Photo: Lauren Frankfort
Desiree won over America's hearts when she was featured as the Bachelorette last year. After getting engaged to Chris Siegfried, she won over Maggie Sottero's heart, too — so much so, that the popular bridal powerhouse is teaming up with Des, a dress designer herself, to create the perfect wedding dress for the reality starlet's big day. Plus, we learned that Des will be designing a capsule collection with Maggie Sottero!
We caught up with the blissfully engaged designer this Bridal Fashion Week to learn more about her upcoming bridal line, life post-Bachelor, and her future nuptials. We also got exclusive details on her relationship with Chris (they're celebrating their one-year anniversary of engagement in the most adorable way!) and what it's like living in Seattle with other fellow Bachelor alums (fun fact: Des and Chris were both hesitant about going on the Bachelorette at first!). Read on to find out about her future wedding dress, collection, and engaged life!
Brides: Why did you want to work with Maggie?
Desiree Hartsock: As a consultant I was able to work with a lot of different designers and I always found that with Maggie — from their dresses to their customer service — everything was always geared towards the bride and making sure the bride's happy, which I always admired.
Brides: When did you start designing wedding dresses?
DH: I knew I wanted to design when I was a sophomore in high school. As I was in school I found a love for bridal, I think it's just the intricate detail and the fact that there's emotion behind the purchase that attracted me to it. When you buy a wedding dress it's not just like you're buying another sweater.
Brides: So I heard you'll be wearing more than one dress one your big day. Can you tell us a little bit about each?
DH: What I would want to wear for my ceremony is completely different from what I need to wear to dance and get down on the dance floor, so I wanted something that's going to be comfortable and allow me to dance freely and have a good time and be in it for 8+ hours.
Brides: What will inspire your wedding dresses?
DH: They both reflect my personality in different ways. The reception dress is very much my design style with an Art Deco influence and the comfortable, wearable silhouette of a sheath gown. The ceremony dress will be a little bit more grand — traditional silhouette but with a modern twist.
Brides: How about the dresses you're designing for Maggie?
DH: The collection is also very much my design style. It was influenced by an Art Deco romance with a ton of details in the beading. The materials and overall aesthetic is very romantic. It's going to be wearable. I think it's also for the girl who wants to be comfortable, but also wants to feel like the most beautiful thing in the world.
Brides: How's the wedding planning coming along, do you know what your ceremony or reception will look like yet?
DH: I'm still figuring it out, but overall I really just want it to be romantic. I mean, I'm a hopeless romantic. I just want it to be like a dream.
Brides: And how's your life been post-Bachelorette with Chris?
DH: Good! It's almost been a year since he proposed. For one year we're going back to Antigua to celebrate, because that's where he proposed. It's been really great.
Brides: Does he partake in planning?
DH: He's involved. He'll always say, "No, whatever you want." He's creative, I'm sure the music will be his thing.
Brides: Are you taking his name?
DH: Yes, I will take his name. We joke and say we'll combine our names and it'll be Siegsock. I mean, Seattle is pretty progressive, so...
Brides: Since moving to Seattle have any of the other Bachelor couples helped with the process?
DH: It's been great, because when we first moved up there it was so nice to be able to connect with Molly and Jason. They've been through it all and they're like a step ahead of us, so we've been able to get a lot of advice, it's been nice. And then Renee Oteri—
Brides: Yeah! I saw the pictures. Her wedding looked adorable!
DH: She's so cute.
Brides: You were a witness at the wedding, what was it like?
DH: They knew they wanted to get married, because he was her first boyfriend ever and they just reconnected. They're so cute! The judge was amazing. It was beautiful, her words were better than most weddings I've attended. They said they're own vows and it was so pretty and touching.
Brides: Do you have any advice for brides about finding their dream dress
DH: Stay open minded. You never know what you're going to end up liking. Finding a dress is like finding a man: You have to be open-minded and it may be what you haven't imagined in your head but it's going to be perfect.
P.S. Desiree and Chris recently published a book of poems called Diamonds and Hearts (including ones he wrote while vying for Des's heart on the Bachelorette!). Could they be any cuter?