Wedding belles dressed to impress
Every bride wants to be the centre of attention for all the right reasons on her wedding day. Lisa Haynes has the low-down on what’s hot this season
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SEEN by more than 750million people around the world in 1981, the royal wedding gown worn by Diana, Princess of Wales, is one of the most famous dresses to ever walk down an aisle.
Elizabeth Emanuel, who designed the dress with her then husband David, may be associated with exclusive couture gowns but she has recently launched a bridal range for the high street.
Emanuel’s Art of Elegance collection is proof that you don’t have to go bankrupt to buy your dream dress – each of the four signature-style gowns costs just £495.
“My couture gowns normally sell for many thousands of pounds which makes them out of reach of the general public,” she says.
“It’s been a dream of mine to be able to create a range of wedding gowns that reflect my couture collection in both quality and design but at a more accessible price.”
Designer gowns – without the hefty price tags – are at your fingertips, so before you blow your entire wedding budget on your dress, check out your favourite local stores for designer wow factor.
Choosing a fashionable silhouette and picking the right dress for your shape will leave you looking a million dollars – even if you haven’t spent it.
SUMMER STYLES
Whether you dream of a traditional meringue-style gown with all the trimmings, or crave something with clean and simple lines, there’s a bridal gown to suit all tastes. But if you want to walk down the aisle inspired by catwalk trends, Clare Totman, buyer for Evans Bridal, has this advice on capturing of-the-moment bridal looks for spring or summer 2008.
“This season marks a welcome return to femininity – the mood is romantic and soft,” she says.
“Designers have played with a shorter, full-skirted shape as well as creating an elongated silhouette, using a sleek bodice and floor sweeping hemlines.”
If your big day is a spring or summer event, prom-style dresses and shorter lengths are also big news for 2008.
Rachele Hayman, a wedding buying director, adds: “The taste for long dresses is changing; shorter styles are more prominent and a perfect choice for any spring/summer wedding.”
If you don’t want to flaunt your legs, turn to the back – this season’s hottest body part.
This year’s styles are sleeker and sit close to the body, skimming your curves, so look to dresses that are bias cut, mermaid, or soft A-line skirts.
FIGURE FLATTERING
Catering for sizes 14-32, Evans recently launched a new bridal collection featuring statement dresses and flattering two-pieces for plus sizes.
But whatever your size, choosing styles to flatter your figure can give you a real confidence booster.
Full skirts will draw attention to your bottom half, while full sleeves and fancy bodices will emphasise your top half. If you’re curvy, make the most of it and go for a classic hourglass shape and a simple neckline.
FINISHING TOUCHES
From a show-stopping short prom dress, to a flowing full-length gown, whatever your choice of dress, accessories are key to pulling your desired look together for perfection. Once you’ve chosen your ideal dress, shopping for shoes, headwear and accessories will give your gown more individuality.
“The choice of accessories should depend entirely on the image you would like to create,” says top designer Caroline Castigliano.
“Accessories are vital to creating the overall look and should complement the dress perfectly. Many brides want to create a more traditional look and can do this using a shrug to cover shoulders, but when the evening comes they are increasingly looking for a more glamorous look,” she says.
“By adding a sash softly tied at the waist, and a careful choice of jewellery and accessories she can completely change her look.”
If you want to go traditional, veils are still a popular choice for big weddings but tiaras and fascinators are now equally coveted by brides who want a modern twist.
Before you start your accessories shopping spree, don’t forget the old custom of wearing “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue”.
TOP TIPS
Try to choose your dress at least six months before the wedding so you have plenty of time for fittings and alterations. If you’re planning to lose or gain weight before the wedding, don’t forget to tell your dressmaker or supplier – last-minute alterations can usually be scheduled in.
“Be creative,” Rachele Taylor from Bhs says. “Don’t be nervous about experimenting with accessories or dress styles.”
