Manolo for the Brides

When you think of a bride, chances are that you think of a lady in a white dress. The fact is, though, that white is not required at all. Oh, and if you choose not to wear white, ivory isn’t your only other option. Really. No, this is true.

Look, white is great. If that’s what you want to wear I’ll have your back no matter what your matrimonial or sexual history, age, budget, or any other factor you may think is holding you back from your dream.

On the other hand, if you don’t want to wear white, I’ll have your back every bit as much. Maybe you don’t want to because this is your second wedding and you already did that. Maybe you feel uncomfortable because you come from a culture where white is a color of mourning. Or maybe you just think there’s another color you look better in than white. Whatever your reason, you should choose what makes you happy.

You could wear a silver gown and pair it with a dramatic, dark bouquet.
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LOVELOVELOVELOVELOVE! Would *I* wear it if I were getting married all over again? Maybe not — or maybe yesyesyes — but I think that this real bride is too adorable in her itty-bitty blue and pink ruffled wedding dress. What say you?

(Photos by Mike_fleming)

Wedding and bridal accessories featuring hearts abound in stores and online, from the classic measuring spoon favors with hearts for bowls to heart-shaped cake toppers upon heart-shaped cake toppers. Heart-shaped cookies… wedding cakes embellished with rolled fondant hearts… even a surprisingly pretty (from far away) Vivienne Westwood jelly pump featuring a luxurious red heart at the toe.

What you don’t see is a lot of wedding dresses decorated with hearts outside of the Hello Kitty novelty frocks. In fact, I only found four or so, all of which I’m posting here so they can be more easily found in the future.

It’s hearts all the way down on this wedding dress that looks rather like something a kindergartner would give his momma for Valentine’s Day, but I’m willing to guess that the photograph doesn’t do it justice. This is now, to my mind, the kind of wedding dress that improves upon zooming in with the camera, but I could see it looking quite fascinating from a slight distance.

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In some ways, Lukka Sigurdardottir’s wedding cake wedding dress is the best of both worlds. Wedding cake. Wedding dress. White. Princesstastic. Very edible.

My logical mind says she’s just standing behind a huge mound of what looks like a lovely rainbow checkered cake — kudos to the baker! — but my whimsical mind really, really, really wants Sigurdardottir to be mired waist deep in a wedding cake wedding dress that she herself is consuming.

Doesn’t that look tasty? It wouldn’t be at all practical, but so little associated with weddings is, no?

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For this week’s LOVE/HATE, we have an Unrath & Strano wedding dress from the spring/summer 2010 collection. A prairie neck ruffle comes together with what looks to be mother of pearl… the ruffle continues on in sash form to the dropped waist only to be split in two and spat out from under a shiny belt. And the best part: Around the saddlebags, a discarded tube top from the 70s!

The weird thing is that I want to hate it so badly, but there’s a part of me that keeps saying “ON THE RIGHT BRIDE, ON THE RIGHT BRIDE” over and over again like a song stuck in my head. I can picture this wedding dress looking amazing, perhaps on the bride who looks just like the model? Or in just the right venue? It’s as if this frock has hypnotized me into loving it even though everything about it breaks some fashion rule I have for myself.

What say you?

(Photo by Boris Marberg)

Need it even be said? Brides with buns in the oven want beautiful wedding dresses, too. Maternity wedding dresses, however, aren’t always as lovely as they ought to be. Maybe it’s because there isn’t a giant market for frocks that fit around fetuses so there isn’t as much competition among designers and dressmakers. Perhaps there’s even a contingent of people who think pregnant bride shouldn’t flaunt her “delicate condition,” and thus think that maternity wedding dresses should look like muumuus.

To that I say “Whatever, fool.” Maternity wedding dresses should be as lovely and as flattering as standard wedding dresses, which is why I’m loving Maternity Bride by Jessica Iverson Couture. The fit, construction, and quality of the gowns is just as good as those in the regular bridal market. The prices are easy on the wallet, at least as far as wedding dresses go. And amazingly, these maternity wedding dresses are available for rental… the hope being that you won’t need to wear yours twice.

