A Marylise Gown for a Chic Coastal and Nature Inspired Wedding in Portugal

Today I have my windows thrown open on a warm spring day, and it’s lovely to be able to hear the sound of cheerful birdsong – a sure sign that the season is gathering pace, and I couldn’t be happier about that.

I’m also thrilled to share today’s gorgeous wedding with you, and if you adore being by the sea as much as I do, I know you’re going to love this chic and joyful coastal celebration. Our brilliant Little Book Wedding Directory member, Claudia Rose Carter, is the talent behind the lens, bringing a beautiful, often still-life quality to her work, capturing intimate and happy moments and the spectacular setting in all its glory. Ethereal sea mist gave way to sunshine as bride Emilie and her groom Pedro wed in a natural, ocean inspired ceremony at Areias do Seixo Hotel, Ericeira, Portugal on 14 October 2017.

‘Apart from saying yes to Pedro, choosing Claudia Rose Carter was the best decision of our wedding. I wish every bride could meet her and see her work because she is gifted. Not only is she absolutely brilliant at her job but having her around us was perfection… She captures the moment in a vibrant way and has the perfect eye on the light, which is prime to ensure great shots. Pedro and I were so surprised to discover pictures of us that she took. She enjoys travelling and was happy to come to Portugal for us. I cannot thank her enough for the result and her good spirit. All our guests cannot stop complimenting on the amazing pictures she took.’

Photography by Claudia Rose Carter

She settled on an elegant gown from Marylise (sister company to Love My Dress favourites Rembo Styling), purchased from boutique De Fil de Vint. Emilie’s dress has such a timeless quality while giving a subtle nod to the chic designs of late 1930s and 40s gowns, with wonderful detail in the gathered waist and delicate scalloped edges of the lace along the neckline and sleeves.

‘I bought it in the quaintest shop I have even been to in Alcoy (Spain) not too far from Alicante. Simple lines, a natural vibe and a dress in which I could move freely without feeling too self-conscious. It was a very simple dress but I also thought that it was comfortable and perfectly in sync with the venue.’The couple live in Spain, with Emilie originally from France and Pedro from Portugal, and with lots of friends based in the UK. Looking around for venues, the couple quickly arrived at the idea of a Portuguese wedding. It was a decision that took them full circle, as their first trip away together in the early part of their relationship was to Portugal, and Emilie was excited to share her fiancé’s part of the world with her family.

‘Pedro grew up with his feet in the sand, I grew up with my feet in the snow so nature was a key element in the selection of the venue as we are also both fond of hikes and outdoors activities. We also wanted a place for ourselves where we could just have fun! We had in mind a place where we could ‘kidnap’ our friends and relatives to stay, relax and enjoy some outdoors time for a long weekend.

‘We went online to look for areas and places which could offer a glimpse of the wild part of Portugal that we cherish. Portugal has so much to offer. So all in all, we had no theme or colour for our wedding, but it was centred around the idea of nature, ocean, time with friends and great food. Areias do Seixo appeared as the perfect balance. The beauty of the place and the ocean vibe were also a catch for us.’

This is such a lovely, relaxed and organic approach to take with planning, which can often be a source of stress for couples. Event planner Teresa Perdigao from Something Borrowed also helped Emilie and Pedro ensure all of their plans and wishes came together on the day. It’s also wonderful to read that Emilie found Love My Dress such a source of inspiration, too.

‘I went quite often on the website for inspiration for bridesmaids dresses, for my wedding gown and for all the accessories. I also used it to have a look at all the fabulous real weddings that are posted.”

“This is a great source of inspiration as I had no idea where to look and what kind of dresses I wanted. I was amazed about how people could get so inspired and think about so many details, while I was lost in the choice.’

Emilie added a pretty, nature-inspired belt in shades of antique gold, with gold wax flower buds and feathers, and a vintage style headband with striking lace and bead work from De Fil de Vint. Unable to decide between the two, Emilie chose the Mimosa shoe in mint green from the brilliant Rachel Simpson, which she wore on the evening before the wedding. On the day itself, she opted for a pair of gold, glittery shoes by Anniel, and found them comfortable enough to wear while dancing into the small hours! Both pairs were bought at Olympe Mariage in Lyon. The bride also received a very special gift from her groom on the morning of the wedding – a black diamond band from favourite jewellery designer, Majoral, who also designed wedding rings for the couple, too.

‘I did not wear my engagement ring but wore a ring that Pedro gave me in the morning of the wedding day as a present. This was a real surprise and had history behind it! We chose our wedding bands in Formentera just before the summer from a Spanish designer whose studio is based there. I discovered this designer in Alicante well before our engagement and wedding and was immediately a big fan. I was lucky that Pedro gave me several presents since we are dating from this designer. I hesitated a lot between two rings and chose one, a simple round white gold band.’

