Love and Magic

Kelsey Dawes and Eric Garner were married July 29, 2011 in the Salt Lake LDS Temple and celebrated with a reception at Cactus and Tropicals. 

Kelsey met Eric while working at The Store.  He worked in the produce section and she was a checker.  Eric was no fool, and would happily wait to go through Kelsey's line rather than go through another line, even if another checker was available.  Eric wanted Kelsey to "check" him out.

On their first date they went to the movies and saw Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.  "I was a little nervous because I was a huge Harry Potter fan so I didn't want to seem like a total nerd."  Turns out Eric loves Harry Potter just as much as her so their date was a blast!  It was so great, later that night they shared their first kiss.  It was magical! 

On their fourth date, at a steakhouse, when Eric and Kelsey ordered the exact same dinner they realized "Oh my gosh, I have found my soul mate!" They were so into each other and had so many things in common that it was all too perfect for words. 

Eric proposed to Kelsey on a pristine beach in San Diego...  

...under the glow of fireworks.

Now it was time for Kelsey to find her dress.  The Perfect Dress was her first stop and after trying on many gowns her mother dared her to try on the Maggie Sottero gown Gracie.   

With cascading asymetrical ruffles and a fitted rouched bodice she thought it looked fun and exciting.  Kelsey tried it on and the moment she saw it in the mirror her jaw dropped.  Her mother was so taken with it that she was absolutely speechless. 

Kelsey tried on quite a few more dresses but everything was compared the the Gracie.  She knew it was perfect for her.  When she purchased the gown it was strapless and Kelsey needed a sleeve.  Her bridal consultant ordered extra fabric from the designer and set her up with one of our talented seamstresses.  She made Kelsey's vision of her dress with a couture bolero come to life. 

Kelsey's dress was a smashing success.  Her photographer loved the dress so much that it quickly became her favorite to photograph.

Kelsey will never forget the moment when she walked out of the temple and her husband saw her in her dress for the first time.  He was absolutely motionless and just stared with a look of complete admiration.  "I felt like I was the prettiest girl in the world and that I was the only person around."

 Another memorable moment for Kelsey was when her grandmother saw her in the dress and was so moved that tears just streamed down her face. The reactions she got from everyone were just incredible.  

Kelsey ended up with a dress that was entirely different than what she had planned.  Her advice is to try things that you wouldn't normally gravitate towards, and come to the The Perfect Dress because they have such a wide range of options.  "No one had the variety that The Perfect Dress had!"

Photography by: Aria Bethards
Cake by: Cakes de Fleur
Wedding gown and alterations: The Perfect Dress