How did you find out about Sophia Grace Couture?

I was originally looking for a Stella York wedding gown after seeing a lot I liked online and SGC was one of the only stockists near me so I called and made an appointment.

How would you describe your experience at Sophia Grace Couture?

I had visited four other bridal shops before SGC and this was the only one where I thought wow. From the moment I walked in I knew there would be a dress for me. I originally visited with one of my friends and Carol the shop assistant was very pleasant, helpful and patient (I tried on A LOT of dresses). I then returned a few weeks later with my mum to try on my top three dresses and that’s when Carol persuaded me to try on another dress as she believed it would suit my figure and as soon as it was buttoned up I knew it was the one.

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

My dress was style 1786 by Kenneth Winston, a designer that I hadn’t heard of before and would now encourage everyone to look into as there’s so many beautiful dresses. I knew in my head I always wanted something strapless and almost a mermaid fit and luckily for me I suited this style. Our Wedding was Black Tie so I was also looking for something very formal and it had to have some sparkle to it and this gown definitely did.

White_Cherrie-Nicola_Steve-483_resized_20200315_072415708-1-1066x1599.jpg

White_Cherrie-Nicola_Steve-34_resized_20200315_072414182-1-1066x1599.jpg

White_Cherrie-Nicola_Steve-476_resized_20200315_072414732.jpg

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

Steve and I met through one of our bridesmaids 14 years ago, we become close friends when I moved to Edinburgh in 2012 and started dating in 2013.

Our first holiday as a couple was NYC and that’s where Steve proposed 6 years later at Ellis Island looking back onto Manhattan. As soon as I said yes we went back to Manhattan and up the Freedom Tower for some strong cocktails and then met my family at night to celebrate as we were in NYC visiting my brother with my parents.

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

We were luckily enough to be invited to a Black Tie wedding in Dublin 5 years ago and from then on I said I would do the same as it was so nice to see everyone wearing full length dresses and formal wear.

I always wanted gold tones and looking at pictures on Pintrest it helped me make my mind up. Both bridesmaids suited gold as well which made it really easy for me.

What made you decide upon your chosen venue?

I had seen many pictures of the Kings Hall in the George Hotel and really loved the chandelier so it was always top of my list. It was one of the last venues we visited that could accommodate our larger numbers and when we saw it in comparison to the others we knew it was the venue for us.

Tell us about your wedding

It was the best day and everything I could have hoped for. The ceremony was at 12:30 and we were married by our close friend’s mum which made it really personal and also fun. I wanted the day to be special for us but I also wanted it to be one of the best days for our guests so we put on a lot of entertainment such as a harpist, magician, singer and wedding singers to keep everybody entertained whilst we were away for photographs. As we got married early there was enough time for us to spend time with all of our guests which was important to us both.

What was the most memorable moment?

I had booked Singing Waiters as a surprise for my husband and they were definitely one of the highlights of the day. It was such a good feeling to be standing at the front of the Kings Hall seeing all of our guests so happy and excited, people were jumping up and down, singing and even dancing on the chairs and almost the tables!!!

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

Be open and ready to try on dresses that you think aren’t for you, I never wanted a satin gown and wasn’t overly keen to even try it on but I’m forever grateful to Carol for getting me to step out of my comfort zone.