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Real Weddings

May 9, 2013

Calling All Nordstrom Brides!

All the married ladies: did you find your wedding dress at the Nordstrom Wedding Suite? We love a good wedding story, and we’d be honored to share yours!

If you want to be featured on the blog in our Real Weddings section, email Nordstrom Wedding Stories and we’ll give you the details on what we need from you. It’s easy! And how cool to share your wedding story as an inspiration for other brides?!

P.S.: Photographers and wedding planners: you can submit a wedding too, at the same email address above.

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April 3, 2013

Real Wedding: Olivia & Jared

Olivia shares the details of her sunny, sandy Mexican beach wedding. Trust us, you’ll swoon!

The Proposal: Jared proposed to me in June of 2012. We were on a scavenger hunt in West Seattle, and Jared had the organizer add special clues just for me. He proposed in front of all our competitors!

I knew I would marry this man, so I had already purchased shoes that I’d been looking at for some time. They are beautiful electric-blue Badgley Mischka pumps, from Nordstrom, of course! Then the rest of the wedding planning began…



My Wedding Stylist: Heather Rose, Downtown Seattle Wedding Suite

The following Monday I went to the Wedding Suite to look at a dress I had seen online. The dress was beautiful, but I had to try on a few others while I was there. Heather found me a Theia couture gown to try just for fun, but I didn’t think it would be ‘the one’ as it was completely different from what I had in mind. My exact blue shoes were there in the Wedding Suite, so we got to see the entire look as I envisioned, with a long cathedral veil. To my surprise, I fell in love with the dress right away! I could see it in my mom’s and sister’s eyes too: it just fit. I bought the dress then and there.


Working with Heather was always an enjoyable experience when I went back for my fittings. She also helped find dresses for my bridesmaids and my mother. My mother wore an Adrianna Papell dress, while my bridesmaids wore Donna Morgan ‘Donna’ belted chiffon dresses.

All but one of us in my wedding party has at one time or another worked in Nordstrom cosmetics, so we did our own hair and makeup! I wore NARS bronzer in Laguna and highlighter in Albatross, Double Wear foundation from Estée Lauder, YSL mascara and YSL Touche Éclat Radiant Touch (a take-anywhere pen-brush for adding a touch of light). Laura Mercier was used for the rest of the look: blush, eyeshadow, concealer and brow filler. Nordstrom made it all very easy for us to prepare for our special day!


The Scene: October 29, 2012, at Casa Salinas II in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, at sunset

We wanted a beautiful beach wedding with us barefoot in the sand with our family and closest friends. Not seeing the venue beforehand meant no specific expectations and limited décor. All we needed was the ocean in the background, the sand at our feet and blue sky. Our theme was all white/light attire, guests included. My sister, Lacey Silbaugh, is a very talented florist. She knew we wanted bright, colorful flowers and she took care of them. They turned out beautifully.



That day ended up being the hottest of all the days we were there, and it was gorgeous! Most of our friends and family were staying at the villa, so we started out with a wonderful traditional Mexican breakfast, after which I ran off to get ready with my girls. This getting-ready time with my bridesmaids was one of my favorite moments. After the wedding I would be off to Vancouver, BC, to live with my handsome Canadian husband, so the girl time was essential!

Our photographer, Cozbi Hultz, was with us the entire day, giving helpful tips and making us laugh. The villa was the most beautiful place I have ever stayed, so we had many naturally pretty settings for our photos.


The guests started to arrive around 6pm to find cocktails waiting for them, then headed down the steps to the setting on the beach. The ceremony started with my twin three-year-old nieces handing out flowers and dropping petals in the sand, followed by my two nephew ring bearers. The music began to play as the bridesmaids followed the candlelit stairway to the beach, where their groomsmen waited to greet them.


I followed shortly after, meeting my father at the bottom of the steps. The aisle was distinguished by pebbles from the ocean, the setting was lined with tiki torches and the sun was beginning to set. My father walked me down the aisle, handed me over to Jared and walked up to the front to give a very memorable wedding talk. Jared’s father finished with a beautiful prayer.

