This Beautiful Bride Wore a Vera Wang Dress and Manolos to Her Elegant, Timeless Countryside Wedding
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“In June of 2011, it was my 18th birthday. I was ready for my party with my best friend Charlie; we were eagerly awaiting guests in a marquee which had been erected for the occasion on my parents’ lawn. As familiar guests started to arrive, so did the unfamiliar- incoming gatecrasher, Luke. Supposedly, if you were a handsome gatecrasher, you could stay, so Luke’s place at the party was safe. I happened to know quite a few of Luke’s friends before I met him, the same friends who were officially invited had convinced him to just come along anyway. We met and had an instant connection, partied late into the night, and went on to date for a decade after. Luke quickly became part of the family, and I knew, fairly instantly, we had something special.
“In the summer of 2024, Luke proposed in Santorini. We were staying at the Nobu Hotel in Imogiveli, a quaint and charming part of the island. The hotel is situated on a cliff top, offering beautiful views of the Caldera. We were getting ready in our room, and before dinner, he called through from the lounge area while I was in the bathroom. ‘Are you wearing your necklace tonight?’ (Referring to a diamond necklace I frequently wear). I did think this was a strange question as he’d never usually ask what jewellery I wore. I replied, ‘Yes’, to which he responded, ‘I’ve got something to go with it.’ With a mix of instant excitement and nerves, I came out of the bathroom to find him on one knee. We headed straight to celebrate with a beautiful dinner right by the sea in a cove below Oia. It was serene, and we soaked up every last moment.”
“When we got home, we decided we wanted to mark the occasion with our closest friends and family by hosting an engagement party. The party was held in October, at the private dining room in the Maine, Mayfair. It’s one of our favourite private dining rooms in London. With its very personal feel, it was the perfect backdrop to raise our glasses with loved ones to the exciting year ahead.”
“Controversially, I wore a black Taller Marmo one-shouldered dress, the sleeve had ostrich feathers, which shouted party glamour. I paired it with a miniature sparkle-adorned Prada bag. Custom menus and mini Diptyque candles greeted our guests as they took their seats at the table. We had a small wandering band, which played some favourite classics, including Stevie Wonder, Frank Sinatra, and Marvin Gaye. An evening to remember!”
Taller Marmo
Feathered Eternity Dress
“After a quick turnaround in wedding planning time, we wed this past June at Holywell Hall in Stamford.”
“We wanted all the formalities of a ‘traditional’ wedding, so we sent physical invites via post with a traditional return via postcard in which guests would state their attendance status. We were so taken aback by the venue itself that we wanted to incorporate an element of it into the invitations, so behind the water-coloured gates of Holywell Hall, the details of our day sat.”
“The day began, as with any bride and bridal party, with an early wake-up call. I got ready with my mother, sister (the maid of honour), nieces (the flowergirls) and my bridesmaids, who are my closest friends. It was a still morning with a beautiful sunrise, and I felt completely at ease surrounded by those who had been constants throughout my life.”
“I wanted the outfit on the morning of the wedding to be as special as any other outfit that was part of the day. I searched high and low for the perfect pair of pyjamas, and I found a set fit for the job on Daily Sleeper. The cuffs and hems were adorned with layered silk flowers, but the set also felt simplistic, which is exactly what I wanted.”
“I trusted none other than Ieva Genovesi for my wedding hair and makeup. I actually met Ieva on the morning of my sister’s wedding, as she was assisting my sister’s make-up artist. We instantly had a connection. I think it makes a real difference if you have a genuine connection with your suppliers. She not only made us all look and feel our best but was so much more than a hair and make-up artist on the day; she was incredibly caring, relaxed, and kept us all entertained on the morning of the wedding throughout the hours of glam time, giggling at our stories and keeping us all in check!”
Book in for a hair and makeup trial. It means you can get your look right ahead of the big day and try products out.
“For my makeup, I really wanted a natural, glowy look in which I felt completely myself. I usually wear natural makeup anyway. Ieva created the natural, glowy look perfectly. A few of her secret weapons included the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blusher, Nars Soft Matte Primer, and the TikTok-viral Urban Decay Moondust in shade Space Cowboy (this creates the most flawless glow on your lids!).”
Hourglass
Ambient Lighting Blush
Urban Decay
Moondust Eyeshadow
“I wore the iconic Manolo Blahnik Hangisli white satin jewel buckle slingback pumps, which I have to say were very comfortable, and I managed to last in them all day! I got them in December before the wedding and wanted to make the day feel special. My mother and I went to London to the small Manolo boutique in the Burlington Arcade. Richard, the incredible shop assistant, made it a brilliant experience, and once the final decision had been made, he gifted me a Manolo Blahnik Christmas bauble alongside a handwritten note which I will always treasure.”
