A-line Wedding Dresses and Lona’s Love Story

If there’s one thing we love more than wedding dresses, it’s watching our gorgeous real brides get the fairytale wedding they’ve always dreamed of. Our real bride Lona’s love story is our latest obsession. Read about her relationship with her husband, Sam, her wedding day, and find out how she knew A-line wedding gown Marvine by Sottero and Midgley was her dream dress. Before you do though, go check out our style quiz to see which of our stunning A-line wedding dresses is right for you!

Meet Sam and Lona!

PC: Compass Films

We had the opportunity to sit down with our beautiful real bride, Lona, and her husband Sam, to talk about their wedding. Lona’s bridal journey ended with her wearing Marvine by Sottero and Midgley down the aisle, a whimsical A-line wedding dress with garden-inspired beading. We couldn’t be happier for the couple! Read on to hear all the details about their adorable love story!

How did you and Sam meet, fall in love, and propose?

PC: Compass Films

Sam and I met through a mutual friend when dating was the last thing on my mind. One of my friends messaged me about him and I declined nicely but thought it wouldn’t hurt to be friends. Especially since he was the only little person I knew and he could introduce me to the community.

We followed each other on Instagram and then on New Year’s Eve of 2019, Sammy messaged me on Instagram something like, “I think you are really pretty and would love to grab a cup of coffee sometime.” He caught my eye and it hurt to decline him because I was interested in getting to know him, but my family wanted me to be with an Albanian since I am Albanian, and Sammy is Lebanese. 

I told Sammy I would love to be friends and asked if he would introduce me to the community. I knew if he did, I would get to know him more. We got to know each other when hanging out with our community and from there, we slowly became more than friends. 

On October 22, 2021, I was working and suddenly thought, “What if he proposes in Switzerland?” We were going there for New Year’s. On December 30th, Sammy proposed to me in a Whitepod in Switzerland with igloos all around. Sammy picked December 30th because he wanted it to fall on New Year’s Eve like when he first messaged me, but we were celebrating New Year’s with his friend’s family so he did it one day early so it could just be us.

PC: Compass Films

Why were you interested in partnering with Maggie Sottero to find your pearl A-line wedding dress?

I loved what they stood for. Maggie’s team was so welcoming and kind. Besides the dresses just being absolutely beautiful, I really did feel like a bride and not a little person bride. They made me feel normal and they were so accepting of everything and any adjustments needed. From the beginning, just how genuine they were about making me feel beautiful in any way I needed.

How did you start the process of finding your dream pearl A-line wedding dress? 

PC: Unknown

From the day I got engaged, I knew exactly what style dresses looked good on me. Shortly after, I went to Treasure Formals and Bridal in Alpharetta, and it was the perfect place to start. The ladies there were so incredibly sweet and nice. I had my dresses laid out from the ones I picked. 

The dress I loved first was the dress I picked. It was everything I imagined in a dress. It was simple yet super extra and was exactly what I wanted. The dress fit me so well and made me feel so beautiful.

Who did you bring to your bridal appointment and how did it go? 

I took my two lifelong best friends, my mom, mother-in-law, future sister-in-law, and sister. It went so smoothly. It was so fun seeing all these beautiful dresses on me. I didn’t realize there could be so many changes to a dress and it could still look like the original dress on your body.

What made you ultimately choose Marvine, one of Sottero and Midgley’s A-line wedding dresses?

PC: Compass Films

The details are what made me choose the Marvine dress. Every little detail, especially the pearls all over. The sheer cover on the torso, plunging neckline, and open back drew me in too because I am a sucker for an open-back dress. It had exactly what I wanted.

How would you describe the feeling of knowing you’ve found your wedding dress to future brides? 

An emotional feeling, especially when they put a veil on top. It was everything I imagined and more. You will see your younger self in the mirror as a bride and think to yourself, “Wow I’m actually getting married in this.”

Do you have any advice for brides shopping for A-line wedding dresses this year?

Don’t be hard on yourself. You will find a dress you love, even though it may be something that is out of your comfort zone or not what you pictured initially. As long as you feel beautiful in that dress, you will look beautiful.

Can you tell us about the alterations experience for A-line wedding dresses?

PC: Compass Films

For each dress, I explained what I wanted to change and they gave me the vision of how it would look. They gave me details on how the alterations would be made to fit right for me. 