The reception followed immediately after the ceremony. We had a delicious dinner with a salsa band playing in the background.


Our Special Moments: Our first dance was memorable of course, but the second was my favorite. Spontaneously we decided to dance in the shallow area of our pool to a song titled “Something Like Olivia.” It was so romantic!

There was plenty of dancing and, yes, many ended up in the pool by the end of the night. This was not on the agenda, but Jared and I were happy to have a fun event for us and our guests to enjoy and remember forever. We wouldn’t change a thing about our special day and we hope to revisit the wonderful Casa Salinas.


Photography by Cozbi Jean Photography. See more of Olivia and Jared’s wedding photos here!

Did you find your wedding gown at Nordstrom? We love a good wedding story! E-mail Nordstrom Wedding Stories for details about getting your wedding featured on our blog. And for more inspiration, make a complimentary appointment with a wedding stylist or browse our Wedding Suite.

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March 14, 2013

Real Wedding: Erika & Jason

We’re excited to share the summer wedding of Erika and Jason, taking place in our own hometown of Seattle!

How it all began: Twenty-two years ago, we lived just a few miles apart and never knew each other. Ten years ago, we lived just blocks from each other near the University of Washington and never knew. Four years ago, we met and, over the course of a couple of years, knew that we were supposed to be together forever. And now we’ve made it official with our wedding! Funny how those things work!

Through the years of dating, we’ve learned many things about each other. Some are profound, some pretty silly, but the most important thing we learned is that we belong together—as our personalities, our individual wills and our goals and aspirations in life are the ultimate complement to one another.


The scene: August 18, 2012, Pan Pacific Hotel, Seattle, WA

I chose the somewhat mixed theme of modern/vintage/whimsical/elegant because I love mid-century design, which I feel is evoked by the warm wooden walls of the Pan Pacific Hotel, but I also love eclectic and clean design elements, which we incorporated to make the venue feel fresh. I wanted the floral design to be seasonal and rich, so we used lemons for organic accents and a summery color palette of coral, gray, raspberry, light blue and butter yellow.

Instead of a guest book, we had vintage post cards from around the world, which we’ll now frame into a collage. Some of our other details included succulent favors in egg cups, lemon accents on the tables and trees at the altar, and Glassybaby candle holders. Wands with bells and ribbons were used to celebrate our exit!

Additionally, after having a very difficult year what with the passing of my father, we wanted to bring the summer to a close with a wonderful celebration that he so badly wanted to attend, with elements incorporated throughout the ceremony and reception that celebrated his memory, whether the guests were aware or not.


My look: I wore a strapless taffeta trumpet gown by Nouvelle Amsale. It had a gorgeous sweetheart neckline and an asymmetrical bodice with a full skirt. I absolutely LOVED my dress! One of my favorite moments of the process was trying on the dress and immediately being able to perfectly envision it in the aesthetic we wanted to convey.

I wore special jewelry around my wrist to celebrate family members who have passed away: a cross made of the diamonds that were in my grandmother’s wedding ring on a white gold chain and a locket with a tiny gold heart inside that my father gave me before he passed away in the spring of 2012.


My Wedding Stylist: Ari from the Downtown Seattle Wedding Suite

Ari was amazing. I felt like I had a girlfriend with me, helping me along the way, giving me honest feedback and support. She was extremely knowledgeable and made both my mother and me feel incredibly comfortable with the experience. Ari understood the feel and ambiance I was looking to achieve for the wedding, and she provided me with options that fit my vision with 100% accuracy.

I booked a Laura Mercier make-up artist through Nordstrom, and the day of the wedding, she did make-up for me, my mom and my bridesmaids. She was fantastic and provided make-up for each of us that was consistent with the fresh-faced look I was going for, but she tailored the look for each bridesmaid. I gave my bridesmaids Dogeared necklaces as gifts, each one with a different charm based on our friendship.

