This Fashion-Forward Couple’s Custom Wedding Looks Were Inspired by Cowboys and the Renaissance (2024)

When Australian wedding videographer Alex Pratt and artist Jamie Preisz first thought about planning their own wedding, the creative couple imagined it as they would a blank canvas. “It felt like going into Jamie’s art studio and having this whole world where we could just put whatever color in we wanted,” reflects Alex. “Our creative process for planning was, ‘How much can we design or build?’” As the pair worked together to bring the party to life, they made sure to keep their wardrobe a secret from one another. “I knew that whatever we wore was going to be a fun surprise,” says Jamie. “Just because it was us, it was going to go together.”

With that idea in mind, Jamie sought to find the “something a bit cowboy and something a bit flamboyant” suit he dreamed of. He first considered designs from an Australian-based brand, but didn’t love the fit. “I was looking at old pictures of performers in Texas in the ’60s and stuff like that, so I started looking online in Texas and on Etsy for people that do custom suits,” says the artist. That’s how he came upon the collection from India-based designer Addicted Bespoken, who was able to create an original look in collaboration with the groom. Jamie chose the cut of one suit, and the design of another, then selected a custom green shade and lining—and even provided his own sketch to create the florals that would be embroidered on the garment. He decided to expand his vision further and asked his groomsmen to wear similar suits by the designer. To stand out, “mine was covered in flowers and the groomsmen just had two big flowers on the lapel,” the artist says. As a final touch, they accessorized with bolo ties Jamie gave them as gifts.

“The first time I wore the tailored suit was on the morning of the wedding,” reflects Jamie. “I remember putting the jacket on and being worried that it wouldn’t close. Then, it just closed perfectly. There were no creases and everything was exact. It felt like a coat of armor, in a way, but it also felt so me.” Alex echoes that when she finally saw his look at their ceremony, it felt entirely authentic to him. “I buckled to my knees because I was in awe of just how beautiful Jamie was,” she remembers. “He just nailed it.”

As an avid vintage lover, Alex was initially set on finding rather than creating her dream wedding dress with a Renaissance-inspired cinched waist along with a cape to drape over the gown. “But when you try and find vintage, it’s like a needle in a haystack,” she says. “With Australian vintage, you can’t just go out and be like, I’m going to try on 10 dresses. You might go to 10 stores and only try one.” After a five-month search, Alex went to a bridal salon with a friend and hated the experience. “It wasn’t me,” she reflects. “I just said, ‘If it’s not going to be vintage, I have to get it made.’”

Ultimately, it took six months and 40 fittings to finalize the entire wedding look. “Since we didn’t have a mannequin that was my shape, everything had to be done on me,” says Alex, who emphasized how everyone on the design team was so dedicated to making the gown perfect. When she finally put the finished product on for her wedding, “it just felt like I was hanging out with my friend,” reflects the bride. “That dress and I formed such a strong relationship. It just felt like my wedding dress.”