The Real Wedding of Abigail & Carl at Bassmead Manor Barns
- Laura Daly
- Jun 1
- 4 min read
A statement venue fit for an even grander wedding dress!
When bride-to-be's book an appointment with us, we ask them to create a wishlist of wedding dresses for us. A shortlist of styles picked out from our website. We do this for many reasons. But chiefly it's because we want to get a good idea of what you like before you walk through our doors. So we can make the most of your time.
Some brides walk away with a dress from their wishlist, while others discover something entirely different during their search. A look, or a silhouette, that they would have never previously thought of.
Then there are brides who have only one dress on their wishlist - 'the one'. They don't need to try other styles because they know what they'll be walking down the aisle in. Abigail was one of those brides. She had fallen for her Mori Lee wedding dress long before her Bellissima appointment, after months of trying other dresses in multiple locations. We did manage to get her to slip into some other samples, but she was steadfast in her love for her dress. And we love that!
The Real Wedding of Abigail & Carl at Bassmead Manor Barns
Discover a little more about our bride and her wedding journey.
How did you meet?
I was meeting a friend, and he was with him. We specifically met in a car park where I was meeting my friend.
How did you get engaged?
He proposed on the beach in Greece when I took him on his first holiday abroad. It was the most romantic scene, with the sea in the background, following a dinner together.
What was your favourite moment(s) from the wedding?
I loved everything about the day equally. It’s hard to choose just one moment. But I would say, straight after the ceremony we got our celebration drinks and the venue gave us 5 minutes away from everyone while the photographer gathered guests for a confetti toss. Having that time together, just us two, talking about my dress, and his suit, and taking a moment to really believe we just got married was so special.
Tell us all about your wedding dress journey
I love how unique my wedding dress (Juanita by Mori Lee) is.
I struggled so much to find 'the one'. I went to about 5 different shops, tried on every type of fit and design, went to wedding dress shows and nothing. Eventually, I found mine online, but only two shops in the UK had a sample. Belissima Weddings being one of them. I loved it from the moment I saw it!
What was the general decor for your big day?
Our wedding venue was a beautiful-converted barn, and it really didn’t need a lot of dressing. Colour wise, we went for blush pink and neutrals. Our biggest pieces of decor were the pink blossom trees and blossom moon arch. A real statement that our guests loved.
We chose pampas flowers and roses for my bouquet which matched the centrepieces, while the table runners were neutrally coloured, along with the napkins. Wooden cut out place names, acrylic table numbers, and menu cards also decorated the tables. We kept the decor very simple. We did have a sweet table which went down amazingly.
Do you have any advice for future Bellissima Brides?
As easy as it is to say, don’t stress.
I tried so hard not to think about the day at all, I was on my own the night before and actually had a great sleep, my mum came over in the morning, and we went to the venue. I was calm the entire day, I didn’t feel nervous until I was about to walk down the aisle... But as soon as I saw Carl, I felt fine, no nerves.
Only you know what you have planned for the day, so if something doesn’t go to plan, only you know about it, not your guests.
The main thing is that you're marrying your best friend, the rest of it is just added amazingness.
Do you have any local suppliers you would like to recommend?
Our wedding venue was Bassmead Manor Barns. A stunning place! The staff were so helpful and friendly.
We used Etsy for most of our decor, not a florist. And all the flowers were beautiful.
Aidan King DJ and equipment hire - outstanding. All the guests were up on their feet most of the night.
Picta Productions were our photographers and videographers. We love watching the video back and remembering all the special moments from the big day. While their photos really capture all the emotions felt by everyone on the day.
Everyone is still talking about our wedding, our wedding video, the food, the party, it was the best day.
How was your Bellissima experience?
Fantastic. Even though I knew exactly which dress I wanted, all the staff were so wonderful. I did try on a few other dresses, just in case. But I always went back to mine. When I said yes, all the staff were so happy for me - it felt like they were cheering me on!
You should definitely visit Bellissima for your wedding dress!
