This off the shoulder red dress is special to me because it’s the one I wore for my wedding speech and first dance. I brought it to Maui because I wanted to wear it again, and because I wanted to photograph the full essence of it, especially the side slit, which you can’t see in my wedding photos. This dress, sandals, and shapewear is the exact combo I wore for my wedding. Scroll down for more photos and details.
^ Making our speeches together was one of the highlights of my wedding day.
^ Our first dance. Our friends surrounded us and sang along to Seal’s Kiss From a Rose. I love that Damon is in his running shoes by this point of our wedding.
^ One of my favorite photos. Surrounded by a circle of our closest friends. My flower crown is on the ground because it fell off when Damon dipped me, and again, I just love that Damon is in his runners!
When I started shopping for a red dress, I knew that I wanted it to be a modern style instead of a traditional qi pao. I love off-shoulder dresses, and since I wasn’t wearing off-the-shoulder for my ceremony, I hoped to wear that style for my reception. I ordered close to 10 dresses at all parts of the price spectrum and when I tried on the Lulus Off the Shoulder Mermaid Gown I immediately knew I found the dress. And it was under $100 US. I couldn’t believe it! All the tailoring it needed was shortening the length.
I had never considered shapewear prior to my wedding, but because this dress was so figure-hugging I ordered a whole box of Spanx, Commando and Yummie shapewear. I chose to wear the most comfortable style, the Yummie Cooling FX High Waist Thigh Shaper. As a shapewear newbie I found the other styles too compressive, but one of my bridesmaids loves the Spanx version of the shorts and wears them almost everyday. The only challenge was that my dress had a high slit up the left thigh, which meant I had to fold up my shorts if I didn’t want it to show. The fold was visible through my dress but I didn’t mind. If only Kim Kardashian had launched her shapewear line a little earlier, her Skims High-Slit Solution Short would have been perfect.
I loved wearing this dress again and I hope you enjoyed a glimpse into my wedding day. Please let me know if you’d be interested in other wedding-related content!
What did you wear for your wedding reception? Did you change into a different dress?
Lulus Off the Shoulder Mermaid Gown (I’m wearing size Small)
Yummie Cooling FX High Waist Thigh Shaper (also available on amazon.ca)
Sam Edelman Suede Sandals
YSL Belle De Jour Clutch
Kosas lipstick in Undone
Essie Gel Couture nail polish in Picture Perfect
I’ve linked to some gorgeous off the shoulder gowns below that would be perfect for a special event, engagement photos, and Valentine’s Day.