Southern Weddings

Wait, what’s that?

Squeee!! Okay, carry on with the actual post…

Hello, ladies! Yep, we’re talking bridal fashion today, but don’t get too excited yet: I haven’t actually bought a wedding dress. I have, however, been shopping a few times, and I thought it might be fun to share my experience so far!

Let’s start with the inspiration photos I printed out to bring to salons. Hold tight, there are a bunch of them!

First row: Christos “Arabella” and “Brisa”, second row: Christos “Julianna” and “Maribel”, third row: Liancarlo, with added sleeves (photo by A Bryan Photo), fourth row: Watters “Sydney” and Jewel by Priscilla of Boston No. 307, fifth row: Reem Acra and Pronovias, last row: Oscar de la Renta (photo by Meg Smith) and Watters “Carins”

Whew! Y’all still with me? To summarize, I think it’s safe to say I liked natural waists; soft, full skirts; soft and flowing fabrics like silk gazar, tulle, and organza; bows; sweetheart necklines; tiny or gauzy sleeves; point d’esprit or swiss dot fabrics; matte fabrics; and draped bodices.

Can I tell you something? After loving dresses like the “Maribel” for so long, I was really worried that I would try on a few dresses and realize the style I thought I liked was actually completely wrong for me. I’m sure I would have made it through if that was the case, but happily, it was not! From the first dresses I tried on, my style hunch was confirmed.

So let’s revisit that first dress shopping trip, shall we? While on vacation in Charleston in August, I went with my fiance’s family (Mom and two sisters, one of whom is getting married two months before me!) to try on dresses at Maddison Row. We had a great time! Lindsey and the ladies were super sweet and patient, and I loved that they let us take pictures and that they were happy to share the designer, name, and price of any dress (I think it’s so annoying when stores try to keep the style or designer a secret!!). Plus, their salon is adorable!

I tried on several dresses that were lovely, but not right for me. (Pardon the cut-off heads… I was sporting a range of ridiculous expressions, and thought I’d spare you!)

The top two shots are of Romona Keveza Legends L251, and then beneath them are Monique Lhuillier “Bellflower” and Legends L257.

There wasn’t one clear winner from our trip to Maddison Row, but I did narrow it down to two.

The first was Monique Lhuillier’s “Bailey,” and the second was Vera Wang’s “Emmeline”. I LOVED the top of Bailey, but wasn’t completely sold on the skirt. Interestingly, I LOVED the skirt of Emmeline, as well as the sleeves, but wasn’t wild about the corset-y top (hard to see in photos).

Having not made a decision in Charleston, I took an appointment at The White Dress by the Shore in Clinton, CT while I was home a few weeks ago. My Mom and two sisters came with me, and we again had a wonderful time! The White Dress’s shop was also adorable. Here are a few dresses I tried on that weren’t quite right for me:

My apologies! I didn’t write down info for these lovelies, though I do believe the top left gown is by Anne Barge and the top right is the “Lauren” by Amsale

As at Maddison Row, I had two favorites from the day:

The top dress is by Augusta Jones, and the bottom is the “Melina” by Amsale. I don’t think either is “the one,” but they are awfully pretty, aren’t they?

Now with two shopping trips under my belt, my Mom is coming down to North Carolina for what will hopefully be a final weekend of dress shopping. We’re hoping to visit Nitsa’s in Winston-Salem (so I can try on my beloved Christos gowns!), as well as somewhere we can see Watters gowns. I also want to make sure we visit David’s Bridal (there’s one Oleg Cassini I think could be beautiful).

So what do you think at this point, my friends? Do you have a favorite from the dresses I tried on? I would love to hear from you in the comments!

Up next: I think it is time to talk about our PHOTOGRAPHER!

P.S. In case you missed a post:
The main characters
Where we’re getting married

Written with love by Emily