by Jen Hart | Bohemian Wedding Dresses, Real Weddings
Our bohemian bride, Tara, marry the love of her life, Jimmy at the Malibu Phoenix, here in California. She is a stunning bride, and looks beautiful wearing our Adelaide gown in white. Tara opted to add long fitted sleeves to her gown, an option available to all of our brides-to-be. We also like the look of the veil with the Adelaide gown; it is a great addition for the ceremony. For non-traditional brides, many opt out of wearing a veil, but we do like the idea of adding a veil to a nontraditional wedding dress, as it lends just a small dose of ‘tradition’ to the look and to the day. Our Cindy veil available in our online shop is a stunning choice, as it is soft and drapes well, with the same scallop trim used on the gown, and available in two lengths.
We also decided to add wedding vows to this post, as next to wedding dresses, our next favorite thing about the day is the vows. Vows articulate so well what marriage means, and personalizes that meaning to the specific couple. We love the vows we have incorporated here, and would be a great inspiration for our more laid-back bohemian brides.
I vow to love you
To be your partner in all things
To build a home with you and fill it with family
To support you in your goals
To be your biggest fan
To stand up for you
To take deep breaths and be kind
To be there when you laugh, and when you cry
To be present
To share with you
To let you help me
To wake you every morning
To kiss you every night
To appreciate you, always
To choose you every day
To never give up
To never ever give up
To work every day, to be the man you deserve
To work every day, to be the woman you deserve
Until I met you, marriage -type love was an abstract thing that I only read about in poems, heard sung in romantic love songs, or read about in books. But when I met you I knew for the first time what it was to experience this type of love within my heart. You have made me a believer in the real thing, in the promise of a love that will last a lifetime. There is nothing more important to me in my life than your love. I value, it above money, power, or position. I rejoice in our love, and I promise to walk by your side with a constancy that only comes from unreserved commitment, and it is this commitment I make to you now as I take you as my husband/wife, from this day forward and so long as we both shall live.
Photos by Anna Delores Photography. You can see more of her work at http://www.annadelores.com/
by Jen Hart | Bohemian Wedding Dresses, Real Weddings
We love simplicity here at the Dreamers & Lovers studio, and think it is the key to a truly unique yet timeless wedding. I love the simple and laidback feel of Taylor’s wedding. They wanted their wedding to encapsulate their combined love for the outdoors, and judging from the photos they achieved that rustic, perfectly bohemian outdoor vibe. We are also loving the mismatched bridesmaid dresses, and what a stunning bride!
We are thrilled to have been a miniscule part of Taylor’s wedding, as she wore our amazing off-the-shoulder bohemian wedding dress – the Holly lace dress. We were fortunate to have met Taylor in our studio for her initial fitting, and she loved the dress the moment she tried it on. Taylor had already purchased a dress for her wedding, but she changed dress plans not long before the wedding, and we are honored she decided to wear a Dreamers & Lovers piece instead.
Here, Taylor shares her beautiful photos with us, as well as some really great advice for other laid-back / bohemian brides to be. Without further adieu:
How did you guys meet and how he proposed, what makes you guys the perfect match?
Eric and I met while working at a homeless shelter in Laguna Beach. We worked closely every day and were very good friends for a while, until one day we saw each other in a new light and got a drink together after a staff meeting. We both love the beach, camping, and exploring. Instead of registering for gifts, we asked for contributions so that we can buy a camping trailer to explore and adventure together!
What type of bride were you?
I’d like to consider myself a boho bride. I wanted a timeless look for the dress and the wedding. I wanted to look different than the typical strapless white and sparkly bride. The 70s inspired crochet lace was exactly what I wanted. I had another dress, but saw this one at the last minute and HAD to have it. You only get married once!
What inspired your wedding decor? Why did you choose the style you did?
We got married at a historic venue in San Clemente called The Casino. It was once an old dance hall including visitors like Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney. Casino San Clemente
What was the best advice you received when you were planning your wedding? Any advise for brides still in the planning process?
