Choosing which brides to write about and in what order from the immense backlog of this year is a tough call. Katy’s wedding on Lake Como jumped out of the screen from the first email. It is immensely cheering to see sunshine and al fresco dining just as John Lewis roll out penguins. Greater still is the love, passion & joie de vivre pouring from every image.
Maybe it is the rich literary history of Latin lovers that sets my secret Mills & Boon heart a-flutter. Maybe its the exoticness of a location that is in reality a short Squeezy Jet ride away. Possibly it’s because I have only travelled in books and in my imagination that I long to do the Victorian Grand Tour of Italy that I love these wedding photos so much. Although there are many images to hashtag with #sharethehonestlove my fashionista focus was on Katy’s wondrous fishtail plait. How I do love to see a Pinterest favourite bought to life…
Katy’s dress is Maggie Sottero, again another example of a real life bride that is a better brand ambassador than all of their Barbie Bride models from their website. Draped ivory chiffon, with a cowl back and a fichu neckline of corded lace; the dress is at once church appropriate yet lightweight enough to have Katy thrown in the air. Yes really, check the gallery for proof you can get airborne in a dress and still look good.
Geeky fact fans will also love to know that Maggie Sottero build structure under their lightweight chiffon gowns to allow backs like Katy’s to be shown off without forgoing any of the waist whittling miracles of their bigger corsetted dresses.
Whilst I swoon over all the romantic photos and the perfect kissing shots, so ‘leading man sweeping a maiden off her feet’ *sigh* I was also slightly chuffed to read in Katy’s email the following
All my Italian family and friends were incredibly miffed (to the point of outraged!) that I live near Milan, the fashion capital of the world, yet I bought my dress in England. However, they were all satisfactorily silenced on the day!
Are British grooms as sizzling as their Italian counterparts? As publicly and photogenically passionate? The suits as sharp? Would a British wedding photographer adopt Bond style tactics to get speedboat shots? Can we Brits ‘do’ relaxed lakeside dining as well as Italians? Debatable and inconclusive. Can British bridal boutiques give good dress? Yes we can 😉
It was an absolute pleasure to help Katy, and her bridesmaid & sister Sarah will be getting married in a matter of days in another Miss Bush dress.
I had seen (the dress) it online before I came for my first appointment t and Emma had promised to put it aside for me. It was the first one I tried on and the buzz of excitement was instant. Emma was fabulous; she insisted I play around with lots of different styles and really make the most of my appointment but, in the end, we all agreed the first one was the best! Every single visit to Miss Bush after that was an absolute pleasure and always lighthearted and fun.
It is a privilege to know a family and to have helped two sister in the same year., although I rather feel for Angela, the brides’ Mum. I suspect if this was my sister & I we would be expecting a satsuma and some chocolate coins in a sock for Christmas!
Katy concludes her email to me
I couldn’t wait any longer to say a MASSIVE thank you to you all for being such a huge part of the best day of my life!
Such is the frenetic pace of wedding season that it has taken me three months to get back to Katy to say ‘thank you’ in return. For as often as I have heard the phrase ‘this must be a lovely job’ in my career, dressing brides has been a small bright spot in a dark bureaucratic abyss of a year. Like a wedding is not ‘all about the pretty’ a boutique is very often not ‘all about the dresses’
Thank you so much Katy for sharing the love and laughter at Lake Como, for your kind words and for sunshine in on a rainy, November day.
View the full gallery
Credits
Dress: Maggie Sottero at Miss Bush Bridalwear
Photographer: Cristiano Ostinelli Studio
Hair: Marilena Comito
Make up: Barbara Del Sarto
Flowers: Barbara Bianchi, Lenno, Lake Como
Cake: Ramperti, Lenno, Lake Como
Church: Church of the Ascension, Cadenabbia, Lake Como
Drinks reception: Villa Balbianello, Lake Como
Dinner and dancing: Lido di Lenno, Lake Como
Transport: Igor de Ascentis, TaxiBoat Como (Colombo boat for bride and groom)
The London taxi belongs to a friend out here (how lucky is that?!) and can be arranged on request.
Lucia Boats for the guest’s transportation
Emma xxx
Emma Meek, MD of Miss Bush Bridalwear
Miss Bush Bridalwear is Surrey’s leading designer bridal shop
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