Some brides know exactly what they want the moment they walk through the door…
and then there are brides who fall in love with everything.
Our beautiful real bride was the first to admit she was a little indecisive — but that just made her journey even more special.
She travelled to Pearls & Lace with her mum, granny, sister and friend, ready to find the dress for her destination wedding in the Algarve, with her ceremony at Lady of the Rock and celebrations at a stunning Quinta overlooking the Portuguese coast.
From the beginning, it was such a lovely appointment. Having three generations there made the moment feel extra meaningful, and there was plenty of laughter (and a few happy tears!) along the way.
Like many brides, she had saved lots of different styles — fitted, floaty, lace, plain, sleeves, no sleeves — and couldn’t quite picture what she would love on herself.
So we started with a mix… and that’s when the magic happens.
Let's hear all about it...
Clare, firstly tell us about your dress?
So I’ll start by saying I am very indecisive, so I honestly had no idea what kind of dress I’d end up with. My phone was full of screenshots but they were all completely different styles. The only thing I knew for sure was that I wanted something fitted and lightweight as we were getting married abroad.
I went to one shop before Pearls and Lace and tried on a few dresses, but I just didn’t get that feeling everyone talks about. So when I went to Pearls and Lace (where loads of my screenshots were from), I showed Kristina and told her I was open to trying anything. I love how she chose the dresses for me – the whole experience was so relaxed and all the girls at P&L made it so memorable from the minute I walked in.
I think I tried on about seven dresses and honestly, I loved something about all of them… but it was the cape that won me over in the dress I chose. The second I stepped out, everyone cried (well they did for basically every dress) but I got that feeling people always talk about. My family and friends were shocked that I actually chose a dress on the day because I usually take forever to make decisions!
The dress was ‘Robyn with cape’ in ivory and I love that it subtly had a bit of everything – lace, floral detail, sparkles, clean simple parts, thin straps and a removable cape. It just felt very me and it was perfect for a wedding abroad.
How did you style your dress?
For styling, I wanted everything to feel simple and elegant. I wore the Elie Pearl Drop Earrings, which I loved.
I also had a bit of a last-minute change of plan (not surprising for me). I originally thought I’d wear my hair down, so when I went to collect my dress, I purchased a beautiful hairband to go with the dress. I changed my mind and went for my hair up instead, so at first the hairband didn’t really work… but thankfully my hairdresser worked his magic and wrapped it around my bun. It ended up looking perfect and you wouldn’t have known it was meant to be a hairband at all.
For my flowers, I kept things simple and neutral with whites, creams and greens. As we were getting married abroad, I left this in the hands of the florist because I didn’t really know what to expect – but I absolutely loved them. They were exactly how I’d imagined and they tied everything together perfectly.
Tell us about your bridal party?
I had five beautiful bridesmaids and they wore halter-neck style coral dresses, which added such a pop of colour. My flower girl was just the cutest – she wore a timeless white dress with textured floral detailing. The florist made her a flower hairband to match the rest of the flowers.
The groom wore navy trousers with a white shirt and a stone-coloured waistcoat and jacket. His bow tie was navy with a touch of the stone fabric in the middle, which really pulled the look together. The groomsmen wore stone-coloured trousers, white shirts and navy waistcoats, all accessorised with their sunglasses. Their bow ties were stone-coloured with navy in the middle to mirror the groom’s.
Our page boy was adorable in stone-coloured shorts, a short-sleeved white shirt, the same bow tie as the groomsmen, braces and white converse. The cutest!
What would your advice be for other brides to be?
It’s clichè but honestly enjoy every single moment! The day goes by so fast – you spend years planning and talking about your wedding day and then it’s over in the blink of an eye.
Also, don’t overthink the small stuff. Your wedding day is for you and your partner so just do what makes you both happy.
What was your most memorable moment of your special day?
I honestly can’t pick one (I said above I was indecisive) but there were genuinely too many to pick one.
Walking down the aisle will always stand out though. Having my daddy walk me down the aisle was so special and emotional on such a personal level. Everyone there was so close to us, they all understood just how much that moment meant.
The ceremony venue was absolutely perfect, like something from a postcard. All I could think about was that we were on this cliff with amazing views, the sun shining, surrounded by our family and friends who travelled to be there with us. I was so nervous at first, but when everyone turned around and started clapping and cheering, it was just like a wow moment, and I’m happy that I can say my husband definitely cried when I walked down the aisle lol!
The singing during the ceremony gave us goosebumps (especially when we were surprised with the song Grace and everyone sang along) - it brought the Irish vibes to Portugal…the Irish dancing, the speeches, the fireworks, sunset photos on the beach… honestly, I could go on forever.
I just want to relive the whole day again! It truly was the best day of our lives and a day we’ll cherish forever.
It was such a joy to be part of this beautiful Algarve wedding story, and we are so grateful you chose Pearls & Lace to be part of such an important moment in your life 🤍
