A Bride with a Vision

Some brides find their dream dress in a boutique. For Hannah, the perfect look had to be created from scratch.

“Ever since I was little, I’ve loved sketching clothes,” she shared.

Traditional wedding dresses just didn’t feel right to her.

“I did go to some dress shops and try things on, and I just wasn’t finding anything that resonated,” she said. “I didn’t find anything that felt 100% like me.”

She discovered NK Bride. When she connected with Nathalie Kraynina, Hannah felt instantly at ease.

“She seemed like the perfect person to work with,” she said. During their first call, Hannah noticed Nathalie possessed “a deep expertise.”

“She was asking a ton of questions on our first call about my idea, and that really solidified to me that she was an expert and that she cared deeply about the work.”

From Sketch to Silk

The design started with one question: how did she want to feel?

Hannah wanted to feel like her true self.

“Obviously, on your wedding day, you want to feel your best,” she said, adding that she liked the idea of drawing attention to her waist.

She conceptualized a dress that almost looked like two pieces, where the corset hugged the dress as an overlay.

A mix of silk satin for structure and Silk Georgette for softness created that balance.

“It was very important that it was smooth but form-fitting, which is more difficult than you would think,” Hannah said.

She also wanted removable sleeves for her April wedding when the weather can be unpredictable.

A Collaborative Creation

Nathalie’s involvement struck the perfect balance between guidance and freedom.

“She definitely let me lead in terms of the vision and overall design, but she gave me her expertise and guidance in types of fabrics,” Hannah said. “At one point, we even switched out a fabric for the bodice because we realized the one we were using maybe wasn’t shaping the way that we thought.”

The veil, a modern, face-framing piece, was one of Nathalie’s ideas.

“I told Nathalie I wanted a modern feel for the veil. I want something different,” said Hannah.

We settled on a custom version of NK Bride’s Madrid two-tier mantilla veil. Its lace-trimmed tiers created a romantic, face-framing finish to her refined, personalized bridal vision. Ash our bridal hair accessories designer worked closely with Hannah to find the perfect floral lace matching her fabrics to complete the look.

“It just added something extra, some depth to the look.”

Hannah appreciated Nathalie’s candor and wisdom.

“I could tell she was being honest with me,” Hannah reflected. “She’d give me feedback. She’d give me her thoughts. She made me feel more confident that we could pull it off and I learned a lot from her during the process.”

The end result was an off-white silk satin corset with ruched fabric subtly peeking from the neckline, giving the illusion of a layered, two-piece design. The structured top flowed into a soft, pleated silk georgette skirt, combining elegance with comfort. Removable long sleeves extended over the wrist and fastened with delicate bridal buttons.

Keeping it Personal

Hannah kept her fittings solo and sacred. She didn’t want anyone else’s opinions to alter her vision.

“I was protective over my idea and I wanted to make sure that it was reflective of me,” she said.

Seeing it all come together was exciting and emotional.

Hannah and Nathalie worked together for over a year on the custom piece.

“This was a labor of love,” she said.

When she finally put it on, she felt emotional.

“I just wanted to hug Nathalie and thank her for all of the work.”

A Slow Burn

Hannah and her husband Justin began as friends in college and reconnected in Atlanta.

“It was a real slow burn. We were good friends first, which I think is so important in the foundation of our relationship.”

She appreciates his humor and how they complement one another.

“He’s more extroverted than I am,” she said, adding that she is more reserved. “So we balance each other out in that way. He’s kind of the class clown, but he’s also very ambitious.”

The couple decided to take things to the next level by moving to New York and getting a place together in 2020, just when the world was starting to shut down.

“We lived together during peak COVID, so that was really a test for us,” she said. “I thought, ‘we’re gonna hate each other or we’re gonna get married.’”

Thankfully, the latter happened.

A Sailboat Surprise

After five years of dating, Justin proposed on a private sailboat on the Hudson.

“He tricked me that we were going to this work brunch,” she said.

Soon, she was wondering why they were the only ones on the boat.

“By the time I had processed all of that, we were sailing, and he asked one of the staff members of the boat to take a picture, and then he got down on one knee.”

With the glittering Manhattan skyline as their witness and the Freedom Tower standing tall in the background, she said yes.

Balanced Wedding Planning

When it came to planning, Hannah and Justin leaned into their strengths to stay balanced.

“He knew his strengths, and he knew what was important to me,” Hannah explained. While she took the lead on design elements, Justin handled logistics like transportation, allowing them to collaborate without stepping on each other’s toes.

For the big day, Justin also had his own style moment. He worked with a local tailor in New York City to design a custom tuxedo.

“It was just very form-fitted to him,” Hannah said. “I think guys have less opportunity to have fun there, but he had a great time with it.”

Baroque-Romance Meets Modern Mood

The couple wed just outside of Raleigh, North Carolina, in a venue Hannah transformed into a warm, romantic art-inspired celebration. She noted that she’s always been an appreciator of the arts.

“My planner called it Baroque inspired, old-world, but mixed with some modern elements,” she explained.

Candlelight, rich tones, and curated artwork gave the space a personal touch.

“I wanted it to feel cozy and like it had some depth to it,” she said. “The artwork really helps with that.”

Each couple received a custom portrait at their place setting, illustrated by Hannah herself using Canva.

Dressed Like Herself

For Hannah, feeling like a “bride” didn’t come naturally, until she saw her own unique vision realized.

“I struggled to connect with the concept of being a bride throughout the process. It just didn’t feel very me a lot of the time,” she said. “This is another reason the custom dress resonated so well. I was able to feel like myself even in a wedding dress.”

Her dress was a work of art in itself, and her loved ones appreciated it.

“It was well received. I’m so thankful that I decided to work with Nathalie. Her and her entire team are amazing.”

The wedding, attended by about 120 guests, was filled with emotional and joyful moments. During her and Justin’s first dance, she felt like they could relax and relish in the moment.