A bride with big ideas

Real bride Loz had some big ideas for her wedding… and a ‘proper’ bridal gown wasn’t one of them.

When Loz’s now-husband Ash asked her to marry him on a beach in Ibiza, she was overjoyed – but she didn’t stop to smell the sea breeze before diving straight into wedding planning!

“My fiancé wanted a small gathering,” Loz says.  “By the day after his proposal, I was already pricing up 60-piece steel bands and had a guestlist of 200.”

And Loz found plenty of other outlets for her bridal creativity – as she planned to have her own wedding dress made out of two low-priced dresses she’d found online.

“I originally wanted a plain dress, something boho-chic,” she explains.  “I actually ordered two dresses from an online store, with the idea that they’d be made into one.

“But when they arrived and I tried them on, I just thought, ‘What even is this awful, cheap dress?’  I was underwhelmed, and – against everything I thought I wanted – went in search of a proper wedding dress.”

When Loz arrived at Elite Bridal, she was planning to have a quick look around – and definitely wasn’t going to try anything on.

“Thirty minutes later, I was swishing around the changing room in a big white dress!”

Loz’s first experience at Elite Bridal totally changed her mind about bridal gowns – as well as the whole style of her day.

Over the next eight months, Loz visited about 20 bridal shops.  But in the end, she found herself back at Elite Bridal.

“The bridal advisor really seemed to understand what look I was trying to achieve,” Loz remembers.  “She asked me to stay open-minded, and I did.”

In contrast to her original boho daydream, Loz tried on a fitted fishtail gown in delicate lace.  She then added some draping body jewellery over her shoulders to give it a truly unique and fashion-forward twist.

“I loved it,” says Loz.  “I couldn’t stop smiling.”

For Loz, this was the bridal moment she’d never really expected to have.

“I absolutely know how cliché it sounds, but I just knew as soon as I tried it on that this was my dress.

“All of a sudden, all of my body insecurities disappeared.  I had a dress which made me feel totally amazing.”

Loz did end up compromising on the steel band and 200 guests – with 150 guests and a local DJ.  But she never felt she compromised on her bridal gown!

All the details came together, with a traditional but fun church ceremony, and the reception in a marquee on the grounds of an upscale local pub.  “St. Quentin Arms in Harpham is well known for its food, and the owners know how to throw a good party!” says Loz.

“Everyone loved my dress.  I had so compliments, and had quite a few messages from brides about how I’d paired it with body jewellery.  I think the finishing touches were what made the look for me.”

Loz was grateful to the Elite Bridal team for opening her up to new ideas, whilst giving her the space to be creative with her gown and create a look that really suited her personality.

“I was quite anxious about walking into a proper bridal boutique, thinking I would be swarmed and pressured to try on dresses I didn’t like.  I had totally the opposite experience, and I literally can’t thank you enough.

“I have two daughters, so hopefully one day I’ll be back to buy another!”

Make sure you chat to our bridal advisors about the overall look you’re going for in your wedding, and don’t forget to check out our range of bridal accessories.

And, above all, we always recommend you keep an open mind!