A bride wore 2 custom Pnina Tornai looks on her wedding day, including a reception dress covered in crystals
Samantha Grindell  Â
![A bride wore 2 custom Pnina Tornai looks on her wedding day, including a reception dress covered in crystals](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstaticbiassets.in%2Fthumb%2Fmsid-79769344%2Cwidth-700%2Cheight-525%2Cimgsize-134926%2Fa-bride-wore-2-custom-pnina-tornai-looks-on-her-wedding-day-including-a-reception-dress-covered-in-crystals.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
- Ally McGown, the boutique manager for Pnina Tornai at Kleinfeld Bridal, married Jason Fritz in 2017.
- Pnina Tornai designed two custom wedding dresses for her friend and colleague.
- McGown's ceremony dress featured a ruffled skirt and lace bodice, while her reception dress was sleek and full of bling.
- "Dressing Ally for her wedding day was like dressing my daughter," Pnina Tornai told Insider of the experience.
Ally McGown has been working with wedding dress designer Pnina Tornai since 2013.
![Ally McGown has been working with wedding dress designer Pnina Tornai since 2013.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-79769372,width-700,height-525,imgsize-283990/ally-mcgown-has-been-working-with-wedding-dress-designer-pnina-tornai-since-2013-.jpg)
McGown is the Pnina Tornai Boutique Manager at Kleinfeld Bridal, where the brand is exclusively sold in the US. Tornai is known for her custom designs, which often feature intricate beading and detailing, so brides travel from all over the country to try on her gowns.
McGown has been working at Kleinfeld for the last 10 years, and she started working directly with Tornai around seven years ago.
"I manage the entire brand at her store," McGown told Insider of her job. "I work alongside Pnina. I work with brides, customizing dresses," which entails attending fittings and making sure brides get what they want when they come into the store.
McGown also ensures the workflow of the Pnina brand runs smoothly each day, handling production and customer service.
McGown met her future husband, Jason Fritz, around the same time she started working at Kleinfeld.
![McGown met her future husband, Jason Fritz, around the same time she started working at Kleinfeld.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-79769371,width-700,height-525,imgsize-309555/mcgown-met-her-future-husband-jason-fritz-around-the-same-time-she-started-working-at-kleinfeld-.jpg)
McGown and Fritz went to the same high school. Fritz is five years older than McGown, so the two never met when they were in school; however, she was friends with his sister.
In 2011, McGown ran into Fritz's sister at a bar, and they caught up over a drink. She ended up introducing McGown to Fritz later that night.
The couple has been together ever since. "The rest is really history," McGown said.
McGown and Fritz got engaged in 2016 and married in 2017.
![McGown and Fritz got engaged in 2016 and married in 2017.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-79769370,width-700,height-525,imgsize-185930/mcgown-and-fritz-got-engaged-in-2016-and-married-in-2017-.jpg)
They were together for about five years before they got engaged, so McGown knew she was making the right decision.
McGown also immediately knew she would want to wear a Pnina Tornai dress.
"I've known since even before I started working at Kleinfeld that I was a Pnina Tornai bride," McGown told Insider.
And because of her special relationship with Tornai and the work she's seen her do over the years, McGown decided she wanted a custom gown.
Soon after she got engaged, McGown started designing her dream dress with Tornai.
![Soon after she got engaged, McGown started designing her dream dress with Tornai.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-79769369,width-700,height-525,imgsize-498638/soon-after-she-got-engaged-mcgown-started-designing-her-dream-dress-with-tornai-.jpg)
"Designing Ally's gowns was such a beautiful experience for me since I get to see her pour so much love into her work and help make so many brides' dreams come true," Tornai told Insider. "Dressing Ally for her wedding day was like dressing my daughter."
McGown has seen countless dresses in her tenure at Kleinfeld, and she often tries on gowns that come into the store, so there were multiple kinds of dresses she could be happy in.
"I liked the romantic, lacy, princess type of dress for a ceremony, but I also really love a fitted, sexy, silky type of feel," McGown said. "And I like bling as well, so originally I wasn't sure what I was going to do."
McGown and Tornai decided it would be best for her to have two dresses: a more romantic dress for her ceremony, and a bolder gown for her reception.
Tornai gifted McGown the two custom-designed dresses.
![Tornai gifted McGown the two custom-designed dresses.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-79769368,width-700,height-525,imgsize-427091/tornai-gifted-mcgown-the-two-custom-designed-dresses-.jpg)
The duo started the design process with Tornai sketching a ceremony gown for McGown, which was almost completely one-of-a-kind.
"There was one gown in my Dimensions Collection that was a similar dropped-waist silhouette to what she had envisioned for her ceremony gown, but besides that, everything was completely custom," Tornai said.
"I sketched out a few gowns and brought a variety of lace samples with me so she could choose which lace spoke to her," she added, leading to the final sketch.
The dress would include a ruffled train and intricate lace.
