Real Weddings: Amanda & Jessica

By Frederick McDavid

Amanda knew she didn’t want a dress; she wanted a tux. But finding one that actually fit was another story. Everything changed when she discovered our Midnight Tuxedo: no compromises necessary!

Tell us about yourselves! (Where do you live, what do you do for work and fun, etc.)

We live in DC but met in Baltimore, where we bonded over the stressful nature of our jobs. I (Amanda) am a news director while Jess is an ER nurse. In any city we inevitably see the worst side; the crime, corruption and trauma. We love our jobs though, and this understanding allows us to lift each other up when it gets hard instead of focusing on the negativity. We have also been lucky enough to find friends and community in these professions who support us. We spend our days hiking, touring breweries and traveling to see friends.

How did you two meet?

Online, doesn’t everyone these days? ;)

What was important to you in planning your wedding day?

We wanted everything to be in one place: the rehearsal dinner, ceremony, reception and lodging. Everyone was traveling, some from out of the country, and we wanted to spend as much time as possible with our family/friends during our wedding weekend.

We also wanted to have the kind of wedding we would like to attend. It’s cliche, but we really just wanted to have fun!

How did you go about choosing what to wear for the wedding day?

I (Amanda) knew inherently that I didn’t want to wear a dress and I did want to wear a tuxedo. We also knew we both wanted to look and feel beautiful, but this turned out to be more difficult than we imagined.

As someone who doesn’t identify as male, not surprisingly, every men’s suit fit wrong. But the suits for women didn’t work either! We discovered there were huge industries for male and female shaped formal wear, but not those who didn’t fit into these boxes. Jess was having amazing moments dress shopping where she felt beautiful and bride-like, but I was distraught. Then we found Kirrin Finch’s tuxedos!

Suddenly it wasn’t a matter of ‘will it look good?’ but instead, ‘oh my god, which color do I want?’

How did you feel when you first saw yourself in your wedding suit?

Beautiful and bridal. And comfortable! It was everything I had been looking for.

Which Kirrin Finch pieces did you wear?

Midnight Tuxedo Suit blazer and pants, with Kirrin Finch tuxedo shirt.

What were some of the most special memories from your wedding day?

So many! Everyone belting out ‘Mr. Brightside,’ and ‘Pink Pony Club’ on the dance floor. Our cake nearly toppling onto us when we went to cut it because it was still frozen. Sitting on the stairs with our wedding party before the ceremony, all of us carefully trying to eat the hors d’ouvres without spilling. Having so much fun during our first dance we completely forgot the steps.

Any advice for other couples planning their wedding?

Plan the wedding YOU want. Don’t compromise too much because you think your guests will hate your decisions. When you plan a wedding that reflects who you really are, the people who love you will love it.