Steffani + Oliver

How did you meet?

We met on a night out almost 10 years ago, I had a huge crush on him but ended up not seeing him again for a couple of years. I then got a job as a bartender and him and his friends came to the bar I worked at – the rest is history!

What are your three favourite attributes of your partner?

His kindness, his unwavering belief in himself and me, how much he has taught me to be a better person.

When did you know they were the one?

I probably knew on our first date. We had seen each other a few times prior to this and we had plenty of mutual friends but he put in an extraordinary amount of effort. He planned the entire night and I could feel his excitement and his nerves.

Who proposed and how?

He did, we had been through an incredibly difficult year and my husband unfortunately lost his mom to cancer – she had helped design the ring and he proposed the day after what would have been her birthday. He set up a scavenger hunt and planned the exact evening I had always dreamed of, ending with dinner and celebrations with my family.

What was the best moment for you at the wedding?

The ceremony. Our wedding was at first a huge destination wedding in Greece, but after covid – everything felt like it fell into perspective and all we wanted was our loved ones and each other. We also knew that we didn’t want to attribute stress to our wedding so something small suited us perfectly. We booked it for 21 November 2020 and then on 1 November 2020 a lockdown was announced – so I plunged into action, made a million adjustments and phone calls and we got married 4 November 2020 – at 7pm. Just 12 people in a huge Greek church in London. The ceremony was the most mystical, intimate and magical evening of my life – it felt truly surreal.

Where did you fall in love with your dress and why?

It was my first fitting in the London boutique – I had been following MWL on instagram for ages and just knew I would get married in a dress of yours – I tried on loads and loved them all but at the very end I was shown Harlow – which hadn’t even been launched yet and instantly was sold.

What advice would you tell other brides?

That the wedding is just one night, a few hours – so enjoy the planning and always go for the dress that makes you feel like a princess but ultimately the important thing is what comes next – a marriage. So don’t sweat the small stuff!

What was one thing you did differently for your wedding?

The whole wedding was different – we did it the night before London went into Lockdown so it felt completely unique. We had the reception at our home – decorated by me and the bridesmaids. The whole thing was a complete family affair. It was just pure, unbridled happiness. Everyone there knew us intimately and had watched us fall in love. We felt so lucky.