Winter Wedding Featuring a Romantic Illusion Lace Wedding Dress

Considering a lace wedding gown for your big day? Add a winning edge to this surefire classic with illusion details. Noelle by Maggie Sottero features exquisite motifs along the neckline, shoulders, and open back for a sweet-yet-sultry bridal look!

Keep scrolling for Jennifer and Jasen’s elegant winter nuptials, featuring white-and-emerald florals and gorgeous New England backdrops. This occasion was captured beautifully by Meredith Sledge Photography.

Love Jennifer’s classic and feminine look? Head to an Authorized Retailer today!

Which Maggie Sottero Designs gown did you wear?
Noelle by Maggie Sottero.

How did you know when you found “the dress”
I knew this was “the dress” because of the perfect balance between classic beauty and uniqueness. It was the perfect fit and flare and the balance of modesty, with a little sexiness—exactly what I was looking for.

What was your favorite part of the dress?
The back of the dress was my favorite part (duh!). It was elegant and somewhat unexpected. The lace detail that effortlessly continued across my shoulders and down my back was so delicate and beautiful. The pearl buttons were just the icing on the cake! I also loved the edge piece of lace around the bottom of the dress.

How did you and your partner meet?
Jasen (at the time, known as DJ Cool J) spotted me, a tall redhead, walk into The Halligan Bar and Grill and ended up asking my friends all about me. A few weeks later, we ran into each other in downtown Richmond and exchanged telephone numbers. A week later, we went on our first date to a pho restaurant (where I was highly impressed with Jasen’s chopstick skills and felt embarrassed using a fork). We finished the night with a trip to Jefferson Hill Park and talked for several hours, looking over the city of Richmond.

How did he propose?
Well, after what seemed like an eternity to me, Jasen finally found the perfect ring and planned to propose in the fall of 2015. He knew how important my family was to me and figured that the annual Thanksgiving walk-to-the-beach in Norfolk would be the perfect time. He told no one, so the surprise wasn’t just on me when he dropped to a knee on the beach. Jasen and I enjoyed the day celebrating with my family and it’s something that we all continue to reminisce about year after year.

Where did you get married?
Back in high school, I attended a wedding reception at The Mill at Fine Creek in Powhatan, Virginia. The beauty of the mill ruins, the creek rushing by, and the homey, warm feeling of the house stuck with me through the years. Seeing as The Mill was a very popular venue and that I was only 13 months away from my hoped-for wedding date, I knew I had to jump on things fast. Within two days after getting engaged, I had shown my mom, older sister, and fiancé why The Mill fit my wedding vision perfectly, and we agreed on a date. December 18, 2016 was not far away, and The Wedding Planning Team was assembled!

Did your wedding have a theme?
The running joke the entire year before my wedding was that I would kick out any wedding guest in red, tear down any red decorations from The Mill, and quickly correct anyone saying that I was having a “Christmas” wedding when they heard the date. I had a clear “winter” wedding vision in my head, filled with white and gold and hunter green.

How did you decide what you wanted your wedding to look like?
I wanted my wedding to exude classic elegance, but be warm and inviting at the same time. The Mill was the perfect location to do that. Green is my favorite color and I thought it was perfect for winter. We dressed our bridal party in long, hunter green dresses for the ladies and classic tuxes for the gentlemen. We invited our guests to dress in black-tie optional and didn’t actually kick out anyone who wore red.

What was your favorite wedding day moment?
It is so hard to pick one favorite wedding day moment, so I am going to narrow it down to two. Our First Look was such a special moment. I snuck up on Jasen, tapped him on his shoulder, and watched as he turned around to see me in my dress. His drew in a deep breath and hugged me immediately. You could feel the genuine excitement between us. It brought tears to my eyes to see the love of my life, who was soon to be my husband. My second favorite moment was the toasts. We actually had four and they were each equally hysterical and heart-felt. I was bent over in laughter one moment and wiping away tears at the next. These bridal party members shared stories, advice, and well wishes that just left me feeling like I was sure that I had the best family and friends in the entire world.

Describe your wedding in one word.
Classic.

What advice do you have for future brides?
Your wedding is probably one of the few times that all the people that you love are in one place, laughing and enjoying each other’s company. It will be the perfect day, not because of the beautiful flowers or the delicious food, but because all the people who love and support you, through this adventure and the ones to come, surround you. Take time to say hi to everyone, but also take moments to yourself to just soak in your surroundings. Take a break with your partner, just the two of you, after you’re married to just breathe. Also, invest in airbrush makeup if you’re a crier, like me. It is SO worth it!