A non-froofy Disneyworld wedding

Okay, ESB! Our beyond awesometastic photographer finally blogged our DisneyWorld, non-princess-and-puffy-tulle-dress wedding.

It was thanks to you that I had a last minute, beyond awesome coverup for my dress (a brown leather jacket from Fossil). My purple dress was also last minute; I'd had a cream-colored, floorlength JCrew (ahem) dress in the closet for several months. I woke up one day and realized that I hated it. So, with the help of my fiance (who did not actually see me in the dress until the wedding day), I found a purple dress online at Nordstrom. It was totally me. And yes, I wore tights. It's my thing in real life (dress, tights, and boots), so I thought, why the hell not? And I wore my great-grandmother's pearls with a hair clip from Etsy. My glasses were on my face because I can't see without them. No contact lenses for me in real life, so again, glasses it was on the wedding day.

We went about planning our wedding as a "let's just pick individual elements that we love and hope it comes together" way. At one point I had an idea board, and then I realized that our wedding was not a photo shoot (thanks again to you), and just started to roll with single decisions. The folks at DisneyWorld made it all happen. We aren't cool, indie, hippie people who look like they walked out of a Todd Selby photo. We are just us. So we went with that.

We had a billion colorful balloons because Casey proposed to me on a trip to the International Hot Air Balloon Festival, donuts instead of a cake after we realized we don't even like cake, confetti cannons just because they are fun, and we drove away in a bicycle rickshaw that we pedaled ourselves because I hate limos and paying a thousand bucks for a vintage car that would take us around the parking lot was beyond ridiculous. Oh, and we were married on a Monday morning, which just happened to be Valentine's Day. Note the stark lack of lace and red hearts. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Our reception was outdoors, with a guitarist playing in the background, and we had a silhouette artist make silhouettes of our guests. Those were the favors. No DJ, no dancing. Just talking and beautiful weather and awesomely awkward family interaction and Jonathan Canlas, my favorite photographer in the world, capturing it all. [See more photos here.]

Our wedding day was better than I could have imagined. It was us, in every single way. It wasn't diy, or indie (does it get less indie than DisneyWorld?), but fuck that. My only advice to anyone getting married is to go with your instincts. Do what you want. Just because it's tradition doesn't mean it has to be in your wedding. And if you want to wear a colorful dress or even pants, then do that. I felt like a bride because I was *getting married* to my favorite person in the world, not because of my dress.

My husband and I both love your blog and irreverence. Keep it up, ESB.

-Jessica (one half of chesapeake and caseyfriday, aka the irritating Couple Who Comment on your blog)

I have just one thing to add: Jessica, you so ARE cool.

remember when I said I hated tights??

I may have finally jumped aboard.

Not for me, you understand... But for the cutie-pie who has the guts to rock this Carven taffeta bubble dress.

Dear Readers: Please help me shop (part one)

This one has been sitting in my pending box for too long:

got engaged about a month ago. i've known my fiance for 12 (i think) years. we grew up together and all that jazz. we are not into the whole huge ceremony wedding thing, so we are getting married in my parents backyard oct 9th by a friend and then having an amazing party all night long! no big ceremony, no first dance, none of that. not our thing. so i'm sure you see this coming i'm not really into a wedding dress. especially not long. i'm 4'11" and always feel weird in long dresses. i want a dress that i can wear again, but i won't look like one of the guests. short with (i'm so excited.. black tights and maybe ankle boots) nothing too formal since we will be outside all night. 

here's what i'm leaning towards. any thoughts or suggestions?

*****

Mkay. I'm not really feeling the Furstenberg. Nothing against Diane (love her), but that dress is crying out for bare legs and flat sandals, not tights and ankle boots.

How bout this Grainger Dress from French Connection? Could be slammin with a pair of black tights.

In the interest of full disclosure, I have to tell you I swiped it from Lauren, who is on the hunt for a bridesmaid's dress.

Frankly, I'm a little burned out on internet shopping. I keep keeping my eye out and I keep seeing not much that excites me. Has anyone else seen a TERRIFIC dress that fits the criteria?

(Hanger photo by Sandi Gunnett)

a short wedding dress for November?

Hi ESB,

What are your thoughts on a short wedding dress for a late afternoon-evening wedding---in early November---in Boston? We haven't picked our site yet (and I will wait to buy a dress until we do), but I'm hoping we'll go with this cozy, very low-key restaurant/bar we found that has exposed brick walls and lots of warmth. There is the obvious question of being chilly during transport, so I'm wondering what your take is on layering and bundling up while wearing a wedding dress.

I have been looking at some great full-length dresses, but I keep having this nagging feeling that a full-length dress is going to swallow up my body and I'll just look like I'm wearing a big white sheet. Also, this is pretty embarrassing, but I kind of don't want to feel jealous of all the other girls at my wedding who will be frolicking around the dance floor in their cute cocktail dresses.

Here's the sort of dress I'm interested in at the moment (it has black in it---is that bad?).

Thanks!
Meg


*****

Hey Meg,

I hope you'll forgive me for posting photos of the dress. Becauseitisfuckingamazing. I admire your restraint in not just buying the damn thing. But WELL DONE. If you suddenly took a 180 and decided to get married on the beach in August you might not want to go with sequins.

The dress is fucking amazing. (Did I say that already?) How could you not look fucking amazing in it? And you should absolutely follow your instincts. No reason to put on a big white sheet if you know you'd be happier in a cute (read: fucking amazing) cocktail dress.

Here's the downside: You really might be chilly. You can bundle up en route, nothing wrong with that. But even in a cosy restaurant, keep in mind that your ARMS AND LEGS will be BARE* and you will incredibly reluctant to cover up those sequins with a wrap. (Kind of like Halloween, when your mom used to try and make you put a coat over your costume to go trick or treating.)

But... Maybe you do not chill easily? It drizzled briefly during the outdoor cocktail hour at our wedding and I was so warm and happy with wedding feelings (and whiskey) that I ran around in my cotton dress and sparkly sandals and had no interest whatsoever in putting on my wrap.

love,
ESB

p.s. There's nothing wrong with a little black.

(Philip Lim sequined silk dress via Phillip Lim and NET-A-PORTER)

*I am still not on board with wedding tights.

Knee socks are the new tights

I mean, right? If I see another pair of tights I will die of boredom.

And I believe sexy, wedding-y dresses demand bare legs. Call me old-fashioned.

(Peonies and cevd have me thinking about this recently.)

Images courtesy of The Sartorialist, Wai Lin Tse, Saltwater via {frolic!}