My mom loved her look, too. She wore a dress by Rachel Roy, Majorica pearl earrings, and a Judith Jack bangle. It was important for us that we work with local Seattle businesses for our wedding, and Nordstrom was one of those—it was one of the best decisions we made for our special day!

A favorite moment: Our wedding party was tasked with creating movie soundtrack-themed entrances for the reception: songs from Footloose, St. Elmo’s Fire, and Top Gun. Jason and I entered last with the Star Wars theme and our dogs dressed as Darth Vader and Princess Leia—a bit of cheesy fun that my husband was in charge of! We loved having our dogs be a part of the wedding processional, ceremony and reception!

Photography by JKoe Photography

Did you find your wedding gown at Nordstrom? We love a good wedding story! Email Nordstrom Wedding Stories for details about getting your wedding featured on our blog. And for more inspiration, make a complimentary appointment with a wedding stylist or browse our Wedding Suite.

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March 2, 2013

Real Wedding: Elizabeth & Adam

Elizabeth and Adam share how they filled their wedding day with the things they love most.

The Scene: October 20th, 2012, in Denver, Colorado

On our wedding day, the most important thing to us was to incorporate as many things and people we love as possible. Among our favorite things on Earth are family, friends, music, beer, food and having a good time with said favorites. We got married on the most beautiful Colorado fall day—October 20th, 2012—at Highlands Lutheran Church, followed by a reception at Space Gallery in the Art District of Denver. It was the most incredible experience in the world to share so many sweet moments with the most important people in our life—all in one space!

We have amazingly talented friends and family, and our wedding day was so lovely because they shared their gifts with us. Some of our favorite personal touches of the wedding day were:

  • our beautiful cake was made by a good friend
  • the bridal processional was arranged by another friend
  • two friends performed the song that I walked down the aisle to (“Somebody Loved” by the Weepies)
  • an original song was composed by a friend for our recessional
  • Reed Grimm and the Shoeless Revolution led an amazing dance party
  • pint glasses were designed by another talented friend of ours as favors

Our beer-themed wedding reception involved some of our local craft beer favorites as well as beer that was home-brewed by our friends. Serendipity Catering did an amazing job with our beer-pairing menu, which suggested craft beers to go with all of our food options. We choose to DIY the majority of our flowers and centerpieces, and I was blessed to have an army of women pull all of that together to make our day beautiful and just right. Our families have preceded us with an incredible legacy of marriage, and we honored them by having their wedding photos placed around the art gallery.

My Wedding Stylist: Stacey Kallenberg at the Nordstrom Wedding Suite in Lone Tree, Colorado

My visit to the Nordstrom Wedding Suite was far and away the best dress-shopping experience I had. It was my last appointment after a marathon day of dress-shopping with my mom, who had come in from out of town along with my cousin and aunt. Aside from the obvious reasons of wanting to get the just-right dress, there was an added desire to find the perfect dress: As a gift when I was in college, my maternal grandparents—who have since passed—gave me money so they could buy my wedding dress one day. It is, to date, one of the most thoughtful gifts I’ve ever received.

My stylist Stacey was extremely helpful and professional about listening to what I wanted and putting me in dresses she thought I might like. I found many beautiful dresses, but not The One until the very last dress I tried—a lace gown by James Clifford. It was a bit outside of what I thought I was looking for, but it turned out to be perfect! I never imagined feeling like a princess on my wedding day, as I’m just not that type of dreamer, but I really did feel beautiful.

Stacey made sure she stayed very, very accessible to me whenever I had questions or needed to get in touch. She also helped me with undergarments and gave great advice on both shoes and how to incorporate vintage jewelry that belonged to both of my grandmothers. The tailor I worked with was wonderful and worked within my time constraints to make my dress fit perfectly. The service at Nordstrom was top-notch, and I felt like I was in great hands during every step of the process.

