Real Bride Story: Sophie wearing Allegri by Suzanne Neville
Bride & Groom: Sophie & Angus
Wedding Dress: Suzanne Neville Allegri from Helen Rodrigues Bridal
Photography: Nat Salloum Photography
Venue: Private Property Wellington NSW
Floral: Once and Floral By Abby
On The Day Coordination: Darling Days
Grooms Suit: PJ Johnson
Accessories: Jennifer Behr Calissa Earrings from HR Bridal Accessories, Mum’s veil, Paspaley Bracelet and Australian Diamond Broker Rings
Bridemaid Dresses: Bec and Bridge
Hair & Makeup: Chevaux Studio Mudgee & Donna Marie Make-up
Catering: Relish Catering Narrabri
Furniture Hire: Bespoke Country Hire & Simply Seated
Saxophonist/ DJ: Scotty Sax
Cake: Caitlyn Cake Design
Stationary: Mila and May + DD Letterpress
The Meeting
We met at a house party in Armidale NSW thrown by a neutral friend, where we chatted the night away. It took about a month after this though before Angus asked me on our first official date.
The Proposal
We were in Puglia Italy on a beautiful holiday, Angus had arranged for us to take a boat out for the day which I was very excited for, however on the morning of the company texted Angus to say that the weather was bad and we were going to have to cancel, after a bit of back and forth Angus told them he had an ‘appointment’ out on the water (which I found out later) and we ended up going out in the morning rather then the afternoon. Angus had scouted out a beautiful grotto the day before when we drove in and pulled the boat up there, after popping some champagne he pulled out the most beautiful ring and got down on one knee asking me to marry him.
Wedding Day Vision
A timeless, elegant garden party, with a fun party later in the evening.
The Wedding Dress: Allegri by Suzanne Neville from Helen Rodrigues Bridal
The incredible team at HRB and their exclusive selection of world-renowned designers really stood out to me. I’ve always admired Suzanne Neville’s timeless and elegant gowns—the craftsmanship and quality of her fabrics are exceptional. I also appreciated that I could see the gown on and feel confident in it from the start, rather than designing it from scratch. I also love that HRB provides in-house alterations so I didn’t need to stress about my fitting process especially living out of Sydney.
“From my first appointment, to my fittings and even putting the gown in the car at collection, the level of service and experience at HRB is unmatched, there is nowhere else I would recommend to find your wedding dress. I can never thank Helen, Sophie, Nicole, Brooke and Glynis enough, the team truly goes above and beyond to make your wedding dress journey nothing but perfection.”
The Biggest Wedding Planning Decision
Surprisingly, choosing the dress turned out to be the biggest decision! Having worked in the industry and seen so many stunning gowns on other brides, I thought it would be easy, but after trying on a few, I felt a little overwhelmed.
I visited a few other boutiques where they kept suggesting gowns which didn’t feel like me. HRB was my last stop for the day and after my appointment with Nicole, I had a favourite in mind, but then I stumbled across Suzanne Neville’s new collection online. The Allegri gown instantly caught my eye, so I messaged Nicole and Helen right away. I was thrilled when they told me they’d already ordered it and could have it arrive a little earlier to fit my timeline. The moment I tried it on, I knew it was the one—the fabric and craftsmanship were beautiful, and I felt completely confident, comfortable and like myself.
Wedding Day Highlight
The ceremony, marrying my person was the best half an hour of my life, I had imagined walking down the aisle with my Dad toward Angus, and saying our vows in front of all our friends and family for years and when the moment came it was so perfect and full of love.
Would you do anything differently?
Try not to stress so much about the weather and travel arrangements for our out of town guests.
Advice for future #HRBride’s
Don’t get caught up in the trends on social media, do what feels authentic to you and your partner and trust your suppliers to bring your vision to life, they are amazing at what they do.
Whether you're looking for a classic wedding dress or something truly unique, Helen Rodrigues Bridal offers a truly personalised experience for every bride. Book your appointment today and find your dream gown.
