While most of the collection featured traditional shades of white, de la Renta wrapped his runway show in two striking blood red gowns, perhaps more suitable for the un-traditional bride…
Some of more old-fashioned white dresses hinted at the ‘something blue’ of wedding traditions, and we’re pretty obsessed with the bridal pantsuit that shows off the midriff. And by obsessed we mean: unable to decide whether it is fit for a wedding or more for a holiday at the Hamptons…
We haven’t seen much of the new Victoria Kyriakides bridal collection so far, but from these newly released images from the White Gallery London have got us really excited!
The Futuristic Grecian collection oozes of bohemian and sleek elements that are tailored with fabrics like organza, mousseline and airy voiles. The designs are structured and sculptured for the body in motion.
A year ago yesterday Kate and Wills were watched by thousands when they finally tied the knot. Kate wowed in a gorgeous Alexander McQueen dress with lace sleeves, changing into a slinky satin number for the after party.
And the world sat up and took notice of her sister Pippa, who showed off her derriere in an Alice Temperley slinky number.
To celebrate the year anniversary we put together a gallery of the day.
Photography: Dan Lecca | Crimson strapless mermaid gown with corset bodice and honeycomb tulle skirt with hand-rolled floral embellished detail
There’s nothing more exciting than when bridal designers unveil their latest collections. And it was no exception when Vera Wang revealed her Spring 2013 Bridal Collection on her blog.
Inspired by the colour of love, red – which is also the traditional Chinese wedding colour – Vera Wang’s latest bridal range is simply beautiful. Offering fairytale-like, ethereal wedding dresses, featuring lots of intricately layered ruffle and corset solhouettes that give you waists to die for. If you’d rather keep to the more classic ivory, each design can be made to suit your taste, but we love the fiery passion in these gowns.
As usual Jenny Packham’s latest bridal gown collection is a marvel. Inspired by the golden era of the 1930′s, these glamourous wedding dresses have that Downton Abbey vibe for brides looking for the English splendor and delicate details. The collection will be available in September 2012, so any brides getting married in the Autumn are in for a treat!
Our favourites? Azalea, Mimosa and Petal. In fact we could see newly engaged Angelina Jolie in a Jenny Packham SS13 gown…
Last weekend I was enjoying a lovely Saturday afternoon luncheon with good friends on London’s Primrose Hill, looking out over the hazy city skyline. We were chatting birthdays (mine), travels, and life as we soaked up the sun on the glorious March day.
Primrose Hill, with all its surrounding beauty, is also a popular date destination for couples, old and new – often seen snuggled up oblivious to the crowds around. This particular day one couple in particular grabbed our attention.
The guy – in his twenties – put on a wonderful picnic spread for the object of his affection, a cute girl also in her twenties. There was Laurent Perrier Champagne, real glasses (in a park you notice this) and some well thought out nibbles. Apart from perhaps being one of their first dates, my friends and I started to wonder if he was going to propose – or as one called it: Primosing (that’s proposing on Primrose if you wondered). It all turned very exciting when he presented her with a box…
This got me thinking about proposals and what is the best way to pop the question. While being proposed to on Primrose Hill as the capital looks on could be some girl’s dream, it could be some other girl’s nightmare. But what are the good, the bad and the downright ugly ways of proposing?
The ugly proposals
In this category fall the cheesy, unimaginative and downright boring proposals. Asking someone to marry you through the means of a big screen at a sporting event springs to mind. Not only are you putting yourself up for potential humiliation in front of several thousands of people, you are also putting the girl in a horrible position. There they find themselves on the screen, totally taken by surprise. Regardless of what they may say, girls care about what they look like and to have your face blown up to insane proportions with everyone watching is simply not on.
Valentine’s Day-engagement-ring-in-the-champagne-glass proposals also fall into this section.
The bad proposals
Going all Romeo, spitting out poem after poem to your chosen one isn’t the best way forward. Even though poetry can be beautiful, the girls really just want to hear what is in your heart. So speak from it!
If your girl is a covert (or fully outed) geek, she might find a social media proposal charming, but best to do it in person and rather announce it through the web I’d say.
I’d also put any proposals that entail hiding the ring in any form of food. Not only do you risk the girl accidentally swallowing the ring, she probably doesn’t want her bling covered in cake.
The good proposals
Now for the good ways to propose! These are the ones that show you truly know the person you’re asking to marry you or are unique. What this is only you know, but to give you some inspiration they could include bringing her to the first place you kissed or said ‘I love you’. In other words, any place that is special to you and that will bring back those memories. Hey she might even be more inclined to say yes simply because of this.
