Happily Ever After: The Magical Discovery Cove Wedding of Our Bride Sophie

A Disney fairytale twelve years in the making

Some love stories are worth waiting for, and after over ten years together, Sophie and her now-husband were ready for their next big adventure. It all started with a romantic proposal by the waterfalls at Disneyland Paris, which set the tone for a wedding journey that would be anything but ordinary.

When it came to saying "I do," they traded the oft-grey skies of England for the sunny shores of Orlando and planned a breathtaking, water-themed celebration at Discovery Cove that felt entirely them. From the private photoshoot alongside dolphins, flamingos, and even a sloth, right down to a penguin cake topper that brought a classic family joke to life. They even managed to introduce a little piece of Essex to the big day in the form of their wedding flowers, brought safely in their hand luggage all the way across the Atlantic.

But before the bags could be packed, there was the small matter of finding the dress. Walking into a bridal boutique can feel daunting at the best of times, but for Sophie, her first visit to Bellissima was especially emotional, as her mum wasn't well at the time. Fortunately, our styling team knew exactly how to help her feel at ease. The moment they brought out her Maggie Sottero dress, all the stress simply melted away, and Sophie knew she’d found 'the one'.

How did you two meet?

We met on a dating app 12 years ago.

How did you get engaged?

Engaged by the waterfalls in Disneyland Paris

What was your favourite moment from the wedding?

It has to be our private photo shoot, which we took at various places around the venue, including with some leaping dolphins, flamingos and a sloth!

Tell us all about your wedding dress!

The sparkly sequin underlay on my wedding dress made me feel like a total princess on the big day. I had so many comments from guests, staff and the public about how gorgeous and classy the lace mixed with the sequins was.

What was the general decor for your big day?

Our wedding decor was all water-themed as per Discovery Cove itself and included our penguin cake topper, which is both a favourite animal of mine and a running family joke.

Do you have any advice for future Bellissima Brides?

Trust your gut instinct and believe in yourself.

Do you have any local suppliers you would like to recommend?

Most of our suppliers were in Orlando, but our flowers came from The Flower Stores on Eastwood Old Road in Leigh and travelled perfectly in our hand luggage.

How was your Bellissima Weddings experience?

I can't thank the Bellissima team enough; my first visit was so daunting, as I had been to four other wedding dress shops with my mum, but for this appointment she was in hospital. I'd had my eye on a couple of dresses since we got engaged, and the moment Lucy brought out the Tristyn dress, even in the black lace, I knew it was the one, as I could picture it in ivory. Lucy made everything so straightforward and put me right at ease, topping every experience I'd had previously in other shops! During my pre-fit and tiara appointments, Dale and Robyn were amazing, and my fittings with Mariana were perfect too.