Wedding of Chelsie and Josh

How did you find out about Sophia Grace Couture?

I searched for months online looking at different designers and that’s when I stumbled across Calla Blanche, when I saw Sophia Grace was a stockist I looked online at their different designers and instantly knew I was going to find my dress in store!

How would you describe your experience at Sophia Grace Couture?

I actually found out I was 3 months pregnant a couple of weeks before coming in and I was so nervous about picking a dress that I knew would look totally different on the day but I was made to feel so at ease and confident in the dresses. We tried on numerous different styles so that there was no pressure for me to lose any weight. Ines really took into consideration what look I was going for but also made sure we had tried on a couple of other options to rule out certain styles. It was private and I felt extremely comfortable to express my opinions on what I was looking for. I drove 5 hours to get there and it was so worth the drive! 

Tell us about your dress and why you choose your particular gown

I chose Lillia from the Calla Blanche range paired with the matching over skirt. This was the dress I had my heart set on originally once I’d found the range. It’s modern, classy but also has a traditional element to it. I chose the over skirt so that I could have the best of both worlds and I was able to show off the full dress in the evening. 

How did you meet?  Are you happy to tell us about the proposal?

Me and Josh met at the gym. I was trying a new gym on a day pass and when I got home he had found me on Facebook and messaged me offering to train me at the gym. He proposed on Valentine’s Day just before my 21st birthday, we were in Venice on a gondola. It was the perfect proposal. 

What was your inspiration for your wedding?  Did you follow a specific theme or colour palette?

I wanted something modern and classy. Something that would never age. So we kept it very neutral, with dried flowers and white roses. The men wore black tuxes and the bridesmaids wore white silk dresses. 

What made you decide upon your chosen venue?

We chose Hawkstone Hall as the venue, it was still being renovated when we chose it but we knew the moment we walked in it was the venue. It has all the traditional features but modernised, everything was so fresh and clean. Perfect for photos and making you feel like a princess for the day. The ceilings are gold and it has a gorgeous chapel to say I do in. 

Tell us about your wedding

We got married at 2:30pm at Hawkstone Hall, it was a gorgeous day. We were lucky enough to have 32 degrees sun and not a cloud in the sky. 

Myself, my mother and my four bridesmaids started getting ready slowly at about 10am. We had Prosecco to get us ready for the day and our make-up artist Sarah Broadgate and our hair stylist Empire of Hair came around this time to get us ready. The minute my hair and make up was finished I felt so excited. The look I had my heart set on for years was all coming together perfectly. My hair looked timeless and my face looked flawless. We felt like we were in a movie. 

Before we knew it was 2pm had creeped up and it was time to make my way down the aisle! It was so hot, the sun was glaring down and the minute I looked down the aisle and saw the flowers, the bridesmaids, groomsmen and most importantly the groom I felt a huge weight lifted off me. It was perfect and everyone looked phenomenal. I couldn’t wait to walk down the aisle! I walked down to Elvis “Can’t Help Falling in Love” we had a photographer and videographer Marta D weddings filming it, although you would barely notice them there they make you feel so comfortable in front of the camera, every moment was natural and organic. 

We then had some pictures with friends and family before going into have our wedding breakfast. We had chosen a modern menu of garlic bread starters, double cheeseburger and chips and to finish a chocolate brownie and ice cream. We wanted the menu to be authentically us! It was delicious. 

We then were whizzed off in a buggy to have a few more pictures whilst the sun was coming down to really get those perfect shots! 

It was then time for the evening, we cut our beautiful cake by The Little Button Bakery who actually used the design on the wedding dress and incorporated it on the cake. It was simply stunning! We hired Dan Budd who is a Robbie Williams tribute act to really kick start the evening. First he sang She’s The One as our first dance and then he jumped straight in with some floor fillers . He absolutely smashed it! All the guests filled the dance floor and spent the majority of the night either buying drinks or dancing! It was the lively celebration we had always wanted to end the day.

What was the most memorable moment?

I would say when Dan Budd came from the back of the reception room singing She’s The One whilst we were starting our first dance. The guests were so shocked and a few thought it was the real Robbie. It really did make the night.

Do you have any advice for future brides visiting Sophia Grace Couture?

I would say try on dresses out of your comfort zone! They look so different on a hanger and what you have in your head isn’t always the best option. I was shocked that styles I had originally ruled out looked really nice on! Also go for what your heart tells you when deciding on the one. I almost went with a different style just in case I was a little bigger. But ultimately the dress I chose was the right choice and looking back I would have regretted getting a dress based on what ifs

Vendors:

Wedding Dress: Calla Blanche at Sophia Grace Couture
Photographer:  Marta D. Weddings
Venue : Hawkstone Hall
Florist: Sassflower 
Cake:  Little Button Bakery 
Make-up artist:  @sarahbroadgatemua
Hair stylist:  Empire of Hair