by Jen Hart | Bohemian Wedding Dresses, Real Weddings
It’s always a pleasure to hear a story about how love can catch you when you’re totally unaware…and Lyn and Drew’s story is exactly that. This couple was friends before they even realized that they were meant for each other. Lyn had bought a house and her good friend, Emily, introduced her to Drew because she needed a roommate. Emily says she knew that they’d be perfect for each other but, at the time, she didn’t say anything to Lyn along those lines (nicely done, Emily).
The couple lived together as roommates for two years and became close friends, best friends even. They always thought they’d have to take their families on vacations together one day, never realizing that their families would actually be one single family in the end!
Mutual friends commented on how perfect they’d be for each other but both of them would reply “he/she’d drive me crazy!” Waiting for them in the future, however, was the deepest love and thank goodness, both of them were able to wake up and see the light right in front of their noses.
Drew kept the ring for four months
Drew kept the ring for four months: Lyn knows him as someone who’s patient enough to wait and wait for the right moment to come along…and so he did. Through a Christmas celebration and a New Year’s Eve he kept that ring in his pocket, waiting for the right moment but it didn’t seem to come, until Valentine’s Day (a holiday they never really paid much attention to) came around and the couple were in Drew’s hometown, staying with his mom. It was after lunch, Lyn was exhausted and in need of a nap, but she agreed to go and visit Drew’s Grandpa.
Lyn remembers how she wanted to take a nap right there on Grandpa’s couch but Drew stopped her, saying that he wanted to give her a tour of his late Grandma’s house, which was strange because she’d been there a hundred times…so she obliged. The formal living room was where Drew had spent all his family holidays with his Father and Grandma, both of whom had since passed on. He got down on one knee, saying that he could think of no better place to ask Lyn to be a part of his family. Then he asked, “will you marry me?” The rest, as they say, is history.
Lyn advice to future brides is that you should take at least one whole month to truly enjoy your engagement, which is actually one of the sweetest of times, before you get bogged down with the details and stress of planning the wedding. In true Dreamers and Lovers style Lyn also offered that tradition is only a good thing if it represents you as a couple, otherwise you need to go ahead and make sure that your celebration is an expression of who you both are. This couple did things very differently and it worked out better than they ever could have imagined.
Lyn continued her search of other boutiques and bridal shops and even purchased a dress from another vendor. Once the dress was made, Lyn tried it on but ‘the feeling’ just wasn’t there, she knew it wasn’t the right dress.
Now, in spite of the fact that their engagement was a year and a half long, two months into it Lyn found Dreamers and Lovers, although she didn’t commit to any of the dresses she loaned to try on because she felt it was still too early to decide. Lyn continued her search of other boutiques and bridal shops and even purchased a dress from another vendor. Once the dress was made, Lyn tried it on but ‘the feeling’ just wasn’t there, she knew it wasn’t the right dress. Lyn had never thought that the dress would be so important to her and was surprised by the way the dress just didn’t feel right.
When Lyn went back to Dreamers and Lovers, new designs had been posted and she immediately spotted one that seemed to pull on her heartstrings. She knew that this was the one, it was right for her and for their planned celebration. The minute she tried it on she felt beautiful and she looked breathtaking too. Looking at pictures of Lyn and Drew on their wedding day, she couldn’t have made a better choice. The simple but elegantly romantic choice she made was perfect for a summer’s day, beautiful and comfortable enough to truly enjoy an outdoor wedding in.
The couple had already been together close to a decade when they tied the knot so they decided to make the wedding more of a ‘family reunion weekend’ than a regular wedding. They rented a summer camp, Camp Pinnacle in Flat Rock NC, for the whole weekend. All 200+ guests would sleep at the camp and truly enjoy a weekend away with he rest of the clan.
An important detail for both Drew and Lyn was the music…so they took a chance and asked their two favorite bands if there was any chance they could play at the wedding. To the couple’s delight, both bands answered yes. Both bands came and played, one on Friday and one on Saturday. All the band members spent the weekend living it up and partying like they’d always been part of the family. Lin says you never know unless you ask and she is so grateful that she asked. She says that if you have a favorite band you should at least try to get them to play. For Lyn and Drew it was a life changing, memorable and unique experience that they will think of with joy for the rest of their lives. The trick, Lyn says, is to be resourceful. After all, you never know, your favorite band might actually play if you just build up the courage to ask.
