The ‘most expensive’ gypsy wedding ever: Traveller bride, 21, ties the knot at the Dorchester with 350 guests, 3 dresses, bible verse party favours…and a bill of up to £250,000 for her parents
A bride who tied the knot in lavish style at The Dorchester has pulled off what appears to be the UK’s most expensive Traveller wedding to date.
Louise Durant, 21, and Billy Maguire, 22, celebrated their union in a winter wonderland wedding at the luxurious Mayfair hotel – where room hire can start at £10,000 – surrounded by 350 guests from around the UK.
The bride, whose family is from the Traveller community, said the festive nuptials, which took place in December, were ‘more than a dream come true’.
‘It was beyond my wildest imaginations,’ she told MailOnline. ‘The day started amazingly and just got better and better. It was perfect.’
The family had been saving up for two years, and indeed no expense was spared to create the perfect magical occasion. Louise’s parents couldn’t confirm how much exactly the wedding set them back, but said it was well over £100,000 – and didn’t baulk when figures of around £250,000 were mentioned.
Those in attendance at the five star venue on Park Lane – which has been visited by the likes of David Bowie and Elizabeth Taylor – were treated to glittering décor with flowers as white as snow, festive candles, icy blue lighting and an elegantly-trimmed Christmas tree.
The azure dancefloor, which featured a glitzy disco ball gave the illusion of an ice rink for the happy couple to enjoy dancing on, while each table was adorned with snow globes and Christmas cracker party favours containing Bible verses.
Friends and family compared the beaming bride to a ‘princess’, who was the image of glamour in a structured ivory gown, while followers on social media likened the celebrations to a ‘royal wedding’.
Horse-drawn carriages, commemorative snow-globes and a huge disco ball – these were just some of the ornate decorations at Louise Durant and Billy Maguire’s winter wonderland wedding at Mayfair’s luxurious Dorchester Hotel – where room hires can start at £10,000
The wedding festivities included a stunning church ceremony as well as a glitzy reception at the Dorchester
The bride’s hair was teased to achieve a voluminous up-do, accessorised with a glitzy tiara and sheer veil. Pictured in a second striking ensemble
Another outfit from the wedding celebrations saw the stunning bride, Louise, in a sparkly silver outfit
Those in attendance a the venue – which has been visited by the likes of David Bowie and Elizabeth Taylor – were treated to glittering décor with white as snow flowers, festive candle, icy blue lighting and a festive Christmas tree.
The bride, whose family is from the Traveller community, said the festive nuptials, which took place in December, were ‘more than a dream come true’
The dress – by Eleni Bridal Couture of North London – featured a corset-style bodice embroidered with lace detailing, and long sleeves which puffed at the shoulders
Louise, 21, and Billy, 22, live in Yorkshire and had been together for four years before deciding to tie the knot.
Festivities on December 14 kicked off with a bang as four ex-London double decker buses picked up guests from their hotel, the Hilton on Park Lane, at 11.30am and took them all to St John’s Church in Hyde Park.
Louise’s dress – by Eleni Bridal Couture of North London – featured a corset-style bodice embroidered with lace detailing, which fanned out into a sweeping skirt, and long sleeves which puffed at the shoulders.
The bride and her 12 bridesmaids were taken there in a horse-drawn carriage from The Dorchester.
She entered the church with music from the London Fanfare Trumpets who had dressed for the ceremony to look like Coldstream Guards.
The service was an hour, and then guests were taken to The Dorchester for the wedding breakfast and the evening service.
Starters was a mushroom soup with pastry on top, while the main featured a festive Christmas turkey dinner. To finish up, desert was sticky toffee pudding with the couple’s initials and the date of the wedding written in chocolate sauce.
The bride’s hair was teased to achieve a voluminous up-do, accessorised with a glitzy tiara and sheer veil
Some 350 guests from all around the UK made their way for the romantic festivities – which the family has been saving up for for two years
Festivities on December 14 kicked off with a bang as four ex-London double decker buses picked guests up at the Hilton at 11.30am and took them all to St John’s Church in Hyde Park
The azure dancefloor, which featured a glitzy disco ball gave the illusion of an ice rink for the happy couple to enjoy dancing on
Each table was adorned with snow globes containing photos of Billy and Louise, white shortbread biscuits in the shape of a dove, and Christmas crackers which contained a verse from bible and a chocolate in
She held onto a bouquet with white roses and other plants which weaved around for the perfect floral ensemble. Pictured, yet another bouquet from the stunning day
Her mother Vicky Morrison, who lives with relatives on a gated compound made up of five static homes near the village of Bagworth in Leicestershire, said the whole family ‘chipped in’ to make the couple’s dream wedding come to life
Each table was adorned with snow globes containing photos of Billy and Louise, white shortbread biscuits in the shape of a dove, and Christmas crackers which contained a verse from bible and a chocolate in.
The evening ceremony was in The Dorchester’s ballroom and ran until 1am – and Louise and Billy’s first dance was Ain’t Nobody by US funk band Rufus and Chaka Khan.
Music was provided by The Function Band and DJ Andrea Shillingford. One of the guests – Belsie Connors, who regularly sings at Traveller fairs and events – also sang for the occasion.
