So to preface this, nothing in this post is linkable except for my shoes and clutch, so I know you all will likely be a bit annoyed, so I apologize in advance! BUT, I think if you are looking for a rehearsal dinner outfit, this can at least be used as inspiration.
I saw this Lela Rose dress many years ago. It came out in, I think, in early 2016. I hadn't even met my husband at the time and I remember thinking about buying it just to have and keep so I could eventually wear it someday. I have never been so enamored with a dress in my entire life. It's called 'Open-back Fil Coupé Dress in Ivory' in case you ever want to hunt for one for yourself. Lela Rose also made this exact style in a full-length dress as a wedding dress called 'the lake'. I didn't want that type of fabric as my actual wedding dress, but the bridal gown version is just stunning, too, and what inspired the cut of my own wedding dress. Fast forward to when we got engaged in 2018 and my mind immediately went to this dress. I SO badly wanted it. I could not find it anywhere!
Finally, patience paid off and in June or July of 2019, I finally found one. It was a size or two off, but bigger so I was able to easily have it taken in!!! It was in perfect condition- as if it had never been worn. I was seriously ECSTATIC! I love this dress as much as I loved my wedding dress. I definitely don't even think the photos do it justice. The way it lays and the open back- it's just a work of art.
It's a dress I will never let go of and hopefully, I can get wear out of it for another occasion in the future!
You definitely don't have to buy something new off the rack! I am personally currently frustrated about the lack of clothing that aligns with my personal style right now. Nothing speaks to me and it's hard for me to find things I like at this time based on what is 'in'. But that just goes to show, keep an eye out on resale sites to see if something catches your eye! I can't remember the original price of this dress, and while it was pricey, I'm certain I definitely got it for less than what it had originally cost.
Anyway, we had our rehearsal at the church and then my mother-in-law hosted a lovely rehearsal dinner at Cucina Bella. We have been going there since it opened and the owner actually went to my high school. The food is INCREDIBLE. It's Italian and I seriously dream about the food. If you are in Pittsburgh, it's a great locally owned restaurant to support! They have a really pretty private space for parties and events- it's more on the casual side which was the perfect balance to our black-tie wedding. Also, if you want to eat there, they have an adorable patio outside, too!
Afterward, we met more family and friends at OTB Hastings on their outdoor patio. I only stayed for about 10 minutes because I needed to get some rest, but it was seriously the perfect night! I need to find some photos from both the dinner and after the dinner. I was off of my phone for the entire weekend- it was blissful and really enabled me to soak it all in but also a bit of a curse because I have no photos of my own to show from the weekend, ha!!!
Someone asked me on Instagram since my husband and I lived together, how did we get ready separately. And the answer to that is that my sister slept over on Friday night before the wedding and my husband had a suite downtown at the Duquesne Club, which was our venue. So he stayed there Friday night. The nice thing about having a wedding or event there is that you don't have to deal with a hotel room block because they have really nice rooms right in the club! Not only did our out-of-town guests stay there but a ton of our local family and friends also stayed there for Saturday night which made things so much fun!
These were our rehearsal dinner invites from Dogwood Hill. I thought they were SO cute! I loved the envelope liner so much! I obviously blanked out the RSVP info!!
Also, speaking of privacy, to keep our guest's privacy, when it comes to anything wedding-related, I will be mostly focusing on the decor and all of that rather than the people in attendance. No one signed up to be on my website! Most family photos and most photos of guests at the wedding will be kept offline. I'll share my sister and mom and dad and grammie because they are all OK with being featured online, but I will even be keeping my husband to a minimum throughout the wedding recap and our photos! I hope you can understand and respect our privacy!
4 comments:
Your rehearsal dress is so beautiful! Also love all your family's clothing for the occasion. Just wanted to let you know I'm so happy and excited for you.
Love your mother's dress! Where did she get it?
I didn’t even realize you already got married- congratulations!!! You look so beautiful, and the dress is so pretty and elegant. (Since I’m not on Instagram or Snapchat, just following your blog posts gave me no clue you were already married, as one day your talking about Orange Theory and fall fashion, and then you mentioned your rehearsal dinner in another post). Can’t wait to read all about your big day! Best wishes for a wonderful life together!
100% agree, it is difficult to find clothing right now! I'm looking for some new things for work (elementary school, so pretty flexible as far as professional clothing goes), but the styles that are 'in' right now definitely aren't for me.
I've often wondered about people who attend events (like weddings) where the blogger/influencer puts photos up, but they have no idea they're online. I've definitely noticed that your friends & extended/new family don't feature on your website, and it's clear you have respect for them and their privacy. I think your take on it is great, considering how much of our lives we tend to share with strangers!
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