#realchicbride Tiana wears Ines Di Santo at her Elopement in Italy
Tell us your love story! How did you meet and how did you get to a proposal?
Dean and I met at a popular bar overlooking the Miami River during a Gameday Saturday in Miami, where our respective friend groups were there to watch Florida State play Louisville. We met through mutual friends and as the night went on, we exchanged numbers and went our separate ways.
Less than a week later, Dean's impulsive lunch stop near my workplace in downtown Fort Lauderdale changed everything. As I passed by his car at a red light, he recognized me from the previous weekend and felt fate was at play. Dean seized the moment, sending a text that led to our first date a week later—and a start to our unforgettable journey.
Four years later, in 2020, we planned a trip through Greece and Italy, but the pandemic dashed those plans. Undeterred, two years, a new home, and a puppy later, we revived our dream on Italy's Amalfi Coast, and booked a trip to Positano and Capri.
In Positano, our first day unfolded like a dream. We stumbled upon a terrace overlooking the quintessential Positano landscape, and Dean immediately knew it would set the stage for the perfect proposal.
As evening approached, Dean, with a twinkle in his eye, suggested revisiting the terrace. The sun set as he professed his love and asked me to marry him.
I said yes and we celebrated the night away on the Mediterranean.
When you started planning your wedding what did you envision? How close did the actual wedding get to that vision?
Initially, we weren’t quite sure what we wanted. I wasn’t the girl who had her wedding planned out since childhood. Having all eyes on you while walking down an aisle isn’t for everyone, so it was important to make our day work for us.
We fell in love with the idea of tying the knot in Italy, yet we also wanted to ensure our friends and family could easily join us for the celebration. Despite our initial hesitation about a destination wedding, we found a compromise that allowed us to have both the intimate ceremony we dreamed of and a joyous party with our loved ones.
We eloped and exchanged personal vows in Puglia, Italy. A month later, we threw a big reception with all our friends and family in Florida to celebrate.
The reception was stunning! We envisioned neutral colors, curtains, dramatic drapery, and candles for an intimate ambiance, and it turned out exactly as we had hoped.
Although we did things a bit backwards and untraditionally, it worked perfectly for us, and I wouldn’t have done it any other way. Breaking it up into two parts allowed us to have the best of both worlds, and we couldn’t be happier with how everything turned out!
What were a few things that were important to you as a couple to include (or not include) in the wedding?
We really wanted our friends and family to feel like they were there in Italy with us, so we filmed a video and played it at our reception. It was a special way to share our elopement experience with everyone.
Having attended many weddings ourselves, we knew we wanted the atmosphere to be anything but stuffy. We aimed for a fun and lively celebration of life. To achieve this, we opted for no seating chart and no plated dinner. Instead, we set up food stations and let everyone sit wherever and with whomever they wanted and without a timeline. This created a relaxed, party-like vibe that everyone loved!
How did you decide on the location?
At first we wanted a popular location like Capri or Lake Como, but ultimately decided on Puglia, Italy because it was less touristy and crowded, a place we had never been before and we were up for an adventure!
It ended up being such a dream. I can’t wait to go back for our Anniversaries!
Let's talk dress! Give us all the deets!
I went into Chic Parisien without a clue about what I wanted or even where we were getting married. I imagined my dress would either be big and princess-like or something from Berta. Boy, was I wrong!
My wedding dress was designed by Ines Di Santo, and it was actually the first dress I tried on. With only 15 made in the world, it was truly one-of-a-kind. It had lace, florals, and beading all over with a plunging neckline and low back. Florals ran up the back for a classy tattoo look. I fell in love immediately but still wanted to try on a few more to be sure. Eventually, I tried the first one again, and that’s when Irina, the Chic Parisien stylist, mentioned there was a matching veil. I tried on the veil, and it was a done deal!
