Photo: Adrian Gaut
It began in China. The bride, artist Jennifer Tee, was in Longquan working on an exhibition of her ceramics when she met her fiancé, who was there researching a book tracing the history of China through porcelain. Their bond was instant. "The falling-in-love stuff was very short," she laughs.
The jet-setting pair planned a wedding to be held in a 17th-century botanical garden in Amsterdam, where Tee is from. Her first requirement was to incorporate the jade green shade of celadon, the famed color of Longquan—even if she had to travel to yet another continent to find it.
In New York, where the couple recently relocated, Tee started by trying on several designer ready-to-wear dresses. A Dries Van Noten sunflower-printed number was the first look she envisioned for her "botanical chic" wedding, followed by a mint Chloé halter gown that was tragically over the budget. After reading about Stone Fox Bride, a new salon with an edgy high-fashion aesthetic, Tee knew where to look next. "I was immediately convinced I would find something," she says.
When Tee wandered into the Soho boutique, owner Molly Guy and showroom head Gabrielle Damico were equally thrilled. Tee was their first customer. "She came in about an hour after we opened," says Guy, who describes the bride-to-be as "meticulous, deliberate, creative, and precise. She wanted her hands and eyes on every step of the process."
The offbeat vibe of a pastel caftan was initially appealing but ultimately too statement-making. So Tee veered in the opposite direction: A slim ivory silk dress with side cutouts from Brooklyn designer Nomia. "It has a simple, elegant touch," Tee says, which made her feel comfortable and beautiful. "As soon as I put it on, I thought, Yay!"
The finishing touch was a veil with celadon flowers that Damico and Tee created together. When she debuted the ensemble, Tee was beaming. "You could tell how much this dress meant to her," Guy says. "She wasn't too emotional, but we were both crying. We were really proud."
Browse more whimsical wedding dresses.
—Elizabeth Swanson
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