Our real bride Alexandra has most graciously written a blog for us regaling her wedding planning experience during Covid-19 and how she found her perfect bridal gown at Valencienne.
A little bit about our girl Alex, she can light up any room, she has such an infectious personality, and it was pure pleasure to work with her and get to know her bride tribe and family through Facetime calls (à la 2020). Our time together was short but incredibly special.
It’s funny, sometimes when under pressure, and plans are put together quickly, you get the best results. You have no time to second guess yourself, stress out about little details or change your mind. Instead you just have to forge ahead and make the magic happen. Alex was faced with overwhelming challenges with the Pandemic, impending lockdowns, and had to quickly change her plans for a destination wedding to a magical country wedding. It was small, intimate, laid-back, and full of love and laughter, just like Alex and Daniel.
We adore our brides, and we wish Alex and her new hubby a wonderful life together filled with health, happiness, love and crazy adventures.
“You are the most beautiful bride and that dress is the most beautiful dress I have ever seen”
Daniel as Alexa walked down the aisle
Read more about finding the perfect dress from the bride herself!
They say what’s meant to be will always find a way and I believe that now more than ever.
My husband and I got engaged in November of 2019, we both wanted to skip the wedding craziness and elope somewhere beautiful (we were thinking Costa Rica), however 2020 had different plans for us. We knew we didn’t want to wait to start our life together so we were determined to find a way to get married in 2020. We went through many different phases of what we were going to do, backyard wedding, cottage wedding… then fate stepped in.
I came across the venue Belcroft Estate and immediately fell in love, even though I knew this venue was way out of our budget. I kept scrolling through their page fantisizing about how beautiful our wedding would be there and then I came across their micro wedding package and I immediately picked up the phone and called them. Daniel and I reserved our wedding date that day. We got the small and intimate wedding of our dreams at the most beautiful venue, and we were so exited.
Then the fun part starts, the part I wanted to avoid; planning a wedding. With a strict budget, COVID, and a 2 month timeline I had my work cut out for me. First thing of course was to find a dress, which seemed daunting because who finds a dress in 2 months? I had gone to a wedding expo back in January, before COVID had taken over the world, and remembered I had spoken with a lady who had an amazing talent not only for designing beautiful wedding gowns but also for taking vintage wedding dresses and recreating them into something new. I had my mother-in-laws wedding dress that was absolutely beautiful but definitely dated and I thought it would be the perfect dress. So I made an appointment with Kim and headed down to her shop with my mother-in-law’s dress in hand.
Once I met Kim I immediately knew she was a special person, talking as if we already knew each other we bonded over a shared passion for boating. After I put the dress on we discussed what I would want to do. Unfortunately the 2 month timeline was not going to give us the time needed. A part of me started to panic about finding the perfect wedding gown as I was skeptical about brides truly having that “say yes to the dress” moment. So I thanked Kim and was going to change back into my clothes and head home, but then Kim mentioned she had some dresses in mind for me. My friend and I decided we would have some fun and try them on, not thinking that the third dress I ever tried on would be the “the one”.
My friend grabbed a backless gown with a plunging neckline that featured a flowing, embroidered tulle detachable overskirt. It was stunning with floral embroidery and although I knew it was beautiful, I was ready to get in the car and go out on the water – but I indulged her and tried it on.
I had my moment.
The way that dress made me feel was indescribable. I began to picture walking down the aisle and how much I knew my husband would love this dress and then came the tears. It still makes me emotional to think about, it truly was fate. I told Kim this was the one and she assured me she could get the alterations done by the wedding date. Which she did, because she is incredible!
That dress was everything I ever could have dreamed of, simple yet so incredibly beautiful. I am so grateful that fate stepped in and I ended up at Valencienne that day. When I walked up the aisle my husband was overcome with tears (after he swore he wasn’t going to cry) and whispered to me “you are the most beautiful bride and that dress is the most beautiful dress I have ever seen”
Thank you Kim,
– Alexa
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Photography: SunMoon Media | Flowers: Rikki Marcone Floral and Event Design| Hair: Hair by Jennesa
|Makeup: Makeup By Julka | Location: Belcroft Estate |Dress: Valencienne Bridal