Adorned in lace, Ilianna confidently walked down the aisle of the Panagia Faneromeni Monastery in Athens, Greece to wed her love, Sypros Katsikeris on July 30, 2016. Wearing the wedding gown of her dreams, Ilianna felt like the best version of herself on her special day.
Hesitant to go dress shopping after the recent loss of her mother, Ilianna wasn't sure that she was ready to go shopping for a gown, much less say yes to a dress. However, upon entering the Pnina Tornai Boutique at Kleinfeld Bridal, Ilianna and her guests began to enjoy themselves due to the warm and welcoming greeting and treatment from the staff and the glamorous gowns. Envisioning herself in something sexy with an open back and not looking for anything traditional or “princessy,” Ilianna began to try on a few gowns.
The first gown Ilianna tried on was a Pnina Tornai runway gown. However, the gown did not fit the soft and romantic vibe that Ilianna had in mind for her wedding. The next gown was an alluring lace number with the open back that Ilianna was looking for. Before putting on the gown, Ilianna was a bit hesitant about what the gown would look like on her. All of that changed once Ilianna had the dress on.
“I slipped it (the gown) on and that was it,” Ilianna recollects.
Ilianna fell in love with a romantic floral lace gown with an open back and V-neckline. It was then time for Ilianna to leave the dressing room and show the gown to her sister, maid of honor, and two best friends. As soon as she walked out in the dress, her whole party began to cry. With the confirmation that she needed to make a decision, Ilianna said yes to the lovely lace Pnina Tornai sheath gown.
When the wedding day had finally arrived, Ilianna had no doubt in her mind that she had picked the right gown. Wanting a romantic wedding, Ilianna was married at 8 pm during sunset. Surrounded by candles and olive branches, overlooking the Ionian Sea, everything was very soft and enchanting at Ilianna's wedding. To Ilianna, her gown was the centerpiece of the affair with everything tying back to the gown. Receiving endless compliments all night long on her dress, Ilianna knew she had made the right choice.
“There was not one point in time when I was worried about my gown. Never felt uncomfortable, never had to adjust myself - the gown was perfect all night,” Ilianna remembers fondly.
Feeling empowered by her perfectly fitting gown, Ilianna was excited for her soon-to- be husband to see her in her dream wedding dress. Wearing her gown from 5 pm until 6 am in the morning, Ilianna felt confident all day long.
“I truly felt stunning – it was the first time I never doubted how I looked,” exclaims Ilianna!
Feeling exquisitely gorgeous in her floral lace gown, Ilianna looked ravishing as the sun set on one chapter of her life, and the rose on another.
Photography by: Pahountis Photography
Written by: Jazmine Keels