Special Moment: The most romantic part of the day by far was when my groom surprised me by performing “The Luckiest” by Ben Folds. Be still, my heart! We accomplished our goal of throwing a great party to celebrate, and ending the day as the love of my life’s wife made the day perfect in every way.

Photography by Kevin Von Qualen

Did you find your wedding gown at Nordstrom? We love a good wedding story! E-mail Nordstrom Wedding Stories for details about getting your wedding featured on our blog. And for more inspiration, make a complimentary appointment with a Wedding Stylist or browse our Wedding Suite.

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February 21, 2013

Real Wedding: Jefferson & Ashley

Ashley shares the details of her big day—and her friendship with Wedding Stylist Christy.

The Scene: October 27, 2012, at Still Waters Vineyards, Paso Robles, CA

From the day Jefferson and I got engaged, we knew we wanted our wedding to be an intimate, fun and nontraditional event for our guests—all about family and our love of wine. By having a destination wedding at a small vineyard in California, we were able to bring that vision to reality. The day was a dream come true for both of us.

We wanted our family and friends to feel as though they were attending an amazing party with great food and wine. To keep the guest count low, we made the decision to invite only those people who were in our life on a regular basis.

We asked my uncle to become “Deputy for the Day” to perform our ceremony. He has been an instrumental person in our lives, and we couldn’t think of anyone else we would want to marry us. Also, because I am an only child and my parents have been my best friends my whole life, it was fitting to have both of them walk me down the aisle. It is a memory I will hold close forever.

We also included our golden retriever, Napa, in the ceremony. She was the “flower dog” and filled her role with great stride!

My Wedding Stylist:
Christy Weidner at The Wedding Suite in Scottsdale, AZ

From the moment I met Christy, I knew I would be working with her for all our wedding needs. We just clicked right away, and I knew she would understand my style and desired look for the wedding, even though I didn’t have an exact dress in mind. We had e-mailed back and forth a few times before meeting, so when I arrived for the first shopping experience she had several dresses picked out for me. Christy was extremely professional, an excellent communicator through the whole process, personable and such a happy person.

My Look: The dress was by Nicole Miller, the Off-the-Shoulder Portrait Techno Metal Gown. It had shades of ivory and metallic gold. I accessorized with the Nina ‘Claire’ veil, kate spade new york ‘gerbera garden’ bracelet, Nadri ‘Princess’ earrings and the Badgley Mischka ‘Madalyn’ pump.

The Nicole Miller was the fourth dress I tried on, and I immediately knew it was THE dress! I had never envisioned wearing a veil, but when Christy had me try on the Nina cathedral veil, it was the perfect pairing to complete the look.

Christy made the entire experience so fun for everyone. We had a few fittings that included family members coming along, and each time we were in the suite we felt so welcome and appreciated! Little did I know that when I went looking for my wedding dress I would find a lifelong friend. We had a large reception in Arizona after the wedding and were delighted that Christy was able to attend. She is an incredible stylist and has become a great friend!

Our Special Moments: During the ceremony we passed around a glass dish that has been in my family for a hundred years. It held our rings, and we asked each guest to say a blessing over them before we recited our vows to each other. The entire day was full of emotion as we saw our dream unfold with the people we loved around us.

We worked endless hours on invitations, programs, menus, games and favors. Jefferson and his father made wine for each person to take home, a special reminder of a memorable day!

Photography by Scott and Breanna Chanson, Radiant Photography by the Chansons

Wedding décor provided by Modern Revival

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February 14, 2013

Real Wedding: Scot and Alison

Alison tells us her sweet love story—from a St. Valentine’s Day “date” to her dream wedding!

 

My husband, Scot, and I met through mutual friends. It took us a while to warm up to each other, but one Valentine’s Day, we found ourselves alone at happy hour, where Scot made sure he clarified, “We are not on a date!” I agreeably responded, “Of course not!” Six hours of chatting and countless glasses of wine later—and a couple more un-dates over the next few months—and the rest is now history.