“For my jewellery, I wore my mother’s diamond tennis bracelet, which I haven’t taken off since the wedding, a single solitaire drop diamond necklace that Luke gifted me on the morning of the wedding, and a pair of bespoke diamond earrings custom-made by Jayce Wong. Jayce is a purveyor of fine jewellery and can make just about anything. She worked with me to create exactly what I wanted and took every little detail of the day and the style of the dress into consideration when designing the earrings for me.”
“My other favourite accessory on the day was my Anya Hindmarch Tie the Knot clutch bag. The satin matched the shade and texture of my dress to a tee! I wanted my wedding bag to be a little statement piece on its own, and the Anya Hindmarch bag was perfect. I love all the other bags in her bridal collection too; she always manages to put a fun twist on something classic.”
Anya Hindmarch
Tie the Knot Clutch
Manolo Blahnik
Hangisli Pumps
If you have white satin shoes on your wedding day and don’t think you’d wear them again in that colour, I’d highly recommend getting them dyed, preferably in a dark colour.
“The dress was hard to pin down. I’ve never been one of those people before getting engaged who knew what they wanted to wear or even imagined what I might wear, so I really was starting from scratch. I went to half a dozen stores, including Browns, Halfpenny and The Fall Bride and admittedly didn’t really fall in love with anything I tried on, but left with a much better understanding of what I liked and didn’t like. It was a real process, but I eventually found the one in Pronovias on Bond Street.”
“It was from Vera Wang’s 2025 collection. I fell in love with the simplicity of the dress and, most importantly, I felt myself in it. The bodice sat perfectly and stopped at a very flattering point of my hips, and the bow detail across the bust felt fitting for the black tie occasion. So it was decided. ‘And the bride wore Vera Wang’, for all my fellow Sex and the City fans.”
“For the veil, I loved the drama of something which covered my face. The simplicity of the dress meant the veil could either be heavily embellished or lacey. I found the V-Blooming Veil at the same shop, and it trailed beautifully behind the dress.”
Vera Wang
Emile Princess Dress
Pronovias
V-Blooming Veil
“We did a classic first look with my father before we left. He looked so proud, and I will always remember this moment.”
“Luke wore a custom suit from Cad and the Dandy on Savile Row. He always wears understated quality items, so a totally classic tux was exactly what I expected him to choose. The trousers were slightly high-waisted with a traditional cummerbund placed over the top.
The cummerbund and bowtie were from La Bowtique, where the amazing Mickael Korausch handmakes the items, amongst so much more. His book Modern Black Tie sits on our coffee table, and is so interesting in a world where formal dressing is taking a back foot, and styles are becoming increasingly more casual.”
“To complement his traditional style, Luke chose the Crowndale Wholecut Oxford shoes from Joseph Cheaney, and to finish his look, I gifted him the Wax Seal Decor cufflinks from Cartier. His final touch was the most precious gift of all, from his best man, Alex, a Black Tank Must de Cartier. Alex is a procurer of fine watches and had offered to lend Luke the watch as it matched his suit perfectly.
Much to Luke’s surprise, they shared a moment before the ceremony where Alex subtly commented, ‘Enjoy wearing it today. It matches everything—it’s perfect. And also for the rest of your life. This is my gift to you, it’s yours, my friend.’ They embraced, and Luke was deeply touched.”
“Once I was ready, we headed to the charming Holywell Hall, the venue was magical and is one of those rare places where you visit and it leaves a lasting impression on you. It’s a private property that hosts five weddings a year.”
“It instantly felt right, and if you know Luke and me as a couple, we always stay at boutique hotels and enjoy intimate settings. We loved the private and intimate feeling of the property; it really felt like home for the day.”
“We got married in St.Wilfrid’s Church, which was a very small church located on the grounds of Holywell Hall, another big deciding factor when choosing the venue. We loved that once you were through the gates, you were there all day, from the ceremony to the dancefloor. It was a traditional Church of England service with my sister, our brother-in-law, and a dear family friend all doing readings throughout for a personal touch. The readings were a mix of religious and non-religious, and each meant something to us.”
“Our order of service was made and designed by the incredible Aisling Erin; her attention to detail is simply breathtaking. Our pocket-sized programmes were finished with a rope detail and featured our names on the front in the same detail as on our invitations. Aisling held my hand through every part of the design process, as I believe at this stage I was suffering from decision fatigue!”
“After signing the register and a final blessing of Jerusalem, we walked down the aisle hand in hand to the noise of joyous cheering from everyone we love. It was totally perfect!”
