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If you can’t decide between two wedding locations… do both!

That’s exactly the conclusion Victoria and Graeme came to when they chose the sleepy English village of Ogbourne St Andrew for their wedding and followed it up with a breathtakingly romantic blessing ceremony on the edge of Lake Orta in Italy! There are all sorts of reasons for a double celebration, be it faith, family or a special connection with somewhere, and yes, it does make things a little bit trickier to co-ordinate but Victoria thought it was really worth it and would recommend it to any couple. She even told us, she could let go and enjoy herself more the second time around as she had overcome her “being-looked-at-thing” nerves! And if that wasn’t enough to organise, she also had another incredible secret up her sleeve which she has kindly given us permission to share. (Read on to find out what she did!)

 

Despite having two parties to plan for, self-confessed “high-maintenance” Victoria certainly did nothing by halves. She ensured all her wedding suppliers knew exactly what she and Graeme wanted and if things weren’t going as planned, she had no qualms about cutting ties. She trialled a number of stylists and makeup artists too, which is why we have absolutely no doubt, the specialists she selected come very highly recommended.

 

The ENGLISH Wedding

Victoria wore Stewart Parvin ‘Lost in you’ with accompanying Helen Martin veil, and it could not have been more perfect a choice. A dress with sheer, classic elegance. Beautifully modest with its tailored three quarter length sleeves and sophisticated boat neckline. She looked absolutely stunning with a rural English village as a backdrop, steeped in history with its thatched cottages, medieval church and remanences of a Bronze Age civilization. The couple truly embraced tradition, choosing only roses; the ultimate British symbol of love, supplied by Hedge Rose Florists in Marlborough. Victoria said Kate from Hedge Rose was utterly brilliant to work with. Makeup artist Lucy Mellows was also amazing, and understood exactly what Victoria was looking for. She managed to pull off the gorgeous, understated, natural look that suited the style of Victoria’s wedding so well. The groom’s outfit complimented Victoria’s look wonderfully, with his morning suit and knitted tie. Several men also opted for kilts too. And of course, what could complete a traditional British wedding better than a good shower of rain!

 

­The ITALIAN Blessing

‘Aria’ by Suzanne Neville was Victoria’s choice for her second celebration overlooking Lake Orta in Italy. This dress has such a sexy silhouette, off-the-shoulder neckline, beautifully fitted around the waist and hip and flowing gracefully into the flared skirt. Made with Italian matt crepe, this dress is light and flowing, and moves almost like water! Victoria said she “LOVED LOVED LOVED” her hair and makeup by Arianna Manghisi and her hair especially was exactly as she had hoped for. Specialist Italian wedding planner, Chiara Viarisio, worked to create an entirely unique occasion in a venue that wasn’t typically used for weddings and ensured everything ran smoothly on the day. …Well, almost everything – of course they managed to choose the only day in July for it to rain! (again)

 

An INCREDIBLE, TOUCHING, MEMORABLE wedding gift

As if a double ceremony in two of the most romantic settings wasn’t enough, Victoria took it upon herself to create one of the best demonstrations of love we’ve ever seen! She roped in some of the most important people in hers and Graeme’s lives, hired a top-class choreographer and filmed a flashmob style dance sequence set in a number of locations across Europe that have a special meaning for the couple. The resulting video is just brilliant and very special to watch! We feel really lucky to have been granted permission to share it with you…

The Dress…

‘Aria’ by Suzanne Neville and ‘Lost in you’ by Stewart Parvin

Hair and Makeup…

Lucy Mellows (UK)

Arianna Manghisi (Italy)

The Flowers…

Hedge Rose Florist, Marlborough

The Choreography…

Rebekah Walker

The Video…

Alan Davison at Hero Creative

The Wedding Planner…

Chiara Viarisio

The ENGLISH Wedding

The ITALIAN Celebration

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