How To Choose a Wedding Dress That Complements Your Venue
One of the biggest decisions you’ll make after getting engaged is choosing where you’re going to say I do. After all, the wedding venue or destination will be the single biggest choice that informs the rest of your wedding style. Though if you’re like many brides, you’ve probably had a vision of your wedding dress as clear as day from the time you could walk down the pretend aisle. So today we’re partnering with Galia Lahav to chat about how you can choose a wedding dress that complements your venue AND stays true to your heart using these real brides as an example!
#1: Remember that it’s all in the details
One of the easiest and most subtle ways to ensure a bridal style that’s cohesive with the dreamy wedding scene is to consider the details of the dresses you’re looking at. Galia Lahav is an expert in this arena with intricate embroidery, 3D appliqués, charming motifs and sparkly embellishments that can all hark back to your venue (which is why we always recommend a non-rushed site visit to explore those ins and outs of the space you’re getting married in… and all the pretty details in between).
Real bride, Joanna is a perfect example of this! She’s elegantly fashioning the Avena gown from Galia Lahav – a glistening mermaid gown with embroidered silk net detail and sculpted curves that effortlessly reflects the nearby beaches along the Ionian coast. This Puglia destination wedding venue, Masseria Potenti, is a collection of ancient farm buildings that lent itself exquisitely to the luxe bohemian vision of the couple, and it’s clear to see how unforgettable this balance is between fashion + setting.
#2: Consider the level of formality
Never underestimate the power of fashion to define an entire mood! Lou had it down to a science with her choice of the Nevis dress and Nova skirt for her black tie wedding at Parisian opera house, Opera Garnier. Is there anything more fairytale than this?! Quite reasonably so, there wasn’t a dry eye in the room as she owned this grand staircase, flowy tulle train sweeping behind and all.
The luxurious level of the fabrics, the handmade embellishments and the graceful silhouette all pointed towards the romantic classicism of the venue and set the tone for a storybook evening. Perhaps a gown without those statement features would have gotten lost in the regality of this scene, rather than being the focal point of it. Hence, always keeping the level of formality in mind!
#3: Pay attention to the color
Whether your wedding is outdoors surrounded by nature or in a ballroom oozing Old World elegance, one thing you always want to pay attention to is the color palette. Not only for the wedding designs, but for the fashion too! You know we love our color wedding dresses 😉 But if your venue has red curtains that can’t be removed, you probably wouldn’t want to wear a butterscotch colored gown.
Megan’s custom Galia Lahav gown is a stunning example of complementary hues with its soft pink tint that encapsulates the secret garden vibes of the elegant courtyard wedding so well. Not to mention the grand doorway of Salt Lake City Temple where their ceremony was held!
#4: Be mindful of surfaces
Hear me out on this – the ground you’ll be walking on is probably the last thing you’re thinking about. But it could have a huge impact on your style. If your wedding is in a grassy meadow or sandy beach for instance, a long train that’s meant to sweep across the ground might not be ideal considering dirt and potential snags. However, that look would work splendidly in a cathedral ceremony or stone villa setting like so.
Real bride, Ana, is dressed to the nines in the Gia gown from Galia Lahav – a style that so idyllically reflects the Lake Garda villa setting it appeared in (the ultra photogenic Villa Cortine). With multiple shades of nude + blush, and the most romantic skirt of pleated silk tulle, this dramatic look is equally as inspiring as the landscape.
#5: Embrace the scale of the space
Your venue will inform the decor, the level of formality, the mood… but it will likely have an influence on your guest count too. Which in turn affects the overall scale of design from floral elements to fashion statements. For instance, intimate beach weddings might call for a dress that’s relaxed, form-fitting… anti-frill. On the other hand, a nuptials at The Ritz for 500 people might equal a gown of equal grandeur and size.
Camille achieved the perfect balance of effortless elegance + refined detail with the Galia Lahav Rhiannon gown for her classical rotunda wedding overlooking the ocean in Southern California. It possessed just the right amount of detail for the luxe, yet relaxed setting at The Resort at Pelican Hill which held a couple hundred of their loved ones.
If you’re feeling awe-inspired by these couture gowns from Galia Lahav, then welcome to the club! And now you’re well-equipped to choose your own fab wedding dress that complements your venue and your personal style in all the right ways. Certificate of excellence from me to you.
Galia Lahav is a great place to start your search – if not for their jaw dropping Instagram content, then definitely for their fresh off the runway collections including Fancy White and GALA. I can (and did) spend hours poring over these delectable images of gowns in pastel hues, gravity-defying silhouettes, frosted accents and head to toe separates created by the designer gods. These dresses are fanciful and wonderful and all worth trying on, believe you me. So it’s nice that there are hundreds to choose from giving you ample opportunity to find a look that’s utterly beguiling for you + your venue.
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This post was sponsored by Galia Lahav. All opinions are our own. Thanks for supporting our sponsors!