These newlyweds eloped with their three young children for an Isle of Wight wedding at a very unusual venue…

Paulo and Lois first met in 2019 during the Christmas pantomime season in Edinburgh. "Paulo was a Globe of Death artiste from the circus and I was a professional dancer,” says Lois. “We spent nine weeks together, performing Goldilocks And The Three Bears every evening with the well-known company Crossroads.”

“Our first date was on 15th December 2019, at a bar we named ‘The Dragonfly’, as it had a huge statue outside of a dragonfly,” says Lois. “I have no clue what the real name was. We had many shots of Sambuca and tequila!”

A surprise Christmas proposal

“Paulo proposed on Christmas Day 2020 at a hotel, surrounded by family and friends,” says Lois. “It was the best surprise ever and also a big shock. We hadn’t been together very long but were pregnant with our first baby. We now have three children under three! The moment was very well organised with a card and a poem. Very romantic.”

Shopping for the dress

Lois’s perfect dress was a modern crepe sheath with full-length sleeves, dramatic illusion back and a statement train - also called Lois! “I googled the type of dress I was looking for and Lois by Aaliyah Quinn came up,” she says. “I couldn’t quite believe it. So, I couldn’t wait to try it on and be ‘Lois in the Lois dress’!”

“My shopping experience at wed2b’s Milton Keynes’ store was fantastic from start to finish,” says Lois. “The young girl who looked after my mum and I was personable, helpful and supportive throughout. Plus, my dress was truly everything I ever dreamed of. It was the first dress I googled, tried on and bought. I didn’t feel the need to try any others on, I absolutely fell in love with it. And it just topped it off that we have the same name! I also bought a wed2b veil, which I loved."

An unusual Isle of Wight wedding venue 

The couple married at Appley Tower in Ryde on 25th May. "We came across the tower whilst walking on Ryde beach last September and fell in love with it,” says Lois. “We asked to see if they held weddings but they had never held one before. So, it was very exciting for everyone being the first couple in history to get married there.”

The big day

“On the day I got ready with my mum and my three children, which was chaos,” laughs Lois. “But we adore the chaos! The weather was as perfect as it could have been, sunny with a light wind.”

“We had a small elopement and I carried my little girl Eloá down the aisle, as she didn’t want to walk,” says Lois. "So, technically, she walked me down the tiny aisle we had! We didn’t have any readings but for the music we had an acoustic version of ‘I Could Get Used To This’ by Becky Hill, ‘Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now’ by Starship and ‘Only Us’ from the musical Dear Evan Hansen.”

Celebrating by the sea

“After the ceremony, we had a bottle of champagne and some canapés before heading down to the beach, where we got in the sea for pictures. Later, we had a classic meal at a local hotel.”

“Our first dance song was an acoustic version of ‘This Is Real’ by Ella Henderson. The lyrics sum up our story. What we have is real and you’ve been right here all along!”

“The wedding colours were blush pink and ivory,” says Lois. “We had our own ‘The Leonardos’ light-up sign and a hexagon, wooden rustic feel with flowers everywhere.”

The best bits…

“One of the standout moments was when we got in the sea at sunset and also danced on top of the tower,” says Lois. “It was truly magical. We also made two newspapers, as we were the first couple to marry at the tower! It was a day we will never forget.”

My top tips…

“Enjoy every second, because it goes so quickly!” says Lois.

Lois and Paulo’s Dream Team 

Photographer: Roxanne Chatburn

Venue: Appley Tower

Wedding dresses Milton Keynes: wed2b

Celebrant: Elaine Cesar

Videography: Grace at Films by Captured

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