BRIDES WE LOVE: MEET ALEXANDRA

Serendipity? Definitely. Alexandra and her husband Russ grew up in the same (small) town and attended the same high school. They didn’t know each other or speak very often, although Russ will tell you that Alexandra ignored him in high school. (“That’s not true! she insists.)

Eventually, the two both left their hometown—Alexandra for college and Russ for the military. Alexandra knew she wanted to move after college; she traveled extensively during her school breaks to get a sense of different areas and decided on San Diego, where she began her new life.

Meanwhile, Russ had just returned from a station overseas and was…you guessed it, in San Diego; he connected with Alexandra via Instagram. They exchanged a casual, “let’s meet up,” but both assumed it would never happen; they barely knew each other. One particularly fortuitous night, Russ went out downtown with his friends; Alexandra happened to be out too, with her own crew. And so it began...

“At some point I just knew.”

How did she know Russ was the one? “It…felt right and I could tell he felt the same. We would find ourselves talking about the future… in casual conversation,” said Alexandra.

The Wedding

Alexandra and Russ kept their wedding small, since most guests were traveling from out of state. It gave them the time they wanted to engage with each person and have fun without having to spend the entire night, as Alexandra put it, “making the rounds.” (So true!)

Those Colors!

Alexandra couldn’t have a chosen more luminous, shimmering color duo for her wedding: royal blue and silver. (The groomsmen wore midnight blue.)

That Dress!

“It was better than I ever imagined,” said Alexandra. She browsed online, reviewed silhouettes and details she loved. Alexandra found her dream dress almost immediately. (Mom flew into town to go shopping.) Her favorite parts: the intricate lace details and fitted waist that flowed into a soft skirt. They visited a nearby bridal boutique and out of sheer luck, there it was: the dress she had discovered online, waiting, it seemed, just for her. She tried it on and fell in love.

The Sweetest Part

Alex and Russ chose a 3-tier wedding cake, every tier a different flavor. They danced to a live band, and their guests sent them off with an abundance of bubbles, floating above and around them. (Their first dance? Say You Won’t Let Go by James Arthur.)

Confidence, Inside and Out

We asked Alexandra what makes her feel most beautiful. Self-confidence and self-esteem, she answered.

We couldn’t agree more.