Sarah Found The Dress @ The Dress

Sarah found The Dress @ The Dress for her March 2011 wedding to her husband James. They met when he moved to the area for a new job and started going to Sarah's Sunday school class right before the holiday season. "At the New Year’s white elephant gift exchange party, he thought I was married to my brother (we arrived together, we have the same last name, he lived with me, we argued about if the white elephant fishing pole toiletpaper holder should come home with us)! Fortunately, within a few weeks, as he became friends with my brother, he realized he was mistaken. But it did take him a year and a half to actually ask me out," says Sarah. 

How James popped THE question... I went to Hawaii on vacation with my friend Heather; all the while thinking I knew when he would propose. Within a few days of coming home, he took me to Alinea in Lincoln Park for a date to remember. The ring was delayed by a day (they called him on his cell that the ring had arrived once we were already on our way to our big date). After no proposal that day, I thought he would wait until my birthday months later. He surprised me the next evening at India Palace. I thought he was going to get takeout so I went to the gym and then to his place. Instead, he took me back to where I had told him he should get engaged in the next year. (At the time, he was just a friend so I had not meant to me.) He got down on his knee and proposed, saying that I should get married this year. I was so shocked and excited! 

The couple chose the ceremony and the reception to be held at College Church in Wheaton, Illinois. They chose College Church because, "it is beautiful and where we first met." The site had plenty of room for their 200 guests. Sarah wanted a March date because spring weddings are her favorite and springbreak was an easy time to take a honeymoon.

Sarah wore a gorgeous LaRichi trumpet gown with hand-painted blossoms on silk organza. There were glittering Swarovski crystal buttons all the way down the back down through the train. She chose "the dress" because it had sparkles and spring flowers. The light, airy gown was perfect for her spring wedding. She chose an Amy Kuschel platinum ribbon sash with metallic embroidery and beadwork to accentuate her tiny waist.

 Her shoes were hand-made silk satin by Hey Lady trimmed with more Swarovski. She also wore a gorgeous veil and an exquisite back-comb trimmed with Swarovski crystals and rhinestones.

 

 She chose her wedding colors to be hot pink, chartreuse, and platinum. She liked that, "chartreuse had springy feel and platinum is classic." The colors were a perfect combination in her flowers and added the dash of color.

Sarah is a musician herself, so it's only natural that her favorite moment of the day was listening to the ceremony and reception music.
 















Her favorite detail was her cake. "It turned out so beautifully with the hand-crafted flowers and the Champagne vanilla was excellent."

Sarah's advice for brides while planning, "Insist that the wait staff leave food for you. The servers cleared our plates while we talked with guests so I hardly tasted any food at our wedding!" Her advice for brides the on the actual wedding day, "Do a first look before the wedding. We saw each other for the first time at the start of the day alone with only the photographer and it was a very personal moment. It helped me get my sentimental tears out before the wedding ceremony too."

Thank you so much Sarah and James for sharing your day with us! If you would like to be featured as a bride that found The Dress @ The Dress contact us!