Actors Claire Cooper and Emmett Scanlan, who have shared their wedding photos exclusively with HELLO! magazine this week, tied the knot in a starry New York City wedding. But when it came to choosing the wedding dress, the bride went closer to home.
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Claire, who met Emmett when they starred in Hollyoaks, wore a stunning floor-length dress by Shropshire-based designer Claire Mischevani.
"Everyone got behind the wedding with such love that it was overwhelming at times," said Emmett Scanlan. Copyright: STAK Studios
The gown, which was made from duchess satin and embellished with lace and vintage crystals, was a perfect complement to the "chic and bohemian" theme for the day.
"Claire was torn between a very bohemian look and a more elegant style, so we had to come up with a design that would encompass both looks," the designer told HELLO!.
"When we were buying in Paris last September, we commissioned a company to make the intricate beaded back detail. The sketches take forever as you have to literally draw every single bead, but the results are truly stunning.
"It took hundreds of hours to construct and hand-embellish the gown, but Claire was thrilled with the results and so were we."
The designer met Claire, who will soon be seen in Kay Mellor drama In the Club, at an afterparty for the National Television Awards eight years ago. The actress had so much faith in her designer that she didn't feel the need to bring bridesmaids along to the dress fittings for a second opinion.
Blushing bride Claire admitted: "I felt that I needed to do my dress fittings by myself"
"I think you have to listen to your heart," said Claire. "I've watched so many episodes of Say Yes to the Dress – it's my guilty pleasure – and I am mortified at how hideous friends and family can be. I hasten to add that no-one I know would be like that, but I felt that I needed to do my dress fittings by myself."
The dress was a huge hit. "Claire sent me such a lovely text the day after the wedding, thanking me for her gown, which literally brought a tear to my eye!" said the designer.
The couple's wedding ceremony, which was attended by many of their former Hollyoaks co-stars, was held in a former warehouse that offered picture-perfect views of New York City.
"It's something I'll never forget," said Emmett. "Everyone got behind the wedding with such love that it was overwhelming at times."