POPSUGAR: Was this casual look somewhat inspired by what you were supposed to wear on your big day?
Vashtie Kola: The intended look for my big ceremony will eventually be designed by my best friend Raul Lopez of Luar. Our inspiration for that look will honour classic wedding traditions (white dress, etc), yet stay true to my personal style. Having said that, it's nothing like my look for City Hall.
PS: Were the items you wore — the Dickies, Nikes, and t-shirt — items you already had in your closet?:
VK: I already had the unworn Dickies work pants (my something new), purchased a few weeks prior at the workwear supply store Dave's New York. I also already owned the Nike Air Force 1 Sneakers (something old), which were a gift from my husband. The Supreme Hanes t-shirt I shopped for because I'm clumsy and every white tee I own is stained. It seemed appropriate to shop for a fresh white tee. My something borrowed was an earring from my photographer, Edwin Ortiz Jr., and my something blue was a blue mouse toy that belonged to my cat Vladimir who has now passed.
"Your self-expression and identity don't need to get lost on your own wedding day."
PS: Did you have any inspiration photos you used to put together the look?
VK: I was never a girl who dreamed of her wedding for many reasons, but mainly because my style never correlated with the weddings I saw. After my proposal, I realised that I could make my wedding look my own and started with that as inspiration. I asked myself questions like, "How do I want to feel on my wedding day?" or "When do I feel most like myself?" I kept coming to the answer that I wanted to be comfortable in pants, sneakers, and a t-shirt.
I also feel like a lot of young women with a style similar to mine have followed my career and been a part of my journey, so I wanted them to see that you don't need a super expensive dress or a destination wedding to get married. Your self-expression and identity don't need to get lost on your own wedding day. We all get caught up in the "who wore what" or "who went where" and tend to create unrealistic standards of what we think our big life moments should look like. Your wedding day is all about you and your partner — that's it. Do what you want and don't get caught up in what others are doing or what people are expecting from you.