You are looking at a beautiful Monique Lhuillier bridal gown that I purchased at the Mark Ingram Bridal Atelier in Manhattan and wore at my November 2009 wedding. Included are four pieces; the Monique Lhuillier Margarite Corset top, the Monique Lhuillier silk satin skirt, the ribbon sash, and a bustier bra to wear under the corset top.This gown has all the wonderful Monique Lhuillier details and style that make her bridal dresses so special and flattering. The Margarite Corset, from her Spring 2010 Collection, is made of ivory Chantilly lace embellished with organza flowers w/ beaded and rhinestone details. It has a sweetheart neckline and a zipper closure in back. It is absolutely stunning! The Monique Lhuillier ivory satin A-line skirt is made of thick, luscious silk which falls into a beautiful train. It is lined with multiple layers of tulle and has a one-inch waistband and a back zipper with hook and eye closure. The sash is a 1.5"-wide beautifully textured silk ribbon that is a slightly peachier color than the ivory corset and skirt. It can be worn as I wore it, with a small bow at the side in front, or it can be tied in a bow in the back. I am also including the waist-long nude bra (32A) which I bought at Saks Fifth Avenue for the sole purpose of wearing under the corset top. Snaps were attached to both the bra and the corset so they would lie flat together. A larger size bra could easily be substituted. After trying on and considering dozens of dresses at the Vera Wang, Amsale, Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman bridal salons, I chose this dress because it was so special. And with a separate corset top and a skirt, it provided a truly custom fit; you do not need to worry that the waistline will be in the "wrong place"!The gown was such a delight to wear (and photographed so well) that I wish I had some reason to keep it! But now it has been cleaned and preserved and I know the best thing I can do is let another bride enjoy it. Please note that the pricing reflects what I paid for it and not the full retail price. My receipt from the Mark Ingram Bridal Atelier shows the original price of the Margarite Corset as $3,850 and the skirt as $2,530, plus tax. The sash was $400 at retail and the bra was $125. Just six weeks before my wedding, when I went for the first fitting of the simple, beautiful gown I had ordered at another bridal salon, I realized that I wanted to wear a more elaborate, "richer" gown for my wedding. On October 9th, less than a month before my wedding and too late to place an order, I found the Margarite Corset top, size 4, that had just arrived at the Mark Ingram Bridal Atelier, and the skirt, also size 4 and never worn or tried on, that had been ordered for another bride but not claimed.
