Real Bride Spotlight: Laura Zelman
Advice for brides planning their weddings or wedding-event wardrobes?
Plan ahead and try on wedding dresses ASAP! You can never have too much time to prepare. I was surprised to see how long the process took when picking out a wedding dress. Some styles take 6+ months for a dress to come in and then you have to factor in additional time for alterations. Aside from needing as much time as possible for your dream dress to arrive, this was hands down my favorite part of the entire planning process. It’s a blast! Try on every style that speaks to you, even the ones you don’t expect to love. You might be surprised at what you choose for your big day!
Looking back at the process of planning, and your wedding events, is there a memory or detail that sticks out as a can’t live without?
- We had large light up letters at the outdoor rehearsal dinner with my soon-to-be last name (ZELMAN) I think it was great for pictures and it looked even better as the sun started to set over our dreamy night!
- We had a brunch wedding followed by a pool party and it was a huge hit. Don’t be afraid to do something out of the ordinary, chances are your guests will enjoy it even more! And so will you!!!
- We got married over the week of Cinco de Mayo, The Kentucky Derby, and even Mother's Day. It was a jam packed weekend! We pulled in a lot of themes centered around each event. A tasteful theme can be a fun way for people to get even more involved and excited about your wedding!
- I got married on my parents 40th wedding anniversary- the best!
- Say and write your own vows! You will not regret it!!!
How much input did you give your bridesmaids?
I only had 3 bridesmaids so I just gave them color-inso. I wanted all three of them to wear something unique and something that worked best for their own figure. They each picked out 2-3 options and we collectively decided which dress looked best! They all looked amazing and I loved that each girl was wearing something different. It was perfect.
Laura, and her new sister-in-law, Lauren Harrison, design and production director, Team JS!
How did you style your Jessica Simpson Bridal shoes?
I wore my JS shoes under my wedding dress! I had a long and fitted white dress with no lace or beading or detail whatsoever. It was strapless and as simple as it gets. The shoes were the perfect way to “dress up” my big day in a very subtle way.
Where did you go on your honeymoon?
Italy! My first time to Europe. It was dreamy and beautiful and my biggest feedback is if you ever go to Europe for 2+ weeks… pack comfortable shoes because you will walk ALL DAY LONG! The food is amazing and you will be blown away at how beautiful everything is.
All Photos of Laura and Brian’s big day were taken by Ashley Rae Photography.
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