For my reception dress, I wanted something with a high neckline that was classy, sexy, and fun. I found the Ines Di Santo Evie Dress, and it was everything! With its high neckline, floral lace and beads to match my wedding dress, and feathers and tinsel on the bottom, it was the perfect party dress!
I’m so happy with both of my dresses and wish I could wear them all the time! Thank you to the Chic Parisien team and Ines Di Santo for being such a fabulous designer!
How did your family, friends, etc play into your wedding planning and wedding day?
Our friends and family were incredibly supportive throughout our wedding planning journey. While we asked for their opinions and valued their input, we knew it was our special day and wanted to make it uniquely ours. One piece of advice we cherished was to prioritize our happiness and make decisions that felt right for us.
Leading up to the big day, we included our loved ones in various aspects of the planning process. From dress and suit fittings to shopping for accessories and travel plans, their involvement made everything more enjoyable.
We also wanted everyone at our reception to have an amazing time without any stress, so we hired a planner to take care of all the day-of details, as well as decor and design. This allowed our guests to simply relax and celebrate with us, making the day even more memorable.
What's one specific memory you have from your wedding day that you don't think you'll ever forget.
Oh my goodness, there are so many unforgettable moments! Our rooftop ceremony was such a beautiful and intimate moment, with just the two of us and a violinist playing our song—it felt like a dream.
Then, driving off into the Italian sunset by boat, sipping Prosecco without a care in the world, was pure magic.
And at our reception, when all of our friends and family rushed the dance floor to hug and celebrate with us, it was the perfect way to kick off the night. We truly felt the love, and that feeling will stay with us forever!
How did you decide on your hair and makeup look?
I wanted a timeless look that I would still love when looking back at photos 30 years from now. To achieve this, I chose a matte, glowy makeup look that accentuated my features without being overdone. For my hair, I went with a half-up, half-down style that perfectly matched the relaxed, Italian vibe of our wedding. It all came together beautifully, and I couldn’t have been happier!
Was there one vendor you used that you wish everyone knew about?
Absolutely! There are two vendors I wish everyone knew about.
First, Artonico Stories—a creative photo and video couple specializing in travel, weddings, and elopements. They were so relaxed and helped ease any nerves we had. They weren’t in your face but just went with the flow, capturing every special moment beautifully.
Then there was Micro Miami, who helped plan our reception. Sofia and her team took care of all the decor and design details behind the scenes. They handled everything seamlessly, understanding my vision and the vibe I was going for. They truly hit it out of the park! The round bar at our cocktail hour was such a hit with our guests—they didn’t want to leave!
We are incredibly grateful to both vendors for making our wedding so amazing and unforgettable.
Where did you go on your honeymoon and what was the best part?
We honeymooned in Taormina, Sicily, and it was an absolute dream! We spent a blissful week relaxing by the pool, exploring the island by boat, strolling through the enchanting streets of the town, and indulging in all the pasta, seafood, and granitas we could handle. The best part, though, was watching the sunset behind Mt. Etna, an active volcano, while overlooking the infinity pool, beach town, and Ionian Sea. It was one of the most spectacular views I’ve ever seen and a moment we'll cherish forever.
A Look At The New Mira Zwillinger Collection
Just about a month ago the Chic Parisien team traveled to New York for Bridal Fashion Week, where we see the latest collections from our international designers. This season, Mira Zwillinger presented an edit of dresses that we have positively fallen in love with. It’s all the signature reasons why we adore Mira Zwillinger’s gowns, with fresh new spins based on what brides right now are looking for.
Experience the craftsmanship and romance for yourself at our Trunk Show this Friday and Saturday only. A bridal trunk show is the best way to shop the latest gowns. Why? First, you’ll get to see the entire collection. Second, you can place orders on the latest dresses about six months before the gowns arrive in stock at the bridal boutique, which means you’re amongst the first in the world to wear these bridal gowns when you walk down the aisle.
photos by collin pierson
Backstage at Ines Di Santo's Runway Show During New York Bridal Fashion Week
Collin Pierson takes us backstage at the Ines Di Santo runway show featuring the newest collection by the chic designer:
New Arrival: Candlelight by Monique Lhuillier
New Arrival:
Candlelight by Monique Lhuillier now available at Chic Parisien in Coral Gables, Florida.
