Here is another gorgeous Cicily Bridal real bride who has been so very kind to share her wedding journey story and beautiful wedding day images with us. Sit back and enjoy reading all about Natalie’s fabulous proposal to her honeymoon in paradise!
Real Bride Natalie says “I Chose Cicily!
How did you meet your soul mate and how did he propose?
Our relationship started off as a holiday romance back in 2010 when we met in Gran Canaria! My friend Alex began chatting to a group of guys next to the pool and then she brought them over. I kept myself to myself whilst they all chatted, until Craig approached me and asked me my name. I remember blushing when I realised how handsome he was, and then he told me he knew we were going to be together. At the time I thought it was a cheesy chat up line but here we are six years later and married!
Craig proposed on my 30th birthday. He had already told me he was taking me to New York at Christmas as my birthday present so I wasn’t expecting anything other than a card on the day itself. I have always loved the film Bodyguard and found out it was on at the theatres in London around the time of my birthday. Craig told me we should still do something special as it was the big 30 and decided to book tickets.
He completely surprised me when he booked us in at The Savoy but stated it was a special occasion with it being my 30th. When we arrived Craig asked me if I would like to spend the day shopping or go and watch Shakespeare in St James Park. As it was a hot summers day and I’ve always loved Shakespeare and theatre I told him I thought it would be nice to do that and make the most of the day.
We walked to the park and eventually found a quiet spot where we decided to sit for a while. Craig was telling me how much he loved me and what I meant to him when a woman came running over and stated that she thought we looked like a lovely couple and would it be OK if she practiced some lines from the play for us. She seemed so nervous I told her that was fine, she also had a violinist with her who she advised helped her with the lines as she was part of the play also. The lady started reciting poetry which was beautiful but felt quite surreal as it seemed a little random. At the end of her lines she stated “So then Craig I believe you’ve something you’re wanting to do?” I looked at Craig wondering what on earth was going on and he asked me to stand. He then got down on one knee and told me how I had changed his life and asked me to marry him!
He had setup the idea of the Shakespeare in the park and had arranged for actresses to play the part of the woman who wanted to practice her lines and the violinist, there was no play that afternoon! I couldn’t believe it and of course said Yes! The actress then produced a bottle of champagne and we celebrated in the park before heading to Hatton Gardens and choosing my ring together. We then celebrated the rest of the evening at the top table at Gordon Ramsey’s in The Savoy followed by The Bodyguard and more champagne!
It was so special and I can’t believe how romantic my husband is, he really does whisk me off my feet at the most unexpected times!
Where was your venue and why did you choose it?
We chose The Ashes Barns in Endon for our big day. We wanted somewhere that was relaxed and intimate and after viewing numerous venues we finally found The Ashes and fell in love. The venue is two grade listed barns set amongst beautiful countryside with its own lake, courtyard, stunning grounds and amazing views. The venue is exclusive use which offered us the intimate setting we wished for and the venue itself was just naturally beautiful, we knew we wouldn’t find anywhere we loved more. It was just perfect!
Describe the style of your wedding.
The style of our wedding was relaxed with a rustic and romantic English country garden feel to the day. We made our day personal to us and those close to us with special touches throughout which meant a lot to both of us and didn’t go unnoticed by our guests.
How did you find shopping for your wedding dress & Do you have any advice for brides-to-be?
I accidentally fell in love with the designer Naomi Neoh at a wedding fair where Cicily Bridal were exhibiting back in September 2013. I had only been engaged a few weeks and certainly wasn’t looking for a dress so soon. Whilst walking by the stand a beautiful blush silk chiffon dress caught my eye. I loved how unusual it was as I had never considered a coloured dress but it was so subtle and romantic. I had the details of the dress wrote down on the back of the boutiques card, where the photo of the dress was at the front. I carried that photo card around in my diary in my bag for over twelve months and couldn’t stop day dreaming about it! Any dress I tried on afterwards just didn’t make me feel like a “bride”. I knew I was meant to be a Naomi Neoh bride as nothing else compared and it really was love at first sight.
When I tried on “Fleur” I fell head over heels in love. The beautiful blush silk chiffon skirt that floated when I walked as it was so light and swishy made me feel like a princess. The fitted blush silk corset that nipped in and showed my waist along with the delicate lace jacket, finished with the rose corsage was just everything I dreamed of in a wedding gown but could have never imagined. It epitomized my girly personality perfectly and it just felt so romantic, elegant, timeless and classic. The blush colour complimented my pale skin and added a delicate feel to my bridal look. Craig also calls me his English rose, so I really felt the dress was made to be!
I also loved how versatile the dress is and how the look can be changed for the evening or even for the day dependent upon what look the bride wants.
One of my most favourite parts of wedding planning were the trips to Cicily Bridal. Even though it was two hours away from where I lived it was worth it. The boutique is so beautiful, it’s so stylish and girly, and definitely a place where wedding dress dreams come true. The Cicily Bridal ladies made me feel so special and their customer service make you feel like their most important bride.
They offered so much support and advice from first choosing the dress to having my final fitting when I was overcome with emotion! I cannot thank them enough.
