I love fashion and style, but being short (5’2”) and not a standard size makes it challenging to grab a great dress off the rack. I won’t bore you with the details, but usually buying a gown means pricy alterations or compromising on what I really want to make it work. So, when I found out that I was nominated for two awards at the inaugural B Collective Awards (a ceremony honoring professionals in the events industry), I knew I wanted to shine, and that meant wearing a dress that would make me feel comfortable and beautiful.

For custom gowns, I often refer my clients to one of my favorite Atlanta designers, Brides by Nona. With her reputation for consistently delivering great gowns and exceptional experiences, I knew I wanted to get a taste for myself of creating just the right dress for this special occasion.

Nneka Alexander, owner of Brides by Nona, has impeccable taste and fashion sense. I trust her wholeheartedly in what will look best. Plus, she makes the process easy and efficient. We began with me sending her inspiration, including styles that I liked and images that reflected a general sense of what I’d be looking for in a dress. Nneka combined what I found with her expert knowledge of what would look best on me, and came back with a design concept. I loved what she presented, and together, we made minor tweaks to create my dream dress.

The silhouette featured a hi-lo skirt with a dramatic long train that hid a mini dress under the skirt. This versatility gave me a dramatic look for the awards ceremony plus an instant wardrobe change into short, fun dress for the after party.

Once we confirmed the design, I attended a fitting appointment to make sure my measurements were precise and to select the fabric. Then, the dress went into production where her team constructed each intricate detail by hand. The next fitting helped us fine tune small details, like replacing a full lace panel on the front with a deep plunging neckline and adjusting the hem and sleeves to fit my body perfectly.

The end result was perfection! I loved my experience – and my dress – and felt like a queen all evening. The gown Nneka designed was definitely a showstopper and I can’t wait to have the chance to do it again!