My 5 Bridal Looks: Kitty Halley

The Hen Do

“Everything to do with my wedding felt like such a rush. We only got engaged in the April a few months before, but it meant I didn’t overthink too many of the looks. This dress is Selkie, but I rented it from Hurr. I’d love to wear it again – it was really cool. A lot of people ask me about the gold sandals, which came from Zara. The overall look felt very true to me – I’m not a very slinky, sexy dresser, so frou-frou and frills is much more my style. In fact, my friends had to stop me from wearing something much more over the top – all I’ll say is it was covered in pom poms!”

The Legal Wedding

“We got married abroad, so we had to have a legal ceremony before we left for France. Initially I went down the more expected route, checking out different trouser suits from places like Reiss. But then I saw so many people wearing them – especially at the height of the pandemic – so I bought a playsuit from Self-Portrait instead. In the end, my mum put her foot down and said it wasn’t appropriate to wear in a church, so I had to have a rethink two weeks before. I got in touch with Hurr to see what they’d just got in and they had this dress from Shona Joy which I just loved. It ended up being perfect.”

The Welcome Party

“A lot of people think this is a blazer with matching shorts when actually it’s the Self-Portrait playsuit my mum banned me from wearing for our legal ceremony! The wedges came from Spanish brand Castañer. I loved it because it still looked bridal, but felt modern and contemporary – which isn’t always easy to pull off in bridalwear. It also felt more appropriate for the setting; all the women in the south of France are so chic and I wanted to mirror that vibe. Initially I’d planned on white stiletto pumps, but the wedges were a much better choice.”

The Main Event

“Before we got engaged, I knew I was going to try dresses on at Halo & Wren in Hemel Hempstead. I also went to The Mews Bridal in Notting Hill and a larger boutique in Knightsbridge which I have to admit was a bit of a disaster. The eventual dress was actually the first one I tried on. I was tempted to cancel my other appointments, but I was encouraged to go to them to make sure I really loved it. The designer is Alena Leena, who is Ukrainian but lives in South Africa. Her factories are still in Ukraine, however, so when the war broke out she lost a lot of her production facilities. She eventually got in touch with me asking whether I would consider selling it to a bride who was due to get married two weeks after the war started. Of course, I gave it to her.”

The After-Party

“I absolutely loved this dress – the big sleeves, the open back and it went so well with my shoes. It’s also something I could totally wear again. My shoes came from Loeffler Randall. They were so comfortable – albeit completely trashed after the wedding. I’d worn them with my main dress as well. My earrings came from Maison Sabben – I’d buy all their jewellery if I could.”

Kitty's Final Shopping Tips...

"Like I said, everything about my wedding was quite last minute, but in hindsight, I think this worked in my favour. It meant I really didn't have time to overthink too much. Looking back, I'm not sure anything good would have come from having more time – it probably would have just felt more overwhelming. To other brides, I'd say trust your gut, enjoy the process and don't worry about it too much. You're getting married, so you're going to look like your happiest, most radiant self regardless."

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