From Bridal Dream to Couture Reality: How I Created My Sister Melissa’s Ultimate Wedding Wardrobe

When your sister has impeccable fashion taste, and you just so happen to be a couture designer, the stakes are high. But when Melissa, my sister, began planning her wedding, I knew there was no way I could let her down. She deserved nothing less than a complete couture bridal wardrobe. After all, what kind of sister—and designer—would I be if I didn’t pull out all the stops?

What began as a plan for a wedding dress and a rehearsal dinner outfit quickly snowballed into something much more elaborate (and we couldn’t be happier about it!). What unfolded was a wedding wardrobe that included not just one, but seven custom pieces. Every occasion demanded its own moment of stylish splendor, and Melissa’s bridal wardrobe ended up being the collection of dreams. In this blog, we’ll only give out the details on 6/7 of the dresses, omitting the wedding dress as it has far too many details to share in this post! Stay tuned for a deep dive on the wedding dress, coming soon!

1. The Engagement Photoshoot Dress

The journey began with the engagement photoshoot dress. Melissa wanted something that would capture the romance of the moment while reflecting her personal style, and gave me total design freedom, which is always such a fun challenge! I hop on Haberman Fabric’s instagram page and found the most beautiful light pink textured fabric. So the next day I drive out to Clawson and locate this beauty, however there is only 1.75 yards left!! Ah! Not quite enough, I could have really used maybe 2.25 yards. So…thinking on my feet (in these moments I always pretend like I am on Project Runway and have no choice but to ‘make it work’) I pull a few more coordinating fabrics thinking I could do some tiered skirt situation, and also found a gorgeous silver metallic thread embroidered tulle that I decided to layer with to create this multi-dimensional effect. Often these heartbreaks of not having enough fabric leads to some of my best design moments. Everything happens for a reason!

Oh what fun making this dress was! With all the beading and plenty of ruffles, of course (as always) this dress took wayyyy longer than I had originally anticipated, and spent many late nights working on it, so worth it though right?! The week before their Saturday engagement photo session, Melissa tried it on twice with me and she was so excited to see it for the first time! The dress had beautiful details and a silhouette that moved beautifully with every step she took. It was the perfect piece to set the tone for everything that was yet to come!

(All photos by Penny Ralene Photography)

2. The Bachelorette Party Dress

For the bachelorette party, we wanted something fun, flirty, and full of personality. Melissa’s dress for the night was a playful yet chic number that embraced bold colors and a silhouette that screamed confidence. A coordinating pink custom Sarah Kolis “Bride” sash was also in order and even a matching sequin cowboy hat draped in the same fabric! It was all about celebrating her last days as a single woman in style—after all, every bride deserves to have her moment to shine before the big day!

3. The Bridal Shower Dress

The bridal shower called for something feminine and elegant, and I knew exactly what Melissa needed. Melissa looked stunning in her custom Sarah Kolis dress, made from gorgeous embroidered silk organza, a truly high-quality art of a fabric. When designing all her bridal wardrobe looks, we wanted to make them all different from one another. So, this look was the more full skirt look of the collection. The dress we designed was soft and sophisticated, featuring lacework and a flattering cut that was so elegant. It was the epitome of grace and poise, perfect for the intimate gathering with close friends and family. See the blog post about the shower here!

4. The Rehearsal Dinner Dress

Most brides only have one additional dress in their wedding wardrobe- a rehearsal dinner dress! So of course, we had to have one! Together, Melissa and I crafted a dress that combined classic elements with a contemporary twist! The fabric was the main event of this dress, an embroidered mesh polka dot. The dress featured a fitted bodice with a pencil skirt, accented by a subtle, pink (of course!) bow! It was the perfect prelude to the main event.

5. The Bridal Brunch Dress

The bridal brunch was all about celebrating with her closest loved ones, and the dress for this occasion needed to be both comfortable and chic. We opted for a “just married” look, and Melissa could not have looked more effortlessly stylish. The dress was a celebration in itself, full of life and joy, much like the brunch it was made for.

“To top of the wedding festivities, a brunch was held the morning after the wedding! Having brunch the morning after the wedding was something Cam and I really wanted and we were so lucky that we were able to do a brunch at our venue! This also happened to be mothers day so I am glad we were able to do something nice with our moms as well!” -Melissa Kolis

6. The Getting Ready Robe

The morning of the wedding is a special time, and I wanted Melissa to feel pampered and beautiful from the very first moment of the day, so I created a luxurious getting ready robe. Made from the finest mesh, with delicate lace trims, the robe was as beautiful as it was comfortable. It set the tone for a day of luxury and love. Every bride deserves to begin her wedding day feeling luxurious!

In the end, what started as a simple plan for a wedding dress blossomed into a full couture bridal wardrobe, and I couldn’t be more thrilled with the results. Each piece was a testament to Melissa’s fabulous taste, and it was an honor to bring her vision to life. It was so much fun to create Melissa’s Couture Wedding Wardrobe. As her sister and her designer, there was nothing more rewarding than seeing her glow in every outfit, each one designed with love, care, and an understanding of who she is.

This journey was about more than just creating beautiful garments—it was about celebrating my sister in every way possible, and making sure she felt as special as she truly is on her wedding day. Here’s to Melissa, and here’s to the joy of couture!

Interested in your own couture wedding wardrobe?

Since Melissa’s wedding festivities have come to a close, I have had countless people asking about custom wardrobe! Most people already know I create custom couture wedding gowns (Find out more here!), but I have had recent interest in custom rehearsal dresses, bridal shower dresses, you name it! I say, “LET’S DO IT!” Reach out to us at hello@sarahkolis.com to inquire or find more info here!

All photos by Penny Ralene Photography!