5 min read

The Real Wedding Series: Isabelle and Joe’s Timelessly Elegant Soiree

Isabelle and Joe tied the knot with us at The Old Vicarage in August 2024 in an intimate, elegant ceremony. Here, wonderful bride Isabelle shares her experience as well as advice for other brides planning their upcoming celebrations.

We celebrate every kind of love at The Old Vicarage, but there’s something especially magical about watching childhood sweethearts grow together and take that step, hand in hand, into the next chapter of their lives as a married couple. Isabelle and Joe have been together for what seems like forever. Through their younger years and late twenties, marriage felt like a given but with thriving careers - Isabelle is founder of sustainable swimwear brand, Capri - and busy lifestyles, tying the knot wasn’t something they’d yet gotten around to organising. Or, so Isabelle thought.

In June 2023, just a few weeks after her 29th birthday, the pair took a trip to Deià in Mallorca. As a swimwear designer it’s no surprise that Isabelle is a fan of warmer climes - but Deià is special. The setting of family holidays and romantic breaks, Isabelle and Joe have been visiting this small, coastal village for years, which is also home to one of the Belmond group’s most luxurious hotels; La Residencia. If there was ever a place to pop the question, this five-star hotel surrounded by mountain views and rugged coves is it. “We checked into one of my favourite hotels and on the first night, as we walked through the gardens to dinner, Joe got down on one knee,” Isabelle shares. “It was a complete surprise! I’m so pleased he did it on the first night because it meant spending the whole week celebrating.”

Well, celebrating and researching. As a business founder, Isabelle can’t sit still for long and with a clear vision in mind, she got straight to planning the day - starting with the venue. “I was scrolling through wedding venues on Instagram while on the sun loungers and came across The Old Vicarage; almost immediately I knew it was the one,” she says. You could say it was love at first sight and before even boarding the plane home, Isabelle had booked onto our upcoming open day. While the engagement was a surprise, the bride had been gathering inspiration references for years and already had a Pinterest board full of images that spoke to an elegant, timeless look. “The vision was clear from the beginning,” Isabelle explains. “We wanted an intimate celebration against a neutral backdrop with a stylish, sophisticated aesthetic. As soon as we visited The Old Vicarage we just knew that it was right. The interior design was perfect, the size was ideal for our group and the team were so friendly and supportive of all our questions. We didn’t even look at any other venues.”

bride and groom looking at their wedding rings after their ceremony

Isabelle describes herself as a decisive bride, something which becomes clear when she describes the vibe and flow of the day. From being strict with the guest list to forgoing bridesmaids and asking both parents to walk her down the aisle, she knew which traditions to break to make the experience her own. “We knew we wanted a smaller wedding and something that I loved about The Old Vicarage is that you can make the space totally yours. Our wedding party filled the venue perfectly and it really felt like ours,” she nods. But, speaking of the flow of the day, Isabelle started hers in the sweetest way, surrounded by her family and getting ready with her mum and sister before letting her parents drive her the 40 minutes to Southwell. Enjoying a deep breath of calm, she could share how she was feeling, chat and just relax in the car, which was an important moment for her.

Keeping her family close, Isabelle designed her wedding procession to start with young nieces and nephews, followed by her stepdad, sister, and finally, mum and dad, who walked her down the aisle and gave her away together - a beautifully emotive moment. Another of her nearest and dearest who made it into the day? Reggie, hers and Joe’s pet pooch. “Breaking the usual traditions meant we could really tailor each moment of our wedding to us, which meant including the people (and pets!) who means the most. The wedding processional was really meaningful, but we also brought our dog Reggie in at the drinks reception. It was so important for us to have him there with a little bow tie on!”

Of course, every bride is beautiful but Isabelle really was breathtaking gliding through our Orangery and down the aisle that August morning. As sunlight poured in, she looked stunning in a sleeveless Pronovias gown with plunging neckline and a-line skirt, chosen at Ivory White Bridal in Derbyshire. “I thought I knew what style of dress I wanted but each time I tried one on - which was a lot! - something didn’t feel quite right. I had imagined a fitted style but in the end, went for the opposite. I loved the clean lines of the neckline and thought the overall look was quite different to other dresses I had seen. As soon as I put it on in Ivory White, I knew I could see myself standing next to Joe in it.” Smaller details looked like simple, pearl drop earrings and a delicate veil studded with small pearls along the edge, finished with Aquazzura shoes.

But, the sartorial fun didn’t stop there. Guests were wowed by Isabelle’s night-time look which saw her change into a Nadine Merabi mini dress adorned with individually hand embellished crystal waterfall beaded fringing and flat sequin panelling to accentuate her waist. As the dance floor began to fill, Isabelle looked iconic as her feathers, sequins and fringing moved to the music.

bride and groom ready for their evening reception

We love asking our brides what they wish they’d known before their wedding day and any advice they could give to others, and this major fashion moment makes the list for Isabelle. “I would really recommend having a second dress to change into for the evening because it sets the tone. I came ready to party and I think the guests responded to that and knew to get on the dancefloor - it literally changed the atmosphere of the night.”

Any other wisdom to bestow? Isabelle also says that booking onto a menu tasting meant that when the day came, the couple felt relaxed and happy to leave everything to the staff. “We chose seasonal canapes and champagne to kick off our reception, followed by a parfait starter, beef-based main and classic Eton Mess for dessert. I would really recommend booking onto a food tasting evening at The Old Vicarage to help you choose so you can feel confident about your choice, and enjoy getting excited for the big day with a special date night out.” Finally, Isabelle says to go for a venue that you can trust to pull everything off without a hitch: “I couldn’t recommend The Old Vicarage enough, they really made the whole process of getting married so enjoyable and make the day run so smoothly. Not only is it a beautiful venue, but the team is incredible in having everything that you need before you need it.”

We loved having you Isabelle and Joe! And, if you’re looking for any other ideas or inspiration on how to decorate a small venue or how you can make The Old Vicarage your own, take a look at our other Journals with expert advice from our favourite suppliers.