Elegant Brides
The dresses from Episode 2 of SYTTD
The time has come: Season 9 of *Say Yes to the Dress Benelux* has begun! This season, we’re once again following brides as they search for the wedding dress that has it all at Koonings. Together with Fred van Leer, bridal fashion queen Ramona Koonings, and our styling team, they’ll experience special, emotional, and sometimes surprising moments during their search for *the* dress.
In each installment of our blog series, we take you behind the scenes and share the brides’ stories, wishes, and final choices.
Madeleine’s wedding dress
Favorite dress: Rosa Clará
Say Yes to the Dress: With Madeleine, nothing has to be “the way it’s supposed to be”
A grand proposal, one wedding, and of course, *the* white dress. That’s how it’s supposed to be… right? Not for Madeleine. And that’s exactly what makes her story so great.
Madeleine met Alex, an American, on Bumble. She had been sitting on the couch in her pajamas for quite some time when he spontaneously asked her out on a date. Oh well, why not? she thought. Thank goodness, because once they were together, it actually felt right right away.
There was never an official proposal. Getting married was just something they talked about more and more often. After a year and a half, that next step just feels like the most natural thing to do. She knows Alex is the one for her. And isn’t that what it’s all about, after all?
Madeleine’s wedding dress
Two Weddings, One Great Love
Madeleine and Alex are off to a great start with not one, but two weddings: one in the Netherlands and one in the U.S. It won’t be a long, stuffy affair—it’ll be all about fun and color.
And her dress? Madeleine has some ideas about that, too. Elegant, slightly fitted, with a corset and lace. Maybe short sleeves. Or maybe she’ll throw the entire bridal rulebook out the window and go with a pantsuit instead.
After undergoing gastric bypass surgery, Madeleine has lost a lot of weight. She openly shares her journey on social media, and it has also influenced what she looks for in a wedding dress. Comfort and feeling truly beautiful are therefore her top priorities.
From clean to princess
Together with stylist Chamilla, Madeleine begins her search at Enzoani. The first dress is simple, elegant, and form-fitting. Then she tries on another one from Enzoani, but this time with a fuller, flowing skirt.
With Lady Bird , the princess vibe really kicks in: a full skirt, off-the-shoulder details, and lots more volume.
That’s all nice. But *the* dress? It’s not there yet.
And if it doesn’t feel right, don’t say yes
Finally, Madeleine tries on a dress by Rosa Clará. Elegant, understated, with a lace top and sleeves. Once again, it’s a completely different Madeleine in the mirror.
But even now, that one feeling is missing.
And so, for once, this fitting doesn’t end with “Yes to the dress.”
After all, why would Madeleine suddenly do something just because “that’s what’s expected”? She knows without a doubt that Alex is the one for her. She wants to feel that exact same certainty when it comes to her wedding look.
So, will it be a dress? A pantsuit? Or maybe that unexpected cape after all—the one her friend is already picturing her in?
To be continued…
Are you in love with this style, too?
Get inspired by these dresses with a similar vibe
Belinda’s Wedding Dress
Belinda’s Wedding Dress
Selected dress: Enzoani Love Collection Fie
Say Yes to the Dress: From Classmates to Spouses
Sometimes love just needs a little more time. In the case of Belinda (48) and Richard, it took about 40 years. They were once classmates in elementary school; next May, they’ll be standing together at the altar. From classmates to spouses—they certainly didn’t see this coming back then.
For Belinda, this will be her second marriage, and that’s exactly why she wants to do things differently this time. She doesn’t want a repeat of the first time, but a dress that reflects who she is now: elegant, chic, beautifully fitted, and preferably a mermaid style. One important requirement: of course, she has to be able to dance in it.
Elegant with a little something extra
Family means everything to Belinda, so today her entourage consists entirely of family. And, of course, they’ve already made up their minds.
Daughter Isabella can picture her mother in a chic princess dress with lace, an open back, and an elegant veil. Stepdaughter Bridget—who also signed Belinda up for *Say Yes to the Dress* —thinks, on the other hand, that a form-fitting dress would suit her perfectly.
Stylist Chamilla gets to find out who’s right.
The first dress by Enzoani Yaylor brings plenty of bridal glamour. Next up are Wona Concept and Pronovias, each with different silhouettes and details. Every single one is elegant, but Belinda is looking for that dress where everything just clicks.
And then there’s one more Enzoani…
This time, everything feels different
Elegant with a little something extra
Family means everything to Belinda, so today her entourage consists entirely of family. And, of course, they’ve already made up their minds.
