SAY YES to Monte Durham: A Quick Q&A with One of the Stars from “Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta”

A few years ago, one of our VERY best friends in the wedding industry, Lou Stevens, with Lou Stevens Glam Squad, held an event here in our Hallowed Halls for all of her clients. One of the amazing items on that fun-packed night was for her clients to meet Monte Durham! Needless to say, it was a fun night. See a few of the amazing pictures from the night below.

It didn’t take long for Monte to become all of our friends. He is a very personable and funny guy that we have grown to love very much not only for his fantastic sense of humor, but for his kind heart and his incredible insight into the wedding fashion industry. You can catch his show, Say Yes To the Dress: Atlanta over on the TLC Network.

(photo credit: Mike Topham)

How excited were we when Monte agreed to answer a few questions from our team spearheaded by our two incredible interns, Emily and Emily. They also had the chance to see Monte too, we swear!! See the incredible, truthful and not-photoshopped-at-all picture below, as well as our Q&A with Monte!!

Now let’s get into the questions that Monte so graciously answered for us:

We have heard through the grapevine that you have a love for everything “Jackie O.”. What is your favorite Jackie Dress and are there any similarities to current wedding dress styles?

You heard right that I am a huge fan of Jacqueline Kennedy. One of my favorite dresses, well, it is a suit that she wore to Paris of jonquil yellow with a matching hat. It is still an all-time favorite of mine today. I am seeing more and more color on the streets and two-piece suiting simple a-line fits and bold colors so I am going to say JACKIE style lives on.

With all the recent celebrity weddings in 2018, have you seen any trends from those weddings that you particularly liked?

With the latest Royal wedding, we have seen simple, understated, and beautiful gowns with a bit more relaxed style in hair and makeup. From Meaghan’s stunning simple fit and flair to Princess Eugenia’s ballgown. Simple, clean, and understated seems to be the trend to a fit and flair or a ball gown.

Do you prefer when brides have a vision for the dress they want already or do you like being able to present different options to them?

Most brides have a vision of how they want to look on their wedding day. It’s easiest to work with a bride that has a vision but understands gowns may look a bit different on the pages of a magazine or on the Internet than in person.

During the process of trying on wedding dresses, how often are family members/friends overly picky with or create a conflict over what dress the bride chooses.

Let’s face it, everyone wants to be the one that says “I found your wedding dress” or “I picked the perfect wedding dress for you.” It is not unusual for family members or good friends to feel they have a voice in your choice. Stay true to your style and yourself. So you can say Yes to your dress.

How would you like to see some of the vintage couture styles incorporated in wedding dress fashion today?

Vintage styles are making a big comeback. We’re seeing coverage such as higher neckline’s, sleeves,  softer skirting longer trains, and less embellishment all coming back into style for wedding gowns. There are even a few lucky brides who are able to wear a gown that has been passed down through generations, now that is truly vintage.

What trends have you noticed are coming back and what trends are dying out and vice versa (past trends you’d like to see come back?

What was old is now new again in bridal trends. Buttons and bows, longer veils, and coverage are all making a comeback. Trends I’m looking forward to seeing: return to a more formal wedding. Understated, sophisticated, elegant and of course very “Jackie.” 

Thanks go out to our friend Monte for spending a few moments with us to answer our questions. We know that Monte, being a hugely popular television star, is always super busy. So it thrills us even more that he took time out of his busy filming schedule to help us with our blog. We would also like to thank Lou Stevens of Lou Stevens Glam Squad for giving us the opportunity to meet and become friends with such an amazing wedding professional! We would love to hear what you think about Monte’s answers, and you know he’s going to be reading this! So, don’t be afraid to leave a comment(:

If you have any questions for us or would like to think about planning an event after you SAY YES TO THE DRESS, just click the Contact Us link on this page.

Emily Hastings is a senior at VCU majoring in Public Relations and is currently working at The Renaissance as a Marketing/Events Intern. The Renaissance is an all-inclusive wedding, event, and banquet venue.

Emily Loxtercamp is a junior at VCU majoring in Public Relations. She is currently working at The Renaissance as an Intern specializing in Marketing/Events. The Renaissance is an all-inclusive wedding, event, and banquet venue.