Geneva Wedding: The Dress has Arrived!

by Sarah Hamparian

Much to my surprise, my dress already arrived! Sara from The Crystal Bride called Wednesday to tell me the great news and set up my first dress fitting appointment. Even though my first fitting isn’t scheduled for another week, I got to try on my dress today. It was everything that I remembered and more. I wish that I could show you all the pictures, but if you squint really hard maybe you can see a sparkle, ribbon or detail outline behind the bag!

Geneva Wedding: Capture the Moment

by Sarah Hamparian

In a small, picturesque photography studio off of State Street in Geneva, John and I met with our photographers, Caitlin (of Hazelton Photography) and Tom (of Tom Nicol Photography), yesterday to go over photography styles and ideas for our wedding day. We did not have time to research different styles before our meeting, however that was not necessary. Caitlin and Tom took us through various ideas, from a “romantic” to “vintage” feels, and even discussed different lighting and how that effects pictures. What amazed us the most was that to capture the uniqueness of every couple, both photographers wanted to get to know us personally. This way, our photos from the wedding day are going to be a reflection of who we are as a couple and not necessarily what is the hottest trend of that year. After an in depth meeting, they both showed us samples of their work and the only thing I kept thinking is, “WOW! I can’t wait to see our pictures after the wedding!”

Lucky enough for us, we aren’t going to wait until after our wedding to start seeing pictures! Tom surprised us with an engagement photo shoot in just a couple of weeks and we couldn’t be more excited!! John and I have never had professional photos taken before, so this is going to be a new adventure that we can’t wait to have unfold. I am just hoping for a good hair day (fingers crossed!) and to hopefully find complementary outfits in somewhere our closets (there has got to be something, doesn’t there?).

Please keep posted for our photos from our engagement shoot in a couple of weeks and check back next week as we get to go “smell the roses” at the florist meeting!

Geneva Wedding: Finishing Details

by Sarah Hamparian

Now that my dress was safely within the Geneva town limits, it was time to pick out accessories at Veiled in Elegance! When I walked in and looked to my left, my eyes lit up with excitement. Rows of earrings, bracelets, necklaces, pins, brooches and belts sparkled with beauty and I couldn’t wait to put the finishing touches together for my wedding day.

Kathy lifted the wedding dress from my arms and whisked me away to the back to try on one of the biggest statement pieces first: The Veil! Clearly, this boutique is named Veiled in Elegance for a reason. There were veils everywhere! From short to long, pearls to crystals, the veils glistened on 4 different stands around the store. 

Once I put my on wedding dress, Kathy asked me about my vision for veils and accessories. After explaining my preferences and looking at the detail on my dress, she asked me to hold one moment and disappeared. Less than a minute later, she emerged from the back room with the perfect veil! It had exquisite detail and was the ideal length. Kathy placed it in my hair and as my Mom’s eyes began to swell with tears, I knew this veil was the one.

Next came the glitz and glamour with jewelry. Since there were so many pieces that caught my eye when I walked in the door, Kathy brought a whole array of items to try on. I quickly put on the largest earrings, 2 bracelets, a necklace, headband and hairpiece. The light reflected on all of the jewelry as I looked up and even I thought it was necessary to reconsider this many pieces. I appeared to be one giant crystal.

Kathy helped me tailor my choices and made sure that it balanced with my dress and veil well. This time, as I turned around on the podium with my dress, veil and accessories, my eyes began to sparkle and the biggest smile emerged. This was it! It was the exact vision that I had for my wedding day and I couldn’t have done this without Veiled in Elegance. Thanks, Kathy!