Judy B.: Textured and Tailored

Mother of: Meredith
Wedding locale: St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church and Coxhall Gardens in Carmel, Indiana
Vibe: Traditional church wedding
Dress: St. John 

Judy approached mother of the bride dress shopping with an open mind. “I tried on gowns that were outside of my usual style, but feedback from consultants always brought me back to tailored styles with discrete embellishments—styles that I’ve learned, over the years, suit me best.”

She first spotted the sleeveless metallic St. John floor length sheath at Nordstrom Rack and grabbed it. When it was too large, she tracked down the same dress online from Neiman Marcus. “It was perfect,” she says. All it needed was to be shortened.

The dress received a big thumbs up from Judy’s daughter Meredith (whom you may recognize from her television days as a news anchor in Madison, Wisconsin and Indianapolis). “Meredith just asked that I keep in mind that the groom’s mom was wearing a gold gown with beading, and her bridesmaids were wearing Amsale dresses in hunter green.” Judy’s textured silver and black dress complemented the wedding party without appearing too matchy-matchy.

The bride and groom met through a dating app—friends advised Meredith to swipe left since Adam was a year younger, but she swiped right, and to this day, the family jokingly calls Adam “Mr. Swipe Right.” The couple dated long distance for five years as Adam completed his doctor’s residency in Chicago and Meredith worked for a news station in Madison. They were married in a traditional church ceremony in the bride's home state of Indiana.

It’s the little details that are the most memorable, and meaningful, Judy says—like Adam wiping away tears as he saw Meredith for the first time in her wedding dress. Or walking hand in hand before the ceremony with her 18-month-old grandson Price, who wore a handsome green velvet suit from Janie and Jack. Price was born eleven months after Meredith was told she would probably not be able to have a baby unless she used an egg donor. “I like to share her story,” Judy says, “Because it’s one that defies the odds.”

| Photography by Jessica Strickland