Y’all. These photos just make my heart go pitter patter! I still can’t believe I got to wear such a beautiful dress, and after so many months of work, it was so fun to see my vision come to life. With that being said, I’m so excited to {finally!} share the photos and inspiration behind the three custom dresses I had made by Nardos Design for my wedding weekend. Up first, of course, is my wedding gown. You guys. Nardos nailed my vision. I wanted the dress to feel soft, ethereal and romantic, and Nardos made. it. happen. ?????? This dress was like a dream, and I felt so, so special when wearing it. I still pinch myself that I got to design my dream dress! #waitwhat
It’s funny, because I would say I’m a pretty decisive person when it comes to clothing – I know what I like and what I don’t. I know how to mix and match clothing, colors, and fabrics. But man, oh man. Designing a dress is HARD. I’ve wondered if maybe it was the whole “it’s your wedding dress” pressure that was tripping me up, but then I had the opportunity to design two more dresses and the confusion, indecisiveness and overwhelming sensation all returned. Let me just say that sweet Nardos should be a saint y’all for how much patience she showed me throughout the entire process #blessher
Let’s rewind a little bit though, shall we? The reason why I even decided to go to Nardos in the first place was because I had found 2 dresses I loved but also disliked at the same time. Let me explain.
I got engaged in December, and over Christmas, when I was home in New Orleans, I went to try on dresses. One of the very first dresses I tried was a huge hit with everyone – including myself {see image below}. I loved the shape – something about it just felt so bridal, you know? Maybe it is growing up in New Orleans where girls grow up doing deb balls and wearing multiple white dresses before they even hit their 20s, but I just knew I wanted my dress to feel and look bridal – and not just look like another deb dress. And this dress just felt so elegant and soft. I loved the scalloped lace the skimmed my collarbone and dipped in the back, and I loved the nipped in waist. The one thing I couldn’t wrap my head around, though, was the taffeta skirt. It just didn’t feel like me. Was it too preppy? Was it the shine? I wasn’t sure – So, the search ultimately continued back in Dallas, but this dress never left my mind.
In Dallas I visited Warren Barron {see my review of the experience here} and found another dress that has both things I loved and hated. This time, I loved the soft tulle skirt of this Monique Lhuillier dress, with lace sprinkled randomly throughout. As I described to Nardos multiple times, I loved how the lace almost looked ‘messy’ – as if it was just randomly placed. It felt imperfectly perfect and I loved that about it. The top of the dress on the other hand…..No.
So those two dresses were the ultimate top contenders. There was however, one last dress that sticks out, but for a slightly less significant reason. This Oscar de la Renta dress had a nipped-in waist that made me realize I wanted that in the dress I found. I loved how the waist was super tight, and the skirt of the dress fell below it. It made me feel dainty and bridal. I can’t really describe it other than that. I just liked it. I took this tidbit with me when I went to Nardos as well.
So this all leads me to how/why I decided to work with Nardos. Well, I loved the top of the 1st dress, and the skirt of the second dress, and the nipped-in waist of the 3rd, and I just wasn’t sure I was going to be able to find a dress off the rack with all three of those things! Enter in Nardos. I knew I wanted to work with someone in Dallas because of convenience, and Nardos had created my sister-in-law’s wedding dress a few years prior and came highly recommended. I had obviously never designed a dress before but I figured I had more of a grasp on what I wanted than some brides, so I figured, why not!?
The design process starts with a sketch that is then turned into a muslin. A muslin is basically made out of light cotton and used as a pattern for the seamstresses to use before cutting your actual fabric. This is really the first time I was able to show Nardos exactly how I wanted the dress to lay on my body. I was very specific in how I wanted the lace to skim my collarbone and dip down my back {low, but not too low} and the muslin was great because Nardos could pin, rip and mark it up without having to worry about damaging anything. I remember at one point I mentioned I wanted the sleeves to be a bit shorter and Nardos just cut them shorter while the dress was still on me! #sheworksquickyall
the muslin being fitted below
After the muslin, things start happening quickly. The dress began to come to life, and it was so exciting to see. I had finally chosen a lace {after MUCH indecisiveness – they all look so similar!} and it was amazing to see Nardos drape it over my shoulders. She also had pieces of the lace cut out for the skirt portion and we probably spent too much time agonizing over where and how the lace should lay {you can see her pinning the lace in one of the photos below!}
the dress was really starting to take shape at this point!
The magic of the finished product left me speechless – it was so incredible to see it come to life!
Like I said, I’m normally someone who is very decisive when it comes to clothing, but designing this dress, my wedding dress of ALL things, was more overwhelming than I could have ever imagined. With that being said, Nardos {and her incredible team #hidelayna!} made the process SO easy and fun for me, that I decided to take the plunge and design two more dresses for the weekend…….
And if I’m being totally honest here, more people were talking about my rehearsal dinner dress than any other dress that weekend – wedding included! You’ll see why below 🙂
Pretty magical, right? #swoon This dress turned out SO much better than I could have ever imagined. I mean really, I wasnt even sure my idea was even going to make sense, but give Nardos an inch…..
This story of how this dress came to be is really me just trying to dress in a way I knew my husband would like. He always teases that all I wear are muumuus and oversized sweaters, and that I should wear more fitted clothing more often. Because I knew my wedding dress would be more my style than his, I wanted the rehearsal dinner outfit to be more fitted, to show that I atleast kept him in mind during the wedding planning process 😉 Honestly though, in the end, none of the ideas I came up with felt like ‘me.’ I just couldn’t bring myself to committing to any of them. And then one day, and I’m still not sure how or why I thought of this, I had the idea of wearing a super tight fitted dress, with a sheer overlay. That way, I could have my cake and eat it too! I could give Alexis the illusion of a tight dress, while still remain comfortable in my oversized sheer overlay. #winning
And then Nardos comes in with the *most* incredible overlay fabric and I just about DIED. In a little over a week, she and her team created both the silk faille dress, and the sheer overlay. It was just magic, and we are both still in awe of the final product! Below are a few photos from those fittings.
prior to cutting the arm holes! 
the finished product – the first time I tried it on!
Ok, now if you’re still reading, I’ve saved a surprise for last! This dress has never been revealed before, and I’m so excited to finally share it with you all. Ladies and Gentlemen, my exit dress…..
I knew I wanted a little shine in my exit dress – but crystals just didn’t feel like ‘me.’ So when I thought up this dress, and Nardos brought it to life, it was exactly what I wanted. Those silver beads reflect the light and just SHINE. I loved the movement they created as well….I changed into this dress an hour or so before we made our exit, and it was just SO fun to dance in
The process behind making this dresses was such a roller coaster of emotions, but at the end of it all, it was so worth it. This dresses were literally everything I could have imagined and more! I hope you enjoyed my little behind-the-scenes glimpse into some of the most important and special dresses that I’ll ever wear, and I also hope that you all have the most wonderful Thanksgiving with your family and friends!
Much love,
B
