Erin’s Wedding

Bride Erin decided that she wanted a dress that was totally customized for her wedding back in 2011 (she used to work at a bridal salon, so had a unique perspective on the world of wedding gowns). So after mixing and matching different styles from different gowns, she sketched her dream dress and sent it over to the gown designer to create! Read more about her custom wedding gown below.

When was your wedding and where did it take place?

I got married on November 6, 2011 at the Piazza in the Village in Colleyville, Texas.

How long did it take you to plan your wedding?

We had an 11 month engagement so used the whole time to plan and prep for the wedding. We got a head start on planning and booked our venue within a week of being engaged! To keep everyone organized, I made a timeline and checklist for myself, my mom and my groom.

When did you know that your wedding gown was “the one”?

Going in to wedding dress shopping, I knew exactly what I wanted because I had worked at a bridal salon. I had been looking at bridal magazines since I was in high school and had picked out different parts of dresses that I loved. I ended up getting my gown from Brides & Beaux in Colleyville, TX and although my dress was a Jasmine Couture, I was able to choose the neckline from one dress, the bodice from another, the lace detail from a third AND the fabric from a fourth dress. As you can see I’m pretty picky, so this was a big plus for me!

I ended up sketching exactly what I wanted, then sent it off to the designer and factory, hoping that it would come back perfect. Thankfully it did and I ended up loving my dress!

What is your absolute favorite memory from your wedding day?

My favorite memory is of having all of my friends and family together celebrating love, joy and family. We both have large families and close groups of friends, so it was such a joy to see everyone get along together so seamlessly! It felt like everyone had known each other for years. We continue to have people, almost three years later, ask us to have another wedding because it was so much fun 🙂 That is exactly what I wanted for my wedding.

Why did you want to get your gown cleaned and preserved?

I most definitely want to wear my dress again if given the chance! Otherwise, I hope for a daughter so that she can wear it one day. I don’t expect her to wear it on her wedding day, but her wearing it as a little girl would make for a very cute picture! Also, if I ever have a big enough house, I love the idea of displaying it in a huge frame or a shadow box. 🙂

Why did you decide to get your gown cleaned by a member of the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists?

My mom finally got her dress re-cleaned and preserved almost 30 years after it was first done. She went to Kite’s Wedding Gown Specialists and they did an excellent job with removing much of the yellowing and stains. She brought along a few other heirloom pieces to be refurbished as well, so I trusted them to take care of my wedding dress. Plus, they do everything in-house which is an added bonus!

Photographer credit: Static Sixx Photography

Andriana’s Wedding

Bride Adriana is proof that it’s always a good idea to get your wedding gown cleaned after your wedding–whether it’s 4 months later or in Adriana’s case, 4 years later! Read more about her wedding, dress and how Association member Kite’s Cleaners expertly cleaned her wedding dress years after her big day!

Tracy’s Wedding

Bride Tracy had her fall nuptials at a famous Texas location–the ranch where the original version of the TV show “Dallas” was filmed back in the 80s. When it was time to say yes to a dress, she was looking for a wedding gown that had both a vintage and country look to complement not only this wedding location, but also the cowboy boots she planned on wearing on her wedding day. Read more about her Dallas-themed wedding and dress below!

When was your wedding and where did it take place?

We got married on October 25, 2014 at the Ewing Mansion & Gazebo at the Southfork Ranch. This is where the original Dallas series was filmed and was the absolute perfect location for our wedding!

When did you know that your wedding gown was “the one”?

I knew the gown was “the one” as soon as I saw it in person. I was looking for a wedding dress that had a vintage look that also fit in with our country theme. The dress was an Alfred Angelo purchased from Sunday’s Bridal in North Richland Hills.

What is your absolute favorite memory from your wedding day?

I think I would have to say that my all time favorite memory from my wedding day was when my stepson got up and made an impromptu “Best Man” speech…and called me Mom for the first time, saying how proud he was to have me in his life. Needless to say there wasn’t a dry eye in the house, mostly mine.