Daughter Isabella can picture her mother in a chic princess dress with lace, an open back, and an elegant veil. Stepdaughter Bridget—who also signed Belinda up for *Say Yes to the Dress* —thinks, on the other hand, that a form-fitting dress would suit her perfectly.
Stylist Chamilla gets to find out who’s right.
The first dress by Enzoani Taylor brings plenty of bridal glamour. Next up are Wona Concept and Pronovias, featuring a variety of silhouettes and details. Each one is elegant, but Belinda is looking for that dress where everything just clicks.
And then there’s one more Enzoani…
This time, everything feels different
This is the one. Belinda says YES to the dress!
But that wasn’t the best part of the date.
Belinda’s mother, Marina, is now 82 and is overjoyed to be able to experience her daughter’s new love and wedding. She wasn’t a witness at Belinda’s first wedding. This time, Belinda wants to do things differently.
So after she finds her dream dress, she has one more important question. With a special card, she asks her mother to be her maid of honor.
A new love, a new dress, and this time, her mother by her side during one of the most important moments of her life. Some “second times” might just be extra special.
Are you in love with this style, too?
Get inspired by these dresses with a similar vibe
Noor’s Wedding Dress
Dress chosen: Milla Nova Rita
Say Yes to the Dress: Noor knew exactly what she wanted… right?
Noor (25) knows what she likes. In fact, according to her mother, she’s quite picky. So when it comes to her wedding dress, she has a clear vision in her mind: a classic mermaid-style dress with lace, not too revealing, and above all, elegant. Less is more.
She’ll soon be saying “I do” to Donny, with whom she’s been together for 5.5 years now. The two met at a New Year’s Eve party and have been inseparable ever since. Their wedding? It’s going to be fairytale-like and chic, at the beautiful Château St. Gerlach in Valkenburg.
But first, of course, I have to find that one dress…
Noor’s Wedding Dress
Mermaid or princess?
Noor isn’t coming to Koonings alone. Her sister Raziah secretly dreams of a real princess dress for her sister, while her best friend Farah thinks she’d look absolutely stunning in a classic, fitted dress with an off-the-shoulder neckline.
So, plenty of wishes. It’s up to stylist Romy to find *the* dress among them.
The first dress by Elysee is a bit of a surprise right off the bat. Not a mermaid style, but a strapless wedding dress with a gorgeous, full skirt. Exactly the princess look Raziah was hoping for.
Next up is a completely different silhouette. The second dress is also by Enzoani, but this time it’s form-fitting, sleek, and off-the-shoulder. Elegant and timeless—and already a lot closer to the look Noor has in mind.
Nice? Sure. But that real ” this is it” feeling is still a little ways off.
Mermaid or princess?
Noor isn’t coming to Koonings alone. Her sister Raziah secretly dreams of a real princess dress for her sister, while her best friend Farah thinks she’d look absolutely stunning in a classic, fitted dress with an off-the-shoulder neckline.
So, plenty of wishes. It’s up to stylist Romy to find *the* dress among them.
The first dress by Elysee is a bit of a surprise right off the bat. Not a mermaid style, but a strapless wedding dress with a gorgeous, full skirt. Exactly the princess look Raziah had been hoping for.
Next up is a completely different silhouette. The second dress is also by Enzoani, but this time it’s form-fitting, sleek, and off-the-shoulder. Elegant and timeless—and already a lot closer to the look Noor has in mind.
Nice? Sure. But that real ” this is it” feeling is still a little ways off.
And then there’s Milla Nova…
With the third dress, everything suddenly seems to come together. Milla Nova features the fitted silhouette that Noor loves, an elegant off-the-shoulder neckline, and a gorgeous overskirt for that extra touch of bridal magic.
Classic and chic, yet magical at the same time. It’s the perfect fit for Noor and the wedding she envisions.
And the best part? It’s not the lace mermaid dress she thought would be her dream dress beforehand.
So sometimes you just have to dare to look a little beyond the image in your head to find the dress that’s just right.
Noor said YES to the dress!
Soon she’ll be dazzling in her Milla Nova as she walks toward Donny. And honestly… we can already picture it perfectly.
Are you in love with this style, too?
Get inspired by these dresses with a similar vibe
Find your dream dress at Koonings
Have you seen a dress on *Say Yes to the Dress* that stole your heart? Or does the style of one of the brides appeal to you? At Koonings, we’ll take you on a journey into a world full of magic, experience, and personal attention. This is where your fairy tale begins.
Schedule your appointment now and experience for yourself what it feels like to say “yes” to your dress. Because that one magical moment… you won’t want to miss it.