My wedding dress. It was everything I dreamed of – the classic princess look, a sweetheart neckline, an A-line silhouette, and a hoop skirt that added just the right amount of drama. It was the perfect dress for the perfect day, but our wedding day wasn’t just a single moment in time; it was the beginning of a beautiful journey, and I wanted my dress to reflect that.

Photography: Charissa Magno

So, on our honeymoon I decided to start a tradition: on every odd year, I’d alter my wedding dress, each change symbolizing a new chapter in our lives. This year, year nine, marks the culmination of that tradition.

Year 1: Settling In

We were settling into married life, building our home together. The hoop skirt felt a bit too formal for our everyday, so I took it out, embracing a more casual, comfortable look. We celebrated in La Jolla, San Diego, the perfect relaxed start to our adventure.

Photography: Charissa Magno

Year 3: Sophistication

As we grew as a couple, I wanted a more sophisticated look. The straps were removed, and an illusion top was added to the bodice. Our trip to Point Reyes that year was equally sophisticated and beautiful.

Photography: Charissa Magno

Year 5: High/Low

We were halfway through the decade, and we were finally deciding to try for babies. I actually got pregnant with our first son the following month! The dress reflected the dramatic change with the biggest change yet, a high/low skirt and a ribbon at the waist. Our trip to New York was definitely a high!

Photography: Kylee Yee

Year 7: Short and Sweet

Life was getting busier with a little one, and we were finding joy in the simple things. Off came the ribbon, and the train was cut to create a short length all around. Our trip to San Francisco was short and sweet, just like the dress.

Photography: Scott and Dana

Year 9: Motherhood

This year, the final year of the tradition, was all about family. After having our second son I transformed the dress into a top and brought back the sweetheart neckline. A neutral color ribbon was added to the back and I had our boys’ names printed on the tails. This symbolized my journey into motherhood, the most beautiful change of all. We celebrated with an overnight in Calistoga, a perfect, peaceful ending to this chapter.

Photography: Liz Zimbelman

Why Odd Years?

Why only odd years? First, I’ve always loved odd numbers. Second, there’s only so much you can do with a dress! I wanted to make it to year nine so I could do something completely different for year 10. Lastly, these shoots are a considerable expense, both in time and money. The planning, fittings, and location scouting are intense! Plus, each shoot was a fantastic excuse to take an anniversary trip, cementing the memories within the tradition.

Now that the tradition is complete, I’ll keep the top as a memento, something I can still wear if I choose. I never wanted my dress to sit in a closet. I loved our wedding day so much, and this was my way of reliving it, in a new way, every other year.

Preserving your dress is one option, but it’s not a rule. It’s your dress, to do with as you please. I certainly wasn’t planning on selling mine so this was my way of celebrating the gown.

This tradition has been a beautiful way to celebrate our love, growth, and the ever-changing journey of life. It’s a reminder that while things around us may change, the love we share remains constant, strong, and beautiful.

Photography: Charissa Magno

We’re so happy to showcase our new look! After starting this business in 2016 and creating our website on my own, I left it stagnant for years especially after business started to take off. Our poor site and other visual tools were neglected and severely out of date. Worst of all it no longer reflected our work and where we stand today. I decided enough was enough and it was time to invest in this side of the business again. Seven is my favorite number and 2023 will be our 7th year in business, so I thought kicking off this year with a brand new look was a perfect way to start the 2023 season. So much love and time went into this rebrand. It shows some of our most recent work, paints a clear picture of what we do, what we stand for and it’s sprinkled with some of the kindest words written by our lovely clients. Click through the site and if you are curious about our free 13 page planning guide please subscribe to our mailing list. It’s jam-packed with valuable information to help you start your planning journey, and it’s our gift to you. Thanks for taking time to visit! 

My husband David and I have been together since 2009. We started dating a year after we were introduced by close friends. No, it wasn’t love at first sight, we needed time to prepare our hearts and minds for what would happen next because after we started officially dating I knew 2 weeks into it that this would be the man I’d marry. I didn’t tell him of course, but I did accidentally say I love you first. So embarrassing, but a story for another time.

We dated, became official and the rest is history. Since we were so young (there is a 6 year age difference between us) David waited a little over 5 years to propose, which was good because like most relationships we had lots of maturing and growing to do. He proposed in Lake Tahoe, we got married in Napa and now we have two boys!

We live in a small farm town near Sacramento, CA and have another home in Tennessee near Nashville. David and I love to travel when we can, but we are mostly home working. At the end of most days, after putting our kids to bed, that’s when we spend most of our time together talking about our day, catching up on our shows and sometimes drinking really good wine. We strongly believe in the concept of marriage and what it adds to our lives, which is why I think I have such a strong passion for weddings. Marriage isn’t for everyone, but it is for us. I can’t imagine life without him. I feel so blessed each day that I get to see him and talk to him about all the boring and exciting things we have going on. I can’t wait to see where life takes us!