Why did you want to get you gown cleaned and preserved?

The decision to preserve my wedding gown was actually my husband’s idea! He was very insistent about wanting it cleaned and preserved properly so that we would have it to remind him of the most special moment of his life, next to the birth of his son. I hope one day that I’ll be able to wear it again on a big anniversary and relive that moment together.

Why did you decide to get your gown cleaned by a member of the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists?

The decision to work with Kite’s Wedding Gown Specialists was an easy one–my amazing tailor Edward (from Tailoring by Rios) said they were the absolute best and would take perfect care of my gown. Based on the beautiful work he did, I absolutely trusted his opinion! They did a fantastic job on getting the stains out of the gown and I just love the preservation box where the gown is displayed.

Photography Credit: G. Shelle Photography

Jenna’s Wedding

Bride Jenna and her husband Richie knew what they wanted for their October nuptials right from the beginning–in fact, they started planning their dream wedding 4 months before they were even engaged! Read more about their wedding and how Kite’s Wedding Gown Specialists in Fort Worth, TX expertly cleaned and preserved her gown!

When was your wedding and where did it take place?

Richie and I got married on October 11, 2014 at the Arborlawn United Methodist Church in Fort Worth, TX. We had the ceremony at Doss Heritage and Culture Center in Weatherford, TX. How long were you two engaged? We were engaged for 7 months before the wedding, but actually started planning the wedding 4 months before we were engaged. We knew we were going to get engaged so we figured we’d get a head start on the planning!

When did you know that your dress was “the one”?

I took my mother and maid of honor dress shopping with me one day and in the midst of trying on several dresses, my MOH came into the fitting room with a gown saying that my mom was in love with it and really wanted me to try it on. I initially didn’t like it at all (totally wasn’t my style) so I refused. My mom came in and begged me to try it on–she really, really wanted to see how it would look on me. I finally caved and tried it on to make her happy. To my shock and surprise, when I came out of the dressing room I instantly knew it was the one! As the saying goes “mother knows best”!

Raven’s Wedding

How did you and your husband meet?

We met right after college through a mutual friend.  I went to Akron University and he went to Kent State in Ohio and our colleges were only 20 minutes apart and we hung out with a lot of the same people, but never met until after college. 

How did he propose?

He took me to painting with a twist in Grapevine and proposed after we finished painting and taking our group picture I came back to my easel and there was a painting with sunflowers and a banner that said “will you marry me?” I turned around to find Todd on one knee and asking for my hand in marriage.

How long did it take you to find your gown and how did you know it was the right one?

Todd proposed to me in 2012 and we did not tie the knot until august of 2016 because I was in graduate school from jan 2013-august 2015. I had been trying on dresses for 4 years. I had tried on hundreds of dresses, so I knew what I liked and did not like. I have always loved the designer Jenny Packham and when I found out she did a bridal line I began looking into her dresses. I found the first dress at stanley korshak and fell in love with it as soon as I put it on. It had a neckline like I had never seen on any dress. I loved how it was silk and flowed yet had a beautiful amount of intricate crystals and the back jewelry sealed the deal. I happened to go to davids bridal looking for a bridesmaids dress for my friends wedding, when I found out that Jenny Packham did a bridal line for them. I saw one of her dresses on the mannequin and knew that I could not live without that dress. It was beautiful with jeweled cap sleeves. It was so simple yet so elegant at the same time, so it was decided at that point that I would wear two dresses. 🙂

What did he say at first look?

He was looking up to the sky trying not to cry and when got himself together he looked at me is mouth dropped open and he said “I don’t think you can look more beautiful than you do at this moment right now, how did I get so lucky” and then proceeded to spin me around like a princess.

What is your favorite memory or what stands out most about your wedding day?

During the ceremony we were saying our vows and Todd reached over to wipe a tear off of my face. It was such a sweet gesture and truly demonstrated how much he cares and wants to always show me that he is there for me.