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Meredith’s Wedding Gown Preservation in Orange, CT

Meredith met the love of her life at the Naval Academy– a connection so significant that they decided to host their wedding at the Academy Chapel. She wore a sweetheart Watters wedding gown the day in honor, which was later shipped off to be cleaned and preserved for her by Orange Restoration Labs. Meredith was warmly recommended this particular Specialist by Betsy Robinson, the bridal salon where she’d found her gown, and she was not disappointed by the result! Read on for this truly charming bride’s special day story and check out all the beautiful photos of the event:  

“I met Tom when we were on internship in Livermore, California, during the summer between our freshman and sophomore years at the Naval Academy. We didn’t realize it until we started talking that we were actually both on the Varsity Offshore Sailing Team! Right away we had a connection, and it was great being able to leave the internship and return to the same school with a new friend! After my sophomore year, I transferred to Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, so we were still only an hour apart and able to spend almost every weekend together.”

“There was never any doubt in either of our minds about hosting the ceremony at the Academy Chapel because, for one, we have so much shared history there. Being able to go to school and see each other every day set a strong foundation for our relationship during the first year. In addition, the Academy Chapel is absolutely, breathtakingly beautiful!”

“Additionally, we wanted to have the wedding in Annapolis because with my family being from Kentucky and his — Wisconsin, we couldn’t decide which location to use, so we compromised by meeting in the middle! Furthermore, all of our friends from the Academy as well as mine from Hopkins could easily join us in this way.” 

“My favorite memory from the wedding is definitely our first look. Before the ceremony, our families and the bridal party all assembled in a gazebo right across from the Chapel, and when he turned around and looked at me for the first time, and I looked at him, his eyes showed me that I am the one he wants to spend forever with… and right then in that moment, I knew that I feel exactly the same way about him, too.”

Meredith’s wedding gown was designed by Watters.

Both bride and groom attended the United States Naval Academy (USNA).  They met as freshmen on the offshore sailing team. The wedding mass was held on a Saturday afternoon at the United States Naval Academy Chapel in Annapolis, Maryland. 

Meredith graduated in May 2016 from Johns Hopkins University with a degree in Environmental Engineering. Tom graduated from the Naval Academy two weeks later. 

Family and friends traveled from their hometowns of Louisville, Kentucky and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. During our multi-day destination wedding, guests went sailing on the Chesapeake, toured the USNA Yard and attended a fabulous welcome party hosted by the groom’s parents. 

Photography credit: Francis Formica Photography