When I was engaged, dress shopping was one of my favorite parts of the wedding planning process. After years of perusing bridal magazines, sketching my own ideas for my dress (horrible proportions and all — I can barely draw stick figures), and watching friends pick out dresses for their big day, it was so exciting to finally get to slip into satin confection after lace sheath after tulle ballgown. I love wedding gowns.Last night, I got to watch one of my very best friends try on wedding gowns for the first time, as I had mentioned on Facebook (and oh-so-many of you liked — apparently it’s a hot topic!). It was a blast seeing the whole wedding gown experience from that perspective. I’ve tried on gowns as a bride-to-be, photographed them by the dozens on wedding days, and now, for the first time, I got to witness another bride-to-be checking out various silhouettes, fabrics, and necklines, and of course looking incredibly lovely in the process. She twirled around in the gowns with fluttery skirts; she made funny faces at herself in the mirror when a gown missed the mark; and there were no tears, but she got a little giggly when she tried on a few special gowns that made her feel like a bride.

I loved every minute of it.That’s what finding the right wedding gown as all about — feeling like a bride. Capturing that breathtaking sensation that this is really happening. Transforming yourself from everyday-you into wedding day jubilation.For all the brides who will be heading out on the hunt for the perfect gown this year, best of luck! And for all my brides whose gowns I’ll be photographing in the coming months — I am so excited to see them!

(And because I hate finding a gorgeous gown online and not being able to trace it back to its designer, the gowns pictured above are, in order, Maggie Sottero, Winnie Couture, and Monique Lhuillier Bliss.)

~ Laura