Tom Ford’s Jasmin Rouge is Emilie’s signature scent, and so the only choice of perfume for her wedding day.

‘I wanted to keep my Jasmin Rouge from Tom Ford because I wanted to wear one thing that I was familiar with on the special day!I found it reassuring and many of my friends have been associating that scent with me for years.’

‘I was wearing my grandmother’s golden necklace, which I really liked. It was not only special to wear it on the day for the personal value to it but I also thought that it had a very retro and simple style which was a nice complement to the dress.’

Wedding planner Teresa recommended hair stylist Rita Vicente, who styled Emilie’s hair in simple, stylish waves and Ana Aurelio wove her make-up magic for a soft and romantic look perfectly in keeping with the stylish simplicity of Emilie’s gown, headpiece and hair.

Bridesmaids wore contrasting colours of the same dress – ‘Lilian’ from Whistles, in navy blue and pale pink with their own choice of footwear. I love the strong contrast between the two shades, and the fine accordion pleats running all the way down to the lace edging. Their flower crowns finished off their outfits perfectly in an arrangement of roses and pearl-like waxflowers in white, apricot and mauve.

Waxflowers are a classic bridal flower choice with a fascinating history, being used in headdresses and bouquets since the 1800s (with Queen Victoria starting the trend by wearing them in her own flower crown at her 1840 wedding to Prince Albert). These and the bridal party bouquets and venue flowers were the work of Portuguese florist Martins Alves, who sourced Vuvuzela roses for Emilie in glorious, neat, autumnal arrangements.

There are handsome and dashing details in groom Pedro’s outfit choices: a crisp, white monogrammed shirt, patterned blue tie, elegant pocket square and engraved wooden cufflinks, which were a gift from his bride. Pedro’s three-piece blue suit was from Paulo Battista.

‘Oh my! Pedro was absolutely gorgeous in his Paulo Battista suit. I wish I could have been at the appointment when Pedro went to choose his suit in Lisbon, during the summer, as it seemed to have been a great experience! This tailor is a genius!’

The couple originally met through work and mutual friends, with their paths crossing on hikes in the mountains around Alicante, and later when Emilie joined a football team at work,

‘I joined the girls team at work and Pedro was one of the trainers. Pedro popped the question after a fantastic weekend of hikes and bikes in a national park near Murcia (Spain) in July 2014. We came back home exhausted, dusty, suffering from the Spanish summer heat … needless to say that I felt at my lowest in terms of sexiness! And yet, he asked me! That was confusing and charming.”

“The day after, he came back home with some champagne and flowers and invited me to a great restaurant where the desert menu was actually a lovely written message and the question! I felt spoiled with what I call a ‘season of proposals’!

We were engaged for over three years until our wedding day. In the meantime, our little gem Anna was born in May 2016.’

Emilie thoughtfully included orders of service in both French and English from Cotton Bird, and Pilar at Curious Me Design created the couple’s invitations,

‘Pilar… was an absolute star! She created our invitations and was available and flexible with all the adjustments and deadline we had to put her through! I can only recommend her warmly as she is a great artist and a great person! Our parcel was so nicely wrapped up that it was the first wedding-related emotional moment I had!’

Emilie and Pedro’s little daughter Anna wore a dress from Catimini, while the bride’s niece Ema wore a pretty pink dress from Stella McCartney and a gypsophila flower crown.

Emilie was accompanied down the aisle by her dad, to music from the incomparable Edith Piaf singing La Vie en Rose – a haunting and emotional choice that left many of the couple’s guests in tears!

‘After the fun and excitement of the preparations with my girls, when ‘go-time’ was approaching, I had to stay in the room a bit longer than expected with no phones, no friends, no family because our celebrants were running late and everyone had gone to take their positions. I started to get pretty nervous.”

“Then my dad came and we waited a bit more together. Both very nervous! Then came the time to walk down the aisle and at that point, it is fair to say that I was at maximum nervousness. But as soon as I saw Pedro and stood next to him, suddenly there was this feeling of immediate relief, peace and pure happiness. As if a heavy weight flew away instantly. This feeling really surprised me. It was so sudden and magical.’ 

‘Our ceremony was a mix of civil and personalised ceremony. A Portuguese civil officer came, followed by a friend of ours who was experienced in celebration of weddings in Quebec. Our ceremony was in Portuguese, French but mainly in English, which reflected the languages we use at home.’

Vows were exchanged beneath an arch of sinuous, intertwining branches, seated on rustic, carved wooden chairs at a table adorned with ferns, white roses and gypsophila, candles, fragrant eucalyptus and laurel leaves.

‘I discussed with the event organiser the type of décor I had in mind and selected it with her among the options available. I was 100 % confident that it would match the spirit of what I had in mind.’

The couple searched high and low for just the right readings for their ceremony, wanting them to have meaning and to give guidance.