Enjoy the Yolancris Runway Show in Barcelona from the Front Row
We sent @crossingpathsphotography to Barcelona to photograph the epic runway show from our resident Spanish brand, Yolancris. As expected, they delivered the chicness. A favorite brand for a sophisticated boho aesthetic, Yolancris is a study in the elegant, handcrafted, fashion-forward designs coming out from Barcelona.
This Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week, they send a slew of memorable looks down the runway that we can’t wait to see on a bride who is ready to make a statement:
New Arrival: Jane by Katherine Tash
Old Hollywood glamour meets sleek modern bride. Jane by Katherine Tash is a jaw dropping wedding dress for a bride who wants to have it all. We also love this Katherine Tash wedding dress as a second look option for a bride who wants to slip into something a little more comfortable (maybe post-ballgown?). The flattering structured corset top is softened by the cowl neck and romantic draped skirt in a chic mermaid silhouette.
Fall In Love With Leah Da Gloria
Leah Da Gloria collection is available at Chic Parisien in Coral Gables, FL. Shop these beautiful wedding dresses at the best bridal boutique in Miami. SAy yes to the dress of your dreams from this collection with something for every bride’s style.
In Store For A Limited Time Only: Inbal Dror 23-11
Shop this chic Inbal Dror ballgown with a beautiful keyhole back and deep-V scalloped neckline at Chic Parisien in Coral Gables, FL for a limited time only.
Monique Lhuillier Fall 2024 Collection at Chic Parisien
Here’s a sneak peek into a little dress up session featuring the newest Monique Lhuillier collection, Fall 2024. Straight from New York Bridal Fashion Week, this collection is making it’s debut at Chic Parisien for a limited time only. Shop it now or wait until we receive our stock pieces of these positively lovely new wedding dresses.
The Cool Bride Edit
Our chic staff picked their favorite wedding dresses for a cool bride, looking to make a statement in her wedding day wardrobe. If your style descriptors look like: chic, cool, modern — these are the picks from our stock of bridal gowns for you. Featuring wedding dresses from our Coral Gables bridal boutique from designers: Berta, Katherine Tash, Chosen by Kyha, Ines Di Santo, and Alex Perry.
Chic Newsletter: Issue I
Today, in Chic News, we’ve decided to make our newsletter available for download! As we work on the second issue of our print newsletter, we thought we’d make sure that anyone who hasn’t seen it in person at the store has the opportunity to download all the chicness!
Our newsletter is a round up of the chicest in bridal trends, produced bi-annually. We’ve been listening to the questions our brides have, scoping the latest in bridal fashion, and finding a new way to highlight our roster of international bridal designers including: Monique Lhuillier, Ines Di Santo, Berta, Mira Zwillinger, Chosen by Kyha, Yolancris, Inbal Dror, Alex Perry, Katherine Tash, Leah Da Gloria, Lazaro, Maria Elena Headpieces and more.
Download it here.
a special thank you to our cover photographer Collin Pierson.
#realchicbride Felicia in Her THREE Chic Gowns
Tell us your love story! How did you meet and how did you get to a proposal?
Felicia and Jack met in the COVID-era of early 2021. Jack attended one of Felicia’s house parties, and at the time, Felicia kept blowing Jack off because the only thing she was worried about was pouring her friends her world-renowned espresso martini shots. Finally after much persistence, Felicia agreed to go on their first date at his best friend JC’s restaurant, Wineology - a personal favourite of Felicia’s. Felicia was smitten by Jack over time - but not as smitten as she was with his 4 children: Tanner, Travis, Trent and Alexis. She wasn’t just a regular mom, she was a cool mom.
