Yana Azzopardi is, undoubtedly, a familiar name with Maltese and foreign jewellery-lovers.
Her impeccable and unique style can be recognised from miles away, so it’s only natural that when it was her time to get married, she’d have a celebration like no other.
David Zammit
Yana and Nigel had been together for quite a long time, but they were in no particular rush to get married – that is, until Nigel planned the sweetest proposal, leaving Yana with no choice but to say ‘yes’ and marry the love of her life.
The romantic proposal was originally set to be carried out at the Birgu Waterfront, but after a few failed attempts, Nigel opted for a simple yet sweet proposal in his and Yana’s courtyard, with their cute dog as their sole witness.
“This is the only ring you will see me wear on my left hand which isn’t made by me,” Yana, a jewellery expert, jokingly remarked. Nigel’s ring of choice consists of a gold band with square diamond.
Brian Grech
As the wedding planning process started, Yana and Nigel were both set to have what they referred to as “a bohemian chilled chic wedding”. They were also pretty set on a venue from the get-go: Giuseppi’s Bar and Bistro at the Salini Hotel, Yana and Nigel’s all-time favourite restaurant.
With wedding preparations in full swing, the lovebirds wanted to make sure that they stuck to their bohemian theme and thus turned to Luana from ‘Bali Stuff’ to help out with decorations. She helped them add “touches of wicker, macrame, fairy lights, pampas and beautiful vases everywhere,” thus making the venue look as a bohemian as possible.
David Zammit
“This was certainly something worth waiting for. Every corner was decorated so beautifully, we just wanted to capture every moment”, Yana and Nigel continued to tell OurWedding.mt.
Brian Grech
Their prominent colour was Green Moss and they made sure to include it every nook and cranny they could, including the invites, bow ties, bridesmaid dresses, and décor.
It’s without a doubt that Yana has incredible style and her dress certainly lived up to expectations.
Brian Grech
Her couture gown, designed overseas, made her look like a straight-up bohemian goddess. Yana strayed away from the ‘all-white dress tradition’ by opting for a chai lining.
When asked about what her favourite part of the dress was, she chose the armbands which “flowed so beautifully all night long”.
Brian Grech
“It was the only dress I tried on, just two months before the wedding. I knew what style I was going for, so I tried no other dresses. I had been patiently waiting for this dress to arrive from the year prior and couldn't believe my eyes when it fit like a glove”, Yana said.
For Yana, getting from the church to the reception venue was an experience in itself as she got to be driven by her very own father inside an MG-branded car that he spent a whopping two years restoring just for the occasion.
For the most part, Yana and Nigel opted for what is generally perceived as a traditional wedding, but they had their heart set on having quite an unconventional first dance. Instead of dancing to a slow, romantic ballad they chose a Spanish song as they wanted everyone to get up and dance with them.
“Yana danced flamenco in the past so this fit perfectly. We also used fans to make it even more dramatic”, Nigel proceeded to disclose to OurWedding.mt.
David Zammit
Instead of one huge cake, Yana and Nigel opted for three different delicious wedding cakes – red velvet, chocolate, and lemon that were decorated with beautiful flowers and baked by Michael Diacono.
The stylish couple wanted their 300 guests to dance the night away, going so far as to organise an after party that their guests will surely find hard to forget.
Brian Grech
Apart from the unforgettable memories, they wanted to give their guests a little something as a form of thanks for making their day special. They therefore opted for tiny plants as they “knew people would love them”.
Yana and Nigel’s long-awaited day went on without any mishaps – apart from the confetti cannons that did not go off whilst they were cutting the cake. However, this was too little of a thing to ruin the happiest day of their lives and they just “laughed, sang, and drank champagne” instead.
Brian Grech
While they found it difficult to narrow down their favourite moment as there were “way too many”, Nigel and Yana revealed how their “highlight was definitely walking down the aisle and dancing with all [their] family and friends.”
“It was definitely a day to remember.”
Congratulations, Yana and Nigel!