Alternatively, get creative and plan a proposal to sweep her off her feet. Remember the musical marriage proposal on the Euston train? It wasn’t the most romantic of places, but it sure was memorable! Adam had enlisted his choir to serenade his then girlfriend Lucy. Aww…
There was also the guy who had made a movie trailer for his proposal which culminated with him entering the cinema screen to pop the question. Brilliant! Or the one that organised for his girlfriend to go on a StumbleUpon adventure. Cute!
You can see videos of both of the proposals below. But what is in your opinion the good or the bad way to propose?
Now back to the guy and the girl on Primrose Hill. As I mentioned, he did bring out a box to present to the girl. And it was a very recognisable one…
It was the iconic white box of Apple’s new iPad. She didn’t seem too fussed, but all of us girls concurred this was one box we’d like our boyfriends to give us… at least for now.
*The above opinions are my own and not intended to offend anyone. In the end what is right for you is the best way. And anyone proposing to me should read the above…
We’re only three months into 2012 but already next year’s wedding dress collections are starting to appear. Brides need to have enough time to find their perfect dress after all.
We’ve just come across the photos of Justin Alexander’s 2013 bridal gown collection, and while the shoot itself looks like one of those staged Wild West ones you find in heavily trafficked tourist areas we will forgive them this time as the gowns themselves are simply gorgeous!
As always, Justin has been inspired by vintage 1950′s and 60′s fashion, and these delicate lacy creations will certainly keep all eyes on you throughout your wedding day. With a mix of Chantilly and Alencon lace, the 2013 collection offers fitted gowns as well as ballgown skirts, all with dreamy details.
We came across Atelier Aimée last year in search for Italian wedding dress designers, and they’re out with a new 2012 range. Cleverly it is called the Red Carpet Collection and features bridal gowns for three very distinct brides, three wedding ideas and three personalities: the romantic Bride, the diva bride and the minimalist-chic bride. Which one are you?
We’re going gaga over the fairytale-esque autumn/winter 2012 headwear collection by milliner Piers Atkinson. Lions, bears and leopard prints aside, Atkinson offers a selected few avant-garde headpieces in bridal white.
Are you ready for a fairytale wedding?
(If rumours are true, a certain young royal might be wearing one of Piers’ pieces for the Queen’s Jubilee – yes we’re of course talking about the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate)
We must admit we’ve had a bit of a girl crush on Adele for a while now. So when we saw her looking all glamorous and gorgeous when performing at the BRITs the other week, we couldn’t help but wish we kind of looked like her.
Adele has made the flirty 50s flick her trademark and we’re sure many brides-to-be are wondering how they can copy the singer’s look for their own time in the spotlight, their wedding day. Wonder no more! With the help of international celebrity and bridal make-up artist Helen Kalli, here is a step-by-step guide on how to re-create Adele’s beautiful make-up (just scroll down below the image),
Face: Firstly use Shu Uemura’s UV under base BB mousse £29 for smoothing out the skin and helps hold onto makeup.
Chanel ‘s Vital Lumiere Satin finish Foundation £33 is great for giving a dewy, fresh faced skin. It has a medium buildable coverage and works well when applied with a brush! This is giving Adele that beautiful fluid skin – perfection!
Always set your foundation with a translucent powder, I love Ben Nye colourless powder; this will give you longevity and a shine free face!
Eyes: Apply Lancôme’s Ombre Absolute Momo Radiant Smoothing Eye shadow in Moonlight £16.50 all over the lid and under the brow, then use Laura Mercier’s Fresco on the crease to give definition.
Then use a gel liner like Maybelline’s Eye Studio Lasting Drama £5.99 to create a sultry feline eye. I would apply with a flat liner brush rather than a pointed brush, as this will help you to get a straight line. Always do the eye you find harder to do first, as this will help when matching them up!
Lash on with Eylure Naturalites False Eyelashes Glamour £5.35 for the ultimate red carpet finish!
Cheeks: Use Shu Uemura’s Glow on Blush £9.75 Pearl Pink on the apples on the cheeks.
Brows: Adele has perfectly groomed brows! This is key to frame the face. I would recommend using a powder as it gives a softer look and is easier to use rather than pencil. Laura Mercier’s Brow duos are fab!