They say: Light chiffon maternity wedding dress with draping, features pearl edged neckline and sleeves. Sweep train. Perfect for brides seeking a little bit of coverage and a hint of modesty.

They say: Pure silk charmeuse scoopneck maternity wedding gown with intricate and luxurious beading across waistline, front and back. Slightly gathered waist, bubble hem.

They say: A sexy, strapless maternity wedding gown with an intricately beaded bust and layered skirt with crisp pleating. Features a sweep train and detachable beaded straps.

They say: Taffeta maternity bridal gown with shirred waistline and v-neck. Corset back. A sophisticated and classically styled maternity wedding gown that looks flattering on every shape and size.

The best part is that these maternity wedding dresses aren’t just for itty-bitty mommas-to-be! Maternity Bride’s standard collection goes up to size XXXL and they can custom create gowns in even larger sizes, so plus size brides with buns in the oven aren’t left wanting.

As always, we wish you and yours a wonderful new year! We expect that 2010 will be a wonderful time for all things wedding, but until all that’s in store reveals itself, here is some lovely silver wedding inspiration to see you into a whole near year. What’s this? Traveling in a roughly clockwise direction, there is a beautiful (though sadly unidentified) silver wedding dress, a Victorian-inspired bolero from Bonzie, a very pretty silver belt from Little White Dresser, delicate lily earrings from Elle Jewelry, wintery wedding invitations from Social Notes, flirty bridesmaids’ dresses from J.Crew, flashy silver lamé pumps from Christian Louboutin, and last but not least, a unique cloth bouquet from Milk Pod Studio. Enjoy!

I’d not heard of her until stumbling across one of her wedding dresses recently, but Stephanie Allin is one of the UK’s foremost award-winning bridal fashion designers. Her designs are British-made, though it’s not impossible to find a Stephanie Allin wedding dress in other countries, and they’re almost all 100% gorgeous. The details are what really draws you in, from heavy lace to sophisticated belts to artful gathers. Here’s a sampling, along with what I like about each.

What I like: The belt! Sashes are all right and bows are okay, but a wide belt with a big belt really tickles my fancy on the right wedding dress. This belted wedding dress is luxurious without being stuffy.

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Wedding dresses are crafted in a variety of fabrics and fabric finishes, with everything from cotton to taffeta being fair game. Yet the last thing most brides-to-be are thinking about when they step into a bridal salon or log on to an online shop like House of Brides is fabric characteristics. Luckily, wedding dress designers and manufacturers make it easy for us all, pairing certain fabrics with certain styles to ensure that everything drapes and flows and rustles like it ought to.

Still, a little knowledge goes a long way when you’re searching for the perfect wedding dress! For example, knowing the difference between a fiber and a finish will ensure that you don’t unintentionally buy a wedding dress made of synthetic fabric when you have your heart set on natural fibers. The finish is what cloth looks and feels like once it’s woven – for example, taffeta can be made of silk or polyester, and it’s worth it to know which one you’re buying.

With that in mind, I’ve put together a short bridal fabric glossary that includes the fibers and finishes you’re most likely to encounter when shopping for your wedding dress and bridesmaids’ dresses.

Batiste
Made of cotton, wool, or polyester, this lightweight fabric is thin and opaque, but not nearly as transparent as organdy.

Charmeuse
A lightweight fabric with a satin weave that is softer and clingier than satin and less voluminous than silk finishes. Charmeuse, which is lustrous on one side and dull on the other, can be made with silk, polyester, or rayon. This is a slinky, slippery fabric.

Chiffon
This lightweight and slightly rough fabric is translucent with a soft drape. Made with either cotton, silk, or synthetic fibers, it is quite delicate and is usually thought of as a summer weight fabric.

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