Destinations as Dresses
Photo courtesy of Murashka Official
The enchantment of certain wedding dress collections lies in their ability to evoke a sense of place. Some talented designers, working from an intimate understanding of home, seem to translate the essence, style, and soul of a place through a language of silk, lace, and satin. From the nonchalant chic of French separates to the sensuous beauty of a Spanish silk gown, certain collections transport you to their place of origin, as surely as architecture, music, literature, folklore, or poetry do. Sometimes, however, the associations are poetic and abstract—a dress can feel like a place without being made there. The way a fabric drapes, the placement of a freshwater pearl, the commanding presence of a long train—all these things can, in some abstract way, speak to the attitude of a place.
If destinations could be dresses, this list would be a map pointing you there—to the wilds of the desert and the pristine paths of an Enlightenment-era Garden. These dresses are the kind that could be worn to look out longingly from the balcony of a chateau—or from that of Juliet’s bedroom suite.
Below, my picks for dresses that perfectly embody certain destinations: because when planning a destination wedding—or channeling that aesthetic at home—it’s always best to dress accordingly. Don’t forget to shop the post via the collage below!
1: Vintage Palm Springs | L’eto Bridal
The pieces of L’eto Bridal collection positively glow. It isn’t just the ‘70s-inspired, film photography or the effortless styling—lots of ‘no makeup’ makeup and undone tresses. The dresses look luminous: all satins and silks spun into dresses with form and flow. There’s nary a sequin in sight; the art form is in the way the fabric moves and drapes, the shape of the silhouette, the interesting innovations. L’eto is devoted to sustainability, and the purity of their process shines through in dresses that are so beautifully made. There’s nothing “try-hard” about these pieces; nothing fussy or contrived. The brand promises "unstructured elegance...in an often outdated, overproduced and under-considered bridal retail landscape”—all points on which it delivers. Looking over L’eto’s S L O W collection is an experience worth savoring, as golden light falls on the gowns and reveals the hidden luster of fine silks and freshwater pearls.
Photography courtesy of L’eto Bridal
What I love about L’eto is that it does not attempt to eschew tradition in some arbitrary way. L’eto collections instead honors traditional silhouettes even as they introduce surprising and delightful twists—billowing sleeves, ballerina backs, a freshwater pearl at the décolleté. These innovations flow from the most beautiful history of bridalwear: they are natural, they make sense to the dress and its silhouette. There are no modern and meaningless deconstructions. Instead, any new additions occur in that rich context of wedding history and traditions, resulting in dresses that feel both throwback and fresh.
Photography courtesy of L’eto Bridal
But the most captivating part of the collection? Oh my stars, it is the Poem veil collection. Brides can submit a cherished poem, hymn, Scripture, lyric, date and have it stitched into the veil, in flowing handwritten script. Can you imagine a more beautiful heirloom to pass down? A more poetic piece of fashion?
Though the collection is made in Australia, I chose a setting that seems at home with these pieces— vintage Palm Springs. I picture a very cool, ‘70s-inspired bride wearing these pieces, with long beachy waves, a sun-kissed complexion, and dewy makeup that makes no attempt to hide a cute collection of freckles. She favors a dress that moves and breathes. Her disposition is mellow and sweet, and when she walks down the aisle, you see her—not her dress—first. She marries in front of a terra-cotta pink home with intricate jade tile adorning courtyard fountains and steps. The home is landscaped with spectacular desert plants: interesting agave, euphorbia, bromeliads, lush layers of bougainvillea, and fragrant jasmine that perfumes the night air.
2. Spanish Countryside | Cortana
One thing about me is I will be in separates. Not so much in everyday life (I love a sundress or a flowing market dress), but when it comes to wedding fashion, I am besotted with bridal separates. I attribute this to a style of evening dressing that I loved in the ‘90s—think Sharon Stone wearing a voluminous designer skirt with a Gap t-shirt (accented with a hand-picked gardenia), and, two years later, a Vera Wang skirt with a white button down (also chez Gap). Then there is the fuzzy ‘90s cardigan (especially Salma’s periwinkle cardi on the Cannes carpet) worn irreverently with a full skirt. There’s something so pleasantly nostalgic about it for me, so offhanded. To this day, I love a husband’s shirt with an ultra-femme skirt, whether it’s a Ralph Lauren Americana look or a continental, Audrey Hepburn approach.
