Who or what influenced your wedding day style? Did you have a wedding planner or stylist help you plan your look or did you rely on your own fashion sense?

I styled myself for my wedding day. It sounds odd, but when selecting my wedding dress, I was heavily inspired by the simple day dresses and nightgowns my mother wore around the house when I was growing up. They were soft and flowy, very feminine. I used to look at pictures of her and her sisters when they were teenagers growing up in the ‘70´s and they were all about the free silhouettes, which were very popular for dresses of that decade. Her own wedding gown was very bohemian chic, and I´ve always loved it. Funny enough, I think she originally wanted my wedding dress to be big and grandiose – the total opposite of what I chose. My dress, the “Sutton” gown from the Christos bridal line, was designed by Amsale Aberra who is the queen of the simple and elegant wedding frock.

When it came to the accessories, however, my inspiration was the Golden Era of Hollywood, when actresses exuded grace, style, and glamour through the silver screen; I took my inspiration from them.
There was just a hint of that era in my dress with the single piece of chiffon that draped over my shoulder – I instantly thought of one of the old Hollywood Starlets, Gene Tierney, when I tried it on, so I took that theme further with my birdcage veil, which was handmade in London. I ordered it through the AgnesHart shop on www.Etsy.com. It was so decadent, made from velvet and silk, and it had the prettiest sparkling broach attached to it.

Adorn offers a free personal style consultation for brides to assist them in selecting compatible jewelry for their wedding dress. Describe for our brides your decision making process and how you were able, on your own, to choose jewelry that complemented your overall bridal look.

Because my wedding dress was such a simple style, I knew when it came to the jewelry, I had to go big or go home, so I turned to Adorn. I wanted my accessories to translate GLAMOUR… mission accomplished!

There were also two factors to consider -one was balance: simple dress, for me, meant over the top jewelry. My dress was understated so my jewelry had to be anything but. The second factor I kept in mind, was which features I wanted the jewelry to highlight. I really wanted pieces that brought attention to my face, neck, and collarbone, so I went with a short birdcage veil for the reception, long bold earrings (Adorn’s Lockwood earrings), and, instead of a necklace which would have covered my chest, I opted for a big bangle (Adorn’s Chadwick bracelet) for a little extra bling. I felt it was also important not to match the pieces. I think it made for a much more interesting look when the eye has different patterns and styles to look at.

How did your style translate to other aspects of your wedding and provide continuity? Groom’s attire? Bridesmaid dresses? Venue location and decor?

Our style is vintage inspired but also laid back and fun, and we added several touches from our culture.

You can see our love for vintage in the accessories I wore plus in my husband´s choice of wedding apparel. I think my husband put as much time on selecting his attire for our wedding day as I did in picking out my wedding dress. Suits today tend to be boxy. He went for a more European cut, and he opted for a tuxedo. He also used classic accessories including, a tie bar and a pocket square. I was so blown away when I saw him. He looked so handsome and classic. Nothing showy or colorful, it was such a clean yet masculine look. It was like watching James Stewart at the Academy Awards.

In honor of our Hispanic heritage (He is Colombian and my family is from the Dominican Republic), our first dance was a salsa, and our signature cocktail for the day was my sister-in-law´s recipe for Coquito, which is Latin American Eggnog.

Our laid back, fun side showed in the venue we choose, a barn. Our venue was the Round Barn Inn Bed and Breakfast in Waitsfield, Vermont. We added a touch of glamour by using bold red table cloths, but mostly, we just let the rustic wood floor, the sunlight (which poured in through all the windows), and the super high ceilings be the focal points. Like my dress, our bridesmaids´ dresses were also very flowy and feminine; they were knee length navy chiffon dresses. Our groomsmen wore charcoal suits with a modern cut. Nothing was matchy-matchy. Our bridesmaids wore blue, our groomsmen wore grey,the groom wore black. We didn´t want our bridal party to be a huge declaration of our wedding colors, we just wanted things to complement each other and go together well; it seemed less forced that way. In keeping with this carefree spirit, we didn´t take ourselves too seriously – the wedding took place a week before Christmas so we had to invite two very important A-list celebrities to the affair for the kids – Mr. and Mrs Claus. Let me tell you, it´s hard not to be upstaged by Jolly Old Saint Nick!

I think all of this translated to a wedding that was heavily personalized, classically inspired, and above all, a ton of fun.

How would you describe your normal, everyday clothing style?

I´m very practical with my clothes. I go for very basic pieces like a white t-shirt, but when it comes to accessorizing, I don´t play around.  I love hats, big bracelets, and flashy earrings. I also love vintage dresses from all eras, but especially the 1940´s and 50´s. You could stick me in anything designed by Ceil Chapman and I am happy as a clam.

It’s often difficult for brides to combine their personal style with their visions for a wedding. How were you able to merge the two together so successfully?

It´s a lot of fun to try on dresses and jewelry with our moms and our closest girlfriends, but it´s also important for brides to hit the shops on their own as well. There can be so many options and opinions to consider, sometimes it can be a little overwhelming. Going to at least one dress shop alone can really help you zero in on what it is that you truly love.  Also, it´s important to understand from the start that there is a very good chance the vision you have in your head about what you like may not look so great in person. Try on all different styles to really get a feel for what looks good on you. I went to several shops alone and I ultimately selected pieces that met two criteria 1. Did it look good on me? And 2. Did it complement all of the other pieces? In the end, my look was very different from what I originally thought I wanted. You have to be honest with yourself and go with your gut.

How long did it take you to plan your wedding?

We were engaged for about a year, and I would say we were doing wedding related planning up until a couple of days before our wedding, but to be honest, we had everything selected within a couple of weeks of getting engaged. It was just great to spread out all of the various wedding to-do´s over the entire year. It was much less overwhelming that way and a much more enjoyable experience.

Planning a wedding consumes the life of an engaged woman. Reflecting back on your wedding, is there any advice you have for our brides, either in general, or in terms of planning the bride’s look?

I would say, when it comes to your look, don´t listen to anyone else´s interpretation of how a bride “should” look. If you are edgy, be an edgy bride, don´t worry about being different. Look at pictures and read articles from sources like the Rock N´ Roll Bride Blog; you will find you are in good company. Kat Williams is a genius. If you are a princess at heart, let the look be grand and regal, don´t hold back, don´t play it safe – grab a copy of Hola Magazine and find some inspiration.

That philosophy goes for the groom as well. His suit should express his personal taste and style and be tailored to his body, which is why I also feel strongly that the grooms suit should be purchased and not rented. I´ve met so many grooms that feel they have to rent their tuxedo or suit because they worry about never wearing it again. No bride ever worries about whether her wedding dress will be worn again. It´s a special day not just for her, but for him as well, and there are many great suit makers that work for any budget. I say, forget trying to find a vest that matches the tablecloth perfectly – pick up a GQ and check out all of the options available to reflect his personality. Your guests aren´t there to see just any old bride and groom marry, they want to see YOU as a couple, so don´t be afraid to deliver the goods.

Is there a correlation between your wedding creativity and the line of work that you’re in?

 I run my own event planning business, Luli Meets Tulle. We offer a rather unique service that has been gaining popularity – helping to style brides, grooms, and bridal party members for their big day. It´s amazing how much time is spent on making the centerpieces look amazing. Equal time should be spent on helping the Mother of the Bride look radiant. I meet with couples, find out what their style is, and I help them select the perfect ensemble for themselves and the most important people in their lives. I love my job.