A bride wore a gold wedding dress with a plunging neckline that was covered in head-to-toe sparkles
Karen Lima bought her wedding dress without trying it on first. Juliana Kneipp
Karen Lima and Robson Costa got married in 2018 after being together for 10 years.
Before setting a wedding date, Lima saw her dream wedding dress on Pinterest: a gold Kyha Studios gown covered in head-to-toe sparkles.
She spent months tracking down the dress, and she ordered it without ever trying it on or looking at any other gowns.
Lima wore the sparkly gown to her ceremony, and she changed into a minimalistic white dress for her reception.
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Karen Lima and Robson Costa met in 2008.
The couple have been together for 12 years. Karen Lima
"We met almost 12 years ago in a club in Malaysia," Lima, 32, told Insider.
They've been together ever since and got engaged six years after they met.
Lima and Costa got married in 2018.
They got married in 2018. Karen Lima
"We decided to get married more to celebrate the love," Lima said of why they tied the knot.
"We had been living together. We had the life together," she added. "It was just to have our friends and family to celebrate our union."
They got married in Praia do Rosa-SC, Brazil, surrounded by friends and family.
When it was time to look for a wedding dress, Lima knew exactly what she wanted.
She saw the dress on Pinterest. Kyha Studios
"I didn't go wedding dress hunting," Lima told Insider. "I found a dress on Pinterest, and it was just an editorial picture."
Lima added that the Pinterest photo she found didn't indicate the designer or brand.
The sheer, gold gown was made of tulle and covered in sparkles. A gold belt gave the dress shape, and it featured a low neckline and was backless as well.
"The moment I saw it, I was like, 'Oh my gosh, I want to get married in this dress,'" Lima said.
After months of research, Lima was able to figure out that the dress was designed by Kyha Studios, an Australian bridal brand.
Lima ordered the dress without ever trying it on.
She ordered the dress without trying it on. Juliana Kneipp
Lima ordered the dress from Kyha Studios as soon as she figured out it was the maker of the dress.
"I didn't even try any other wedding dress," Lima said. "My mind was on that one."
The dress cost $5,830 at the time of writing.
Because the dress is sheer, Lima wore a nude slip with it.
She wore a slip with the dress. Juliana Kneipp
The dress can be worn with just nude underwear, but Lima didn't want it to be totally sheer.
The slip allowed the sleeves to be transparent while giving the bodice and skirt an underlay.
Lima paired the dress with gold earrings.
All of her accessories were gold. Juliana Kneipp
The Jewelmer earrings and metallic belt coordinated with the sparkles on Lima's dress.
"I knew I didn't want to wear white," Lima told Insider.
Lima also paired the dress with a long veil.
Khya designed the veil. Juliana Kneipp
She purchased the veil from Khya Studios as well, which brought the total cost of her look to around $6,000.
Omar Ermita did the bride's makeup.
The back of the dress mirrored the front.
The dress was similar in the front and back. Juliana Kneipp
The dress had a V-shaped neckline in the front, and the back dipped low as well.
"The moment I saw it was just magical," Lima said of her dress.
She loved the dress. Juliana Kneipp
"It was just what I wanted," she said. "We were going to get married on the beach, so it just fit perfectly."
Lima and Costa were married at Vida Sol e Mar EcoResort in Brazil.
The couple got married in Brazil in 2018. Juliana Kneipp
Casamenteiras do Rosa planned the wedding, while Juliana Kneipp was the photographer and Rafa Zardo Santana was the videographer.
Lima was emotional when she walked down the aisle.
Lima got teary during the ceremony. Juliana Kneipp
"I think the best part for me was walking down the aisle," Lima said of her ceremony.
"I really took the time to look into everyone's eyes and just see our family and friends that were there for 10 years," she added. "And they just cried so much."
Costa's grandparents brought the rings to the couple during the ceremony.
Costa's grandparents. Juliana Kneipp
Costa's grandparents have been together for over 40 years. Lima and Costa felt it was symbolic for them to deliver the rings during the ceremony.
Costa's grandparents' involvement in the ceremony was meaningful to the couple.
The couple was emotional. Juliana Kneipp
"I couldn't hold myself together," Lima said.
Costa's grandmother also gave a speech at the wedding.
"It was really emotional," Lima added. "It was really meaningful."
Community was a big focus for the couple on their wedding day.
They love their friends and family. Juliana Kneipp
"Everyone was really connected," Lima told Insider of the couple's wedding day.
"We're not religious. We're spiritual and we believe in God, but in a different way," Lima said, adding that their officiant played a big role in creating a sense of community during their ceremony.
"We were all there to celebrate love, and all kinds of love, not just ours," Lima said. "It was magical."
Lima changed into a different dress for the reception.
She changed into an all-white dress. Juliana Kneipp
Lima wanted a more relaxed dress for her reception.
Lima's friend Jot Losa is a designer, and she created a dress that would make it easy for Lima to dance. She gave the gown to Lima as a wedding gift.
Lima's mom really wanted to see her in a white dress, so the second gown was a win-win.
The reception dress had a more sultry design than the ceremony gown.
Lima's second dress had a low back and spaghetti straps. Juliana Kneipp
The dress was made of a silk material that clung to Lima's frame. Like the first dress, it was backless. Spaghetti straps held it up.
Lima took her hair down for the reception and used delicate flowers to pull it into a side sweep.
Even though they were different, Lima felt beautiful in both of her dresses.
Both gowns were comfortable. Juliana Kneipp
A big reason she liked both dresses is that they were comfortable.
She said the ceremony dress was a bit heavier because of the beading, so she was glad to have the sleeker dress to dance in. But she felt at ease in both gowns.
"I think you have to really know what you want because it's so easy to get lost," Lima said of shopping for a wedding dress.
Lima advises brides to take time to picture what they want in their bridal gown. Juliana Kneipp
She said she saw friends try on dozens of dresses, and more options just made them more confused.
"It's better to envision first, and then you go and know what you want," she said.
"Get something that you feel comfortable with — something that's who you are," Lima added.
"We're partners for life," Lima said of her relationship with Costa.
They're a team. Juliana Kneipp
"We're partners for everything," she said. "For the good, for the bad."
"When I'm down, he's the one lifting me up, and the other way around," she added. "We really see our relationship as a team."
Lima and Costa are adding to their team soon, as she's pregnant with their first child.
They're expecting their first child. Karen Lima
"It's a whole new chapter," she said.
The couple now lives in Miami, Florida.
"We're always there for each other," Lima said.
They support each other. Juliana Kneipp
"I think that's what makes a difference in any relationship — when you can add to each other," she said.
You can follow Lima and Costa on Instagram, and you can see more of Kneipp's photography here.
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