Ok, so maybe the bride didn't wear vintage...

I thought I should post a follow-up to one of my most popular article from back in September of 2013 when I wrote about whether or not a bride should consider wearing a vintage dress. Back when I was planning my summer 2014 wedding, my goal was to incorporate as much vintage - real and faux - as I possibly could without pushing my husbands modern taste over the edge. I wrote this article because I was on the look out for a vintage dress and figured there had to be other ladies out there in the same boat that I was in - turns out there were! 

In the end however, I was unsuccessful in my search. I just could not find a vintage dress that really made me go 'wow, this is it!'. I decided at that point to shift my search. I started looking for a modern dress that was designed with a vintage feel - it would be soft and romantic, with lace and a full skirt. Every store I went into, that is the description that I gave. If I thought finding a real vintage dress was hard, well, finding a look-a-like is not a walk in the park either. I visited many shops that had beautiful dresses, but - alas - they just didn't have what I was looking for. I don't think I even knew what I was looking for, I just knew that it would find me and it would be my gown. I was beginning to lose hope however...

After months of searching and quite honestly coming very close to not getting a dress in time, I finally found it! A wedding dress that checked all of the boxes. I chose an ivory, off the shoulder, lace Tara Keely gown (it also came in blush, but that just seemed like a stretch to me)

This dress stole the show! It is all I heard about for days and weeks following my wedding. Friends and family still comment on the day and always go back to that dress. I think what made this dress so memorable (besides how great I wore it) was that it was unique. It wasn't anything like other brides we wearing and it really stood out - and that is exactly what I wanted. I didn't want to look like every other bride - I really wanted the dress to be 'me' and to look like it was made just for me. I think I succeeded :) 

In the end, the bride did not wear vintage, but she did live happily ever after...

Photos thanks to Alyssa Alkema

Should the Bride Wear Vintage?

Well it has been almost two months since I last posted (eek!) I got engaged and well, it has been a whirlwind of activities and of course, my blog fell to the side. I'm sorry!

I'm knee deep in wedding planning! We've got the venues booked, photographer chosen, wedding party selected and we even found our reverend. Next... finding me a wedding dress! Oh dear. 

I think the question I have received the most since being engaged is "Are you going to wear vintage?" Because I run my own vintage shop, most would assume that my wedding would have a lot of vintage inspired pieces... and it will... just not sure that I want it to be my dress. 

There are a lot of pros to wearing vintage! 

1 - Make a statement: Wearing vintage can really let you get creative and will definitely help you to make a statement on your wedding day. The fabrics are unique and the styles are iconic. 

2 - Show your personal style: Because vintage dresses cover so many decades of amazing styles and trends, you can easily find a dress that matches your personal style and the theme of your wedding. Maybe you're a fan of the 1920's flapper style cap veil or love the retro feel of the 70s. I personally love the post-war inspired lace!

3- Save on your budget: Vintage dresses can also be very affordable so it might be just the thing you need to help with that tight wedding budget. You might just find your perfect dress in your mothers closet! If not, shop at a thrift store; check your local paper for estate sales or garage sales; or shop online! There are many Etsy shops that offer beautiful vintage dresses at a great price!


In the end, your wedding dress needs to not only be a representation of who you are, but you need to feel beautiful and comfortable in it. If you're thinking of going vintage, get out there and find some local shops where you can try some on. You really cannot find a better made dress and the styles... well, they speak for themselves. As for me, well, I can't tell you what I'm going to do and even when I do pick my dress, I still can't tell you what I decided. For now, I'll leave you with some of my favorite vintage dresses that I will most definitely be looking for during my shopping trips!

I love everything about this outfit - the birdcage, the tea length dress and those shoes!

I would feel like Grace Kelly in this dress. Timeless and so beautiful!

There is something so sexy, yet classic about this look. Simply jaw dropping...

Love this tea length classic. Adore the lace and the bow.

UPDATE: Want to see what the bride ended up wearing? Check out this updated post!