HI Brides

A Rainbow Sherbet Showstopper in Marbella

By HI TeamDec 18, 2025

The most fabulous water-nymph bride in 1996 Jean-Louis Scherrer. // Photos: @kuenzli.photography & @paeulini

Sometimes at Happy Isles, a dress comes in that's so special, so unique, we can't wait to meet who she's meant for. This candy colored confection from Jean-Louis Scherrer's Spring 1996 collection was one such gown. Imagine our delight when Eliza Chance walked in and not only fell in love with the gown, but decided to wear it down the aisle.

Eliza and Taylor's sunny and colorful wedding in Marbella was the perfect embodiment of these two collaborators in love and life. Stay tuned for a lil' twist at the end... 💛

Colorful, ethereal, and cool.

Tell us about your wedding day and the surrounding events! Where did it all go down? Did you have any particular inspiration or musts when choosing the location?

Taylor and I went into the wedding planning process with zero ideas or expectations. We own a production design and fabrication studio in Atlanta, so we are both particularly visual people who understand that the environment truly sets the mood. We looked at locations in the states and abroad. We could have gone in any direction. But when I found that Jean-Louis Scherrer dress, everything started falling into place.

I knew the environment had to bend to the dress. It needed to feel ethereal and old. But also colorful and fresh. My mother's travel agent turned wedding planner, Sonya Cashner, pitched the Villa del Mar at the Marbella Club. Neither of us had ever been to Marbella, but the venue screamed Old Hollywood. It matched the dress! So we committed, sight unseen!

The Marbella Club Hotel offered an old school ambience with plenty of color.

We're obsessed with Eliza's powder blue getting ready look too!

How did you and your partner meet? What was the proposal like?

Taylor and I met in the film industry. We started out as coworkers and did a lot of trauma bonding on sets. During COVID, we started a production design and fabrication studio, Magnolia Arthouse, with some other friends. It was through that process that we began to fall in love. But it is a love built on deep friendship and respect. We are married now, yes. But we own a business together, and we work together every single day. It takes patience and trust to be so close all the time. I cannot imagine doing anything differently.

The proposal would have been a surprise if he hadn't recommended I wear a white dress the night before. I never wear white - literally not even on my wedding day! So I knew.

And it rained. And I sent him the picture of Alice and Noah from the Notebook kissing in the rain, just so he knew it was okay. It was perfect and cold. I regret wearing the white dress, but I don't regret anything else.

We love a laidback and lovely bride!

Deep breaths!

Describe your Happy Isles dress and/or dresses! When did you know it was the one?

I tried on the Jean-Louis Scherrer dress just for fun. I'd been all over New York City, tried on countless beautiful gowns. And none of them felt right. Our trip to Happy Isles was actually unplanned. Madison Boniface (who was an HI Stylist at the time) is a friend of a friend, and she squeezed us in at the last minute.

I knew I loved the dress when I tried it on. But it wasn't until we were sitting in a little bodega in Times Square that I knew it was the one. I was looking at the pictures and videos my friends took of me in the dress, and the joy on my face was evident.

I started picturing what Taylor would think when I walked down the aisle in this dress that is literally the colors of my soul, and I just broke down crying. I called my mom and asked if she thought my dad would have a cow seeing me in a rainbow dress on my wedding day - she was pretty chill. So we got the dress and shipped her to Atlanta for alterations.

Eliza's gown on the runway for the Spring 1996 Jean-Louis Scherrer Show. // The Fashion Model Directory

Eliza radiating colorful energy inside and out.

What did your partner wear down the aisle, and did you share outfit pics before the big day?

Taylor wore a linen suit. I'm not certain where it came from (his prerogative), but we accessorized his outfit and mine with a boutonniere and jewelry from Isshi. I got all my wedding jewelry and accessories from Isshi. Rolly Robinson was a joy to work with.

The playful and inventive nature of the pieces fit perfectly into our aesthetic. My grandmother has always called me a water-nymph. Isshi is a water-nymph, jellyfish, aquatic to the core.

A look at the eclectic accessories from Isshi.

How did your guests respond to your outfit/s? Were there any standout reactions?

I really encouraged (read: forced) the wedding party to shop vintage and second-hand. It was important to me that their outfits were sustainable and meaningful. As for the rest of the guests, I suggested a beige, warm, yellow-y color palette.

I think that might have tipped some people off to my (surprise!) not white dress. But my favorite reveal was with my dad and two brothers. Seeing them see me, exactly as I feel on the inside, and that knowing. That was the very best feeling in the whole world.

