My Favorite Dress Stores/Dress Sites for an Adventure Session or Elopement | Virginia Elopement Photographer
Appalachian Mountains | North Carolina Photographer | Virginia Elopement Photographer |
Shenandoah National Park
In the past couple of months, I’ve been getting a lot of questions about eloping but one question that circulates the most is: Where do these adventurous brides get their dresses?!
From choosing an elopement dress to finding the right dress for an adventure session, I thought I’d share some of my personal opinions on where to get a dress AND why! From simplistic to elegant, for one occasion to multi-occasions, the images below are examples of dresses I’ve photographed from these stores/sites to give you a visual so it can help you plan your natural elopement in the Arizona desert a or waterfall adventure session in the Appalachian Mountains!
Studio I Do Bridals
Located in Roanoke and Virginia Beach, they have brides travel from all over for their fashionable expertise and affordable dresses! In March 2019, this sweet bride flew her Allure dress all the way to Arizona for her intimate elopement on her & her new hubby’s private property that backs up to Saguaro National Park! When I first saw this dress at Studio I Do, it was underlined with tulle and I was so worried it wasn’t going to look right in the Arizona desert or worse…. get stuck on all the cacti! Boy was I wrong! Amber decided to remove all the tulle from underneath and I can’t imagine a better dress for her epic Arizona elopement! The ladies at Studio I Do Bridals in Roanoke always know how to direct a bride and navigate what she feels comfortable in as well as match the style to a bride’s personality and they truly helped Amber pick the best dress ever!
Lulus
At stunningly affordable prices, these dresses are definitely something to consider when eloping in Virginia or having an adventure session in the Appalachian Mountains! As a Virginia elopement photographer, I want to buy one of these just because! The best part about Lulu’s is they are well known and their customer service is incredible! If something doesn’t fit, just send it back! I often tell my clients to check out Lulu’s dresses for any adventure session or elopement because they are easy to clean so it makes hiking or playing in the water a breeze and obviously makes some incredible pictures!
Nordstrom
Although I don’t get to photograph Nordstrom dresses all that often, I recommend them simply because I fell in love with Kelsey’s Titanium Willowby Galatea wedding dress! When I first saw it, I was like “sweet this is gorgeous” and proceeded to take detail shots with it, but when I saw it on her, my jaw dropped and I immediately knewI would never forget it. It was the perfect dress for her, their Virginia mountain wedding and somehow seamlessly matched those rolling Appalachian Mountains! Unlike other sites/stores, their current dress collection is now smaller and more simplistic but eccentric and therefore, is why I recommend for elopements or adventure sessions. Something they feel confident and gorgeous in but also willing to get dirty or play in the rain with me!
Morning Lavender
By far one of my FAVORITE dresses I’ve photographed on one of my favorite brides! When clients come to me, most of them want what Sarah got! A wicked flowing dress in a bomb dot com location in front of the Appalachian Mountains! I just found out she got it from Morning Lavender but I’m 100% recommending this dress site because LOOK. AT. THAT. FLOW accompanied by that glow! Some couples and photographers are scared of the wind but I say bring it on, especially when this is the end result!
BHLDN
I’ve seen so many BHLDN dresses that I’m dying to capture! For both adventure sessions or elopements, they have some of the prettiest and most unique dresses for any adventure! For an elopement on top of Blowing Rock North Carolina, a vow renewal seeking waterfalls in Shenandoah National Park or a traditional wedding on a golf course, these dresses by far fit my bohemian brides! And let me tell you what, its a sight to see any adventurous bride dance in the wind with one of these!
Whether you’re looking for a North Carolina photographer or a Virginia elopement photographer, remember to do your research. Focus on their style and what their personality exudes because that makes finding a dress for your session or elopement so much easier! As a photographer who has experience with elopements in the Appalachian Mountains, I want you to feel comfortable for your elopement or adventure session and focus the memories you are going to create!