A bride wore a black wedding dress that coordinated with her wife's see-through gown
Samantha Grindell
- Kia and Annie Watson got married on March 27, 2021.
- Kia wore a black dress with an illusion bodice, while Annie's A-line gown was sheer and sparkly.
- The couple's bridal consultant helped ensure they found dresses that complemented each other.
Kia and Annie Watson are college sweethearts.
Kia and Annie, both 25, met in an introduction to Shakespeare class in 2016 when they were both studying to be high-school English teachers.
Today, they live in Wagga Wagga, Australia, together. Annie is the lead teacher at Indie School Wagga Wagga, and Kia switched careers to become a floral designer.
But their love for each other stayed the same.
The couple proposed to each other in October of 2019.
The couple took a trip to Japan in 2019, and Kia had a suspicion that Annie planned to propose at Tokyo Disneyland, which is one of Kia's favorite places.
"Not wanting to lose the race, Kia planned a surprise proposal at the top of Skytree Tower in Tokyo, the day before the trip to Disney," the couple told Insider.
"Annie said yes, but she had to hide her frustrations over the fact that she did indeed plan to propose to Kia the next day, at Disneyland — which she did anyway," they went on to say.
They tied the knot on March 27, 2021.
Kia had a clear idea of the type of wedding dress she wanted ahead of the wedding, but Annie didn't.
Kia had her heart set on wearing a black wedding dress since she was 16 years old, and she planned to look for a gown that would live up to her dream.
Annie, on the other hand, didn't know what she wanted out of a wedding dress. She was "toying with the idea of a jumpsuit and cape," as she told Insider, but she was open to trying on a variety of gowns.
Kia and Annie didn't want to see each other's bridal looks before the wedding, but they both shopped at Abbey Bridal. They worked with the same bridal consultant who helped ensure their gowns looked good together.
They each had a budget of 4,000 Australian dollars, which is about $2,945 USD.
Annie surprised herself by falling in love with an A-line gown.
The Roxanne dress was the first gown Annie tried on.
The gown's sheer bodice had a floral pattern framed by sparkly spaghetti straps.
The intricate design continued onto the full skirt, which covered layers of differently colored fabrics, and flowed into a long train.
She told Insider she loved how the gown complemented her body, and that it had pockets.
Kia was able to find the black dress of her dreams.
The Maggie Sottero Zander dress had everything Kia was looking for — especially when it came to color.
Sheer fabric covered in floral, black lace created the illusion top and sleeves, with small sparkles embroidered into the bodice.
The bottom of the dress had a layer of see-through black fabric atop layers of skirt with a darker trim on the bottom, which had the same sparkle as the top.
Like Annie's gown, the dress had a long train.
Kia tried on a few white dresses while she was shopping, but nothing beat the Zander gown.
Although they were different, Kia and Annie felt like their dresses complemented each other.
Both gowns had lace and delicate sparkles, tying them together. The patterns created by the lace were also similar.
The brides also told Insider they both felt great in their dresses.
"We both had the same experience when knowing that these were the dresses for us," they told Insider. "Both dresses felt natural, suited our body shape and complexion, and of course, had family members in tears."
The dresses also had similar backs.
Both Kia and Annie's dresses dipped into a V in the back before flowing into full, A-line skirts with long trains.
Both brides had a few alterations made to their gowns.
Annie had the dress hemmed and the straps shortened, which wasn't difficult to make happen.
Kia, however, bought a sample gown, so the alteration process was more involved.
"Each of the eight layers of the dress needed to be hemmed, taken in at the waistline, adjusted at the bust, and the shoulders," she said. The fabric around the buttons also had to be altered to match the new shape of the gown.
After alterations, Annie's gown cost $3,092, while Kia's cost $2,393.
The brides' accessories coordinated with their gowns.
Kia wore black shoes, a black necklace, and black earrings.
Annie's silver shoes sparkled, and she wore a delicate floral brooch in her hair with diamond earrings.
Neither bride wore a veil.
Kia also decided to wear a crown with her ensemble.
Kia said the clear, quartz-crystal crown "reflected her personality and broke up the black" look.
B & Co. Hair did the brides' hair for their wedding, and Christina Santangelo did their makeup.
Annie and Kia said there was "no greater feeling" than how they felt in their wedding dresses.
"Both dresses were comfortable, and due to expert tailoring, fit like a glove," they said.
They both got everything they wanted out of the gowns.
The couple didn't see each other on their wedding day until the ceremony.
Kia walked down the aisle first, so she was waiting for Annie at the altar.
"The experience of seeing each other for the first time walking down the aisle was like nothing either of us has had before," they said.
"We toyed with the idea of doing first looks before the ceremony, but we are both so glad we waited to share that special moment surrounded by those we love: our friends and family," the Watsons added.
They also loved how their dresses looked together.
"We had so much trust in our consultant, and we were not disappointed in the slightest," they said of how their dresses looked side-by-side.
They said their vows at Bamarang Bush Retreat, where Alice Harrington officiated their ceremony.
Margan Photography photographed their nuptials, and Cloud Herd Film was the videographer.
The brides incorporated a crown exchange into their ceremony.
The delicate flower crowns were connected by white fabric, tying the brides together to bookend their wedding ceremony.
The Watsons said they wanted their wedding to have a vintage, fairy-tale vibe.
"It was very unique and very us," they said.
"The chairs for the ceremony were all mismatched, there were flower arrangements coming out of teapots, Persian rugs for dancing on, and food trucks galore to feast on," they added. "It was all perfect, especially for us."
The brides twirled in their gowns for their first dance.
Paper Hearts provided music for the event.
They did a joint bouquet toss as well.
They both carried bouquets made by Ivy Lane Collective for the wedding.
The Watsons told Insider their couple's photo shoot was one of the best parts of their wedding day.
They went on a location shoot after the ceremony, taking photos near water and on top of rocky overlooks.
The Watsons said it "was such a surreal experience."
"We couldn't have felt more comfortable or have been happier to be living in that moment," they added.
They also said the time they spent with their loved ones before the ceremony was particularly meaningful to them.
"Getting ready with our close family the morning of our wedding was a very special experience that we both will treasure for a long time," they said.
"It reiterated to us how loved and how supported we are," they went on to say.
"Remember that this is your day and it will be over before you know it," the Watsons advised couples of their wedding days.
They think it's important to focus on what you want over the needs of others.
"It's OK to listen to the input of family and friends, but when it all comes down to it, stay true to yourselves and create this day for you two," they said.
Kia and Annie said their relationship works because they want the same things out of life.
"We have the same amount of love for dogs, so there is no arguing about dogs in the bed, or moving away from each other on the couch to let our two rottie-crosses sit on our laps and lay between us," they said.
"Adventuring is something we do often, and we are so lucky to be able to do that with each other without compromise," the Watsons added.
"We both make each other be the best versions of ourselves," they said of their relationship.
"We don't take things too seriously, and we are always laughing," they added.
You can see more of Margan Photography's work here.
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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