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