Real Bride

#EnzoaniRealBride: Suzanne & Stefanie

A Gorgeous and Whimsical Garden Festival Wedding

On a warm August day in Arnhem, The Netherlands, Suzanne and Stefanie tied the knot in a ceremony that was straight out of a gorgeous storybook tale. Their lively, colorful, and beautiful festival-style wedding took place in part of an international sculpture exhibition among lush greenery and florals of Park Sonsbeek. Read on to see more of Suzanne's Hollywood gown -- and how it perfectly complemented her wife's!

THE DRESS

My wife and I both have worn 2 dresses. What a luxury, right?! This is because we have very different tastes, and our styles didn’t match each other’s. To make a beautiful whole ‘image,’ one of us had to make major concessions, and therefore we couldn’t come to an agreement.

Donna Stok of LaDonna Nijmegen came with the advice to both choose our favorite dress, and also choose one that would match the other’s favorite dress.

During the wedding, we changed dresses. Very special and spectacular. One of the dresses I wore was the Hollywood dress from the Blue by Enzoani collection. With my job as a wedding planner, I had often seen this dress. Every time, I fell in love with the beautiful low back, the all-over lace over tulle, and the many gems. So actually, secretly, I knew this was going to be my dress. When it turned out that it fit my figure perfectly and also matched my skin tone and the atmosphere of that day, my choice was made easily.

THE LOVE STORY

My wife and I first met each other four years ago during a dinner with a mutual friend. It was love at first sight. A week later, we were dating and living together. Four wonderful years with fantastic experiences and memories followed. In 2015, we thought it was time to celebrate our love; a wedding was inevitable.

Because of my wife, I became a better version of myself. She slows me down if I’m thinking too much, she gives me energy, lets me enjoy the simple things in life and overwhelms me with love. For me, these were enough reasons to ask her during our skiing trip. Besides a romantic reason there also was a practical reason to get married. Lesbian couples in The Netherlands are lucky that the partner automatically becomes a parent if you are married. As a result my wife doesn’t have to adopt our baby. A right we loved to use!

THE WEDDING DAY

I have kept the best memory from the ceremony. It took place in one of the art works of the temporary international sculpture exhibition SONSBEEK ’16.

On this magical place in the middle of the forest, we could say our vows to each other. When my wife and her father came walking towards me to the beautiful song 'Ave Maria' sung by Beyonce, I started crying immediately. I was so proud!