After a new bride says YES, often the hunt for the perfect wedding dress quickly follows. This is not a post about how to find the perfect dress, because I know you will find it. This is about a beautiful bride who honored her mother’s memory and shared a breathtakingly sweet moment with those she is closest to on her wedding day.

When I work with a bride on what she wants out of this monumental day, there are different requests for each. Sommer wanted to show her sisters and bridesmaids her dress for the first time at the wedding. Tough task! Dress shopping, the dress fitting, her bridal portraits…she had great patience. On wedding day, and at her portrait session, I was able to help her wherever needed. Most wedding days, it might just be the bustle I help with, but on her day, we planned this surprise reveal. I provided a crochet hook, my smile, and a slow and steady hand to finish her look. I am not yet a mother, but can imagine how special of a moment that is to share together. Although her mother was only there in spirit with us, I hope I made her proud.

To say I was honored to set up the bridesmaid’s first look would be an understatement. Sommer is very close to her sisters, and they are some of the kindness women you will ever meet. So when she was ready we had them come into her suite first. The bridesmaids all joined in the excitement quickly after that. Sommer was eager for this moment, and it was so worth the wait! The girls’ faces filled with happy tears and they all surrounded Sommer and shared big hugs! Thank you to Julie Wilhite for capturing all the magic in that room, and the amazing details that made up this dress reveal. I tear up every time I browse through these wedding pictures. Take your time on wedding day in these moments, soak it in, because life truly does move too quickly.