‘Our friends read three texts: a text attributed to Mother Theresa, a text from The Prophet on Marriage by Khalil Gibran, both read in French and a poem read in Portuguese. We printed the translation in English for our guests in the order of service.’

The venue styling is so striking, and in brilliant keeping with the coastal location, the architecture and the relaxed and informal feel Emilie and Pedro wished to impart to their friends and family.

Following the ceremony, guests enjoyed cocktails and a wonderful wedding meal, courtesy of the team at Areias do Seixo, while table favours were a charming fusion of Portuguese and French traditions, with olive oil from Esporão and sugared almonds from Lyon-based Chocolat Voisin. Emilie (and indeed some guests!) still have dreams about the red velvet cake that the team at Areias do Seixo made for their celebration, too.

‘The whole day was just a succession of amazing time shared with loved ones. Having breakfast at the venue being surrounded by friends at every tables, going for a walk to the beach and meet Pedro and some friends there, starting getting ready with my best friends, my mum, my daughter and my niece in this amazing suite, meeting Pedro down the alley, listening to a great band during the cocktail, enjoying amazing food with our friends in a splendid greenhouse lit by candles and surrounded by plants and trees, and dancing until 3 am with our people!’

For their first dance and husband and wife, Pedro and Emilie chose The Civil Wars’ version of Leonard Cohen’s classic, ‘Dance Me to the Edge of Love.’

‘We had the first dance track set for a long time but not the steps! We did not take time to take dancing lessons but well, we had fun and I am sure nobody noticed… The Civil Wars was a band I really like and I danced a lot with my baby daughter in my arms for months and months. When we started thinking about a first dance track, it suddenly struck me that the cover of the song was perfect for a low-key first dance!’

Brazilian band Bamba Social had everybody up and dancing, including bride Emilie, who found she just couldn’t stop moving her feet!

‘We are both in love with Brazil, which was the destination of our first trip (after Portugal, obviously!). During the whole cocktail I couldn’t stop moving my feet. I think our guests thought that it was our first dance, which is quite hilarious. We could choose the number of musicians in the band as they are flexible in their composition. I really warmly recommend this band.’

Words of Wedded Wisdom

‘I could have got organised better in advance instead of many last-minute small decisions, which created more pressure than necessary but I guess it is part of the game. And taking dancing classes! Also, the cutting of the cake…I was not a big fan of this moment from the beginning. I cannot say I enjoyed it as I felt more exposed than during the ceremony. But the cake was a dream and made up for this awkward moment!

The day goes fast, too fast so it is important to pause and breathe several times during the day. Be it alone, with 1 or 2 friends, with your husband. Take a photo memory of that moment. I was happy to have a gathering the night before and the day after to sit and speak with friends.

Know yourself: if you have a strong idea of what you want for your wedding and if you are an assertive person, I’m sure you will have no trouble going through the preparation and taking decisions quickly. If you are flexible or, like me, have zero clue on the type of wedding you want, if you need to compare, ponder, check your options, then allow yourself more time in the process. And accept last-minute decisions, it’s ok…”

“Selecting dresses was I think the most difficult part of the wedding. I lost myself in Pinterest and got too confused. Besides, trying dresses 6-9 months before the wedding day can be somehow tricky as you don͛t really know the shape of your body in advance, especially when you still have post pregnancy extra weight! I would stick to the wedding blogs and magazines for inspiration because at least you have references, shops and articles which put real weddings in context. But remember: when you read all the blogs and magazines, you are looking at the final product of several months of organisation. It is the result of many decisions which only take shape that day. So when you are on your sofa, drinking a cup of tea and panicking at how late you are in the preparations, remember that you are still in the process of preparation so there is no need to panic.”

“The event manager at the venue helped me organised a lot of the details. Having said that, I was glad to have the wedding planner the week before the wedding and on the D-Day to sort out all the last-minute details and having her around made me feel less anxious as I did not have to manage the timeline during the day.

Bridesmaids : You have chosen your ladies for a reason and they are here for you on the day. So don’t panic, you are not alone! They are your pillars on the day and they make your life so much easier! Well, mine certainly did and I cannot thank them enough.

Alcohol: Being French and a ‘bon vivant’, I bought lots of champagne for the day and there was open bar from the beginning to the end…but I had only one sip of champagne and one sip of red wine. I am glad I did not drink because my memories of the day are sharp and I can say that I enjoyed every moment of it.’

Thank you Emilie for such honest and thoughtfully considered words of wisdom, and huge thanks to Emilie and Pedro for giving us the chance to share in their joyful day. Areias do Seixo is such a remarkable setting, and how amazing to be married by the ocean, close to the dunes and fragrant pine trees, and for the couple to be able to share their heritage, culture and all the things they love best with their guests. Thank you also, of course, to the talented Claudia Rose Carter, whose work we enjoy and value so much here at Love My Dress.

You can enjoy more of her work here, and more lovely Portuguese weddings here.

With love,

Laura