Justin and I got married back in August, and the past seven months have been a whirlwind with family life, work, travel, the pets… there’s been A LOT going on! I still look back on our wedding week and have goosebumps. It was truly such a dream come true and some of our happiest, most cherished memories.
There is still SO much that I want to share… like our floral design, some special products I custom-designed for our wedding, the schedule of events… But it’s finally time to talk about MY WEDDING DRESSES.
Finding my wedding dress was 5+ years in the making… and I ended up with not one… not two… not three… not four… but FIVE different dresses. I started wedding dress shopping back when Justin and I first got engaged and tried on hundreds of dresses at a variety of bridal boutiques. It was so hard to choose. There are just so many beautiful dresses!!!
In the following blog, I’ve outlined each of my bridal looks, and then Adriana from Candè Bridal here in Kelowna is taking over the blog to tell the story of how my dresses came to be. I found my absolute dream wedding dress at Candè and I had the most incredible experience with Adriana and her team. They made my wedding dress dreams come true.
Before I let Adriana take it away, here is an outline of each of my dresses, so that the following story makes a little bit more sense!
My Rehearsal Dinner Dress
My Church Dress
My Farm Dress
My Reception Dress
My Party Dress
There you have it, each of my bridal looks from the wedding week of my dreams.
Okay Adriana… take it away!!!
Hi everyone! It’s Adriana from Candè Bridal Boutique in Kelowna, BC.
I’ll start by saying that nothing about the process of finding Jillian’s gown was ever what we expected. Before her appointment, she sent us her Pinterest board, and based on that… the gown Tori pulled for her during their first visit would have been the last one we imagined. Her board was full of colour and sparkle, but the dress that got her beautiful reaction was totally plain… high neck and long-sleeved.
In fact, her final gown ended up being fully customized, a combination of a few gowns we somehow managed to put her into all at once. Imagine her tiny little frame in a very full dress, layered on top of an even fuller dress that had the right top. That moment was the moment we realized the real Jillian was not at all how we expected her to be. We thought she would be hard to please, maybe because we knew she had gorgeous style, and I was definitely nervous. I’m the awkward kind of nervous that forgets how to talk properly and says the dumbest things at the worst possible times…
But Jill was so chill. So kind. She could tell this appointment was a big deal for us, and she made it so easy to fall in love with her personality.
Anyways, back to the dress… The gown Tori picked, the one everyone loved, gave us something we did not expect that day… tears of joy and an “I think this is the one.”
Like, whaaaat?
I had told myself that morning: I want to enjoy this moment and be grateful she booked at Candè. I don’t want to be disappointed if she doesn’t find a dress with us. But when I heard those words, I also heard one of the hardest things a consultant can hear from a bride who has fallen in love with a dress.
“I think this is my dress, but… I have a whole trip to Vancouver planned with my mom, so I will keep you posted.”
Jillian went to Vancouver, and we were glued to our phones watching her stories. I felt the same way I had so many times waiting for my daughter at a ski race, staring at the scoreboard, hoping her time was good enough to make it to the top.
And after days of hoping, while driving to work, I got the text that made my day, heck, my month.
“I just wanted you to know, that is my dress. So excited. XoXo.”
Are you telling me that Jillian Harris went to boutiques all around Kelowna and Vancouver and is actually saying yes at our boutique?
Yes. That was a day we won’t forget.
As I’m writing this blog, I’m sitting here remembering it all and giggling because I don’t think Jill knows just how much we loved the process. I don’t think we’ve ever shared this before, but because her vision was a combination of a few gowns, all different designers, we had to find the right designer to actually bring all the pieces together.
At that exact time, we were due to go to Milan to attend Si Sposa, and a Belgian designer we loved was going to meet me in person so we could finalize her design together. I had all the photos, measurements, and details ready. That trip suddenly became ten times more exciting for me.
Exactly one month before I was supposed to leave, while I was having a facial, the whole world stopped. I got the notification that the entire trip had to be canceled, and then the world crumbled in every possible way. March 2020 was not kind to us.
Months passed, and we decided to reach out to our Canadian designer, Lis Simon, to bring her vision to life. And they made it happen.
But that beautiful creation had to wait five long years to be tried on. Her gown sat in our closet far too long, and we always wondered if one day Jill would come back for it. Isn’t that funny?
I was ready to leave for the winter, so I texted Jill and said, I’m heading out for a bit, any chance you want to try on your dress and maybe decide what to do with it?
She replied, “Funny, we literally just got our new date… but I don’t think that dress is still the one. I should try it on though.”
So that’s what we did. She came with her girls. What a special moment. When she tried her dress on again, five years later, it was an instant yes. That was definitely the dress, and she loved it just as much, except now it fit.
