The Dress

This is my authentic Carolina Herrera Bridal couture wedding gown from 2001, purchased and fitted for me in the Madison Avenue bridal boutique. It was worn once on our wedding day at the NY Botanical Garden on September 2, 2001 (this happy occasion occurred a week before the world changed for the worse on 9/11). The gown was professionally cleaned and boxed/heirloom sealed by Madame Paulette’s professional couture cleaning service in NYC. It has been sealed and stored in an air conditioned closet ever since. This has zero sentimental meaning as we are no longer married.

The gown was a size 6 off the rack, but it was taken in and the bodice was shortened by a Carolina Herrera seamstress. My shape at the time was closer to a size 5 petite. I am 5’3” tall, with an hourglass figure, small bust (size 33.5 shallow B in this dress) and I weighed 122-124 lbs. at the time of this wedding. Photos in this listing show my size and figure shape.

The gown is ivory silk duchesse satin with Swarovski crystals across the top and a small v-notch in the décolleté. It had a moderate train for the wedding ceremony and then it bustled with kick pleats for dancing at the reception. Ample boning and padding in the bodice and a very tapered and slightly dropped waist meant there was no need for any shapewear or a bra. I adored this dress and felt very comfortable and very beautiful on my wedding day.

This is a simple, quietly elegant and stunning couture gown that was fitted 3 times for me; at under $1000, it is an exceptional value. This gown cost $2,700 in 2001, so you can imagine what today’s retail value would be.

Alterations

The size 6 dress was taken in both in the back and waist and the bodice was slightly shortened as I’m high waisted.