Yusuf proposed to me near the royal observatory on top of Greenwich Park, where we had our first official date.

We got married in July 2021 and planned the wedding ourselves due to the pandemic. If I had to do it again, I would have hired someone! It was very stressful doing it over phone and email, but it was worth it on the day.

Due to the pandemic, we wanted a venue that had indoor and outdoor space. Luckily Quendon Hall had everything that we wanted. It had a beautiful back drop and with our flower arch and wall, it felt like a fairy-tale dream.

Even before looking for the dress, I knew I wanted its to be a strapless mermaid. I went to 3 different wedding shops and tried on 10 dressed before I found the one. Finally, after going to With Love Bridal Boutique in Sidcup I found the Ronald Joyce Carina Dress _style 69455 and fell in love.

The dress was exactly what I wanted. The stunning strapless fit complemented my figure perfectly without being too tight. The gorgeous illusion bodice back, it made me feel like sophisticated and elegant, and the puddle train with floral lacing added a romantic touch to the dress, fitting with the venue beautifully. I felt and looked like a real bride.

Everything about getting the dress was seamless, and I must give special thanks to Oz for being so helpful, especially with the alteration.

Walking up the aisle with the sun shining and all our loved ones there to see us get married was one of the best things about the day. It made up for the couple of little glitches like the original photographer catching covid a few days before our wedding, so we had to find alternative suppliers at very short notice. It worked out much better than I had hoped for in the end, especially considering it was the last day of lockdown!

My advice for future brides is always have a list of at least 2 backup suppliers at the ready in case suppliers cancel last minute. 

I would also say no matter how much you plan and prepare; things can go wrong but try to enjoy the special moments during the day as the time does fly by. 

Thank you to Nurjan and Yusuf for letting us share their story.

For the Carina Dress _style 69455 there is an optional for a feathered wrap _style 69481 sold separately to add distinctive detail that's sure to turn heads. Similar dresses worth checking out are Dalida, Delinda and Cloe.

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Photography by Xander Casey