Wedding Dresses Derbyshire | Alexandra Anne Bridal Boutique

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#28 Festival Season`

Our Brides – Sally

When Sally fell in love with one of our Rembo Styling dresses for her festival-inspired wedding, her only doubt was that she’d always thought she’d have sleeves as part of her big-day outfit.

Sally went with the dress anyway (she looked amazing in it), but in the run-up to the wedding she got back in touch to see about adding those sleeves.

Luckily we managed to source some of the same dress fabric from the designer, and got those sleeves made just in the nick of time. So it just goes to show that a lot of the time these things can be done. As a bride, we want you to be as happy as you possibly can on your day. If we can make it happen, we will. And as you can see from the photos, Sally looks absolutely stunning for it.

Sally even got me some lovely sunflowers as a thank you – what a total sweetheart!

Congrats Sally and Conor! Can I come to your next festival?

Jess x

THE LOW-DOWN

How would you sum up the style of your wedding?

Relaxed, rustic and festival-inspired.

Where and when did you tie the knot?

We tied the knot at The Hidden Hive near Swadlincote in Derbyshire on 24th August 2019.

And what was your wedding dress?

My beautiful dress was Sugar Plum Fairy by Rembo Styling, with some bespoke adjustments to the sleeves.

THE LEAD-UP

How did you two first meet?

We met at university while studying to become nurses. We were best friends from the start and it just grew from there. We supported each other through a very stressful 3 years and we’ve come out of the other side stronger for it.

Believe it or not, we actually work together at the moment (this wasn’t planned!).

What about the proposal? When, where, how?

It was around Christmas time and we were on a walk along the Tissington Trail with our dog Rosie.

There was a small clearing along the trail which was beautiful. Conor was about to get down on one knee and I initially thought he was joking so laughed at him, which ruined the moment…

A few moments after he popped out the ring and I put it on. It doesn’t sound very romantic, but it was lovely. The ring is beautiful: I love anything vintage or old, he found a ring which was both and had it restored.

THE DRESS

Did you have an idea of what you wanted when you first started looking for your wedding dress? And did you stick to it?

To be honest, when I first started looking at wedding dresses, I had no idea what would suit me.

I love anything with lace on that isn’t too blingy. I started doing some research on different bridal designers and fell in love with Rembo Styling.

I think all of their dresses are beautifully made and look so delicate. With having the wedding booked in an outdoor venue, I really wanted something comfortable and not too formal.

How did you find the whole experience of searching for the right dress?

Before I visited Alexandra Anne, I really didn’t enjoy trying dresses on. I tried a few other bridal boutiques that were local to where I lived at the time and couldn’t find anything that I felt was what I wanted. As I had only left around 5 months to the wedding to find a dress and have alterations done, I felt very pressured into choosing a dress at most of the boutiques, which just left me feeling stressed and fed up at the fact I couldn’t find anything.

My now mother-in-law Sharon found Alexandra Anne online, and I’m so happy she did! Just from booking the first appointment I could tell how lovely Jess was, and when we first walked into the boutique she made us feel at ease and relaxed. It was a completely different experience to where we had been previously.

What was it about your dress that made it ‘the one’?

I knew after trying a few dresses on that I wanted some kind of sleeves for comfort. It came down to two dresses; one had sleeves already, and the other did not but I loved everything about it. The lace had a floral pattern which fit with our festival-inspired theme, and the fit of the dress felt perfect. The neckline had the most beautiful delicate lace and the low-cut back was dreamy. I don’t think I have ever worn such a beautiful dress.

Jess worked her magic and managed to get hold of the same fabric for the dress to create sleeves just days before the wedding (which was a miracle as all of the factories were closed at the time!). A lovely seamstress managed to add some beautiful sleeves and when I tried it on, I knew it was ‘the one’.

How did you feel once you’d made the big decision?

I just felt so relieved to have finally found such a beautiful dress. And it sounds silly, but I felt like a big stress had been taken away from the never-ending wedding list!

Do you have any top tips for other brides out there shopping for their bridal gown?

I would say to research different designers to get a feel for what you like, and try on different styles.

I would also say listen to the lovely ladies in the bridal boutique as they are experts in all things wedding dresses.

Lastly, don’t take too many people when choosing your dress. Parading around in your shaping underwear isn’t the most glamorous activity and having lots of opinions isn’t always best, so take someone you are comfortable around.

