Wednesday, April 2, 2014

REPOST: A Blushing Bride May Match Her Dress, and Her Guests

With more brides opting not to wear white on their wedding day, the dilemma now is that their chosen hue might end up being worn by one of her guests. This article from The New York Times discusses some of the solutions brides could embrace to ensure that their nonwhite gown would not get lost in the crowd.

Image source: nytimes.com
Everyone knows not to wear white to a wedding so as not to upstage the bride, but what happens if a bride decides to wear pink, yellow or even blue? The answer: added stress for some brides and sartorial confusion for wedding guests.

Chrysten Cloud-Forrest, 31, chose a beige dress in a shade called “cement” for her November 2012 wedding to Matthew Forrest, 34, in Rincón, P.R. She worried about matching her wedding guests, and although she stopped short of issuing a dress code, the bride, an acupuncturist based in Santa Monica, Calif., asked her maid of honor to spread the word to “not wear khaki.”

But one guest didn’t follow the rules, and on her wedding day Mrs. Cloud-Forrest found herself next to a woman in a dress almost the exact shade as her gown.

“It was very embarrassing,” said Mrs. Cloud-Forrest, who also had a battle with her mother over her choice of color. Though her wedding guests had a positive reaction to her nontraditional gown, she said, “who is going to tell a bride they don’t like their dress on their wedding day?”

More brides like Mrs. Cloud-Forrest are choosing to not wear white, a choice that has long been embraced in Hollywood — particularly for second, third (or more) marriages. The actresses Kaley Cuoco and Jessica Biel, who had never married before, both wore pink dresses to their weddings. The singers Avril Lavigne and Tina Turner wore black and green, respectively, for their second marriages. Elizabeth Taylor famously wore a yellow dress to marry Richard Burton in 1964, after donning green to wed Eddie Fisher in 1959. (She did wear white for her first marriage, to Conrad Hilton, in 1950.)

According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, which is for some a long-range planning guide for wedding weather, brides historically wore their best clothes, irrespective of the color, to their wedding. It wasn’t until Queen Victoria chose white for her 1840 wedding to Prince Albert that a white gown became the norm.

Although white wedding gowns once symbolized purity and innocence, that isn’t necessarily the case anymore. “That whole idea that only virginal or first-time brides can wear white went out in the ’60s,” said Lizzie Post, an etiquette author and a spokeswoman for the Emily Post Institute. “Some brides want to look bridal on their wedding day, while others just want to look like themselves,” she said.

David’s Bridal, one of the nation’s largest wedding gown retailers, introduced colored wedding dresses in 2010. Michele von Plato, the senior vice president for design at David’s Bridal, said that sales of colored gowns have doubled every year since then, and that the sector accounts for 4 to 5 percent of all its bridal gown sales.

Brides of all ages and marital statuses are embracing color, Ms. von Plato said. “It comes down to brides wanting to be unique and stand out on their wedding day, and wanting to wear a dress that reflects who they are,” she said.

Terry Hall, the fashion director at Kleinfeld Bridal in New York, said that young first-time brides are driving the trend: “Colored wedding dresses speak to some brides’ personalities. They want to have their Hollywood red-carpet moment.”

In December, David’s Bridal introduced the White by Vera Wang Ebony Collection, featuring all-black gowns. Vera Wang’s own fall 2014 bridal collection includes pinks (petal, rose, coral and peony, according to a spokeswoman), while its spring 2013 line featured shades of red. The current issue of Brides magazine has a spread of colored dresses from Angel Sanchez and Monique Lhuillier.

When a bride chooses a nonwhite dress, it can set the tone for the entire wedding, said Kellee Khalil, the founder of Lover.ly, a wedding website. “The first thing a bride tends to do is book the venue and then pick a dress, and it all trickles down from there,” she said.

If a bride goes for a nontraditional dress, she will often have other nontraditional elements, Ms. Khalil said. “You might see a wedding party where the bride has guys on her side, or there’s a piñata instead of a bouquet toss as a way to get everyone on the dance floor,” she said.

Mrs. Cloud-Forrest in her beige dress, for example, did a dance-off with her mother, and her ceremony was led by a Tibetan Buddhist psychotherapist, she said.

Stella Hernandez, 30, had many quirky touches at her November 2013 wedding to Diego Pinzon, 32, at the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens in Miami. Ms. Hernandez works as a wedding photographer and said she didn’t want to look like every other first-time bride.

“I feel like weddings are so cookie cutter now,” she said.

