Oscar de la Renta 'Sleeveless Faille Gown with Floral Embroidered Bodice'

I got engaged in 2020 so I was a "pandemic bride". At first, I was really nervous because there were no new collections coming in as shipping delays meant that pre-ordering a dress for 2021 was not possible since I wouldn't have the flexibility of alterations prior to my wedding day.

I went to numerous salons in NYC, (Elizabeth Filmore, Pronovias, Saks Wedding Salon, and Oscar de la Renta). As soon as I walked into Oscar de la Renta, I knew I was going to find my dress. Everything in the showroom is gorgeous and the sales team was so incredibly helpful and fun to work with.

I tried on 6 dresses and the final dress was the one I fell in love with, (The Faille Gown with floral embroidered bodice). It was from the Spring 2019 collection (Look 9) so while other brides have worn this style, it is so classic and timeless and truly made me feel perfect.

The gown originally comes with sleeves but I had them removed as I was getting married outdoors in August 2021. The gown is so incredibly comfortable, it moves with you and is lightweight so you don't feel like it's "wearing you". Even in the height of summer, I didn't sweat because the fabric was so breathable. The attention to detail is impeccable from the illusion v-neck front and back + signature Oscar bow.

I received so many compliments on my gown, but most importantly, I loved it and my husband loved it as well. My biggest advice on finding your dream dress is to go in with an open mind. You will be surprised which styles you love when you try them on versus the vision you might have in your head.

I know this style of dress will stand the test of time as it's a modern yet classic style. I felt like a star on my big day and I hope another bride will feel the magic of this gown as well!

Alterations: I am 5'3 and wore 4" heels with the dress. The bottom had to be hemmed quite a bit since most dresses are made longer than needed to allow for hemming. I wear a size 6/8 in street dresses so the hips and waist were tailored to the sizes I listed here.

Flaws and blemishes: My wedding was outside in a tent with a full floor but the bottom did get marked up. I had the dress professionally cleaned at Meurice Garment Care the day after my wedding so that no stains could set.) I can provide the paperwork for the cleaning as well. All of the stains were professionally removed, however, there is a slight discoloration at the very bottom of the dress where the stains were lifted. I am happy to provide close-up pictures of this as well. I don't think it's noticeable to the naked eye as it's at foot level and if you needed the dress hemmed, those sections could potentially be removed entirely.