Photography by Cortana
On that note, few designers render bridal separates with a loveliness equal to that of Cortana. Glorious. Sheer, long sleeve blouses complement flowing, dramatic skirts—and, oh my goodness, the sweeping, built-in trains on those skirts. These pieces, and especially the skirts, communicate the glamour and seriousness of a ballgown with none of the fuss. One has visions of a princess on the run, tearing a tiara out of her hair and ripping the bodice of a ballgown, only to replace it with a refreshing silk blouse. But these are no ordinary separates: often incorporated onto the dress, Cortana’s radiant accessories take the form of capes, stoles, and swaths of fabric so artistic and moving they need a new name entirely to describe what they are.
Photography by Cortana. Each Cortana piece is an ode to the purity of its fabrics: silk tulle, silk crepe, chiffon, and charmeuse are handled with a light touch, allowing the fabric to truly sing. Linen and organic silks make frequent appearances, lending the couture an appealing, earthy quality.
Each Cortana separate invites the woman to personalize it: blouses, stoles, bows, and expertly integrated pieces of fabric can be worn in several ways. Meanwhile, some skirts and dresses have a matching jacket—think pure cashmere with mother-of-pearl buttons, or a cropped little number whose shimmering, champagne color is owed to metallic thread interwoven and made by hand. Along with signature separates, there are close-fitting sheaths and sweeping dresses of Italian silk georgette, luminous in color and full of freedom of movement. Accessories like capes and pieces of silk tulle beg to be touched and twirled. Stoles and shawls in diaphanous fabrics may be worn draped at the neck or cradled in the crook of the elbow. There is an accessory called ‘Aleta de Tul’ which can be fastened into the silk-covered buttons on a candlelight gown—a contrasting fabric that looks beautiful with movement and wind—ethereal, winglike. And then there is the ‘Deco coat,’ an angelic accessory that fits to the hips before flaring and magnificently taking flight, like a train, towards the skirt. Pure poetry.
These are pieces made in Spain and made for Spain. Wear in the Spanish countryside, surrounded by the heady fragrance of olive groves and vineyards, or in a tiny village, like the whitewashed Mijas, with its breathtaking mountain views and charming, cobbled streets. You will positively float down to aisle to a flamenco guitar rendition of a favorite hymn, and dance the night away in lilting silk and charmeuse.
3. Fair Verona, c. 14th century | Odylyne the Ceremony
Photography by Odylyne the Ceremony
This may be an obvious choice—the collection is, after all, called Star-Crossed Lovers—but wow, is this collection making me reach for my Norton Shakespeare. Each gown appears to correspond to a passage from R&J. The dramatic bell sleeves, the intricate lace, the neo-Gothic embellishments, all beg for an Italianate landscape and chapel. To go full-out R&J, marry alone, in an intimate chapel, at morning—hopefully with your parent’s blessing—and recite the ecstatic wedding passages of act 2, Scene 6.
“But my true love is grown to such excess / I cannot sum up sum of half my wealth” (Romeo & Juliet 2.6.33-34). Photography by Odylyne the Ceremony.
Photography by Odylyne the Ceremony.
Photography by Laure de Sagazan
No wedding collection speaks to me like Laure de Sagazan does—perhaps because I am enamored with Provence and with French style. It seems cliché to talk about French elegance being effortless, but my goodness, how true it is—at least, in the case of this collection. The nonchalance, the ease, with which these pieces are worn and styled, are so quintessentially French. It’s just so cool to be the kind of person who opts for bridal separates, and these are handcrafted with such precision and care. A little lace top, a smartly tailored skirt, a mohair jacket, a blouse with pearl buttons—it feels like a wardrobe that’s been built over years, and at the best ateliers. This collection highlights the best parts of everyday dressing—especially layering—and elevates them.
Photography by Laure de Sagazan
Of course, there’s nowhere these pieces look better than in Provence. These are pieces to wear on walks through endless lavender fields, at dusk, the gloaming hour melting into the purpled paths. A Laure de Sagazan dress is the kind you would slip into after waking up in a centuries-old stone home, after going through a morning ritual characterized by simplicity and elegance. You’d wear these skirts and blouses with an offhanded, smart cardigan—just a little something you threw on to stroll ancient villages at night, after the ceremony, for a glass of wine with your new husband.