Finally in the summer of 2022 Jack asked Felicia for her hand in marriage along the beautiful coast of Nazaré, Portugal where they continued to eat cheese and drink port wine all the way home.
When you started planning your wedding what did you envision? How close did the actual wedding get to that vision?
My vision originally was very modern and romantic. I wanted the venue to have tons of modern white florals, yet the furniture be something you would see in a home – just a very unique twist on a venue. I ditched the traditional wedding draping, napkins, menus, seating charts and basically created mine from scratch. I wanted the wedding to be as different as possible from other weddings, so I would tend to take small ideas over various social media sites to construct my own vision. Having the wedding in a small town in Canada, I was extremely limited on resources, so I found myself sometimes having to construct things on our own just to make sure the vision was still achieved!
What were a few things that were important to you as a couple to include (or not include) in the wedding?
A few things really mattered to us as a couple when planning the wedding. We wanted a venue with an amazing backdrop for our guests to be wow’d by. We wanted an amazing photographer to really capture unique editorial moments. And we wanted an amazing live band all night. We got all 3!
How did you decide on the location?
We wanted to make sure that the venue had a stunning backdrop. Being from Windsor, Ontario we are fortunate to have such a stunning Detroit skyline view. We also wanted to incorporate a lake view backdrop, so we decided to do an outdoor ceremony at my father’s gorgeous lakefront beach house. We got the best of both worlds in one day!
Let's talk dress! Give us all the deets!
I originally heard of Chic, as my sister was getting married in Fort Lauderdale the same year I was. I went with her during the bridal gown shopping process. We worked with Kendall and I just thought the process was so flawless and easy. We actually found her dresses that day! A couple months later I found myself finally looking for dresses. Being from Canada, I originally tried to find my dresses locally to my country. I actually found the process extremely hard – they would have one dress and not the other, and it made the process extremely stressful. I thought to myself why am I wasting my time in making sure other companies have this and that when I know Chic Parisien houses most if not all the bridal brands I was looking for? So I made my appointment and booked my flight to Miami! I found myself purchasing all 3 dresses (main bridal dress, second look dress, and rehearsal dress) from Chic and it was honestly the best decision I ever made!
How did your family, friends, etc play into your wedding planning and wedding day?
What I thought was really unique is my sister and I got married the same year, 3 months apart to be exact. Although she had her wedding in Florida and mine was in Canada, it was really nice to bounce ideas off each other while going through the same process at the same time
What's one specific memory you have from your wedding day that you don't think you'll ever forget.
I think the florals will be something I never forget, they exceeded my expectations!
How did you decide on your hair and makeup look?
Given my dress was strapless on my first dress, I knew I wanted my hair down. For my second look I had a high neck and it gave such a party vibe with the feathers I knew I needed a high, fun ponytail to match the look! For makeup I wanted it to have natural tones with a hint of glam.
Was there one vendor you used that you wish everyone knew about?
Yes, Lauren Alatriste my photographer. She was a life saver when it came to the photos at my wedding and she did such an AMAZING job! She really nailed the vision I was looking for!
Where did you go on your honeymoon and what was the best part?
We went to Paris, Santorini and Sicily. We absolutely loved Paris, the shows, the shopping, the food but we also got to stay in the White Lotus hotel in Taormina, Sicily and it was absolutely STUNNING!!
CREDITS
@littlebirdeventco
@laurenalatriste wedding photographer
Jessica Ruxton Photography rehearsal dinner photographer
@theissenflowers
New ARRIVALS: What you've been waiting for..
Hello fiancees! We have exciting news about chic new bridal gown arrivals to our stock of the world’s most fabulous wedding dresses. We carry a selection of the chicest designers in bridal fashion from around the world, including Monique Lhuillier, Ines Di Santo, Berta, Leah Da Gloria, Mira Zwillinger, Lazaro, Yolancris, Alex Perry, Katherine Tash, Chosen by Kyha, Berta Privee, Muse by Berta and more.
