“Glorious sunshine…and a gentle summer breeze.” Yes that sounds heavenly! And Claire + Robert’s fairytale wedding in Holland was just that…complete with a castle and footbridge as their backdrop. I love the simple, crisp white look of the table linens perfectly paired with peachy-pink florals (I’m obsessed with their lovely paper like texture!). But the real show stopper is of course Claire’s Vera Wang mermaid gown, Gemma. Tulle and organza swirling in the finest fairytale…truly, what a dream come true indeed! Thanks for sharing Claire + Robert!
Claire + Robert | August 3, 2013 | Amerongen, The Netherlands | Dress Listing: Vera Wang, Gemma with Blizzard Beading
The Ceremony
A beautiful sunny day: 27 degrees (Celsius) with glorious sunshine throughout and a gentle summer breeze. We were so lucky to be able to have our entire wedding day outside; this is really rare in Holland, the country famous for its rain. When guests arrived, they were welcomed on the terrace of the Oranjerie. After a welcome drink, the guests were guided through the gardens to the location of the ceremony. The ceremony took place outside the castle, under the shade of two beautiful large trees. The setting was stunning, like a fairytale – with the Castle and the little footbridge just behind us, and the sun shining brightly. The chairs were set-up beautifully, with all our friends and loved ones looking straight at us. We also had an acoustic singer playing: My Girl (Temptations) & God only knows (Beach Boys) at the start and the end of the ceremony.
The Reception
The reception took place on the terrace of Het Koetshuis, a very short walk away from where the ceremony took place. We had an amazing time ourselves chatting to all our guests, enjoyed the delicious drinks & canapés (sun still shining bright!) and with more songs played in the background by our acoustic singer. The sweeties table stole the show! Everybody loved our assortment of cupcakes, cake pops, lemon ruffled cakes and the beautiful raspberry & champagne filled wedding cake. We also had jars filled with all sorts of colourful sweets and a couple filled with small size Clinique Happy perfumes – to spread the happiness!
Claire’s Dress Search
My first objective was to find style of dress that really suited me. I still remember saying to my bridesmaids: “The only style I’m not too sure about is the mermaid…not sure that’s me”. Guess what I ended up going for? I think the thing I learned is that you just don’t know until you try it on. The mermaid style dress ended up to be the one that suited by body shape best! Although I did make an honest attempt in keeping my eyes open for the many dresses out there, doing a few more trials at other bridal shops – let’s be honest, Vera Wang is quite an investment. “There must be another dress out there that I equally love” I thought – but nothing even came close (of course)! My decision was made: This is (or should be) a once in a lifetime thing…so you might as well go all out: here’s to the dress of my dreams!
How Claire Felt in Her Wedding Dress
Dream come true. Drop-dead gorgeous. Glamorous: like a celebrity.
Why Claire Decided to Sell Her Wedding Dress
I know this beautiful gown would end up sitting in my wardrobe for the rest of my life, never being worn again – which is really not its purpose. Stunning gowns like these need to see the limelight…they need to be worn! I know there are other girls out there who would also dream to wear this dress on their big day, but who cannot necessarily afford it at retail (new) price. I hope this dress will make them feel as beautiful and glamorous as I felt wearing it.