Photography by Laure de Sagazan
5. Santorini | Claire Pettibone
Photography courtesy of The Lane
Any destination-inspired list would be incomplete without paying homage to Santorini. Could there be a more exotically beautiful place to marry—and later honeymoon—than Santorini or Thera, the exquisite jewel of the Aegean Sea? Visions of whitewashed homes and azure chapels instantly carry one away. Imagine a ceremony set against the splendor of an Oia sunset, on the rim of the caldera. The sun bathes the whitewashed village in warm pink; everything seems to glow. As you say your vows, you look out onto a half-moon-shaped bay that mirrors the light of a heavenly sky. Santorini is blessed with a kind of earthy quality, and with simple rhythms of daily Greek life. And yet, for all its organic qualities, it is dazzling, totally beyond. Just imagine staying in a whitewashed home for a week after the wedding, taking languorous strolls through earthen villages or thrilling hikes up to Skaros; visiting beautiful chapels and saying hello to the odd donkey; swimming in the Aegean and enjoying the healing beauty of black sand beaches or walking the very edge of a volcano.
Photography courtesy of Claire Pettibone
For a Santorini ceremony, I picture the beautifully embroidered dresses of Claire Pettibone, filled with unexpected color and intricate detail. The embroidery often includes a bit of blue that reminds me—ever so subtly—of Santorini’s azure domes. I first discovered Claire Pettibone in 2011, while watching the most imaginative runway show, where models made equally showstopping entrances and processions in gowns that dazzled from every angle. I remember the hair and makeup being gorgeously surreal, outré—wild masses of hair and exotic headpieces. It felt very Greek mythology-esque, and from what I can remember, the music evoked that feeling as well. Present collections exhibit a certain maturity but retain that untamable beauty and wild allure.
I discovered Claire Pettibone via this early— and very couture— collection.
In a moment of serendipity, after having chosen Claire Pettibone for my Santorini choice, I was looking through the current collection and found a gown named—yes, it’s true—The Santorini. Hand-beaded, pastel flowers blossom across the bodice, from which falls a champagne-colored, silk charmeuse skirt with a cathedral-length train. What an unforgettable marriage of traditional elements and innovation, of intricacy and simplicity—qualities which Santorini also shares.
Photography courtesy of Claire Pettibone
6. Jerusalem | Chana Marelus
Chana Marelus’ collection demonstrates just how fine and couture modesty can be. Based just outside of Tel Aviv, Marelus designs for a clientele whose ceremonies demand modesty: gowns that cover the body completely. Yet without overt sexiness to rely upon—no skirts to slit or necklines to bare—Marelus has created a new, subtler language of allure. Intricate beadwork and dazzling floral motifs feel very Paris couture collection. High necklines, long sleeves, even longer trains, and intricate pleating work bespeak sophistication. And the collection’s signature botanicals—lilies of the valley, stephanotis-- are so intricate, they look hand painted.
The collection reveals just how beautiful modesty can be and displays the beauties of feminine virtue.
Photography by Chana Marelus
7. Wild Desert Elopement | Nordeen
Nordeen pieces are crafted mindful of outdoor ceremonies, with natural materials and flowing lines that effortlessly complement earthy settings. The beauty of the collection is once again found in how ingeniously the accessories work with the gowns. A cropped shrug sweater perfectly grazes a strapless gown. An open back, wool sweater is designed to fall perfectly over a gown with an equally low back, from which falls a gorgeous sash of silk georgette. It’s so clever, so natural, so cool. It’s something you would see in a nineties movie, when everyone has a perfect little turtleneck sweater or cropped jacket to shrug on. And it’s appealing because this is how stylish women truly dress: mixing formal and relaxed pieces, layering with care, having a signature cozy sweater. I imagine these pieces outdoors, where they are designed to be worn, perhaps in Amangiri, Joshua Tree, or some equally organic setting.
Photography courtesy of Murashka Bridal Atelier
My love of Murashka began with a single piece, the astonishing Organza dress. A flurry of handmade butterflies (or perhaps they are flowers?) grace the bodice and waist of a candlelight gown, and the sleeves—the sleeves-- are a work of art. Billowing with gathered cuffs, they embody the gown’s fine balance between air and structure. While crafted by a Russian designer, I imagine the gown in Austria, in a scene adorned with wildflower meadows, charming architecture, and, overlooking the water, a traditional chapel. This bride would marry in the chapel, clutching a prayer book, and afterwards joyously run outside to pose for photos among the spring flowers. Come evening, the bridal party would walk cobblestone streets of the market town, with its colorful buildings and geranium-filled balconies, for a reception on the lakeside terrace of a beautiful hotel. The day would end with a celebratory flourish, as bride and groom steal away (with a pair of champagne glasses and a slice of wedding cake) for a private, nighttime gondola ride to the mountaintop.
Photography courtesy of Murashka Bridal Atelier and a breathtaking feature in The Lane
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Whether marrying at home or abroad, these dresses reveal the beauty of fine craftsmanship and high artistry, imaginatively taking you to faraway destinations.
