This Fashion Designer Bride Designed Dresses For Herself And Her Wedding Party!

Melissa Hammam
March 1, 2024
Categories: The Blog

[section title=”The Planning”]

[field title=”Wedding Colors”]

White, champagne, and pale blue.

[/field]

[field title=”Design / Vibe / Vision”]

Planned beautifully by A.Dominick Events, this all-outdoor wedding took place at a magical estate nestled in a quaint area of Delaware: Winterthur. Featuring gorgeous stationery by Cheree Berry Paper, blooms from Darling & Daughters, and the most personal ceremony we’ve ever witnessed, wedding planning brides are invited to take inspiration from classic yet show-stopping gowns, thoughtful details like a custom message (written in computer code for the techie groom!) inside suit jackets, and a venue with natural beauty around every corner.

[/field]

[field title=”Proposal Story”]

I have always vacationed with my mom and sister on Captiva Island, so when we planned a trip to the beach, I thought nothing of it. We spent a couple of days together enjoying our time on the island, and one night; we decided to walk down to the beach for sunset as we often did. I saw a guy walking from afar and said, “that guy kind of looks like Beau… but a leprechaun version” (he had decided to dress in full disguise- haha!), and low and behold, as he got closer, I realized it was my goofy groom to be in full costume who had flown in to surprise me! He got down on one knee right there and asked me the easiest question I’d ever heard. Yes!

[/field]

[/section]

[board_carousel title=”Getting Ready”]

[/board_carousel]

[board_carousel title=”Bridal Portraits”]

[/board_carousel]

[board_carousel title=”Flat Lays”]

[/board_carousel]

[board_carousel title=”First Look”]

[/board_carousel]

[section title=”The Fashion”]

[field title=”Wedding Gown”]

Inspired by her late grandmother in many of her designs, professional fashion designer Audra has always prioritized her family. So it only made sense that she’d custom design each dress (including her own!) worn on her wedding weekend by her mom, sister, and close friends. (I featured her designs in the gallery from both rehearsal and wedding day!) For her wedding day, Audra had always dreamed of something classic with a touch of lace. When it came time to design her own gown, she searched high and low for the perfect ivory satin to create her strapless, soft a-line shape and accentuated the timeless design with lace applique she sourced herself.

[/field]

[field title=”Bridesmaid Dresses”]

Audra knew she wanted to compliment her wedding gown when designing the bridesmaid’s dresses and searched high and low for the perfect shade of blue satin. She had a vision of a lace-adjacent fabric that wasn’t actually lace- and low and behold, she found the perfect soft floral patterned option! It was also important to her that her sister stand out from the crowd, so they worked together to design her one-shoulder champagne lace gown that perfectly complimented the other gowns while setting her apart. Audra also wanted to design the mother-of-the-bride gown and chose a creamy lace applique that she knew would look beautiful next to her sister for family photos.

[/field]

[field title=”Groomsman Attire”]

When it came time for Beau to design his suit with Tom James Audra knew she was just the gal to take the reins. Beau works in technology- so Audra designed a special jacket liner with a message written in computer code for Beau to crack on his wedding day.

[/field]

[/section]

[board_carousel title=”Wedding Party”]

[/board_carousel]

[board_carousel title=”Ceremony”]

[/board_carousel]

[board_carousel title=”Cocktail Hour”]

[/board_carousel]

[section title=”The Details”]

[field title=”Food & Drink”]

The couple knew they wanted to delight their guests with a meal that wasn’t just “typical” wedding food. They worked with CxRa catering to design a menu that accomplished just that! Guests were able to choose between three delicious entrees: Garlic Hanger Steak with Late Summer Chimichurri, Vouvray Mascarpone Smashed Potatoes, and Haricot Verts with Basil Butter. For those wishing to enjoy a taste of the sea, they were offered Mediterranean Branzino with Basil-Pesto, Roasted Pepper Caponata, and a Crisp Mascarpone Polenta. And, of course, not wanting to forget her vegetarian friends, they also had Florentine Ravioli with Truffle Cream, Hen of the Woods, and Maitake mushrooms, served with Asparagus Tips.

[/field]

[field title=”Florals & Decor”]

As a fashion designer, Audra knows all too well how quickly trends come and go. For her big day, she decided she wanted something as classic as possible that would stand the test of time. She chose florals and decor from Darling & Daughters and White Glove Rentals that highlighted the natural beauty of the Winterthur, opting for blooms of roses, ranunculus, bluebells, and thistle in white and cream with subtle pops of blue and greenery. For her reception, Audra pictured a cozy, candlelit dinner under a tent from Dover Rentals in the garden. Family is extremely important to Audra and Beau, so intimate candlelit farmhouse tables brought everyone together for a long meal enjoyed over conversation.

[/field]

[field title=”Wedding Cake”]

Audra loved designing her wedding cake with The Master’s Baker because she wanted the details around the vanilla and buttercream confection to nod to her wedding gown, of course! The third tier of the cake donned a lacey pattern that perfectly matched her invitation and nodded to the lace elements on her bridesmaids’ dresses and wedding gown.

[/field]

[field title=”Readings, Ceremony Music, Reception Songs”]The ceremony was the most important part of the day for Audra and Beau. Their faith is extremely important to them, so they opted to include a ring warming ceremony that allowed guests to pray over their bands, a foot washing ceremony, and sang several of their favorite songs from church as a group. [/field]

[field title=”Special Detail #1″]

Audra thought it might be fun to include a small interactive element in her cocktail hour, and worked with Aimee from A.Dominick Events events to create a “table tree” where guests could search for their table number and trim it off to carry over to the reception with them and find their seat.

[/field]

[field title=”Special Detail #2″]

As I mentioned, faith is so important to Audra and Beau! They chose to sneak off together after the ceremony to a private place to enjoy communion together and soak in their first 10 minutes as husband and wife.

[/field]

[field title=”Special Detail #3″]

For her editorial shoots, Beau always accompanies Audra to help bring her vision to life. She often gushes about how he has a keen eye for detail and can read her mind when it comes to displaying her creations. Well, the wedding day was no different! Beau was such an attentive husband, carrying and fluffing Audra’s train in the perfect way all day long.

[/field]

[/section]

[board_carousel title=”Couple Portraits”]

[/board_carousel]

[board_carousel title=”Reception”]

[/board_carousel]