She chose a rose-gold gown from Bhldn and paired it with a vintage-style birdcage veil, made her own centerpieces out of paper flowers, and built a boutonniere out of bicycle cogs for Mr. Pinzon, who owns a bicycle shop. Mr. Pinzon wore a seersucker jacket and a polka-dot bow tie instead of a traditional tuxedo.

Choosing not to wear white can create complications and raise etiquette questions: Should a bride inform her fiancé, and wedding guests, about her choice of color? Can she create a dress code for her guests? And can the bridesmaids wear white, as Pippa Middleton did?

Keija Minor, the editor in chief of Brides magazine, advised against dressing bridesmaids in white. “I would suggest choosing a complementary color for the bridesmaids, but don’t put them in a color that is brighter than the bride’s gown,” said Ms. Minor, who added that a champagne hue is a safe choice.

Kpoene’ Kofi-Nicklin, the owner of Mignonette Bridal, a bridal salon in Chicago, said that 20 percent of its gown sales in 2013 were a color other than white, with the majority being “pinky blush,” followed by silvery gray, green and blue from designers like Ms. Wang and Elie Saab.

“Just about every girl who didn’t pick a white gown put her bridesmaids in gray,” Mrs. Kofi-Nicklin said. “It just makes the wedding gown pop.”

But if a bride wants to ensure she’s the only one wearing a particular color on the big day, how does she get the word out to her guests? Ms. Post said: “If a bride chooses to wear pink, she can’t dictate what her guests can wear, but she can request it. But what are you going to do, include a swatch of fabric with your wedding invitation? If you’re taking a risk by not wearing a white wedding dress, you have to accept that some people may be wearing the same color as you.”

Ms. Post said that brides can enlist their mother or bridesmaids to spread the word to avoid certain colors, but brides must understand “it’s only a request.”

Yifat Oren, a Los Angeles-based wedding planner who counts the actresses Anne Hathaway and Reese Witherspoon among her clients, said it would be very unusual for a bride to let her guests know the color of her wedding gown ahead of time. (For her second marriage, Ms. Witherspoon wore a blush Monique Lhuillier gown. Ms. Hathaway, who had never been married before, chose a Valentino dress that was hand-painted pink.)

“The color of a wedding dress becomes the talking point,” Ms. Oren said. “The brides who don’t wear white are certainly the women with a strong sense of fashion, and they’re a little daring.” Ms. Oren herself wore a peach-colored gown at her 2006 nuptials, she said.

Ms. Khalil agreed that most brides wouldn’t share details about the dress: “It’s like the big reveal. Why would you give that away?”

But when a bride tells her guests she won’t be wearing white, it can leave people confused about their own dress code.

There is a website to help. Couples can register their upcoming weddings at dressyourguests.com and invite family and friends to post pictures of their outfits to get visual guidance and inspiration.

“It’s a way to avoid the uncomfortable feeling of walking into an event wearing the wrong thing or making the faux pas of showing up in the same dress as someone else,” said Kate Brennan, a New York City stylist and a co-founder of the site. “We’ve all been there.”

Another site, what2wearwhere.com, showcases typical outfits for a variety of weddings, from winter to island themed, and offers shopping advice. Some couples even use Facebook to form private groups for their guests to help them decide what is appropriate to wear.

Such sites might have come in handy for those who attended the wedding of Kait Drace and Ben Van Houten in January.

Ms. Drace, 33, and Mr. Van Houten, 32, married at her parents’ house near San Francisco. She chose a nude, dusty rose dress with flowers on the hem that she bought from ModCloth.com. There were several reasons she didn’t wear white. She had given birth two months earlier and didn’t want to spend a lot of money on a dress that might not have been a perfect fit, and Ms. Drace, a middle-school teacher, said she was never one who dreamed about her wedding dress.

“It just didn’t seem appropriate to stand in my parents’ living room in a big white dress,” she said. “I wanted my dress to represent who I am, and I’m a pony-tail-and-sweatshirt kind of girl.”

But her relaxed attitude led to some confusion about dress codes. She said her parents dressed up for the wedding, but her in-laws did not (her mother-in-law wore a fleecy sweatshirt). “I think the combination of having the wedding at my parents’ house and me not wearing white just confused them,” she said.

