MANNING MEMORIES with Emily O'Brien
Planning a wedding while living abroad comes with its own unique challenges, but Emily O'Brien and her fiancé embraced every moment of the journey. With Emily being Australian and her husband British, the couple, living in Singapore, faced the tricky task of finding a wedding location that felt right for both of them. They ultimately settled on a romantic summer wedding in Tuscany, which brought a perfect blend of relaxation and elegance to their weekend celebration. Despite being far from home, Emily relied on her bridesmaids and family in Australia to help choose the bridesmaids’ dresses. It was during this process that they all fell in love with the MANNING CARTELL Grand Illusion Gown — perfect for Emily’s special day.
"My bridesmaids absolutely loved the Manning Cartell Grand Illusion dress! They all found it super flattering and they said it was just a really soft & comfortable."
DISCOVER THE DRESS
Emily's Bridesmaids wear the Grand Illusion Maxi Gown in White.
DISCOVER THE DRESS
Emily's Bridesmaids wear the Grand Illusion Maxi Gown in White.
MC: What inspired you to choose the Grand Illusion Gown for your bridesmaids?
E: “I was looking for a white dress as I thought it would be the perfect match for our summer wedding in Tuscany. However, as we were looking for dresses in the lead up to Australian winter, there were limited options. When we found the Grand Illusion dress I thought it was stunning and would match my wedding dress perfectly (which was strapless). My bridesmaids absolutely loved how flattering the dress was and they said the fabric was really soft and beautiful to wear.”
MC: Tell us more about this special day
E: “We had a destination wedding, at a small wine resort in Tuscany. We wanted our wedding to be relaxed and fun as we knew everyone would be on holiday. We started the weekend with welcome drinks in a small town called Massa Marittima. We wanted to host an event that would feel truly Italian, so we booked a beautiful bar in the town square, overlooking the cathedral, and we hired a traditional three-piece Italian band to entertain our guests. It was a really fun evening in a stunning setting. The next day was our wedding day. We went for a classic colour palette of white & green, and our guests were greeted with spritz's, umbrellas and fans upon arrival. Our ceremony was short and casual, and this was followed by aperitivo by the pool. Then we had our wedding dinner, where the sun was perfectly setting. The food was amazing, and we danced into the wee hours of the morning. It was so much fun!We invited our guests back the next day for a recovery - pizzas by the pool. It was a really fun day, and the perfect way to wrap up an unbelievable wedding weekend.”
MC: Your bridesmaids looked beautiful & confident - how did they feel?
E: “My bridesmaids absolutely loved the Manning Cartell Grand Illusion dress! They all found it super flattering and they said it was just a really soft, comfortable material to be wearing (and there was no risk of sweat showing - which was a big factor in choosing a dress, as we knew it would be hot in Italy!)”
Photographer @pearcebrennanweddings