A whirlwind romance and a year later, and we were engaged at the end of winter. True to our relationship timeline, we didn’t want a long engagement, so we decided to plan a wedding for early the next fall.

The Scene: 9.22.12 at the Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa at Beaver Creek Mountain in Avon, CO

Leading up to the wedding, I was so stressed out over the final details. However, when the day arrived, all of the logistics and material details of the day just faded away. I just look back on the day and remember the amazing amount of love and happiness I felt at marrying my best friend and being able to celebrate with those we love most in the world.

My Wedding Stylist: Stacey Kallenberg at the Nordstrom Wedding Suite at Park Meadows in Littleton, CO

My Look: My gown was by Theia, with a belt by Nina. For the ceremony, I wore a veil by Nina, and for the reception, I wore a flower headpiece by Tasha.

I found my wedding dress much like I found my husband–in a complete whirlwind when I was least expecting it!

I was completely overwhelmed with the idea of wedding-planning, especially when it came to the thought of a dress! So many options! Without an official date set or any idea of venue, my matron of honor convinced me to go wedding dress-shopping on a whim one afternoon.

We dropped in at the Nordstrom Wedding Suite and made an appointment with Stacey. While waiting for our appointment, my friend pulled a gown she thought would be perfect. It was a mermaid style, and I just didn’t see how it’d work for me, but I promised to humor her and try it on. Much to my surprise, when I looked in the mirror, we all couldn’t help but squeal uncontrollably! The first dress I tried on was The One, and there was no turning back!

To finish the look, Stacey helped me pick the perfect accessories for the dress. I never imagined being so excited about my bridal look! It was then that the whole vision of the wedding came together, thanks to the dress—a classic, romantic look with a fun, modern twist!

A few months later, I brought my mother-in-law back for a styling appointment with Stacey.

That was the first afternoon I had spent with my mother-in-law, and we bonded while getting her fitted for a sparkly number for the wedding and picking out some fun cocktail dresses I could wear to other wedding events.

What with how incredibly overwhelming the wedding process can be, it’s invaluable to be able to meet with a personal stylist who takes the time to create a true bridal experience and who can help you complete your entire bridal look!

Our Special Moments: Some of my favorite moments of the day include a Breakfast with the Bride that my matron of honor hosted on the morning of the wedding. It allowed me to spend the morning relaxing with all of the women I love most in my life, all in the same room at the same time–it was so special!

Also, Scot and I decided not to do a “first look.” Our friends and photographers spent the day carefully crafting our movements so we didn’t run into each other on the property. It all made the build-up to the ceremony even more special. The moment we first locked eyes as I came down the aisle was priceless.

Photography by Anna Jones

Did you find your wedding gown at Nordstrom? We love a good wedding story! E-mail Nordstrom Wedding Stories for details about getting your wedding featured on our blog. And for more inspiration, make a complimentary appointment with a Wedding Stylist or browse our Wedding Suite.

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January 18, 2013

Real Wedding: Julia and Kevin Draper

Julia describes how she pulled off blending the traditions of two people of different faiths while building new traditions of their own at their sophisticated Ohio wedding.

The Big Day: October 27, 2012

The Scene: Greystone Hall in Akron, Ohio

Our Story: Kevin is Catholic, and I am Jewish, so we decided not to have a religious officiant. Instead, our mutual friend who introduced us got ordained and performed the ceremony, which was so special. Our ceremony was really personal, and we loved getting to customize it to include traditions from both religions as well as readings that were important to us.

The venue was an old Masonic Lodge built in 1917 that was simply exquisite, including hand-painted ceilings, marble detailing and a two-story ballroom. We wanted a sophisticated feel, but more importantly, we wanted our guests to feel comfortable, relaxed and have a great time. Our goal was to get as many people as possible on the dance floor, and I think we accomplished that!

