Michaela, from the USA

Michaela and her husband said “I Do” at Saint Mary’s Church in New York last July. She found the beautiful Adamis by Rosa Clara with our Glasgow team!

Tell us a bit about your day!

My husband and I spent four years in a long-distance relationship, first from New York to Chicago, then, after getting engaged, from Glasgow, Scotland, to Honolulu, Hawai'i. Long distance came with its challenges, but it also came with great opportunities for exploring new places. Many of the times we traveled to see each other, we were blessed with chances to see new places. Thus, the theme of our wedding was "The Start of Another Adventure," as we love to travel, hike, explore, and discover new places.

The most exciting adventure of all, of course, has been our marriage. From aisle to isle, we were inspired by a variety of themes and ideas for their wedding. From the aisle of the Church, to an island reception.

The wedding Mass was quite traditional, boasting of timeless and classic aesthetics, grand music, and reverence for the Sacraments. The reception was outdoors, accented with rustic and down-to-earth decorum, favoring a view of the Saint Lawrence River and featuring cultural dancing, cuisine, and music. We were married on Sunday, July 6, 2025, accompanied by our 18-person bridal party (if you count my brother-in-law who was stationed overseas with the US Marine Corps), our parents, grandparents, and loved ones. We enjoyed a half an hour of cultural dancing, honoring the places we've lived. A main feature of this segment of the night was Scottish ceilidh. We embraced the chaos!

We ended the night with a private celebration, taking our bridal party to my family's home on Grindstone Island on the Saint Lawrence River, where we had s'mores, whiskey, and wine, and listened to music on picnic blankets under the stars and twinkling lights.

How did you end up finding 'the one'?

I attended the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland for a Master of Arts in musical theatre performance, hence I was living abroad. My cousin and maid of honor, Claire, was pursuing a doctorate at Leeds Beckett and lived in Leeds, England.

I always knew I loved Rosa Clara, and The White Collection had a large collection of Rosa Clara gowns. After many attempts trying dresses from other designers in boutiques all over the world, I finally decided it was time to try on some Rosa Clara's, and with none other than my maid-of-honor.

By this point, I had tried the "style you don't think you want," the "just in case, you never know's." But, the women at TWC insisted, so when my MOH and I were handed little hooks to hang on various dresses, I went to the other side of the store from the gowns I was interested in and chose just one. Claire and I selected a variety of ballgowns and A-lines. Each one felt like it got closer and closer. I had my heart on the princess gown since I was little girl. I decided to give it a shot, because I was already there and "why not?"

I stepped in, the dress my shoulders, and I was speechless for the first time. I had a friend/bridesmaid who was married before me who gave me the advice: look for the dress where you see yourself in a dress, not a dress on you. The first thing I noticed when I put on this dress, was my own face. My eyes. I saw myself in the dress. I couldn't believe it was so different from everything I always wanted, but I knew I had found the one.

What did you love about being a bride of The White Collection?

The stylists at The White Collection were very kind and welcoming. I felt like they made time for me, unlike many other boutiques where I was squeezed between slots and, sometimes, my time was shared with other women. I had a private room to try on dresses, as opposed to changing behind a curtain in a gallery. I felt special, respected, honored, and comfortable. When I found the dress, we popped the champagne, also allowing me to feel luxurious, celebrated, and happy!

Did you have bridesmaids? How did you involve them in the wedding and how did you decide on their wedding wardrobe?

I had nine bridesmaids, including my cousin as the Maid of Honor, my two lifelong best friends, and my dearest friends from high school, college, and beyond.

They each helped my mother plan my bridal shower in a special way, and they took me on a weekend getaway to the Green Mountains in Stratton, Vermont, for my bachelorette weekend.

They were helpful in providing advice or opinions on styling, decorations, and operations for the wedding day. I long wanted my bridesmaids to wear varying shades of the same color, while choosing a style that honored all of their beautiful body types. This led me to the Bondi from Azazie. They wore agave, sage, eucalyptus, and matcha green, with my MOH in a sage floral, so she could feel special and honored, as well. Green is among my favorite colors and paired well with a summer wedding in a 19th-Century, French Gothic, stone Catholic Church with an outdoor reception along the river.

What was your favourite part of the day?

I have too many favorites. Our wedding is my favorite memory.
Among my favorites:
- The music at the Mass
- The homily (the priest who celebrated our wedding is a dear friend of mine)
- The boat ride my groom and I took to enter the cocktail hour
- The reception entrances of our bridal party (who were all tasked with choreographing an entrance to a surprise song revealed at the rehearsal dinner in order to compete for a prize from the bride and groom)
- The food!
- The cultural dancing
- The after party on my family's property

List of vendors used- is there anyone in particular you want to give a shout out to?

Our videographer and photographer: Mike and Kristen Zale from Bokeh Film Studios
Our DJ: Scott from DJ Sound Selection & Entertainment
Our Caterer: Embellished Catering