Firstly, tell me all about the gorgeous venue…
We got married in is Cyprus a place called Liopetro Venue. It was beautiful and certainly the most breathtaking venue I have ever see. Although we had it booked 12 months before we got married we only first saw it a few days before the wedding. It brought tears to our eyes when the owners first opened the large rustic wooden doors, revealing where we would be getting married. We got married six years to the day of our first date.
How did you personalise your day?
I’d seen plenty of pictures of Liopetro in the run up to the wedding and wanted to stick with the rustic theme. Simple & elegant. I love flowers so they recommended their best florist and I left it with them to choose all my flowers including the decoration, table centre pieces and flower arch. All I asked was for the colours to be neutral, with a small amount of dusky pink to tie in with bridesmaids.
What was a must-have at your wedding?
The atmosphere. I wanted my guests to have the best time because then I knew we would too. And I really think they did. I wanted them to feel relaxed with a great party to finish, and that’s what they got. My brother in-law is a wedding singer and did our first dance and we had an excellent DJ. Then towards the end of the evening one of our photographers got up and did a set as she was also a singer. We had the best time laughing and dancing all night long.
Quickly moving onto the dress…did you have any idea of what you wanted before the shopping began?
As it was going to be 30+ degrees, in my mind I imagined a lightweight lace dress that would float off me. When it came to trying on the dresses I quickly discovered that was not the dress style for me.
What was it like for you when you were trying on dresses?
I loved it! I loved every dress I tried on and went for all different styles and shapes. But after we had visited 2 boutiques I knew the exact style I needed, it was just a case of finding the one.
Tell me about the moment you found your dress…
By the third dress shop, Shropshire Country Brides, I went in and described exactly what I wanted. I explained that after trying on quite a few styles I could envision my dress but had yet to find it. The assistant looked concerned as I was quite specific as to what it was I wanted. But she said she did have one dress that matched my description. As soon as I put it on I knew then that was ‘the one’. It felt like a dress made just for me, it was incredible. My dress was the Jillian dress. It is a sleeveless shimmering Mikado ball gown with beaded belt and a low back with beaded necklace.
So, you mum ended up also buying a Ronald Joyce dress…how did that happen?
My mum had been searching for the perfect mother of the bride dress. She kept seeing this one online and couldn’t get it out of her mind. We eventually tracked it down in a shop called Nigel Rayment in Manchester. When she went to try it on we realised it was also a Ronald Joyce dress from the Veni Infantino Collection of Mother of the Bride outfits. Of course, it was meant to be and she purchased it right there and then.
So, any future tips for our brides-to-be?
You will have spent months of organising planning and prepping for your big day. When it finally comes around relax and take it all in. The day is about you and your husband. Just enjoy every moment. There will be enough people around you to make sure everything runs smoothly. You just have to turn up and look fabulous!
If you’re looking for your perfect gown take a look at our latest season’s wedding gowns from the Ronald Joyce Collection.
Photography by Nick & Aimie @ Beziiqué - Cyprus Wedding Photographers