Celebrity Wedding Style: Denise van Outen

Bubbly actress and TV presenter Denise van Outen married her West End star husband Lee Mead in April 2009. Telling friends that they were just going on holiday, the two jetted off to the luxury Labriz Silhouette resort in the Seychelles where they secretly married in front of a select few guests. They kept the wedding simple and low key which makes it perfect inspiration for brides who want an elegant, informal wedding.

The newlyweds- who met when Denise was a judge on “Any Dream Will Do”, the show that turned Lee into a musical star- both looked modern, stylish and classic during their romantic beach wedding. They managed to keep everything unfussy to create a wonderfully chic wedding at a fraction of the cost of an average celebrity wedding. It’s great to see a star couple who don’t spend their pay checks on tacky matching thrones and cinderella pumpkin carts for their wedding!

Denise wore a Jenny Packham “Rosalind” dress and a glittering seventies style headband- “Brooke”- also by Jenny Packham. Her hair followed the seventies theme of her hairband in chic, modern-hippy waves. The rest of the outfit was kept simple, free from jewellery and with just a dash of natural make up. Lee looked just as stylish in an informal grey suit and pink shirt to match the ribbons on Denise’s dress.

For the bride who wants a similar look, it is possible to buy the exact same outfit, and not even at extortionate prices. The “Rosalind” gown is priced at around £2500 and the “Brooke” hairband is £395 from High Society Bride. Whilst it’s refreshing to see a celebrity bride spending no more than £3000 on her outfit (and a reported £12,00 on the ceremony, wedding and honeymoon combined) this is still out of budget for many brides without the celebrity salary.

Monsoon sells this similar “Latham” dress for an amazing £200. It even has a similar crossover detail, but in ivory instead of pink. It would be very cheap and easy to buy a length of pink ribbon from a haberdashery and attach it to the dress to create a very similar style. Made of ivory silk, this dress drapes beautifully and the bust is beaded with delicate pearl and diamante detailing to add a little shimmer. It is a dress that is flattering for all figures, as it skims curves and hides any lumpy bits. Perfect for a summer wedding, the dress is cool and loose-fitting.

Popping next door to Accessorize, you can pick up this pearl headband for just £5.00! It matches the pearls in the bodice of the “Latham” dress and has a similar shape to that of Denise’s headband. It will achieve the seventies hippy boho look that Denise has managed so elegantly with minimum effort. No fighting with hair pins or teasing hair until you resemble an electrocuted cat, just loosely curl your hair with a curling iron, spritz with a little serum and slip on the headband. Simple!

All finished! Denise van Outen’s unfussy bridal style for an absolute bargain at £205. Finish the look with some simple sandals from Debenhams or Next, and your outfit will still come under £300. Who would have thought that you could look so elegantly and stylish for such a low price? Now, just slip on the flower garlands and you’re good to go!