Leah + Ash

22/11/22

Venue: Peckforton Castle

Photographer: Chris at Carpe Diem Photography

Tell us about your experience at Along Came Eve: During my first time wedding dress shopping, I was so nervous I could barely speak. At the time, I hated everything about my figure and had no confidence with my body so the thought of trying on wedding gowns made me feel sick! I put it off for months until I was starting to run out of time. I had followed Along Came Eve on Instagram for a few months, so it was always going to be my first choice to visit. My very first appointment was booked for Feb 2022 and when the day came I was a nervous wreck! I remember being slightly early for my appointment so my bridal party and I went to a coffee shop across the road while we waiting… the girls were all chatting and drinking coffee and I was just sitting there quietly drinking water! (You know I’m nervous if I’m quiet!!) When it was time for my appointment, I nervously walked up to the Boutique and within seconds we were all greeted by the most friendly, welcoming face… Kendal! In my head, I thought that the first information that Kendal was going to ask me was about my dress size/figure… but it wasn’t at all! Kendal sat me down and asked me questions all about my wedding planning! She wanted to know about my fiancé, my venue, and my theme, and by doing this, she instantly made me feel at ease and relaxed. We then moved on to the dress take. Kendal asked me what type of clothes I usually wear (baggy, always!) so I told her that I wanted a loose wedding dress, that hid my figure… maybe a ball gown or A-line style? Kendal wrote notes down and then gave my bridal party and me 10 minutes to look at dresses at pick out any that we liked and that I wanted to try on! (This part is such a core memory for me now! It was such a gorgeous moment with my girls!) I tried on around 2/3 gowns that we picked and quickly realized that I didn’t want a ‘big wedding dress’ after all… I just didn’t feel right in them! Kendal asked me to tell her what I liked/didn’t like about each dress and from this information… Kendal said she knows which one I should try next… She popped downstairs quickly and then brought up a tight gown for me to try on… it was the dress I spotted when I first walked in! I mentioned to my mum how much I’d love to be able to wear a dress like that... I was so nervous to try it, but as soon as it was on… I knew it was the one!! The reaction from my mum and the bridal party confirmed that this was going to be my ‘Yes Dress’. I had already booked 3 other boutiques to find my wedding dress, as I assumed it wasn’t going to be an easy task… how wrong was I? Finding it on my very first visit? I still visited the other 3 boutiques as I wanted to ‘make sure’ I’m not rushing into anything. I tried on around 20-30 dresses in total over the month and not 1 of those dresses compared to the one I fell in love with at Along Came Eve. One of the boutiques I visited was also based in Chester and my experience there was HORRIFIC… I’m so thankful A C E was my first visit choice, otherwise, my confidence would have been shattered completely!! I then returned back to ACE to purchase my Gown. After that, I had 3 follow-up appointments with the wonderful Helena. These appointments were MY FAVOURITE. Helena is a complete diamond and made my mum and I howl with laughter! Our Thursday appointments were the highlight of my week and I wish I could still have them now the wedding is over! During my alteration appointments, Helena and Moira both worked their MAGIC 🪄 they added (CREATED!!!) personalized sleeves to the gown and then we customized the sleeves by adding the details/patterns. The dress was also taken in a lot, which was a great feeling knowing all the hard work I put into loose weight, paid off. I also got to know other members of the Boutique from my visits and had such a giggle with Nikki, Izzy, Ellie, and Siobhan - they’re all such amazing girls! A few days before the appointment I picked my gown up and saying bye to the ladies of ACE was SO emotional! It’s crazy how I created such a wonderful bond with people I’ve only met a number of times! I will never be able to write a review that actually gives ACE the glory it deserves but I have and will recommend the boutique to every single Bride to Be that I speak too! (Always!) I felt like a million dollars on my wedding day and it’s all down to the girls from Along Came Eve. 🤍 I can’t thank the girls at Along Came Eve enough. Every single moment was magical there and I didn’t stop smiling or laughing through each visit I made. 🌟 It really was the dress of my dreams (and more)… 🤍

Tell us about your wedding!: Our wedding was on 22-11-22 at Peckforton Castle. It rained continuously the week before the wedding yet we woke up to a bright blue sky & sunshine (how lucky are we?) The morning of my wedding was magical. I always thought I’d be a nervous wreck, but I didn’t feel nervous at all! I was filled with excitement and happiness! The whole day was filled with smiles, laughter, happy tears, and new memories! When people say it’s the best day of your life they’re not lying! X