These happy newlyweds combined blush pink, soft white and lots of homemade touches for their elegant Derbyshire wedding.

Alysha and Lee met at university. "Neither of us were meant to go to that university or be on the same course but fate brought us together,” says Alysha. “We went on our first date in November 2015 and the rest is history!”

Lee proposed on New Year’s Eve 2022. “We were away with our friends,” says Alysha. “On New Year’s Eve, after we’d got ready for the night, he called me back to the room and there were petals and candles everywhere and he was one knee when I walked in. Then we got to go and tell all our friends and celebrate!”

Shopping for the dress

“I loved wed2b and the selection of dresses on offer,” says Alysha. “I was aware of the Derby store, as lots of people I know had visited, and I loved our trip there. There were some amazing dresses, which were all what I wanted and suited me. Everybody was also really helpful and supportive.”

Alysha chose Beatrice, a magnificent beaded, Mikado A-line by Anna Sorrano. “As soon as I tried it on my family and I knew it was ‘The One’,” she says. “I loved the style, the fit and the great pockets. It had just the right amount of fabric and sparkle. The dress made me feel like a princess and I fell in love on the spot. I also purchased a veil, belt and underskirt, as well as four of my bridesmaid dresses, which were Thea in blush pink.”

A rustic Derbyshire wedding

The couple chose The West Mill in Derby for their wedding on 6th June. “We fell in love from the first look,” says Alysha. “The stunning architecture drew us in with its rustic feel and it had four floors, which we used for different aspects of the day. The food and staff were also amazing and we knew we had to have our special day there.”

The big day

“The weather was beautiful and sunny on the day, after a few weeks of rain,” says Alysha. “My bridesmaids and I got ready at my Mum’s house, before moving to the venue to finalise hair and makeup in the bridal suite. My dad walked me down the aisle and we walked in to ‘Come What May’ from the film Moulin Rouge. It’s a song that meant a lot to my family and me growing up, and it was sung by our family friend of over 15 years. This made it even more emotional.”

Time to party...

“After the ceremony, Lee and I went back to the bridal room for a glass of Champagne and to try our canapés,” says Alysha. “We had 10 minutes of alone time to catch up before the madness of the day continued. We then went down and mingled with our guests and had some drinks and photos.”

“For the wedding breakfast there was a choice of three starters, mains and desserts, from belly pork to beef to Bakewell tart,” says Alysha. “They all went down a treat. Our first dance song was ‘Lover’ by Taylor Swift, a song which means a lot to us both. We also got to see her sing it live together at The Eras Tour in June!”

The prettiest pinks

"We based our wedding and colour scheme around our blush pink wed2b bridesmaid dresses,” says Alysha. “The soft pink went well with the brown, rustic aesthetic of the building. We also had pinky, white and cream flowers. We DIY’ed a lot of bits ourselves, such as the confetti, favours of a miniature alcoholic or nonalcoholic shot, all the signage, toilet boxes, flip flops and boxes and gifts for the bridesmaids and groomsmen.”

“Our wedding cake was a cheese tower, which went down a storm. Entertainment was provided by our family friends, who are all performers. It was really nice, as they were our friends more than our vendors. Then, in the evening, we also had a DJ."

The best bits…

“The most memorable moments of the whole day were all the photos, the delicious wedding breakfast and the evening entertainment,” says Alysha.

My top tips…

“Plan as much as you can, so that the day goes smoothly,” says Alysha. “And enjoy it! If something goes wrong don’t stress, nobody knows what was meant to happen, so don’t let it worry you. Also, make sure you have what you want at the wedding, not what you think you should have because others have done it or suggest it.”

Alysha and Lee’s Dream Team 

Photographer: Ash Davenport and Miki Studios

Derbyshire wedding venue: The West Mill

Wedding dresses Derby: wed2b

Bridesmaids dresses: wed2b

Videographer: Lee Allison

Florist: Boutique Florist

Hair and Makeup: Saskia

Caterers: Jenkinson Caterers 

Entertainment: Stacey Wood at Truly Romantic

If you would like us to feature your big day, like this Derbyshire wedding, then please click here to share your story and photos with us and we’ll be in touch. Your nearest wed2bis closer than you think, click here for your nearest store and here for what to expect when you visit.