6 NET-A-PORTER Brides On Finding Their Dream Wedding Dress
Searching for the perfect wedding dress can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Here, six brides from Team NET-A-PORTER reveal how they found ‘the one’, and reflect on the details that made their day special
Charlotte Sinclair, site content executive
“We got engaged in October 2022 on a trip to Lake Maggiore (originally planned as a birthday getaway for me, which was the perfect cover!). On our last evening, we took a sunset boat ride around the lake. The boat stopped beside Isola Bella, a small island in the middle of the lake that holds an incredible Italian palace and the most beautiful gardens. We were sipping prosecco and watching the sun set, and that’s when he asked the question,” says Charlotte Sinclair of her picturesque proposal. “I also happened to be wearing a very bridal-themed outfit for the moment – a white Self-Portrait playsuit with a lace trim that I will cherish forever.”
Two years later, the couple married in Mallorca – a place the bride has visited her whole life with her grandparents, who have a house on the island. “I always knew I wanted to get married there, and the venue we ended up choosing was exactly what I’d pictured, surrounded by gorgeous mountain views, olive trees, and lots of greenery. The overall color palette I chose for the wedding really leant into that – my bridesmaids wore olive-green silk dresses, and the flowers were all white and green, too,” Sinclair recalls.
When the time came to choose a dress, Sinclair already had a style in mind but tried on a few different silhouettes, just in case, before settling on a style by New Zealand-based brand Hera Couture. “I knew I wanted something with a bit of structure, without it being too form-fitting. As we were getting married abroad and outdoors, I wanted the dress to feel suited to that setting and have a bit of movement while still being true to my personal style, which is a bit more tailored and structured. I really gravitated towards subtle pleating details, so I knew I wanted to incorporate that into the dress as well.
“I kept the accessories fairly simple. For jewelry, I borrowed a beautiful pair of diamond stud earrings and a classic diamond tennis bracelet from my grandmother (who has the most incredible taste). For shoes, I wanted something classic but also a bit special, given that my dress was very simple in its design, so I opted for Jimmy Choo’s ‘Saeda’ satin pumps with a crystal-embellished ankle detail.”
Gaia Castelfranco, marketing content writer
NET-A-PORTER’s marketing content writer, Gaia Castelfranco, got married in June 2024. Her husband proposed along the River Seine in Paris, four years prior. “We floated around the Impressionist museums for the rest of the day in our own little love bubble,” she recalls.
When it came to choosing her dress for the big day, Castelfranco factored the venue into her selection process. “We had a town hall ceremony in Chelsea, London, so I wanted the silhouette to be clean, easy and modern,” she explains. “The one detail I was certain of was the silk scarf – my take on the traditional veil. It added all the romanticism of a classic bridal look without the fuss.”
After making a few dress appointments with her maid of honor, Castelfranco settled on a dress by London-based designer Clio Peppiatt. “Every dress I tried on was beautiful, but nothing felt quite right until I slipped into the Clio Peppiatt – suddenly I could see myself as a bride. The sleek, sultry silhouette is what first drew me in, but I’d be amiss not to gush about the hand-beaded embellishments, one of which – a little heart – my seamstresses positioned floating off the hem. To ensure a perfect fit for my petite stature, we added boning to the bodice and altered the length to transform it into a midi dress – it’s amazing what a few careful tweaks can do to personalize a piece.
“For the big day, I was presented with the most incredible family heirlooms – a vintage Jaeger LeCoultre ‘Reverso’ (my something blue) from my beloved aunt, and a pearl bracelet with emerald and diamond embellishments that belonged to my grandmother. After a few adjustments, we were left with additional gemstones that I had set into the most delicious little stud earrings to complete the look. Our wedding bands were crafted by our incredibly talented friend and jeweler, Simon Simonian. He and my husband designed my engagement ring together, so I couldn’t wait for the opportunity to work on our wedding bands and bring our story full circle.”
Connie Daw, junior shopping editor
NET-A-PORTER’s junior shopping editor, Connie Daw, got engaged to Michael two years before they tied the knot in May 2024. While the initial proposal didn’t quite go to plan because of the pandemic, he finally popped the question on a quiet walk near Daw’s family home, where they would later hold their wedding reception.
“It was important to me that my bridal look felt like my personal style. One of the first things my maid of honor said when she saw the dress was: ‘That is exactly what I imagined you would wear,’ which was the best thing she could have told me. I didn’t want to feel like I was in costume; I knew it would be an overwhelming day, and I was determined to feel as comfortable as possible. I did my own makeup and had my longtime hairdresser do my hair.
“Long before we got engaged, I knew I wanted to wear Danielle Frankel on my wedding day – her dresses always feel modern and elegant. I feel most confident in a modest neckline, so the ‘Charlie’ dress with the raised cowl-neck instantly caught my eye. I tried it on for the first time in my mum’s bedroom and we immediately knew it was the one. My earrings were from one of my favorite Danish brands, Lié Studio. My husband Michael is half-Danish, and I wanted to nod to his heritage in some way. I bought my shoes a few years prior from The Row – they’re named ‘Constance’, which is my full name, and as I’m very sentimental, I had it in the back of my mind to save them, knowing that they would be perfect for when I got married.”
