They didn’t set out to have a destination wedding. In fact, Jess and Sean were initially sure they wouldn’t. But fate – and a chance encounter at a London wedding expo – had other plans.

Like many couples newly engaged, Jess started her wedding planning journey by exploring local venues. Nothing felt right. “I just couldn’t find anything that felt special enough,” she recalls. It was while attending the ExCel Wedding Show with her mum that she stumbled across the Veil & Véu stand. Intrigued, she took home a card – though she still didn’t expect to follow through.

Back home, sifting through leaflets and looking for that spark, Jess recognised something on the Veil & Véu website. One of the featured venues was one she and Sean had admired years earlier from a friend’s wedding. They had no idea where it was, or that it could be within budget – let alone that it was part of the Veil & Véu collection. “It felt like fate,” Jess says.

A quick call with Natalie from the Veil & Véu team sealed the deal. “After learning about the venue and what was included in the package, we decided to go ahead and reserve our date without seeing the venue in person.”

From there, what had once been ruled out became a dream brought to life: a whimsical, fairy-tale destination wedding in the north of Portugal, surrounded by family and friends who turned the experience into a full-blown celebration.

The venue they chose? Swan Lake – a property that lives up to its name with breathtaking gardens, flowing water features, and architectural touches that evoke a sense of fantasy.

For Jess and Sean, it was love at first sight. Even though they hadn’t physically seen it when they booked, Jess says there was never a moment of hesitation. “The hanging vines in Bina’s Garden really sold it for us,” she says. “The venue felt ethereal and whimsical, like something out of a fairytale.”

What made Swan Lake particularly unique was the layout. “Each part of the wedding was in a new section, all as beautiful as the last,” Jess explains. “Rather than spending the whole day in the same room, you got to experience a whole new vibe for each part of the day.”

Guests echoed the sentiment, likening parts of the day to being in Bali during golden hour. “We didn’t view the sister venue once we got to Braga – we knew Swan Lake was the one.”

Jess had a clear vision for her wedding dress: it had to have sleeves. Beyond that, she was open-minded. After an initial appointment with four loved ones and a few promising options, she found herself drawn to a particular dress she spotted on Pinterest. It was exclusive – stocked in only two shops in the UK (and double her original budget). Still, something told her to try it on. The rest is history.

“As soon as I put it on, I knew it was the dress I’d walk down the aisle in,” Jess says. It was a design by Martina Liana from the Luxe collection, purchased from Pure Couture Bridal (@purecouturebridal) who made custom drape sleeves for the evening to complete her look. “They made me feel so comfortable during the fittings. The sleeves looked like they’d always been part of the dress.”

For the finishing touches, Jess wore a cathedral-length veil gifted by her maid of honour, diamond earrings lent by her mother-in-law (her “something borrowed”), and a bracelet gifted by her bridesmaid Paige the day before the wedding.

With a strong vision for her bridal look, Jess was particular about her make-up artist – and rightly so. “I’ve always been fussy with make-up and decided to fly someone over from the UK.” She chose Jaimie (@makeupbyjaimieattfield), whom she had seen work her magic at two previous weddings. “The brief was pink and glowy – and she nailed it. I didn’t have to top up anything except lipgloss the entire day.”

Jaimie also helped Jess into her dress and stayed until she left for the venue – a calming, supportive presence every bride dreams of having.

For hair, Veil & Véu recommended Andreia, who handled both Jess’s bridal look and the bridesmaids’. “She was so lovely,” Jess says. “Even though I changed my hair extensions and added floral clips last-minute, she made everything look even better than my trial.”

Jess’s bridal party consisted of her closest lifelong friends – friends since nursery and school. “It was so special,” she says, especially knowing she’ll now stand beside Paige at her wedding later this year.

