My 5 Bridal Looks: Betsy-Blue English

“It sounds odd but the first dresses I started to think about was for my bridesmaids because I knew I wanted to design them via my brand Somebodée. At first, every dress was going to be different – I wanted everyone to feel comfortable and like they were wearing something that fit their style – but I worried about it looking messy in photos. 

“I originally wanted something vintage inspired and nothing too tight, dramatic or overdone. When I couldn’t find anything online, I started designing them myself. The end result – the Miss Ritz gown – was a mix of satin and lace with a unique neck scarf, which could also be worn as a headscarf. The colour was informed by our wedding florals. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to design but everyone felt so happy and confident on the day. The dresses have gone a bit viral on TikTok – I honestly think I’ve had more questions about them than any of my looks.”

“My worst nightmare was wasting time away from my family and friends on the day by going off and taking photos for an hour. Instead, my husband and I decided to take our wedding photos before the big day. So, I used this look for our wedding portraits. Our photographer, Rachel Santos, travelled all the way from Texas to Paris to take these shots.

“The look was custom Mila Nova. I found the dress first – it was from a new collection and I’m not sure anyone had had the guts to wear it. It is quite dramatic but it’s me all over. Originally, I wanted to wear it down the aisle, but I thought it was maybe too controversial in the end. We had to make five different hats to get that one perfect. The traffic in Paris was insane on the day (the Paralympics were on at the same time) and while my husband wanted to give up after sitting in the car for three hours, I said, “No way – look at the outfit I’m in!”

“The fact I went for quite a princessy look here really took me by surprise. I honestly had no idea what I wanted when I started wedding dress shopping in January. Our wedding was in August and everywhere I went, I was told it was too late. I went to New York on my own to do a fitting with a different designer. The dress was the total opposite of this – more of a mermaid style, very slim flitting and all lace. But when I tried it on, it just didn’t feel like the one. It felt like something I could wear to a formal event one day and the thought went through my mind that this could be my one chance to wear something truly bridal.

“The rest of the afternoon felt like a scene from a movie. I was walking back to my hotel in New York in the snow feeling very upset. It was then I walked past Vera Wang – probably the only store I hadn't visited. They were closing, so I asked if they could fit me in for an appointment the following morning. They did and I saw the dress hanging up almost straight away. I tried it on and just knew. It’s why I now recommend brides go dress shopping on their own. Ultimately, it's what you want, not anyone else. The only person I FaceTimed from the boutique was my friend and bridesmaid Federica Labanca – and when she said it was amazing, I knew I’d found the one. It’s cool meets classic. The peplum feels so edgy, and the entire look felt timeless with a twist.”

“This was meant to be my after-party dress – it’s actually a skirt and corset – but I decided I wanted to stay in my wedding dress all night. I just added black velvet ribbon from Vera Wang and some sheer gloves. But the advice I’d give brides now is: switch up your look if you want to. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. I thought I’d want to be in this dress all day but after it caught fire on a candle at the reception, I took it as a sign that I should have changed!

“I already had this corset look, so I knew I had to use it elsewhere. We had a welcome party on a terrace overlooking Paris the night before, so I wore it then. I could not breathe all night – but it was so worth it. I designed this look with Ma Corsetiere. It’s a very small business which I found on TikTok and I’m obsessed with the craftsmanship – you've never seen anything like it. We managed to do a fitting at Hotel Costes, which was very iconic. Everything just came together, and it felt like a real collaboration. Even better, I know I’ll wear that outfit time and again.”

“We had our civil ceremony after our August wedding. I know that’s a bit back to front but I didn’t want to walk down the aisle in Paris knowing we were already married. I planned this outfit the day before. I knew I wanted to wear a Jennifer Behr veil – they’re more like headpieces – and they’d sent me this beautiful flower piece with the veil attached ahead of time. It reminded me of Chanel and the camellias, so I wanted a Chanel suit to match. 

“I thought it would be easy to find a white or cream Chanel suit, but it really wasn't. I was walking down the King's Road only a couple of days before the civil ceremony and I found this Chanel cardigan from 2015. I loved that it had a removable bottom half to make it cropped. I wanted it to feel casual after the dramatic looks in Paris, so this was perfect. I wore it with satin trousers and Chanel shoes. I’d worn Saint Laurent’s Jodie platforms with my ceremony dress in Paris, and a very special and rare pair of lace Chanel slingbacks for the welcome party. Shoes were something I found difficult to source – which probably explains why I’m now adding a wedding shoe line to my own collection too!”

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