The Custom Gift Your Man Will Love

A couple weeks ago I flew Alicia to New York to do our engagement pictures. Even though she and I have done hundreds of photoshoots together, we both admitted we were a little nervous for these 😅 These photos mark the start of the rest of me & Conner’s life together and I know they’re something we’ll hold on to forever! After some outfit planning, location scouting, and a few mimosas ~ Con, Leash, and I headed out to shoot around the city.

I wanted to do a mix of both casual and formal shots, but definitely knew I wanted a round with Con in a tux because well… 😍

The timing couldn’t have been more ideal when BALANI Custom Clothiers reached out about working together to make Conner a custom tux. He was fitted for this midnight blue tux just in time for our shoots. Balani was founded in Chicago, where they began by serving a small group of dedicated clients. 14 cities and 56 years later, they’ve successfully established themselves as one of the top tailors in the world. Con’s has always had a great eye for style and is super particular about finding pieces that are well suited for his height and build, so I knew he’d love this custom experience.

We met with Brandon, Balani’s NYC custom clothier, to design the details. Conner knew he wanted a midnight blue colored tux with black details, but wasn’t sure about style or fabric options. Brandon guided us through the entire process ~ helping to select the interior, exterior, and every little personalized detail. It was so fun picking out the fabric colors together. BALANI customized the inside of the jacket with Conner A. Hempel and even monogrammed his initials onto the cuffs of his custom-made shirts.

The BALANI team began designing that day, and a few weeks later we went in for a fitting to see the finished product. It fit like a glove and he looked so handsome! The midnight blue fabric we chose looked amazing against the black lapels. It’s amazing how much of a difference a custom piece makes. Not only did it look awesome, but I could tell he felt so comfortable in it.

The Details

The Tuxedo: A one-button, wool and silk blend fabric in midnight blue, with black satin peak lapels.

The Shoes: Magnanni ~ carried by BALANI

The Cufflinks: sterling silver knots by BALANI

My dress: Mac Duggal Tiered Gown

Think your boyfriend/husband would love his own custom suit? I’m partnering with BALANI to offer $250 off your first suit purchase when you book an appointment ~ just mention code: OLIVIA [offer expires 1/30/2020].

Thank you to Balani Custom Clothiers for partnering with me on this post!