The photographers were a married couple, who live in the mountains outside of Asheville, named Jamekay and Arlie. Lyn holds that their incredible talent allowed them to somehow capture the new couple’s most touching moments, as if through a spiritual lens. Lyn and Drew were taken aback by their photos and felt blessed that the couple also joined in on the celebrations as if they had always been a part of the family.
Rather than have a big cake made, which might spoil over the course of the weekend, they opted for a selection of cookies. A dear friend, who also happened to be a baker, baked a few favorites for them; including chocolate chip, pecan cranberry and sugar cookies, with Oreos thrown in at Drew’s special request.
The camp created such an exquisite, natural backdrop that it wasn’t necessary to go overboard on flower arrangement. The flower shop in Charleston helped Lyn and her mom to come up with some classic arrangements that really fitted their vision for the weekend.
They decided to get married on the Friday, so that they could spend the weekend stress free, just enjoying everyone’s company.
They decided to get married on the Friday, so that they could spend the weekend stress free, just enjoying everyone’s company. Lyn says that the love, appreciation, joy and respect throughout the event were just so expansive that the vibration was tangibly high and powerful.
Lyn says that managing other people’s expectations can be challenging but it’s important to take a step back and realize that no matter the details, this is still going to be the best day of your life. It’s about love and family and that’s all that really matters so enjoy!
Drew says that for them every day is their honeymoon. They are more in love than ever and respect each other more than ever. To Lyn, their love feels sweeter even though she never thought it could be sweeter. Now comes their life together, celebrating themselves as individuals and as a couple, learning more from each other every day and loving the journey as they roll along hand in hand.
For both Drew and Lyn, married life is better than they ever imagined. The wedding may have been fun but the marriage is even better. It’s good to hear these bride stories and realize that all around us is a world so filled with love and romance and for each one of us destiny is there for the taking, maybe even staring us right in the face!
Drew and Lyn, we wish you a lifetime of bright dreams and wholehearted love and for us it’s truly an honor to have been, even for a moment, a part of your story!
Photography: JameyKay and Arlie Photography.
http://www.JameykayandArlie.com
by Jen Hart | Backless Wedding Dresses, Wedding Editorials
Boho is a place where time stands still, a love story, which spans a thousand years or more, a score of lifetimes. It’s a fairytale image so ephemeral and divine that it can’t be confined to one particular era, it’s poetry, it’s sculpture, it’s the sound of the sea. It’s not a fashion statement or a rule of thumb…it’s a still life of all that is feminine, all that is romance, all that is passion. It’s simply, breathtakingly bohemian.
No frills- to catch and fray, no sparkle- to tarnish and fade, no fuss- to frustrate and distract.
The essence of femininity is captured in a way that can never grow old, never become outdated. Long hair, silk and vintage lace catches the wind and the product is breathtaking to behold. No frills-to catch and fray, no sparkle-to tarnish and fade, no fuss-to frustrate and distract. Nothing but a continuation of the female form in easy, perfect lines, comfortable fits and exquisite fabrics.
We wanted to highlight the raw magnetism of our bespoke bohemian dresses by showcasing them in natural settings, against visually stunning backdrops which would hold a great many traditional styles to shame, from the hills around San Francisco and California to lovely Portland Oregon. These were laid back photo-shoots, of friends at the end of easy days out, with minimal to no makeup and no hairstyling or added accessories. The magical results were near to effortless, something achievable by any laid back girl who wears our carefully thought out dresses.
Our handmade designs are made to measure, to be worn free by those of us who are born free.
It’s clear to see that our designs are made to bring out the best of beautiful, to harmonize between vintage and modern elements, to wake up the old world romantic in every millennium girl. Our handmade designs are made to measure, to be worn free by those of us who are born free. Ease of movement, comfort and mesmeric visual balance are everything to us here at Dreamers and Lovers. We are free spirited women too, who know what you want your clothes to say about you and how you need them to make you feel.
