Mother of: Jack
Venue: Nestldown in Los Gatos, California
Vibe: California Cocktail
Dress: Aqua from Bloomingdale's
April knew she wanted to wear a solid jewel tone for her son Jack's May 2023 wedding in the Santa Cruz mountains of Northern California. Blue was already spoken for by the mother of the bride, and the bridesmaids wore rose.
April combed the internet, ordering more than 15 dresses. “The shopping experience was lots of fun but a little stressful,” she says. “It’s not every day that you are looking for a fancy dress, so you might as well enjoy it!” April recalls waiting impatiently for each delivery, modeling dresses for her husband, whom, she says, is “very discerning about what looks good on me.” And for a second opinion, she sent selfies to a college friend she could trust “to be frank about what looked best.”
April narrowed her options to a green dress and a red dress and let the bride and groom make the final call. “Marykate, Jack and I decided the green dress would work better with the wedding party color choices and I am so glad we went with that dress!”
A long, halter style, the green dress is from Bloomingdale’s exclusive brand Aqua. (See a similar green halter dress for fall and if you like bright green, check out this one shoulder halter style.) “The material was forgiving and felt really comfortable,” April says. To “bling up the dress a bit” she added a sparkly belt that she found on Etsy.
Jack and Marykate, who’ve been a couple since they met the first week of their freshman year at Santa Clara University, knew they wanted to get married somewhere outdoors in Northern California. Nestledown in Los Gatos offered a magical setting: a redwood cathedral for the ceremony, an apple orchard for the reception, dinner on the lawn surrounded by flowers, a pond, and views of the Santa Cruz Mountains. And for dancing, a nearby barn, made of redwood and fir trees with soaring glass windows and oversized chandeliers.
It gets chilly after sunset in Northern California, so April ordered a silk embroidered shawl from Cashmiri. “I know I’ll wear it again,” she says. “It’s incredibly soft and warm.” And that’s the perfect way to describe the entire day: warm moments, making memories with family old and new. “Seeing my dad and brother watch Jack say his vows. Walking down the aisle with my husband—the love of my life. Seeing my aunts and uncles laughing. Dancing with Marykate’s family where the joy was flowing."
April gets to do it all again in June, 2025 when her youngest son gets married in Carmel, California. “I can’t wait to go dress shopping,” she says.
| Photography by Jack and Necia Photography