“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join Michael and Parker in matrimony.” Yes, you heard that correctly. Following the finale walk down the aisle of Tanner Fletcher’s debut bridal show, the final two models paused in front of an officiant, and a real wedding was suddenly underway.
The couple, dressed in full still-on-the-runway Tanner Fletcher looks, met on Tinder 11 years ago. After exchanging heartfelt vows, a wave of “oohs,” “aahs,” and sniffles rolled through the pews. In that moment, the “Tanner Fletcher’s Wedding Made Me Cry”-branded tissues we received at the door made perfect sense.
The show was appropriately staged in St. Paul’s German Evangelical Church in Chelsea in New York City. Admiring the original stained glass and vaulted wooden ceilings, a guest next to me pondered how one books a church for a fashion show. Turns out, actually getting married does the trick!
Beyond the surprise nuptials—and a live choir that capped off the ceremony with a rendition of “Going to the Chapel”—the brand’s community was clearly present. Multiple real-life couples walked, and model Faith Vaughn, who you might not recognize without her Woe makeup from Severance, also made a runway appearance.
The collection presented a refreshing and well-tailored break to the standard swaths of white fabric that usually define bridal fashion. Created by CFDA darlings Tanner Richie and Fletcher Kasell, the brand dealt a delicate touch to each of its designs. Genderless at its core, every look could be paired with another cohesively, no matter which way you shuffled the collection.
No gown felt too constrained. Silky boho and Victorian brides beamed with smiles down the aisle as the dresses cascaded around them. The suits were the biggest crowd pleaser; one finely crafted ensemble made entirely of sequin toile elicited another round of audible reactions from the crowd. As emotional as weddings may be, the design duo reminded us that they can also be fun, with a “Hitched” T-shirt paired with high-waisted acid wash jeans and an untucked tux that fell over white boxer shorts.
Tanner Fletcher isn’t the first brand wedding to take place this year. In January, during Milan Men’s Fashion Week, Jordan Bowen and Luca Marchetto of the brand JordanLuca also surprised guests with runway nuptials. They say in fashion that three makes a trend. I wonder what romantic surprise designers are planning next.
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