I woke up, looked out the window and saw the sun shining bright.

Ah yes, it was a new day, a new beginning, and my life was about to change.

From this day onward, I wouldn’t just be wifey, I would be married. I would be Mrs. Sykes.

Real talk though, as excited as I was for my wedding day, the one thing that had stressed me out most was my dress. I knew what I didn’t want, which was girly, expected and a whole list of other adjectives. What I wanted was just to be myself and be different. But somehow, I had style block and I couldn’t rest until it was cured.

That’s where my home girl, Dana, and a local Columbus designer, Eugenia came in.

Dana, who I had just met at work, shared that she loved weddings, and with no shame I reached out for help. I gave her the deets, and literally, within a few hours, she gave me three styles to choose from. One was a super sexy cutout dress, the second was a charming, vintage ensemble, and the third was a classic cape dress. I fell in love with the cape. However, the only problem was the length. With my new body shape, there was no way I could bend over or far less move in it without flashing somebody. And that was not the type of memory I wanted to make on my wedding day.

And in came Eugenia to the rescue.

I shared the dress style I wanted and mentioned the challenges I saw with the length, while at the same time respecting her talent as a designer. I mean I didn’t want her to copy anything anyone else had made, especially when this was a custom request.

Nevertheless, she agreed, quoted me her price and gave me the date it would be completed.  I didn’t even hesitate. I paid her immediately, and rushed to tell Dana the news.

“Yaaaaasssssssss!!” she said as she clapped her hands (just like we all do when we know our girl is about to slay).

I smiled. I couldn’t wait to see what the final result would look like, and now I was at peace.

The week of our wedding, Eugenia stopped by for the final fitting. After trying it on, I almost cried. It was everything I wanted. It was edgy, different and I felt like I could conquer the world.

So on my wedding day, as my dad walked me down the aisle, and then when I held bae’s hand as we said our vows, I felt like I had graduated from princess to queen and I was ready to start this new journey with my king.

And I’m so thankful to Dana and Eugenia for contributing to that feeling.

Outfit Details: White Off-the-Shoulder Cape Dress Designed by Dana, Eugenia and I | DSW Silver Mix No.6 Lina Sandal