A bride tried on 7 dresses before finding a one-of-a-kind gown with a 16-pound skirt

Samantha GrindellJul 31, 2020, 22:25 IST

Carla Nasui wore a custom Pnina Tornai gown with a removable skirt to her destination wedding.Ingrid Lepan

Carla Nasui and Walker Van Dixhorn got married in France in 2019.
Nasui had modeled bridal gowns before, but she wasn't sure what she wanted for herself.
She ended up getting a custom-altered Pnina Tornai dress with a one-of-a-kind skirt that weighed 16 pounds.
"I didn't realize I'd marry my best friend, but I'm glad I did," Nasui told Insider.

Carla Nasui and Walker Van Dixhorn met 10 years ago.

They met in college. Carla Nasui

"I didn't realize I'd marry my best friend, but I'm glad I did," Nasui said.

They're best friends. Carla Nasui

Nasui knew she wanted her wedding dress to be classic.

She wanted a classic gown. Carla Nasui

The first dress Nasui tried on was a long-sleeve lace gown inspired by Kate Middleton's famous dress.

The sleeves didn't work for her. Carla Nasui

The next dress had a beautiful long train and mesh back.

The dress featured the longest train in the store. Carla Nasui

The best part of this strapless gown was its pockets.

The pockets were fun. Carla Nasui

Nasui thought this asymmetrical gown would be her wedding dress when she tried it on.

She liked how unique the dress was. Carla Nasui

Nasui tried on one more strapless gown.

She liked the shoulder piece. Carla Nasui

Nasui said the bodice and skirt didn't feel like a match in this gown.

The see-through dress wasn't right. Carla Nasui

Nasui loved the top and texture of this gown, but she wasn't sure about the overlayed skirt.

She didn't like the skirt. Carla Nasui

The consultants helped Nasui spin the skirt, which she said was a "game changer."

Nasui flipped the skirt. Carla Nasui

"I ended up getting a custom alteration on the skirt to go all the way around," Nasui said, giving her a one-of-a-kind look.

The custom alterations made the dress perfect. Carla Nasui

Nasui paired her wedding day look with a crown and an updo.

She looked elegant on her wedding day. Ingrid Lepan

The only drawback of Nasui's dress was how heavy the skirt was.

The skirt was 16 pounds. Ingrid Lepan

Nasui ended up wearing the shoulder piece she liked at Kleinfeld as a belt.

The piece became a belt. Ingrid Lepan

The dress was also a bit difficult to transfer overseas.

The skirt was difficult to transfer. Ingrid Lepan

Nasui told Insider she wished she had prepared for her bridal appointments a bit more.

Nasui said she wasn't super prepared for her appointments. Ingrid Lepan

She also wished she had gone to a few more stores.

She missed some appointments. Ingrid Lepan

"We do literally anything and everything together," Nasui said of her relationship with her husband.

The couple are really close. Ingrid Lepan

The friendship at the root of their relationship has also helped them deal with life changes.

Friendship is at the root of their relationship. Jérémy Ferrero

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