Editors Share | How I Chose My Wedding Gown + Theme
/It’s our privilege to be invited into your story and vocation. In gratitude, we love to share ours with you, as well. Today, for any bride just beginning the wedding planning process, the team shares the stories of how they chose their wedding gowns and an overall theme for their big days.
Photography: Sarah Wirth Photography
Mariah Maza, Features Editor
Planning a winter wedding in Arizona is beautiful. When I woke up on my wedding day, the weather outside was sunny and in the 70s. But what I really loved about our date, December 30, (although I didn’t love the idea of a winter wedding at first), is that it was during the octave of Christmas! That meant the church would already be decorated with beautiful trees, greens, and florals. The Christmas “stress” would already be over for most of our guests, yet the joy of the liturgical season would still remain. And within the following couple days, we could celebrate our newlywed joy with the start of a new year.
Once I let go of the summer wedding I thought I wanted, I fully embraced the joy of the Christmas season. I chose colors for our theme that were more wintry than Christmas-y: navy blues, emerald greens, maroon, and gold as an accent. I incorporated beautiful wintergreens, berries, and gold stems into the bouquets for me and my bridesmaids. I realized that my favorite Christmas hymns could be incorporated into my nuptial Mass as well, if I wanted.
For my wedding dress, I chose dainty cap sleeves and a very full A-line skirt that looked more like a ballgown, with a cathedral length veil that trailed far behind me in elegant lace. A sweetheart/illusion lace neckline lined with pearls completed the look. What other day of your life can you dress in princess attire? And I loved getting married during the mild coolness of an Arizona winter, instead of sweating it out in the 120 degree summer!
Mary Wilmot, Social Media Manager
We got married in August in Houston, so we definitely had to make choices that would be practical in the heat. I am Filipino on my mother’s side, so my husband opted for traditional barongs instead of suits. These shirts are formal in Filipino culture and way more breathable in hot, humid temperatures than suits or tuxes.
Our anniversary is also the day before my parents’, so that reflected a few decisions, as well. My bridesmaids wore pale yellow dresses, like my mom’s did, which I felt was fitting and fun for summer. I also always knew I wanted to wear my mother’s wedding dress, which was still in great shape. Surprisingly, it didn’t even need alterations, so I just had it cleaned by a local wonderful seamstress.
I made the dress my own by choosing unique accessories. The dress is ivory and has spaghetti straps, so after quite a bit of hunting online with no luck, I finally found a perfect bolero at the local David’s Bridal. I definitely felt it completed my bridal look for Mass.
My favorite part of my wedding attire was my veil. I stumbled upon the perfect lace-edged veil at a bridal shop while on pilgrimage in Lisieux, France during my engagement. I have a strong devotion to Saint Thérese and also knew St. Zélie, her mother, was a lacemaker. My now-husband and I were long distance at the time while I finished grad school up in Europe, and for me, that felt like a special sign that the Lord was guiding us, along with some powerful intercessors, while we prepared for marriage. I also wore silver glittery heels (purchased on a layover in London at Heathrow airport—another fun story!), along with an ivory fascinator from BHLDN during our reception.
Stephanie Calis, Co-Founder & Editor in Chief
As a born-and-bred Marylander, I’ve always been drawn to classic, preppy styles and bright colors. For our July wedding, I hoped for a casual and summery vibe, choosing navy, pink, and green for décor, florals, stationery, and wedding party attire.
I wanted a gown that reflected the lightness of the season, as well; an unfussy style I’d look back on and think of as timeless. I loved ballgown-style dresses and didn’t want a train or beading, but struggled to find the clean, unembellished look I hoped for. Ultimately, I found a USA-made line of simple styles available in a variety of fabrics, and chose a strapless ballgown with a bow sash in textured slub silk.