For some brides who choose not to wear white, it’s not about being daring or making a fashion statement; they just want to look good. When Missy Carpenter, 31, an education advocate based in Chicago, married Paul Glanville, 32, a mechanical engineer, the 6-foot-tall bride chose a royal blue gown for the August 2013 event. She thought that wearing white would make her look pale. Ms. Carpenter said she didn’t tell her guests she was wearing blue, and wasn’t concerned that a guest might wear the same shade of blue.

“Everyone at my wedding knew who the bride was,” she said, “even if I wasn’t wearing white.”


Brides-to-be who would like to have a great selection of traditional and contemporary gowns to choose from should check out The Bridal Collection Inc.’s showroom at Thousand Oaks, Calif. For a preview of the bridal store’s wide selection, click here.

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

REPOST: Pippa Middleton on her famous royal wedding bridesmaid dress: ‘It fitted a little too well’

NY Daily News got the deets on Pippa Middleton’s famous Alexander McQueen dress that showed off her enviable posterior at the royal wedding of Prince William to her sister Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey in 2011. 

Pippa Middleton has a sense of humor about the bridesmaid dress that made her a star.
She discussed the famous gown she wore as her sister Kate's maid of honor at the 2011 royal wedding while speaking at a London dinner for the group Women in Advertising and Communications Tuesday night, according to E! Online.

Pippa Middleton (center) holds hands with two flower girls as they arrive to attend the Royal Wedding of Prince William to Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey in 2011.
Image Source: nydailynews.com

"As I have found out, recognition has its upside, its downside, and — you may say — its backside," Middleton said, referring to wearing the ivory Alexander McQueen dress at Kate and William's April 2011 nuptials.

The younger Middleton sister, 30, became an instant celebrity after donning the curve-hugging gown, which showed off her posterior to very flattering effect.

Middleton said that while she was "glad it fitted" her at the time of the wedding, she jokingly added that "in retrospect, it fitted a little too well."

According to The Mirror, Middleton was also candid about feeling hurt by the poor sales for her 2012 party planning book "Celebrate," which only sold 18,000 copies.

"She talked about the royal wedding and her career since," a source told The Mirror. "She came across as really grateful for the opportunities but also talked about the pitfalls of her position."


The fitting of the gown is just as vital as finding the perfect wedding dress. The Bridal Collection, Inc. helps customers find the gowns of their dreams that not only suit their preferences and budget but also perfectly complement their bodies. View the company’s fabulous catalog of wedding dresses on this website.

Sunday, February 2, 2014

REPOST: 9 Major Moments Of Prom Dress Inspiration From The Golden Globes

Going to prom this year? It’s never too early to plan. Find inspiration from these stunning, prom-perfect dresses from the 2014 Golden Globes, as compiled by Seventeen.  
Prom isn’t for months, but it’s never too early to start planning your look! Take some inspiration from these stylish stars on the 2014 Golden Globes red carpet. 

Image Source: www.seventeen.com

Taylor Swift's Pink and Black Gown

Taylor proves that hot pink doesn’t have to be crazy girly! The black bodice adds instant edge to an otherwise completely glamorous dress.

Image Source: www.seventeen.com

Emma Watson's T-Shirt Sleeves

You don’t have to go the strapless route to look super hot at prom! Emma’s coral dress has a classic, casual feel that’s totally cool, and the short sleeves show off toned arms without being too revealing. If you’re feeling daring, choose a style with a cool cutout back or high-low hemline and layer pants under your dress like Emma did for a fashion-y twist.

Image Source: www.seventeen.com

Zooey Deschanel's Crop Top and Skirt

Even though it’s winter, crop tops are still having a moment! Zooey’s ensemble demonstrates the perfect way to pull of the trend for prom: pair a boxier crop top with a skirt that’s high-waisted enough to completely cover your midsection, so you don’t have to worry about annoying dress code rules.
View the whole article here.

The Bridal Collection, Inc. is a leading bridal and formal wear boutique in Thousand Oaks, CA that offers a wide collection of prom dresses from top designers. Get more prom dress inspirations from this website.

