Real Housewives of Cheshire star Hanna Miraftab marries Martin Kinsella

The celebrity couple exchanged vows at Liverpool Anglican Cathedral before a Persian ceremony and reception at Sefton Park Palm House in Merseyside

Following an 18-month engagement, principle dentist Hanna Miraftab and cosmetic doctor Martin Kinsella enjoyed the wedding day of their dreams in Liverpool where they first met. The couple, who both star in ITVBe's Real Housewives of Cheshire, invited 200 guests to their church service and Persian ceremony and celebrated in style with a further 50 attendees at the evening reception.

Here, Hanna shares all the details from the day which included two dresses, Persian traditions and an all-white colour scheme. 

When did you know you'd found the dress? 

Knutsford Wedding Gallery was recommended to me by a friend. I had no idea what type of wedding dress I wanted or what I imagined myself in and Knutsford Gallery was the first and only place I went to along with my mum, Zoe, and Martin's mum, Brenda.

Camilla Britten, the boutique manager, met us and asked me what style I wanted. I told her I had no idea so she picked six dresses of all different styles for me to try on. The Rosa Clara gown I picked was actually the very first one I tried on. I put it on and came out and both mums started crying, as did I! And that was it, that was the dress.

I also got a second dress for the evening, also Rosa Clara, something more slinky that I could dance in. Both were very different but equally stunning.

Tell us about your venue

There are a lot of wedding venues around Cheshire where we live and all five that I went to see were stunning but none gave me that feeling. I wanted the wow feeling and all of the Cheshire venues were just not me.

I had been to a wedding a few years back in Sefton Park Palm House and remembered how stunning the building was. Liverpool was where myself and Martin met so when I suggested it to him he was happy to go and see it. The minute I walked in I fell in love with it; bright, airy, tropical plants everywhere, it was my kind of venue. Liverpool Anglican Cathedral was also so special to us as we attend services there regularly, so it was a no brainer.

Who planned the day?

My mum did help with the organisation of the Sofreh Aghd (the Persian part of the ceremony). Both her and Brenda got taken along to food tasting, dress fittings and other things. My wedding planner, Charlotte Elise Dodd, was simply fantastic. She helped me achieve my dream wedding and helped a lot with the organisation. Because Martin and I both run busy clinics and my schedule is so busy with filming for the Real Housewives of Cheshire we couldn’t have managed it without her. 

Tell us about the flower arrangements

I wanted all of my flowers to be white and lots of foliage, so that was my theme. Because there are already some tropical plants at the Palm House, there was already enough colour. I also tried to keep my theme elegant and simple. 

How did you wear your hair and make-up? 

I always work with Thomas David Hope and his team at Artisté for my hair and make-up on the show. I trust them implicitly so they were my first choice for my wedding hair and make-up. Tom brought his whole team and they did all the bridesmaids and the mums too. 

What did the bridesmaids wear? 

I had six bridesmaids who all wore deep blue floor-length multi-way dresses designed by my friend and co-star Seema Malhotra’s team at Forever Unique. 

What did you choose for your suits?

The groomsmen wore navy suits by Signature Bespoke, a company Martin has used for years for his tailored suits. 

How did you feel before the wedding? 

The night before the wedding I didn’t sleep a wink, two hours to be precise. I was so excited, I had my best friend and one of my bridesmaids, Rajpreet Sondh, stay in bed with me and I just couldn’t sleep. On the actual day I was so so excited and nervous. It was a mixture of feelings. I couldn’t wait to see Martin. 

How did you feel walking down the aisle? 

Walking down the aisle with my dad was such a special moment, my hand was literally shaking in his. Martin's face was beaming back at me. 

Tell us about your wedding cake

The cake was a Fabergé egg; these decorated eggs represent fertility in Persian culture. I really wanted an unusual wedding cake and the cake cutting is a big part of our culture. Each bridesmaid takes it in turns to dance with the knife (Raghse Chagoo) before handing it to the groom, so the cake is a focal point. 

What did you choose for your wedding entertainment?

During dessert we had singing waiters which were just fantastic. They got everyone up and singing. We had a Persian/English band in the evening who were brilliant. We needed a good mixture of Persian and English songs so everyone was happy. Dancing plays a huge part in a Persian wedding, after all.  

What song did you pick for your first dance?

Our first dance was Elton John's The Way You Look Tonight. Both Martin and I adore this song and it was amazing and so romantic to dance to. 

Where did you go on honeymoon?

We went to South Africa on honeymoon four days after the wedding. The trip consisted of a week of medical volunteering with African Impact then safari, followed by a few nights in Cape Town. It was a trip we will never forget. 

Was there anything you wish you'd known before? 

I wish I’d known not to stress too much. We were 40 minutes late to the church which did stress me out, but in hindsight no one was really bothered. 

Suppliers:

Photography: Peter Lawson of Lawson Photography
Ceremony venue: Liverpool Anglican Cathedral
Reception venue: Sefton Park Palm House 
Dress: Rosa Clara from Knutsford Wedding Gallery 
Accessories: Knutsford Wedding Gallery 
Wedding rings: Paul Granelli 
Bridesmaids’ dresses: Forever Unique 
Hair: Artisté Thomas David Hope 
Make-up: Artisté 
Groom’s outfit: Signature Bespoke 
Stationery: Dragonfly Couture Stationery
Flowers: Verdure Floral Design 
Cake: The Frostery 
Catering: Dine 
Videography: Adam Wing 
Entertainment: Singing Waiters, Surprise Shows
Lighting: Ultra Lighting
Fireworks: The UK Firework Company