Louise and Billy – who work for the family’s holiday and lettings business – stayed at The Dorchester until December 16 and then embarked on a three and a half week honeymoon to Barbados, Orlando and New York.
‘We had family from all corners of the UK, it was brilliant to see everyone. I had the best bridesmaids,’ the bride gushed.
‘The staff at the Dorchester were incredible, they helped make our big day all the more memorable.
‘These are memories that will last a lifetime.’
Her mother Vicky Morrison, who lives with relatives on a gated compound made up of five static homes near the village of Bagworth in Leicestershire, said the whole family ‘chipped in’ to make the couple’s dream wedding come to life.
Louise’s family wouldn’t let on how much exactly the wedding set them back, but said it was well over £100,000 – and didn’t baulk when figures of around £250,000, quarter of a million quid, were mentioned
‘To be honest I couldn’t begin to total up the cost, definitely over £100,000. As much as a quarter of a million pounds? It’s possible,’ she told MailOnline.
‘But it was all worth it for such a magical day with memories I’ll cherish for the rest of my life.
‘Louise is our only daughter, you can’t put a price tag on that and so no expense was spared.’
Vicky also added of her family’s close bond: ‘To be honest I couldn’t begin to total up the cost.
‘But it was all worth it for such a magical day with memories I’ll cherish for the rest of my life.
‘Louise is our only daughter, you can’t put a price tag on that and so no expense was spared.’
She added: ‘We are members of the traveller community and proud to be so.
‘I’m from Leicestershire but my husband’s family come from the north of Scotland. Billy’s family are from Yorkshire.
‘Everybody came down by train, car or plane and had an unbelievable time. We also had a lot of guests who were not from the traveller community, a lot of work friends. It was just such a fantastic day.’
Videos from the event showed the couple sharing a romantic kiss as they danced.
Elsewhere, scenes pictured the happy couple at the church together – before later happily posing by the Christmas tree.
Louise and Billy – who work for the family’s holiday and lettings business – stayed at The Dorchester until December 16 and then embarked on a three and a half week honeymoon to Barbados, Orlando and New York. Louise during the pre-wedding celebrations
Louise, pictured enjoying pre-wedding festivities, enjoyed a stunning ceremony at a London church
Pictured: Louise in a very glamorous ensemble enjoying her pre-wedding festivities with friends
Louise looking every image the stunning bride in the pre-wedding celebrations in a tulle dress ensemble
The bride was joined by friends and loved ones as she enjoyed her pre-nuptial celebrations in warmer weather
Sticking true to the winter theme, Louise’s bridesmaids matched her in all-white ensembles – adorned with fur detailing – for a truly festive feel. Their frocks were from Michaela Couture.
Loved ones in attendance were dressed to the nines in bejewelled gowns, bright frocks and floral headpieces.
One of Louise’s guests was Jessica Ball who runs Miss B’s Millinery, who has designed hats and headpieces for celebrities including Kate Garraway. Kate wore one of her designs when she received an MBE in 2023.
Jessica designed the hats and fascinators for many of Louise and Billy’s guests.
Jessica’s mother, Dolly Ball attended the wedding and added: ‘It was incredible, everything was perfect – the venue, food entertainment and atmosphere.
‘This’ll be one of those weddings talked about for years to come.’
The unforgettable wedding celebration was on December 14, but as recounted one site, which shared photos from the event, festivities kicked off the night before.
Wedding Content by Megan Penney shared: ‘Step into the magic of Louise and Billy’s unforgettable winter wedding! Spanning across two incredible days, this celebration was filled with love, joy, and breathtaking moments.
‘The celebration began the night before at the iconic Hilton in London, setting the tone for an unforgettable wedding weekend.
The atmosphere buzzed with excitement as friends and family gathered in the elegant venue to celebrate Louise and Billy.
‘The wedding day unfolded in timeless elegance at The Dorchester, one of London’s most iconic venues. Louise and Billy’s special day was nothing short of spectacular, with every detail meticulously planned to perfection.’
‘From the breathtaking floral arrangements to the grandeur of the ballroom, the setting was pure luxury. Capturing every heartfelt moment as their wedding content creator was an absolute privilege!’
As revealed by Hire Space, it can cost up to £125 per person to hire services the Dorchester for a wedding. And according to The Wedding Shop site, ‘starting price for hiring The Dorchester as a wedding venue typically ranges from £5,000 to £10,000’.
The Dorchester hotel in London is beloved by Hollywood A-listers, who must step inside and wonder if they really have left their make-believe worlds behind.
For this peachy Park Lane property – whose past guests include Elizabeth Taylor, David Bowie, Peter Sellers and Brigitte Bardot – is a veritable hospitality fantasyland.
So utterly luxurious it feels unreal, like a set for a movie about the planet’s poshest hotel.
Opulence drips from every nook, cranny, corner and crevice. Eclectic furniture and art dazzle the eyeballs. Staff glide around treating every lister – A, B, C, D and downwards to Z – as if they are a visiting dignitary. No one can move further than a few feet without posing for selfies.
The AA dispatched an inspector to the Mayfair hotel this year and they were as spellbound as all the other guests, declaring the hotel ‘the best in London’ for 2024.
Given the white-hot competition for five-star hotels in the UK capital, one could argue that ‘best in London’ equals ‘best in Britain’.