Sunday, January 5, 2014

REPOST: Beyond the pale: Color, texture popping up as 2014 wedding gown trends

The 2014 brides will be taking more risk as wedding dresses in color and bodices with vivid decorative elements are gaining more sales. Check out this year's trendy styles from this article from Wicked Local.  
Designer Carolina Herrera knows a thing or two about wedding fashion. When asked about one of her gowns, she remarked, “A wedding gown should make a woman feel feminine, elegant and alluring and allow the bride to express her individuality.”
No matter what her personal style is, a bride wants to stand out on her wedding day in a dress that’s suited to her personality, makes her feel comfortable yet beautiful, and makes her not only look great but feel terrific, too.
“Today’s brides run the gamut from those looking for traditional, timeless style to those who are more fashion-forward and want a more cutting-edge look,” said Michele Von Plato, David’s Bridal’s senior vice president of product development and design.
Image Source: www.wickedlocal.com
Color
While traditional is always in, this year’s brides are also taking more risks and stepping out in color, Von Plato said. White and its variations are top sellers, but sales of colored wedding dresses are at about 5 percent, said Von Plato, who is based at David’s Bridal’s corporate office in Conshohocken, Pa.
“Sales have doubled every year since 2010,” she said.
Brides are walking down the aisle in gowns in pinks from blush to shocking, smoke and silver, lilac, buttercup yellow, mint or seafoam green, baby blue and jewel tones.
Not willing to go all the way with color, other brides accent their look with a sash in a hue that coordinates with the bridesmaids’ dresses. One of the newest looks is a “multi-colored embroidery on organza with two-layers of embroidery on the skirt that adds a depth of color,” Von Plato said.
Lace
A huge trend for 2014, lace offers surprising diversity.
“There’s a lace for every customer — from modern to vintage to traditional to color,” Von Plato said. Bringing lace up to the minute are designers who use metallic finishes for an opulent, luxe look, Von Plato said.
Strapless, sweetheart necklines — “the meat and potatoes of necklines,” according to Von Plato -- are a conventional choice for a wedding gown, but the trend toward illusion necklines is surging. Sophisticated yet sexy, illusion necklines can be subtle or eye-catching statements with intricate lace, crystal and other embellishments.
Covering up has caught on since Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, walked down the aisle at Westminster Abbey in long sleeves with intricate lace appliques in 2011. The look “works for many brides of different religions and also those who want to cover up a little bit,” Von Plato said.
Designers have responded with sleeves in all lengths, from teeny caps to fitted points that brush the wrist or top of hand. Bodices with lovely, covered-up backs are also popular with many brides who chose decorative elements such as lace-ups and alluring lines of buttons to add visual interest.

Peplum

Wearable, flattering and en vogue on bridal and fashion runways, peplums provide a little extra tummy coverage for some and add curves for others, Von Plato said. Peplum done in a high-low that is shorter in front then gradually longer in the back is a fun, up-to-date look.

Jackets, which used to be for covering up and keeping warm, are often now wore as accessories, Von Plato said. Boleros, shrugs and wraps can be simple or ornate with beading, fur, sequins and floral embellishments. “It’s another way to make the dress unique,” she said.

No matter what a bride chooses, don’t forget the veil, Von Plato said. “It’s what makes you a bride.”
The Bridal Collection, Inc. in Thousand Oaks, California, sells wedding gowns and other formal wear at affordable prices. Follow this Twitter account to keep abreast of the latest in wedding fashion trends.

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

What to do with the wedding dress after happily ever after

The bride glowed, the guests have oohed and aahed, pictures had been taken and the vows have been said. After the wedding gown has served its purpose, brides are left with the dilemma of what to do with it. Tradition dictates that the dress be tucked away and preserved in hopes that a daughter or granddaughter will wear it someday. There are other options, however, that have begun to gain traction in the past years.

Image Source: www.bellableubridal.com
With the economy only starting to recover from the recession, some brides take the practical route and sell their used dress. FOXBusiness.com best describes this option: “Brides who paid full price for their gown can save money by selling it after their big day. Although there is a lot of nostalgia associated with preserving a dress in hopes of future generations walking down the aisle in it, selling it guarantees it won’t sit unopened in a box.” A similar option is to donate the dress and get a tax rebate.

Image Source: www.weddinggirl.ca
Some brides can’t bear to part with their wedding dress, however, but don’t want to keep it in storage either. Framing their wedding dress in a shadow box has been a creative option for these brides.

Image Source: www.shefinds.com
If a bride prefers to keep the dress in her regular rotation of clothes, one option is to redesign the dress or dye it. Altering the gown to a knee length dress will make it the perfect outfit for a formal event. Some brides go a step further and dye the dress a different color.

The Bridal Collection Inc., provides elegant yet affordable gowns for the everyday bride. More elegant yet affordable wedding ideas in this blog

Friday, September 27, 2013

REPOST: Styling woes to avoid on your wedding day

This article dishes out the common style blunders – from ill-fitting shoes to messy hair – which brides-to-be need to avoid on their big day.

