Category: Wedding Dresses

When Queen Victoria married in a white gown, who knew it would spark such a lasting trend? In 1890—a full fifty years after Victoria said “I do”—white wedding dresses became the norm in America. Before then, practicality won out: During the time of the California Gold Rush, for example, a woman probably wouldn’t have the luxury of wearing her wedding dress only once, so something like this blue silk number from 1868 made much more sense.

Who says a vineyard wedding means you have to use bunches of deep purple grapes to decorate your cake, centerpieces, and bridal bouquets? For a garden wedding, I’d rather take my cues from a tossed salad: crisp greens with tomato and carrot-colored blooms. I’ve been in love with this cabbage leaf arrangement from Panacea Event Floral Design since we posted it. It makes me hungry just looking at it!

Northern California brides are so lucky: They can just look out the window and take their inspiration from the natural wonders around them: from the bright bottle blues found in San Francisco Bay to the vibrant Muir Woods mossy greens a little farther north. While your So Cal counterparts may disagree, taking inspiration from nature doesn’t mean you have to wear wildflowers in your hair or walk barefoot down the aisle. This palette is totally No Cal: sophisticated, sexy, and a little unexpected.

At the upcoming Ulla-Maija “Made To Measure” Trunk Show at San Francisco bridal salon Marina Morrison May 29-30, brides will not only be treated to a preview of the latest Ulla-Maija collection, hot off the New York runways; they’ll also get to work directly with Ulla-Maija designer Charles W. Bunstine II.

It’s a shame, really. All that time, effort and money spent on finding the wedding dress, and you really only ever wear it the one time. Fashion designer Hanna Hartnell of HARTNELL Santa Monica feels you, and has come up with an ingenious solution—the Double Dare Gown.

Even some of the best designers can have an off day. A few of the wedding dresses that premiered at the 2009 “Wedding Week” in New York certainly looked like their creator was either PMSd, drunk or filled with delusions of grandeur.

Did you see the article in the New York Times about pre-owned wedding dresses? I wouldn’t have either, if it wasn’t for my colleague Jennifer who forwarded the link to me. Anyway, the upshot is that while it’s still “all about the dress,” many brides are watching their budget and shopping for gently used or bought-but-never-used wedding gowns. Not only does this save money, but eco-conscious brides are doing their part in the “reuse, recycle…” mantra.

A short dress can have a life after the wedding, and it’s also a perfect second-wedding choice.