If there’s one part of London that’s changed significantly over the years, it’s Hackney.
The borough has long been home to some of the most deprived areas in England, with a history of poverty and various other social challenges.
But lately parts of it have been heavily gentrified, with spots like Dalston and London Fields now touted as ‘artsy’ and ‘trendy’, while in 2023, Hackney Wick was even named the ‘coolest’ place to live in the whole of the capital.
As such, some might now say that Hackney is pretty ‘brat’ and this weekend’s events seem to confirm as much…
That’s because Charli XCX — real name Charlotte Emma Aitchison — got married there. The popstar tied the knot to The 1975 drummer George Daniel this weekend in a low-key ceremony in Hackney.
And while some can’t stop talking about Charli’s stunning Vivienne Westwood mini dress and the wild afterparty she and her new hubby had that evening, there’s one other thing that’s captured people’s attention: the venue.
The pair married at Hackney Town Hall, a grade II-listed art deco building, before heading to a restaurant nearby and finishing the night at Ellie’s bar in Haggerston.
Many were quick to brand a Hackney wedding as ‘iconic’, ‘so rock and roll’ and ‘a vibe’, but there were some who were left confused by the choice.
Americans, in particular, have been scratching their heads, with some taking to the comments of TikTok to ask Londoners to ‘explain Hackney’ to them, and it’s fair to say the responses were… interesting.
There were some attempts to compare Hackney to parts of New York, with @nickem141 writing: ‘It’s like a (slightly) more chic Brooklyn.’
While @safsrevenge replied: ‘Idk America but maybe like The Bronx, formerly ghetto but gentrified now but still mainly ghetto.’
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Others also pointed out Hackney’s past, with a user known as @user23874012934 saying: ‘I think it’s just that you’d think millionaires would get married somewhere that’s not Hackney. Not that deep.’
Another suggested Charli might have chosen the area specifically because it matched the ‘image she tried to sell with Brat’, and @catkosetenko agreed, claiming that it was a ‘diverse hipster area where young people go partying a lot.’
But those who had lived in Hackney their whole lives thought the idea of a celebrity wedding taking place there was ‘mad’.
@sinead.ma shared: ‘Hackney Town Hall… what the heck.
‘As someone who’s lived here my whole life, yeah that’s mad. Hilarious how upmarket people find it now.
‘It’s crazy the effect gentrification has. The only people that think this is cool [are] people who don’t come from Hackney.’
And @simmaaaaay1 felt similarly, posting: ‘I seriously laugh. Gentrification has really done its big one.’
Regardless, it’s worth pointing out that Charli is thought to have an apartment in Hackney, so the venue might just have been chosen because she lives nearby and loves the area.
The couple are also said to be having a planned ‘second’ wedding in Sicily later this year, which is expected to be much more of a lavish event than this one.
An insider told The Sun newspaper’s Bizarre column: ‘There will be no expense spared. It’s costing tens of thousands of pounds, and visually it will be mesmerising.
‘Charli and George said they wanted a massive party, and there are no restrictions on when the bar has to close, so it can go on all night.’
The source added: ‘It’s going to be pretty star-studded too, with plenty of their celeb mates making the journey over to Sicily to watch them say “I do.” Charli and George are so excited to become man and wife.’
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