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I have been talking about my matching bridesmaid dresses lately. First, I mentioned the one thing I would change about our wedding is the matching bridesmaid dresses. I wish I had let my ladies choose any dress in any shade of purple for an original look. Just days later, I changed my mind & said I wish I had let my ladies choose any black dress & any purple shoe. Did any of this leave you wondering what my matching bridesmaids looked like on our wedding day?!
I chose photos from our bridal party photo session at the Hoboken Train Station because the views of the bridesmaid dress are the best. Plus you can admire the gorgeous train station architecture! They just don't make buildings like they used to with the ornate, beautiful detailing but that is another story.
Without further ado, here is our gorgeous bridal party of our nearest & dearest, featuring our bridesmaids wearing a tea-length Cynthia Rowley dress in Smashing:
My handsome groom & my lovely ladies:
Last but not least, one of my favorites: me & my fabulous ladies plus the stunning stained glass ceiling:
I look back at the photos & I definitely see traditional bridesmaids in matching dresses. I have seen similar looks before & I will probably see similar looks many times to come. But honestly, my bridesmaids are my friends & my family. They look happy & beautiful, as always. I am touched & honored they were a part of our wedding. They could be wearing trash bags & I wouldn't care!
The reality is I can't change anything about our wedding. It is said & done, a loving memory near & dear to my heart. I'm perfectly okay with our wedding just as it was. Our wedding was a dream come true!
Photography by Timothy Glenn Photographers
Will they wear it again?Or will they trade it in?Cynthia Rowley Dress 8011 in SmashingEvery girl has one (or two or ten!): a bridesmaid dress hanging in her closet that she will never wear again. No matter that the well-intentioned Bride promised it was a dress she could wear again. Maybe it's not her style. Maybe it's not her color. Maybe it's not her taste. Have no fear, hope is here!
Newlymaid! Newlymaid offers second chances for stylish bridesmaids & their unloved bridesmaid dresses. The concept is brilliant & simple: send your bridesmaid dress, receive a credit & choose a new dress for casual, work or a night out! Meanwhile, your old bridesmaid dress is recycled or donated to charity. Everybody wins!
Newlymaid is tackling the age-old problem of unwearable bridesmaid dresses one closet at a time. I'm welcoming them with open arms & spreading the good word to my bridesmaids just in case they won't wear my bridesmaid dress again. I happened to love it, in fact, I wished I had ordered one for myself to wear as a guest during wedding season. But that's me. My bridesmaids are four, unique individuals at different stages in their lives & perhaps my bridesmaid dress isn't quite right. Newlymaid might be the answer for them.
How many bridesmaid dresses are collecting dust in your closet? Will you try Newlymaid?
Our sweet boy Bailey before he was sent to doggie day care
Red roses from my fiance!
My wedding dress: I wish I could wear it again & again!
Me & My Gorgeous Bridesmaids
I'm going to the chapel & I'm going to get married!
(Above photos were taken by friends)
The night before our wedding, my cousin/bridesmaid & I stayed up until 4am packing up the wedding items, cleaning the condo, finishing DIY projects & gossiping. It was a little crazy & I wouldn't recommend it to everyone but it enabled me to wake up on our wedding day without a single care or worry. Everything was done! I noted the sunshine & blue skies & immediately text RZ to say, "It is our beautiful wedding day!" From that moment on, I was on Cloud Nine.My getting ready crew consisted of my fabulous bridesmaids, my lovely Mom & RZ's great Mom, plus the make-up artist, the hair stylist, the wedding planner & the photographers. Our condo quickly transformed into a dressing room. I had an open house policy so my crew showed up throughout the morning in various stages of hair, make-up & dress. My heart warmed at the sight of each girl's bright, happy, shiny face.
I have to say, I did little more than relax in the hours before our ceremony. My biggest task was walking Bailey & taking him to his doggie daycare/hotel. Then I was able to chill & eat (seriously, Brides-to-be- eating is important!!) while everyone buzzed around me. The hair stylist & make-up artist worked their magic. The beautiful flowers were delivered. Red roses & a sweet note from my fiance arrived. Candid photos were snapped. Girls dashed here & there. It was shaping up to be a wonderful wedding day!
Of course, I was the last lady to get ready. The bridesmaids & Moms were dressed & they looked stunning!! I had my "Classic Bride" make-up done, then had my side chignon styled & my chiffon flower placed. At last, it was time to put on my wedding dress!!! I had waited for this moment for so long & I savored every second. The gorgeous dress. The simple veil. The sparkly shoes. The pearl earrings & the pearl/rhinestone bracelet. The calla lily bouquet. I had carefully chosen every last detail to transform me into my ideal version of a Bride. I've never felt more beautiful!!
Before we left for the church, we had an almond champagne toast & it was my very favorite part of getting ready. Here I was with my favorite women in the world. We looked beautiful & we were pumped: we were on the brink of my marriage ceremony! It doesn't get more special than this (a true understatement). We huddled in the living room & cheered the wedding day. Cheers!
A rainbow rack of 300+ pretty dresses!
My Maid of Honor models the winner!
Bridesmaid dress shopping was a success! I went to my Bella Bridesmaid appointment with three, important things: my Maid of Honor Mary, the Cynthia Rowley dress style number 8011 & the color preference of Smashing purple. I was over my whining & crying about bridesmaid dress shopping & I was ready to have fun!
Mary & I met with the lovely Amanda, one of the co-owners of the Madison, NJ & New York City locations. I told her about the Cynthia Rowley dress I liked & she pulled several similar dresses from designers like Thread, Priscilla of Boston & Lela Rose. We sent Mary into the dressing room with about 10 dresses that she kindly modeled for me while I lounged on the couch. The Cynthia Rowley dress was the first one she tried on & I loved it just as much as I did when I first spotted it at Lovely Bridal Shop. However, I was surprised to like about three other dresses. Me, the one who feared I wouldn't be able to find anything stylish & affordable!!
I was going to send Mary back into the dressing room with the four top contenders when I realized I truly liked the Cynthia Rowley dress the best. It's simple, clean & pretty. Officially, the dress is described as cocktail-length, strapless dress with pleated bodice & matching sash. I still loved the unique "Smashing" purple color I had picked out ahead of time too. There didn't seem to be any point in hemming or hawing over the decision. I had her try it on again for confirmation & sure enough, I loved it. Bridesmaid dress: check!
Phew, I'm so glad the bridesmaid dress hunt is over! I want to thank Amanda for her help & advice. Of course, I have to thank my Maid of Honor for her patience & excellent modeling skills.
I went to Bella Bridesmaid open to anything & everything (well, almost everything: more on that in another post). In the end, I went with my first instinct. My Bridesmaids are going to look fabulous on our wedding day!