The best advice we got was to steal a moment or two during the reception where the two of us would just be alone and soak it all in and have a romantic moment to ourselves. It goes by so fast.
My other advice would be to be as excited about your partner, your marriage, and your future together as much, and hopefully more than the party and wedding day itself. It’s so easy to get lost in the hype of it all these days with Pinterest, or Instagram, or trying to achieve a certain look, etc. The most special thing is your comfort and love for each other that will last a lifetime!
Taylor’s own words about her dress:
Thanks again so much for having and making the most perfect dress. No zippers, corsettes, or buttons. I just slipped it on and I was done! So comfortable and I felt like the prettiest version of me!
We wish Taylor and her hubby more happiness than they could have ever imagined. Their venue was breathtaking, with all its exquisite tile work, ironwork, and those perfect murals. The photos paint a picture of their wedding as a stress-free happy time, with a beautiful chilled out bride.
Couple: Taylor & Eric
Ceremony Venue: The Casino San Clemente
Photographer: Natalie Bray Photography
by Jen Hart | Bohemian Wedding Dresses, Real Weddings
Bohemian brides can easily be identified by their rule-breaking, non-confirming ways, and this stunning bride, Amanda, shows that you can leave the typical traditions out of your wedding planning, and still throw the most killer soiree. Love that she ditched the first dance, the bridesmaids, she even said no to a MC, and ditched having the obligatory introductions. We are guessing that sidestepping all these traditions took loads of pressure out of the planning process. It is always so liberating doing things we want to do, versus what we are supposed to do, and that is the core of the bohemian bride.
Us at Dreamers & Lovers are happy to have been a small part of Amanda’s wedding, as she wore our best-selling bohemian wedding dress – the Adelaide lace gown. We were fortunate to have met Amanda in our studio for her fittings, and we knew that this dress truly captured her unique style.
Here, Amanda shares her breathtaking photos with us, as well as nuggets of wisdom for other laid-back / bohemian brides to be. Without further adieu:
Please share your story, such as how you met and how he proposed, what makes you guys the perfect match?
We actually met at a Cinco de Mayo Happy Hour in 2011 in Culver City. Charley had just moved to Los Angeles and I was moving to New Orleans for graduate school so we casually dated for a few months. Both of us had been in tricky long distance relationships before and thought they didn’t work so we were stubborn and didn’t want to do long distance but we would talk almost every day. Around November we realized it was the real deal and decided to try long distance and within two years I had moved back to LA. Charley proposed on a sunrise hike in Santa Monica Mountains to Inspiration Point on a Saturday morning where it was just the two of us and our Cocker Spaniel, Foggy.
What type of bride were you?
I am from Los Angeles but a lot of my friends and family live out of state and Charley is from Montreal so we knew a lot of people would be flying in for the wedding so we wanted to have a “destination wedding” that was close to us. We both love Santa Barbara and have had some amazing weekend trips there so it seemed like a good fit for our wedding weekend. Our focus was family and friends and celebrating our love so I would say we didn’t have a defined theme, color palette etc. It all sort of fell into place as we planned based on our preferences. I was worried about finding the right location, dress, food (the most important aspects for me) but once we nailed the basics the rest was fun to plan (with the help of Pinterest for different ideas).
What inspired your wedding decor? Why did you choose the style you did?
We got really lucky in choosing venues that essentially were already decorated for us. Our ceremony was in the Mural Room at the SB Courthouse, which is very decorated and covered in ornate touches so we only brought a rug, a simple white chuppah, and a few gold tables along with some white flowers. We held our reception later in the day at The Lark Restaurant, which has a beautiful private dining room that we simply added table runners, framed photos and a few small touches that fit us. I loved the California casual boho style, which is what our touches were based on (lace, burlap, gold etc.)
What was the best advice you received when you were planning your wedding? Any advise for brides still in the planning process?
