{Real LWD Bride} Jenni's Elegant Broadmoor Wedding

Jenni and Brett's wedding at the Broadmoor on Memorial Day weekend was nothing short of an elegant and heartfelt affair, as is so evident from the touching images from Jared Wilson Photography. From a sweet and emotional 'first look' to the decadently adorned Broadmoor ballroom, we are seriously smitten with this LWD bride's wedding. Jenni found her ivory trumpet gown by Matthew Christopher Bridal Couture (aptly named the 'Moet' gown) at Little White Dress Bridal Shop. She described to us how the gown fit into her vision for her big day and told us about her emotional experience finding The Dress.

How did you choose your gown? Tell us about the process of finding your gown and about your experience at Little White Dress.

The experience for me of finding a dress was bittersweet. My Mom passed away roughly six years ago and I was reluctant to go through this process without her. But, I was fortunate enough to have my best friend, Kim, fly in from Tampa to help me. As fate would have it, my Mom's name was Emma and the person at LWD that helped us was also named Emma so I knew from the start it was going to be a good experience. 

I sat down with Emma and showed her dresses from magazine that I liked and that I thought would look good on me. We also discussed budgets and possible accessories. I tried on several different dresses in different styles, lengths, etc...including dresses that had flowing skirts, long trains, ruched/pleated fabrics, dresses with bling, without bling, etc.

While I liked many of the dresses that I tried on, nothing felt like the 'one' and I had been told that you 'just know' when you put on THE DRESS...no pressure or anything. We were about finished when one dress caught my friend Kim's eye. It was pretty, but not a style I had imagined for myself. She said to me...you might as well try it on while we are here. Well, that was it...it was THE DRESS. It was a beautiful ivory trumpet style dress with pleating on the top and the bottom.  It was strapless which made me a little uncomfortable, but then when they showed me a picture of the dress with custom 'cap sleeves' that matched the pleating, I was sold. 

As I thanked and hugged Emma goodbye, I cried because I had not only found the perfect dress, but I also felt like my Mom was with me through it all....

Did your choice of the Broadmoor for your venue affect your decision on the gown? How did your gown tie into the overall vision for your wedding?

Since we had already chosen the Broadmoor for the venue, I knew that I wanted something that would blend in with the beauty of the Broadmoor, but also have a look of its own. I also sort of knew that the color scheme would include deep reds, ivories, golds and perhaps some brown so I was leaning towards an ivory dress, not a white one. 

How did you feel in your dress on your wedding day?

Since I went with a form-fitting, trumpet style dress, I was nervous about my figure how I would feel, but I felt very comfortable and beautiful. The seamstress had put extra boning in the sides to help the fit so sitting down was a bit of a challenge, but I learned that there isn't really any time to sit on your wedding day...so that was not a problem. In addition to the dress, I wore cowboy boots. I knew trying to deal with sandals or high heels on this important of a day, would not work...I am not the most graceful person. The dress length worked perfectly with the boots showing just a hint of the toe as I walked and danced.

What is your advice for brides looking for their wedding gown?

The advice I would give is to do some initial research before shopping...look at styles, and colors, but definitely keep an open mind. I would never have walked into the store asking for a trumpet style dress because I didn't think it would flatter my figure. Also, a dress on a hanger looks completely different than a dress on YOUR body. So, you just never know.

Also, just have fun...this is your time and you should enjoy every possible minute of it. Surround yourself with positive people that will be honest (but not brutally honest).

Thank you, Jenni, for sharing your wedding day with us, and thank you to Jared Wilson Photography for the beautiful images!