Björn and I got married in the tropical west African country of The Gambia. The ceremony was held on the 5* Coco Ocean Resort & Spa beach.
We opted for an elegant boho-style wedding ceremony that was officiated by one of our best friends from university to keep it personal. To paint the scene, there was a beautiful breeze with the sound of crashing waves in the background. This is the story of how I found the dress.
The Vision
It only took one appointment to find the ceremony dress I always wanted. I tried on around ten dresses and the first dress I tried was the one.
I had always dreamed of getting married on a beach in lace. I wanted a figure-hugging mermaid-style dress with a long train. I have had a Pinterest board of wedding dresses for about 5 years (even before the proposal, ha!) and Berta was the majority of these dresses. I picked a bridal store that was fully stocked with Berta for this reason. I found my dream dress at The Wedding Club in Knightsbridge.
Berta make the dress for you and this takes 9 months so I planned well in advance. You are able to make alterations and adjustments and I removed a bow that was in the front and lowered the back. They also tailored it to suit my body so it fit like a glove.
The Decision
I actually found it fun and easy because I had such a clear vision of what I wanted. The second I looked in the mirror in the first dress I cried because I felt it was so perfect and for the first time, I pictured myself as a bride. I always took close friends or my bridesmaids with me which made the experience very memorable and emotional.
The Accessories
I liked being able to scout and find things myself. I did ask The Wedding Club what veils they had available and luckily one suited the dress perfectly. It was a veil hand-stitched in the UK. I wanted to keep my accessories simple as that is my style. I went for dainty pearl studs to complement the pearls that circled the root of my ponytail. My shoes were slip-on gold Jimmy Choo mules – I wanted comfortable yet trendy heels I would wear again.
The Evening Look
I wanted a sleeker dress that had a shorter train and would be easier to dance in. I love dresses with a high-neck and an open-back, this one was just perfect. With silk like butter, this Ines Di Santo dress ticked all my boxes. The pearl detailing at the back won my heart over. I found this one at The Wedding Club, too.
The Second Day Outfit
The night before the wedding we had drinks and canapés on the beach. I wanted something chic and short with a wow factor. This gorgeous Rebecca Vallance mini caught my eye immediately. I love how the bow at the back is such a statement. I paired it with pearl studs and stacked two pearl hair ties to decorate my ponytail.
Advice For Brides
Create a moodboard of what you’re after to help yourself narrow down your choice. But also try on dresses you don’t think you’d like because it might surprise you. Or on the contrary, it might make you so sure of what you actually want. So you’ll never look at back and think “would that have worked better”.
Favourite Photo Of The Dress
My favourite photo is the one of us on the deserted beach at sunset. My veil taken into the air by the breeze and us sharing our first kiss after we walked down the aisle as husband and wife. I love how my train surrounds us and you can appreciate the low back of the dress, too.
Related Article: The Dress With Patricia O’Dwyer
