After delaying her wedding twice amid the coronavirus pandemic, Amy Dowden finally had her "dream" nuptials with her partner Ben Jones on 2 July, which she shared exclusively with HELLO!.
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The Strictly Come Dancing star and the professional dancer exchanged vows on South Wales' Gower Peninsula at luxury wedding venue Oldwalls. "I always knew I wanted to get married in Wales," explained Caerphilly-born Amy. The 31-year-old added: "It was a day I’d dreamt of since I was a little girl and, well, it was even more than that. Everything was perfect – from the flowers to the food to partying all night long."
WATCH: Inside Amy Dowden and Ben Jones' spectacular Welsh wedding. Credit: John Mark.
Take a look inside Amy and Ben's romantic wedding day…
The beautiful bride was pictured wearing a white pair of shorts and a matching top with the word 'Bride' across the front as she got ready for her big day. She also added a satin robe with feather trim.
Amy opted for a white strapless gown from Laura May Bridal, complete with a leg split and embellished bodice.
She accessorised with a pearl-encrusted veil and a white hair accessory which fastened part of her blonde curled hair away from her face.
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To add a touch of sparkle, Amy wore silver strappy wedding heels.
She later told HELLO!: "I felt like a Disney princess," while her new husband sweetly added: "Amy always looks stunning so it was no different to normal."
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The dancer grinned as she walked arm-in-arm with her father Richard towards a lily pond, where the outdoor wedding ceremony took place. "I dance in front of millions but I was nervous to walk down the aisle," admitted Amy.
Following performances from The Voice finalist Leanne Jarvis, Tom Fletcher serenaded the couple with his McFly hit All About You. "I originally asked Tom to sing as I walked up the aisle, but he told me he always cries at weddings, so I wanted to let him enjoy the ceremony," said Amy.
Ben looked dapper in a black suit with a matching bow tie.
Amy's bridesmaids included Dianne Buswell as well as Amy’s twin sister and maid of honour Rebecca, and close friends Kate and Katie, who all wore floaty pink gowns. Oti Mabuse was also meant to be part of the bridal party, but Amy explained: "She kept the first two dates free, but had to confirm her tour before we had our new date. She’s devastated she couldn’t make it."
Strictly pros Janette Manrara, Aljaz Skorjanec, and Katya Jones were also on the star-studded guest list, alongside 2021 contestant Sara Davies, judge Craig Revel Horwood and make-up artist Lisa Armstrong, who was responsible for Amy's dewy bridal make-up.
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Amy and Ben looked delighted to celebrate their big day with their family.
After the ceremony, guests headed to the marquee where they sat at round tables that were named after dances, such as the Cha Cha Cha, Charleston and Jive.
The marquee was decorated with fairy lights and flowers, while small pink wedding favours could be seen ready for the guests.
As well as a meal including goat's cheese tart, five-spiced tenderloin pork, and rich chocolate pot, there was also a towering five-tier cake, made by Zoe '’Sullivan of The Vale Cake Boutique. "We had Victoria sponge, lemon drizzle, Biscoff, Kinder Bueno and chocolate. Each tier was a different flavour," the bride explained. Yum!
Amy changed into a second dress for the evening, which featured a V-neck, thick straps and a full skirt. Speaking of their first dance, which was to Natalie Cole's This Will Be (An Everlasting Love), she said: "We didn’t choreograph anything because we knew it would become work… Imagine a chef cooking on her wedding day?!"
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