Wedding Dresses

Two weekends ago we bought the most beautiful dresses i have ever seen. I can not even begin to express how perfect the day was. If any of you don't know, Susan Mills Birnbaum is a shopper. And not just any old shopper, but a good one. She has an eye for things that most of us would pass by. As is the story here. Sunday, late in the afternoon, Susan drove us to the Upper East Side to what appeared to be a unobtrusive dress shop. The goal was to buy a dress for Susan, but within a few moments it was clear that this was a place of great potential. The store only carried European designers and their own line. The selection was varied, but not plentiful. Only one of each dress hung on the wall, with the expectation that dresses were to be ordered from Britain, the Netherlands, Israel,and beyond.

All the dresses Marisa tried on fit beautifully, but the moment the she walked out in this gown, we knew it was the one. The gown, made of mica-colored raw silk, is the handiwork of Flemish designer Linea Raffaelli. It's exquisite - from the draping of the fabric to the detailing on the neckline. It has a totally organic and glamorous feel that is perfect for the beach. Marisa found my dress the moment we walked in. It was hanging in the corner and when we inquired about it, we were told that it was a one-of-a-kind and worn on the runways in Europe. It was designed by Rene, a fashion house apparently as fancy as Givenchy and as nameless as Prince. It has a very earthy feel - flowing raw translucent champagne silk with gold seams cascading down. It's incredibly hard to describe, mostly because I have never seen a dress with as much handiwork.

The gowns definately set the color tone of the wedding - metallic, earthy and lush.