A Simple, Modern and Sophisticated Wedding

How he proposed

“Rob proposed while we were visiting a tiny island off the coast of Nafplio, Greece.” says Whitney. “All the tourist books said the island was deserted and boring, but I insisted checking it out. Rob and I were shuttled over to the island on a tiny boat with a Greek captain and his friend, and two Greek parents and their teen daughter. Nobody spoke English. We were spread across the island when Rob shocked me with a proposal and my dream ring. I was so surprised – and excited by the ring – that I screamed out… Apparently so loudly that the captain thought I was being brutally attacked by Rob. He came running around the corner with a crazed look on his face!”

The Wedding Dress

“After pouring over wedding dresses images from dozens of wedding designers, and trying on dozens of embellished wedding dresses that just didn’t suit me, I chose a simple, modern wedding dress from Jenny Lee Bridal. I wanted something classic, modern and timeless – no lace or beading – that would show off my figure and complement my curves. I went into L’Atelier Couture knowing I wanted a Jenny Lee wedding dress, and my bridal party lit up with enthusiasm when I put this wedding dress on. The wedding dress is ivory silk duchess satin – my version of a classic ballgown. I skipped anything with a huge skirt, knowing I would spend the entire reception on the dance floor.”

“A Lela Rose belt with chunky gunmetal crystals and delicate fringe highlighted my waistline and added some dramatic flair to the wedding dress. My cathedral veil also added some drama… while it was a huge hassle to deal with in the wind, the spectacular photos featuring the veil made it all worth it.”

The accessories

“I wanted my accessories to be simple and meaningful – items that would sparkle without overpowering my dress. I borrowed the diamond earrings my mom wore at her wedding and paired them with a new, custom-designed diamond and platinum necklace from Continental Diamonds.The necklace features a diamond from my great-grandmother’s wedding ring (which was also in my grandmother’s wedding ring) in a new setting that matches my engagement ring.

“My bracelet is a delicate tennis bracelet set with clear crystals, purchased at Macy’s. For shoes, I chose a pair of silver, open-toe Manolo Blahnik heels with beaded straps. They were gorgeous and terribly uncomfortable – I couldn’t feel my toes at the end of the night! My hair was set with big, romantic waves – a nice departure from my very curly hair.”

The Bridesmaids

“The bridesmaid dresses are floor-length, silk shantung gowns in “celery” from Jenny Yoo. We wanted something long and elegant that would flatter the bridesmaids’ various body and skin types. This dress looked fabulous on everyone! The green color was used as a foundation for our invitation and flower colors; the dresses actually helped us choose the color palette for the wedding – green, black and white.”

The Rings

“The engagement ring was custom designed by my husband and a jeweler from Chicago, Frederick M Gottlieb. It’s a delicate platinum band covered in micropave diamonds, with a princess cut diamond set in a halo of micropave diamonds. It was inspired by a Harry Winston setting that I fell madly in love with while we were ring shopping. When I put the ring on for the first time, I couldn’t help but scream out with excitement – it looks like a sparkly diamond snowball on my finger! A year and a half after Rob proposed, he still catches me staring at it from time to time.”

“My wedding band matches the engagement ring – a thin platinum band set with micropave diamonds. Rob’s wedding ring is a thick band with brushed white and rose gold. It’s simple, but looks great with his fair skin.”