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Planner: Sunshine Weddings
Brides Gown: Martina Liana – Ava Rose Hamilton
Grooms Suit: Suitbae
Bridesmaids dresses: Six Stories, Rewritten
Video: Wild Love Artists
Flowers and Decor: Valentin wedding flowers and Yvonne (Hacienda)
Hair: Flavia Hair Marbella
Makeup: Elektra MUA
The Dress
I had tried on several dresses and even though they were all gorgeous, i hadnt yet fallen in love with any. I visited Ava Rose Hamilton boutique with my best friend and maid of honor Hannah. My stylist on the day was a lady called Bernie and having tried a few dresses on she brought one in for me to try which was the total opposite of everything i had asked for! I reluctantly tried it even though i thought i was going to hate it! I stepped out of the changing room and looked in the mirror and got goosebumps all over! I wasnt sure if i would ever know when i found ‘the one’, but i just knew from the feelings i got and the look on Hannahs face that i had found the perfect dress! I felt like a Bond girl haha weve just returned home and the dress is covered in sangria and tequila, the sign of an amazing day!
How did you both meet
We met through a friend of a friend and a bbq he had at his house. I (Justine) very nearly didnt go, i just wanted to get my pyjamas on and have an early night but i got persuaded into going and im so glad i did! Love at first sight sounds very cheesy and cliche, but as soon as we saw each other we both knew this was going to be something special. We are both music lovers and spent hours chatting about our favourite bands and albums. Even to this day our favourite thing to do is go to a gig together! I got home that night from the bbq to a friend request off Chris on facebook, we were up until 4am messaging each other. 2 weeks later we had our first date, and not long after that we booked our first holiday. After a year together we found out we were pregnant with Freddie, and a new chapter began for us. 10 years later we also have Harry who’s 4, and Mummy becoming an Eccles is the final piece of our jigsaw.
The Planning
Sunshine Weddings. The whole team were incredible from day one! We couldnt have done it without them. From viewing venues, organising suppliers, to the co-ordination on the day, the whole experience was perfect. A special mention to Cristina who was our co-ordinator on the day, shes amazing and made sure the whole day ran smooth. Our guests loved her too, and she will always hold a special place in our hearts.
How did Chris pop the question
It was a saturday morning and chris suggested we go for a walk, us two and the boys. In the 8 years we had been together Chris had never wanted to go for a walk without me nagging him so i knew something was up! We went up a big hill not far from where we live called Nicky Nook. Halfway up we stopped for some water and Chris got Freddie to ask me if i wanted to become an Eccles, and i turned around to see chris holding the ring. I never thought it was going to happen and i thought he was winding me up so my first reaction was ‘Fuck off’ haha oops sorry kids! It was so special with just as and the boys there and i was so happy he had finally asked!!
First Look
I did a first look with my dad before the ceremony. Ive always been a daddys girl and even though my dad isnt one for showing emotion, i knew it was going to be an emotional moment. My dad paid for my dress for the wedding and i was a bit worried if he was going to like it or not. Before he even walked in the room i had tears in my eyes, and when he walked in and saw me he started crying too. We were both just stood there crying and then had a huge hug where he told me i looked stunning and had definately chosen the right dress.
The Aisle…
Before I set off walking I was so emotional and my heart was racing. I was so scared of falling over and just kept saying to my dad ‘please don’t let me fall!’ I knew this was a once in a lifetime moment and even though I hate being the center of attention and was so nervous that all eyes would be on me I knew I just had to enjoy it and take it all in and embrace every second. Paddy was singing our song, the sun was shining, I took a deep breath and went for it. I just remember looking round at everyone and everyone had huge smiles on their faces which made me smile too. It was amazing.
Special touches
We just wanted the day to be fun, relaxed and informal. We just wanted everyone to have the best time. We brought one of our friends who is a professional wedding singer from home over for the wedding and he was amazing. We had toffee vodka shots at the wedding breakfast which we got everyone to do together. We also had chris give out cigars for all the men which is a Spanish tradition. The party was amazing and the courtyard was full of everyone dancing. Music is auch a huge part of our lives and to have everyone together singing and dancing was so special.
Traditions
My dad walked me down the aisle which was so special as we are super close. We had Chris give out cigars to all the men after the food which is a tradition in Spain. During our ceremony we broke tradition slightly from the tying of ribbons or lighting a candle and had a gin and tonic element instead. The gin and tonic represented me and chris, and the ice and lemon represented all our friends and family coming together as one.
The Kiss
We had previously had or legal wedding ceremony a few weeks before and hired a photographer. However on our first kiss photos neither of us had tilted our heads which resulted in our noses being squished together! During the ceremony when we knew the first kiss was coming, we had to have a little discussion about which way we were tilting our heads, who was going left and and who was going right so that we didn’t end up with another squished nose moment! It was so special and everyone was cheering in the background
Setup and Decor
Yvonne at the Hacienda did most of our decor and it looked insane. She totally got the vibe we wanted and nailed it. We wanted very traditional spanish, with terracotta, olive branches and dried oranges. She worked with our florist Yanne (Valentin wedding flowers) and created the most beautiful styling. The flowers, terracotta pots, fairy lights and rustic spanish theme was beautiful and everything we imagined.
The Venue
We took a trip to Mijas in September 2022 and even though we viewed lots of other beautiful venues, the Hacienda stood out for us. We knew as soon as we entered the tree lined driveway with the mountains in the background that this place was special. The views are stunning whichever way you look. The Hacienda is reslly traditional and Spanish and just has such a lovely feel. Its a place you never want to leave. The tower is also a highlight and all our guests loved going up there and taking in the scenery. It will always have a special place in our hearts and we would love to go back again in years to come.
Cocktail Hour
Paddy was singing with his guitar, we were all outside in the sunshine, we had Aperol Spritz which is one of my faves and everyone was just having a great time.
Taking Photos
Rebecca had such a good vision and can tell she is super creative. She knew all the best spots and where the light was hitting best. We had some posed ones but Rebecca also wanted us to just be together, laughing and joking with each other. We also had some fun ones with the bridesmaids in our pjs.
The day…
We had been planning the day for nearly 2 years and were a bit anxious about how everything was going to come together and if the day would plan out as we hoped. Everything was amazing and totally exceeded our expectations. We wouldnt have changed a thing.
Mr and Mrs Eccles
We have been together 10 years and have two children who are our proudest achievements. Getting married was the last piece of our jigsaw. We feel incredibly lucky to have such amazing family and friends who all travelled over for our day. The whole day was beyond perfect and so much better than we ever could have imagined.
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