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Meet Kassie

Kassie‘s lace bell sleeve wedding dress reconstruction is a true transformation story and one of our favorites. Kassie’s a local home beauty pro & style influencer that works in the salon inside the Hotel Lafayette. Try saying that ten times fast! We’ve known each other for years because we’re work neighbors. When she brought in her mother’s fabulous 80’s dress, I knew I wanted to make her vision come to life.

With her creative mind, the bride already knew she wanted the dress transformed into something fashion forward, a designer’s dream! From the get-go, Kassie knew she wanted to redesign the fit with tons of bohemian flair. Hello, Stevie Knicks! Of course, dramatic bell sleeves were on the top of the list, along with different laces (some of fringe) and her stylish blue velvet ankle high boots.

Transforming the dress

The original dress was made of polyester blended taffeta with a ton of lace and dangly pieces, a true representation of the fabulous 1980s. Her mom’s 7-foot train was the real showstopper. Though Kassie wanted a long train, she wanted more of a fit and flare silhouette.

The OG lace on the dress didn’t fit the boho vibe, so we found other beautiful cotton laces to incorporate. We opened up the neckline, removed the original sleeves and added an exaggerated bell-shaped sleeve with new laces with gorgeous scalloped detail along the edge.

The boho vibe came together when we took the lace from the sleeves and placed it throughout the bodice and at the hips. We incorporated different cotton lace trims we purchased to continue the flow of the dress. Anytime we work on a reconstruction where we bring in new elements, it’s important we execute it thoughtfully because the elements need to look like they’ve always been a part of the dress.

The key to a successful dress reconstruction

Creating a low back was also part of our bride’s vision. Working with dress reconstructions can be tricky sometimes because there is only so much we can do with a dress as is, and have to look for other solutions to execute the vision. In this case, we used a thin piece of illusion netting across the back shoulders to give her the support she needed to keep the dress from falling off.  We also added new cotton trims to decorate the neckline down the back, it’s so beautiful and flows perfectly into the lace trim detail across her back skirt. Like, BAM! Look at that booty!

Don’t be Afraid to Accessorize

We haven’t even gotten to her BOOTIES! The shoes are so fun, so we had to show them off with a slit at the center front of the skirt. Kassie finished off the look with a cathedral length oval veil that cascaded so gorgeously from her stunning hair pieces. We love love looooove how it all came together for her big day!

This reconstructed wedding gown is a perfect example of how far we can stretch our creativity and skill to create a truly one of a kind wedding dress. When you choose a reconstructed wedding dress, no one will ever have a dress like yours!

Enjoy Kassie & Steve’s wedding video to see the dress in action!