Our Brides

Helen and Alex

Helen and Alex’s romantic day at the wonderful Beamish Hall Hotel was filled with love, laughter and a sentimental wine ceremony. Helen tells us about her experience of finding the ‘gown of her dreams’ and the joy of becoming a Y.A.P bride… |Tell us how you and Alex met. Your ‘love story’…

We met 7 years ago while working at a computer game shop together. The first day I saw Alex I knew he was someone special. We become really good friends and stayed that way for 3 years, through Alex getting his Masters degree and me living in America and France. The stars seemed to align when I came home and we ended up spending more and more time together until eventually we decided we had wasted too much time and finally declared our love for each other. Alex proposed 4 years later while we were on a hike in the middle of the Cairngorms, I fell over and he got it on film.

Tell us how you felt before your first appointment to try on gowns..

I was really excited to try on gowns. It’s that special time you dream about as a little girl and the reality that it will be the dress you wear when you walk down the aisle. Thinking about wedding dresses made the whole planning very real.

On arriving at Y.A.P Bridal Boutique what were your initial thoughts –

Stepping into the Y.A.P Boutique was like stepping into a dream, it is the most beautiful hidden gem. The light that bathes the studio, the décor and all the Thank You cards displayed is so uplifting you can’t help but smile. The beautiful story behind the name really spoke to me as Alex and I write letters to each other all the time.

Did you have in mind the style and look you wanted from your gown? If so what was it..

I thought I would end up with something full skirted as I thought that’s what other people would chose for me. Though I knew I wouldn’t settle for something because someone else liked it, I didn’t have a clear idea of what I wanted, I just knew the feeling I wanted to have and was looking for that.

How did your consultation during your appointment help to find the perfect dress for you?

I told Louise I didn’t have a clear idea of what I wanted and she wasn’t fazed at all, I only said I want to feel beautiful – and that’s exactly what she found me (I still don’t know how she did it!)

How did you feel when you found your dream gown & how did you know it was ‘The One’…

It was ‘that feeling’. The one they talk about, when it leave you speechless and something clicks. Louise helped me into my gown and I mouthed ‘Wow’ in the mirror at her while my Mum was chatting away outside the dressing room. Louise knew it was the one so got me all set and ready to reveal me standing in it. When I saw my Mums reaction I knew it was a winner. That was the beauty I wanted.

How did you feel in your amazing Y.A.P gown on your wedding day?

The most beautiful I have ever felt and also, really comfortable. My dress was so easy to wear it made for such an enjoyable day. Louise said ‘You have to wear the dress, the dress shouldn’t wear you’ and I’m so glad I kept that advise when looking for my gown.

Where was your wedding held and what kind of day did you want-

We had our wedding at Beamish Hall Hotel. When we first went to visit both Alex and loved it, it felt so comfortable. We included a wine ceremony where we put a sealed letter written to the other person in a box with a nice bottle of wine and lock it. We will open it on our 5th wedding anniversary, drink the wine and read the letters and reminisce on the past 5 years and dream of the years to come. We’ll then put in two more sealed letters and another bottle of wine to open on our 10th anniversary and so on. Creating a romantic time capsule for our future family. That’s what we wanted for our Wedding, not just one day, but the start of a whole new story.

Tell us about the perfect accessories – Shoes, Veil, Hair accessories

I had Rainbow Club shoes that I knew would be comfortable and had embroidery details that matched my dress. Heather helped me picked a Y.A.P one tier cathedral length veil with no detail so the back of the dress would still be seen but so I’d feel like Maria in the Sound of Music when I walked. My hair accessory I had custom made to match the sea glass and frosted beading on my dress. Everything came together perfectly.

Tell us about your chosen suppliers and how they made your day perfect –

There are so many people that helped make our wedding so beautiful and memorable. Becy (Belle Art Photography) our photographer is someone we can never thank enough for capturing our day. The art she creates is so beautiful as well as reflecting our own personalities. Also Zoe (Zoe the Wedding Florist) for creating all the florals for the day, I was so in love with my bouquet when I saw it we both cried, it even got the seal of approval from a passing bumble bee, all of it was more than I
had ever envisioned, I was truly blown away.

Helen and Alex’s romantic day at the wonderful Beamish Hall Hotel was filled with love, laughter and a sentimental wine ceremony. Helen tells us about her experience of finding the ‘gown of her dreams’ and the joy of becoming a Y.A.P bride…