Jessica Mulroney, a Good Morning America contributor, host of the reality show I Do, Redo, and close friend of Meghan Markle, had more than earned her bridal stripes even before debuting her inclusive new collection of nuptial-themed rompers for Smash + Tess, which launches today. She reportedly played a pivotal in planning her friend’s 2018 wedding to Prince Harry at Windsor Castle, and could be seen on the big day helping to wrangle the young children who were part of the bridal party—including her own sons Brian and John, as well as Prince George and Princess Charlotte.
But it was hardly her first go-round with bridal parties. “I’ve probably worn more bridesmaids’ dresses than Katherine Heigl in 27 Dresses!” she wrote in an email to Vanity Fair. As for her experience in the wedding industry, Mulroney said she has been involved “long enough to have worked at a wedding where the groom stood up the bride and the end result was far more explosive than the Sex and the City movie moment (Mr. Big got off light in comparison)!”
In these days of coronavirus and quarantine, brides are confronting a new kind of nuptial obstacle—namely, whether they should go on with their ceremony, even if it needs to happen over Zoom. Asked what Mulroney would tell friends, she said, “My advice is this: How do you want to remember your wedding? Twenty years from now, do you want screenshots of friends and family on a Zoom call? If the answer is yes, then by all means, get married virtually. But if your dream is to be surrounded by your loved ones, then take a breath and realize that one day soon, you will be able to celebrate your love in person and together.” As for what advice she’d give to bridesmaids and groomsmen during this time, Mulroney said, “I’d tell the wedding party to remind the bride that she is healthy, her friends and family are too. She found her person and they aren’t going anywhere. Love is not canceled and she will celebrate that love when the time is right.”
Asked about the inspiration behind her stylish rompers—emblazoned with phrases like “I asked…” and “I said yes!” and designed for same-sex and different-sex weddings—Mulroney wrote, “I simply noticed a gap in the market. I wanted a single line that could celebrate every love story, no matter who shared that love.” To prepare the line, Mulroney said, “I’ve been working on this for months with Smash + Tess, testing out fonts and sayings on friends and family. As for the choice of onesies and rompers goes, I was seeing a lot of bathing suit pics on Instagram of bridal parties and I wondered how many people wished they could showcase their love in a similar way, but would need a bit more comfort.”
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