Glamorous bride Sarah wore a homemade ensemble at her winter wedding – everything from the vintage dress to the fun feather wrap was made by her mum!
The proposal
Ossi’s proposal left Sarah feeling on top of the world – literally! “Ossi proposed at the very top of the Empire State Building at the stroke of midnight,” Sarah says. “He surprised me while we were looking out at the skyline. He’d bought a diamond so that I could choose the ring setting, but had left it in his bag at our hotel, so he proposed again when we got back to our room.
The bride’s outfit
After failing to find a dress that she loved in a bridal boutique, Sarah opted to have her dress made for her by her mum, using a vintage Vogue pattern and vintage lace. “We had such fun designing and making the dress, although it was definitely a labour of love for my mum,” Sarah explains. “She did an amazing job, and even stitched a label saying ‘With love Mum’ inside.” Sarah’s talented mum also made her birdcage veil, incorporating her late grandmother’s brooch and her gloves and feather wrap.
The groom’s outfit
Under strict instructions from his bride, Ossi chose a navy blue morning suit from Moss Bros, which he teamed with an ivory waistcoat, cravat and handkerchief.
The bridesmaids
Sarah’s troupe of five bridesmaids included Ossi’s sisters Sigy and Daisy, close friends Gemma, Beth and Rachel, and Ossi’s niece Isabelle. The adult maids wore figure-hugging navy blue dresses with lace sleeves from Phase Eight, while flowergirl Isabelle looked adorable in an ivory gown from John Lewis with a navy feather wrap.
The ceremony
Sarah entered her civil ceremony to the sound of To Know Him is to Love Him by Amy Winehouse. “When I got to the end of the aisle and took my feather wrap off to reveal my dress, everyone gasped – in a good way!” says Sarah. The couple signed the register to Pokarekare Ana, a love song from New Zealand. “It’s a special song to Ossi because his mum comes from New Zealand,” Sarah explains.
The reception
The wedding reception was held at Merewood Country House Hotel, with its stunning views over Lake Windermere. “It was the perfect setting,” Sarah says. “Because it was a winter wedding, it was dark by the time our meal was served, so we arranged circular mirrors on the centre of each table with tea light candles. It gave a 1930’s Rat Pack-style atmosphere which suited our vintage glamour wedding theme.”
The honeymoon
After a day by Lake Windermere, the newlyweds travelled to the Maldives for a fortnight of relaxation.
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