THE SHOOT

For our first feature, we wanted the clothes to carry as much intention as the woman wearing them. We partnered with the iconic Lovella Bridal in Glendale, California to borrow a selection of gowns from the newly relaunched Hayley Paige collection — and that distinction matters. After a years-long legal battle to reclaim her own name, Hayley Paige is designing again on her own terms, and the work shows it. The connection between Josie and Hayley runs deeper than just the dresses — Hayley sat down with Josie on The Everygirl Podcast to tell her story in her own words, a conversation worth listening to. Getting to put these gowns on a bride who had already heard directly from the woman who made them felt like the only way to open this series — two stories of women stepping fully into themselves, right on time.

THE MUSE

Josie Santi

For the inaugural feature of In Bridal Form, we knew our muse had to be someone who understood the art of living intentionally — and Josie Santi, host of The Everygirl Podcast, is exactly that. A woman with a deeply considered point of view on style, creativity, and the way life is meant to be lived, Josie brought something rare to this project: a bridal vision that felt entirely her own. We captured her in the season before her Chicago wedding — inspired by Old Hollywood, supper club romance, and the cinematic grandeur of a bygone era — when she was still in the in-between, building the world she and her fiancé had been dreaming of together. She's married now. And if this shoot is any indication, that world turned out exactly as beautiful as she imagined.

In Her Own Words – Josie Santi

Bridal Beauty · Wedding Style · The Season Before


BRIDAL SEASON

How does it feel to be in this season of being a bride?


For the inaugural feature of In Bridal Form, we knew our muse had to be someone who understood the art of living intentionally — and Josie Santi, host of The Everygirl Podcast, is exactly that. A woman with a deeply considered point of view on style, creativity, and the way life is meant to be lived, Josie brought something rare to this project: a bridal vision that felt entirely her own. We captured her in the season before her Chicago wedding — inspired by Old Hollywood, supper club romance, and the cinematic grandeur of a bygone era — when she was still in the in-between, building the world she and her fiancé had been dreaming of together. She's married now. And if this shoot is any indication, that world turned out exactly as beautiful as she imagined.

"This season really feels like a love letter to the life that my fiancé and I are going to have together."

Has the experience felt how you imagined it would?

We have been so lucky to find the most incredible team — from our amazing planners to our event designer to our photographer — who are not vendors, but true creative partners from day one. They've made the process magic, and we are truly recreating what a wedding looks and feels like. Which has been so fun.


What has surprised you the most about being engaged and planning a wedding?

Firstly, I'm surprised by my fiancé throughout the planning process. He is not someone who has strong opinions on aesthetics — and I very much do — but rather than sit in the background and let me do my thing alone, he is trying really hard to be an equal partner in this, to not leave the labor of planning a wedding to me. I do not want to start a marriage where the groom shows up surprised by the wedding, and even though I care so much more about all the little details and have such strong vision, he has surprised me with how present and engaged he is in every meeting, in how much fun we have discussing all the little details, and how much he takes on when there are jobs he can do.

I'm also maybe less pleasantly surprised by how much normal life keeps moving on. I always just pictured that when I was a bride it would be the focal point of my life, but so many other facets of my life feel so incredibly full and busy that I wish I had more time to slow down and really enjoy it. It's going fast — I'm just hoping to let go of what I don't have time for and fully enjoy everything I do.


VISION for the WEDDING


"I keep calling it a world, rather than just a wedding."

When you first started imagining your wedding day, what feeling or atmosphere came to mind?

I've always been obsessed with Old Hollywood since I was little, and the 1950s Hollywood era is so special to my fiancé and I — we listen to Frank Sinatra constantly in our home, our favorite restaurants are the Hollywood classics like the Beverly Hills Hotel and Sunset Tower, we have a whole gallery wall of prints with Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn. I didn't want the wedding to feel Old Hollywood themed, but rather that you are stepping into Old Hollywood — traveling back in time. I wanted to offer our guests a once-in-a-lifetime experience that captured the cinematic drama of Old Hollywood sets with the romance of big bands in white tuxes, martinis flowing, supper club elegance. It is a semi-modernized take, with a flair of haute couture and editorial fashion. I keep calling it a world, rather than just a wedding.

What has been inspiring you most while planning?

I pulled zero inspiration from other weddings — and honestly, this is a tip I'd give to other brides. Pull inspiration from fashion, film, art, music, anything else you're drawn to. That alone will make your wedding feel extremely unique and personal to you. We pull a lot of inspiration from classic movies — the sets of White Christmas, Singin' in the Rain, the grandeur of The Great Ziegfeld. I wanted the entire wedding to feel like you were watching a great romance unfold before your eyes. I also pulled a lot of inspiration from fashion houses, especially in the details — the structure or color of a dress, how branding is printed, stitching on a napkin. Our food presentation is very much inspired by architecture and editorial fashion.



