HELLO1259p060-075.indd 60 05/01/13 02:35 MCFLY DRUMMER AND BALLROOM KING HARRY JUDD AND IZZY JOHNSTON WALTZ UP THE AISLE BEFORE DANCING THE NIGHT AWAY AT THEIR 61 ‘STRICTLY’ WONDERFUL WEDDING HELLO1259p060-075.indd 61 05/01/13 02:35 Harry gets in line with his 11 ushers. “I just thought I’d ask everyone,” he says. On leaving the church, 62 some of the guests were taken to the reception aboard a 1965 London Routemaster bus (right) HELLO1259p060-075.indd 62 05/01/13 02:36 ‘When I got to the entrance of the church with my dad, I couldn’t wait’ ne year after lifting the Strictly Come Dancing Oglitterball trophy, McFly drummer Harry Judd had an even bigger reason to celebrate: his marriage to violinist Izzy Johnston in a magical, festive church ceremony in Hertfordshire. “It was just perfection,” says Harry of their Christmas wedding, which also included performances by both McFly and Izzy’s classical musician brothers, as well as a spectacular first dance, complete with lifts and spins. “Genuinely the best day ever,” he adds. “Izzy looked absolutely beautiful.” The couple were joined by celebrity friends, including actress sisters Kara and Hannah Tointon, former footballer and Strictly contestant Robbie Savage and former Busted band member Matt Willis and his TV presenter wife Emma. Harry’s McFly bandmates – Tom Fletcher, Danny Jones and Dougie Poynter – were among his 11 ushers. While the congregation waited in the warmth of St Nicholas Church, Harpenden, they were entertained by carols sung by the eight-piece choir Voces Cantabiles, as well as the huge cheers from the crowd outside. These went into overdrive when Izzy, a former member of electronic string quartet Escala, arrived. “When I got to the entrance with my dad, we could feel the atmosphere in church,” says Izzy, who looked stunning in a bespoke floor-length gown, featuring layers of imperial silk taffeta, satin-faced silk georgette and French chantilly lace, by Tantrums & Tiaras in Putney, London. “So I couldn’t wait. I just took a deep breath and tried to take photo images in my mind.” IN THE PINK With a beaming smile, the radiant and composed bride walked up the aisle on the arm of her father David to Ennio Morricone’s Gabriel’s Oboe, played by her cellist brother Guy and violinist brother Magnus, greeting friends as she did so. “It was funny – it was almost like she was reassuring everyone,” says Harry, who met Izzy seven years ago, when she was playing in the string section on McFly’s Wonderland tour. “That was a special moment, seeing her like that. It’s a true sign of Izzy – she’s so selfless and caring.” “I felt so elated,” adds Izzy, who was accompanied by five bridesmaids and her maid-of-honour ▲ – Escala’s Chantal Abel – in elegant pale Izzy had “You had me at hello sweetheart” stitched inside Harry’s waistcoat (left), which was made by Tantrums & Tiaras, Putney, which also designed the wedding gown and bridesmaids’ dresses (right). Maid-of-honour Chantal Abel (above, with Izzy) was “amazing” 63 says Izzy. “All day long she was like, ‘What can I do?’” HELLO1259p060-075.indd 63 05/01/13 02:38 Izzy “loved every second” of the service, which was the first element of the day that she and Harry planned. “It was really important that it had meaning,” she says. “Everything was there for a reason.” Before the bride arrives, Harry is kept calm by his bandmates Tom and Dougie (below), but emotions take over as Izzy is walked up the aisle by her father David (above). “I couldn’t really look at Izzy,” says Harry. “I was getting welled-up” 64 HELLO1259p060-075.indd 64 05/01/13 02:40 Decorated with Christmas trees and seasonal foliage, Izzy’s family church of St Nicholas in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, is the perfect setting for Harry and Izzy’s wedding ceremony. “I’ve never been to a Christmas wedding before,” said TV presenter Emma Willis. “It really feels magical” HELLO1259p060-075.indd 65 05/01/13 02:41 Xxx y y y y ‘We always knew they were going to get married’ Escala cellist Tasya Hodges Harry and Izzy join in the singing (above left) and kneel at the altar (left). Their rings (below) came from their friend Ashley Wood. Harry was also wearing fingerprint cufflinks – a gift from his bride – that featured Izzy’s own prints, which she’d had taken especially at a police station. The bride was surprisingly relaxed