NATACHA'S BEAUTIFUL DAY

The most memorable souvenir of our special day

We were surprised when the telephone rang in front of the church altar. My grandparents hadn't been able to come due to the sanitary conditions and their advanced age, so we didn't want to take any chances. So it was they who called us, and it had been organized with other relatives. Knowing that they were close to me during this moment, and that they had the chance to see our ceremony on video, was a very emotional moment.

The place, the atmosphere

Our ceremony took place in the garden of my husband's aunt and uncle. With the COVID, no venue was available and with the time constraints, it wasn't possible for us. We just wanted to enjoy ourselves, and we don't regret it at all!

We therefore created a simple decoration, in our image, in a barnum. Each guest table corresponded to a city that had marked us and meant a lot to us as a couple, but the common thread was France and Italy, our two favorite countries.

I was also keen to add a touch of red, a color that inspires love and passion. It was an obvious choice to add this touch of color, as it represents us very well.

Dress choice

I chose my dress with my mom in May 2020 at the "Déclaration Mariage" boutique in Sceaux. It's called Robe Cosmobella.

When it came to choosing my dress, I went to just one boutique. I tried on about 5 dresses during the appointment, then my precious one arrived. It was an obvious choice. As soon as I walked out, I saw my mom's eyes filled with tears, so I knew right away: it was her and not someone else!

My advice would be to set aside the choices you make at the very beginning, and let the designer do her thing. Sometimes it's a totally different dress that you choose! In the end, I didn't regret having organized this appointment with my mom at all. I was able to really choose my dress. I think that when you do that with a lot of people, you subconsciously want to please them, and therefore resemble their choices rather than your own.

Shoe design

For my shoes, it wasn't easy. First, I had a very specific idea in mind: 10cm red pumps.

In theory, it sounds easy, but as I wear a size 34, the search quickly became complicated. Generally, I have a lot of trouble putting on my shoes. Then, after several attempts and internet research, I came across the "Dessine-moi un soulier" website. I didn't hesitate for a second to make an appointment - I knew I'd find it here! One Saturday, I asked my daughter to accompany me to the store so that she could help me choose the last, despite my few hours of creation on the site!

The sales assistant was very kind and welcomed us into the boutique. She didn't know these were wedding shoes, so she directed me to a round-toe model. This was very pretty, but didn't match my dress at all, whereas the pointed toe would enhance it and finish off my outfit completely. So we settled on this model. Then she advised me to add a silver sequin strap for a touch of "light" and also to hold the foot in place during the day. On a 10cm heel, this is no mean feat.

9 weeks later, my precious ones arrived... and there were tears of joy! I felt like I was in slippers! The guests loved this little touch of color, and above all the little feet of our families took the contact details and the website!

Our bride Natacha's advice

My first piece of advice is to surround yourself with the right people. For us, this was vital, as we were in the middle of a pandemic, so preparations were complicated. We had to allay our fears, and they were there to help.

My second piece of advice is to go for it as soon as you have an idea. Listen only to yourself, and want to please yourself. It's your day, and even if the desire to please is great, don't forget that you're getting married for you!

My last piece of advice is to prepare the groom. He will tend to carry out the wedding and the preparations long after you have, and may be short of time.