For designer Amsale (Ahm-sah’-leh) Aberra, it all started with a single wedding dress: her own. Seeking a more modern silhouette for her 1985 nuptials, Ethiopian native Amsale found her options limited. She eschewed the overly ornate—on-trend in that era—and crafted her own pared-down design, elegant in its simplicity and quiet in its impact, featuring a distinct style that was modern and personal at once. Three decades later, her refined and modern aesthetic endures in a variety of collections - and Amsale herself is widely credited as the inventor of the modern wedding dress.

Having been in the wedding industry for 10 years now, I’ve met and collaborated with lot of wedding vendors in the process. In an effort to make your vendor search easier, and in order to lift up other small businesses I love, I’ve highlighted my favorite wedding vendors (aka “friendors”) in this exhaustive list. I have no business agreement with these individuals, just support and love.