If you're like me and haven't had your wedding planned since you were 4 years old (as you were too busy going through your "tomboy phase") and you've just started to plan it you're probably freaking out. Most likely you're hung up on one of these two things (or both);
The dress and the venue.
You might be asking yourself some of these same questions; what comes first? Do you pick your dress now? Or... do you first decide where your wedding is taking place? As it so happens I "accidentally" picked out my dress first. I couldn't help it. Like many other lucky brides I fell in love with the very first dress I tried on. I saved myself the stress of finding a venue by simply booking one here at the Island Grove Wine Company Formosa Gardens Vineyard; a venue that's close, elegant, familiar, formal yet casual, and right by Disney World. It's perfect! But hindsight is 20:20 and now I find myself thinking "is the dress I picked vineyard friendly?" and "what styles of dresses go well with a vineyard venue anyhow?".
Let's crack a bottle open (I recommend a Rosé, after all it is summer) and dive right in to do what we brides do best: over analyze.
I've only ever attended one outdoor wedding and I learned a crucial component. Although it may look stunning in pictures; wearing a lace dress at an outdoor venue requires special attention to avoid minor wardrobe malfunctions. My friend's dress was covered in pine needles that had seemingly sewn their way into the pattern she so loved. It took us an hour to get most of them off so she could show up to her reception without looking like a forest sprite. Now vineyards may typically be sparse of pine needles but they do have plenty of leaves and vines. Some of us, however, are just not willing to give up the lacy boho princess vibes of our dreams.
So what's the compromise?
- You could incorporate a bustle so that your dream dress doesn't drag up as much unwanted debris.
- Try a tea length dress so that it never actually touches the ground.
- You could even to take an extra (emphasis on "Extra") step and roll out a carpet to walk on, like the royalty you really are.
Whether it's recommended for a vineyard or not... isn't the whole point to find a dress that makes you feel etherial? For your wedding day to be as memorable and as special as possible? I mean, who doesn't want to look so gorgeous their husband faints or at least shed a tear or two? I'm pretty sure that's the whole idea. I knew if I didn't say yes to my dress I'd regret it. At the end of the day I feel confident that I picked the right dress regardless of the venue or what might be recommended by high-end wedding magazines. If you're in love with the dress then it's not a mistake. Any dress that feels like it's the right dress probably is.
For those who want to know where I got my dress: it's from Brides Of Florida in Miami.
Island Grove is a beautiful canvas for event planners and florists to work their artistic magic. This venue can be turned into any theme imaginable. So the dress doesn't need to match the venue, you can simply make the venue match the dress. We can relax now, let's finish up the rest of that Rosé.