Susan S.: Creating the Dream Dress

Mother of: Drew
Venue: Central Presbyterian Church, reception at Willow on Grand in Des Moines, Iowa
Vibe: Dressy garden party
Dress: V. Chapman 

A mother of four boys, Susan knows how to get things done—efficiently and effectively.

She and Jill became fast friends through photography work when their kids were high school seniors. When Susan met Jill’s daughter, she knew in an instant that MacKenzie would be perfect for her son Drew. 

“Mom’s know best, right?” Susan jokes. The budding couple had a bit of distance to overcome: Kenzie attended the University of Iowa; Drew went to The Ohio State University. But their commonalities brought them together, Susan says. “They both are passionate about their family and their faith. Kenzie is a PA and Drew is in dental school. So both have a love for caring for others through healthcare.”

The got married on a hot, sunny August day at home in Des Moines, Iowa with the ceremony at Central Presbyterian Church followed by an indoor/outdoor reception at modern, cottage-inspired event venue Willow on Grand.

Susan had a vision for what she wanted to wear for her first time as a mother of the groom. “I knew I wanted floral and tiered, with puffed sleeves.” Think: Julia Roberts in that hot pink Greta Constantine maxi, circa 2022).

Susan is a fan of  V. Chapman, a Los Angeles label known for its Victorian-meets-modern dresses with plenty of ruffles and soft romantic patterns. She was drawn to the Avery dress—its tiers and gold brocade fabric. She bought it, even though she didn’t love the corset-style back or the lack of sleeves. She found the same dress on Poshmark, bought a second one and brought it to a seamstress who created puffed short sleeves and a zipper back. 

“It was perfect,” Susan says. So much so, that she’s having a tough time finding a dress she loves as much for her next son’s wedding, which is coming up in July. (Forty dress tried, and counting.) 

“Moms want to feel beautiful, elevated and in style,” Susan says. “So many designers have dresses that are for 25-year-old bridesmaids and bodies and then dresses for 80 year olds with crunch and sparkle and all the wrong things. There is a market for 50-year-old moms who still want to feel stylish!” (MOB Jill wore a strapless floral jacquard ballgown by ML Moniuqe Lhuillier, which is no longer available at department stores, but worth searching up on resale sites.)

True to her character, as well as her style, Susan wore pearls for Drew and Kenzie’s wedding—necklaces and bracelets, one from each of her grandmothers, her mother-in-law, the piece her father gave her on her own wedding day, and one from her mom, Mary Lou, who passed away eight years ago. 

“All the women who came before me were represented that day.” 

The special symbols extended to the bride and groom as well: Kenzie tied a cross necklace that belonged to Susan’s mom onto her bouquet. Next to the cake were photos of the Kenzie and Drew's parents cutting their own cakes. They also had an ice cream truck at the reception, with a quote on the chalk sign beside it from Grandma Mary Lou, whose presence was felt throughout the day.

As she liked to say, “There’s always room for ice cream.” 

| Photography by Nicole Laing Photography