Category: Wedding Dresses

The great thing about weddings is, it’s all about personal style. Take wedding dresses, for example. A bridal gown is the ultimate way to express yourself on your wedding day, and each year brides flock to California bridal salons like Kirstie Kelly Couture and L’Ezu to seek out that one gown that makes them feel stylish and special.

Calling all Southern California brides-to-be: what would you do for a Vera Wang wedding dress priced under $1000? What about a vampy Monique Lhuillier creation or a classic Carolina Herrera? If I’ve piqued your interest, clear your calendar on April 5 and 6.

During wedding season (like, now!) there are more opportunities than ever to meet with designers themselves or their skilled representatives for your personal wedding gown consultation. At a Trunk Show, designers bring their entire current collection to a salon…in trunks! During your private appointment, you’ll get valuable suggestions, and possibly even custom design changes to the wedding gowns. Salons often provide price incentives on wedding dresses purchased during the Trunk Show. Wedding accessories, veils and headpieces also have their own Trunk Shows, so even if you already have your wedding dress, there’s always room for a tiara or bracelet in your closet!

Some years the wedding fashion trends tell us to add colored ribbons to our white gowns, and other years big flowers or poufs are all the rage. The 2008 wedding dress runway buzz is all about the Return of the Sleeve. For years, strapless wedding gowns have ruled the wedding aisle. And why not? They’re sexy, chic and glam, and are the perfect excuse to accessorize with faux fur or wispy shawls

Hanna Hartnell, wedding dress and formal-wear fashion designer extraordinaire, has cooked up six red-hot gowns to fit the bill. Her special collection of attention-grabbing hues range from a deep rose to rich merlot. Hartnell, who is working with the Red Cross to help make the event a big success, is also donating a $3000 gown for their live auction.

I’m particularly impressed with the collections Bridal Bliss is offering the Bay Area’s discriminating brides. One of my favorite designers, Kirstie Kelly for Disney’s Fairytale Weddings, takes brides from princess to free-spirited heroine with an unerring sense of feminine fashion. But Bridal Bliss also introduced me to some new, cutting-edge designers: Have you ever seen the exquisite creations of Sophia Tolli? I love the figure-enhancing cut of the bodices and skirts, and the eye-catching use of color details and embellishments are welcome grace notes in the usual parade of white. The high-fashion glamour of Ahnna B is another pleasant surprise—her collections include Vintage Glamour, The Romantics, and Modern Traditions—in other words, something for every woman.

The whole shopping experience really made me think that you don’t have to go to a bargain bridal shop to save money. In fact, you might not save money at all! Plus, I think every bride should have the experience of going to a high-end bridal salon and getting the star treatment. Having a consultant take the time to help you find the perfect dress—one that’s right for your bod y type and matches the style of your wedding—could actually save you lots of time and headache, and you’ll probably end up with a better dress for your big day.

This on-line retailer (with a showroom in Davis, CA) lets brides choose from a huge array of wedding dresses, bridesmaid’s dresses and mother-of-the-bride dresses inspired by the nostalgic styles of bygone eras. I confess to spending more time than was absolutely necessary scrolling through the pages and pages of photos on their website.