My Wedding Stylist: Katie Priscilla at Nordstrom Beachwood Place in Beachwood, Ohio

Katie was absolutely incredible. She understood the look I wanted to create and helped me find the perfect dress for my body. Katie also helped me find my bridal accessories, bridesmaid dresses and my rehearsal dinner dress. Every time I met with Katie, I felt confident she would help me find exactly what I was looking for. She knew the products inside and out, and she was so sweet and so much fun to work with.

My Look: My gown was the Nicole Miller Faille Trumpet Gown, with Givenchy jewelry and Vera Wang shoes.

When it was time to get my dress altered, Natasha, Nordstrom’s wedding alterations specialist, went above and beyond my highest expectations and perfectly tailored my dress to my shape. The bustle she created was stunning, and I received numerous compliments from wedding guests.

Not only were Katie and Natasha wonderful at their jobs, they were both an absolute pleasure to work with. They always had a genuine smile on their faces, and they were both so warm and welcoming.

My Wedding Party: My bridesmaids wore grey dresses by Suzi Chin for Maggy Boutique. They all LOVED their dresses (saying they were not typical “bridesmaid” dresses) and will happily wear them again.

Our Special Moments: We didn’t want to have a traditional guestbook, so Kevin and I tried to come up with a creative way for our guests to share their thoughts and marriage advice in a non-traditional way. We ended up having guests write their message on a block of wood from the game Jenga. We placed a block at each guest’s table setting and provided a separate table where people could add their block to the pile. At the end of the night, we had a tower of messages from our guests–it was so much fun!

We read all of the messages the following day. Some were really touching, others were hilarious and had us crying from laughing so hard–and all of them were very personal. We’ll have these forever, and every time we read them, it will remind us of the love we are surrounded with from our incredible friends and family.

Photography by Lisa Scalfaro.

Did you find something for a wedding at Nordstrom? We love a good wedding story! E-mail Nordstrom Wedding Stories for details about getting your wedding featured on our blog. And for more inspiration, make a complimentary appointment with a Wedding Stylist or browse our Wedding Suite.

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January 8, 2013

Real Wedding: Caroline and Jason Oh

Beautiful dresses, gorgeous weather and secluded country pastures: Caroline and Jason Oh look back on their lovely fall wedding, which took place on the acres of Blue Hill at Stone Barns in New York State.

Big Day: October 14, 2012
The Scene: Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Pocantico Hills, NY

Jason and I both wanted to have a small, intimate wedding with close friends and fantastic food. We were engaged in July of 2012. Since neither one of us wanted a long engagement, we decided on a fall 2012 wedding. From the beginning, we had a very clear vision of the type of venue, size and feel of the wedding we wanted, so planning for such a big occasion in a short period of time was manageable.

We wanted our wedding to have a very personal feel. I chose to make my own centerpieces of dark red James Storie orchids, as well as my bouquet and boutonnieres (for Jason and the men in the family), using a mix of white freesia, vendela roses, and dark red hypericum berries. The arch for our ceremony consisted of branches of ilex berry branches (also called winterberry, a type of holly), which I absolutely loved.

Favors: I made three varieties of homemade jam—strawberry rhubarb, wild blueberry lemon, peach mango—using local berries and fruits.

My Wedding Stylist: Michelle Britton at Garden State Plaza, Paramus, NJ.

Michelle and the team at the Wedding Suite were fantastic. Friendliness, responsiveness, and communication: across the board, everyone was great to work with. The dress came on time, and we had time for two fittings with an in-house seamstress who was also terrific. I can say that the team really made my wedding dress shopping experience fun, and completely pain-free.

My Dress: I came in specifically for a NOUVELLE Amsale gown from the Fall 2012 collection after seeing the dress in a wedding magazine. It was only the second dress I tried on. For the reception, I wore Givenchy‘s multi-strand pearl necklace and matching drop earrings.

