As the temperatures are dropping and winter is on the doorstep, we’re reminiscing of the summer of 2018. Today we’re fantasizing about the scenic beauty of Chantal and Phil’s relaxed and glamorous destination wedding in beautiful Casa Bruciata, Umbrian Hills.

At the beginning, Sanyukta Shrestha bride Chantal, had her heart set on ‘a bohemian, floaty wedding dress‘ to suit her outdoor wedding. By chance, Chantal and her mother stumbled across our bridal boutique in Fulham and was mesmerized by the beauty of our sustainable wedding gowns. Once she tried on these luxurious wedding dresses made from organic silk and organic cotton and felt the touch of the 100% natural and nourishing materials, it was a complete game changer. ‘For me, it was the fabrics which really left an impression – you put on a dress and you can’t stop running your hands over it – the softest silk and so comfortable.  I really didn’t want to end up in a dress that was beautiful, but I couldn’t move (or god forbid, eat) in!’

For her semi bespoke Esther gown, we removed a skirt overlay and lowered the back neckline until it was a low-back wedding dress to enhance and elongate her petite hourglass frame. To add a touch of opulence to her simple design, her Katie veil was customized with crystals scattered across her two-layered church length veil.  To make her wedding gown even more beautiful, we accessorized with her Audrey Sash. The Esther, Katie and Audrey combination was the perfect collaboration for Chantal’s outdoor wedding. While not as bohemian as she first had  been searching for, her bespoke strapless bridal gown adds a touch of luxury to her easy-going affair, while managing to invigorate her skin for hours on end.

The wedding was absolutely brilliant, a cliche to say that it was the best day of our lives but it really was even better than we could have imagined. And the dress….where to start. Thank you so much for helping to create my perfect dress. I felt like a real princess in it and hopefully you can see from all the smiles in the pictures attached that I was beyond happy with it. I can’t tell you how happy I am that I stumbled across your Fulham boutique and had the pleasure of meeting you and the team. Please do pass on my thanks to Gina as well – the dress fit like a glove and was so comfortable to wear (I can’t say the same for my shoes after 12 hours!) – Chantal x

WHERE DID YOU MEET

We were set up by a friend of his.  When I first met her, one of the first things she said was “my friend would love you.”  Her being a relative stranger at this point meant this was quite a strange announcement, but a few months later, I visited her in Edinburgh and she sat me next to Phil at a dinner party.

THE PROPOSAL

In Copenhagen. He’d planned for us to go boating on the canals on our second day so we picked up some cheese, hams and rose (the perfect combination) and spent the afternoon exploring Copenhagen by boat.  Right at the end, he made us do another loop “to see something we had missed before”.  Cut to me sitting expectantly at the front of the boat, waiting for some impressive building or sight to be revealed.  He called out my name and when I turned around, he was holding a diamond in one hand, still steering the boat in the other.

MOST MAGICAL MOMENT

My dad seeing my dress for the first time was incredibly special, my brother being more emotional than I have ever seen him and of course the ceremony.  Our celebrant Annie Peacock delivered the ceremony beautifully and every part of it was so personal to us.  Probably the most special thing was the atmosphere that we created.  There was so much joy and happiness all around us.

THE DRESS

My dress and veil were perfect.  There are no other words to really describe it but, in that dress, I felt how I had always dreamed I would on my wedding day.

FAIRTRADE

I didn’t have a clue about the organic materials Sanyukta uses, but sustainability is so important and even more relevant in the world we live in today.  If anything, the commitment to women’s equality and ethical production makes the dress feel even more special.

YOUR ADVICE FOR OTHER BRIDES

Go with an open mind and don’t close yourself off to options you think won’t suit you or won’t fit with your theme.  If you see someone like Sanyukta, listen to her advice and let her pick out dresses for you that you might not have considered.  She knows her stuff!

The key is not to be too set on things early on.  Things change, and the dress plays a big part of that – after I bought my dress, we changed the colour and style of the bridesmaid’s dresses and what Phil and the groomsmen would be wearing to match my more formal style of dress.

The other piece of advice would be to not be afraid to discuss alternations.  The dress I chose actually came with an overlay, which I decided I didn’t need.  I then worked with Sanyukta to make a few adjustments – to lower the back and add a sash – to make the dress even more beautiful, and personal.  The same was the case for my veil – after trying on a few options, we decided a combination of a few styles would work so Sanyukta scattered crystals over an originally plan two-tier veil.

SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW, SOMETHING BORROWED, SOMETHING BLUE

Yes, but it was a combination of things!  My something old were earrings that belonged to my mum (which also count for my something borrowed!).  For my something new, this pretty much covered my dress, veil and shoes but my mum also surprised me on the morning of the wedding with a delicate infinity bracelet from Tiffany – so also my something blue!

CREDITS

Photographer: Divine Day Photography

Wedding Dress: Sanyukta Shrestha at Behuli Boutique in Fulham

Venue: Casa Bruciata, Umbrian Hills, Italy

Shoes: Karen Millen

Bridal accessories: Headpiece – Hermione Harbutt

Bridesmaids Dresses: Jarlo London

Entertainment: Roameo

Flowers: Roberta Turco

Hair: Monia – A hairdresser local to the venue in Castel Rigone

Makeup: Bride herself (how beautiful is that)