Jane S.: Intimate in Ombre

Jane S.: Intimate in Ombre

Mother of: Max

Wedding locale: The Minikahda Club in Minneapolis

Vibe: Small and intimate

Dress: Aqua Formal from Bloomingdale's

Jane is quick to describe herself as a NON-shopper. But she wanted to find something beyond her go-to LBDs for her son Max’s wedding to his high school sweetheart Lilly.

The wedding was small—around 50 family members and a few friends of the bride and groom—and true to Max and Lilly; the bride’s father married the happy couple. As Jane reflects, “It was amazing having someone who truly knew Max and Lilly speak about them both individually and as a couple and be able to express everyone's hopes and dreams for their future.”

But back to the dress. Jane had seven weeks to shop. She started local, but struck out. “The lack of dresses to even look at or try on was disappointing,” she says. So she hit the internet. “The boxes came and went. I found a lot of ‘mother of the bride’ looks in blue, many beautiful dresses in the thousands of dollars, and dresses that were definitely for the under 30.”

Among the rejects was an unexpected gem: A sleeveless, floor-length dress by Aqua Formal—black on top with a pleated ombre skirt in silver and black that shimmered as she and her husband walked their son down the aisle. It broke from Jane's typical black while feeling true her style.

“To my surprise, the dress fit well," Jane says. "I loved the pleats and ombre coloring, and the reasonable price was a bonus!” Just a little nip and tuck at the tailor to make sure the V-neck didn't plunge too far, and the dress looked like it had been custom made for her. “I felt good with my choice!”  

| Photography by Taylor Tupy

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