Skip to content

Cart

Your cart is empty

Article: The White and Gold Bride: Nicole

The White and Gold Bride: Nicole

The White and Gold Bride: Nicole

Meet our beautiful bride Nicole, who got married in Killarney in February. Nicole fell in love with her dress the second she put it on! Nicole told us she was very skeptical when her friends would tell her that ‘when you know, you know’ but realised they weren’t telling lies when she tried on the last dress of her appointment. The minute Sorcha slipped it over her head, she just knew that it was the one! We love how radiant and confident Nicole looks in her beautiful photographs.

We asked Nicole some questions about her wedding style, how she knew her dress was the one for her and if she has any advice for other brides-to-be. 

Nicole, your dress was just perfect on you! Was it the style you had in mind for yourself? How did you know it was the dress for you?

I genuinely had no idea what kind of a dress I was looking for! I have probably been thinking about my wedding dress long before I met my groom if I am honest, and as a result had so many different reference points for inspiration that I could have really gone any direction. I wanted my dress to be timeless. I wanted to find something that suited me, that I felt comfortable in and that I would love on the day and beyond. I was very conscious of not getting caught up in a trend or not feeling like myself on the day. I am always the ‘less is more’ type, and in the end the dress I chose was completely true to me. I loved how streamlined it was, but that it still had modern touches and I completely adored the silk crepe fabric and how luxurious it made the dress feel. I just loved it on the day and felt so beautiful. 

When did you know it was the dress for you? 

The second I put it on! I remember thinking it was completely underwhelming on the hanger, but the minute Sorcha slipped it over my head I just knew that it was the one. 

I came out smiling from ear to ear and had my decision made before I even made it to the mirror. The only way I can describe it is I just felt like me, but better! I was comfortable and just felt so beautiful even with the clamps and face mask I was wearing. Once I had tried on that dress, I was no longer interested in trying on anything else, so from there it was an easy decision!

Who did you bring to your bridal appointment? Did they help you decide on your dress?

I brought my Mother and my sister. They were amazing in that they gave their honest opinions but also let me lead with my thoughts first. It is great to have people with you to help with the choice, but choosing your dress can be very overwhelming. I found the expectation to look ’amazing’ on the day to be a lot, and sometimes adding in the expectations & opinions of others can make it really hard to distinguish how you really feel. So, whilst it is great to have your nearest & dearest with you, definitely be sure to keep your feelings to the forefront of your mind! You just need to stick to your gut and follow your own heart.

What would you say was your overall wedding style?

I would describe my overall wedding aesthetic as modern classic. I really wanted the look and feel to be understated, but with hints of old school glamour. I tried as much as I could to eliminate the frills and instead be very intentional about what I chose to be part of the day. I kept the color scheme quite simple and consistent across all aspects of the day, from the bridal party down to the table signage -mainly ivory, champagne and gold with hints of forest green to add some depth. I opted for as many fresh flowers as I could.  Choosing my venue really helped to guide my style decisions for every part of the day and things just fell into place easily from there.

How did you accessorise your dress? Tell us all the jewellery and shoe details!

My dress was quite simple, so I wanted to elevate the look with some key accessories whilst still keeping the understated vibe it had which I fell in love with. 

I had come across One Dame Lane jewellery at the White & Gold when I chose my dress. I love how classic the pieces are but yet still modern and make such a statement. I was in Dublin a couple of weeks after this and visited the One Dame Lane shop. The assistant couldn’t have been more helpful in choosing the perfect pair of earrings to compliment my dress. I went for the Willow Strand earrings. I chose not to wear any other jewellery on the day, except for my engagement ring and wedding band. As I said, less is more for me always!

I also wore a blusher veil on the day, and again kept it simple by opting for a cathedral length tulle veil with a raw edge and no embellishment. I loved that you were able to see the dress through the veil, and I felt the blusher and the length helped to add a little bit a drama for coming down the aisle. 

