Real Bride Stories: Sarah & Tim, Lambeth Town Hall, Brixton -

How Real Bride Sarah found her dream dress at The Boutique & Co and all the details from her London wedding!

One of the biggest perks from working with brides, is hearing back from them about their wedding day, how much they loved their dress and seeing all the photos from their celebration! We absolutely love when our real brides tell us stories and details from their special day. So we thought we would share them here as well and spread the love!

Sarah visited us at The Boutique & Co in June 2021, just four months before her big day in October later that year! She had previously visited other bridal shops, but was still undecided on a dress. Luckily, Sarah found a beautiful Bianco Evento dress with us that suited her perfectly and wowed her guests!

Sarah left us a lovely review on Google:

“I had such a brilliant experience finding my dress at this gorgeous shop. Lea listened to exactly to what I wanted, and made some great suggestions – not just on the dress – but also on some accessories, which really elevated the dress I chose. Both Sue and Lea were calm, reassuring and caring to shop with, I didn’t feel pressured or rushed at any point. In some wedding dress shops the dressing room is in a basement or a small section of the shop, whereas here, it is on a mezzanine platform with great lighting and plenty of space. I really loved getting my dress here, and would definitely recommend.”

Sarah wore the ‘Natura’ dress by Bianco Evento. ‘Natura’ is a striking a-line wedding dress made from high-quality boho lace and chiffon. The dress has short lace sleeves, a deep V-back and train, accompanied by a chiffon and lace belt. Sarah looked absolutely stunning in this dress, and we are so happy she found her dream style with us. Sarah and Tim’s wedding sounded truly magical, and the photos are stunning! We asked Sarah some questions, so she could unveil all the details from her wedding and how she chose her dress!

*Sarah and Tim on their wedding day at Lambeth Town Hall, Brixton. Sarah wears the ‘Natura’ dress by Bianco Evento. Photography by Joshua Gooding.*

Describe your bridal shopping experience with us

‘Lovely! There was a great vibe when I walked in. Lea made me feel so comfortable with trying on different styles. She was also really helpful in offering suggestions for accessories.’

What stood out for you during your bridal shopping experience at The Boutique & Co?

‘The calm and assured service was brilliant. I did not consider myself particularly bridal, but Lea met me where I was at, and made some great suggestions. The dresses on show were beautiful, and the shop itself is gorgeous. The dressing room is on a platform, with great lighting and brilliant mirrors!’

Describe the moment you found your dream dress with us

‘I had been to two other shops the previous day, and had found a few possible options (I had originally preferred a 50’s style knee-length dress). I almost wondered whether it was worth coming to The Boutique & Co the next day, but decided we might as well see what was on offer – thank god I did!
Lea listened to the fact that I wanted something simple, with minimal decoration, and that I did not want a sleeveless dress. She gave me some pegs to pop on dresses I liked, while she also picked out some dresses she thought I would like. The Bianco Evento ‘Natura’ dress was the second last one I tried on, and had been picked by Lea. As soon as I put it on, I felt comfortable, happy and gorgeous! The dress was simple as I had wanted, but the capped sleeves and shape made it more special. When Lea pulled back the curtains for my sister and Mum to see, they adored it. The refrain was ‘it’s so you’, which is lovely to hear (as I wanted something that felt like me!). They thought it was stunning!
At Lea’s suggestion, we made a modification of adding a bow along the waist, which really added a beautiful but simple romance to the dress. We left, and chatted through the options over a coffee and a cake in a cafe down the road. We decided that the Bianco Evento ‘Natura’ was by far both the best, and the most fitting of me and my personality. Every time since then, I have enjoyed putting it on for alterations and such, and it reinforced my choice. I was so excited to wear it, and loved it on the day. I felt very happy and confident that it was the right dress.’

*Sarah on her wedding day, wearing the ‘Natura’ dress by Bianco Evento. Photography by Joshua Gooding.*

What did your partner think of your dress? How did they react when they saw you in it for the first time?

Tim’s words: ‘I thought it was elegant, simple but stylish at the same time, and much more beautiful than anything I had imagined. Sarah looked stunning.’

What was your wedding day like?

‘It was joyous, fun, loving and full of celebration! We had a small ceremony with around 16 close family members in Lambeth Town Hall, Brixton, in a beautiful and small circular hall. Tim and I walked in at the same time via separate staircases. It was an unforgettable moment seeing each other for the first time. At the ceremony, members of our family read poems we had selected and my brother in law played a guitar recital of Vincent by Don McClean, which my Dad used to play to us growing up.
Afterwards, we had some Prosecco and snacks. My Mum did a toast and we face-timed my Grandma, who was unable to come. My 18 month old nephew LOVED my dress! We played peek-a-boo in the train and at one point, he laid down in it (it was his nap-time to be fair!). After some photos, and loud cheering from lovely passersby, Tim and I travelled in a classic blue car to the second venue in Greenwich. The car was booked last minute after our original plan of a boat trip on the Thames fell through!
After some photos around Greenwich, we arrived at the Trafalgar Tavern, where we had a standing evening reception. We walked in to confetti and the evening was really fun, with so much kindness and love from everyone. Our guests patiently stood through six beautiful speeches. We stole a moment to look at the nighttime view of London’s lights and reflected on the day. At 1am, we collapsed into bed in a nearby hotel, completely exhausted but happy!’

*Sarah and James at their wedding ceremony in Lambeth Town Hall, Brixton. Photography by Joshua Gooding.*

What was your favourite part of your wedding day?

‘I just loved it all. I loved when I walked in at the ceremony and saw Tim in his kilt, and everyone cheered me in my dress. I loved sitting down during the ceremony and listening to the guitar recital from by brother in law. It was a moment of tranquility in an otherwise very busy day. When my little nephew comically shouted out loud at the exact moment the registrar had asked if anyone had any objections. I loved my Mum doing a speech despite never doing that type of thing, and being nervous.
I loved walking outside the building and having random strangers cheering so happily for us. Driving through an autumnal South London in a moment of peace and holding Tim’s hand, just thinking about the commitment we had made. I loved bumping into guests as we walked around Greenwich. I loved walking into a confetti shower and seeing so many familiar faces of friends and family. When my brother organised a champagne spray for my partner (F1 style!) and some guests got a little wet. When my sister took on the star role of essentially being an MC for the evening, putting her teacher experience into action by getting people’s attention at the right time. I loved her speech which was memorised and so thoughtful and funny. Tim’s brother’s speech, was also sweet, funny and honest.
I loved the Dads’ speeches, which were emotional and meaningful. I loved surprising Tim with video messages from people who had not been able to make it due to travel restrictions. I loved standing on the balcony with my best friend for 20 years taking it all in and looking at fireworks that happened to be going off. When the night was over, and the room was cleaned up, Tim and I were sitting on a bench by the river, waiting for my brother to come back from walking my sister to her Airbnb. We were just astonished that we had finally done it, after 8 years together.’