STÉPHANIE & JOAO

Location and inspiration

Location: 

The wedding took place in our small village church in Portugal. This was followed by the reception and party at the Lago dos Cisnes estate (Swan Lake in Portuguese) near Braga, the Portuguese city which is now the name of both of us! A funny little coincidence :). The estate was decorated with white flowers, lots of matte greenery and the place is truly fascinating. We didn't have to worry about a thing, the staff prepared everything and took great care of us and our guests - pure bliss! It was a magical atmosphere, and the whole thing went off even better than my wildest dreams!

Wedding inspirations:  

I found them mainly on Instagram on our domain's page but also on the app casamento.pt which is mariage.netin France, on Pinterest and on various Google sites.

I picked up my invitations for witnesses, bridesmaids and souvenirs on Etsy. I think they offer really cute and original things. I like the idea of putting small retailers to work :).

Dress and shoes

Dress:

I found my dress in Portugal. I'd had photos of princess dresses on my smartphone for years. When I got to the store, I showed these photos of dresses that all looked the same. It just so happened that the saleswoman had a similar one. I tried it on and immediately knew it was this one! I tried on other styles to validate my choice and not regret anything, but I didn't like any of them. Once I'd tried on the dress of my dreams, it was hard to dethrone it ;).

Shoe design: 

I was amazed by the quantity of choice and quality offered by Dessine-moi un soulier. The shoes are wonderful, and I loved the ability to customize the entire shoe, from the interior to the sole, including the height of the heel and the addition of an accessory.

I wanted something very simple because I wanted to be able to wear them on other occasions. I hesitated a lot about the height of the heel: between 6 and 8cm. I wanted to be comfortable, not be higher than my husband and have something aesthetically pleasing. I finally opted for the 8cm and it was very comfortable! They were much appreciated and complimented. What's more, I wore them all day long! I didn't have the opportunity to go to the showroom, which was a shame, but the customer service department is very available to answer all our questions, whether by e-mail or telephone. Which is very reassuring for something as important as the shoes for our long-awaited day!

Bride's advice:

My most precious advice is to follow your heart and make the most of this day, which is passing by at an impressive pace!

Our day lasted 24 hours and I would have given anything for it to have lasted 2 or 3 days longer. I still feel like I enjoyed myself and talked a bit with each of my 200 guests, but it was so wonderful that I would have loved it to have lasted twice or even three times as long. I have to admit I had a bit of the blues at the end of the party, but the photos, videos and little brunch the next day made it possible to prolong this state of absolute happiness a little longer!