Rosie O’Brien looked nothing short of stunning on her wedding day. Her dress was chic and contemporary and made her feel amazing – it is what every bride dreams of. Rosie was lucky enough to grow up in the beautiful Lake District, and this offered the perfect setting for her wedding day. In fact, her reception felt extra special as it took place in her parents’ garden. 

Before she started shopping for her outfit, Rosie had pictured the dress of her dreams and knew exactly the style she wanted. And, having worked for a wedding magazine in the past, she had a number of designers she loved firmly on the radar. “I almost knew too much! I had three designers in mind, two I’d always loved from my wedding mag days, and a new-ish Aussie brand I discovered via Instagram,” she tells us. Rosie adored the look of romantic appliqué dresses, and anything with embroidered detail – however, she tells us she changed her mind on the style when she started trying dresses on.

The perfect boutique

While looking at one of the designers she liked, Rosie discovered there was a stockist local to her – Eden Wedding Boutique in Penrith. “I was in the area and went and booked an appointment when I was passing,” she smiles. “That was a pretty cool moment as the shop was empty, so I had a little look through the rails. I was like a kid in a sweet shop!”

Describing her experience at the boutique as “flawless,” it is unsurprising that Rosie felt special and well cared for throughout her appointment. “It was such a beautiful environment and the owner was just so lovely. It was actually the first shop I went to, and after I’d found my dress, I just kept comparing every dress I tried to it, so I knew it was ‘the one’,” says Rosie. “The owner who looked after us, Keeley, was so warm and friendly, and she also really got the vibe I was going for. Once I had chosen my dress, Keeley brought out the most incredible pearl headband, as a suggestion to wear for the evening party, and it was perfect. The whole experience was really personal, and relaxed which I loved.”

Finding her dress, Luana from Willowby by Watters, was a high point of the experience (“I didn’t want to take it off”) but Rosie also adored sharing the day with her mum and two best friends. She loved the excitement they could share between them, and it made it a really memorable experience, rather than just a shopping trip. “So much of choosing ‘the dress’ is about how you feel wearing it, and I just felt my absolute best self in my wedding dress.”

Other experiences

Before starting her shopping journey, Rosie promised herself she would go to a maximum of three shops. She was glad to have made and stuck to this decision, as she recalls that there is so much on offer that it would be impossible not to feel a little overwhelmed. So, in addition to Eden Wedding Boutique, she visited two other shops: “Otherwise I could have spent months shortlisting and comparing.”
When we chatted to Rosie about any negative experiences she had at the other boutiques, there wasn’t anything she hated, but there were a few things that could be improved upon. “I appreciate shops only have a certain amount of time per bride, but the worst thing is being made to feel rushed,” she says. “I had one experience where the next bride was waiting at the door, and I had to quickly get out of my final dress and let them in.” 

In finishing our interview, Rosie gave us her top tips for to pass on to future brides. 
“Don’t spend hours trawling through Pinterest and Instagram looking at dresses. I’d saved a few that I adored online, and they looked so different when I tried them on. Also, dresses look very different on you vs. on the hanger. My dress on the hanger looked a bit plain (I didn’t want plain at all!),” she says. “I’d definitely recommend trying a selection of styles, and once you’ve found one or two that you can’t stop thinking about, stop looking! Having too much choice causes nightmares (actual nightmares!).”

Image credits: Ailsa Reeve Photography