When this beautiful lawyer married her handsome firefighter husband, it was all about the little details. I love Lisa’s color scheme, where bright oranges and blues made everything feel fresh and fun. From the gorgeous floral centerpieces, to the ribbon adorned cake and the sweet chairback sashes, this wedding felt perfectly put together. After dancing the night away in her stunning Vera Wang gown, Lisa and John exited the party under a shower of sparklers…shining in the light of family and friends, and glowing in the love they share.
Lisa + John | August 5, 2011 | Kingston, Massachusetts
The ceremony
Our wedding was held at the Indian Pond Country Club in Kingston. John’s a firefighter, and we were married by the Fire Chaplain of his department. It was a sunny outdoor ceremony at this beautiful club in the greater-Plymouth. We used 100 white folding chairs on each side to create a grassy aisle, which was adorned with white & orange flower petals, leading to an “altar” marked by two large colorful flower arrangements with beach grass that swayed in the wind as vows were exchanged. Once declared “husband and wife,” we exited to the jazzy tune “This Will Be an Everlasting Love” by Natalie Cole to set a happy fun tone for the cocktail hour & reception.
The reception
After a cocktail hour on the country club’s deck, the reception took place in a grand ballroom. We filled large round tables with floral centerpieces in our color palette of blue, orange, and white, which complimented the bridal party’s soft blue dresses. To add to the splash of orange, I decorated the dining chairs with translucent orange chair sashes and the walls with up-lighting in varying shades of yellow and orange. After first dance as husband and wife, the cutting of the cake and other wedding traditions, we boogied the night away with family and friends!
How Lisa found her dream wedding gown
I started my dress search knowing that I did not want a strapless gown. Although there are some beautiful strapless gowns out there, that is the only style I’ve seen in the last several dozen weddings that I’ve attended, and I wanted something a bit different (whether halter, or cap sleeve, or otherwise). When I visited Vera Wang’s boutique in Boston, and tried this halter gown on, I honestly had one of those “this is it” moments.
Vera Wang’s dresses are just so beautifully designed, and this particular one was “extra” flattering due to the ruching along the entire bodice (hiding any & all flaws!), the dropped asymmetrical waist, the low back line, and the A-line skirt. With the recommendation of the Vera Wang staff, I chose the ivory color (as opposed to the stark white or a pinkish-blush color that was also offered) because it is a gorgeous, rich, soft ivory color that, according to the staff, compliments nearly every skin tone the best. I just loved it!
How Lisa felt in her wedding dress
To answer honestly, this gown truly made me feel absolutely gorgeous. I also felt so incredibly HAPPY and GRATEFUL that I found it & was able to (reluctantly!!) deal with the price in the midst of all of the other million costs associated with a wedding.
Why Lisa decided to sell her wedding dress
I wasn’t planning on selling it, but when I got home from my honeymoon and had this big garment bag and veil sitting there, I realized that I would never wear this gown again & the odds of having a daughter/niece/friend who wanted to wear my gown rather than choose & buy their own are very slim. Although I thought of the possibility of cutting it up to make a Christening gown from it, the thought of cutting it up seemed like such a sin to me! Having only worn the gown for 6 hours & then getting it professionally cleaned & preserved, it is in perfect shape. I would feel so much happier selling it to another bride. What an incredible way to get a gorgeous designer gown for half the price!!! I honestly wish I had thought of it!
Lisa’s wedding dress: Vera Wang, 12826
Photography: Jenni V Photography
A Vera Wang Diana gown…tuxes for the gents…and a tented reception complete with chandeliers made this Charleston wedding luxe, modern and delightfully high-fashion! I love how chic Hyla + Bradley’s wedding was with its sleek leather sofas and full white decor with pops of hot pink florals. Don’t miss: Hyla’s super sweet Vera Wang wardrobe change and the custom designed necklaces for the bridal party designed by Hyla herself. For not only is today’s featured bride beautiful, she is also a very talented jewelry designer with her own line of Hyla DeWitt Jewelry!
Hyla + Bradley | September 17, 2011 | Lowndes Grove, Charleston, South Carolina
The Ceremony
We got married outside in front of Lowndes Grove in Charleston. It’s an old historic mansion. We had the beautiful back drop of the Ashley River behind us. The decorations were very simple to not take away from the beautiful scenery. The boys wore tuxes and the bridesmaids wore Shoshanna dresses that complimented their custom necklaces I made for them. I also made the necklace for the mother of the groom as well. I wore the Diana dress by Vera Wang and added the Vera horsehair sash that gave the dress one more level of drama! I wore Bradley’s grandmother’s earrings and my grandmother’s broach in my hair.
The Reception
I wanted a very modern and romantic look. We had a seated dinner followed by dancing. I wanted the dinning tent to be completely white but with pops of hot pink from the flowers. We had napkins made with my new initials that were used at every place setting.
After dinner we, we were entertained by Super – T band, a fun Motown and funk band. The dancing tent, kept to our modern theme. White leather couches with ghost side tables and garden stools. We also had a lounge area and bar down by the water. Mid reception I changed into a shorter dress made by Vera Wang. My mother is from Peru, so we had Peruvian chocolates made as party favors and Bradley and I left the reception to a sparkler tunnel!
