BB Featured Bride Sammi On Her Custom Dream Dress by Martina Liana

Sammi’s ‘say yes to the dress’ story is testament that patience and perseverance pays off in the end. The wedding gown is the most important piece of clothing a woman will ever wear after all. And this month’s BB Featured Bride was up to the challenge of making sure hers was perfect in every way – she was excited about delving into the process in fact. And while her initial notions of what she was going to wear changed, Sammi still ended up with a look that captured her glamorous and striking style. Here, she shares all the details about her custom Martina Liana wedding dress and big day personals

Part 2: Wedding & Personals

“I originally wanted a pink wedding dress,” Sammi explains. “But after visiting five bridal shops, nothing had the right shade of pink.” Realizing traditional white or ivory would be the better option, she headed to her afternoon appointment at Wedding Atelier on Madison Avenue. “Going in, I still thought I would wear something with a sweetheart top,” the bride confesses. “But to my surprise, the deep V-neckline was more flattering.” After trying on a handful of looks, she was presented with a dress by Australian designer Martina Liana. “I absolutely loved the fabric and details, but it had a sweetheart top,” she remembers. “My consultant, Chloe, said that Martina Liana often works directly with brides on designs. The next thing I know, we are designing my custom wedding dress. We took the silhouette and deep V-neck from another dress by the designer and asked her to use the fabric and details from the one that first caught my eye.”

After paying the deposit, Sammi left Wedding Atelier excited, but also nervous. “I just kept thinking, ‘How could I have bought a wedding dress without ever trying it on? Did I just make a huge mistake? Was it going to come out as I imagined?’” She would have to wait an entire year (due to Covid-19) for her questions to be answered. “I got a call that my dress had finally come in. My Mother-in-Law and one of my bridesmaids came with me to try it on.” She relives that moment in the dressing room. “The dress was the most beautiful one I had ever seen and totally exceeded my expectations. It was so special, unique, and truly one-of-a-kind. There are not enough words to describe how I felt putting it on for the first time.”

 

Sammi’s dream gown featured a mermaid silhouette with all-over beaded lace and sequins that ended in a sparkling train. The body skimming fit and deep neckline paired with exquisite floral details and shimmering accents created a look that was sexy, yet delicately feminine. The bride opted for understated, timeless accessories. “For my ‘something borrowed,’ I wore diamond earrings from my Mom’s best friend, Mara. She is family and I consider her my aunt. She lives in Chicago, so I didn’t see the earrings until the day of my wedding. They worked perfectly!” Steven gave her a diamond tennis bracelet as a wedding gift. “He knew I wanted a bracelet, but I still had no idea… to open it on the morning of my wedding as I was getting ready was really special.” She completed her look with glittering Jimmy Choo shoes and a chiffon fingertip length veil.

 

 

 

Sammi’s high-glam aesthetic influenced her flowers as well. She exclaims, “I always knew that I wanted to carry pink peonies!” Her bouquet featured a lush arrangement of the pillow soft blooms in various shades of blush hand-tied with an ivory satin ribbon.

 

Steven stepped into his role as groom with stye wearing a classic black tux and bowtie from S&S Tuxedo, a family-owned men’s formalwear store on Long Island. To match his future wife’s favorite color, he accessorized with a blush peony boutonniere. The couple’s wedding party dressed up for the posh summer event – bridesmaids wore black dresses from Lulu’s and Revolve and carried white rose and dahlia bouquets while the groomsmen also sported black tuxes.

 

Look forward to next week when Sammi looks back on her unforgettable rooftop ceremony.

Couple’s Vendor List
Venue: Tribeca Rooftop
Photographer: Danny Weiss Studio
Videographer: Live Picture Studios
Bride’s Dress: Martina Liana from Wedding Atelier
Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo
Groom’s Tux: S & S Tuxedos
Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Lulus & Revolve
Hair: Styles on B
Makeup: Stacy Ford Beauty Co.
Invitations: Janee The Paper Place
Place Cards + Menu: Minted
Table Numbers, Welcome Sign, + Bar Sign: Ink & Honey
Lighting: AV Workshop
Music: City Social from Martell Entertainment
Neon Sign: Neon Sign Kingdom