Real Brides: Janell

Photography: @kayceshoffner

My husband, Derek, and I met when we were in middle school. I was fourteen and he was thirteen, and he impressed me at the school dance doing his moonwalk. He won my heart back then and we dated for a few months and then went separate ways. Over the years we kept in touch, always holding a special place in each other’s lives. In 2018, we reconnected and have been together ever since. He has become an incredible father to our two sons, Bennett and Parker, and does whatever he can to give us the world. I am so thankful for him and he is for sure my Person.

The only bridal shop I needed to visit was Blush Bridal in Lancaster, PA on March 2, 2019. I was with my mom and my sister. I had done my research beforehand and knew that Moonlight Bridal was probably the right designer for me, so I called Blush Bridal to confirm that they had some Moonlight dresses I could try. When I got to the shop, I spotted the dress on the rack and immediately needed to see it on me. I tried it alongside a few other dresses, but I just kept glancing back at my dress after trying other pieces. I knew it was mine, there was never a question, because my dress truly made me feel like the prettiest woman in the world. It makes me feel powerful, flawless, and my only two requirements for a dress were that it had to have a lot of detail and I needed to be able to twerk in it. (A girl has to live, am I right?) I said yes that same day!! My dress helped my dream wedding come true because it made me feel unstoppable, but most importantly, it made me feel truly myself.

Bride Janell wore a Moonlight Tango style.