Tornai designed the reception dress without McGown, as she wanted it to be a surprise.
After the sketches were done, McGown had "muslin fittings" for her dresses.
![After the sketches were done, McGown had "muslin fittings" for her dresses.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-79769367,width-700,height-525,imgsize-522972/after-the-sketches-were-done-mcgown-had-quotmuslin-fittingsquot-for-her-dresses-.jpg)
When designing a custom gown, a bride typically attends what's called a muslin fitting halfway through the process.
"The designer sends raw fabric that's cut in the shape of the dress," McGown told Insider of muslin fittings.
It allows the designer to fit the dress to the bride's exact specifications before the finer details have been completed, as it's easier to adjust elements like the neckline or back before the dress has been fully structured.
"This is what custom is about," McGown said. "It's being able to make all these little adjustments and having it be one-of-a-kind."
Six months after the initial sketch, McGown's dresses were ready for the final fitting.
![Six months after the initial sketch, McGown](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-79769366,width-700,height-525,imgsize-149629/six-months-after-the-initial-sketch-mcgownaposs-dresses-were-ready-for-the-final-fitting-.jpg)
Typically, it takes closer to a year to design a custom dress, but because she works for Pnina, McGown's dress was made on a shorter timeline.
"Ally fully trusted me with her vision and I had no doubt that I could make Ally's dress dreams come true," Tornai said of designing McGown's dress.
"I also designed a matching veil using the same lace from her gown," Tornai added.
The ceremony gown was everything McGown wanted.
![The ceremony gown was everything McGown wanted.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-79769365,width-700,height-525,imgsize-483941/the-ceremony-gown-was-everything-mcgown-wanted-.jpg)
The dress had a cat-eye neckline, which was one of McGown's biggest asks. The angular look of the neckline appealed to her more than a traditional sweetheart look.
The gown also had a dropped waist and a full, lacy skirt that flowed into a train. Tornai made the dress with Chantilly lace layered with an Alencon lace.
Many Pnina Tornai gowns feature layered lace, as they create dimension, according to McGown.
A transparent cutout on the bodice completed the look.
The back of the dress dipped low.
![The back of the dress dipped low.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-79769364,width-700,height-525,imgsize-84671/the-back-of-the-dress-dipped-low-.jpg)
Crisscrossed fabric connected the two sides of the bodice before it led into the full skirt.
In Focus Pro Photography, Inc. photographed the wedding, and Joseph Edwards provided videographer services.
The dress also had removable sleeves.
![The dress also had removable sleeves.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-79769362,width-700,height-525,imgsize-675085/the-dress-also-had-removable-sleeves-.jpg)
The thin sleeves were made of lace and sat off of McGown's shoulders.
McGown put the off-the-shoulder sleeves on for her church ceremony, but she took them off for most of her photos.
The sleeves gave her a third look for the wedding day.
"I loved how romantic it was," McGown said of her ceremony dress.
!["I loved how romantic it was," McGown said of her ceremony dress.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-79769361,width-700,height-525,imgsize-737413/quoti-loved-how-romantic-it-wasquot-mcgown-said-of-her-ceremony-dress-.jpg)
She told Insider that the lace and ruffled skirt were her favorite parts of the dress.
"It was really special when I put the dress on because I knew it was the dress I'd be walking down the aisle in," McGown said.
Lauren D'Amelio Ventre did the bride's hair and makeup.
Tornai couldn't be there on McGown's wedding day, but she FaceTimed her while she got ready.
![Tornai couldn](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-79769360,width-700,height-525,imgsize-84784/tornai-couldnapost-be-there-on-mcgownaposs-wedding-day-but-she-facetimed-her-while-she-got-ready-.jpg)
"She had to approve" of the final look, McGown joked.
McGown said it was special to share the day with Tornai, both because of the work she put into the dresses and how close they are.
Fritz was emotional when he saw McGown at the altar.
![Fritz was emotional when he saw McGown at the altar.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-79769358,width-700,height-525,imgsize-127713/fritz-was-emotional-when-he-saw-mcgown-at-the-altar-.jpg)
"He was definitely emotional," McGown said, but she doesn't think it was necessarily because of her dress.
"I could've worn a paper bag and he would have been like, 'Oh my God, you look so beautiful.'"
McGown and Fritz had a Catholic wedding ceremony, and their reception took place at The Carltun in Long Island, New York. LLG Events planned their wedding.
At her reception, McGown changed into her second custom dress.
![At her reception, McGown changed into her second custom dress.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-79769357,width-700,height-525,imgsize-146125/at-her-reception-mcgown-changed-into-her-second-custom-dress-.jpg)
"For her second gown, there was another Dimensions Collection gown, which had a crystal-embellished keyhole back that Ally loved, so we incorporated that into her look," Tornai said. "While her ceremony gown was more traditional with zero sparkle, the party dress had some major bling."
