Kara’s Wedding Gown Preservation in Connecticut

Bride Kara decided it was only fitting to include food into her wedding day when she married Christian, who happens to be a chef! Read more about her special day and see the unique touches she made to incorporate food into her intimate wedding in our Q&A below!

When was your wedding and where did it take place?
We were married on March 8, 2015 at the New Haven Museum, followed by a reception at ROÌA Restaurant in downtown New Haven, where my husband is the sous chef. Food is such an important part of our lives; it only seemed fitting to include food in the details of our wedding. The handmade bouquets, boutonnieres and centerpieces were so beautiful—but not necessarily easy to work with. The dill wilted right before the ceremony and we had to take them all apart to redo them. Fortunately, they turned out perfect in the end!

 Bride Kara’s bouquet was handmade, consisting of an artichoke at the center, kale, dill and some beautiful flowers. The boutonnieres were handmade as well, all lined with cinnamon sticks, sage, rosemary, and juniper berries.

When did you know that your wedding gown was “the one”?
The dress I chose as “the one” was actually the first dress I had ever tried on. It is a beautiful dress by Liancarlo that I purchased at A Little Something White in Darien, CT. I knew instantly that it was perfect—I felt like my consultant could read my mind when I described what I wanted!

What is your absolute favorite memory from your wedding day?
All of my husband’s family is from Denmark so we had about fourteen people total fly in to join my family here in the U.S. I absolutely loved watching both sides of our family work through language barriers and have a blast enjoying the special day together.

 Each table centerpiece was handmade by Bride Kara and others from her wedding party; the accent of artichokes was continued here, placed amongst beautiful white flowers as a small, unique touch at the reception.

Why did you want to get your wedding gown cleaned and preserved?
I don’t keep many keepsakes, but this dress is one of my most favorite possessions in the world. For me, it represents one of the happiest days of my life. I wanted to get it cleaned and preserved because I’d love to be able to show it to my future children and maybe even have a daughter wear it someday.

Why did you decide to get your gown cleaned by a member of the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists?
I did a lot of research because I wanted to make sure that the cleaning and preservation was done right. I decided to get my gown cleaned by Orange Restoration Labs because they fit that bill perfectly—and I couldn’t be happier with the result!

Photography Credit: Kelly Prizel Photography