THE BIG DAY

Tell us more about your outfit on the day. How did you complete your look?

It was Bank Holiday weekend in August, and it was so hot! I initially wanted a personalised denim jacket for the evening, but it wasn’t practical as I knew I would be too warm.

I wore my dress with some flat, beaded sandals from Monsoon, and wore some fresh flowers in my hair. I also had a long plain veil from Etsy for the ceremony and photos.

And your bridesmaids?

My bridesmaids wore ASOS floor-length dresses in a dusty pink colour.

My maid of honour had a slightly different shade of pink, and they all looked beautiful!

What do you remember about the morning?

Me: I just remember it being very hot and busy. I think I had around 10 people getting ready with me, which was lovely. A few alcoholic beverages were consumed which helped with nerves! Conor had some beautiful flowers delivered to me on the morning. It felt strange that we were celebrating our wedding, but we hadn’t seen each other at all that morning.

Conor: Stress! He got ready at his mum’s and went to the venue early. I don’t think he is used to organising things without my assistance! He just remembers looking forward to seeing me, and being able to finally have a drink.

Who did your hair and makeup?

A lovely lady called Jane from Jane Bridal Beauty did mine and the bridal party’s makeup. She did an amazing job, and everyone looked stunning! I went for a vintage look with red lipstick, to complement my dress.

Who took your wedding photos?

Our photographers were incredible, as you can see from the photos! Sarita and Craig from Sarita White Photography captured our day beautifully. They were there from first thing in the morning until after our first dance. They made us feel so comfortable, and we are so glad they were part of our day.

Did you follow any traditions? Or was there anything unusual about the ceremony?

We wrote our own vows and worked on a humanist ceremony with our lovely celebrant, Rosemary.

We had legally got married a couple of days before the wedding as the venue wasn’t officially licensed, and we really wanted to have our ceremony on-site and outdoors. It was really important that we got to celebrate with all of our lovely family and friends in such a beautiful place.

We had a traditional structure to the day, but like to think we made it a little more fun than your ‘usual’ wedding. Our Master of Ceremonies was Conor’s fabulous godmother, and kept everyone entertained for the whole day!

We chose not to have a formal meal: we had a picnic-themed feast instead, which we and our family helped prepare. We felt this would make the day more relaxed, and people wouldn’t be too full to dance!

How did your dress feel when you were walking down the aisle? 

My dress felt perfect when walking down the aisle, I was so excited for Conor to see it! I felt confident and comfortable and was totally in love (with both the dress and Conor!).

THE MEMORIES

What are your favourite memories of your wedding day?

We played Mr and Mrs which was hilarious!

The speeches and first dance were perfect, and we remember walking around the beautiful venue in the evening just enjoying the atmosphere of all our family and friends together.

As neither of us like talking in front of an audience, the ceremony was the most nerve-racking part of the day, but it was the most special too.

What gave you the biggest laugh?

The Mr and Mrs game has to have given us the biggest laugh. We also had some space hoppers dotted around the venue, which were very entertaining after a drink or two!

What got the tears flowing?

The speeches were very emotional. Both of us had loved ones that are no longer with us missing from the day, and it was lovely to still remember them and include them in the celebrations.

If there was one piece of advice you could give to a new bride-to-be, what would it be?

Don’t stress about the little things. They don’t matter on the day. All that matters is that you enjoy your day together and make wonderful memories!

And last but not least, where is your wedding dress now?

My wedding dress is in a box in our bedroom. I occasionally get her out for a spin around the house. I’m hoping I get to wear her in public again one day!

THE RECAP

Dress

Sugar Plum Fairy by Rembo Styling

Accessories

Shoes from Monsoon
Veil from Etsy

Venue

The Hidden Hive, Swadlincote, Derbyshire

Photography/Videography

Sarita White Photography

Hair + Makeup

Hair by Alice (Uttoxeter)
Makeup by Jane Bridal Beauty (Uttoxeter)

Decor

Enchanted Decor by Ava-Jax

Flowers

The Little Flower Shed (Sheffield)

Stationery

DIY

Table plan theme

DIY

Caterers

DIY

Entertainment

The Nashville Heat Band

First dance song

As You Are – Rag’n’Bone Man

Feeling Sally’s festival look?