Our Special Moment: Before the ceremony, Jason and I had a few minutes to walk through the reception area and outdoor ceremony garden before our guests arrived. Seeing everything beautifully in place, just awaiting the guests, let us have a few quiet moments to really focus on the fact that we were getting married. After months of planning, now all we had to do was say “I do”! It was a fantastic feeling.

Photography © 2012 Steve Worth Photography

Did you find your wedding dress at Nordstrom? Share your aisle style with us! E-mail Nordstrom Wedding Stories for details about getting your wedding featured on our blog. And for more inspiration, make a complimentary appointment with a Wedding Stylist or browse our Wedding Suite.

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November 21, 2012

Real Wedding: Linda & Timothy

Linda gives us the scoop on tying the knot—and finding bliss—in the city that never sleeps.

The Scene: September 2012: New York City.
Ceremony – Battery Park, Reception – Housing Works Bookstore and Cafe.

More than anything else, we wanted our wedding to represent us—our aesthetic, our values and our experiences. We didn’t want to do things a certain way just because it was expected, and we wanted to include people who were important to us in unique ways. It meant incorporating our own vows, and most importantly it meant a setting that was meaningful to both of us: Battery Park. Tim and I met 16 years ago at Stuyvesant High School, located just adjacent to Battery Park, and though we didn’t date until some years later, it was there that our paths first crossed.

For the dinner reception, two things were most important to us: food and music. By having the reception at Housing Works, we knew that in addition to a quintessential New York vibe, we would also be supporting a great cause. Keeping social and environmental impact in mind, we used a local, woman-owned chocolate artisan for our wedding favors, we chose flowers that were in season, directly from the flower district, and we kept disposable items to a minimum (no menus, escort cards, etc.). None of this would have been possible without our dream team of vendors and helpers!

Special Moments: It’s hard to choose just one special detail of the day—all of it was more than we could have asked for. After 10+ years together, our wedding sent us right back to the honeymoon phase. Only we got to kick it off with everyone we love.

My Wedding Stylist: Heather Bowser, Nordstrom San Francisco Shopping Centre

I pretty much stumbled upon the Wedding Suite, and I’m SO glad I did. The place looks deceptively small, and every time a dress came out it seemed like they were being pulled out of thin air—quite magical. The selection is more like a boutique, with unique dresses and an intimate feeling. They also understood my style right away and respected my budget, which I appreciated tremendously. Every time I visited, the dressing room was ready with the dress and everything else I would need to complete the outfit. Heather was always so willing to run up- or downstairs to get me whatever I needed. I also love that alterations were offered right there, and the seamstress and I bonded right away so I trusted her. For the parts they couldn’t help with—like the sleeves I wanted to add—they even referred me to a local fabric store.

My husband also ended up getting the John Varvatos Trim Fit grey suit at Nordstrom. Heather introduced us to someone in the men’s department, and we walked away with the perfect look.

My Dress & Accessories:
Theia petal gown, with custom-made sleeves
Nadri Pear Drop Earrings in Sapphire & ‘Bezel Station’ Collar Necklace

My Wedding Party: My bridesmaids wore the Donna Morgan Belted Chiffon Dress in midnight and powder blue.

Photography by Peter Zhao

Did you find your wedding dress at Nordstrom? Share your aisle style with us! E-mail Nordstrom Wedding Stories for details about getting your wedding featured on our blog. And for more inspiration, make a complimentary appointment with a Wedding Stylist or browse our Wedding Suite.

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November 2, 2012

Real Wedding: Courtney and Yakeen

Courtney tells us how she managed to juggle her time between planning her beautiful wedding and studying for the Bar Exam!

The Scene:
Fall 2012: Rengstorff House Gardens, Mountain View, CA
Yakeen and I dated for about seven years before he proposed in May of 2011 on one of our annual camping trips. Our vision from the beginning was to have a small, intimate wedding, which is exactly what it turned out to be–about 45 guests. I am originally from Mountain View, and I really wanted to get married in my hometown, so the Rengstorff House was the perfect ceremony venue.

