How did you find out about Sophia Grace Couture?

I had seen Sophia Grace Couture on Instagram and loved the designers that were stocked and the look and feel of the store. I started following them and when it came to booking my first wedding dress appointment, I knew they were going to be the one.

How would you describe your experience at Sophia Grace Couture?

I had an amazing experience at Sophia Grace Couture. As someone who is quite introverted and can be self-conscious about what I wear, I had been feeling slightly anxious in the lead up to my appointment. As soon as I walked in the boutique was stunning and I knew I would have the truly memorable experience I had dreamed of. My worries drifted away, and Ines put me completely at ease on the day. While booking I had told her the styles and designers I liked and she pulled these dresses for me, alongside other recommendations. I ended up going for only the third dress I tried on! After hearing so many stories of other people traipsing around many stores, I was happy to have found the one so easily.

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

I love small, delicate details and when looking for my perfect dress I was looking for just that; and the lace and subtle sparkle of the beading on the Shannon by Calla Blanche were exactly what I was looking for. I had the overskirt option which added the fairytale look and made me feel like a total princess. However, I knew I wanted to dance the night away on my wedding day so having the option to take this off made my dress comfortable and so well suited to me. I also added the addition of the lace off the shoulder straps – having the option to add these pretty details gave a very personal feel to my gown and felt like it was made just for me.

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

I met my husband Steven on a night out during the Edinburgh festival. We had a few mutual friends so got to chatting and had a dance. We then matched on Tinder a few months later and went out on our first date.

On the night Steven proposed we went out for dinner and ended the night with drinks at the Waldorf Astoria (where we ended up getting married). We then returned home, and he proposed in the living room, just the two of us. We were on cloud 9 and drank champagne and celebrated until the early hours.

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

I had spent so long on Pinterest looking for different ideas and I was always drawn to the same styles of images. I love pretty florals, personalised details and gorgeous colours. We went for different shades of pinks and ivory, with our bride tribe in pinks matching our flowers which were roses, hydrangeas and daisies (a special tribute to our wee dog Daisy, who even made an appearance on the day and had her own corsage). Our reception room had beautiful painted walls and ceiling with blues and golds which looked so stand out with the pink tones. Steven wore a navy waistcoat and jacket which all tied in so nicely with the venue.

What made you decide upon your chosen venue?

The Waldorf Astoria in Edinburgh always had a special place in our heart. We first went for cocktails the first time Steven met my family and we would often go back ourselves after that. We always had such great service and whilst being such a grand building, with all the old Edinburgh train station features, it still felt comfortable and homely to us.

Tell us about your wedding

We had all our closest friends and family on the day, and it was so special seeing all the love and support in the room. We had a Humanist Ceremony, with a reading from my brother and niece and it all felt very personal to us. We then went for our couple shoot, which was a lovely way to spend time as husband and wife and take everything in. We had photos outside with a view of Edinburgh’s city centre, yet this felt secluded at the beautiful Rutland Gardens behind the Waldorf. We then had our drinks reception with a pianist, before being piped into our reception all in the one venue. We didn’t have a cake so instead of the cake cutting, we did a champagne sabrage. We then ended the night with our amazing band, who had everyone on the dancefloor all night.

What was the most memorable moment?

Walking down the aisle towards Steven everything really did melt away and all I could see was him. That and being lifted in the air at the end of the night to the traditional Loch Lomond, I couldn’t stop smiling from ear to ear.