As she prepared for her July wedding to now-husband Lance Roberts, Paige Honoré thought that trying on her mother’s old wedding dress would result in nothing more than a few laughs and a fun memory with her mom, Adrienne Honoré. But even after choosing her own, more modern gown, Paige couldn’t get the thought of those 1970s sleeves, high-neck bodice and pearl beading out of her head.

So in a collaboration between generations of age and style, Paige and Adrienne worked in secret to reinvent the gown into a cocktail dress suitable for Paige’s upcoming engagement party. The shorter length and nipped-in sleeves were a hit among friends and family when Paige finally debuted the new look, glad to have found a way to keep both her personal style and her family history alive.

“I got the best of both worlds,” she says.

Now that both dresses are tucked safely away, Paige doesn’t worry about future brides in her family debating about wearing or upgrading them. More important than succumbing to tradition, she says, is being confident and wearing whatever makes each person happiest.

For more details about Paige’s wedding inspiration, check out “Love and lace” in our January issue, available on newsstands now.