FAMILY MATTERS

A family thing

Veni Infantino of Ronald Joyce talks to us about designing her daughter’s not one, not two, but three dream wedding dresses for her very traditional Sicilian wedding

When Claudia became engaged, what were your first thoughts about her dress? We were actually in Las Vegas with Claudia and Dean when Dean popped the question. After a night of celebrations, when everyone had gone to bed, I stayed up sketching the dress she had always dreamed of. As you can imagine, Claudia and I had long discussed what she would want, and by the time she woke up in the morning I had her dream dress designed on paper.

We never deviated from this initial design and when I got in touch with my seamstresses, they created the lace motif exactly how I had drawn it. I did worry that with the wedding being postponed twice due to Covid-19, Claudia might change her mind, but she didn’t at all – in fact she said that every time she saw the dress, she fell more in love with it. The only thing she had to do throughout the pandemic was not gain or lose any weight as the dress fitted her perfectly and to change it would mean unpicking the motifs, resizing it and putting it back together again. Not something even I wanted to tackle. Did Claudia really know exactly what she wanted right from the start? Claudia was a very decisive bride. From day one she always wanted a Sicilian look – a high neckline, and her hair tied back. Even though Sicily can be very hot in the summer, Claudia was set on long sleeves, which I feel add elegance to any dress.

The gown features lace appliqués on top of Chantilly lace. I then designed a further two dresses: one for the wedding breakfast and one for the party. For the second and third gowns, Claudia wanted something non-restrictive to allow for movement and dancing. Therefore, we opted for a stretch crepe fabric and smaller trains which looked stunning and also allowed her to move more freely.

This is something I am hearing more

and more from brides, so my new collection features traditional gowns with removeable elements such as capes, trains and overskirts that can be taken off to allow for movement and dancing, but also create a new look for the evening. It is a winwin really; not all brides can afford a second dress. What about the decision on the silhouette? Claudia has a lovely hourglass figure with a small waist so we knew a fishtail would work best to show off her shape. She did try on the bigger ballgown dresses, but they didn’t really work on her as she is only 5’ 4”. And about the neckline? Claudia was set on a high neckline, VESTAL which we knew suited her – it’s a look she incorporates into her everyday style. When designing the dress back in 2019, this neckline was actually very fashion forward for bridalwear as it had not yet transitioned from the catwalk into the bridal market.

As it happened, with two postponements due to the pandemic, the world was ready for a bridal high neckline. When the wedding eventually took place in September 2021, Paris Hilton followed this trend by wearing a strikingly similar gown in her nuptials to Carter Reum in Bel Air. This just goes to show that girls with style will choose to wear a dress with a high neck and sleeves, no matter the climate. How about sparkle?

Brides who leave it late end up Claudia isn’t a huge fan of panic buying a dress they don’t really sparkle and didn’t really want any at all. However, I got my love and that’s when they start to way with the final dress and worry and change their minds added a little sparkle which not only gave a special lift to the gown but also reflected light onto Claudia’s olive skin tone. How far in advance of the original wedding date did you start designing? I started designing the dress about a year and half before the original

STYLE 69717

HOUSE OF ST PATRICK AMSALE

STYLE 69573

JLM

date. I would say it is important to get the dress as soon as possible. If brides get a dress that they are totally in love with then they won’t change their mind. I’ve seen it for myself, and it tends to be brides who leave it late who end up panic buying a dress they don’t really love and that’s when they start to worry and change their minds.

If you start looking as soon as you become engaged, it is less stressful as you know you have lots of time so you can enjoy the experience.

How hard were the fittings in the pandemic? The fittings worked quite well as Claudia was able to fly home from Los Angeles for Christmas and to see us in the summer. Both times, she tried on the gowns and loved them without any reservations. There were only a couple of alterations needed for the dresses to make it fit like a glove.

