This is not my first wedding rodeo.
At 26, I got married in the second dress I stepped into.
But if my thirties taught me anything its this: absolutes are a waste of breath.
Photo: Courtesy of Katherine Ormerod
I really know myself and have a good handle on my personal aesthetic, so why the angst?
An ethereal veil at Danielle Frankel.
So, I decided to embark on an odyssey of discovery.
An ethereal veil at Danielle Frankel.
I challenged myself to try on 100 different wedding dresses and write about the process.
I planned to unravel my own ideas about what suits me, and stay open-minded.
By night, the look goes up a notch to incorporate naked dressing and a Le Smokingsansbrassiere.
“I quickly realized I was in the market for proper drama,” says the bride-to-be, seen here wearing Markarian.
Others might say girly, but I dont feel saccharine enough for that.
Know any designers whove made that their USP in the bridal market?
Katherine plays the Vivienne Westwood bride.
Katherine plays the Vivienne Westwood bride.
Katherine loved Markarians Idra dress.
Trying on a design by the queen of modern bridal, Cecilie Bahnsen.
At The Own Studio in Shoreditch.
Katherine loved Markarian’s Idra dress.
I also quickly realized that I was in the market for proper drama.
Even though 15 years had passed, it seemed I was reverting to punch in.
How did the dress move?
Trying on a design by the queen of modern bridal, Cecilie Bahnsen.
Did I feel supported?
Had I considered how it looked from every angle?
I also learned that ivory isnt my colorsomething warmer is better on my skin.
At The Own Studio in Shoreditch.
Indeed, too many cooks can create an issue.
Early on in the search, I found a dress that I adored, but it was punchy.
I found it easier to connect with my style radar alone.
Wearing a gown by Cinq at The Fall.
It turns out that I actually dont want anyone elses opinion.
Wearing a gown by Cinq at The Fall.
Katherine in a blush gown by Galia Lahav.
Katherine in a blush gown by Galia Lahav.
A nipped-in jacket and tulle skirt option at Self-Portrait.
Another more fundamental shift is the rise of more relaxed bridal studios, with a slip-on-and-go attitude.
It was about a third of the price of some of the other dresses in contention.
A nipped-in jacket and tulle skirt option at Self-Portrait.
At a fitting at Honor NYC.
Katherine was sucker punched by Danielle Frankels Rosalie dress.
There was talk of weight loss during a couple of appointments, which felt uncomfortable.
Sampling bridal suiting at The Own Studio
I feel very glad to have been reminded of this before my wedding day.
But the moment that zip went up, I realized that actually, thatiswho I am.
Powerful, sexy, a little defiant.
At a fitting at Honor NYC.
Which is not to say I havent since been tempted by alternatives.
Its a really good idea to stop trying on other dresses the second you put your deposit down.
Katherine couldnt not make a stop at Kleinfeld, as seen on the reality showSay Yes to the Dress.
Katherine was “sucker punched” by Danielle Frankel’s Rosalie dress.
Trying on wedding dresses in public is cheesy… but fun.
Katherine wearing Halfpenny London.
But I would recommend approaching it dispassionatelyas if trying on rare vintage or museum pieces.
Katherine couldn’t not make a stop at Kleinfeld, as seen on the reality showSay Yes to the Dress.
Other sage notes from the queen of modern bridal?
Remember thatyouare the sparkle, not the dress.
Katherine in a Sassi Holford gown…
… a dramatic train at Pronovias.
Trying on wedding dresses in public is cheesy… but fun.
Katherine, seen here in Rixo, did not limit her search to designer gowns.
Wearing a dress from the bridal line at Whistles.
That is probably about the same ratio of men I could cohabit with.
Katherine wearing Halfpenny London.
But actually, I feel more clarity than ever.
Experimenting with shorter hemlines at Annie’s Ibiza
Katherine in a Sassi Holford gown…
… a dramatic train at Pronovias.
Katherine, seen here in Rixo, did not limit her search to designer gowns.
Wearing a dress from the bridal line at Whistles.
