Say Yes to the Dress

It’s the Cinderella moment we all dream of: the moment you put on the perfect dress that everything else is perfect, too and when you Say Yes to the Dress.

Thanks to Mama Luma for a Say Yes to the Dress moment for her.

For some girls it’s the prom. Some girls it’s the wedding. But for many Hispanic girls it’s the quinceanera. 

Growing up I wasn’t really immersed in any Hispanic cultural holidays and experiences, so I never celebrated this special day growing up. But I remember the first time I was invited to one, I realized this wasn’t just a party, this was truly a mark of a female’s womanhood. And while she might have a date, that this big event (sometimes more than a traditional wedding) was so momental because it was all about her and that statement was exemplified with her prolific dress. 

Recently my daughter and I planned a morning at Dallas Arboretum to spend girl time walking the gardens and seeing the flowers in full fall bloom. Considered one of the best gardens in the world, the legendary Dallas Arboretum is a 66-acre dream garden dream nestled up to White Rock Lake and hosts hundreds of events annually. To say the least, it’s beyond stunning and plays backdrop to so many picturesque moments in the region.

But on this special day it wasn’t even  as we stepped through the gates we were met with several beautiful girls who all were adorning quinceanera dresses. Taylor Tot couldn’t have been more over the moon. Later I found out the Arboretum was hosting a social distanced fashion show to allow young ladies who didn’t get to have their big day to still show off the “big dress.” And were they impressive. Vivid colors, sparkle everything, flowing trains, and ruffles galore. 

So taken by the moment, Taylor and spent time studying what makes each dress so special. And of course observing each of them taking their own photos (most of them had professional photographers also in tow), we took time to for our own “photo shoot.” Taylor had gotten a beautiful dress from Mama Luma and had been holding on to the perfect moment to wear it. She had hoped for her birthday party or some upcoming party, but many of those moments didn’t end up happening in 2020. So we made a day for the dress and since dress was detailed with flowers it was an obvious choice to wear to the garden to properly “show off.”

Mama Luma is out of Santa Barbara and isn’t just your everyday dress company. The designer style is made for celebrating a young girl’s big moment – from birthdays, holidays and those other big picture moments. The thoughtful accessories that are designed as part of each look like jackets, hair bands and bows, and now even matching masks. All hand sewn with such attention to detail and the highest quality of fabric, a Mama Luma dress is all style and grace. I could tell from the moment I slid up the zipper, my little girl felt as special as she always should, when her little lips curled up and she tried to hide her excitement.

Every girl she have that moment – when everything feels perfect, on the inside and the out.

If I can just figure out how to make that happen for her everyday. But I hope it not just a gorgeous dress, but when she looks in the mirror…she feels good looking back at herself.

I’ll admit I don’t know if I’ve had that moment either. When I was married, we chose to go casual and being that we didn’t have much money, I didn’t see the point of a big dress, especially one that made people look at me. I bought my dress online from J. Crew off clearance (white summer dresses in the winter are cheap.) While I loved that special day and wouldn’t take it back, I regret not having a “dress moment,” when I could look at myself and say “perfect.” And more than anything I’ll miss the moment pulling the dress out to share my moment with her. 

If there’s anything I’ve learned lately is never settle with just ordinary. Never settle with waiting for the right moment. And when it comes down to it, always get the dress. 

About Mama Luma: Mama Luma was started by co-founders and former college roommates Kevin and Ata. Ata wanted to bring his mother’s designs to life in California and believed that by blending the natural beauty of Santa Barbara with the elegance of European tradition and Mediterranean prints, he could inspire a new wave of chic fashion into the younger generations on the West Coast. With the help of his resources in Istanbul, Turkey, he and Kevin diligently worked to bring these hand-sewn, high fashion masterpieces to the world.