A bride tried on 9 wedding dresses before finding a gown with one-of-a-kind pearl buttons

Kim and Chun went to the same college, and they met at a party through mutual friends.

"It's kind of ridiculous, but as soon as I saw him, he came up to me and actually picked me up and spun me around," Kim told Insider. The gleeful moment led to Kim and Chun becoming a couple, and they've been together ever since.

Today, Kim owns the knitwear design brand mikcardnas, which specializes in knit handbags. She told Insider her inspiration comes from her mother, who also owns a knitwear brand called Cindy's Knit Shop. Chun, on the other hand, is a site lead at Amazon Logistics.

Chun surprised Kim during a weekend trip, and he arranged for her family to be with them to celebrate.

Lucy Douglas of LUCIE Weddings photographed the couple's engagement shoot and wedding.

"Sandra and Tim instilled their trust in me from the other side of the world to capture both their wedding day and beautiful engagement shoot at Joshua Tree National Park — two of the best and most amazing experiences for me to date," Douglas told Insider. "I'll be forever grateful to them for that."

"As soon as I got engaged, I immediately started shopping for it because I knew it would be a long process for me," Kim told Insider. She ended up trying on gowns over a few months.

She knew she wanted to try on a lot of dresses, as she hoped seeing herself in different options would help her figure out what the tone of the wedding would be.

Kim described her style to Insider as very minimal, but she said she also likes things that have interesting details. She imagined herself in a simple gown with striking detail that would stand out.

The top end of Kim's budget for the gown was $10,000, but she was hoping to find a dress for closer to $7,000. She was willing to invest in her dress, as she wanted both hers and Chun's wedding day looks to be the standout features of the day.

The off-the-shoulder gown featured a full skirt, delicate flower detailing, and exposed boning on the bodice. It had an inherently bridal look, though the sleeves and bodice gave it a modern edge.

"I was head over heels for it because of how amazing it looked," Kim said.

But it wasn't what she had been imagining for herself.

Ultimately, she decided not to buy the gown, both because of the price and the color. The dress was $12,000, which just felt like too much. Plus, it was stark white rather than ivory, and Kim was hoping for a less intense color.

The Vera Wang dress wasn't traditional, which Kim liked.

"If I did not go with a white dress, I felt like I would go with this dress," she said, as she loved the full skirt and yellow bow.

But Kim felt like Chun was probably anticipating she would wear a white dress, and she wanted something slightly more bridal as well.

"It was fun to put on, and it was gorgeous," Kim said of the Vera Wang dress, which featured a delicate flower detailing atop a mesh lining.

But it just wasn't what she pictured herself in, particularly because it was so bridal.

The Oscar de la Renta gown combined a whimsical, bridal skirt with a modern, fitted bodice.

"I liked that combination a lot," Kim said. Her sister did as well, crying when she saw Kim in the strapless dress.

"It's not really my style though," Kim told Insider, so she decided to keep shopping.

The backless dress featured a simple silhouette, with a bow feature leading into the train.

"I really loved how minimal and chic it was and the accent at the back," Kim said. "But it was just not an option."

The strapless Amsale gown featured an asymmetrical neckline and a large skirt.

"It was a little too structural and angular for me," Kim told Insider of the dress. It was also just a bit too simple.

Kim was drawn to Danielle Frankel's unique designs, as they weren't overwhelmingly bridal. Instead, the brand offered fancy dresses with subtle bridal additions, like the sleeves on the Marion gown.

"I love the detail of the lace sleeves and how it goes off the shoulders slightly," Kim said of the dress.

"But I think it didn't really go with the vibe of my venue," she added, as The Foundry, where she was getting married, features a lot of greenery.

"I felt like the dress would have gotten lost," Kim said. "It wasn't impactful enough."

Kim tried this Danielle Frank dress on for fun, as she is such a fan of the designer's work.

"I knew I wasn't going to go for it, but it was so architectural-looking and so cool," Kim said.

Kim had pictured herself in both long-sleeved and off-the-shoulder dresses, but she thought it would be difficult to find one that ticked both boxes.

The Sloane gown combined both visions into one stunning dress, as well as the ivory color Kim was looking for.

"I'm a really big pearl person," Kim told Insider. "All of my jewelry and accessories have gold and pearl. And when I saw this dress with a line of pearls going down the middle, I was immediately in awe."

The pearls are even more special because they're Baroque, so each one is unique and indented in different ways.

Kim bought the gown for $7,000, which was exactly what she was hoping to spend on her wedding dress.

The dress didn't need that many alterations, aside from the train.

The original gown had a shorter train, but Kim wanted something more dramatic. It ended up being 7 feet long.

The pearl earrings drew attention to the button detailing on the gown, highlighting one of Kim's favorite parts of the dress.

She didn't wear a necklace, allowing the gown's neckline to speak for itself.

Kim considered a few lacy veils, but she opted for a simpler option to keep her look "minimal and chic," as she told Insider.

The veil was also designed by Danielle Frankel, and it cost about $800.

"It was literally the look that I envisioned," Kim said. "I was so satisfied."

Reiss designed the groom's modern suit, which he paired with a white bow tie.

Chun also wore an orchid on his lapel that matched Kim's bouquet, tying their looks together.

"I could tell he was getting ready to tear up," Kim said of Chun's reaction to her outfit.

She was emotional when she saw him, too. "I've never seen Tim in a tuxedo like that, and I had no idea the hairstylist was going to do his hair in that way," she said.

"I was just shocked," Kim added. "He looked like a completely different person."

The full-circle moment was emotional for both the bride and groom.

The greenery at The Foundry drew Kim to the venue.

It was special for the couple to have all of their loved ones together for the wedding.

"I just remember feeling so happy that everyone that we love was there celebrating us," Kim said.

"If I had a little bit more direction, I think maybe I wouldn't have made it difficult for myself," Kim said. "But I'm a designer and I love looking at different details and design."

"I'm happy that I got to try on all the dresses I tried on and spent the time looking for the perfect one," she said.

"We met at such a young age," she said, allowing them to grow up together. "We're more like best friends."

"I just love that I feel so comfortable around him," she said. "He's just my best friend."

You can follow Douglas and Kim on Instagram.

If you are in the process of shopping for your wedding dress or have photos from when you shopped and want to talk to Insider for a story, get in touch at sgrindell@insider.com.

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