We decided to have our reception at Michaels At Shoreline Restaurant, which was so convenient because our guests were able to walk to it following the ceremony.

We did not want to spend a lot of money on the wedding, and we also wanted to keep the stress often associated with wedding planning to a minimum. Most of my planning actually took place while I was in my last year of law school in Los Angeles. I took advantage of my winter and spring breaks while in Mountain View to meet with my venue, flower and cake vendors.

I did most of my planning months in advance, because I knew I could not do it while studying for the Bar Exam, which I took in July of this year. With my mom’s help, I also made the invitations, seed-packet favors, place cards and signs–Yakeen drew our guestbook tree.

My Dress:
I found “The Dress” at the Nordstrom Wedding Suite in San Francisco. As soon as I put on my Nicole Miller dress, my mom said, “That is the one!” It’s a form-fitting, floor-length, off-white silk dress with lace on top. Because I am petite, I originally wanted a knee-length dress, as I thought that hemming a long dress might ruin the look.

I am lucky that both short and long dresses had been pulled for me, because otherwise, I probably would not have even tried on this Nicole Miller!

The Ceremony:
The ceremony was very special for Yakeen and me–in particular because of the people who were part of it. Our officiant was a superior court judge who Yakeen worked with while in law school. We both have the utmost respect for this judge, and we were so honored that he agreed to marry us. Our photographer was one of my best friends of over twenty years; she is not a photographer by trade but took amazing photos because she knows us both so well.

Other special players included another best friend who acted as my “day of” person–ensuring that everything went smoothly–a stylist friend who did a beautiful job on my hair and makeup and my brother-in-law, who played the acoustic guitar while guests arrived for the ceremony. We could not have asked for a more perfect day–celebrating a new step in our lives together with our close friends and family!

My Wedding Stylist:
Heather Bowser at Nordstrom San Francisco Centre
Heather was such a great help from the very beginning. Weeks prior to my appointment, she called and asked about my dress preferences, so that on the day my mom and I met with her, she had several dresses in my size waiting in my dressing room. She even had shoes and undergarments in my size, so I did not have to bring anything with me. Heather made the wedding dress shopping experience fun and stress-free!

Hemming the dress did not pose any problems either. Nordstrom’s seamstress, Lilly, came right up and pinned the dress to show me how it would look once hemmed, and she assured me that it would fit perfectly.

I loved that I could get everything, including the dress, undergarments, shoes and jewelry, all in one place. The personal service I received was exceptional, and I could not have asked for a better experience!

Favorite Accessories:
I also got my wedding accessories from Nordstrom with Heather’s assistance. It was really helpful to try on my Nordstrom undergarments (shorts and body shaper) to see exactly what they would look like under my dress. During the final fitting, I tried on the belt that I originally had purchased at Nordstrom to go with the dress, but Heather suggested a slimmer belt that had since come in; it actually looked a lot better, and I was able to exchange the first one for it.

My mom also asked Heather for jewelry suggestions, and she found the perfect silver necklace, which was simple yet added a little sparkle to my look. It was so convenient that Heather was able to ship my dress and accessories to my house once they were ready, so I did not have to drive back to San Francisco to pick them up.

Special Moments:
I have one funny story about the day, which involves that belt I mentioned. I must have been so flustered while I was getting ready that I forgot to put it on! Luckily the dress looked great without the belt too, because it was not until after the ceremony was over and most of the pictures had been taken that I suddenly realized the belt was missing! I am so happy that I remembered then, so at least I could wear it at the reception.

I tell my friends that this story just shows that as organized as you can be, unexpected things will happen at your wedding. Nevertheless, you will still have a wonderful and memorable day!

Photography by Elisabeth de Kleer

Did you find something for a wedding at Nordstrom? We love a good wedding story! E-mail Nordstrom Wedding Stories for details about getting your wedding featured on our blog. And for more inspiration, make a complimentary appointment with a Wedding Stylist or browse our Wedding Suite.

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