one of coco’s own is planning her winter wedding!
Bridal bliss is always challenging when planning a wedding…and even more so when both the bride and her mother live out of town from the desired venue. And since the venue is going to be somewhat local for the Alexandria Stylebook readers, I thought this would be a perfect journey to share with you.
My daughter, Sarah Squire, whom I’ve used as a Coco model over the past several years, has always shared the Coco Blanca love for shades of white. So no surprise when she decided on a “Winter Wonderland” wedding for January 2017. And can you imagine the excitement over white when shopping for a wedding gown? What fun! Though Sarah thought she had discovered the perfect one in Nashville where she lives, I convinced her to hold that thought until she and I could go shopping together.
We had one day where our schedules permitted us to do so, which meant setting up several back-to-back bridal dress appointments within a 5-hour shopping window. What helped tremendously was taking photos and mini videos with my iPhone while my daughter tried on each dress. She was able to compare all the dresses she had seen and truly see which one flattered her the most. As she said, it’s like being in a fairytale for a day because just about every wedding dress makes you feel like a princess.
It was truly a magical mother-daughter experience. And by the end of the day, after trying on dozens of dresses from Anne Barge, Rosa Clará, Badgley Mischka, Paloma Blanca, and Hayley Paige, we had chosen “the one!” But in case Sarah’s fabulous fiancé, Mac Barlow, is reading this post, I must keep it a secret. However, I can tell you her dress was from a beautiful bridal boutique in Potomac, Maryland, called Love Couture Bridal, which was highly recommended to us by a friend and incredibly talented event planner, DebraJean Overholt. It came down to a very close decision with a dress Sarah fell in love with at another beautiful bridal atelier in Old Town Alexandria called Elegance by Roya. I definitely would recommend visiting both boutiques if you are a bride-to-be! However, if by chance, you’re a bride in London, there is no designer who can do it better than Stewart Parvin!
Next decision is deciding on the venue, and the D.C. metropolitan area provides so many amazing choices. Sarah and Mac have narrowed it down to two possibilities, and I’m hoping by the time I write the second part of this wedding post, I will be able to share the venue with you. In the meantime, we’ll be working on filling in all the other components that make up a wedding…the florist, the music, and the photographer. My, how weddings have become such an extravagant business!
- About the boutique
Using the soothing color palette of a coconut by the sea—whites, neutrals and splashes of turquoise—Coco Blanca has created a trademark look. Her lifestyle boutique offers expert solutions for home design and women’s fashion—blending a clean, fresh, sophisticated, feel-good style.
210 South Union Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
703.535.8002
