To Be a Star with Hollywood-Worthy Wedding Gowns

Take a style cue from the leading ladies on the silver screen with dazzling sheaths and dramatic mermaids.

Stage Right

Satin fit-and-flare gown has a softly ruched sweetheart neckline and a jeweled empire bodice.

In the Spotlight

Organza mermaid with figure-flattering pleats features a Swarovski crystal jeweled waistband and a lavishly layered skirt.

Star Power

Asymmetrically pleated organza mermaid has a shapely sweetheart neckline and a dramatically tiered and pleated skirt.

Showstopper

Tule sheath, adorned with shimmering hand-beaded crystals, features a sweetheart bodice and illusion cap sleeves.

Silver Screen

Satin organza sheath with crystal-accented platinum-embroidered lilac appliques boasts a statin waistband and a detachable Watteau train.

Material Girl

A slim organza sheath achieves striking proportions, thanks to a voluminous tiered tulle train. Three dimensional flowers and beaded crystals embellish the draped bodice and skirt.

Timeless Pearl Accessories for Fashion Bridals

Take a style cue from Coco Chanel and look perfectly polished in this bridal classic.

Earrings

For a fresh update on classic pearl studs, we love these South Sea pearl earrings by Deville Fine Jewelry.

Necklace

Make a style statement on your big day with this emerald, sapphire, and pearl tassel necklace by Arunashi.

Brooch

For a vintage-chic bridal look, consider Tiffany & Co.'s chrysanthemum brooch of freshwater pearls.

Ring

This South Sea pearl ring by Dana Rebecca Designs set in 14k white gold and surrounded by diamonds has a timeless feel.

Ring

You'll be garden gorgeous with this floral-inspired South Sea pearl ring from Ellagem NY.

Earrings

Start your bridal journey in these winged diamond and South Sea pearl earrings by Verdura.


Ring

Be a blooming beauty with Mikimoto's Sakura ring featuring cultured pearls, diamonds, and a mother-of-pearl flower motif on the setting.

Bridal Inspiration Accessories of Old Hollywood Glam

Some days, you just need a little fabulous inspiration to get your wheels turning in the prettiest ways. And for those days, we have inspiration shoots like this one from Glory Photo. The inspiration comes from the movie that is the epitome of sophistication, vintage style and romance like nothing else – Water for Elephants. Between the crazy-beautiful wedding adornments by Jesse Ciani and the stunning setting by Sara Barr it’s an Old Hollywood Glamour dream come true!!!

Which Stone Shape is Your Style?

Cushion

Popular in the Victorian era, this romantic cut has curved corners.

Round

Known for its brilliance and classic shape, the round cut accounts for 75 percent of all diamond sales today.

Marquise

This distinctive shape with pointed ends was created by  French King Louis XIV for his mistress.

Emerald

Created in the Art Deco period, the rectangular emerald cut is a chic choice.

Pear

Resembling a sparkling teardrop, the unique pear cut is sure to elicit tears of joy.

Princess

The square shape of the princess cut is the second most popular shape after the round.

Makeup for Fashion Bridals

Hair, makeup and nail artists sprayed, lacquered, painted and glossed their way to beauty nirvana for the bridal collections. Here are some of the looks we loved and how you can achieve them. If you dare.

HOUGHTON BRIDE

Katharine Polk’s bride might be wearing a pretty lace number, but make no mistake, she’s tough as nails. And while we’re on the subject of nails, let’s just say that these talons qualify as the most dangerously chic beauty look of the week.

“I created a look that was my take on a French manicure. It’s a fun detail that’s unexpected for a bride. The crystals in the nails represented the diamonds in a wedding ring. It’s just a touch of my quirky personality slipped into the show!” Polk shares.

AMSALE

A new, sharp architectural direction for Amsale’s collection was matched in strength by those bold beautiful lips so artfully applied by makeup artist Daniel Martin. Why so bold Daniel, we asked? He replied, “I love a bold lip for a bride because it breaks down the beauty standard of conventional bridal makeup and makes it more fashion.” Well said, sir!

One more thing we needed to know…how do you keep a color this smashing on your lips and not on everyone else’s? Martin suggested, “A great trick to retain lasting lip color is to apply concealer all over your lip before the lip color. The pigment grabs the concealer and stays on longer than if applied directly to the lip.”

RIVINI

Cool it. That’s quite literally the message we took away from the chilling and thrilling Rivini show. Proving that a look doesn’t stop with the dress, Vineris wanted, “Everything in this collection to feel like a snowflake on the ice…fragile and unique.”

Her ice-goddess philosophy carried through to her frosted makeup look with a bold, shimmery eye and a dusting of crushed shadows sprinkled in the hair line like freshly fallen snow.

CLAIRE PETTIBONE

Welcome to Claire Pettibone’s Technicolor dream world where you can break the beauty rules and pair electric turquoise eyes with shocking coral lips. And don’t forget your tutti-frutti floral wreath perched slightly akimbo. It’s not about perfection. It’s about personality!

Pettibone mused, “Colors of the sea and sky created quite a strong pop of color for the eyes, and then a vivid lip as well. Our genius makeup artist, Romero Jennings, made the lip in a matte pink, which looked like a rose petal! Given our 100,000 plus petals on the runway, why not have our lips add just a few more? A touch of shimmer to highlight the inner eyes and cheeks, tousled braided hair and lush floral wreaths complete our earth-goddess statement.”

AUSTIN SCARLETT

Honestly, the girl can’t help it! Scarlett’s fresh-faced beauty is absolutely ravishing in her corseted sugarcoated pink ball gown. “I really wanted to capture a retro feel while maintaining a modern look. We used vintage photos of Balenciaga fashion shows from the fifties and Audrey Hepburn as inspiration for the hair and then we kept the makeup really fresh, young and dewy,” says Scarlett.