Rubee Ifeoma Samuel, shoot producer
When NET-A-PORTER’s shoot producer, Rubee Ifeoma Samuel, got engaged while on a surprise birthday trip to Barbados in July 2023, she had already started putting the wheels in motion for her wedding day. “I was way too excited to wait until it was ‘official’ to start making plans,” she says. A civil ceremony held at London’s Marylebone Town Hall in March 2024 (five years to the day after she met her husband) was followed by a big celebration in August with family and friends.
“I always knew I wanted to wear a backless slip dress; it’s a style that has served me well throughout the years and I wanted to wear something that I would feel like myself in, but that still felt bridal when paired with the right accessories. Eventually, I found a gorgeous Victoria Beckham dress, which was just what I was looking for. Against all traditions, [my husband] Shiraz came with me to try it on for the first time; as important as it was for me to like it, I wanted him to love it. I’ll never forget his face when I walked into the Soho Room at Marylebone Town Hall with my dad – I don’t think I’ve ever felt so beautiful.
“I had initially planned to only wear the Victoria Beckham dress to the civil ceremony in March, but when planning our August celebration, we decided to welcome guests on arrival before the ceremony, and it was the perfect look for this part of the day – something loose enough that I could indulge in the canapés being served but that also held me in the right places.
“I wore three dresses at the August party, as I wanted to pay homage to my culture by wearing aso oke [a traditional handwoven fabric from Nigeria], as well as Shiraz’s culture by wearing a lehenga. Both cultural dresses were a hue of orange to complement my citrine engagement ring and the pink lace that my family wore. Earlier in the year, my mother-in-law gifted me her 21st birthday present – gold knot earrings and a gold curb bracelet, which I wore with a Gucci watch my mum had passed down to me. We went on our honeymoon after our civil ceremony and I bought a few bits for the wedding whilst traveling around India, including a gajra hair accessory, which I wore to accentuate my slicked middle-part bun.”
Caterina Anile, head of site content
“The proposal was intimate and personal, just like us. We had dinner at one of our favorite spots and strolled along the river close to our home – it was there that he proposed,” recalls NET-A-PORTER’s head of site content, Caterina Anile, of the moment her husband popped the question. The couple married in September 2024 at an intimate ceremony in London. “We always dreamed of an English garden wedding, and Kew Gardens was the perfect spot,” she adds.
When it came to choosing her dress, Anile had a clear vision from the beginning. “My bridal style was all about elegance and minimalism. I didn’t want lace, ruffles or too many embellishments. I wanted a dress that made me feel like an elevated version of myself; one that would fit seamlessly with the romantic yet understated atmosphere of our English-garden wedding at Kew.
“While I imagined long sleeves, none of the dresses I tried on felt quite right until I slipped into my dream dress at a bridal boutique in London – it was a refined silk creation with a square neckline and short fluted sleeves. The silk was so soft and luxurious and made me feel incredibly graceful. My evening dress, a sequined Rixo number, was a surprise find at my first bridal appointment, gifted to me by my mother. It was playful and fun, and I loved how light and carefree it felt. I also picked two pairs of shoes: delicate strappy kitten heels from Khaite, and sleek slingback pumps from Neous to match the Rixo dress. For my jewelry, I wore gold and pearl earrings, a pearl bracelet from a boutique in Richmond, and a diamond band gifted by my mother-in-law. I went for a natural look with loose waves and soft peachy-pink tones for my hair and makeup.
“The day felt extra special as we were surrounded by family from Italy and friends who had traveled from all over the world to be with us in London – the city where we have built our lives over the past 11 years.”
Frankie Taylor, buyer
“We had a very anti-proposal proposal,” says NET-A-PORTER buyer, Frankie Taylor, of her engagement. “We both knew we wanted to get married, so we went ring shopping together, found the ring, and couldn’t wait to tell our friends and family.” Taylor secured the venue two months after getting engaged and enlisted her mother to help with the planning: “It was the best experience; so fun and surprisingly less stressful than I had imagined.
“Despite working in fashion and buying for the past 10 years, I found choosing a dress really difficult. I knew I wanted something timeless and classic for my main wedding dress, so in the end, I opted for a bespoke design to ensure every detail was what I wanted. I loved the corseted bodice and sleek silhouette, which lent itself perfectly to our intimate summer wedding. As for shoes, I always dreamt of wearing Manolo Blahniks, so I opted for a bright satin pair as my ‘something blue’.
“For my second dress, I wanted something fun and show-stopping for the party in the evening. I had lots of bow references saved as my wedding inspiration and somehow manifested them into a dress. When I saw the ‘Drusilla’ mini by Emilia Wickstead, I knew it was the one. I paired it with some sky-high Aquazzura platforms and Completedworks jewelry.
“We worked closely with our venue, Oakley Court [in Windsor], to make everything special for the weekend, from the flowers to the table settings and the most amazing food. We wanted it to feel like a British summertime garden party, and we were extremely lucky with the weather!”