Laura’s Outdoor Woodland Wedding in Stella York

How did your partner propose?

2330m up a mountain with views of Mont Blanc, right knee sunk into a foot of snow!

What’s the best piece of advice you received in the run up to your wedding?

To remember that it was our wedding, and that whilst friends and family might have excellent thoughts and opinions it was our wishes that were the most important.

How did you go about finding your wedding dress?

I booked appointments at two different shops but was made to feel SO welcome at Fross, being given the time and space to try on a large number of dresses to find the best style to suit my shape. As soon as I tried on my dress I knew it was the one!

How many dresses did you try on before you found ‘the one’?

7 dresses, each one a different shape and style

Do you know the name of your dress designer?

Stella York

What made you fall in love with the dress that you chose?

I loved the huge lace train, the low back with scalloped edges and the ethereal feel that fit with our woodland theme.

Did you wear a veil and/or any other bridal accessories?

I wore a chapel length veil with scalloped lace edges, and I wouldn’t have changed that for the world! I wore a filigree silver/pearl-style belt and some handmade silver earrings in the shape of leaves with a small drop pearl.

Tell us a little about your wedding day – the vibe, what inspired you, etc.

We got married in the middle of Wilderness Wood, a 60-acre working woodland in East Sussex. Woodland is hugely important to us, spending a lot of time outdoors with our two dogs and in various BMX trails, and we wanted to share this love with our family and friends. We made sure that we chose local suppliers, seasonal food and natural ingredients and included these details on the back of our menu’s for our guests to read. We chose to have picnics for our main meal with a BBQ later on, had a number of fire pits, copious fairy lights, a live acoustic band and a silent disco as the night drew in. A large number of guests camped on site and we hired a bell tent for our bridal suite. It was an absolutely perfect day, starting with morning yoga under the trees and listening to the birdsong and ending with marshmallows around the campfire. The English weather held out and we were blessed with a dry day!

What was your favourite moment from the day itself?

Standing under the trees and reading our personal vows to each other in front of our closest family and friends.

Is there any advice you would be happy to share with other brides?

Don’t sweat the small stuff! You won’t notice the little details on the day and no-one will know if the small touches didn’t quite work out; it’s so easy to get caught up in planning that you can loose the whole purpose – a wedding is about declaring your love and sharing your life with another person.

Are you taking a honeymoon and if so when (in relation to your wedding, ie, immediately after, or sometime later) and what are your plans?

We spent a fabulous fortnight in Hawaii, splitting our time between the lush volcanoes in Kauai and the fabulous surfing in Maui.

Would you mind sharing details of any other suppliers you used?