Both Eliza and Daniel are gleefully impulsive people. They met on a blind date and have been partners in adventure and love ever since. During a spontaneous holiday to Tuscany in 2017, Daniel surprised Eliza with a champagne picnic overlooking the gorgeous Italian countryside. It was in this perfect, romantic setting that he dropped down to one knee and asked to marry her.

At a private family estate, “Landgoed de Ulenpas,” in Hoog-Keppel, Gelderland, Netherlands, on June 9th, 2018, Eliza and Daniel came together for their magical, rustic wedding. 

When they started planning, this fun-loving couple knew that their wedding needed to be filled with the same sort of adventure and love that they experienced during their courtship.

The private estate where they were marred is owned by Eliza’s aunt and this special home has been the backdrop to all of their major family celebrations. Since their venue was a family home, their family and friends were able to spend the whole weekend there before they said “I do.” 

The couple wanted an informal wedding, where their 150 guests could feel totally at ease and just have fun, but they also wanted some traditional elements. Their theme was an “Elegant Springtime Affair,” which they referenced with their choice of floral design and decor – a mix between classic elements, field flowers, pastels, and nudes. They focused on the beautiful nature surrounding the estate, but they decorated the trees with balloons and flowers and there were crystals and roses everywhere in sight.

For the tables, the couple chose clean, white linens adorned with small flower arrangements. The food was all Italian, with delicious family-style platters of antipasti and roasts at each table. They chose round dining tables, so their guests could mingle easily and it gave a great dinner party feeling to the whole event. Their cake was simple and rustic, but the flavor was fantastic. “It tasted over the moon,” said Eliza. 

The biggest challenge Eliza faced during the planning process was finding a dress that fit her curves comfortably and matched her dream aesthetic. In the end, she decided to design her own ceremony dress, which was a traditional, v-neck gown with long sleeves and a lace overlay for serious princess vibes. Eliza chose a second dress for the reception, a “Cinderella-esque” dress that was better suited for dancing, purchased from a plus size shop called EMB.

Eliza has this advice for other plus size brides: 

The couple’s favorite part of the day was their “First Look” before the wedding ceremony. It was wonderful to have a private moment to themselves before their guests arrived. They laughed and cried when they saw each other, and Daniel said that the moment he turned around and saw Eliza he felt “pure magic.”

The “First Look” was just one of many bright points during their day per Eliza who added, “My god, the first kiss and the wedding night were not so bad either!”

The location was absolutely stunning in itself, and wowed their guests, but other sweet details like a champagne tower, “wish balloons” and firecrackers made the day utterly memorable and a perfect “Happily Ever After.”

Eliza wants to remind other brides to focus on having a day in which all your loved ones are together. Having a day to treasure with everyone is the most special part.  

• Photographer: Paul Levitton