Jill said she needed a church gown, and for some reason, I knew exactly what she would love. I pulled one lace gown and once again she said, “I love it so much, but I would want to add sleeves.”
Okay. That’s not a problem.
We got started. The dress was made while I was away for the winter, and we designed her sleeves over text. By the time I was back in March, the dress was ready to try on. We added the sleeves, lowered the back, and made her a cathedral matching veil in house.
We had done it. Her church gown and her farm gown were complete.
One of the last fittings was wayyyy too close to her wedding. Jill had a crazy schedule, and somehow her final fitting ended up being one week before the big day.
On that particular day, we were waiting for someone to bring her dress from the atelier. While we waited, my consultant Mariana decided to play a little game with Annie and her friend.
“Please choose your favourite gown and help me name it,” she said.
The girls were so excited. They each picked their favourites, and while all of this was happening, Jill spotted a dress and said, “Wait… how come I haven’t seen this before? This is beautiful. It looks like a gown I fell in love with, but better.”
Seven days before her wedding.
I thought she was joking. But we had time while her dress arrived, and I figured… what’s the worst that could happen?
Well. She was obsessed.
The dress was two sizes too big. It needed significant alterations. And we had one week.
Jill didn’t know what to do because the love was real. She called her mother in law, Melissa Pasutto, for advice, and she arrived within minutes. She loved it just as much and told her to do go for it, she should do what makes her happy. It was such a cute moment to see her being her accomplice in the perfect way.
Jill was in shock. I had no idea if I could pull it off. We ended the appointment with homework. She needed to decide if this was completely insane.
Within an hour of saying goodbye, I got the text.
“I loved that dress. So if you can make it happen for me… I’m saying yes. Again!!”
I texted Valentina, my alteration angel. Grabbed Jillian’s mannequin, yes, we made a mannequin with her exact measurements and it was our saving grace, drove it to Lake Country, and watched Val work magic. Overnight, she had taken it in. The next day, Jill tried it on in her size and got measured for the hem.
We went from one gown responsibility to making Jill’s church, farm, and party gown, two veils, Annie’s dress, and altering her bridesmaids’ dresses. So the last few days before the big day was quite crazy. Jill dropped off her entire wardrobe with us… Imagine being responsible for her entire wedding wardrobe. That was a big weight. I transported those gowns from the atelier to Candè to my house. They were under strict supervision until the big day. What if something happened?
Those dresses became my shadow. And the second I arrived at Jill’s house and hung them on the rack, I felt such relief.
I do think I have a favourite. Her church dress with the stunning low back, romantic lace, and scalloped edges was the perfect church gown. Her rehearsal dinner V. Champan 3/4 length dress was so elegant but effortless, the material was so light and the fabric had the most perfect settle rose prints. That was the perfect dress for changing into and enjoying that magical Italian poolside dinner.
But the farm dress will always be my favourite. It is so Jill. So delicate and romantic. Such an effortless statement. It was the dress that was always meant to be.
Jillian Harris is a woman who cares deeply about her family, and with that dress she included everyone. Her cousins were part of picking it. Annie had a replica made and even wore a veil. We stitched small pieces of her parents’ wedding attire into hearts Jill drew herself. That detail was so special.
The party dress she picked at the end was such a sweet moment between Jill and Melissa, almost like accomplices. I even wondered if Jill secretly hoped Melissa would talk her out of it to make things easier, but she encouraged her to do what made her happy. No regrets.
We saw every look come together that weekend, and we saw firsthand how she pulled off a magical celebration. She was the most incredible bride, present, joyful, including every loved one, and showering family, friends, and even vendors with love, care, and gratitude.
Justin and Jillian’s wedding was magical, many called it the “Royal Wedding” And we were just so lucky to be part of it.
I want to give a HUGE thank you to Adriana, and the team at Candè Bridal, for not only writing this incredible blog but also bringing my wedding dress dreams to life. I had the most amazing time working with these ladies throughout the years leading up to our wedding, and they made it such a beautiful experience for all of us. Adriana – You are extremely talented and kind and just the perfect human to help me along this journey. Thank you thank you so much.
To those of you reading, I’m so curious… which dress is YOUR favourite?!
xo
Jilly
Design & Alteration Credit:
- Rehearsal Dinner 3/4 length Gown by @vchapmanstudio
- Church Gown and Veil made in house by @cande.bridal
- Farm Wedding Gown by @lissimonbridal from @cande.bridal altered by @vals.alterations
- Farm Party Gown by @abellabride from @cande.bridal altered by @vals.alterations
- After Party Beaded gown by @vchapmanstudio
