Manolo says, hello to the readers of the Manolo for the Brides!

The Manolo would like to announce that he has opened the discussion forum the Manolo for the Brides readers at his new Manolo’s Super Fantastic Forums. Here you may discuss in greater details all of the things about the weddings, and the bridal fashion, and the cakes, and all of the topics mentioned in the Manolo for the Brides Blog.

Click here to be taken to the Manolo for the Brides Super Fantastic Forum.

Manolo says, for the next week the Manolo for the Brides blog will be conducting the survey of the readers for our internet friends at the Coutorture Network. If you would be so kind as to please fill out the survey in the column to the immediate right, the Manolo would be most grateful.

Today’s post is sort of in accordance with my resolution to clear out my inbox. You see, more than a year ago, the fabulous Madelene (aka Gidget Bananas) sent me a link to a post on A Dress A Day that featured a vintage swan-like satin gown with faux feathers and plenty of tulle for sale on Vintage Textile‘s Treasure Hunt page. Of course, the gown has long since been snapped up by some lucky bride or some lucky collector. Who knows?

Anyhow, revisiting Madelene’s long-neglected e-mail inspired me to browse the current Treasure Hunt offerings. There, I found gloves and lots of ‘em. I don’t know about you, but I love gloves. There is something so ladylike and elegant about a nice pair of properly worn kid gloves, long or short. Check out these fabulous French evening gloves in beige:

Of course, if you are planning to wear gloves on your wedding day, you may very well have questions as to the proper usage of such an accessory. Check out Hudson Valley Weddings’ comprehensive glove guide, “Gloves, a Wedding Style-Setter.” Or visit eHow, which, surprisingly, has a shorter basic glove-wearing guide.

STEP 3: Choose the glove length, determined by the number of buttons, based on the type of dress worn. For instance, both the 6-button glove, which ends just below the elbow, and the 8-button glove, which reaches the elbow, look best with a short-sleeved gown; the 16-button glove, also known as the opera-length glove, extends to the upper arm and accents a sleeveless or strapless gown. Forgo gloves when donning a long-sleeved dress, or else wear wrist-length gloves.

STEP 4: Slit the seam of a long glove at the underside of the ring finger to be able to slip your finger out during the ceremonial ring exchange – resew the seam after the wedding. If you opt for shorter wrist-length gloves, you can simply remove the glove and hand it to a bridal attendant.

STEP 5: Slip your now beautifully adorned finger discreetly back in your glove, or if you took off the glove completely, leave it off for the remainder of the ceremony.

Don’t forget, however, to put your glove back on at the end of the ceremony, before photographs are taken, as you don’t want to look back at those pictures and think of Michael Jackson. But always, always, always take your gloves off before eating and drinking, and keep them off while cutting the cake.

If you’re a groom or know a groom, check out The Engaged Groom: You’re Getting Married. Read this Book. I’m reading it right now–it’s awesome so far–and will post a review when I’m done!

And if you’re in New York City or near it (and ready to buy your wedding dress), consider stopping by the the Brides Against Breast Cancer Wedding Gown Sale. On August 17 through 19, brides can ind the gown of their dreams while making wishes come true for terminal breast cancer patients and their families. The sale will feature new and used designer gowns, normally priced up to $15,000, starting at just $250. Proceeds will benefit Making Memories, a foundation dedicated to helping terminally ill breast cancer patients.

But if you’re not in the market for a gown but have a gown to donate or want to help out, the folks at Making Memories are still looking for donations and volunteers! And if you’re not in NYC, note that the sale will be moving through Chicago, Washington, DC, Philly, and more later in the year.

Finally, if you love weird nuptials as much as I do, check out Andrea E. Hoag’s wacky wedding piece on Canadian Bride. This collection of cringe-worthy wedding tales is sure to captivate.

I’ve noticed lately that the gulf that divides wedding dresses and bridesmaid dresses is slowly coming together. The once clunky, never-to-be-worn again bridesmaid dress is becoming classier, slinkier, and, quite often, longer and more formal. And while the typically poufy, princessy wedding dress still dominates the matrimonial scene, there are plenty of less ornate offerings on the market.

In my frequent perusals of various sorts of eveningwear (which I have no occasion to wear but love to ooh and ahh over anyhow), I often check the manufacturer’s or designer’s color chart to see of a particular gown is available in white or ivory or cream. Lately, I’ve seen a range of bridesmaid dresses that could make fine wedding dresses, come in some shade of white, and are furthermore half or one third the price of your average wedding gown.

Can I get a collective “Whoopee!” from classy yet thrifty future brides? For those wondering, the above picture is of a Priscilla of Boston strapless satin bridesmaid gown with button-up back and banded trim in orchid. Here, for your consideration, is the same dress in vanilla:

From bridesmaid to bride in one easy click!

A friend of mine was recently kind enough to give me her sewing machine. Now, I haven’t used one since I was about seven years old and that was just to sew a long patchwork tube which I fashioned into a giant stuffed snake. I do want to learn to make clothing but haven’t even turned the thing on. For the bride-to-be who happens to be an experienced sewer, however, having a sewing machine can mean walking down the aisle in exactly the dress you want. Because when you’re sewing it yourself, you can do just about anything as far as embellishments and such are concerned.

Reader Phyllis (who I’ve gathered is a highly accomplished seamstress) sent me a link to a number of highly attractive bridal gown patterns from the Italian pattern company Marfy. But, while these patterns are lovely, she warns that only advanced sewers should attempt them because they come with no instructions and the pattern pieces are not marked. They are fun to look at, though!

According to the description, this pattern creates a dress with “a corset made of rounded oblique cuts at the neckline and bottom. Shoulders have a sash gathered with an elastic and, at the back, the V-shaped top closes with a string. The slightly flared skirt is enhanced by draping at the back and over-draped train.” I think this one is my favorite, but I do love the corset tops.

This pattern, which is actually for a princess gown with a matching riding coat, gives the bride best of both worlds. An awesome choice for the woman who may have to move between AC and summer heat or heated rooms and wintery chills.

I’m not sure if this pattern is for a bridal coat or simply a dress styled like a coat. But it has a rather neat early 1900s feel to it – especially those sleeves – that I really dig.

I think the coolest thing about these patterns is that you can re-use them to make formalwear using other fabrics and colors. Truly thrifty. Phyllis also recommended EvaDress, which has some super vintage patterns.

If you’re more adventurous than I am, you can also check out books like Bridal Gowns: How to Make the Wedding Dress of Your Dreams and Bridal Couture: Fine Sewing Techniques for Wedding Gowns and Evening Wear which offer techniques and tips for those daring enough to sew their own dress.

Good luck!

Reader A Student suggested I talk a bit about which of the many lovely and brilliant gowns at this year’s Oscars might make good wedding gowns. Looking over various photos of the event, it occurred to me that since shades of white are popular this year, quite a few of the gowns were already wedding ready. Of course, most were either strapless, sausage-casing tight, or low cut, so the aforementioned weddings would have to be of the less religious variety. Anyway, here is a selection of gowns that I think would easily fit right into a nuptial setting:

Jennifer Garner in Michael Kors

Reese Witherspoon in vintage Christian Dior

Nicole Kidman in strapless Balenciaga

Diane Krueger in an Elie Saab strapless gown

Now there was one more actress who brides-to-be might want to look toward for advice when choosing their gowns…except, in this instance, as a shining example of what not to do. Yes, it’s Givenchy. But I don’t care who designed it. Naomi Watts looks like she’s wearing what I’d end up with if I tried to sew my own gown. Ladies, let this be a warning to you: