Like any other groom, Paralympian Anthony Ferraro was blown away by seeing his beautiful bride in a gorgeous gown. But in his case, he saw it with his mind’s eye. The blind athlete was in tears on his wedding day, when he touched and felt the beauty of his bride in a tactile gown.

The Bride’s Idea

Ferraro’s bride Kelly Ann went for a special wedding day look. She walked down the aisle in a custom-made gorgeous bridal gown, which was incorporated with many special tactile elements like lace and embroidered textured cotton flowers, to make her husband feel how she looked by touching the dress. Ann whispered to Ferraro at the aisle to touch her dress, and just like she thought, Ferraro got overwhelmed in emotion by the surprise. He admitted that it “meant the world” to him, as he could feel his bride was looking like an angel in that dress.

The Dress

Ann’s idea was hugely successful as Ferraro later could describe the dress easily. He aptly told TMRW that, the dress has lace and a velvet strip around it. Flowers from soft cotton were embroidered on it. Even the back of the dress has a texture. Topping it all off, Ann later put on an amazing custom jacket with crazy fringes hanging off her arms. This surprised him even further, as it reminded him of their very first date.

The Inspiration

Just like Ferraro said, the inspiration behind the whole outfit was truly the first date of the couple. That was the day of the New York premiere of the documentary A Shot in the Dark. The biographical documentary tells the life journey of Anthony Ferraro as a blind athlete, musician, and motivational speaker. Kelly Ann specially chose a velvet dress for that day, to make Ferraro feel her dress. Recollecting the memory, she chose to incorporate similar kinds of touchable fabrics, while shopping for her wedding look at the Brooklyn boutique Loulette Bride.

Wanna hear a secret? Micro weddings are going to be all the rage next year – and it’s not hard to understand why. Even though coronavirus will hopefully be more contained by 2021, there are still going to be many couples who will be wary about inviting hundreds of guests to their big day. By choosing a micro wedding, they can only invite those that really need to be there, and they can focus on people who have been dreaming of their wedding day alongside them. However, how do you whittle your guest list down to the VIPs?

Think About Your Future

When you are planning your big day, it can also double-up as the ultimate reunion for those you haven’t seen in years. We’re talking about your high school besties, your first boss, and those you grew up with. Will these people make the cut for a micro wedding, though? Whether you want 10, 20, or 50 guests overall, you need to really think about your future. If you haven’t seen someone for ten years, then there’s very little chance that they’re going to be a huge influence on your future. Only invite people who will be a part of your future, and you’ll find that reducing your guest list is much easier.

Make A Few Lists

If you’re struggling with who to invite, then why not make A and B lists? The A list includes your blood relatives and family, and your B list will include friends. The aim is to ensure that you are inviting the right people, so if you’re struggling to remember the name of your great aunt’s second cousin once removed, then you don’t need to invite them to your wedding. The most important names should come to you straight away, so they’ll be at the top of each list.

Whittling down a wedding guest list can seem brutal, but sometimes it’s the best decision.