The bridesmaids wore neutral-toned gowns from Wed2B, chosen for comfort and classic elegance. “The most important thing was that they felt great in their dresses.” One bridesmaid was pregnant at the time, so she chose a more covered style while still matching the others. Even the flower girl dresses were colour-matched through Azazie.

Sean, meanwhile, opted for a classic look: black tuxedos. “I knew straight away what I wanted,” he says. His own tux, shirt and bowtie were from Moss Bros, and he completed the look with shoes from Russell & Bromley.

Groomsmen wore similar suits sourced – just in time from M&S. “M&S had a cyber attack and we only had six weeks until the wedding,” Sean recalls. “Luckily the in-store team helped us source all nine suits – we bought the final jacket four days before flying!”

With guests travelling from places as far as Sydney and Cork, Jess and Sean wanted to make the whole wedding experience feel extra special.

They kicked things off with a welcome party arranged by Veil & Véu at their hotel (Vila Galé Collection Braga), followed by drinks at a nearby rooftop bar, Astoria. “Veil & Véu took our vision and brought it to life,” Jess says. “They even attended the planning meeting with us to view the space and finalise everything.”

Guests were gifted personalised fans for the ceremony and were treated to a photo booth at the reception – a big hit, judging by the day-after scroll. Veil & Véu also created a guest booklet with all the key info and suggested a WhatsApp group to share updates, photos and general hype leading up to the big day.

The wedding décor was a dreamy blend of candlelight, white florals and fairy lights. “We gave the venue free reign to create what they wanted – and it was better than we could have ever imagined,” Jess says. A standout detail was the fairylight curtain used for the ceremony backdrop. “Standing at the top of the stairs and seeing all of our guests, Sean, and the curtain behind him is a moment I’ll never forget.”

Food was a major highlight. “I didn’t expect it to be that good,” Jess says. “The canapés were incredible, and the veggie options were so thoughtful – not just mushroom risotto!” The venue catered to all dietary requirements without fuss, even providing chicken for a guest who didn’t eat red meat.

Drinks included cocktails, wine, and plenty of options throughout the day and evening. “The burgers later in the evening were such a hit,” she adds.

Music played a major role in the day’s emotional tone. From Sean walking down the aisle to Songbird by Fleetwood Mac, to Jess’s entrance to Kissing You by Des’ree, every detail was chosen with meaning. “I’m so glad we had the violin – it set the tone perfectly.” The couple also chose Only Exception by Paramore and A Sky Full of Stars by Coldplay for the cake ceremony.

The first dance? Perfect by Ed Sheeran – a song released when they first met, and one that Sean surprised Jess with live tickets to see for their anniversary. “It always makes us smile.”

DJ Ni from Cloud Nine created an electric vibe throughout the night, joined by a saxophonist and violinist who kept the party mood going strong. “Our reception entrance song was Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! by ABBA and it had everyone waving napkins and dancing on chairs!”

Planning a destination wedding can feel overwhelming, but with Veil & Véu, Jess says they felt supported every step of the way. “They arranged everything. We couldn’t have done it without them.”

From changing the reception entrance song the morning of the wedding (which ended up going viral on TikTok), to bringing lip gloss, flat shoes and a fan exactly when Jess needed them, the Veil & Véu team were present, prepared and in sync.

“As someone who stresses easily, I honestly don’t know what we would’ve done without them.”

The newlyweds followed their wedding with a mini-moon across Portugal, exploring Braga, Porto, Lisbon and the Algarve. “We had never been to northern Portugal before and we absolutely loved it. I’d really recommend it for anyone getting married in Braga.”

Their honeymoon is still to come – a sweet reminder that even with the wedding over, there’s more to look forward to.

Because after all, what’s more romantic than planning your future – one unforgettable moment at a time?

If Jess and Sean’s dreamy day at Swan Lake has sparked your imagination, we’d love to help you start your journey. Whether you’re newly engaged or still searching for the perfect venue, Veil & Véu is here to bring your vision to life – from Pinterest board to Portugal and beyond.

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