Best NYE Ever: Sophie & Alex

Everyone dreams of the moment they meet their soul mate, for Sophie and Alex, New Year's Eve in 2016 was the night that started it all. Byblos Bar was the location, and while Sophie and Alex were each other's NYE kiss that night, they remained friends until 2019 when they realised they were each other's person and became inseparable. We took a moment to chat with Sophie about all things wedding, saying YES to the dress and more - read about Sophie and Alex's dream day below.

The Love Story

"We balance each other out, we just don't take life too seriously," Sophie said of their relationship. "We are always finding the fun in everyday mundane tasks." When Alex proposed to Sophie in July 2021, Sophie said it was a complete surprise. "Alex planned for my mum and sisters to take me to Spicers - which eventually became our wedding venue. I was under the impression that we were surprising my mum for a nice lunch and a girl's weekend away!" When they arrived, Sophie was blinded folded, and taken to a gorgeous cliff edge where Alex was waiting with a bottle of bubbles, a beautiful picnic, and the ring of Sophie's dreams!

The Planning

After getting engaged at Spicers, Sophie said she couldn't look past it as a wedding venue. She said, "It will always be so special to us. We loved the all-inclusive two-night stay for all of our guests - felt like a mini holiday with our favourite people." Sophie highlighted that keeping their celebration intimate was incredibly important for the couple. Alex and Sophie invited 28 adults and 8 nieces and nephews to their special day. All adults in attendance were immediate family and the couple had four best friends attend each.

When asked about the style of her wedding, Sophie said, "Timeless, chic & romantic. The most important part was that both of our families and core best friends were all in the one place - something that has never happened before and probably won’t ever happen again - but also obviously saying my vows to Alex, I’ve never been good at public speaking but I felt so empowered and proud during this moment and it ended up being my favorite part of our day."

The couple knew it was important to keep family involved in their wedding so all of their siblings had a role to play. Sophie's sisters read an Irish blessing during the ceremony, and everyone had a shot of Baileys or Irish Whiskey after. Sophie had both her mum and dad walk her down the aisle, with the couple's two nieces as flower girls.

Saying YES to the Dress

Arguably, one of the most important moments - finding the dream gown, and Sophie did just that at White Lily Couture. Sophie described her experience at White Lily Couture as fun, saying, "The gown I said yes to was the first dress I saw when I walked through the doors and gravitated toward it straight away. It ended up being the only gown I tried on! I loved all the little fluffy flowers and details, it felt like a “fun” dress and I felt like myself wearing it. Even before trying it on, I knew I would end up leaving with it!"

Like many brides, however, Sophie realised pretty quickly that it can take up to 9 months for ordered gowns to land here at White Lily Couture. We were able to put Sophie's concerns at ease though and Sophie ended up purchasing her dream gown off the rack. Additionally, again, like many brides, the gown Sophie said YES to was nowhere near what she thought she would walk away with. "I thought I was going to walk away with something high neck, simple, low back, and silky," Sophie said.

"Start looking early and enjoy your experience!" Sophie said when asked about her advice for future brides shopping for gowns. "Don’t ask for too many opinions on a dress you already love. Always leave time for celebratory cocktails after every wedding-related activity and remember the only person who needs to LOVE your dress is you!"

Sophie wore an incredible Pronovias Atelier gown. While we no longer have the sample gown, we couldn't pass up the opportunity to share Alex and Sophie's special day.

The Finer Details

"The day we got engaged, it was so cold, I couldn't even use my phone but our wedding day was absolute perfection! Everything went absolutely to plan. I didn't even use my jacket! Even if we got the chance to do it all again, we can't think of a single thing we'd change." Sophie said about her special day. With travel restrictions being so up in the air over the last few years, Alex and Sophie said they had thought about eloping feeling disappointed about getting married without the entire family being there to celebrate. However, Sophie's family was able to make the special trip from Northern Ireland to be there in person for the big day. "It all just planned out perfectly and they made our wedding puzzle feel complete!" She said.

When asked about their vendors, Sophie said, "Our venue Spicers Peak Lodge was everything! The staff there treat you like royalty and all of our guests had the same experience (shout out to Bianca and Richard - the real MVP). Our venue really took care of us and made sure our wedding day was perfect!"

Sophie and Alex worked with Danielle from Your Story Celebrant, who Sophie said felt like part of the family. "She made for the most personal, funny, intimate ceremony we could have ever asked for! We couldn’t recommend her enough!"

"Lori from Lulabelle Events & Weddings was an absolute legend to work with. She helped us choose vendors within budget and styled our wedding like the dreamiest Pinterest board you've ever seen. She has the patience of a saint and an unmatched eye for detail. I almost don’t want to recommend her in case she gets too busy and can’t help me with my future events!" Sophie said about her Wedding Planner.

For entertainment, Alex and Sophie had Alisha Todd as their singer from Janda Events. "She was a literal angel. Every single person mentioned her to us! She has an incredible aura/voice/vibe and also turned into the best DJ so we could dance the night away!"

The Post-Wedding Celebrations

All of Sophie and Alex's special guests were able to stay with them for two days after the wedding allowing them to really soak up that special time with family! Sophie and Alex then spent 8 days in Queenstown, New Zealand, and 5 days in Noosa in October to continue their celebrations.

Advice for Future Brides

"Don’t overthink the little details. Make sure your bestie is ready for a lot of emotionalventing phone calls lol. Don’t let the stress of wedding planning let you lose sight of why you’re doing this in the first place - getting to marry your best friend!"

Complete This Sentence:

Being married means: "Choosing your person every day. It's belly laughing and feeling complete. Just stumbling through life with your best mate by your side - it's a pretty good gig."

The Dream Team (AKA Sophie and Alex's Vendors)