When creating a custom wedding dressit is essential that there is a special connection between the fiancée and the designer. Not only because they are going to work together for many months on a very special piece, but because along that path doubts and moments of uncertainty arise and it is important to fully trust the creative. An idea that Ana, the protagonist of this article, shares. She trusted Alejandra Valladares, founder of Valzufor their wedding and the result was beautiful.
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A custom wedding dress
Ana explains to us that Alejandra had made a friend’s dress and that is why, when the time came to find someone to sign hers, she contacted her. “From that moment I knew that I wanted to be a Valzú bride and live this process with her.”
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“I loved her professional approach, full of enthusiasm and with numerous proposals that perfectly suited my personality. She is very attentive and, above all, knows how to listen to your needs from the first moment. Her mission is to surprise you so that you live a personalized and unique and she achieves that from the first call. She is always at the forefront of the doubts, changes or fears that all brides suffer and in that sense she transmits a lot of peace,” she tells us.
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She also tells us that the designer knew how to read and understand it from the first moment. Ana wasn’t very clear about what she was looking for, she just wanted something simple and not too classic, it didn’t fit into a celebration by the sea. “During the tests, we tried different styles of necklines, sleeves, skirt cuts and other details to see what fit me best. Alejandra accompanied me throughout the entire process and I never imagined it would be so special. She was in charge of making everything very visual for me from the beginning and the truth is, I couldn’t have put myself in better hands,” he points out.
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The bride explains to us that, before starting the design and to get to know her a little better, Alejandra asked her for photos of how she used to dress on a daily basis, what things she felt comfortable with. Also bridal bouquets that he had liked, shoes… He wanted to get an idea of his personality and his tastes. Then, during the tests, they began to see fabrics, try different textures and cuts until they gave shape to the idea. The result was a dress with a neckline halterthe slightly raised collar and several details that made it really special. One was the asymmetrical skirt, with rustic finishes; another, the body, made of a beautiful silk bamboo. “Alejandra got the texture that I dreamed of from the beginning for my dress; a slightly irregular hand draping that follows the inspiration of the rest of the dress. A great job!”
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Another detail that Ana was very clear about from the first moment was that I didn’t want a second wedding dress.but yours will evolve. That’s why she decided to wear a silk bambula cape during the ceremony. “Also, Alejandra convinced me to add some removable sleeves that I took off for the party and that were meticulously hand-sewn with a small thread. The dress changed radically just with that detail.”
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A bride with espadrilles
Comfort, both with the dress and with the accessories, is essential for the bride to fully enjoy the wedding day. Ana was so clear about it that she chose some espadrilles Castañer’s plans for his ‘yes, I want’. “It took me a while to find a design that was elegant, until I discovered Castañer’s. I loved their silk effect, which combined perfectly with the fabric of my dress.”
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To complete her bridal look, Ana wore several jewelry that, without being too flashy, was full of personality. The diamond earrings, she explains, “are an inheritance from my maternal grandmother, created by my great-great-grandfather, who was a jeweler in Vienna. They fit very well with the romantic style of the dress. The rings, one is an engagement ring and the other belonged to my paternal grandmother, who unfortunately could not be present that day, which is why I was especially excited to wear something of hers.
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Finally, she tells us about her bouquet, a romantic and very natural composition, in green and white tones, which worked wonderfully with her dress.
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A ‘beauty look’ full of naturalness
It’s been a while since the naturalness prevails among brides. Luminous skin becomes the center and then the aim is to enhance the features, enhancing the look a little more and providing a discreet touch of color to the lips. Ana tells us that she doesn’t usually wear makeup on a daily basis, so she was looking for something simple. As for her hairstyle, she decided to put her hair up in a bun. “My lifelong hairdresser, Miguel, was in charge of my hairstyle. I was very excited since we had always joked about what my wedding hairstyle would be like. I opted for a rsimple hairstyle with some braids in the bun part. My initial idea was to let my hair down after the dance, but I liked how it turned out so much that I decided to keep it that way throughout the celebration.”
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Your love story
Ana and Álvaro met at university while studying in Reutlingen, a small town near Stuttgart, Germany. “I was in the first year and Álvaro was in the fourth year, and we happened to meet in the same student residence,” he tells us. He is from San Sebastián, a Real Sociedad fan and very fond of golf since he was little; which is why they organized a small tournament among the guests at Villa Padierna Golf Club. She is half Austrian, half Portuguese and grew up in Marbella; She has always been passionate about fashion and currently works at Loewe.
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After ten years of relationship – by chance of life they said ‘yes, I want’ the day after celebrating a decade together – Ana and Álvaro got married on October 14, 2023 in Sotograndein a religious ceremony in the La Merced parish. Later, together with their family and friends, who had come from Portugal, Austria, Germany, Dubai and the United States, they moved to Trocadero Sotograndewhere the celebration took place.
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“From the beginning we were clear that we wanted to celebrate our wedding at Trocadero, a stunning location with a family atmosphere that we have known for a long time. Being Álvaro from San Sebastián, we wanted the location to be close to the beach, and this was, without a doubt , the best option. The views towards the strait with the Rock of Gibraltar in the background are impressive. Also, I love its somewhat more casual, not so classic, African-style decoration. I didn’t have to think much, everything was already done,” he tells us. the bride
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It also explains to us that They didn’t have any help wedding planner to organize the wedding. Having gotten engaged almost a year and a half before the big day arrived made things a lot easier, as well as having the help of Elena Ramos, from the Trocadero team. “He was there at all times to help us with the organization: from the distribution of tables to coordinating the times between the cocktail, food and the party, taking care of every detail. His support was essential, especially because we live in Madrid.”
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Of all the anecdotes and special moments that a wedding leaves, seeing all the family and friends gathered on the same day and celebrating something so beautiful is usually what most couples stay with. For this reason, because being surrounded by all those people that matter to you, nothing can go wrong, Ana advises other couples that “the best thing they can do is enjoy themselves as much as possible and try not to stress too much in the days before, the time It flies by and as Alejandra says ‘in the end, everything always turns out great.’”
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Ana would especially like to thank the suppliers who were with them on the wedding day for their work.
Your wedding suppliers in Sotogrande
- Dress: Valzú
- Venue: Trocadero Sotogrande
- Tent: Safara
- Photography: Claudia Arcal
- Flowers: Areka Flowers
- Hairdresser: Miguel Codina, from Estilistas Banús
- Makeup: Carmen Velasco Jimenez
- Nails: Isabel Agüera García