This might be the first time we've ever featured a wedding in Slovenia, and WOW, it's beautiful! Nicky and James celebrated their marriage on the stunning Lake Bled Island, with a ceremony at Church of the Mother of God followed by an intimate reception at Bled Castle Restaurant on the shores of Lake Bled.

Nicky wore Style 921 by Jesus Peiro; a chic, off the shoulder wedding dress with a fitted bodice and flared mermaid skirt, which she chose at our sample sale in 2019. After so many postponements and uncertainty, we were so pleased to finally see her wearing it, and looking beautiful doing so, three years later! The dress is finished with a classic Jesus Peiro bow at the waist, and the striking silhouette meant it needed minimal styling. Nicky did this simply and elegantly, with loose, natural curls, 'something blue' lace shoes, and a gorgeous blue and ivory bouquet. To stay cosy in the chilly spring weather, Nicky added a stylish fur stole.

Read on to find out more about the day, in Nicky's own words...

Jesus Peiro 921 wedding dress

I love the timelessness and classy look of the Jesus Perio dresses. It was a priority that my husband out of anyone would love the dress and so I was keen to try a dress with a boat neck as he mentioned that he liked this style.

I bought the dress from Miss Bush prior to the pandemic in 2019 but just took my 5 month old baby to the appointment. My mum would have been my first choice but she was suffering the late stages of dementia. The team were very accommodating, and the lovely atmosphere meant my baby and I were at ease.

I tried on several dresses before mentioning my desire to try a boat neck dress. It just turned out that the 921 was part of the Sample Sale and when I tried it on, I knew it was “the dress”. The only thing was the bow but we talked about how it could easily be removed. In fact, in the end I kept the bow but had it pinned back.

Dress Shopping

Miss Bush is located in the beautiful historic village of Ripley and it was lovely to explore the area and sample the local cafes before and after the appointment.

I experienced some dress doubt prior to the wedding, I think mainly due to the amount of time that had passed between buying the dress and finally getting to wear it (3 years!) I made an appointment at Miss Bush, took the dress and tried on a few others which helped reinforce that I had made the right decision. The adviser also suggested I wore my hair down to balance the neckline of the dress, this was a great tip and not something I previously considered.

Styling

In 2018, we visited Lake Bled in Slovenia and knew that it would be the perfect location to celebrate our marriage. Our styling was simple and elegant based around the backdrop of this stunning location. We chose a blue liberty print and blue and ivory flowers. I sourced my blue lace shoes on Vinted and they cost just £7! For the wedding where possible we used local suppliers and traditions.

A magical wedding in Lake Bled, Slovenia

My biggest tip for brides is to have an awesome wedding planner. We had the most incredible wedding planner who made our special day feel incredibly personal and magical. The whole experience was so enjoyable, and we didn’t follow all the “wedding rules”. For example, we chose not to have bridesmaids or groomsmen and the only speeches were from the two of us.

Like most brides the weather was top of mind ahead of the big day. Although we would have preferred clear skies and sun there were definite benefits with no squinting in and dramatic backdrop for photos but also everyone stayed together and danced non-stop!

I chose to change my dress when the dancing started and wore a simple organza dress from the ceremony we held in Windsor with close family in 2020 paired with some sparkly sandals.

The best bits

It was incredibly special to share the day with our blended family of four children. Ringing the wishing bell at church with our two girls and dancing with the kids were definite highlights. We also loved those moments where we stepped away and watched everyone enjoying the day and beauty of Lake Bled.

Suppliers

Photographer: Lovro Rozina, LR Weddings
The Dress: Jesus Peiro from Miss Bush
Wedding Planner: DaPetra Weddings
Shoes: Secondhand on Vinted
Venue: Jezersek, Bled Castle Restaurant
Hair: Irina Kysselef
Makeup: iMAKEUP
Bridesmaid dresses: John Lewis
Cake: Pcakes