Category: Trend Watch

I paid $220 for my wedding dress. My colleague Jennifer? Got hers for $125. Since we were both footing the bill for our own weddings, there was precious little in the budget for our gowns (I had to make sure there were enough offerings at the pasta bar to satisfy my Italian relatives!). We both looked lovely, by the way, even without spending 2 two months’ rent on our wedding attire. Here are some of our dress-shopping secrets:

Remember Rami Kashou, the runner-up fashion designer in Project Runway Season 4? He was all about “the art of draping,” and occasionally took some flack from the judges for the overuse of his signature style. Well maybe Rami has a future in bridal, because the Goddess of Gown trends, Vera Wang, features draping in one of her romantic 2010 creations, “Dinah.”

A couple of years ago I was at a bat mitzvah and I noticed all the girls had kicked off their new strappy heels when it came time for dancing. No surprise! But what caught my eye was that they were all wearing the same little white socks—like they had planned it in advance. “Oh, no” my niece told me. “There’s a basket of them over by the DJs so everyone can have a pair.”

Wedding designers have taken their cue from the sleek and chic First Lady, Michelle Obama. This year, designers got creative with uniquely beautiful interpretations of that now famous one-shoulder adornment. Here are some of our favorites from both seasons:

One of my favorite Vera Wang wedding dresses ever is Fall 2009’s “Amelia”. To me, this bridal gown says Glamorous Forest Nymph, and the peekaboo petticoat has just the right amount of sauciness. Plus, as Vera explains, her “recent collections of wedding dresses are tinged with color”—and I love that Amelia and her sister-dresses aren’t exactly Snow White. Imagine my delight to see that my favorite “Amelia” was showcased in Vera Wang’s first edition of “Behind the Dress,” part of her “Love, Vera” exclusive newsletter series.

I just love how Night Owl combines modern shapes and folksy flowers on a thin piece of wood for an earthy, natural quality that never feels the least bit hippie or granola-y.

It seems like peacock feathers have been showing up everywhere in the world of wedding fashion lately, and I have to say, I’m thrilled. Sure, hot pink or bright orange make a bold statement (and those colors definitely had their bridal heyday in recent years!), but I think the juxtaposition of hard metallic blue, green, and black colors and soft, fluttery feathers is such a fitting metaphor for today’s woman. Besides, a feather in your hair or bouquet is a perfect “something blue!”

Want to be a DIY bride but don’t know how to get started? WeddingDNA.com gives you access to chic graphic templates which can be used for wedding invitations, save-the-dates, programs, thank-you notes, place cards…even powerpoint presentations for reception slideshows! Membership’s just $39.95/year, and you can download and print as much as you need to create a cohesive wedding style. I’m partial to the Moonlit Owl design—a new twist on the usual lovebirds!