If you have to kiss a few frogs to find your prince, you probably have to kiss a few frogs to find your dress, too. I tried on over a hundred wedding dresses. Seriously. I really had no idea what kind of dress I wanted to wear, in part, because it took me over a year after getting engaged to find a venue. Take it from me that it’s nearly impossible to build a wedding wardrobe without knowing where you’re getting married. So, I took the first 12 months to hit all the major boutiques and designers that interested me to get a sense of the silhouette and general vibe that felt most comfortable wearing.
First, because I get this question often and hope it helps the bridal girlies, I’ll start with all of the boutiques that I visited in both LA and NYC: Monique Luhllier (LA), Danielle Frankel (NYC), Oscar de la Renta (LA), Reem Acra (NYC), Galia Lahav (LA), Vera Wang (NYC & LA), Carolina Herrera (NYC), En Blanc (LA), Spina Bride (NYC), Kinsley James (LA) and last, but not least, LOHO Bride (LA) which was the last boutique I visited and where I ended up finding my dream ceremony dress.
I do believe in synchronicity and find it more than just a coincidence that the address of the LOHO Bride boutique is 1111 North Formosa. Our wedding day had already been scheduled for 11/11/23 and when I entered the address in my GPS I’m sure I chuckled at the irony but didn’t yet consider it a sign…I originally sought out LOHO because I knew they had a few of the designers that I still wanted to try before I made a decision, including Dana Harel, Vivienne Westwood, Hermione de Paula and Sandra Mansour. And for the record, I had an early favorite gown at Galia Lahav that was living rent free in my mind as the one to beat but somehow I just couldn’t pull the trigger until I felt that I had exhausted every last resource in confirming that it was. So, my search continued until I was literally forced to make a decision before I would be charged insane rush fees and risk not having my dress in time for the wedding.
If there was one thing I learned from trying on so many dresses, it was that I wanted something dramatic, unique and unforgettable. I wanted something that felt like a couture gown that you would see at the Met Gala or on the red carpet but nothing that screamed this is definitely a wedding dress. If it’s helpful to understand my perspective, my favorite bridal moments include Carrie Bradshaw’s Vivienne Westwood moment, Hailey Bieber’s Virgil Abloh ensemble (although I knew the fitted lace silhouette wasn’t the right direction for me), Prianka Chopra and Lauren Bush, respectively, in Ralph Lauren and Kitty Spencer in in Dolce & Gabbana.
On my first visit to LOHO, my stylist nonchalantly pulled a gown for me and said “if you’re looking for drama, you have to try this one.” I didn’t think much of it at first but then I tried it on, paused, did a turn, took a selfie, looked up at my stylist and said… “Am I crazy? I think this might be my dress.” It was the first time I had been really, truly, intrigued and excited about a dress. It was a Dana Harel gown that, as it was originally designed, would have never been in consideration. Inspired by the 18th Century ball gows, the dress was made of mikado silk with a structured corset top and a billowing, draped skirt that had a super high, sexy slit for an element of surprise…but the original skirt wasn’t very long and the waistline not ideal for me.
As synchronicity would have it, LOHO had received a “mistake” sample of the gown that had been made with a 2 and a half meter train…this was the drama I was looking for combined with the chic, classic elements of a traditional ball gown. I’m still not totally sure how or why they received that special version of the gown but I knew it was the right choice because it was the first dress that made me giddy and a bit nervous to wear. To me, that felt like I was taking a risk and not playing it safe; like my husband, it just felt right.
I worked with Christy, the fabulous owner of LOHO and the team at Dana Harel to further customize my dress. Christy then connected me with the team at HOMA Bridal to craft a stunning 3 meter heirloom veil with antique french lace that would further enhance my wedding day look. I didn’t even know I was a veil person, but when I tried on my veil I truly felt that the look was complete. I paired it with a chic pair of Magda Butrym ivory silk pumps with a crystal embellishment, Verstolo diamond earrings, a pair of diamond and white gold bracelets that my mother-in-law gifted me on the wedding day and my look was complete.
I’ll end this post in the same way I started it: If you have to kiss a few frogs to find your prince, you probably have to kiss a few frogs to find your dress too. On my wedding day, I felt classy, sexy, unique, powerful, excited, confident and everything that I had wanted to feel. My advice to any bride is to really dig deep to find inspiration for the kinds of looks that you are drawn to and then come up with a few adjectives for how you want to feel in your dress on your wedding day. Try on as many dresses as you possibly can and don’t make a decision before you’re ready (or before you’re going to be charged some serious rush fees!). In the long run, when you find the right fit, you’ll be so glad you waited…for your prince and for your dress, too.
xo,
Tara
