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A Rustic Western Romance
Happy Wedding Wednesday from Casablanca Bridal! Today, we take a trip to the mountains in Western Maryland to feature the love story and real wedding of #CasablancaBride Holli Draper and her groom, Lee.
After only trying on three dresses, Holli instantly fell in love with the detail of Casablanca Bridal gown Style #2224. For a customized look, she added beading to the neckline that extended to the back of the dress. She also customized the bottom of her cathedral veil to match the lace appliques that adorned the hemline of her gown.
Although Holli had originally stepped into the store expecting to fall in love with a white wedding gown, she unexpectedly walked out with a blush colored gown that better fit her playful personality. Even her groom was taken aback on their special day, sharing that it was the "most beautiful dress he had ever seen in his life and couldn't imagine one any more perfect for his bride".
Holli took a step further to stand out in her rustic western-inspired wedding by wearing a pair of cute teal cowgirl boots beneath her gown. Her bridesmaids followed by wearing neutral brown boots to offset the color of her ensemble.
On September 24, 2016, Holli and Lee exchanged their wedding vows on family-owned 50-acre land next to a cabin where the couple had shared many long weekend memories with friends and family in the setting beautiful countryside. An rare color combination, Hollie's choice of navy blue with blush pink and pastel orange were a perfect match for the greens and blues of the sleepy lakeside backdrop.
Holli shares her favorite wedding moment, "Right as my dad and I were ready to walk down the aisle, I saw Lee standing at the alter with all of my family and friends waiting for us. Landslide by Fleetwood Mac started to play, and the sun came out from behind us. It truly felt like the most perfect moment".
After the ceremony, many guests approached the bride, asking if she and her father had noticed or intended for the sun to come out as they marched down the aisle, but this magical moment was just too perfect to plan out!
Holli advises future brides to focus more on the fun of their wedding day rather than getting caught up on details that may be forgotten further down the road. A perfect way to put this plan into practice is by owning wedding decisions as a couple, rather than by splitting duties.
"Lee and I had one goal for our wedding: to make it as fun and memorable as possible for our guests. We made every decision to achieve that goal and tried not to let the little details bother us. In the end, no one remembers what your centerpieces look like; they remember how they felt celebrating with you. Months later, our guests were still telling us two things: (1) how beautiful my dress was and (2) that our wedding was the best one they had ever been to."
"We also did a lot of the decorations ourselves to save money," Holli recalls, "Being a DIY bride and groom wasn't always easy, but putting our time and effort into the small details of our wedding made the day even more special!"
Here's a full list of the vendors involved: Photography: Amber Harrington Photography // Gown: Casablanca Bridal Style #2224 via Love it! At Stella's // Florist: The Flower Loft // Hair: Leanna Bernsten