The best advice I received and the biggest piece of advice I have for brides in the planning process is to do what you want to do and just say no to everything else. Following this advice, we opted out of an MC, a bridal party, a first dance, an introduction, and a lot of other “traditional” wedding aspects because well…we didn’t want to do any of them. We also kept the weekend only to close family and friends (about 40 people) and didn’t invite the people who weren’t involved in our lives. This was hard because it meant not inviting a lot of extended family but since we wanted it to be our weekend and not an obligatory celebration, this decision led to a weekend where everyone truly bonded and created a very special wedding weekend. Not everyone who is getting married can do this but if you are able to only include people who truly know and love the both of you, it creates a true celebration of love.
We wish Amanda and Charley more happiness than they could have ever imagined. Their venue was breathtaking, with all its exquisite tile work, ironwork, and those perfect murals. The photos paint a picture of their wedding as a stress-free happy time, with a beautiful chilled out bride.
Couple: Amanda & Charley
Ceremony Venue: Santa Barbara Courthouse
Reception Venue: Lark Restaurant
Photographer: CLB Creative
Dress: Dreamers & Lovers Adelaide Boho Lace Wedding Dress
by Jen Hart | Bohemian Chic, Bohemian Wedding Dresses, Destination Wedding Gowns, Real Weddings
This breathtaking wedding currently featured on Green Wedding Shoes is a dream. The California wedding took place in an almond orchard, at springtime when the almond trees were in full bloom. This is a bohemian wedding dream. When we first saw the photos it literally knocked us off of our feet. We love the intimate feel, the bohemian touches, and the all out rustic elegant feel of Whitney and Zak’s wedding.
Whitney is wearing our Arabelle bohemian wedding dress, customized / made-to-measure. It is beyond stunning on her, and she is a seriously sensational bride.
According to the bride, the wedding took 2.5 months to plan, and it was a definite hit, as everyone in the social media world has been set ablaze with all her wedding day details. We personally loved the picnic style seating, and to learn that the bride’s mother personally hand sew each of the 75 tapestry pillows, elevates to an entirely new level. This is a true inspiration wedding for any bohemian bride-to-be, there are too many details to list, but you can find the full Green Wedding Shoes feature, complete with loads of photos and behind-the-scene details at
We wish Whitney and Zak only happiness and lifelong bliss. They are such a beautiful couple!
Photographed by: Josh Gruetzmacher
by Jen Hart | Bohemian Chic, Bohemian Wedding Dresses, Real Weddings
My heart must have skipped a beat when Amalia (the beautiful bride) sent us photos of her seemingly small and intimate wedding, which took place in Colombia. Both her, and groom (Jaime) and the entire wedding attendants were bursting with joy. The photos are incredible, and shot by the very talented international wedding photographer Juan Tamayo. More details of his work can be found below. I personally loved how brilliantly Juan captured the candid moments, all the joy, and the laughter.
We are always in love with small and intimate weddings, and when infused with bohemian rustic touches, it really just takes our breath away. Amalia chose the Isis crochet wedding dress in the made-to-measure option. The isis boho wedding dress is available here.
Enjoy photos of Amalia and Jaime’s wedding, as well as this heart wrenchingly beautiful poem that would make for a great wedding ceremony reading titled A New Beginning.
On this earth there is a oneness
A rhythmic flow through everything that lives
The things with roots and stems and leaves
The things with shells and fins and furs
The things with wings with which to fly
The things that crwal and those that walk (more…)
by Jen Hart | Bohemian Wedding Dresses, Destination Wedding Gowns, Real Weddings
My heart skipped a beat as I perused Kristin’s wedding photos from her elopement at the luxe Four Season’s Bora Bora. She looks breathtaking, and what a gorgeous couple they are. Congratulations Kristin!! You wore our Arabelle gown so beautifully. What a stunning bohemian bride. Thank you for sharing these picturesque photos with us,now I’ll be daydreaming of a vacation.