From the first alterations experience, we went straight into the arms. My dress had straps so there was no need to cut the sleeves, but we did need to raise the arms as the dresses are made to average height people and their torso is longer than ours. My straps had to be lifted a bit higher to feel comfortable and not fall.

They also shortened my dress. They lifted the dress and tucked it under so I could get the vision. We removed some train but kept most of it because my wedding was the only day I could be dramatic with a train. Surprisingly, the dress was not heavy at all. 

By the second appointment, I was getting the vision and we kept going shorter because my biggest worry was I would fall because of the length. At the last appointment, I was moving so freely in that dress. I couldn’t have been more obsessed with how comfortable and beautiful I felt.

What was your favorite moment from your wedding day?

PC: Compass Films

One of my favorite moments was when my dad was repeating after the Imam when he was giving my dad Islamic verses to say. At that moment, I could have never thanked God enough for my dad and partner. It was such a special moment because I had the two most important men in my life beside me. 

Hearing my dad say the verses touched me because I remembered praying my parents would accept Sammy even though he was not from our culture. At that moment, I grew a stronger connection with God because my parents have had so much respect for Sammy since the day they met him and that was my biggest worry.

What were some of your favorite details in your wedding ceremony and reception? 

My wedding ceremony and reception details were so elegant. I am so glad I had a partner who helped me plan it all. I would never have thought of getting a harp until Sammy suggested it and it was the perfect addition to the wedding. Other details I loved were our décor, the emerald color theme, and our candles. Our flowers were baby breaths and roses with a touch of greenery, and our menus had emerald flowers on them.

The last thing I would have to say that made my reception special was we had an Arab drummer who walked with us into the reception. Following the drummer, we did a traditional Albanian dance with traditional clothing that got millions of views. These videos spread across the globe the day after the video was posted. I was woken up by many Albanian news channels calling and messaging us wanting us to be featured in their news, which was so crazy and surreal.

Did you do anything to incorporate your Albanian culture in your wedding day? 

PC: Compass Films

We had custom cultural clothing brought to us by my uncle from Kosovo. Our drummer also practiced the entrance songs with our DJ. The songs we started with when dancing were very traditional and patriotic songs. Doing this dance was a way to express my culture and bring my non-Albanian husband into my culture. It was all Sammy’s idea to do this dance at our wedding.

Our guest loved it. If you’ve ever heard Albanian music and Arab music, you would know they are very similar and they both are amazing. Mixing the two with drummers and cultural clothing made the guests love it. In the video, you can see my family go crazy when they saw what we were getting ready to do and everyone felt so proud and loved it.

Our Other Fave A-Line Wedding Dresses to Consider

A-line wedding dresses: Destin by Sottero and Midgley

Destin is a floral lace illusion corset A-line wedding dress with a strapless neckline and square plunge that’s perfect for your happily-ever-after.

Zelda by Rebecca Ingram Simple A-line Wedding Dress

There’s love in the air and old Hollywood-inspired simple A-line wedding dresses to make all your Hepburn dreams come true.

A-line wedding dresses: Jessica by Maggie Sottero

To channel your inner starlet, Greek goddess, modern muse – pair dreamy chiffon A-line wedding dresses with lace details, flattering draping, and a stunning back treatment. 

Sparkly A-line wedding dress Gwen by Maggie Sottero

We’re here to help you find regal strapless tulle A-line wedding dresses that make you feel like a free spirit without losing that classic, effortlessly sophisticated kind of vibe you get from a well-tailored silhouette. Enter, Gwen. A romantic strapless tulle bridal gown with a corset bodice and 3-D lace motifs. 

Betsy by Maggie Sottero Pearl A-line Wedding Dress

Sweet meets sophisticated in this pearl A-line wedding dress with a sexy illusion corset back and plunging neckline. Betsy is the perfect choice for a fairytale wedding vibe with a modern flair.

Inspired by Lona’s bridal journey? Us too. That’s why we spend hours creating Pinterest boards with all the most fabulous A-line wedding dresses for your pinning pleasure. Looking for a pearl A-line wedding dress? We’ve got it. A sparkly A-line wedding dress? The search is over. Go check us out! Who knows, maybe you’ll find your dream dress.

More Blogs Like This:

How to Rock An A-Line Wedding Dress with a Side Slit

Finding a Wedding Dress for Your Body Type to Promote Body Positivity

Love Always Wins | A Real Bride’s Heartfelt Story & Casual Beach Wedding