PHOTOS BY ARAUJO PHOTOGRAPHY

When Cara Casilli envisioned her dream wedding, it was a black-and-white event with black bridesmaid dresses.

But after Cara chose a gown with a champagne underlay, she discovered that the black bridesmaid dresses looked harsh against the color.   

She saw a white bridesmaid dress with one strap hanging in the shop and thought she’d ask one of her bridesmaids to try it on. 

“And then they stood next to the mannequin with my dress. I absolutely loved it. It just made my dress pop,” she says.  

She was concerned that not all her bridesmaids would feel comfortable in the dress’ trumpet style, but she says they all fell in love after trying it on. The bridesmaid dresses brought a modern twist to an otherwise traditional Catholic wedding; she married Conor Jackson on May 21 at St. Louise De Marillac Church in Upper St. Clair.  

Cara distinctly remembers Kate Middleton’s sister, Pippa Middleton, wearing a white dress to her sister’s wedding.   

“Everyone went on and on about Pippa Middleton and how good she looked. So, when you look back on certain people’s weddings, it’s more common than you think,” she says.  

Brittney Rico had intended for her wedding colors to be light hues, primarily white with some blush. The final choices were an ivory dress with a champagne layer for her and ivory dresses for her bridesmaids. 

“I personally don’t like a lot of color,” Brittney says. “And I knew the look that I wanted for my wedding was very soft, light and airy, romantic and modern.”  

Brittney’s husband Dave Wytiaz proposed to her surrounded by rose petals at the Fountains of Bellagio in Las Vegas. They tied the knot on Sept. 3, 2021, at St. John the Baptist Church in Monaca.

Both brides say that the white color accentuated rather than downplayed their wedding dresses. All the groomsmen in the weddings wore black tuxedos, so the only colors in the bridal party were black and white. 

The additional detail on the brides’ dresses, such as Brittney’s lace and sequins, also helped to set apart the bridesmaids from the bride.  

The brides say that the reactions to the bridesmaid dresses were mostly positive, although Cara remarked that some older guests were unsure of the decision. Brittney says her bridesmaids loved how the white dresses looked and were excited to wear them.  

“Brides should just go with what matches their personality or their vision and not necessarily think about traditions or what has been done in the past,” Brittney says.