on the day: “I knew that everyone would do an amazing job, so I was able to just enjoy getting married” 66 HELLO1259p060-075.indd 66 05/01/13 02:42 Izzy’s brother Rupert, mother Gill and father David, Harry’s parents Emma and Christopher, and the Rev. Dennis Stamps join Harry and Izzy to sign the register (above). Among those performing at the ceremony were Harry’s bandmates Tom, Danny and Dougie (below left, accompanied by Voces Cantabiles), and Izzy’s horn-player brother Rupert, whose performance of Somewhere in My Memory (below right) left many of the congregation in tears pink dresses made from silk georgette look at Izzy when she stood next to (Izzy is a nickname created by one of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin. The over a layer of coral crepe-backed me,” he says. “I was getting very her brothers). couple’s friend Oliver Nias read a satin. “I had this overwhelming welled-up.” Harry’s mother Emma gave a poem entitled Love, which he had feeling of happiness. All morning I’d reading from the First Epistle to the written especially for them. had this warm feeling. I felt so calm FULL OF MEANING Corinthians, containing the phrase, Harry’s bandmates Tom, Dougie and peaceful.” The Rev. Dennis Stamps conducted “Love is patient, love is kind”, and and Danny played a moving acoustic Her serenity was at slight odds to the ceremony, referring to the bride Izzy’s mother Gill read an extract version of Don’t Worry Baby by ▲ Harry’s emotions. “I couldn’t really by her given name, Brittany Eloise from Louis De Bernières’s novel The Beach Boys, accompanied 67 HELLO1259p060-075.indd 67 05/01/13 02:43 ‘It was just perfection – the best day ever. Izzy looked absolutely beautiful’ The newlyweds snuggle up during a private moment after leaving the church (above), and again outside their reception venue (below), of which they had exclusive use. It meant the couple could pepper the lawn with large white candles (right), adding a magical touch to their winter wonderland wedding by a string quartet, piano and the by his model girlfriend Georgia jeweller friend Ashley Wood – before choir. The song was chosen because Horsley. Danny admitted that they being pronounced man and wife to Harry had played it through his were all also feeling the emotion of huge applause. portable speakers when he proposed the day, saying: “Me and Tom shed a The musical couple had chosen to Izzy on a beach in St Lucia in May. little tear. Izzy looked amazing.” more tracks to be played while they Dougie was joined at the wedding The bride and groom exchanged signed the register and one of the by his artist girlfriend Lara Carew- rings – hers a platinum band, his a most moving moments of the day Jones, while Danny was accompanied palladium band, both by their came when Izzy’s horn-player brother Rupert played Somewhere in My Memory, from the soundtrack to the film Home Alone, accompanied by the choir, string quartet and piano. He later formed part of the horn fanfare that played as the newlyweds left the church. Rupert suffered a serious brain injury in a car accident in 1997 and now requires round-the-clock care, but remarkably his prodigious musical ability was not affected. Rupert gave a bow after his performance, leaving many in the congregation, who had rewarded him with a standing ovation, with tears in their eyes. “That set me off,” said Danny. “What a star.” Explains Izzy: “Both Harry and I are very, very close to our families. My family has experienced real tragedy and therefore the wedding was a day we could all be happy and celebrate.” ROCK ’N’ ROLLS 68 The new Mr and Mrs Judd headed to the reception, at St Michael’s Manor in nearby St Albans, in a HELLO1259p060-075.indd 68 05/01/13 02:44 Other, non-official, invitees to the wedding were a large number of local schoolchildren (below), who were vocal Blue Baron Rolls-Royce, while in their delight of the celebrity marriage. “It was very lovely of everyone to turn up,” says Izzy. “Everyone inside many of the guests followed on the church knew when I’d turned up because of the screams” behind aboard a 1965 London Routemaster bus. The wedding party had sole use of the period property, parts of which date back nearly 500 years, so were able to speckle the lawn with an abundance of candles. “I’ve never been to a Christmas wedding before,” Emma Willis told hello!.