We wanted you to see the effortless charm of our enchanting bohemian pieces, which require no more of you than to be worn with love in your heart and a spirit that’s free. Capturing the natural soul inside that is eternally youthful and timelessly elegant at the same time.
Boho is that place in your mind where time stands still, allowing you to express the most exquisite parts of your self, a self aware Lover, a childlike Dreamer, a gateway to everything beautiful.
See our full line of bohemian wedding dresses here.
by Jen Hart | Real Weddings
Emily in Chylie Gown
Those of us who’ve turned to online dating sites in the hope of finding our perfect match, who wonder if it’s even possible or whether it’s too much wishful thinking…have no fear, here’s proof that dreams can come true over the internet! Beautiful Emily and her stylish groom are every bit the Dreamers and Lovers couple, not just their laid back boho-chic style but the many ways in which their meeting and their wedding were unconventional. It’s a refreshingly romantic story and that’s why we know you’ll just love it!
“Believe it or not, the happy couple actually met on OKCupid, one of the Internet’s many dating sites! It all began when he sent her a message asking if she thought man could survive on snacks alone.”
Believe it or not, the happy couple actually met on OKCupid, one of the Internet’s many dating sites! It all began when he sent her a message asking if she thought man could survive on snacks alone. Emily must have enjoyed the question and he must have been intrigued by the answer because a few days later the pair met up at a dive bar (this is where your mother would say “it’ll never work” and yet…). Alas! He met none of Emily’s criteria but as it turns out, that didn’t seem to matter. Life, as they say, is full of pleasant surprises.
So it happened that one day Emily was once again pleasantly surprised when her significant other declared “pack your bags, we’re leaving for Paris in the morning.” She did and they did and it turned out to be a magical, life changing experience. After locking a padlock on Lover’s Bridge (to stay in Paris forever) the couple took a ride on a ferris wheel where, at the top, in the sunset, overlooking the Eiffel tower…he asked her to marry him! Seriously?! Emily (no doubt forced into by the sheer romantic splendor of it all) could only say yes and start to cry. The old Parisian operating the wheel took one look at Emily and inquired “probleme?” When she answered “we’re engaged” with the tears streaming down her cheeks it became clear the Parisian spoke no English with his concerned response “probleme?”
“As it turned out, the only real “probleme” was that of finding a dress…a massive source of stress for bride-to-be Emily, who knew that run of the mill, puffy satin monstrosities were not at all what she had in mind!”
As it turned out, the only real “probleme” was that of finding a dress…a massive source of stress for bride-to-be Emily, who knew that run of the mill, puffy satin monstrosities were not at all what she had in mind! She knew that there was a difference between looking like a timeless, elegant bride and looking traditionally overdressed. Emily was banking on the former option. A few visits and fittings at standard bridal shops later and Emily was more discouraged than ever. She was lucky enough to discover Dreamers and Lovers online and tried on her chosen dress in the comfort of her own home. Delighted beyond belief, she didn’t want to take it off. The embroidered cotton lace was comfortable enough to sleep in but she decided she’d better save it for the special day. “Probleme” solved!
Emily was like a bohemian princess, in her simple, laid back wedding dress with a flower crown and a bouquet which looked as though Emily had run through a spring meadow on her way and picked them as she went! On the morning of the wedding her mom gave her a box containing her uncle and her grandma’s ashes and the engagement ring her grandpa had bought for her grandma in the barracks after he was drafted. Emily tied the ring on a ribbon around her bouquet, a hidden detail that meant the world to her, her favorite detail.
As with so many creative Dreamers and Lovers weddings, it was the quirky, thoughtful details, which truly stood out and made this a day to remember. It was to be a small wedding with 130 honored guests and the couple began their quest to make each guest feel special a full year before the time by typing out individual place-cards for every guest. The cards explained why each guest was special to the couple as an individual and why their presence at the wedding was so important. It was challenging and time consuming but this incredible detail brought everyone closer together on the day and will never be forgotten. The day was filled with so much love, not just for the couple but for everyone present. Emily advises anyone who’s planning their wedding to take the time and go the extra mile to make their guests feel honored.