In addition to the keyhole back, the dress had a low neckline, as well as a plethora of bling.
"I actually added some extra crystals on the front of the gown because my Ally needed to sparkle," Tornai said. "I also designed a custom headpiece for her as well."
McGown said she loved the fit of the dress and the silky material. She got to look romantic and sexy on her wedding day.
The reception dress was a surprise to everyone at the wedding, including Fritz.
![The reception dress was a surprise to everyone at the wedding, including Fritz.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-79769356,width-700,height-525,imgsize-983614/the-reception-dress-was-a-surprise-to-everyone-at-the-wedding-including-fritz-.jpg)
McGown and Fritz's wedding photographer, Salvator Galvano of In Focus Pro Photography, Inc., captured a candid photo of Fritz seeing his new wife's second wedding dress.
"He just looked like he was completely shocked," McGown said of the photo. "His face was priceless."
"I think everyone was wowed by the sparkle," Tornai agreed.
"I felt really, really confident and good" in the dress, McGown said.
McGown advises brides not to leave shopping for a wedding dress to the last minute.
![McGown advises brides not to leave shopping for a wedding dress to the last minute.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-79769354,width-700,height-525,imgsize-606694/mcgown-advises-brides-not-to-leave-shopping-for-a-wedding-dress-to-the-last-minute-.jpg)
"Give yourself ample time when shopping for a wedding dress," she said. "You have to consider that you need a certain amount of time to order a dress, and you also need two or three months to do fittings on a dress."
"A lot of brides forget that fittings have to be factored into the time frame," she added. "So we always say seven months to a year is definitely safe."
Both McGown and Tornai said it's best not to bring too many people when you shop for a wedding dress.
![Both McGown and Tornai said it](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-79769353,width-700,height-525,imgsize-860832/both-mcgown-and-tornai-said-itaposs-best-not-to-bring-too-many-people-when-you-shop-for-a-wedding-dress-.jpg)
"More people usually means more opinions, which can end up confusing the bride," Tornai said.
"We always say bring one or two people that you really trust and value their opinion," McGown said.
And if you're buying a completely custom dress, it's important to work with a designer you trust.
![And if you](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-79769352,width-700,height-525,imgsize-1068198/and-if-youaposre-buying-a-completely-custom-dress-itaposs-important-to-work-with-a-designer-you-trust-.jpg)
"One of the biggest mistakes is when the bride does not trust me fully," Tornai said of mistakes she sees brides make when they're designing a custom wedding dress.
"While there is an allure of having a custom one-of-a-kind piece that no other bride will have, I don't think that having a gown completely custom-made is for every type of bride," Tornai added. "For those who have a hard time visualizing but want something customized, I would recommend finding one of my existing styles and maybe changing one or two elements of the gown."
McGown said her favorite part of her wedding day was the after-party.
![McGown said her favorite part of her wedding day was the after-party.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-79769351,width-700,height-525,imgsize-1306664/mcgown-said-her-favorite-part-of-her-wedding-day-was-the-after-party-.jpg)
"I stayed in my dress and my bridal party and some of my family changed into sweatshirts and sweatpants," McGown said of the end of the night. "We were all outside. I had a DJ out there, we had cotton candy, and we were passing around sandwiches."
"I felt like that's when everyone was able to let loose and enjoy and relax," she said.
McGown didn't see her reception dress until two weeks before her wedding.
![McGown didn](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-79769350,width-700,height-525,imgsize-481488/mcgown-didnapost-see-her-reception-dress-until-two-weeks-before-her-wedding-.jpg)
The surprise dress reveal was documented on an episode of TLC's "Say Yes to the Dress."
McGown told Insider she and Fritz balance each other out.
![McGown told Insider she and Fritz balance each other out.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-79769349,width-700,height-525,imgsize-437865/mcgown-told-insider-she-and-fritz-balance-each-other-out-.jpg)
"I feel like we complement each other," McGown said. "I'm like a little bit more type A, and he's he's a little bit more relaxed."
"He's able to keep me calm and in check when I get a little frazzled," she added.
"He's always there for me," McGown said of her husband.
!["He](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-79769348,width-700,height-525,imgsize-1070820/quotheaposs-always-there-for-mequot-mcgown-said-of-her-husband-.jpg)
"Whenever I need someone to talk to, he's always there to give really excellent advice," she said. "I feel like I can trust what he says."
They love each other more each day.
![They love each other more each day.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-79769346,width-700,height-525,imgsize-942500/they-love-each-other-more-each-day-.jpg)
"We have a really strong connection," McGown said. "When we first met, everyone kept saying, do you guys know each other? We didn't know each other, but we got along so well it felt like we've known each other forever."
"There are no expectations," she added. "We just love each other."
You can follow McGown and Pnina Tornai on Instagram, where Tornai will be showing sneak peeks of her May 2021 line, The One. You can also see more of In Focus Pro Photography, Inc.'s work here.
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