Feb 01, 2022

Real Bride: Madison & Justin

OUR STORY

Couple’s Names:

Madison Massey & Justin Den Herder

Wedding date:

15 May 2021

Our engagement story:

We got engaged on a summer weekend in Cape Cod while laying in a hammock at sunset.

Our love story:

I was leaving a bar in the east village one night and hopped into a taxi. Somebody took off running after the car and caught me at the next red light less than a block away. He knocked on the window and breathlessly asked for my number. I asked him what his name was. He said “My name is Justin. You have such a beautiful smile. I couldn’t let you drive away.” I was in shock and the light turned green so I decided to get his number as this seemed like the safer option. I text him before I even got home.

FASHION NOTES

Bride's wedding dress:

Catherine Deane Lita Gown

What it means to be a Catherine Deane bride:

Romantic, unique, and vintage-inspired. The Lita Gown made me feel like I was straight out of a period film.

Falling in love with my Catherine Deane gown:

Actually, I was having such a hard time finding dresses that I liked! While creating a mood board I came across the Lita Gown on an old blog and fell in love but I couldn’t find anything like it. The layers and beading give it a vintage feel.

Finding your Catherine Deane gown:

I made an appointment at the BHLDN showroom in NYC. I was planning to try on a few specific dresses. When we walked in I was so surprised to see the Lita Gown hanging right there in front of me. It was like a dream, It was the exact dress from my mood board. The Lita Gown was part of their newly-released limited edition Decade Collection.

WEDDING DETAILS

Our wedding venue:

We got married on the stoop of our apartment in Brooklyn, NY. We both wanted to just have a courthouse wedding but COVID changed that. We felt like getting married at home was perfect for the time and us.

Our wedding style:

We wanted everything to feel natural as if we had just invited over family for lunch but with a little more flowers than usual.

Our photographer:

Leeann B Stephan was our photographer. I love her! Like me, she is from Lafayette, Louisiana. She is amazing at capturing the sweet candid moments.

Our Honeymoon destination:

We spent a few days in the Delaware Water Gap, kayaking and hiking.

Our most memorable moment:

Madison: Standing at the top of the steps during the ceremony and hearing passersby honk and cheer.

Justin: Our first dance and seeing our families together in person for the first time in a long time.

The funniest moments of the day were:

We only invited immediate family because it was a small ceremony at our apartment. But that didn’t keep a few close friends from flying in and crashing! It was such a great surprise! We were so happy to have them be there to support and celebrate us.