Hyla’s Dress Search
Ever since I was little, I dreamed of wearing a ball gown, princess dress. After trying on the traditional ball gowns I quickly realized they didn’t flatter my body type. I remember my first visit to Vera Wang; I was completely drawn to the Diana. It was the only dress I tried on there and I was sold as soon as I put it on. It fit the feel of my wedding and it was absolutely breathtaking – whimsical, romantic and ultra chic!
How Hyla Felt in Her Wedding Dress
Chic, stunning and elegant!
Why Hyla Decided to Sell Her Wedding Dress
I consider this dress a piece of artwork. When you look at each individual whimsical layer and how the dress flows, you really can appreciate the handmade work that was put into it. Since I’m never going to be able to wear it again and a case display of the dress in my home would be a little much, I thought why not let someone else appreciate this beautiful artwork and I hope it will be able to make one lucky girl feel like a princess like it did for me.
Hyla’s Wedding Dress | VERA WANG DIANA
Photography | SEAN MONEY + ELIZABETH FAY
Jewelry | Today’s featured bride has her own line of jewelry, Hyla DeWitt Jewelry. In addition to everyday wear, Hyla also designs custom jewelry orders for brides, bridesmaids, mother of the bride, engagement parties and rehearsals!
New York City provided the perfect backdrop for this happy wedding, which included intimate gatherings, joyous parties and and amazing sense of style! A small Catholic service on Saturday night was followed by a larger ceremony and daytime reception on Sunday. If you’ve never considered a daytime reception, Andreea’s uber-chic celebration might have you rethinking your plans. Throughout the weekend the bride wore three stylish gowns…but her favorite (and mine too!) was the amazing Vera Wang gown she wore on Sunday. Simply stunning!
Andreea & Michael | July 16, 2011 | New York City
Our Catholic Ceremony was held on Saturday evening at St Ignatius on the Upper East Side in Manhattan. The main ceremony & reception were held the next day on Sunday morning at Battery Gardens overlooking the New York City harbor in downtown Manhattan.
The ceremony
The Catholic Ceremony on Saturday evening was a small intimate gathering of about forty people. On Sunday morning we held our larger ceremony for all our family and friends. There were 150 attendees. The ceremony was held outside in Battery Park overlooking the New York City harbor with the Statue of Liberty as a backdrop. The color scheme was multiple shades of pink with white and grey. The decor was romantic and ethereal.
The reception
We had a daytime reception in the upstairs dining room of Battery Gardens. There were wall-to-wall windows with views of the harbor and Battery Park. The sundrenched reception room was so modern and breathtaking. We had alternating high and low centerpieces on the tables. The color scheme was pink, white and grey. We had a photo station for guest to take photos at which added a fun element to the wedding and was a unique favor our guests could take home with them. The photos were taken on a green screen and super imposed into a backdrop of their choice. For reception music we were very lucky to get the Alex Donner band. They played Frank Sinatra and Standards songs, which really gave the wedding a New York City feel. My favorite part of the reception was the heartfelt speeches of family and friends; they made me laugh and cry.
How Andreea found her dream wedding dress
Prior to being engaged I was doing a research project on wedding boutiques for work and ran across an ad in a magazine for the Vera Wang Diana wedding dress. It completely took my breath away! After my husband proposed and I actually had to start shopping for wedding dresses, I couldn’t get that dress out of my mind. I tried on about 15 dresses prior to putting on the Vera Wang Diana, but as soon as I tried on that dress I knew that it was the one for me. It absolutely took my breath away, and I didn’t try on any more dresses. It goes to show that first instincts are often right on.
Since there were multiple events over our wedding weekend, I ended up wearing 3 different wedding dresses: For the Saturday ceremony I wore an off the rack BCBG Max Azria strapless wedding dress made of lace and tulle. It was almost like an understated version of the Vera Wang Diana dress that I wore the next day. For the Sunday ceremony and reception, I wore the Vera Wang Diana which was an absolute dream to wear.
And, at the Sunday after party, I wore a Jim Hjelm Blush style that was a full tulle floor length ball gown that I had shortened to above the knee with a sweetheart neckline. I loved all three of my dresses.
How Andreea felt in her wedding dress
Beautiful, modern & dreamy
Why Andreea decided to sell her wedding dress
It made me sad to put such a beautiful dress in storage after only being worn once. I want this dress to make another bride as happy as it made me!
Andreea’s wedding dress: Vera Wang, Diana
Photography: Lina Jang
Candice’s wedding style is pure perfection! I love her soft, pretty swept-up hair, the beautiful pearl necklace with vintage charm, and the unique flowers that gave her that awesome “pop” of color. And her stunning Vera Wang gown was the amazing centerpiece of it all! The strapless design, mermaid silhouette, and organza fabric made a statement without overpowering. Don’t miss the two other gorgeous formal gowns she donned at the reception. So pretty!
Candice + Peter | October 29, 2011 | La Jolla, California
The ceremony
We had a traditional Christian ceremony in a church setting.
The reception
The reception was held inside the Park Hyatt Aviara Resort.
How Candice found her dream wedding dress
I wanted something that shaped my body instead of a ball gown. I ended up buying a Vera Wang mermaid dress that shapes my body the best.
The way Candice felt in her wedding dress
Elegant, sexy, and perfect
Why she decided to sell her wedding dress
It is such a beautiful dress and I am sure it wants to make another bride look perfect on her wedding day than just sitting in a pretty box forever.
Candice’s wedding dress: Vera Wang, Gemma
Photography: Visual Masterpiece