Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Bridal Style Gown

If you’re a bride on a budget, looking for a second wedding dress option (an increasingly fashionable thing to do, ‘specially after Kate went with two), or looking for a smart destination wedding gown, you could do a lot worse than Coast – they have lots of v. pretty options.  Some of the dresses left me a little ‘meh’, but there are a few dazzlers there too, and for gowns ranging from £295 to £550, they’re worth a look.












One of the major fashion events on the bridal industry calender is the Barcelona Bridal Week, which was in mid May.  And my goodness, there were some absolute stunners of dresses parading down the catwalks.  I’ve put together some of my favourites from a few of the collections below – all images are copyright BARCELONA BRIDAL WEEK.




I discovered The Outnet a couple of days ago, and have been drooling my way through the delectable designer clothing and accessories ever since.  The Outnet is part of Net-a-Porter (yum), only everything is hugely discounted – up to 70% off loads of things.   Now here’s the thing – they’ve got an extra 30% on top of the regular discounts for this weekend only (it finishes at 10am BST on Monday), so if you want some heart-stopping bargains (like the beautiful Alexander McQueen gown at the bottom left…), you know where to go.






Beautiful blue wedding

Are you ready for my favorite color combo? Sure, it's a little different and not your average wedding color - but these two colors together totally rock! I have seen these colors matched up before but, when I saw this gown from Bonny Bridal (style 6123) I was in love! What a gorgeous gown!







This dress is from the Crown Collection but, with it's little sweep train would be perfect for an outdoor wedding! I could even picture this dress in a tropical location - matching the ocean color! Just thinking about how beautiful this would be makes me want to fly off to an out of the way destination wedding!







The Ritzy Rose came up with this gorgeous brooch bouquet, Tutu cute flowergirl dresses, Handmade clutch for your bridesmaids, Crown Collection Gown, Carrie's Cakes has some awesome wedding cakes and if you are in Sandy, Utah you should check her out, this Save The Date Card does have a matching wedding invitation, my favorite handmade tie maker Me And Matilda has this adorable necktie and the paper place cards are certainly one of a kind!

red glamour wedding

Maybe you are not a traditional bride....maybe you want a different dress....maybe you don't want traditional favors at your wedding....maybe you don't want a church wedding....maybe you want to be off the grid when saying your vows....I say big whoopie if people don't like what YOU and your significant other find meaningful!














flower red wedding








I am seeing RED! Not, a mad red...a stunning bridal red! This dress is from Bonny Bridal from the Classic Collection. It is style number 905. 







What made me think about this dress was seeing the Red Ranunculus Flower Clips from Etsy seller HustlenBustle - Set of 3 flowers for $24.00














before signing off for the night, I wanted to remind my readers about the Bridal Gown Giveaway over on Bonny Bridal Blog! I totally meant to mention this over the weekend but the time slipped away from me! You only have 2 more days to enter! I would love to have one of my blog readers win a free wedding gown! I blogged about this in the beginning of the month and I picked out some of my favorites from the Bonny Collection:





Found a new dress I love! There is something about a halter neckline that I love, but that wasn't what caught my eye about this dress. The color combination is what I really, really love! The cafe colored band is so warm! It would blend well with a Mocha color...the price isn't bad either! Price at under $400 - this dress, style 045 from the Bonny Collection, is my dress of the day!!!




I just saw this on Bonny's Facebook page and was thrilled to be able to share it with you all! If you are not familiar with Bonny, grab some coffee and sit down awhile! Bonny has been in business for over 25 years! They are sold in bridal salons nationwide (and international too!) Their gowns are very well made: embellishments are sewn on (not glued!), the embroidery work is awesome (clean and tight...no loose threads). They have several different lines of dresses but the bridal lines are Essence (a little couture and edgy), Bonny (the line that started it all) Bliss (a line for the modest/conservative bride) and Unforgettable (their stylish plus size line).

I have had occasions in the past where I have worked with the girls in the office (when I had my own bridal salon I carried their line of dresses) and more recently when they helped get me into the Fall Bridal Market in Las Vegas (as their guest).


black & white wedding

It should be no surprise my favorite color for weddings is pink but, running a close second is black and white. In fact, I did use all three of those colors in my own wedding! I have also blogged about a Black and White Affair before. In that post, I highlighted also one of my favorite flowers - anemones! Actually, these delicate little blooms have been making quite a splash in weddings and I am happy about that. I think they are quite stunning!






The dress is style 8910 from the Essence Couture Bridal Collection. The gorgeous black and white anemones are SUGAR ANEMONES! Oh yes, you read that right!! From Etsy seller, sweetpetalbakery, you can get 8 of these amazing anemones to use on your cake for $31.00. You must check out her store - it's amazing!!!









Not sure how I missed posting about this in my Giveaways That Might Interest You post because what would interest someone more than a FREE WEDDING GOWN?! This is actually the 3rd wedding gown Bonny has given away! Pretty cool. This giveaway is for a modest, conservative gown from the Bliss line of dresses. My favorite dress has a pretty orange sash:












And, while we are on the topic of Orange...one of my favorite wedding colors - especially for Fall....check out this post I did called Orange You Glad You Stopped By


So, here is a link to the giveaway on Bonny's Blog! Good luck to all my readers and make sure you let me know if you are the winner!!