As I had such a lovely experience with Cicily Bridal and being lucky enough to be able to wear the dress of my dreams there’s nothing I would do differently.
Advice for brides to be in regards to trying on dresses would to be open minded! Try on every style. You may surprise yourself!
How did you accessorise your dress…Veil, Headpeice, belts etc?
My dress was simply stunning alone so didn’t need much accessorizing. For the day time I decided to wear a beautiful rose gold and blush hair vine from Britten. The hair vine had tiny delicate blush flowers and was called “June”. I felt this was meant to be as not only the month we married was June, but also my husband’s Nanna who had passed was also called June.
Veil wise I wore a stunning cathedral length veil recommended by the ladies at Cicily Bridal. I loved how romantic a long veil felt and in the photos it looked amazing!
For the evening I decided to change the look of my dress slightly and removed the lace jacket and rose corsage. I had fallen in love with the Primrose Pearl Beaded Floral Sash by Debbie Carlisle while at Cicily Bridal. It was cream satin which tied at the back and the lovely ladies at Cicily asked for the floral lace applique to be made in blush. It just went so perfect with my dress!
What shoe’s did you wear?
I chose a beautiful pair of “Mimosa” Rachel Simpson shoes in mint green. They were so pretty and unique I couldn’t resist. They carried me through the whole day, from that most important walk down the aisle right up until the end of a full night of dancing!
What lingerie did you choose to wear with your dress (to help with the fit)?
With the style of my dress and the hidden corset a bra wasn’t needed. I chose a cream pair of silk and lace knickers from the Rosie Huntington designer range for the big day.
I also had a blush tulle and pearl garter made bespoke for me from the Wedding Garter Company as a nice little touch for under my dress.
Who did your hair & make-up on the day?
My hair and makeup were done by the wonderful Gemma and Amy at “Dollface Make Up” from Congleton. They were so lovely and were amazing on the day! They understood exactly what look I wanted – natural and romantic.
Which florist and cake designer did you use?
We had our flowers, table arrangements and floral backdrop by The Topiary Tree Florist. Rose is such a lovely lady & understood exactly what look we wanted. It couldn’t have looked any more beautiful on the day and she really brought our vision to life, I was over the moon.
We also had flowers for our table plan and flowers for our bridesmaids’ hair by Sue at Blooms and Balloons. She is a friend of the family and I would like to say a huge thank you for putting these together so perfectly.
For our cake we chose Marie Antoinette Cakes. From consultation with lots of yummy cake to the actual day Rachel was brilliant. We wanted something which fitted in with the rustic English country garden style of the day but with a twist. She designed us a stunning blush and pale mint cake with a chalkboard tier with our names and dates hand painted on. The cake was decorated with beautiful pale pink roses she had handmade and this tied the rose from my dress perfectly.
Which Photographer did you use?
We chose Chris Chambers. We loved how whimsical his photos are and how creative he is! On top of that he is such a great guy, he was laughing and joking with the guests all day and made us all feel so at ease.
What was the grooms outfit, did he get to choose it!?
I left Craig to choose his own grooms suit and what colours etc. he wanted. We didn’t have a colour scheme as such but he was on board with the rustic country garden style of the day as we made all other decisions together. He mix and matched his suit and waistcoat from various menswear retailers and finished with a satin floral tie from TM Lewin. His choices went together so well and his style complimented my wedding gown perfectly! He made a very handsome groom (even if I am a little bias!)
What did your bridesmaids wear?
I chose dresses by Dessy in Celadon. The soft pale green of the dresses enhanced the blush colour of my dress and the natural colours looked perfect with the English country style of the day. The style really flattered both of my bridesmaids, they both looked beautiful.
What was the best moment of the day?
The best moment of the day were saying our vows and promises to each other during the ceremony. I feel so lucky.
Another favourite moment was the first look moment I did with my dad, that’s a memory I will always treasure and has been captured beautifully on film to relive again and again.
Would you do anything differently?
No we wouldn’t. A lot of planning went into our day and it all came together perfectly. It reflected us as a couple and was just how we imagined our big day to be.
Where did you go for a rest!? – Honeymoon!
For our honeymoon we went to Bali! Throughout our stay we visited Semniyak, Ubud and the Gilli islands. The people are lovely and the food is gorgeous! There’s so much to do, spas, beautiful beaches, sightseeing, wildlife – we swam with turtles, played with monkeys and bathed elephants! It really is like paradise.
Looking back at your day, how would you describe it?
For us it was just perfect. We feel that all our friends became friends and our family came together as one. You could feel the love and happiness in the room throughout the day and night. To have that on our big day surrounded by family and friends celebrating our love was just magical. It’s such a special time to share with those close to you, and memories to last a lifetime.
What advice would you give brides to be?
Try and enjoy every moment of planning and especially the build up to the big day! I literally savoured every moment and made so many lovely memories not only with my husband but also family and friends. If there are moments where you feel stressed remember why you’re getting married and what your wedding day is really about. Even more importantly make sure you and your husband take moments together throughout the day. The day really does go so fast!
I would like to wish all future brides a happy wedding day and all the best for the future.
Also again thank you Cicily ladies for being the best!
