Lauren // The Plough Inn // February 24

Your Name?

Lauren

Those rings though!

What is the name of your wedding venue?

The Plough Inn, Eaton

Name of your wedding dress boutique?

130 Atelier!

Name of your dress designer and style?

Lunella, Willowby by Watters

Before you started shopping for your dress, did you have an idea of the type or style of gown you wanted?

I knew what I wanted, but as a bride with a curvier shape Id set myself up to have to deal with something more traditional to cover me

Did you have an idea of the wedding dress designer / label you wanted?

I’ve always loved by Watters gowns!

How did you find out about your boutique?

I live locally and have a few friends who ive seen post their wedding photos and collection days there!

What made you decide to go with the boutique you did?

I walked past one day on a market day and Sophie had the door pinned open, I spotted a watters gown and popped my head in and instantly knew that I was booking in, Sophie made me feel like the only thing that mattered and she was determined to find me a dress that made me feel beautiful no matter what after I explained of previous bad experiences.

How did your boutique make you feel special?

I could not of asked for more of a special appointment, Sophie pulled gowns based off my answers on her pre-appointment questionnaire, my bridal party were both very opinionated as the two gowns I went for were not what you would class a traditional gown as, and at points I was losing my confidence in my final choice due to their comments.  But Sophie pulled me right out of it, reminded me who's day it was, my husbands opinion was all that mattered and did I feel beautiful? Yes? Well that's all that matters.

What were your favourite parts of the wedding dress shopping experience?

There were absolutely no limits, no huffing and puffing when I wanted to try the same two dresses I was stuck between on again and again, there was a dress I'd spotted that hadn't been pulled and Sophie put me in it no questions asked, it was my appointment and I wasnt being pushed in to buying at any point, Sophie was there to make me feel like a beautiful bride and give me the confidence I needed whether I purchased or not.

Was the experience of shopping for your wedding dress as you expected, or was it something totally different?

100 times more special than what I had expected with 130 Atelier after awful past experiences I’d expected that to just be the bridal world but Sophie and her mum are two very special people.

How many other shops did you visit?

3

Can you tell us about any experiences you had or why you were put off buying your dress from another boutique.

I actually bought a dress at a different boutique after feeling bullied in to buying it. I’d been told that as a plus size girl there was going to be limited choice for me no matter where I went and a satin ballgown was all that would be flattering on me. 

What is your advice to other brides who are about to start dress shopping?

Please please do not rule out a dress on a hanger because you think you wont look good in it, try it on, id only seen the dress I wore on slimmer taller models online and almost completely wrote it off, however as soon as I put it on I knew that actually I deserved just as much right to wear what I wanted and felt beautiful in no matter what my size or shape

Any additional advice about planning / wedding day?

Let your day be a true reflection of you and your partner, don't feel you have to put on a huge fancy party for people to respect you if that's not what you want to do. We had the most low key, laid back day with fire pits and smores, soft play and pizza and chips and we were tucked up in bed by 10:30pm. We wouldn't of changed it for the world because we did our wedding our way.

Vendor Tags: 

Photography - Holly Dwyer Photography

Cake: Cakes by Bethany

Flowers: Heavenscent by Ruth Rodgers 

lighting and curtain backdrop: blacklab events

Registrar: yourceremony (cheshire east)

makeup: deedees bridal

nails: nailstation hannah

brides rings: rabbitbones

grooms suit: house of cavani

venue: the plough inn