Our stunning bride, Rosanna, wore not one but two chic Jesus Peiro looks for her elegant London wedding, mixing a combination of separates to update her look from day to evening. Starting with the 213 skirt, Rosanna added the iconic 979 coat over the top for the ceremony, which was just perfect for the grand setting at St Clement Danes Church. For the reception look, Rosanna removed the coat and replaced it with style 206, a simple, contemporary bustier that made the look more relaxed for the evening celebrations at The Hawksmoor.
Read on to find out more about Rosanna's dress shopping experience and her elegant London wedding to Matt.
Jesus Peiro 979 coat and separates
I wore the Jesus Peiro 979 coat and 213 skirt with separate Jesus Peiro bustier top (206) for the evening. I loved the fact that I was able to create two completely separate looks for the church and the evening reception. I knew the church itself was rather grand but then the reception was within a London restaurant so I needed to try and find a dress that was fitting for both - and as Emma quite rightly pointed out - would also not look silly when walking the streets of central London! The coat dress was so fitting for the church which was rather amazing - I felt like a royal bride if I am completely honest! But I loved how it had a modern twist with the collar and open back which made it that little bit different. Then, by removing the coat and replacing it with a bustier, I had my evening look which was perfect for the party atmosphere that we wanted to create. My biggest concern when looking for a dress for a winter wedding was that I knew I wanted long sleeves for the church but was very concerned that I would be restricted (and quite frankly) sweaty when dancing in the evening! My outfit alleviated all of those concerns and I was able to dance the night away in the bustier top and skirt and I can confirm that, despite all the dancing, I did not turn into a sweaty mess by the end (although, I can't speak for the rest of the guests!). To sum up - I loved the dress and felt elegant but so very comfortable. I have not been married before so I don't know how usual it is to get so many comments on a dress but I honestly got sooo many comments on the dress - from both the males and females! Regal was the word of the day!
I bought my mum with me to the first appointment at Miss Bush. I wasn't really sure what I was looking for so I did try on a lot of dresses that day and we managed to narrow it down to five. Then for the second appointment I bought my mum and sisters who cried at a couple of the dresses I tried on (including the one I picked!) and I managed to narrow it down to two. Then I went home and thought about the day and style that I wanted to create and confirmed the dress over email. So it was definitely more of a process for me as opposed to instantly finding "the one" but I think that was because I never really had a clear idea in my mind to begin with!
Dress Shopping
I loved the whole experience at Miss Bush. Emma had so much patience with me and really helped me shape the look (and the day!). I didn't know what I wanted and so I tried on all different styles and I felt completely comfortable to say I how I truly felt. Emma had such a great way of providing honest advice but in the loveliest of ways - it just felt so fun to bounce off ideas with no pressure to decide! She was also the one who suggested having my bridesmaids in black and oh my goodness, they looked incredible! I also loved coming to the dress fittings/alterations with Willow. She was always so calm and fun and she never made anything seem like an issue! She was on the final part of my wedding journey and her enthusiasm was infectious. I actually felt a bit sad at my last fitting as I so enjoyed my little trips after work to the chapel!
I had a slight issue when the bustier came back as the cups were a little bit too small. Rosie and Willow were absolutely amazing and we talked through the options and in the end they spoke to Jesus Peiro and it went back for some alterations. I actually didn't feel concerned about this as I had complete faith in the Miss Bush team and I knew that whatever happened they would not let me go down that aisle feeling anything other than amazing!
Styling
I am very into headbands so knew I wanted to incorporate that into my look. I ended up buying one from Etsy and borrowing my Brother's wife's veil for the church. I was supposed to wear some pearl earrings with the coat but completely forgot to put them in - oops! I don't normally wear big earrings but I knew that some bigger earrings would look great with the evening strapless bustier so my mum found some in a little shop in reigate which I loved as they were fairly big for me but still seemed quite delicate (I am so sorry, I don't know the name of the shop!). I was actually going to take my headband off for the evening look but decided against it on the day. My shoes were cheap and cheerful from "Be Mine" on ASOS as I knew they wouldn't really be noticed and that it was all about the dress! I wore my mums engagement ring as it was something old and blue!
An elegant London wedding
I really didn't have a vision for the day if I am honest. My two sisters were getting married the same year and it felt like they had been planning their weddings their whole lives with pinterest boards galore. To say I felt overwhelmed at first is an understatement! However, the main thing Matt and I knew we wanted was a good party with our favourite people. We decided to have it in London to make it as easy as possible for the majority of our guests and we were also looking to do something a little bit different. Looking back, I think we took each decision as it came as opposed to having an overall vision but I think overall, the inspiration for the day actually came from the venues themselves. We picked Hawksmoor following a recommendation from a friend - we loved eating at their restaurants and didn't realise that we could hire out for a wedding. We loved the fuss-free and effortless glamour and decor that the Hawksmoor venue offered and this shaped and inspired the day we were trying to create. We were also lucky enough to be able to get married in St Clement Danes Church which was a beautiful Christopher Wren church and again, the decor of the church was so beautiful with dark wood contrasted with vibrant colours - the inspiration of black tie and rich, bold flower colours came from this. My mum did the table flowers with her friends - dried hydrangeas which were, again, fuss-free and deep colours to fit the venue.
The best bits
This is a very tough question! I honestly loved every single second and being surrounded by everyone we loved was so very very special! Getting ready with my mum, Matt's mum and my bridesmaids was so wonderful and the evening party was incredible as we had the most amazing band! However, I think the church service was incredibly special. I walked down the aisle to a violinist playing a wonderful Irish piece of music (Allistrum's March by The Gloaming) and we had a choir throughout the service who were spectacular - they sang Ave Maria, God Be in My Head, Zadoch the Priest and Tomorrow Shall be my Dancing Day. They also sang during the hymns (Be Thou My Vision, Lord of the Dance and Jerusalem) with the guests which was an amazing sound to hear behind us. It just felt pure magic.
Rosanna's Advice
Don't worry if you don't really know what you want for the day - soak up all the advice from those in the wedding industry, listen to those people that love you but ultimately trust your gut! It will be the best day of your life and it will all come together so enjoy the process as much as you can!
Suppliers
Photographer: Tian Williams Weddings
Bridal outfit: Jesus Peiro by Miss Bush
Venue: The Hawksmoor (although, I think sadly they are stopping it being a wedding venue)
Flowers: Grace and Thorn (I used the "ready to Wear" package for the bouquets) and my mum did the flowers for the table
Graphic Design: London Row Studio
Hair and Make Up: Amanda Roberts
Band and DJ: The Rebel Sounds
Bridesmaid Dresses: Whistles
Black Tie: Marks and Spencer and Jaegar
Cake: My Sister - Emily Watts
Wedding Cars: London Black Cab Transfers