Mother of: Caleb
Wedding locale: International Market Square, Minneapolis
Vibe: Classic black tie
Dress: Betsy & Adam
Savvy shopper. Experienced mother of the groom. Julie is the mother of four boys—the fourth of whom got married in November. “They compliment each other,” Julie says of her son Caleb and his new wife. “ Sarah is very interested in fitness and brought Caleb along for the journey; Caleb is interested in cooking and brought Sarah along for the journey. Together they look into each other’s eyes with admiration!”
The wedding was an elegant, black tie (optional) affair in the soaring atrium of a 100-year-old building on the edge of downtown Minneapolis that is home to interior design studios and furniture showrooms. “The wedding was beautiful,” Julie says. “Very elegant and tons of beautiful greenery in the space.”
Months before the wedding, a dress caught Julie’s eye at Macy’s. It was a one shoulder, velvet mermaid gown by Betsy & Adam, one of the few special occasion dress brands that offers petite sizing. The catch: Macy's didn’t have Julie's size, and the dress was royal blue. Everyone in the wedding party was wearing black.
The store was able to order the dress for her in black, but, she when she finally tried it on she says, “the velvet was too bunchy.”
Julie wasn’t ready to give up—the silhouette was spot on, hugging her curves in all the right places; the asymmetrical neckline provided a wow moment.
“I like shopping and have gotten pretty good at online snooping," says Julie, a freelance makeup artist. "This is my fourth son to get married and I loved all my dresses. I search out brands that are made for my petite frame, so that helps.”
What if this dress came in a different, less bulky material? She took to the internet and found the same dress in black crepe. “It fit me perfectly,” she says. “All I had to do was shorten the long train.” She paired the floor length gown with pointy toe crystal embellished Badgley Mischka heels, and bought a faux fur shawl to stay warm (and chic!) during the outdoor photos.
“I felt absolutely beautiful in my gown,” Julie says. And now that all of her boys are married, she can focus on her seven grandchildren. Just don’t ask her to babysit on a Tuesday or Thursday morning—that’s when this grandma teaches spinning classes.
| Photography by Cadence & Eli