Alex & Nick

HOW DID YOU MEET?

NICK AND I MET ON OUR FIRST DAY IN LONDON WHEN I WAS 18 AND HE WAS 19. WE BOTH MOVED TO THE CITY FOR UNIVERSITY AND WE LIVED IN THE SAME STUDENT ACCOMMODATION. I PESTERED HIM FOR A FEW MONTHS AND HE FINALLY GAVE IN! HERE WE ARE TEN YEARS LATER…

HOW DID NICK PROPOSE?

IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL SUNNY AUTUMN DAY AND NICK HAD PLANNED A TRIP TO KEW GARDENS AND RICHMOND. THIS IS SOMETHING WE OFTEN DO TOGETHER; WE WILL VISIT KEW GARDENS AND THEN HEAD TO RICHMOND FOR A WALK AROUND THE PARK AND A PINT IN A LOCAL PUB. IT FEELS LIKE YOU’RE IN THE COUNTRYSIDE EVEN THOUGH YOU’RE STILL IN LONDON!

ON THIS PARTICULAR DAY, WE TOOK OUR USUAL MORNING WALK AROUND KEW GARDENS AND ON THE WAY TO RICHMOND AT THE TOP OF A HILL OVERLOOKING THE THAMES HE PROPOSED. HE HAD BOOKED LUNCH AT PETERSHAM NURSERIES WHERE THERE WAS A LOVELY BOUQUET OF FLOWERS WAITING. AFTERWARD, WE STAYED THE NIGHT IN THE PETERSHAM HOTEL. IT WAS ALL VERY PICTURESQUE AND RELAXED, WHICH IS ALL I COULD HAVE ASKED FOR.

NOTE TO ANYONE WHO IS SECRETLY PACKING AN OVERNIGHT BAG FOR THEIR PARTNER. DON’T FORGET TOILETRIES… OUR MAGICAL LUNCH CONCLUDED WITH A QUICK VISIT TO BOOTS. IT WAS VERY FUNNY!

WHAT DREW YOU TO OUR “LAURENCE” GOWN?

I HAD ALWAYS FOLLOWED DAUGHTERS OF SIMONE AND THE LAURENCE GOWN WAS THE FIRST DRESS I TRIED ON AND I IMMEDIATELY FELL IN LOVE. I LOOKED AT SO MANY OTHER OPTIONS AS I WANTED TO EXHAUST EVERY AVENUE BEFORE I MADE A DECISION, BUT I ALWAYS RETURNED TO THE LAURENCE BECAUSE IT WAS SO DIFFERENT FROM ANY OF THE OTHER DRESSES. I LOVED THE MIX OF A TRADITIONAL STYLE LACE WITH A RELAXED NON-TRADITIONAL CUT. I ALWAYS KNEW I DIDN’T WANT THE STANDARD PRINCESS DRESS BUT I LIKED THE FACT THAT I STILL FELT LIKE A BRIDE IN A DRESS THAT WASN’T SO FORMAL.  IT FELT VERY MEDITERRANEAN!

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE MOMENT OF YOUR WEDDING DAY?

THERE ARE SO MANY! I THINK SPEECHES WERE HUGELY MEMORABLE. THERE WAS ALSO 15 MINUTES WHERE WE HAD SOME PHOTOS TAKEN AS THE SUN WAS SETTING AND THAT WAS SUPER SPECIAL – IT WAS NICE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO REFLECT ON THE DAY TOGETHER.

ANY ADVICE OR LAST WORDS TO SHARE WITH OTHER BRIDES?

WHEN IT COMES TO DRESSES – GO WITH WHAT YOU’RE COMFORTABLE IN. AS I SAID, I TRIED ON SO MANY DRESSES AND ACTUALLY LIKED SO MANY DIFFERENT STYLES BUT ALWAYS CAME BACK TO THE LAURENCE GOWN BECAUSE IT SUITED MY PERSONALITY. I COULD ENJOY THE DAY IN IT – IT FELT LIKE A PARTY DRESS AS WELL AS A WEDDING DRESS!

IN TERMS OF THE DAY – TRY AND STEAL SOME TIME WITH YOUR PARTNER TO TAKE IT ALL IN. IT’S ALL SO EXCITING; YOU’RE SURROUNDED BY ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND IT CAN BE QUITE OVERWHELMING SO IT’S NICE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ENJOY THAT TOGETHER.

ABSORB EVERY MOMENT AND TAKE THE TIME TO LOOK AROUND YOU! IT GOES SO QUICKLY AND IT’S OVER IN A FLASH. IT SOUNDS CLICHÉ AND EVERYONE ALWAYS SAYS IT BUT IT IS THE BEST DAY EVER SO TRY AND REMEMBER AS MUCH AS YOU CAN.

BRIDAL GOWN DESIGNER: DAUGHTERS OF SIMONE //BRIDAL BOUTIQUE: GHOST ORCHID BRIDE // SHOES: PRADA //HAIR PIECE: @OLIVIATHEWOLF //HAIR AND MAKE-UP: @THEBRIARROSECO //BRIDESMAIDS DRESSES: @ALEXANDRAGRECCO // GROOM’S SUIT: @BEGGARSRUN //CATERING: @ANNIKASAPRON // PHOTOGRAPHY & FILM: @MAYTREEPHOTO // INVITATION ILLUSTRATIONS: @LOTTIEGOODMAN // FLOWERS: @WILDWOODPAPER //VENUE: @THEGRANARYONTHECOMMON // BRIDE WEDDING RING: @ANNASHEFFIELD  //GROOM WEDDING RING: @ZMJEWELLERY // SOUNDS AND LIGHTING: DJ HAL