alice + olivia Ombre Sequin Dress & Wedding at Crane Estate

Dress c/o Alice & Olivia (40% off), Louboutin cap toes, J.Crew Edie Bag, thrift store pearls

On Nick: Theory suit and shirt, Cole Haan shoes, J.Crew tie, DIY pocket square

This past weekend, I had an incredible time at Khatu's wedding. I met her through blogging early last year, and we soon became pretty close. She is thoughtful, creative, and a wonderful friend - and I couldn't have been happier for her on this beautiful day.

I chose this dress for a campaign with alice + olivia, and was eager to break it out again. The blush silk and intricate ombre sequins were love at first sight, and the body-grazing cut is comfy and easy to wear (see bottom of post for a tiny modification made).
For accessories, I opted for neutral, girly heels and a cheery red satchel. This bag is slightly large for a fancy event, but on the plus side, was rather useful for storing a change of "dancing flats."

The wedding was an hour north of Boston at Crane Estate, which sits atop a large hill overlooking acres and acres of land and the ocean. The house itself was very grand and lavishly decorated.

Left: I absolutely loved Khatu's mother's dress. It was demure yet age-appropriate, and very flattering.

Right: Rolling green hills that fade into the ocean create the perfect backdrop for walking down the aisle.

Left: grins from ear to ear - love this photo!    Right: The back of Khatu's ethereal dress

Below: There were a lot of DIY touches at the wedding (I expected nothing less). Guests of all ages enjoyed the wide assortment of handmade props for the photo booth:

For anyone who is interested in this dress...the natural silhouette is a straight shift style. alice + olivia is actually cut pretty narrow (several items I've tried are fitted on me), but designed for taller ladies. This dress in sz 0 fit me fine width-wise, but was too long for a cocktail dress:

I had a tough time figuring out how to approach the alterations. Taking up the straps would make it only marginally shorter, and I didn't want to touch the ombre sequins at the bottom. While playing around with a skinny belt, I accidentally discovered this fold-over look and loved it.

The only small problem was the structured back zipper, which stuck out when bent under by the belt. I fixed this by taking needle and thread and making a tiny stitch right where my fingers are pinching:

The final modified look, now acceptable from all angles:

Our nearest Theory outlet started carrying men's merchandise (real store quality...not made for outlets), which Nick was pleased about. Their suiting and dress shirts are nicely tailored and cut slim, perfect for guys who like a more fitted look. I just realized Nick is sporting a full outlet look: Theory suit and shirt (for a total of $365 down from $900), shoes from the Cole Haan outlet, and "pocket square" which was a scrap chopped off a thrifted skirt I was working on : )