Do you love Christmas time? So does our bride, Colleen, and her husband, Steven! The couple said “I do” a few days before the joyous holiday with decorative Christmas trees joining them at the altar. Read on to see the gorgeous gown and accessories Nathalie designed for Colleen and all the details of the pair’s wintery wedding!
The Love Story
Colleen and Steven met in Philadelphia while working in the arts. “It was sort of one of those things where 'when you know you know.' We’re best friends.” Early into the relationship, they knew they were going to spend the rest of their lives together. He was the kind and funny man Colleen had been waiting for and the one who showed her what a true relationship could be like. You heard her, ladies, never settle!
The Proposal
Colleen is a huge Christmas fanatic, so Steven made sure to center his proposal around the joyful holiday. Every year in Philly, a vibrant Christmas tree is set up at the historical Betsy Ross House, so one night, after dinner, Steven suggested that the two take an evening stroll to the tree. When they got there, a sign read, “Welcome to Bedford Falls,” the fictitious city from their favorite Christmas movie…It’s a Wonderful Life, of course! On the back of the sign, Steven had written, “What do you want, Coll, the moon?”
Well, “throw a lasso around” us and call us Mary because this story pulled at our heartstrings for sure! George Bailey would be proud.
The NK Experience
What Brought You to NK Bride?
When Colleen started dress shopping, she didn’t really know where to begin. She had gone through the process with her sister, who got married a few months prior, and though it was a fun experience, she now felt like she had exhausted all of her options. “I didn’t see anything that really felt like me or blew me away.” She wanted her personal style and fashion sense to be reflected, and that’s when the idea for a custom gown came to mind, and her research began.
She came across NK Bride during her search, was intrigued by the great reviews, and loved what she saw on our Instagram. She set up an initial call with Nathalie, and “I knew right away that I wanted to work with her. She knew exactly what I had in mind just from a single phone call.” A designer’s intuition, if you will!
The Inspiration
Colleen was inspired by bits and pieces of different dresses she’d seen but couldn’t seem to find anything that had all of the aspects in one. She wanted something off-the-shoulder, a straight-line skirt, button details, and of course, the main attraction, the playful puff sleeves that transition into fun fitted sleeves. Colleen brought in her own sketch with all of the details, and Nathalie created her own “beautiful sketch,” realizing her client’s vision to a T! It all came together like the pieces of her own unique puzzle.
Why sacrifice style for practicality when Nathalie can give you both? Our innovative designer created a hook on the train of the gown to latch onto any of the buttons so that the bride could dance carefree all night long. She also added a zipper to the fitted sleeves to make them easier to put on and take off without undoing the buttons. Fashion should always be creative and never uncomfortable!
The Accessories
Colleen was dressed in NKB designs from head to toe…well, not quite toe, but you get the point. She tried on a bunch of our custom veils but fell in love with Iris for its mini pearls and crystals. “I got married in December, so it created an effect of droplets of snow. It was beautiful.” Wow, we may have to add that to our product description!
For the reception, Colleen wanted to wear a bow in her hair. Might as well keep the Christmas vibes going! Nathalie made it from the same fabric as her puff sleeves for cohesiveness. Thoughts from our bride? “It was amazing!”
Working With Nathalie
“My mom and I absolutely love Nathalie and loved the process!” Colleen beamed, noting how warm Nathalie was. If ever Colleen was vacillating between two ideas, Nathalie was more than happy to try them both! “She was so patient and so good at translating what I had in my head to the actual look.” Colleen loved the NK experience so much that she was “actually sad for it to be over!” Considering how stressful wedding prep can be, we’ll definitely take this win!
The Wedding Inspo
The Christmas theme lives on! The couple tied the knot a week before their favorite day of the year but kept the theme more subtle and wintery. They were married in a lovely church (where Steven sings opera!) surrounded by stunning Christmas trees. The groom's grandfather, who is a minister, officiated the wedding. Steven's sister read a Bible passage, while Colleen’s brother recited a poem, giving the ceremony a religious and secular balance.
The Bridal Party
“I just wanted everyone to feel comfortable, beautiful, and to have fun.” Her only rule? Wear whatever you want! Not even a color scheme was given! Colleen simply told them the color of the bouquets and let them interpret that as they pleased. These are women who have been friends with the bride for a lifetime, all with “distinct, individual styles,” so it only made sense. “I guess it was kind of a risk, but it ended up looking amazing!” We completely agree! The result of having friends you trust wholeheartedly–a bridesmaid essential. One guest recalled that when the bridal party walked down the aisle, she felt like she was at a fashion show! From the words of Tim Gunn, they definitely “made it work.” Well done, ladies!
The Bouquet
Does something about Colleen’s bouquet stand out to you, but you just can’t put your finger on it? It might be that there are no white flowers! She may not have known exactly what she wanted at first, but that was her one requirement. You know we love a break from tradition! Colleen ended up choosing radiant jewel tones that really stood out from the crowd. I mean, we can’t stop looking at them!
The First Look
The couple decided to do a first look before the ceremony and were so glad that they did. “If we had waited until the church, we wouldn’t have stopped crying,” Colleen laughed. Something else they did before the ceremony was take their wedding portraits! Customarily, couples will take their photos between the ceremony and reception when everyone’s at cocktail hour. Colleen and Steven decided to do things differently so that they could attend their own cocktail party and enjoy as much time with loved ones as possible. What a genius idea! How has nobody thought of this before?
The Reception
This has to be one of the most gorgeous venues we’ve seen. The reception took place at Fairmount Park Horticulture Center in Philly. Colleen had attended an event there a few years back and “has been obsessed with it ever since.” (Us too, girl!) When they first pulled up to the location during their venue search, majestic statues depicting various opera singers stood at the forefront. An eye-catcher for our opera-singing groom, no doubt! Driving away after the tour, the pair knew it was the one.
The moment you walk into the venue, you’re encompassed by the most mesmerizing variety of plants. Because of all the gorgeous greenery, not many decorations were needed, but Leigh Florist did wonders with the colorful centerpieces and sweetheart table. There were even some dried oranges and tea lights sprinkled in for some extra oomph. Such a sight to behold!
The Best Part
Overall, though there were countless aspects of the wedding to love and cherish, there was one part that made Colleen the happiest: getting down on the dance floor with all of her family and friends! “It was just pure joy throughout the entire evening.” We think these photos definitely capture that.
Oh, and she had one more thing to add! “I can’t say enough good things about NK Bride and Nathalie. I would recommend the experience to anyone!” We’re so glad that we could be a part of making your day special, Colleen!
Congratulations to Colleen and Steven on starting this next chapter together! We wish you a lifetime of health and happiness.
<3 NK Bride
Inspired by Colleen and Steven’s wedding? Visit our Pinterest to save the photos!
Cover Photo credit: Eloise Photography
The Dream Team
Photographer: Eloise Photography | Wedding Dress & Accessories: NK Bride | Reception Venue: Fairmount Park Horticulture Center | Makeup: JKo Beauty | Hair: MJ Bridal Artistry | Florals: Leigh Florist | Bride’s Jewelry: Mary MacGill | Wedding Rings: Jane Pope Jewelry | Couple: Colleen & Steven