Oh, the dress. Or, should I say THE dress. It is one of the most important aspects of the wedding day, saying much about the bride’s style and how she wants to celebrate this important milestone. It is, perhaps, the most iconic garment we will ever wear.
I was reluctant to begin shopping for my dress, I’ll admit. Not because I wasn’t looking forward to playing bridal dress up (I have had dreams of prancing around in clouds of white since I was a toddler) but because of the sheer scale of choice awaiting me. I was also crippled with indecision. For some reason, I became convinced that as soon as I chose a dress, the next three brides I married would all come down the aisle in that very gown. The fact that I haven’t seen the same gown twice – in almost 100 weddings – was irrelevant. I had gone to crazy-lady-land, but not without reason.
We had planned a black tie wedding so I knew I wanted a formal, structured gown that wouldn’t look out of place in the middle of winter. With my bridesmaids and Mum in tow, we visited some of Melbourne’s most well-known bridal shops but it didn’t take me long to get disheartened. The dresses all seemed to be so similar, regardless of which store they came from, and the pressure I was placed under to buy at one or two stores wasn’t pleasant. I quickly made up my mind that I would spend no more than three Saturdays looking for my dress. If I couldn’t find it after three days of searching, I would have something made.
I had driven past the Suzanne Harward salon on Punt Road for many years, with the breathtaking gowns in the window never failing to catch my eye. They were always elegant and feminine, stunning without being unnecessarily complicated. I made plans to visit the salon on my final Saturday of shopping and as luck would have it, as soon as I walked in I knew my search was over.
The salon is absolutely gorgeous and you feel special as soon as you cross the threshold. I vividly recall looking over at my Mum very early in the appointment to see her nodding at me, mouthing ‘this is it’. The lovely Elissa greeted each of us by name, made us comfortable on the couch with a glass of bubbles and asked me thoughtful questions about my fiancé, the wedding and my personal style. Armed with this information, she then picked out some gowns, each of which elicited a ‘I love it’ from at least one of the girls whenever I stepped out of the change room.
It was the final gown I tried on, however, that would become my wedding dress. I put it on and felt…like myself. Kate Middleton famously said before her wedding that she wanted Prince William to recognise her as she came down the aisle. I knew that in this gown, Dave would immediately recognise the woman he fell in love with. The most beautiful, radiant and elegant version of the woman he fell in love with, but the same person nonetheless. With that, I had a wedding gown.
Suzanne Harward specialises in haute couture and this is obvious as soon as you view the gowns. They are, in short, unlike anything I have come across elsewhere. The design and structure of the gowns, the shades, fabric, beading and attention to detail are what makes them truly unique works of art but it is also the in-salon experience that makes a Suzanne Harward gown so special.
From that first day, the Suzanne Harward team made the experience of having my gown made so very memorable. Each fitting is like a catch-up with incredibly talented friends (who just happen to have the most amazing dresses I’ve ever seen in their wardrobe) and the team aren’t satisfied until everything is perfect. They were always there whenever I had a question and were genuinely excited for me each time I came in for a fitting.
My only complaint is that after the wedding, I’ll no longer have an excuse to drop in on them for a chat and a peek at their latest creations.
Unless, that is, anyone wants to invite me to something that I simply must have a couture gown for. Anyone going to the Oscars and need a date?
All photos and video by Nick Rieve, The White Tree.
Ms Gingham says: Finding the dress is one of the most important parts of planning your wedding. No matter how each bride finds theirs, and no matter what type of dress it is, it always feels like the planning is well and truly in full swing when it happens.
Koren Harvey says: “I love standing with a groom waiting for his bride to arrive and watching the emotions well up in his eyes. I love seeing the joy on a bride’s face when she catches sight of her husband-to-be. I love what I do. Being a celebrant is the best job in the world.”
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