Emily also says that it’s vital, when planning, not to let yourself get stressed about the details. Her attitude was always that, as long as everyone’s together, they could always just order pizza and eat on the floor if all else fails. It’s this attitude that makes every thing, which goes right on the day so much more enjoyable!
“The couple overheard many a “you should or shouldn’t do it that way” leading up to the day but staying true to themselves was all that was really important.”
The couple faced a lot of challenges in planning, not least of all the barrage of unwanted advice and criticisms from people who opined that there was a specific way things needed to be done. The couple overheard many a “you should or shouldn’t do it that way” leading up to the day but staying true to themselves was all that was really important.
The vegan couple, worried about where to find a cake, enlisted a friend, who was a baker, to bake their 150 vegan cupcakes and a mini red velvet cake to cut at the reception.
Amongst the readings at the ceremony were a beautiful poem written by Emily’s sister in-law and something written for the occasion by Emily’s childhood best friend. Both pieces were kept as a surprise for the day and the couple was glad that they chose to do it that way. When Emily’s mom got up to dance with her daughter (having raised her as a single mom), half the room was moved to tears when they heard that the song was in fact Emily thanking her mom for all her hard work and struggle over the years, recorder over background music.
Emily remembers their vows with a twinkle in her eye and advises every couple to do as they did and write their own. She hates to chose a favorite part but from her husband’s vows Emily chose: “But what I can promise, easily, is that as we continue building a home and a life together, I will love you every single day. All other marriage vows naturally stem from that single promise. Loving you means promising to never take you for granted. It means promising to always care for you, to trust you, to go on adventures with you so we can create new memories to cherish—even if it means venturing out of my comfort zone. It means promising not to stand too close to the edge of the subway platform. Loving you means pledging my life to you, growing with you, and smiling so hard my face hurts.”
Next on the cards for the newlyweds is a baby, who they’re expecting in just 2 months time! Baby #1 was conceived on honeymoon in Greece and Emily insists that a few weeks in Greece is always good for the fertility! We wish them all the best of a lifetime filled with dreaming and loving and continuing to be unapologetically, uniquely themselves! Congratulations!
by Jen Hart | Real Weddings
Just looking at the photos of Ashley and Jeff’s special day, I can feel the atmosphere bursting through the screen. The laughing couple, Jeff (in dashing blue with stylish brown leather shoes), Ashley (in an enchantingly simple, boho wedding dress from Dreamers and Lovers, with a flower crown), together with their furry friend, Maggie the Goldendoodle (in her own flower necklace), look like the happiest, laid back family on earth and I’m sure you wouldn’t mind learning a little more about how they got to be so lucky.
Shortly after Jeff moved back to his home town of Carmel Indiana from Chicago (in August 2013), him and Ashley where fatefully thrown together by good intentioned (scheming) friends
Shortly after Jeff moved back to his home town of Carmel Indiana from Chicago (in August 2013), him and Ashley where fatefully thrown together by good intentioned (scheming) friends. The idea was for the big group of friends to spend the night at a John Mayer concert, which they would get to in a friend’s RV (or trusty party bus), obviously the pair expected everyone to be sharing a section of seats and enjoying the concert together.
Well, after seriously hitting it off on the party bus, the pair was surprised to discover that their scheming friends had in fact booked separate seats for them, away from everybody…they would be forced to continue hitting it off for the rest of the night, which they did! Their friends had indeed pulled a fast one on them. For Ashley and Jeff there was no looking back. As fate would have it, John Mayer ended up performing at the same venue on the evening of June 17, 2016…the night they got married.
The proposal was a monumental surprise for Ashley, who always thought she’d see it coming. Jeff came home early from work, saying that they and Maggie should go hiking up at their favorite spot, an old Indian reserve running by the river 30 minutes from their Indiana home. Ashley thought nothing of it, it being a beautiful October day, perfect for a stroll outdoors.
