Bridal Styles

Irena could not have said it better when she shared her advice to couples planning their weddings: “Just do what feels right.”

Igor and Irena, french net cage veil, Bridal Styles Boutique.  Image: Bryan Hochman

Everything from the moment she met her now husband, Igor, to the wedding they planned in eight (!) days seems defined by those words.

Up until she met Igor through his sister, Irena had never dated a man she felt completely comfortable with. “People always say that relationships require compromise but you don’t need to compromise when it’s right.”

Igor and Irena, cage veil with silk flower bridal fascinator, Bridal Styles Boutique.  Images: Bryan Hochman

The moment Igor proposed, they knew an intimate wedding was for them, but “we had pressures from family to have a traditional wedding. That didn’t feel right to us, so we decided to keep all of our planning a secret until a few days before our wedding date.” So, at the end of their six month engagement, Irena and Igor organized their wedding in eight days!

Igor and Irena, cage veil with silk flower, Bridal Styles Boutique.  Image: Bryan Hochman

It was important to Irena and Igor that they chose wedding day looks reflecting their personal style. Irena wore a dress by Australian designer Stella Filainte. “The dress was not a bridal gown but an off the rack piece from the store and my headpiece was from Bridal Styles and really finished my look. Finally, my shoes were Badgley Mischka.” Igor sported a designer suit by Robert James. “We were lucky enough to have the designer himself put the look together!”

Irena, french net cage veil, Bridal Styles Boutique.  Image: Bryan Hochman

Igor and Irena, cage veil with silk flower bridal fascinator, Bridal Styles Boutique.  Images: Bryan Hochman

On a bright November day, Irena and Igor headed to Staten Island for their ceremony, followed by a reception at the River Café in Brooklyn. They had the wedding of their dreams. “It was the ideal version of what I imagined it could be. It felt great to be able to share this day with the people closest to us and not get bogged down with minutiae and other obligations. The most important part was the great memories we captured for our lifetimes through the amazing photographs taken by Bryan Hochman and his partner, Rich.”

Igor and Irena, French net veil with silk flower, Bridal Styles Boutique.  Images: Bryan Hochman

Best wishes, Irena and Igor, and thank you for sharing your story with us!