Lastly, I purchased a pair of Jimmy Choo courts to complete the look. I easily wore them throughout the day and night, although they did eventually get kicked off towards the early hours!

 

Any underwear tips for our brides to be?

They are not the sexiest, but high waisted seamless shorts to the knee are key, especially as my dress was satin and showed every line! But make sure to get a breathable, light pair as you want to be comfortable on the day. 

Any special moments you treasure from the day?

My favorite moment from the day was our time in Killarney National Park, where we took some of our photos. We chose to do all of our bridal party & family photos at the church so that we could enjoy that hour to ourselves and it was the best thing we did. On the day we had rented a convertible MG, so my husband and I were able to just drive there and back together and it was just lovely!

If you could give brides-to-be one piece of solid advice? 

Enjoy it! It was the best but the shortest day I have ever experienced, each hour felt like a minute in time, and I would give my right hand to do it all over again! 

One tip that I would give which I have learned from being a guest at weddings, and now from planning my own is that; the more that you see your guests enjoying the day, the more relaxed you become, and the more you enjoy it too. 

All that we really wanted from the day was for everyone to enjoy themselves as much as they could, we wanted to treat our guests from start to finish, something which we felt we all deserved after the past two years. Sometimes it is easy to get lost in the Pinterest boards and you can spend so much time & money on things that people don’t even notice on the day!

Who did your hair, make up and photography?

Hair & Make-up was FMN Studio who are based in Limerick but travel nationwide. They are just the soundest, nicest girls who will make you look and feel like a movie star on the day. 

Photography was Awake & Dreaming and videography was Amare Stories. The lads were both great craic to have in the room that morning, and were so discreet throughout the day and just kept us relaxed throughout which was a really important factor for me. 

If you had bridesmaids where did you choose their dresses from?

The dresses were from Pretty Lavish and it was the Kiesha Dress in Champagne. I thought the girls just looked so amazing in them on the day, so effortlessly beautiful, all of them! 

How did you find your experience at The White and Gold? 

AMAZING! I have literally told all of my friends to go here, it was that exceptional. The White & Gold was my 6th bridal shopping experience in Ireland, and there was nothing else like it. From the moment I stepped inside, whether it was the décor, or the gorgeous gowns, or the even more gorgeous Sorcha, I knew I was in safe hands!

I remember Sorcha saying to me that she works fast, and by god I was in and out of about 6 dresses within 30 minutes. But every single time I tried a dress we got closer, and once we had made our way through my initial picks, Sorcha then introduced her 3 suggestions, one of which was Prisma, which ended up being my dream dress. 

I am an avid shopper and I know what suits me quite well, but I found it next to impossible to pick a wedding dress from the hanger. That is why you need someone who not only knows their stock inside out, but more importantly who listens to you throughout the appointment to find the dress that you couldn’t see from the rail. Sorcha definitely has that magic touch, so if your dress is in The White & Gold be assured that she will find it for you! My experience with this shop was seamless from start to finish, with the girls being so helpful and kind, I couldn’t thank them more. Although I think I will have to unfollow them on Instagram as everything they post just makes me want to do it all over again, a different aesthetic each time!

Thank you for your gorgeous words Nicole. It was such a pleasure meeting you an dyour lovely mom, and I still rememmber the wow moment when we tried your dress on for the first time… your friends were right … when you know, you know! I am so thrilled you chose to be part of our White & Gold gang and we wish you both a lifetime of happiness together 

Photos by Awake & Dreaming Photography.

Love Stories

Discover more

The White and Gold Bride: Christina

The White and Gold Bride: Christina

Meet Christina Devine, our absolute drop dead stunner of a bride… the surname says it all really!  Christina held her wedding ceremony at City Hall followed by dinner at ...

Read more
The White and Gold Bride: Aoife

The White and Gold Bride: Aoife

Meet our beautiful bride Aoife, who had a summer wedding in Dromquinna Manor. Dromquinna Manor is a waterfront venue in Kenmare, owned by the Brennan brothers. ...

Read more