A sweet mother daughter moment before Eliza walked down the aisle.

Is your screen getting blurry? Mine too...

Where did you shop for accessories, and how did you style your look/s? Give us the deets!

As I've mentioned, I shopped Isshi exclusively for all of my accessories. I had help from a costume designer, Danny Santiago, to source the rest of my looks. They came from his warehouse in Miami.

It was important to me that the looks were unique and ideally vintage. I didn't want to play the "keeping up with the Joneses" game in terms of wedding attire. I wanted everything to feel one of a kind without an exorbitant price tag or big-name brand attached.

I literally cannot imagine a world where I had gone with a dress from any other designer or place. That Jean-Louis Scherrer dress was the embodiment of everything I had ever hoped and dreamed.

The colors of Eliza's gown informed everything from the venue to the florals.

What was the most memorable aspect of your dress shopping experience? Is there anything you would like to highlight or share with other brides considering an appointment at Happy Isles?

The most memorable aspect of my dress shopping experience was seeing my friends' reactions. And even the reactions of the associates in the store. They told me they had been hoping someone would wear this dress at their wedding, and I guess that was me!

My advice to brides wanting to shop vintage or second-hand - follow your heart. Don't buy into any idea of what your day is supposed to feel like or look like. Frame it to suit you. Even if you don't think you want vintage, shop vintage first! There is a much wider range of styles to choose from, and they are all unique and meaningful.

Just in general, when planning a wedding, start with the dress. That is the most personal decision you will make, and it has the power to inform the rest of your very special day.

Eliza looked for a dress that was unique and meaningful - so of course, she went vintage!

Perfection!

Okay. Your HI wedding dress is a person. What is their name, and describe their perfect date!

If my Happy Isles dress were a person, it would be me. And my perfect date would be sitting on a rooftop in the sun, drinking a glass of crisp Sancerre and talking about conspiracies and the universe and orange cats. Listening to Beach House and stealing tispy kisses.

Honorable accessories mention to Taylor's boutonniere - also by Isshi.

Getting serious for a second. Did you ever feel like you were breaking the mold or challenging expectations while wedding planning? What were some ways you stayed true to yourself during what can be an emotionally complex experience?

I felt like every decision I made could be directly attributed to the Happy Isles dress. No lie. That's why I say start with the dress, start with vintage. It paved the road for me to make choices that truly felt like my own.

I really did not have any expectations for the actual events. I didn't care about the flowers or the food. It was all about creating a vibe. Feeling free. Having fun! We succeeded.

Eliza might not have cared much about the flowers and food - but they turned out fabulous!

They say every wedding has a “wild card” moment. Did anything unexpected happen or surprise you during planning or on the day of?

Our wild card moment was 100% me tackling Taylor on the dance floor. Knocking him right out of his Birkenstocks. (Yes, you read that right. My husband wore Birkenstocks.)

I asked a friend to help us learn one super cool move for our first dance. She pitched a flip. Literally, he flipped me upside-down. And I was so excited that we nailed it, I jumped on him and knocked him to the ground. It was awesome.

Gorgeous.

The greenery of Villa del Mar really made the gown pop.

HOT TAKES: Do you have any wedding planning or dress shopping advice? Please pay it forward to our future brides!

Forget everything you think you know. Forget your Pinterest board. Follow your heart. Don't make rash decisions. Take videos and pictures of yourself in each gown, and when you get home later, look back through them. Notice your face. Does that dress spark joy? If you're not beaming in every single picture, you don't have the right one.

And for the love of GOD, shop vintage. Not only is there no waiting time, but it will also become a piece that you will cherish forever and ever. They just don't make clothes like they used to. (Editor's note: No lie!)

Eliza and her lovely bridal party.

If you had to choose your single best wedding day memory, what would it be?

My best wedding day memory was the dance floor. I mean, all weddings have dance floors. But ours was lit. We played everything from classic rock to Pop Smoke. People were jumping in the pool and then back onto the dance floor. It was messy, and it was awesome.

Cheers to the newlyweds!

Now that the wedding chapter has come to a close, what are some dreams you have for your future, both personally and as a couple?

Well, our wedding chapter ended sooner than we expected. I thought we'd get to live in the newlywed phase for a bit longer, but surprise - we are pregnant!

A honeymoon baby. She wasn't part of the plan, but I so look forward to this new adventure.