They started their hike and stopped at one of the most picturesque outlook points by the river so that Maggie could have a dip and drink some water. Because the day was relatively cool, Ashley began urging for a move on, complaining that no more cooling off was needed…Jeff though, had other plans.
Ashley became aware that Jeff was mentioning their special spot, saying he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, discovering other special places. Realizing the situation, Ashley’s heart began to race, she turned away and looked at the ground intently…Jeff pulled her back and got down on one knee to propose, at which point Ashley exclaimed “what are you doing? This is so weird!”
Although she doesn’t remember responding, legend has it her answer was yes, only she kept on awkwardly saying “this is so weird” until Jeff finally responded “you have to stop saying that!”
Although she doesn’t remember responding, legend has it her answer was yes, only she kept on awkwardly saying “this is so weird” until Jeff finally responded “you have to stop saying that!” In closing Ashley reassured him that it ‘was a good weird, but still weird’.
Now, Ashley is one of those free spirited boho brides who likes to stay comfy and the thought of a frumpy, massive, satin wedding gown quite frankly terrified her. She looked forward to the inevitable dress shopping experience with a sense of dread in her heart.
For the first time in her life, she took to Pinterest for ideas, where a stunning Dreamers and Lovers pin linked her to the Etsy shop. The enchanting dress Ashley ended up wearing was actually one of the original dresses she had pinned.
After seeing the happy, laid back brides on the Dreamers and Lovers Instagram pics, Ashley felt confident about ordering her dress online, she provided her measurements and the rest is history…all without ever setting foot in one of those dreaded bridal stores! The dress arrived and the outcome was both beautiful and comfortable, aligning perfectly with Ashley’s vision and the setting for the day.
One of the most interesting things about this wedding was that it actually took place over two days (a Friday and a Saturday), Ashley’s cousin got ordained online and performed the ceremony on the first day. It was an intimate, unforgettable affair with only 70 family members, including Maggie the furry Goldendoodle, set in the picturesque woods near an old covered bridge, overlooking the river where Ashley grew up.
Ashley’s Grandfather started their farm back in the 50’s, his favorite prayer had been the Serenity prayer and she remembers warmly that it was read out at the ceremony and meant a great deal to everyone present.
A post ceremony dinner was held on Ashley’s Mom and Stepdad’s 10 acres, just a mile from where the ceremony was held. The dinner was set up on farm tables, under three old oak trees strung with fairy lights. The couple remember that day as a perfect one…in fact, they had such a blast that they forgot to cut the cake and ended up doing it next to Ashley’s Mom’s pool (in their swimsuits) the following day!
The same guests, as well as 130 friends and extended family, were invited to the Saturday night barn party on Ashley’s Dad and Stepmom’s farm, where Ashley was born. The barn was transformed with chandeliers and fairy lights hung from the rafters, with farm tables made out of an old barn from Ashley’s Mom’s property.
There were food trucks parked outside the barn, with a gourmet donut truck (The Dancing Donut) to provide delicious, fresh dessert. The night was magical, with music, scrumptious cocktails and dazzling fireworks. The couple loved the idea of getting two whole days to celebrate and feel the love with friends and family.
Ashley’s greatest advice for boho brides-to-be is to realize it will all be worth it. Although planning (especially when you’ve got your own business to run) can be overwhelming and stressful, having a special day (or two) to spend with your loved ones is a wonderful gift and those memories are there to last a lifetime…just remember to breathe!
The couple recently sold their condo and are planning on buying and renovating a house in which they can raise a family. They’ve also got a South American honeymoon coming up in January 2017. We wish them all the best and a future full of special places and happy memories.
by Jen Hart | Wedding Editorials
Now, after an editorial I usually just archive the relevant pics…but there’s something so magical, so unwaveringly ethereal about this particular shoot that I just can’t seem to put these photos to rest like the others. It’s as if the stars aligned and everything just fell perfectly into place, a miracle of creation. Every aspect so perfectly in harmony with the rest; that’s when it becomes art for me and that’s what happened here.
