Mother of: Darian
Venue: Camrose Hill Flower Farm, Stillwater, Minn.
Vibe: Rustic chic
Dress: Sachin & Babi
When it came to selecting a dress for her daughter Darian’s autumn 2022 wedding in a rustic barn on an historic dairy farm turned lush, floral wonderland, Reba started with the designer.
“My parents are Indian, and I was born in India, so I wanted to find a dress that honored my parents’ heritage,” she says. Sachin & Babi is run by two Indian designers who worked for top design houses including Oscar de la Renta and Carolina Herrera before setting out on their own to create a special occasion collection with their own family-run factory in Mumbai.
Having already looked at many gowns that were either "too matronly or too sexy," Reba knew the right dress as soon as she spotted it on the Sachin & Babi website: silver sequined drop sleeve top with a classic Mikado belted ball skirt. The juxtaposition of fluid top, formal bottom created the sort of modern, easy elegance Reba craved. Plus, “The very best thing about my dress was that it has pockets,” she exclaimed. Beneath that full, structured skirt, Reba wore matching sparkly black and silver Golden Goose high top sneakers. “The whole bridal party was in sneakers, so we were comfortable on and off the dance floor!”
Because the reception took place in a tent, Reba knew she needed some sort of wrap for the cool, fall day. Initially she tried a few dressy jackets that were nearly as expensive as the dress. Finally, she found a fitted faux fur bomber that looked like it had been made to match the gown, only it cost $29.99 at Target.
This cozy-chic combo set the tone for a day rich with authentic moments of pure joy—like the big reveal, when Darian and her bride, Emma, discovered they’d independently chosen nearly identical wedding dresses, both sleeveless with full skirts decorated in soft floral appliqué. After the brides had their wedding day reveal, photographer Jordan Buckellew arranged a moment in the lush gardens for Reba’s husband and son to see the brides in their dresses before the wedding.
“It was so beautiful to watch the joy on their faces as they saw Darian and Emma,” Reba recalls as one of several highlights to the day. “Every second on the dance floor and spent connecting with family and friends was a joy!”
Reba summed up the exceptional experience in a speech at the rehearsal dinner:
“How do you find the words to capture when the person you love the most finds the person they love the most? For a mother, it’s one of the most profound and important moments in your journey. So while I may not have the words to express everything in my heart, the word I have for all of you is gratitude. Thank you for choosing to be here. Some of you flew across oceans to be here to support the true love of Emma and Darian. In this world that can be so angry and hurtful and divided, love is the only way through. And in choosing to be with us, you are choosing love and for that, we are grateful.”
| Photography by Jordan Buckellew of Joy by Jo