Anastasia & Benjamin’s nostalgic & traditional wedding at the Gold Ballroom of Hotel Du Pont, Delaware.

This bride & groom wanted to stay true to tradition and, to certain extent, recreate the day when Anastasia’s parents got married three decades earlier. The wedding reception was held at the Gold Ballroom, Hotel du Pont, just like Anastasia’s parents, and her bridesmaids wore black velvet dresses, just like her mum’s bridesmaids did. Groom & groomsmen were dresses in all black tuxedos. So classic and elegant.

Our stunning real life bride Anastasia chose to wear the classic yet modern princess gown Sonoma. This Australian designed wedding dress is strapless with a sweetheart neckline and a fashionable high leg slit. Anastasia created her own personal touch to her bridal look with the addition of some customized detachable lace and tulle balloon sleeves.

Read more about Anastasia’s story here:

1. How did you meet your partner and how did they propose to you?

Ben and I have known each other since high school. We met through mutual friends. We started dating in college when I was 19 and he was 20. We both started at different colleges but ended up transferring to the same one, West Chester University of Pennsylvania – not because we planned to both transfer and go to school together, but we just both wanted to go to school closer to home. Ben and I fell in love with the town of West Chester, PA, and we often have date nights/days here. Ben took me to get my favorite drinks (margaritas) and one of our favorite bars in West Chester (Mas). After a few drinks, we took a walk back to the campus of West Chester, which we both had not been to in a while. He proposed on campus and it was a beautiful day and he had our parents surprise us there, followed by going back to the restaurant my dad works at and all of our friends and family were waiting for us to celebrate!

2. What was your favourite part of your wedding day?

It is so difficult to pinpoint my favorite part of my wedding day. A moment that truly sticks out was when my dad and I entered the church. As soon as the doors open and I saw all of the people who love me and helped get me to that point in my life I became so emotional. That has to be my favorite part, the feeling was so overwhelming and I felt so loved in that moment. So many people care and support Ben and myself and all took the time to dress up and come to party with us!! So cool.

3. Did you have a theme or concept for your wedding day? What was your inspiration?

My wedding day did not have a specific theme. Our reception was at the Hotel du Pont, which was where my parents were married 31 years before. We matched the vibe of the hotel which is a French inspired architectural masterpiece. I guess my theme/concept could be described as timeless and traditional. We kept it simple with white flowers to accent the Gold Ballroom. My bridesmaids wore black velvet which is what my moms’ bridesmaids wore and the groomsmen went with a black tux. We figured we could not go wrong.

4. How did you find the experience of shopping for a wedding gown?

Being a person who has such a difficult time making decisions for everything in my life, I knew it would be a process. I went to 6 different wedding gown boutiques. I would try on a dozen dresses, fall in love with one, take lots of pictures, then go home and look at the photos again. I would realize I was not in love with any of the dresses and be disappointed then find another boutique to go to.  DayDream Bridal in Ardmore was truly a perfect place. When I tried on Sonoma, it came to me as a surprise because it was not the style that I had my mind set to. It wowed me and was the only dress that after I left I could not stop thinking about! Looking back at all of the pictures of gowns I had tried on, it was also the only one I had a natural smile. The entire experience was fun and dreamy. I am so glad I found Sonoma.

The strapless Sonoma is from our Emanuella Collection by Australian wedding dress designer at Peter Trends Bridal in Sydney. This vintage lace dress with pleated skirt is the ultimate style of romantic bridal gown, but in this shimmery, textured, and ultra-sexy number you will find many elements to delight and surprise. It is perfect for the classic bride who wants a little bit more, with a fitted corset style bodice and a full soft tulle skirt. It has a semi-sheer bodice to show off the corsetry and lace for a modern twist. The skirt has a split to make movement easy to walk and dace as well as a fabulous way to showcase the bridal shoes.