Unearthing these old pics of one of our classics, the quintessentially bohemian Catherine Dress (one of our all time favorites), I was struck again by the timelessness of the piece. I feel like it won’t matter whether you look at these pics a hundred years from now, they’ll still be absolutely exquisite and I think that any bride would love to be able to say the same about her own wedding day pics.
That is what I intend to achieve for her with my designs. That’s the thing about simplicity and that’s the thing about Boho. That’s why Dreamers and Lovers is here, doing what we do.
Looking at the windswept model against the backdrop of Palos Verdes (a coastal town very close to my studio), I’m taken back to when I first started my line. At the time I had only my three initial styles. My husband and I would come to this location to do impromptu (unprofessional) shoots…he was the photographer and I was the model, so maybe this location holds a special place in my heart, either way.
This too was an impromptu shoot; I’m lucky enough to have a good friend who happens to be a fashion photographer. This was one of the three boho wedding dresses that we had in the line at the time which we thought would be ideal for a laid back seaside wedding. Nature didn’t seem to be on our side though; with the day uncharacteristically cold and windy…but something kept us fighting on through the day and at last this batch came out, epic. The moody light and emotive quality of the sea, the sky and the vast horizon, it’s effortlessly romantic and I know this dress takes it there. We entitled the shoot: Windswept. I can only say that I’m truly proud of it.
There’s nothing contrived or pretentious about the shoot, the dress feels like a true expression of the model’s soul, effortlessly romantic and eternally feminine, she is a force of nature at home in the midst of these elements. Indeed, she doesn’t fit into the view or fall short, she crowns it without overpowering it, and she’s a benevolent queen. This is exactly what I want the Dreamers and Lovers bride to do and be on her wedding day.
So we take our inspiration from the beauty in creation, the miracle of nature and the wonder of love, we are true romantics and we know our brides are too. It’s not about constriction or transformation…it’s about using our instincts, respecting the forces and the elements and designing dresses which take their place in nature, no matter how the whether changes. It’s about highlighting the best and taking it easy on the worst, loving ourselves enough to be comfortable.
Every boho bride is at home against a backdrop of late afternoon sky and sea, even one as stunning as this. It’s the dress that needs to live up to the bride, to do her justice so she can take her place and really command the view in an unassuming way. So she can do what she does best and steal the show (without shouting out loud that she is trying to do so).
Luxurious, lightweight silks and vintage style laces in boho tones of off-white and ivory with minimal fuss and minimal frill. They catch the wind and look the better for it. A barefoot bride might pick up mud on her hem after a surprise wedding day shower. Somehow the dress looks the better for it. That’s what we’re all about – Simple wedding dresses. Bohemian Wedding dresses. Because we’re complicated girls and we need a little balance!
Our Catherine, she’s so fearlessly boho, as simple as can be, as beautiful as can be. The cleanest lines, comfortable, enhancing the form but changing nothing… just like art, which just falls into place, the perfect, ethereal balance.
She’s feminine and modest, revealing just enough at the back to bridge the gap from youthful bride to boho goddess.
What I love the most about this dress is the fact that I can literally see how comfortable the model is and, where comfort usually means some visual sacrifice, in this case it’s exactly the opposite. It’s so laid back and at the same time so exquisite! Looking at this dress I know that I’ve truly achieved what I set out to do when I started my journey as a wedding dress designer. This is a dress I’d be proud to wear and I can only hope that by applying the same standards to every design I’ll be blessed with many more classics like this in the future.
The Catherine Dress has always been a favorite of ours and it’s not hard to see why. It’s something we can only hope to achieve in every one of our designs.
You might be quintessentially Catherine but if not there’s a long list of names to chose from these days. I want to be sure there’s something for everyone so I’m not resting in my efforts, not to mention the fact that I thoroughly enjoy what I do.
Every time I see photos of the latest happy Dreamers and Lovers bride, I feel the aspects of my life fall into place, like art, it makes me so grateful. Every wedding is different, every body, every day, I just keep love in mind, design from the soul and trust my instincts. Somewhere in our range you’ll find a dress that’s quintessentially you, a name (like Catherine) that you’ll never forget, like a friend who’ll fill your heart with joy and help you to make magical memories that you can treasure forever.