There are many emotions that come with planning a wedding. Whilst it’s mostly excitement and anticipation, there can sometimes be hints of stress. It was this emotion that led our muse, Larisa, to us in early 2021 and we could not be happier that she ended up on our doorstep two weeks before her big day.
We sat down with Larisa after her big day to understand the journey that led her to Sant Elia and how what started as devastation, turned into something truly beautiful.
Tell us about the journey that led you to Sant Elia
My journey was definitely not your typical Sant Elia journey as the universe works in many mysterious ways. My bridal vision was to have a fairytale gown, adorned with 3D flowers and lace or an elegant, all white, simple French crepe gown. Completely on different ends of the dress spectrum. I inquired with Sant Elia regarding the Tiana gown, my dream dress, in late June 2020 but I ended up purchasing my dress from another brand which required some minor alterations.
However after five attempts of altering and fitting this dress, it was past the point of salvation and I was at my wits end. As with most brides, I have been dreaming of my wedding forever and the dress was so important to me so naturally, this was heartbreaking.
At this stage, I was willing to try anything and contacted the team at Sant Elia to see what options they had available for me. Stephanie made time to see me in the studio that same day and once again, I was immediately drawn to the Tiana gown.
In the most roundabout way, I ended up with my dream dress! I can’t explain it, but the moment I put the dress on, I realised I could not have found another dress that was more perfect for me and I was finally able to relax.
What drew you to your dress?
The delicate flowers, the beading, the colour, the low back - the dress was everything I ever dreamt of. It was absolutely perfect for me and complemented my style. Looking back, I have considered what I would have changed about the gown if I had proceeded from the beginning and honestly, the simple answer is nothing. I found my dress soul mate.
How did you find the process of selecting and purchasing your gown at Sant Elia?
It was an absolutely wonderful experience. Steph was my fairy dress sister. Even under such crazy pressure, I felt as though I was in such safe hands from the moment I walked into the store. Steph and her team revamped the dress and did amazing alterations to have the dress fit me perfectly. On the day of pick up, Steph and her girls were sewing on more flowers and lace to ensure it was perfect. Their attention to detail is amazing and despite my very short time spent with them, they still made me feel so special and I could not be more appreciative.
Is there anything you would change about your bridal dress journey?
I would have saved myself the heart ache and gone straight to Sant Elia! But in a strange way, the long journey made it all so much more beautiful when I ended up with my dream dress.
Do you have any tips for brides as they etch closer to their big day?
Yes absolutely I would recommend brides;
- Lean on the people around you. You do not need to do everything yourself.
- You will be stressed and some things may not go as planned but it is best to try and remember that it is just one day out of many days you will have together as a couple.
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Whilst it was short it was ever so sweet to have Larisa wear one of our Sant Elia couture creations on her day. It was so rewarding for us to transform her stress into excitement and adoration with our gown. We could not be more honoured to be apart of her special day, needless to say that the Tiana gown was made just for her <3
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