 

WEDDING STYLES CUTE GOWN

Today, I want to showcase a designer that I love: Ian Stuart. This British designer describes his bridal line as "quirky and theatrical". I think his bridal line is luxurious and stylish! There is always something different, always gorgeous fabrics, his style is definitely unique and usually you can find beautiful colors, that other designers shy away from. That is probably why I like his line so much! I've blogged about him before (here and here), discussing his amazing red gown that started the trend. This gown came out about 8 or 9 years ago but you wouldn't know it - it set the trend for colored wedding gowns and pick-up skirts, which are still popular with today's bride.




You will find his gowns available in just a few, select stores in the US, which is a shame! It would be nice to see him gain a more popular following here! He has won numerous awards in the UK, including designer of the year an amazing 5 times! 

I remembered this past Spring I was gravitating towards this color palette and highlighted a wedding gown I was in love with - style 021 from the Bonny Classic Collection in my post called The Color Purple.

 


I absolutely love wedding gowns with color! I remembered the soft little, delicate flowers on the bodice of this wedding gown and I thought how easy this could tie into a dessert table with either cupcakes, petit fours or even small, mini cakes!
 


 


Purple and green also make a gorgeous bouquet combo! Here are 10 of my favorite wedding flowers in purple: Hydrangea, larkspur, delphinium, lisianthus, lilac, hyacinth, fresh lavender, anemone (these are my favorite flowers in black and white too!), veronica and campanula!
 


 




 

THE WINTER WEDDING

Winter is almost here. Holiday and post New Year weddings can be incredibly festive and magical. Yes, the back drop of snow and raw climate can be challenging; working it you can create a haute chic look all your own.
A few weeks back I caught an episode of Bridezilla where the featured bride, marrying in the dead of winter, wore a baseball jacket over her gown to get to the ceremony. I thought about all those brides in sub zero climates like upstate New York and Minnesota. If you're one of these ladies you’re going to have to cover your arms, and, I hope not with a baseball jacket. The point is to stay warm and cozy as well as ultra-chic getting to and from the ceremony. And God knows, you might be caught having to stand around in the cold. Be prepared.





There’s a reason for structured, heavy fabrics like brocade, velvet and heavier peau de soie: warmth and insulation from the cold. If expertly lined, thicker fabrics will keep the chill off especially if you’re going sleeveless. Sleeveless brides in winter climates can add a shrug or bolero in the same fiber. A matching cape is ideal—they’re roomy and unlike close fitting coats they won’t squish your dress. Don’t want to match the dress exactly? Velvet, cashmere, wool, heavy brocades all make lovely capes. If your gown is heavyweight fabric or has lots of volume (volume translates into warmth) you can even go for a shorter caplet.



Wraps and stoles are great for bare-armed brides. They may look skimpy and I thought so myself till my mother made me one to go out one New Year’s Eve. It was white velvet, lined inside with batting (stuff you put in quilts). I was incredibly warm all night.
Add opera length gloves if you’re going sleeveless with a wrap. Long gloves can be great substitutes for sleeves due to the insulation factor they provide. As for fur, for stoles, jackets and capes, faux is chic now. It’s also surprisingly warm too. Add a muff (maybe instead of a bouquet) and your hands stay toasty.



THE RETURN OF THE BEAUTIFUL SLEEVE


So why are brides going crazy as of late baring their arms like never before? I have a theory. Until lately, bridal fashion was a very restricted zone. With so many rules to follow, modesty was the most paramount. Covering one's self up as much as possible was de riguer, a throwback to 19th century propriety when brides symbolized purity and virginity. Fast forward to the 21st century and brides are celebrating a fashion liberation. Finally it's okay to be a bride and sexy, baring not only arms but decolletage and back as well as showing off some leg. 
Besides looking beautiful, the right sleeves can add bodice appeal as well as keep your skirt or sloping shoulders in proportion. Although not foremost, keeping arms warm could be another option for wearing sleeves. Once upon a time etiquette dictated the length sleeve you could wear during winter months or time of day you got married. Fortunately these restrictions were lifted long ago. Nowadays, you can go for long sleeves in summer, short caps in winter if that’s your desire. Be realistic though. Just make sure you have a decent wrap or stole in New York for your December wedding. As for long sleeves next July in Palm Springs, go for them. Ever since Vera Wang popularized the detachable sleeve that ties and unties from your gown’s bodice, brides still opt for them. 
The ever youthful and charming puffed sleeve. This version of balloned tulle by Christos is attached to an ivory 







When choosing a sleeve, think of them in terms having their very own silhouette within the outline of your gown as a whole. The sleeves below are a fine example: 3/4 legnth Chantilly lace.
 

Monday, November 21, 2011

my dream wedding

my dream wedding, though its still far far far far away not near future but definitely i know what i want. outdoorsy between garden or beach. lily's purple and white and blue and pink :3 :3