Where was the wedding?
We picked Stirk House in Gisburn, Lancashire.
How did you personalise your day?
We both love Autumn, so the colour scheme and decor all incorporated yellows, oranges, reds and bits of green as well as pinecones and pumpkins. It was important to me to incorporate the season into our wedding and my choice of florist really helped capture it. Debbie Wilding with her floral business Wild Ivy, based in Blackburn managed to include pheasant feathers and wheat and lots of other things Autumnal without a rose in sight!
What was the most important thing for you to have at your wedding?
Most important thing for me to have at my wedding was my husband to be! Joking aside, it was to have all our family and friends together celebrating in one place and to have a photographer that could capture all of it for us so we could remember it for years to come.
Did you have any idea of what style or shape of dress you were looking for?
Yes…well, I thought I did. I originally envisioned a plain dress with straps, A-line or mermaid, not too tight and slinky but not a ball gown. Simple and plain from the front but with a really dramatic low V-back as the key feature and a bit of a train.
Did you try a lot of dresses on before you found the ONE?
No! This is no lie…it was the first dress I tried on! On the hanger it looked a bit too much but I loved the embroidery even though it wasn't what I'd envisioned but the straps and shape were similar to what I had in mind, so I tried it on to see myself in that cut of dress. I nearly told the assistant to put it back on the rack when I saw the back wasn't a deep V but a scoop back. When I put the dress on it felt good and when I saw myself in it, I cried and didn't want to take it off! Ever! And every time I went back in for a fitting or to show my bridesmaids I felt the exact same emotion. I knew it wasn't just because it was the first dress I'd ever tried on. It was my dress and everything I wanted but didn't know I did.
I purchased it from Wedding Bells in Blackburn. The ladies who work there were fantastic. I tried on 7 other dresses in different shapes and styles and they didn't rush me. I knew by dress number 3 or 4 there was actually no point, and nothing compared to mine. The lady there knew it too.
The dress was called Hermione.
Anything else that you would like to share about your day or dress?
The day was brilliant and my dress really made me feel like a bride. I love my dress as much as my husband! I was fortunate enough a friend actually asked me for her to practice bridal makeup on me and to take photos to promote her makeup business and she wanted me to wear my dress again, I felt like it was my wedding day all over again. I never knew a dress could mean so much and make you feel so amazing!
Any tips for future brides?
Don't stress. Enjoy it all and don't do it all at once. I planned one thing a month after finding my dress. Flowers one month, suits another, photographer another, bridesmaid dresses another... To the point where the bridesmaid’s dresses didn't arrive until two months before the wedding!
For more inspiring stories from brides and how they found their wedding gown head click back to our real brides section or shop Ronald Joyce dresses
Photo credits: Rachel Kenyon Photography
by Lucinda Jenkins