A wedding day comes just once in a lifetime, meaning you have a lot of wedding planning to do to ensure they momentous occasion goes off without a hitch. While you might be worried about seeing your creative wedding ideas shine through, it's just as important to consider your look on the big day. You might think you have your hairstyle, beautiful wedding dresses and makeup all picked out, but there's no way to tell if all of these things will stand up on the wedding day. Luckily, a few been there, done that brides recently discussed what they would have changed on their day in terms of style, so you won't have to face the same challenges. 
Cute (uncomfortable) shoes
Sure, that pair of sky high stilettos might look fabulous with your gown, but if your feet start aching and throbbing within five minutes of wearing them - you need to put them back, one bride shared with Huffington Post. Even though you will likely slip into flats or flip flops at the reception, it's just as important to feel comfortable as you make your way down the aisle at the ceremony. Let's face it - you won't want your biggest memory of the event to be your sore feet.

According to It's a Bride's Life, there are a few styles you might want to look into as they tend to offer the most support. Sling backs are a great option as they leave little change of heel rubbing, while the strap could help keep you balanced throughout the long day. Picking up items like heel liners can also make wearing higher-than-normal heels more comfortable.
Image Source: www.perfectweddingguide.com
Heavy gowns
You might be crazy about that custom ball gown you tried on, but before saying yes to the dress, you might want to consider your wedding date and how well you tolerate being hot. For example, if you've been looking at garden wedding venues for spring or summer, it may not be the best idea to opt for a heavy gown as you'll likely start sweating in a flash. Instead, you could consider a lighter option, or look into getting two dresses - the one you're crazy about and a shorter reception gown - to have your cake and eat it too.

Hair in the face
Gorgeous soft curls are a common trend for bridal looks, but if you're the type of girl who likes to throw her hair up as soon as it gets hot, a fully down look might not be the way to go. Instead, you could decide to go for a half-up style that will keep your locks out of your face, or even a more dramatic updo to ring in your new life.
Bridal Collection Inc. makes shopping for your wedding dress fun and easy with its diverse collection of stylish and glamorous dresses offered at the best value. Browse through its catalogue of designer dresses on this website.

Thursday, September 5, 2013

REPOST: And the bride wore... a white trouser suit

The New Zealand Fashion week features the latest in bridal gowns inspired by actress Sarah Jessica Parker's Sex and the City days.  Find out which of the designers' works took center stage in this article from the Independent Woman.

Transparent bridal trouser suits and headpieces that SATC's Carrie would be proud of took pride of place on the catwalk during New Zealand Fashion Week.

Designers at the Weddings Magazine Bridal Collection Show today sought inspiration from Sarah Jessica Parker's Sex and the City days with intricate headpieces and fashion-forward trouser suits.
 
Image Source: www.independent.ie
A delicate crochet trouser suit with chiffon ruffled sleeves stole the show among an assortment of flowing gowns.
The innovative design was by the 50 year-old New Zealand label Vinka Design. The fashion house strives to create gowns that move with the body and enhance the figure.
Robyn Cliffe’s piece echoed Carrie Bradshaw’s famous wedding look with a stunning rusty-pink headpiece. 

Her wedding gown floated down the catwalk with a detailed beaded waist and chandelier earrings.
The designer shares her love of lace and bead work, with accents of detail emphasizing the cut and style of her gowns.
John Zimmerman’s wedding look consisted of an off-white satin gown with belt that cinched in the waist. The look was completed with sprinkles of diamantes scattered across the dress.
 
Image Source: www.independent.ie
The fresh new designer has been called New Zealand's answer to Valentinoand is praised for his attention to detail in all his designs.
Another design showcased a detailed flower-lace design and billowing ruffles that elegantly swept the catwalk.
Korean designer Alma Wong’s bridal range is a clever mix of elements of past eras with contemporary styles to fit elegant modern brides.
Her design consisted of a powdery blue satin and silk gown with Grecian style draping.
Wong believes her secret weapon is fine detailing and embellishments and she executed this on the catwalk last night.
Sera Lilly’s model carried beautiful blossoms as she glided in a strapless silk gown. The minimalist dress was structured to emphasize the figure while still allowing the fabric to flow delicately.
Her design philosophy is a commitment to an excellent cut and feminine fabric.

With an extensive array of wedding gowns and prom dresses, Bridal Collection, Inc. has been the go-to place of brides-to-be and aspiring prom queens.  Find out why by checking out the company's website.