This month, I am so excited to be telling you a little bit about the rustic romantic wedding of Sarah and Chris, at Pat's Barn, in Rensselaer, NY. Although not our first wedding, this is our very first real bride story at Blue Lily Magnolia and I am very thankful to the couple for this privilege. 

And what a beautiful story theirs is! Sarah, a middle school science teacher and Chris, who works for the state of New York, have been together for three years. "We got engaged on the beach in Savannah, Georgia, during a vacation last year. We love travelling together, especially to lesser explored locations both in cities and out in the country."

The couple loves being active (Sarah also coaches squash and girl's lacrosse), and dabbles in hiking, camping and kayaking. A barn location for their wedding was perfectly aligned with their love of the outdoor, and their mutual interest in wood working too. When they're not busy working or off on an adventure, Sarah and Chris love building together - the first things they built together were two Adirondack chairs!  

Their early summer wedding had a rustic and romantic theme. There were some very special moments: "Taking each others' hands during the ceremony to say our vows. Getting introduced as Mr. & Mrs. K. and going straight into our first dance." To keep to the theme, "Africa" by Toto was played for the last song and everyone on the dance floor joined in, singing along at the top of their lungs. An amazing way to finish off a beautiful day!  

We wish Sarah and Chris the very best for years to come, and hope that they continue to build together, explore together and create amazing memories together! 

--------------------------------

For the special day, we were very honoured to have supplied Sarah's bridal sash to complement her gorgeous dress, which is by Maggie Sottero. The bride's rose gold jewellery set (earrings and necklace) was from Arbjewelry on Etsy; the bouquet and boutonniere were by Flower Blossom Farm and hair/make-up by Ania Hair Studio. 

Wedding photos, taken by Paul Saunders Photography, have been kindly shared by the bride for this blog, with many thanks. 

Other Pat's Barn images are direct links from Pat's Barn website. 

It is always a pleasure to make things for brides and bridesmaids, whether they have already been pre-designed, partially custom-made, or totally bespoke. This summer, Blue Lily Magnolia is starting a new blog category, to share some real bride stories with you. If you have purchased something from Blue Lily Magnolia and would like to be featured, please get in touch!! 

Based in Chester and Nantwich, UK, Ateliers 5 makes gorgeous bespoke wedding dresses and occasion wear, starting from the design process to the finished item. Having developed a unique system of helping clients visualise what works best with them (Silhouette Styling System), this month, they share with us their top tips on how to discover your wedding dress style. 

The wedding dress is the piece de resistance in all weddings. The one thing that everyone awaits to be revealed in anticipation. The only thing that makes you stand out from the rest of the party, and the main thing that makes you look like the dream bride. But many brides-to-be find it difficult to find their style. It is easy to find beautiful dresses, but less easy to find beautiful dresses that suit your personality, body shape, wedding theme and make you look you, with an extra va-va-voom. At Ateliers 5, we work hard to try to do just that - making dresses that are not just pretty, but that suit everything. And here’s our top tips for you, when you’re trying to discover your own style.

1) Who do you feel most like in the public world, from a personality perspective? Who do you aspire to be? Check them out, and see what they wear at formal occasions or what they have worn for their weddings. Are there anything that they have worn that you like? By getting ideas from this type of inspiration, you can first get an overall idea of the personality based dress styles to start off with.

 2) Browse as many dress styles as you can - whether from magazines, or online. Keep cuttings or a Pinterest board. After a while, you will see a recurring pattern of the things that really pull you, and you can build from there.

 3) Keep an open mind. It is good to start with something in mind, but be prepared to try something a little different in a shop or studio. If nothing else, this will simply confirm your style. Alternatively, you might be pleasantly surprised by finding that something you never considered actually looks good on you and feels right.

 4) Take photos of yourself when you like something that you’ve tried on. This is especially important if there are several dresses or several styles that you love. You can always review them later on with friends and family. And don’t keep it just wedding dress photos. If you find a feature that you like in a fashion shop, e.g. a particular neckline, or sleeve, just snap away!

 5) Know your body and work with it. Be honest with yourself, and ask yourself what is your best assets and the body parts you would prefer not to be on show. If you don’t like your arms, don’t get styles that emphasises them. Likewise, if you love your slim waistline, find styles that would enhance that.

 6) Finally, make it fun! Finding your dream dress should be an enjoyable journey, so take it easy and take advantage of the pampering!

 Ateliers 5 will be exhibiting at the National Wedding Show in Manchester on the 22nd-23rd October 2016. Visit them at stand C12, and get a discount on booking your tickets by using the code below!