Laura’s Wedding Dress Preservation in Florida
Real Bride Laura had her Uncle, a doctor of Divinity from Duke, officiate her wedding; a longtime dream come true! She wore a stunning Paloma Blanca 2-piece ball gown, and Association member Oceanside Cleaners (Florida) did a fantastic job preserving it for her afterwards.
When was your wedding date?
Saturday, January 28, 2017.
What was your wedding location and venue name?
The Ribault Club.
Who is the designer of your gown and where was it purchased?
Paloma Blanca – Style 4667. Purchased from the White Magnolia.
When did you know that your gown was “the one”?
I walked into the White Magnolia and my dress was on one of the mannequins. I immediately laid eyes on it and said, “I have to try that dress on” before I even introduced myself to the bridal stylist I was working with! I tried the dress on first and gave a few others a try, but I knew which one my heart belonged to before I even tried it on. I did do some minor adjustments to the dress, as the original style was meant to be a crop top, so we made the top pieces a bit longer to come down to the skirt.
What is your absolute favorite memory from your wedding day?
I have so many wonderful memories, it was — all in all — a perfect day! I think my favorite memory from my wedding day was the ceremony. I think it was so genuine and special. Having my Uncle, a doctor of divinity from Duke, officiate our wedding and bless us was so special. It was the perfect foundation and start to our marriage.
Why did you want to get the gown cleaned and preserved?
I chose to have my gown preserved and cleaned because it is my hope that one day my daughter or daughter-in-law will be able to wear this dress. I do understand styles change and this may not be the wish of my daughter/daughter-in-law, but a girl can dream! I think a lot of it has to do with the fact I wanted to wear something of my mom’s or mother-in-law’s, but to be honest, neither of them even knew where their dress and veil was. Fortunately, my dress is beautifully preserved so I don’t imagine I could ever lose the big box!!
What made the wedding ceremony feel extra special?
My ceremony was special to me. Having my Uncle marry us was so neat to me. I always wanted the honor of having him marry my husband (whoever that was going to be) and me.
My husband and I are obsessed with the Dan Band version of “Candy Shop” from the Hangover. My parents said “absolutely not” to me trying to get it played during the reception. So, when all of our guests went to get ready for our sendoff, our amazing DJ played the Dan Band version of “Candy Shop” for my husband and I! Silly, I know!
Dancing with my dad was also very special to me. Even though I kept stepping on his feet and he kept telling me what a terrible dancer I was!
We truly missed not having our late grandparents with us on our wedding day. I was particularly close to my grandmother and we often spoke of what my wedding day would be like. I always longed for her to see me get married, but unfortunately, she passed away in 2015. My Aunt ended up wearing one of my grandmother’s beautiful gowns that my great-grandmother made for her, which I found to be very special.
Overall the day was perfect and just what I had envisioned. I wish it wouldn’t have gone by so quickly!
Photographer credit: Stephanie W Photography