Waxflower Real Brides | Rhion in Halfpenny London
For Waxflower bride, Rhion (who wasn’t a fan of shopping) our Bristol bridal boutique and intriguing selection of wedding dresses and British bridal designers turned things around, allowing her to not only discover her dream wedding dress (with separate overskirt and attachments in tow) but relish the trying-on process too!
Wedding date: 1st June 2024
Names: Rhion Williams & Tom Hooper
Rhion tied the knot with partner Tom surrounded by the bucolic South Welsh countryside at the beautiful Rosedew Farm. Taking to the aisle in Halfpenny London’s elegant fit and flare Oliver gown, with the coveted British designer’s Mayfair skirt on top and a set of ruffle sleeves, Rhion looked absolutely enchanting. Read on to discover everything about Rhion’s Waxflower wedding dress journey (from the bride herself) including how she discovered our Clifton bridal boutique, to her favourite wedding day moment and the advice she’d give to other brides like you…
#1 How did you discover waxflower bridal?
“My sister-in-law bought her wedding dress from Kathy at Waxflower Bridal a few years back.”
#2 What drew you to visiting the boutique?
“I followed Waxflower Bridal on Instagram and loved the vibe. Most bridal shops look the same but I loved Kathy’s twist on it. It had all the feathers/sequins and pops of colour! I hadn’t really seen that done before when looking in other bridal shops.”
#3 Who did you bring to the initial appointment?
“I brought my mum with me.”
#4 What type of wedding dress were you looking for? Did you have an idea in mind?
“I knew I wanted a really simple, tight fitted sleek dress. All the dresses saved on my Pinterest board were exactly that, with a pearl veil. Our wedding venue (Rosedew Farm) was rustic but with amazing open lighting and loads of fairy lights throughout, I felt like you could go for any style dress and it would work at Rosedew. We loved how relaxed they were on our first visit which drew us in.”
#5 How were you feeling about the dress shopping experience before visiting Waxflower?
“I hate shopping so if I’m honest, I really wasn’t looking forward to it. But after trying on a few, I realised it was the only time I’d ever be able to try on all these amazing styles and loved trying items that I’d never wear, so I soon got into it!”
#6 How many dresses had you tried on before visiting Waxflower?
“I think I’d tried six dresses.”
#7 How did you feel walking into the Waxflower boutique?
“I just loved the style of the boutique and Kathy made us feel really welcome and at ease straight away!”
#8 Talk us through your first appointment...
“Kathy asked me about styles I’d tried on and asked what style I was looking for. We then had a walk through all the designers at Waxflower and I was able to pick out any that caught my eye. We went through different styles and filtered through what I liked and didn’t.”
#9 How many dresses did you try on?
“I think it was four dresses.”
#10 Tell us about the moment you tried on 'the one’…
“I had tried on a few already and as soon as Kathy zipped up the Halfpenny London dress (Oliver) I just knew it. Me and my mum just looked at each other and you could tell by my face I loved it! It was exactly what I’d been looking for. Whilst wearing it, I was eyeing up the Mayfair overskirt which was hanging up too…I never thought I’d wear something like it but thought when else would I try on a skirt like it? And, again - I was obsessed. Both the two pieces together were perfect and I knew it could be two looks in one day.”
#11 Did you opt for any bespoke alterations? If so, what were they and why did you choose them?
“At the appointment I tried on the sleeves and absolutely loved them but I had to take into account budget. So I was under the impression I’d be having the dress and skirt. But my mum had secretly arranged for sleeves to be made by Sew Studio which Kathy had recommended. I was so happy when I found out and very grateful to my mum!”
#12 How did you end up styling your wedding ensemble? Did you choose any accessories from Waxflower Bridal?
“I went all out and wore the Oliver dress, Mayfair skirt and custom-made sleeves during the ceremony and food. Then I removed the skirt for the evening so I had two looks in one day. I also bought a pearl veil from Waxflower Bridal too… so very much had all the ruffles and pearls for the ceremony.”
#13 How did you feel in your bridal look on your wedding day?
“I honestly felt like a real life fairy with all the frills and ruffles! The skirt also shows your silhouette in certain lighting or when you walk and the photographer captured that a lot on the day which I loved. I loved the second look just as much as the first, it was perfect for the evening.”
#14 Your favourite moment from the big day was...
“There was a moment where I went to take off the skirt for the second look and Tom and I just sat with a bottle of champagne on our little patio soaking it all in and having a quick debrief of the day so far. We both loved that and were glad to take some time away from everything just as us two.”
#15 The funniest moment was...
“My parents arranged singing waiters which we had no clue about. There was a bit where they got Tom and our friends up to do a dance off and they went all out, it was amazing!”
#16 Your advice for other brides-to-be would be...
“Definitely try and have some time aside with your hubby at some point in the day just to soak it all in, as it goes so fast. And just try and enjoy the whole planning process, it doesn’t need to be stressful and it’s all worth it for an amazing day!”
#17 What was your overall experience like at Waxflower? Would you recommend us to other brides?
“I loved my Waxflower experience, and would 100% recommend the boutique and Kathy to any future brides. Kathy makes you feel so at ease and makes the whole experience an enjoyable one!”
THE CREDITS
Photographer: Patrick Partridge Photography (@patpartridgephotography)
Venue: Rosedew Farm (@rosedewfarm)
Dress: Waxflower Bridal (@waxflowerbridal)
Dress Sleeves: Sew Studio (@sewstudio_)
Decor & Styling: The Install Co (@theinstall.co)
Flowers: Jan Lima Flowers (@janlima_flowers)
Musicians: @becky.sax
Makeup: @elliemay_makeupartist
Hair: Nathan Pithers (@nathanbpithers)
Suits: Dyfed Menswear (@dyfedmenswear)
Videographer: Erin O'Cain Film (@erinocainfilm)
Huge thank you to the super talented Patrick Partridge Photography for these phenomenal images and to Rhion for letting us share her special day on the Waxflower Bridal Blog.
And, brides? If you're inspired by Rhion’s fabulous style for your own wedding, and would like to try Halfpenny London’s Oliver wedding dress or Mayfair skirt get in touch now.
Love Kathy xo