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A bride wore a sparkly gown with a plunging neckline and removable skirt on her wedding day

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Alexa Persico wore a sparkly Pnina Tornai gown to her wedding. Felix Feygin/Fred Marcus Studio
  • Alexa Persico and Frank Cipolla got married nearly 11 years after they met.

  • Persico knew she wanted a dress with a removable skirt before she even started shopping.

  • She fell in love with a Pnina Tornai gown at first sight, as it had the skirt overlay of her dreams, a plunging neckline, and sparkling fabric.

  • Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Alexa Persico and Frank Cipolla have been together for nearly 11 years.

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They met in 2009. Alexa Persico

Persico told Insider she met Cipolla at a Halloween party in 2009, and they have been together ever since.

Cipolla popped the question in August of 2018.

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They got engaged in 2018. Alexa Persico

Cipolla proposed while he and Persico were on vacation in Montauk, New York.

A few months after they got engaged, Persico started shopping for a wedding dress. She had a clear vision of what she wanted her gown to look like.

"I knew I wanted to wear something mermaid style, but with the option of an overlay skirt," she said, as the style could give her two dresses in one.

Persico took her mother and sister, who was her maid of honor, to shop with her in New York City. She didn't have a specific budget in mind for her gown.

Persico fell in love with the first dress she saw at Kleinfeld Bridal.

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It was love at first sight. Alexa Perisco

"As soon we got to Kleinfeld Bridal, I saw the dress and knew that was the one," Persico told Insider.

The 2018 Love by Pnina Tornai dress is almost like two dresses in one thanks to the removable, full skirt.

The gown is covered in sparkles, and it has a plunging neckline with a transparent layer of fabric nestled into the bodice.

The dress has a slim silhouette, but the additional skirt makes it look more like a ball gown.

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The skirt is detachable. Felix Feygin/Fred Marcus Studio

The dress can be worn on its own or with the skirt.

Persico wore the heavy skirt to her ceremony, and she slipped out of it to be more comfortable during her reception.

Persico didn't make any major alterations to the gown, as the original design suited her.

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The dress has a low neckline. Felix Feygin/Fred Marcus Studio

She paired the dress with sparkly shoes and simple jewelry.

The back of the dress scoops low.

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The back mirrors the front, creating a sexy silhouette that works with both the fuller and slimmer skirt.

The dress cost approximately $8,500.

Persico did her own makeup for her wedding.

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She did her own makeup. Felix Feygin/Fred Marcus Studio

Persico is a makeup artist and the founder and CEO of Alexa Persico Cosmetics, a cruelty-free makeup brand.

To create her wedding look, Persico used a bridal-inspired eye-shadow palette from her own cosmetics line.

Amanda Rivera of DryLuxe styled the bride's hair for the day.

Persico also paired the dress with a floor-length veil.

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She wore a veil to the ceremony. Felix Feygin/Fred Marcus Studio

The veil was custom-designed by Pnina Tornai to match Persico's gown.

The dress was exactly what Persico wanted.

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She felt like herself in the dress. Felix Feygin/Fred Marcus Studio

"I felt like a princess, but I also felt like myself," she told Insider of the gown. "That's what I wanted most of all."

Persico and Cipolla got married in September 2020.

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The wedding was postponed. Felix Feygin/Fred Marcus Studio

The couple was originally supposed to get married in July, but they had to push it to September because of the coronavirus.

They were upset the wedding had to be pushed back, but it rained on the July wedding date and was sunny on the postponed day.

"It really felt like that day was meant to be for us," Persico told Insider.

They got married at the Westchester Country Club in New York.

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The couple on their wedding day. Felix Feygin/Fred Marcus Studio

Lifetime Events By Jacqueline planned the wedding at the club in New York.

Felix Feygin and Fred Marcus Studio provided photography services for the day, while Shutter and Sound acted as the videographer.

The reception space was covered with flowers.

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Louis Konstantinos Design provided floral services, and LNJ Tech Services set the mood with lighting.

Persico's favorite moment of the wedding was a surprise fireworks show.

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The groom surprised her. Felix Feygin/Fred Marcus Studio

Cipolla surprised his bride with the fireworks show as a wedding gift.

"I had no idea he did it, and it really was an amazing ending to a perfect day," Persico said.

Persico told Insider she wouldn't change anything about the process of shopping for her wedding dress.

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Finding her dress was easy. Felix Feygin/Fred Marcus Studio

She thinks the process was smooth because she spent time researching what kind of dress would be right for her before she actually shopped.

Persico recommends brides don't bring too many people with them when they shop for a wedding dress.

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Don't shop with too many people. Felix Feygin/Fred Marcus Studio

"I think the biggest mistake a bride can make is having too many people with them while dress shopping because everyone will have a different opinion," she said.

"At the end of the day, you have to wear what is going to make you happy," Persico added.

"I love our history together," Persico said of her relationship with Cipolla.

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They're best friends. Felix Feygin/Fred Marcus Studio

"He is my best friend," she added.

"We have grown so much together from our teenage years into our adult life," she told Insider.

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They've grown together. Felix Feygin/Fred Marcus Studio

"Seeing where we started and where we are now is amazing," she said. "I can't wait to make more memories with him."

You can follow Persico on Instagram.

Read the original article on Insider