This is the story of a dress:

When it came time to design her own wedding dress,Rebecca was living in Rwanda. Access to fabric was limited, which meant planning ahead. While home for Christmas she sourced lace in New York City. The sample yardage didn't arrive until after she had returned to Rwanda. As was common practice, the fabric was packed in a suitcase along with other valuable supplies (quality chocolate) and brought over by the next visiting colleague. 

Knowing that she wanted to add color to her dress, Rebecca worked with a local Rwandan cooperative to hand embroidery on top of the lace. Samples of the embroidery and colors were quickly approved before Rebecca rushed off to Cape Town for 2 months. She returned to Rwanda with fingers crossed that the embroidery would turn out successfully.

With only one week in Rwanda to assemble the dress, time was of the essence. The dress flew to the states with a few finishing touches still needed. Working right up until the night before the wedding, silk gros grain ribbon was hand sewn around the neckline and bust for the finishing details.

The result was a truly unique dress, made with many loving hands, perfect for a woodland setting.

Photography: Juan Maclean Photography

Nerea and Matt met and fell in love in the hills of Rwanda. Their wedding was a reflection of their generous, hardworking, and adventurous personalities. The many people they have met along the way that are fortunate enough to call them their friends, gathered on the Mediterranean Island of Menorca for a beautiful Spanish villa wedding.

Nerea is an architect and designer, never one to buy things from a store when she can create them instead. She traveled to her home in Barcelona to find beautiful silk chiffon and vintage laces and bring them back to Rwanda where the dress came to life. She wanted a deconstructed feeling with lots of layers and a mix of fabrics, but nothing too feminine. It was so fun to play with all of the layers, cutting asymmetrical lines and using a whimsical combination of laces, trims and textures to create a ‘shipwrecked’ hemline. The simple neckline and draped plunging back were understated and elegant details that complimented the hem.

The veil was handed down to Nerea from her grandmother, such a special piece. We were so excited to incorporate it into her wedding look. The headpiece was inspired by traditional Rwandan wedding attire. The two bands were made of leather, topped with lace trim, the wooden ornament was hand carved by a Rwandan artisan. Rwanda is so important to Nerea and Matt’s story, it was key special that an element of the culture was incorporated into her look. The fact that her grandmother’s veil was held in place by this touch of Rwanda is a reflection of Nerea’s strong connection to the place she grew up and the many cultures she has yet to explore. 

Mehreen and Frank had a romantic elopement in Cape Town, SA, so when they decided to invite all of their friends and family to Cape Town half a year later, it was to celebrate and do away with traditional wedding formalities. Mehreen envisioned a week long festival with toes in the sand, laughter in the air, and an 'anything goes' attitude. A short ceremony was held on a secluded beach surrounded by large boulders, with the clouds rolling down from table mountain. A few days later red lips and mustaches were made the mandatory dress code for a wine tasting in beautiful Stellenbosch. Mehreen's signature style was reflected in her metallic lazer cut leather 'non'wedding dress. For the vineyard, she followed it up with a cropped  silk bustier and textured rose organza skirt. The perfect festival rock star.

"DRESS LIKE YOU'RE ALREADY FAMOUS"