Were there any non-negotiables you knew right away?

I didn't want anything about our wedding to be conventional or what people may have seen before. I don't have a color palette — instead, each event of the wedding is a different storyboard, a different aesthetic, a completely different mood shift. The ceremony to me is Grace Kelly in Monaco, but in the middle of a city. The cocktail hour is drapery, bows, white florals, and architectural elements with the contrast of an art deco interior. The dinner is a moody, elevated supper club with lots of red velvet and browns and vintage lights and candles — a space we are creating entirely from scratch. And the after party is going to feel like Frank Sinatra performing at the most glamorous club in 1955.

PERSONAL vs. BRIDAL STYLE



"The best style moments are the ones where you don't try to fit into a mold or what's trending — you just trust your instincts."


How would you describe your bridal style in three words?

Cinematic, editorial, and romantic.


Has planning a wedding changed the way you think about style or getting dressed?

Honestly, it hasn't changed my approach to style so much as confirmed it. If anything, the process has reminded me that the best style moments are the ones where you don't try to fit into a mold or what's trending — you just trust your instincts.

When you imagine how you'll feel on the day, what version of yourself do you see?

I see two different versions. I feel like the most settled, assured version of me — in that deep sense of knowing you're exactly where you're meant to be. And the other version I see is the version that six-year-old me knew I would be on my wedding day. She knew I would be this woman and this bride all along. I hope to make her proud.

Do you feel like your wedding style reflects your everyday style, or is it a different expression of you?

Weirdly I think it is the most authentic me, and my everyday style is not me. I grew up obsessed with fashion and was reading Vogue starting at eleven — my dream job was editor of Vogue. My career aspirations pivoted and I lost some of that creativity, but I never fell out of love with high fashion. I always say I wish it was like the old days when you would wear fancy dresses you would design with your seamstress everywhere. So I think my wedding style is a true representation of my taste and who I am.


THE PLANNING PROCESS

What has been your favorite part of the process up to this point?

Getting to do this with my fiancé. To build this world that feels so like us, and to create something together for all the people that we love most. We have been together for nine years, so to enter this new phase of our relationship and get to work on this massive project together has been so much fun.


What has the design or planning process been like for you so far?

So incredibly fulfilling. I get to be creative in my career in a different way, but I don't get to fully express myself in aesthetics and this more branding side that I feel so energized and inspired by — so it has been so fun. I used to write poetry and design clothing and create worlds when I was growing up that I lost in adulthood. This has awakened something in me that I didn't know I was missing. I'm already thinking — what's my outlet after the wedding is over?



"Don't prepare so much for the wedding that you forget to plan for the marriage."

REFLECTION and a dash of ADVICE



When you look back on this whole season of being a bride, what do you hope it represents for you?

I've never really seen a wedding as the first day of the rest of my life, or a title that suddenly makes everything feel complete. My fiancé and I built our relationship long before we planned a wedding. To me, the wedding is more like a beautiful, magical party celebrating a commitment we already made to each other in a much quieter way over years. Being a bride has never felt like the defining part of this season to me — it feels more like a wonderful addition to an already wonderful life. As much as I love being in my bridal era and planning my wedding, I hope the title that will mean the most to me looking back on this season is fiancée — because it represents two people deciding they want to build a life together instead of apart.

Do you feel like your wedding style reflects your everyday style, or is it a different expression of you?

Weirdly I think it is the most authentic me, and my everyday style is not me. I grew up obsessed with fashion and was reading Vogue starting at eleven — my dream job was editor of Vogue. My career aspirations pivoted and I lost some of that creativity, but I never fell out of love with high fashion. I always say I wish it was like the old days when you would wear fancy dresses you would design with your seamstress everywhere. So I think my wedding style is a true representation of my taste and who I am.


What advice would you give someone who just got engaged?

Don't forget for even a minute why you are doing this. Yes, there is so much pressure in the wedding industry and everyone will tell you it's supposed to be the best day of your life — and it's easy to get overwhelmed with budgets and expenses and opinions from family members. But don't forget that the only point of this is to celebrate your commitment to the person you love most. Everyone keeps asking me "Are you stressed yet?" as if hating the wedding planning process is some rite of passage. Wedding planning doesn't have to be stressful. No matter if your in-laws have strong opinions, no matter if your budget doesn't fit your vision — do not let any of it distract you from what you are doing this for. And also, don't prepare so much for the wedding that you forget to plan for the marriage.

credits

Hair and Makeup – @veiledvanityartistry
Photography – @jillianrosephotography
Gowns – @hayleypaigebride, courtesy of @lovellabridal, Glendale CA.
Muse – @josie.santi, host of @theeverygirlpodcast