From Aisle to Arena: Natalie Zvanya Turns her Wedding Dress into a Show Shirt
Q: First, tell us about your wedding dress & the big day!
A: My dress we bought at Lovely Bridal in Philly and it’s Lovers Society Tate. I actually (similar to many brides) went in with a totally different vision than what I originally wanted. I was looking for more A line and classic old Hollywood. This is the absolute opposite. When we walked into Lovely, I was shocked by how much I loved the boho style. I tried on ten, loved them all but my brother gave this one a two thumbs up so I knew this was the one. If anyone has a brutally honest sibling, you know that their opinion is real. This one was so elegant and beautiful. Our wedding took place at Alturia Farm in central Virginia on Nov 15, 2020. We had the most magical day and couldn’t be more perfect.
What inspired you to turn part of your dress into a piece of show clothing?
I got the itch literally the following week and everyone was like no don’t do it! And I thought when would I ever wear this again? It’s too stunning to not be used. I had a vision on what I wanted, and I am so fortunate to have an amazing designer to bring it to life. The top part of the dress I made into a horsemanship shirt while the skirt of the dress I made into a showmanship jacket (Not completed!)
Q: Did you do the transformation yourself or did you work with a designer? What was that process like?
I used Fawn Williams in California. Not only is she so talented, but she is also very reasonably priced. She took extreme care of my dress and I know she was nervous to cut it (and dye it ) but she did such an amazing job. I shipped her my dress, and I knew the first outfit I wanted Champagne colored and the showmanship jacket red. The fabric would not dye! It refused to take color which I know made Fawn nervous but after the first try we were like alright let’s just do it and we got such a perfect result. Fawn used every piece of my dress and matched up the patterns so perfectly.
I would encourage getting the designer to fit to you first and make sure you like the fit before sending your dress. I didn’t want to risk it not fitting. Fortunately, the dress was already altered to me so that also helped with the fit.
Q: How did you feel the first time you stepped in the show ring with your shirt?
A: It has no stretch, so mainly I was thinking “How in the world will I wear this if I gain a pound.” But it was exciting because it was so unique. It felt special to have a one-of-a-kind piece.
Q: Any advice you would give to someone looking to save part of their dress for a piece of show clothing?
A: Absolutely do it. I think there are so many ways to use it – from pillows, to appliques to an outfit, to using the whole thing. I would recommend if you’re worried about it being too tight to use in the sleeves or as design accents vs the whole body.
I’ve been with my husband for 15 years (Married coming up on 4), so it was a very special moment for us and a milestone in our lives. We actually met back in 2009 at a Delaware APHA horse show where we both showed our youth paint horses – he lived in Virginia and I in New Jersey. He has since moved on from showing horses onto drag cars, but he is so supportive of me and showing that It felt only fitting to bring that bond with me in the show pen.
Photo Credit on the first two dress images: David & Tiffany Sigmoi (http://davidandtiffanyphotography.com/)
Natalie on her Wedding Day
Natalie's Wedding Dress
Natalie's dress turned into a shirt!
