Mother of: Carli
Venue: Guilford Hall Brewery, Baltimore
Vibe: Urban romantic
Dress: Xscape
Leslie started shopping for a mother of the bride dress as soon as her daughter Carli said “yes!” to true love Patrick. S
“I am so filled with joy that she has found her person,” Leslie says.
Carli told her mom to pick whatever she wanted to wear. All Leslie knew was what she didn’t want: “I just did not want a farty old MOB dress!”
She found a couple of serious contenders, and after several buys and returns, she thought she was holding the winner, an unfussy off-the-shoulder gown. Still not 100% certain, she took the dress to the store to return it and buy it again, resetting the clock on the return period so she'd have more time to decide. She didn’t end up needed to re-purchase, because on her way to the checkout counter at Macy’s, she spotted a dress that she knew in an instant she was meant to wear.
It, too, was a simple, unembellished off-the-shoulder style, with one key differentiator: sheer floral balloon short sleeves.
“I feel pretty good about myself even though I’m about to turn 71, but like many women my age, I don’t love my upper arms. When I saw this gown, I realized those cages of flowers would cover the exact spot I was not happy with.”
Beyond the sleeves, Leslie liked the simplicity of the navy gown. “My daughter’s dress had a very stylized and intricate pattern all over, so I wanted something simple that would frame and highlight her.” Plus, she says, “The fit of the dress was super flattering and very comfortable.” She had the shoulders altered for a tight fit that meant she didn’t need a strapless bra. “I felt like a million bucks in it.”
She found matching navy low block heels, an envelope style clutch, and a sheer wrap on Amazon.
The wedding took place in Baltimore, which is where Carli met Patrick while getting her PhD at Johns Hopkins. The city served as a central meeting point, since Leslie and her husband live in New Jersey, the groom’s parents came in from Florida, and the newlyweds are now in California.
They chose Guilford Hall brewery. Located in an historic Baltimore building, the brewery offers lots of interesting spaces and great character. The ceremony was to take place outdoors in the beer garden, but despite much finger crossing, it rained all day, so they moved it inside to the whiskey lounge. “We had to squish a little, which lent an air of just being at a really cool bar,” Leslie describes. “It didn’t dampen our spirits at all.”
The dozen clear umbrellas Leslie had ordered ahead of the wedding day as a “just in case,” came in quite handy for photos, and getting in and out without any hair disasters.
Says Leslie, “It was the most joyous day of my life!"
| Photography by A+M Photography