Mother of: Allison
Venue: Sherwood Country Club, Thousand Oaks, California
Vibe: Cocktail chic
Outfit: Maison Guillemette
Megan Tamte wasn’t looking for a mother of the bride dress in Paris.
Co-founder/co-CEO of women’s clothing chain Evereve, Megan was on a trendspotting trip with her merchant team when the group happened upon a chic little bridal boutique called Maison Guiillemette. They decided to take a look, since Megan’s daughter Allison had recently gotten engaged to her boyfriend Alex.
Evereve Chief Merchandising Officer Kristen MacVey spotted a look that was perfectly Megan: modern navy wide leg crepe pants with a sophisticated textured feather top to match. Maison Guillemette’s designs are elevated, intricate, and made in small batches, at ready-to-wear prices.
“As soon as I walked out of the fitting room, they lit up,” Megan recalls. “I knew this was it.”
She bought the outfit on the spot and was able to easily fold it in her carry-on suitcase. It was an ensemble she knew she’d wear, even if not for the wedding.
“I’m pretty practical, as is our Evereve customer. This set is super versatile.” It’s also very on trend, she says, putting on her retailer hat. “Wait until you see what’s coming for holiday — navy is having a moment, pant and top sets are having a moment, and it’s all about the dramatic top.”
When Megan returned home from Paris, outfit in hand, she dove into MOB dress shopping mode, just to be sure. She’d long dreamt of owning a Carolina Herrera gown and tried a few on in New York. She then ordered at least 30 dresses from a variety of designers to try at home.
“I just did not feel like myself in any of them,” Megan says. “It’s the same process as Evereve. I have to try everything on. I know I value comfort and effortless style.”
Which brought her back to her first love, the French pants and top. “It felt very modern to me,” Megan says. “Wearing pants felt a little risky…and I always like a little tension. I’m also inherently pretty casual.”
It worked for the Southern California setting at Sherwood Country Club, overlooking the Simi Valley. The invitations called for “cocktail chic.”
The bride grew up in Minneapolis, where Evereve has its headquarters, but California has always been a big part of the Tamte family story. It's where Allison was born, and where Megan realized how difficult it can be to shop as a new mom, which planted the seeds for a store aimed at helping women feel modern and seen.
Allison returned to California to attend Westmont College in Montecito. She moved to Nashville after graduating, but the West Coast called her back: when she met her future husband, Alex, on the running app Strava, he was living in California.
The day after their wedding, the bride and groom ran the Ventura Marathon together, through the Ojai Valley.
Oranges played a part in the wedding decor as a nod to Alex and Allison running through orange groves.
“What makes a wedding feel unique is those special touches that tell your story,” Megan says. They bought blankets for family and friends to wrap themselves up in as the sun set and the temperature dropped, a small but thoughtful touch that was a big hit with guests — especially women with bare shoulders.
In a straight-out-of-the movies element of the Tamte's family story, Allison found her wedding dress in Edina, Minn. at Annika Bridal, which now occupies the storefront where Megan and her husband Mike launched Evereve some 20+ years ago.
There's a big mirror in the bridal boutique that comes from the original Evereve store.
“I used to stand women in front of that mirror and tell them how beautiful they looked in those jeans," Megan says. "So to stand there with Allison in her wedding dress, in the same spot where she used to run around as a kid and watch me work, it was truly full circle.”
Megan had one moment of panic before heading to California for the February wedding. She worried her heels weren’t quite dressy enough — but also knew better than to wear anything spikey and uncomfortable. She swung by Edina shoe boutique Pumpz where the staff directed her to a gold block heel by the French brand Carel.
“My whole goal was to be fully present on my daughter’s wedding day,” Megan says. “That’s all I wanted, to soak up the joy of the moment and feel like the best version of myself. It’s how I always approach fashion and clothing. I was 100% myself on that day.”
| Photography by Beba Vowels