Andi Compton, Business Director
By the time I was 15 I had planned several weddings (I even had a binder like Monica from Friends—she gets me!), so when I got to finally set things in motion for myself, I was thrilled! My family throws big, formal weddings and my favorite colors are black and white, so we went with those, with silver as an accent. As far as décor, I just wanted over the top white florals. All my husband Matt said was, “No pink, and I’m wearing my own dress shoes.”
We had already decided to get married several months before Matt proposed, so when I visited Houston with my parents we went to the Priscilla of Boston shop I had been dreaming of since I was a teen. I tried on a giant ball gown with tulle, silk, and tons of beadwork and both my parents said it was what they’d always pictured for me, but we didn’t buy it since we didn’t have a date yet.
Fast forward to when I began working at a bridal store with my friend, and the same dress was on display when we walked in for our first day. She told me it was my dress, but I wasn’t sold yet. After a few months of modeling wedding gowns at the store I had tried on over 50 dresses, so I knew what I wanted: my giant beaded ball gown. It just needed a tulle bolero to be ready for Mass, cathedral length veil, and a tiara.
Carissa Pluta, Editor at Large
I don’t think we really had a “theme” for our wedding. Getting married on Long Island, where my family is from, we couldn’t really have the simple wedding we wanted—Long Island weddings tend to be extravagant. So we made a lot of decisions about colors, flowers, stationery, and décor based on our desire to make sure our own personalities weren’t lost in the planning. For example, we chose sky blue and yellow as our colors because it was my favorite combination.
As for my dress, I wanted something timeless and elegant. My mom and I went looking at a small bridal boutique; the attendant there took my vision and immediately pulled the perfect dress off the rack. It was a cap-sleeved fit-and-flare dress, perfect for a May wedding. When I tried it on, I felt beautiful and so much like myself.
Stephanie Fries, Associate Editor
In truth, I was not much of a wedding daydreamer at any point in my childhood or engagement! I was eager to be married, but empowered my sister, an experienced event planner, to make many of the wedding planning decisions.
Shopping for a wedding dress was a spontaneous activity one afternoon with a friend. I had set a budget, but had no idea what I wanted. I was intimidated by the process and grateful to follow my friend’s exuberant enthusiasm. The professionals at the dress boutique were amazing and kind; they quickly helped me build a vision for my wedding dress.
After trying on a few dresses, I knew I wanted something feminine, simple, and modest. Most importantly, I wanted to feel confident and beautiful. With those qualities in mind, I went back to the third dress I’d tried on and called it mine! I FaceTimed my parents, sister, godmother, and future mother-in-law to include them in the final decision before I said yes.
I walked out of the store that day with my dress, a lace-trimmed Cathedral veil, a simple bridal veil and a thin belt--all under budget. The ease of this process was absolutely an answered prayer.
Danielle Rother, Pinterest Manager
As a life-long Disney enthusiast, I always hoped my wedding dress would not only be the most beautiful dress I’d ever wear. I also dreamt this dress would make me feel like a princess. The dress I chose certainly did not let me down!
While we didn’t have a particular theme for our wedding, I was greatly inspired by the live-action Cinderella movie starring Lily James. Inspired by the film, I knew I wanted a ballgown-style wedding dress similar to the sparkly blue gown Cinderella wore in the movie. I wanted something elegant, timeless, romantic, and—of course—magical!
After a long search, I finally found the perfect dress at Raffiné Bridal. It was a pure white ballgown with a multi-layered tulle skirt, designed by Stella York. It had a sweetheart neckline and was overlaid with lace at the top, which added the perfect modest touch for our Latin Mass wedding.
For a more traditional look, I chose a cathedral-length veil, made by my mother-in-law, and a crystal necklace, earrings, and a jeweled comb. I also had the seamstress (aka fairy-godmother!) replace the jeweled appliqué around the waist for a crystal belt. Just by altering that little part truly made it for the wedding dress of my dreams! For a day I literally felt like Cinderella. And though the magic has since worn away (not all the magic—I still have the shoes), I am more blessed because of that day and so thankful to Our Lady and Our Lord for making my dreams a reality.