If the wedding of her dreams was the goal, Scottish footballer Caroline Weir certainly scored when she married her fiancé Josh Emerson during a spectacular weekend of celebrations in the South of France.
Radiating glamour and elegance, Caroline – who is more used to wearing a football kit to ace it on the pitch for Real Madrid Femenino and Scotland's national team – showcased not just one, but a hat-trick of beautiful bridal outfits as the couple tied the knot in the stunning surroundings of the Côte d'Azur.
And the pair are still on cloud nine as they tell HELLO! about their special day and exclusively share their wedding album with us.
© Elysia Ciel Photography"We're buzzing; we're still on a high," says Dunfermline-born midfielder Caroline, 29, whose glittering career has seen her play for Manchester City and Liverpool.
"It was absolutely perfect. We feel incredibly lucky," adds Josh, 29, who works for Girls United, a non-profit organisation that aims to make the sport more accessible for girls and young women.
The French wedding venue
The couple chose to marry in Saint-Paul de Vence, near Nice, where Josh grew up after his family relocated from Edinburgh when he was ten.
The weekend's festivities – which were attended by Caroline's football friends including Lionesses Lauren Hemp and Laura Coombs and Liverpool's Gemma Bonner – kicked off on Friday 21 June, when the couple legally married in a civil ceremony in the town hall, Caroline wearing a stylish white jumpsuit by Nadine Merabi.
The church ceremony the following day took place in the charmingly quaint Eglise Collégiale de Saint-Paul de Vence, where Caroline was walked up the aisle by her father Lindsay Weir.
Seeing his bride for the first time
And Josh was overcome with emotion on seeing his bride for the first time.
"It was a sunny day and it was quite dark in the church, so when Caroline appeared in the doorway, the sunlight caught all the jewels on her dress, which was amazing. She looked absolutely stunning.
"I didn't expect to feel as emotional as I did, but that moment really got me. I had to catch my breath as she walked up the aisle."
© Elysia Ciel PhotographyThe stunning dress
Caroline looked breathtaking in a figure-hugging dress by Pronovias Madrid, featuring dazzling bead-encrusted sleeves and a matching back. She also wore a white gold pear-cut diamond line necklace and diamond stud earrings, both from Hamilton & Inches in Edinburgh.
"I felt very special in my dress," Caroline says. "I decided against a veil because the back was my favourite bit of the dress and I didn't want to cover any of it."
A fairytale reception in the hills
The couple's 70 guests then flooded out into a courtyard next to the church to enjoy a vin d'honneur – the reception between a wedding ceremony and the main meal.
© Elysia Ciel PhotographyAfter posing for photos, the newlyweds rejoined the party to walk into the village, where cars were waiting to whisk them away to Le Domaine VDH, a secluded villa in the Côte d'Azur's rolling hills.
After changing into their evening outfits, with Josh swapping his kilt for a lighter linen suit and Caroline slipping into a dazzling Nadine Merabi gown, the new Mr and Mrs Emerson-Weir joined their guests for cocktails on the villa's terrace as a band played jazz and the setting sun added a golden glow to views of the pool, garden and sea beyond.
"That was one of my favourite moments of the day," Caroline says.
To read the full interview, pick up the latest issue of HELLO! on sale in the UK from Monday. You can subscribe to HELLO! to get the magazine delivered free to your door every week or purchase the digital edition online via our Apple or Google apps.