Were there any surprises or hiccups along the way? The only surprise to me was that Claudia loved the designs from the first sketch and didn’t make any changes to them – she is usually very fussy about what she likes!

Now over to Claudia... We asked Claudia and Dean what their favourite parts of the day were; Claudia said: “walking into the church with my dad, and seeing Dean for the first time as I stood in the church arch way, will remain one of the most special moments of my life.” However, they both said “the band serenading us and our wedding guests down the cobbled streets of Taormina to the venue was pretty spectacular. All of the tourists and locals joined our celebrations and were literally dancing in the street, as they congratulated us into married life. The atmosphere was truly magical.”

On a final note, from Claudia herself: “For me anything that could’ve gone wrong went wrong, especially with Covid, but the actual day itself was perfection! So, for any brides who have had to postpone their wedding, the advice I would give is to take the extra time to perfect and fine tune your special day, embrace the changes and never compromise on your dream wedding. It will all be worth it in the end!”

A version of Claudia’s main gown, above, is to be included in the new collection, as style 69717, Her second dress, style 69573, is available now.

NOW FOR THE ALL-IMPORTANT WEDDING DRESSES

The ceremony dress was a stunning unlined lace silhouette, with a high neck and long train. The intricate lace detail was made up of two different laces, layered together to create dimension and that Sicilian vintage feel that Claudia had dreamed of.

The reception dress was a long-sleeved simple gown but with a statement back as stated in Claudia’s brief. This dress was something Claudia choose from the current Ronald Joyce collection, and is a best seller today. It has a delicate lace detail on the sleeves and a tulle detachable train – perfect for that day-to-night look if it is the main wedding dress.

The party dress was simple, sexy, yet sophisticated. This was Claudia’s only dress that didn’t have sleeves. The racer-back style was lightly beaded on the bodice with a simple stretch crepe skirt which had a high slit. Veni included a small puddle train so that it still felt ‘bridal’ but allowed Claudia to move and dance.

Claudia wanted her bridesmaids to have dresses that they could and would want to wear again. They were designed to echo the high neck of Claudia’s ceremony dress, with a matching stole for arm cover at the church.

LILLY

THEIR BIG DAY

Being the daughter of a bridalwear designer, Claudia had dreamed of her wedding and the all-important dress since she was a little girl. In fact, when she was just ten years old, she told her father on a family holiday to Taormina, Sicily, that she would one day marry there in the church and hotel. And that is exactly what took place in September 2021.

Taormina is heritage town with incredible atmosphere, charming locals, and spectacular views. The ceremony was at the stunning Chiesa di San Giuseppe, a Catholic church, built in the Baroque style between the late 1600s and early 1700s. Located next to the famous Taormina clock tower landmark, the church faces out onto Piazza IX Aprile, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.

The Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo hosted the reception with just 68 guests instead of the original 120, with the wedding breakfast on the terrace, which overlooks the Sicilian coastline. The newlyweds opted for an Italian inspired seafood menu that showcased the incredible local produce and talent of the resident chefs. The wine paired with the three courses was from the local area of Mount Etna, where the volcanic soil nurtures some specular wine.

However, the headache of a Covid wedding was not over just yet. With restrictions changing daily, MOB Veni was told, just two months before the new September date, that there could be no dancing at the wedding reception. By some miracle, however, a nearby private villa, Mon Repos, was available the night of the wedding. The family and their wedding planner, Liz Gaan, laid on coaches and took all of their guests to the villa where there would be no dancing restrictions. The night ended in the only way possible – with everyone jumping into the pool, fully clothed!

Another highlight for the guests was an appearance from musician Luke Burr, a friend and client of Dean’s, who serenaded the party with his impressive vocal on the keys. Claudia told us that it would be a dream to relive the day but as a guest, so that she could experience it all over again from another perspective.

As a bride, she says, you are aware of the MARK LESLEY itinerary, and constantly on edge and looking around to ensure all is going to plan. Hence why wedding planners are so essential.