Johannah Masters, New York Post market editor

When: May 9, 2015

Where: St. John, US Virgin Islands

Who: 48 guests

Wore: Elizabeth Fillmore

One of my first jobs was as an assistant for Martha Stewart Weddings. But the
truth is, I was never really a “weddings” person in my own life — I never
dreamed of the details of my future big day. I am, however, a fashion person,
and so I started saving pics of white dresses I thought were maybe my kind of
gown. Just in case.

When I got engaged years later I looked back through those old images. I saw
how some were a little chacha, very Stephanie Seymour in the “November Rain”
video. Almost all had a mullet (short-in-the-front, longin-the-back) hemline. It
might sound tacky to traditionalists but, to me, they were gorgeous, especially
the over-the-top couture numbers I’d clipped from whimsical designer Christian
Lacroix. And they led me to the dress I picked in real life.

My wedding-guru friend (and former Martha Stewart co-worker) Anne Chertoff
set up a few gown appointments for me. I prepared by combing through designers’
Web sites. One dress by Elizabeth Fillmore popped out at me. I flagged it as a
must-try-on. It earned extra fashion cred when I learned that my current
colleague and work wife Anahita Moussavian had wanted to feature it in an Alexa
weddings issue.

Related: http://www.queeniewedding.co.uk/backless-wedding-dresses

It sounds cliché, but as soon as I slipped into the frock, I knew it was the
one.

It was perfect for me in every way: a flirty high-low hem and a mini-peplum,
combined with giant eyelets covered with feathers. I loved watching those
feathers billowing in the sea breeze by the beach as I exchanged vows with my
now-husband, Stephen.

Uptown Classic

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Dana Schuster and her groom on their wedding day.Photo: Zandy MangoldDana
Schuster, New York Post senior features writer and editor

When: Sept. 12, 2015

Where: Lotte New York Palace

Who: 150 guests

Wore: Ines Di Santo

A black-tie New York City wedding calls for a black-tie New York City wedding
gown — especially when your venue has the word “palace” in its name. The dress I
chose was everything I never imagined I’d wear — strapless and big enough to
star in its own

Disney fairy tale. And yet, it was the only gown that made me turn to my mom
expectantly and ask her: “Are you crying yet?” Within seconds of trying on the
stunning Ines Di Santo number at Bergdorf Goodman, I knew it was the one. (Even
though I still visited at least 10 other shops, some multiple times, just to
make sure.)

The fittings with my mother and sister were some of the most special moments
of wedding planning. My consultant, Joan Joffe, is a raspy-voiced, graceful lady
who knew the lay of the bridal land better than anyone I’ve ever met. (She
wouldn’t even let me near certain dresses she deemed unworthy.) And then there
was the day Ines Di Santo herself fitted me and gifted a sketch of me in the
gown, which I promptly hid from my thenfiancé, Adam.

I topped it off with a simple, cathedral-length tulle veil, so as not to
compete with the intricate lacework of the dress. It’s funny: For such a big,
showstopper dress, it didn’t feel “bridal” to me. The way the Chantilly lace was
cut on a bias at the waist felt modern, and its under-layer of galaxy tulle gave
the gown a magical sparkle, especially in a ballroom overflowing with
candelabras. And oh, the way it twirled on the dance floor!

Needless to say, my three nieces, who walked down the aisle to the “Frozen”
soundtrack as flower girls, couldn’t have been happier with my choice of dress.
Some of the most magical hours of my life were spent dancing with Adam in that
gown. Now if I can just find a place to wear it again.

Sexy on the Beach

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Stephanie Smith and groom on their wedding day.Photo: Gina FrancescaStephanie
Smith, Former Page Six senior reporter and author of “300 Sandwiches: A

Multilayered Love Story . . . With Recipes”

When: June 6, 2015

Where: Barbados

Who: 35 guests

Wore: Caroline Fare (Smith’s bridesmaid)

Every aspect of my intimate island destination wedding was peppered with
personal touches. So I didn’t want a dress by a popular designer that people
might see repeatedly in bridal magazines. Or — gasp! — might wear down the aisle
at their own weddings.

Instead of going to a well-known salon, I chose a dressmaker who would put
her heart into my gown: my friend and bridesmaid Caroline Villency. She attended
fashion school in Sweden and at the Fashion Institute of Technology, worked for
Marchesa and Luca Luca, then launched her own label under her maiden name,
Caroline Fare. (She also designed her own wedding dress when she married
Villency Design Group CEO Eric Villency two years ago.)

Sharing this experience with a dear friend who knows me — my personality, my
family, my feelings for my husband, my true bust size — meant more to me than
any designer label. Caroline and I conceptualized my dress together, from sketch
to finish. We had about a dozen fittings at her studio, laughing and talking the
entire time. (The average bride only gets three or four meetings with her dress’
designer — if she’s lucky.) Caroline created a floor-length, hand-sewn lace gown
with an open, deep-V back. It had just a hint of sparkle to catch the glimmer
from the sun and the moon. She was also thoughtful enough to sew in something
blue: a piece of my late father’s favorite blue fishing shirt.

Caroline managed my train as I walked down the aisle, and she stood by my
side, holding my bouquet during the ceremony. What a special moment for me to be
at the altar in my perfect, lightweight, beach-chic, carefree gown, standing
next to its seamstress. I felt like a million bucks. But my gown, just like my
friendship with Caroline, is priceless.