Ask your officiant to tell guests in your ceremony to keep their phones down at the big kiss moment; there’s nothing worse than a shot down the aisle with phones in the way.
“Moments into marital bliss, we were whisked out the back of the church whilst friends and family gathered for the confetti moment. I loved this moment as it gave us a chance to take a moment for ourselves to celebrate that we’d just officially tied the knot!”
“I wanted to have all the photos shot very candidly, which is why we chose our incredible photographer, Benjamin Wheeler. I’ve always admired his work and how he really captures the essence and atmosphere of the day with his candid shots. We did, however, have the classic family photos outside of the church for ‘legacy’ purposes, as Ben described, which we loved.”
“Working with Ben was amazing, we didn’t feel like we missed any part of the day, he works seamlessly alongside the flow of things, capturing as the day unfolds. He simultaneously shot on film; we loved the nostalgic feel of these images.”
“Next, we moved into the walled garden where guests enjoyed champagne and canapes under the lattice of greenery. We loved greeting guests with the backdrop of music by our incredible wandering band from Salut.”
“By far our most fashionable guest, my dear friend Ryan flew in from LA and wore custom Saint Laurent. I’ve known Ryan since I was 6, and his presence is always wonderful. Alongside Ryan, my mother wore a buttermilk Taller Marmo Dress contrasted with a burgundy Loewe bag.”
“Our vision for the reception was a classic Sperry Tent, with lots of greenery. We wanted the classic elegance of a traditional English wedding with a touch of American East Coast charm. I was so lucky to have had my most admired florist, Fine Stems, bring my floral vision to life. Kate’s take on florals is so fresh, and she just gets it right every time. I loved the whimsical shapes she created. She’s a true artist, and her team worked tirelessly to make everything perfect in the summer heat.”
“For the tables, I worked with Maison Margaux to bring the tablescape to life. I wanted to keep the dark green theme throughout. I spent a painstaking amount of time deciding on the tablescape; it was my most loved and loathed part of the planning, but the outcome was worth it!”
Have a moment with your partner to go into the wedding breakfast room ahead of your guests to take in all the details that you’ve worked so hard on and see it in all its glory before the debauchery happens!
Maison Margaux
Green & Gold Leaves Dinner Plate
Maison Margaux
The Margaux Olive Dinner Plate
Plate logistics is a real thing. I wanted the plates on the table when guests came into the marquee, so the table appeared to be in a ‘finished’ state. This meant I had to work closely with the catering company on when the plates could be removed for warming the main course.
“We opted for an escort card table rather than a seating plan. This is actually more of an American wedding tradition, but I loved the interactive element of picking up your card and finding your name.”
“One of our favourite moments of the entire day was entering the marquee to the upstanding roar of our nearest and dearest. Everyone had their napkins swinging and hands in the air. Luke and I wanted to keep the day fun and the energy high; this really set the tone for the afternoon and evening ahead.”
“The speeches were, in my humble opinion, the best wedding speeches of all time, given by the most cherished men in my life: my father, my husband and our best friend and best man, Alex. They were equal parts sentimental and equal parts funny, as you can see from guest reactions!”
“Our band, Salut, came into full swing post-food to get the party started, and they did. Guests swooped up one of the hundreds of cocktails, including spicy margaritas and espresso martinis, which were ready and waiting on the bar that had been strategically placed centrally in the marquee. Cocktail in hand, they immediately gravitated to the dancefloor.”
“I didn’t have an outfit change. You only get to wear a wedding dress for one day, and I think you should relish every moment!”
“Once the band set finished, we had an amazing DJ set from Dan Healy. I must say, Luke has impeccable taste in music, so he curated an amazing playlist alongside Dan, and the vibes were immaculate. I don’t think Luke and I left the dancefloor and even joined the band on stage at one point. We partied until just past midnight and collapsed in a grateful and heart-brimming state after the best day of our lives with memories to last a lifetime.”
Ask a friend to take photos or videos on an iPhone. Nothing beats the official pictures, but for the raw footage, it’s so nice to look through on the following days.
Bride: @naomicnolan
Videography: @sobyfilms
Photography: @benjaminwheeler
Wedding Co-ordination: @katrinaotterwed
Venue: @holywellhallweddings
Hair & Make Up: @ievagenovesibridal
Dress: @verawangbride
Shoes: @manoloblahnik / @josephcheaney
Suit: @cadandthedandy / @labowtiquebowties
Flowers: @finestems
Marquee: @frameandtailor_
Furniture: @houseoffurncollection
Tablescape: @maisonmargauxltd
Catering: @cccambridge
Band: @salutband
Stationary: @aisling_erin_design
Dress alterations: @essexsewingroom