Shop these brand new additions to our edit of wedding dresses and find the one for you. You’ll work alongside a private bridal stylist at our iconic Coral Gables bridal boutique, in a dressing room that you’ll have all to yourself. Bring along your loved ones (if you’d like) and make your wedding day fashion dreams come true.
Fall In Love with Leah Da Gloria
It’s not every day that we add a new designer to our list. It takes a lot of love on our end to take the leap and say yes (sound familiar?). We are proud to present Australian designer Leah Da Gloria’s latest collection this weekend at our trunk show.
This chic new collection is GLAM embodied. We knew our Miami brides needed these elegant and chic gowns available to them. They’re modern and sexy and yet totally timeless wedding day looks. Need we say more? See a few favs from the collection below and make your appointment here to shop the Leah Da Gloria Trunk Show at Chic Parisien bridal boutique in Coral Gables, Florida this weekend only.
Meet Yeilys Perez,
Meet Yeilys, she’s most likely the first person that you’ll see at Chic Parisien when you enter our bridal boutique. She is the smiling face behind our front desk! Yeilys helps guide our brides through their shopping experience starting with greeting them with her friendly demeanor and calm energy. Get to know her a little more by reading below:
Name: Yeilys Perez
How have you been working at Chic Parisien?
I have been working at Chic for a year now and I love it.
How would you describe your personal style?
Ultra sophisticated style with a modern sassy surprise. :)
Who is your style icon?
Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly just to name a few.
Why do you love working in the wedding industry?
I love Fashion, and I love meeting people from all over the world while they search for the most fashionable dress for their big day.
What's your favorite dessert?
Gelato
Is there a wedding dress (from any season) that you'll always remember?
Baldwin from Monique Lhuillier
Which of our designers best encapsulates your personal style (it can be a mish-mash! Just tell us why!)?
This is a tough question, I love them all but if I have to choose it would be Yolan Cris.
What is somewhere on your travel bucket list?
Bali
What's a part of your job that you love?
When I see the bride happy that she has found her dress.
What's your favorite movie?
La Dolce Vita
Feathers or fringe?
Fringe
Sequins or simple?
Simple
Tiara or headband?
Headband
New Monique Lhuillier Collection At Chic Parisien For A Limited Time Only
Shop the latest, brand new Monique Lhuillier wedding dress collection at our Coral Gables bridal boutique. Make your appointment to see this collection of wedding gowns for yourself with the help of a bridal stylist and be ready to “say yes” to your dream dress.
If you’ve been eyeing the brand new Monique Lhuillier collection - you aren’t alone! This new line of bridal gowns is especially chic, even for the iconic wedding designer Monique Lhuillier.
We’ve extended the trunk show through the end of the week so that all the wedding dress shoppers out there have time to come in and see this collection for themselves at our Coral Gables bridal boutique.
When we first say this collection at New York Bridal Fashion Week, our first impression was that there is really something for every kind of bride in this edit. If you’re looking for a ballgown, there are plenty. Looking for lace? Wait until you see these! If you are head over heels for the signature Monique Lhuillier florals, there are brand new takes on these special and different wedding dresses that are brimming with romance.
Take a look at our photos from the first look at the collection and then make your appointment now to shop with a private bridal stylist.
Go Inside Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week with Ines Di Santo and Madison Aycoth
Photographer Madison Aycoth shared these insanely chic photos from the Ines Di Santo presentation in Barcelona.
Staff Pick: Kendall Loves Ines Di Santo Camelia Paired with Maria Elena Earrings
We’ve been asking our bridal stylists for their favorite picks from our stock room and we’re loving being surprised by their wedding dresses du jour. Today, we’re featuring Kendall, our Assistant Buyer and Stylist’s, favorite wedding dress of the moment, the bery on trend Ines Di Santo Camelia dress. J’adore!
She paired with with a beautiful set of bridal earrings from local Miami designer and Chic Parisien fav, Maria Elena Headpieces.