DOUGLAS HANNANT

Hannant’s girls were coiffed in a good-girl gone chic kind of way. Hairstylist Edward Tricomi, who created the look, divulges the inspiration, “It’s Pippi Longstocking getting trashed in the garden. Translation? Goody-Two Shoes hair that is more abstract, artistic and slightly disheveled. Done by allowing pieces to naturally fall out of the style by roughing up the hair follicle to create a less done look.”

VERA WANG

Turning tradition on its head is Vera Wang’s trademark. For Fall 2013 she turned her model’s heads into faux turbans, with the up-dos looking like they’ve been swept up into a wind tunnel. A very chic wind tunnel, mind you.

Top 12 Short Hairstyles for Sweet Bridal

Long locks always make for romantic wedding dos to be envious of; but these 12 looks are stunning and modern. The key to any great wedding hairstyle? A good haircut and a beautiful hairpiece.

10 Things No One Tells You About Gown Shopping

1. Undergarments can drastically change the look of a dress.
You already know that wearing a strapless bra or a regular one with clear straps is non-negotiable. Even so, I’d recommend getting your measurements taken before you start this process, especially if you've lost weight recently, like I did. When I tried on the winning dress for the very first time, my bust looked...off. The culprit: Undergarments one cup size too small and three inches too big around the waist. Armed with my correct size, I slipped on the dress again—it's amazing what a difference a few inches can make.

2. Wear just enough makeup to feel pretty—don't go overboard.
Being surrounded by a billowing sea of white fabric makes you hyper-aware of your appearance. Under-eye circles that were barely noticeable before look stark. Pale pink lipstick is drowned out by fluorescent lighting. You don't have to get dolled up for your consultant; apply just enough so that you feel presentable. But whatever you do, DON'T apply self-tanner in the days leading up to your appointment, in order to avoid damaging any of the dresses. Also wear your hair the way you've planned it for the wedding.

3. Consultants can't stand when you "yes" them to death.
They can't assist you properly if you don't tell them how you really feel. "It's beautiful," I murmured, after stepping into each dress or pulling it over my head. Unaware that I was saying this for Each And Every Gown, Andrea eventually called me out on it: "I'm not the designer; you won't hurt my feelings, you know." Ten "nos" (including the Lazaro style pictured above) helped me get to my final "yes." Also consultants rarely outright told me to take something off, so when they did, I knew they were being truthful. If they use the words "we can do better," you'll know.

4. Do "the aisle test" to make sure the gown looks good from every angle.
Before making my final decision, Andrea helped me into the top contender one last time, veil and all, and had me walk around the periphery of the store to meet my dad at the front entrance. Walking towards him and seeing his stunned reaction solidified how much I loved the dress. Go ahead, sit, shimmy, and even twirl in the gowns while trying them on—if it's the right one, you should feel as if you never want to take it off.

5. Trying on wedding gowns is physically (and emotionally) draining.
Wedding gowns are so heavy that getting in and out of them is a workout in itself; I'd find myself ravenous (and in need of a good nap) afterwards! Up until that point, I had made major planning decisions (venue, photographer, DJ), but when I saw how I looked in my dress, it was as if all that was just a fuzzy dream that suddenly became crystal-clear when I woke up. Not the weepy type, I was mortified when tears streamed down my cheeks. On the other hand, a bride-to-be friend of mine who sniffles at commercials was mystified by how detached she was to the gown she bought. That's the beauty of wedding planning—no two brides will ever have the same exact experience.

6. Make Mom love you forever by trying on a dress she recommends, even if you hate it.
If Mom has been looking forward to this moment ever since you played dress-up as a little girl, oblige her just this one time and try on one of her recommendations. It's a win-win: Either she'll see that you were right about lace looking all kinds of wrong on you, or you may shock yourself by purchasing one of her picks, like I did.

7. Ask if there are any discounts they can offer you.
Some salons offer discounts if you purchase bridesmaid or mother of the bride/groom dresses there as well. At trunk shows, which feature an entire collection from a specific designer, brides can get a percentage off (usually 10-15), for buying a gown that same day. If you're serious about a dress and can't make the show, try it on beforehand and see if they'll grant it to you at the lower price anyway.

8. You’ll have to sign on the dotted line for even the smallest details.
In order to buy a dress, you'll have to commit to a certain size ahead of time, and they're teeny-tiny compared to regular clothing sizes (a bridal size 6 is equivalent to a size 2 in "normal" clothes). I expected that, but I was surprised to learn I'd have to sign off on the length of the heels I'm wearing on the day of the wedding (this would affect my alterations). If you're planning on customizing your gown by adding sleeves, embellishments, or dropping/raising the waist, be prepared to answer very specific questions about that as well.

9. Repeat after me: You are not a failure if you have to try on more than 10 gowns before finding The Gown.
Shopping can be a scene out of a romantic comedy: The excitement in the bridal salon is palpable, you're swilling champagne, everyone coos over how stunning you are, and you wish you could bottle how giddy you feel. What movies don't show you is how despondent it can feel if it takes four, or five, or six visits before you find anything that even remotely feels like you. Everyone from my doctor to my neighbors got a kick when "the bridal editor couldn't even find a dress."

10. Do it once, do it fabulous.
Andrea repeated this mantra to me throughout my appointment, and it's stuck in my head ever since. You're (hopefully) only going to shop for a wedding gown once in your life—drown out everyone else's opinion and you'll hear a silent little voice tell you which one you should choose. Then, when you pick it, lie to everyone except a handful of people you can trust not to spill the secret. For any of my guests who are reading this, I'll be wearing a lace, A-line Jim Hjelm dress.