When your mother is the owner of Fatima’s Bridal in New Bedford, finding the dress of your dreams becomes the easiest part of planning your wedding. Especially when she happens to have custom gown making down to an absolute science. And when this darling bride found the prettiest lace ever in NYC, she knew it was just the fabric she needed to create her dream gown. The result? A seriously gorgeous work of art that shines bright in this classic meets vintage stunner of a wedding. See the dress (and every last breathtaking detail) captured by Jennifer White in the full gallery.
From Jennifer White Photography… Sandy & Ben planned an amazing wedding day that perfectly captured their unique style and incorporated a ton of personal details. The ceremony, initially planned for the gardens of the Roch-Jones Duff House in New Bedford, was held under a tent on the grounds due to the rainy weather. Rather than dampen their spirits, the rain only served to enhance the romantic and intimate feel of the ceremony, and provided a great opportunity for cuddling under an umbrella for some portraits! The cocktail hour and reception were held among the New Bedford Whaling Museum’s historical artifacts, whale skeletons, and replica ship – a nod to Sandy’s heritage and Ben’s love of Melville (who can be seen worn in finger-puppet form by their wedding officiant!).
From the Bride… In planning my wedding, it was important to me to find unique little details that reflected my taste and personality: that is anything handmade and artistic with a vintage feel. I found local artists (some of which are friends and family) and sourced some things from Etsy. My dress was made by my wonderfully talented mother, Fatima Rocha, owner of Fatima’s Bridal in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Although she has a store filled with beautiful dresses, I wanted something really personal and unique, and I knew what she was capable of, so we hit Mood Fabrics in New York City and found this amazing lace and she went to work! It was really hard to find the perfect vintage inspired shoe, until I stumbled upon Rachel Simpson, the downside is that they are not available in the US yet.
My husband had read Herman Melville’s Moby Dick because he was fascinated with the history of the whaling industry in New Bedford where my family is from. So of course I took him to see the Whaling Museum during one of our visits to New Bedford, and that’s when we decided it would be the perfect place to have our reception! I felt it was not only a beautiful setting with rich history, but also a great way to pay homage to my Portuguese Azorean roots that have so many strong connections to both whaling history and the city of New Bedford.
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Wedding Photography: Jennifer White Photography | Ceremony Venue: Roch-Jones-Duff House in New Bedford, Massachusetts | Reception Venue: New Bedford Whaling Museum in New Bedford, Massachusetts | Wedding Coordinator: Arolin Hughes from New Bedford Whaling Museum | Floral Design: Nancy Silveira | Catering: Russel Morin Fine Catering | Favors: San Pedro Cactus | Table Numbers: Sixpence Press | DJ: DJ Quentin from Unlimited Engagements |Trolley: Trolleys by Tes | Wedding Dress: Fatima’s Bridal | Bride’s Hairpiece: Lisa Feiteira via Lisa Marie Style | Bride’s Earrings: El Milagro | Bride’s Shoes: Rachel Simpson | Rings: Megan Thorne via The Clay Pot | Bridesmaids’ Jewelry: Circa Boutique