Lips: Use Chanel’s Rouge Coco Shine Hydrating Lipshine in Aventure £23 Adele’s kept it soft which is perfect, but you could go for a soft red if you prefer!
If you want to learn for yourself how to create Adele’s look or a look that you have in mind for your wedding day why not book yourself onto one of Helen’s make-up masterclasses.
As one of the most unique cities in the world, Las Vegas is a popular destination for weddings. With its glamorous character matched with an atmosphere unlike any other place on earth, each year around 120,000 couples opt to tie the knot in the fabulous Nevada city.
From ‘The King’ to honeymooning, we’ve put together a ‘how to’ guide with all the essentials you need to plan your perfect Las Vegas wedding.
Hen and stag nights Also known as Sin City, with thousands of casinos on the famous Strip and Downtown Vegas (centered around Fremont Street), this is the place to have that celebratory last night as a bachelor or bachelorette. Head to a Black Jack table to try your luck while sipping on a Vesper or take in one of the many excellent shows available, some of which are perfect for hen and stag nights. How about a burlesque show for the gentlemen and the Chippendales for the ladies?
The wedding ceremony Whatever your taste, Las Vegas is the place to have an unforgettable wedding. If you’re looking for something out of the ordinary, try one of the special wedding services on offer from a Vegas wedding consultant. If an Elvis or Star Trek theme is not your cup of tea, the many luxurious hotels along the Strip have their own wedding chapels for a bit more splendour.
Iconic spots such as the drive-through altar at the Little White Wedding Chapel and the Graceland Wedding Chapel are must-sees on the Vegas map, but with more than 50 wedding chapels in town and plenty of other amazing wedding locations you will not have a problem finding a place to exchange your vows. The only thing stopping you is your imagination!
However, as there are so many weddings taking place each day, don’t expect to have a long ceremony. You are often allowed only a half-hour of chapel time, so if you’re planning to exchange vows you have written yourself, these might be best saved for the post-wedding drinks or dinner.
What do I wear to my Vegas wedding? Las Vegas has no waiting period for getting married, so spur-of-the-moment weddings are a common occurrence which means the dress code is fairly relaxed. Most wedding chapels will have tuxes and gowns for hire, so if you don’t want to spend thousands on a dress you’ll wear for one night there is no need to. There are also plenty of other places to hire wedding dresses on short notice scattered around the city. Alternatively, invest in a pretty white dress, but remember it doesn’t need to be over the top Gypsy-wedding-style.
What is the wedding paperwork? Even though there no requirements to be a Nevada resident, you must have a marriage licence. These can be obtained from the Marriage License Bureau and will cost you $60. You will also have to get a copy of your Nevada marriage certificate as proof of your marriage ($10) and an apostille from the Nevada Secretary of State ($20), both also from the Marriage License Bureau.
Before tying the knot, you will also have to provide proof of ID to prove your age so make sure you keep your passport on you.
The honeymoon Honeymooning in Vegas could be a beautiful way to celebrate your first days as newlyweds. From the world-class dining, star studded shows, abundance of 24-hour casinos and vibrant nightlife you won’t be running short of ideas of things to do. Alternatively you could head to the famous Grand Canyon to escape the hustle and bustle of Sin City, or jet over to Los Angeles and the California coast for some seaside lounging.
Getting there British Airways flies direct to Las Vegas from London while Virgin Atlantic offers direct routes from both London and Manchester. BMI also offers direct routes from Manchester.
Where can I find further information?
Marriage License Bureau
201 Clark Avenue
Las Vegas
Nevada
Tel: 00 1 702 671 0600
American Embassy
24 Grosvenor Square
London
W1A 1AE
Tel: 0207 499 9000 www.usembassy.org.uk
While we’re waiting for Burberry’s autumn/winter 2012/2013 catwalk show to begin, let’s take a look at what brial gown inspiration the likes of Temperley London, Marios Schwab, PPQ and Topshop Unique had to offer over the weekend.
Have you seen this brilliant new online lingerie shop Fox & Rose?
Offering a selection of luxury labels, such as Fleur of England, Ell & Cee, Stella McCartney and Elle Macpherson, the bridal collection is a beautiful mix of satin and lace in sensuous pastels, cream and ivory, as well as a couple of more daring items, perfect for your wedding night or honeymoon.
Founded by Amanda Lorenzani and Alexandra Miro, Fox & Rose appeals to both sides of a woman: the seductive, mischievous siren and the romantic, elegant, understated Rose.
Most brides-to-be will agree that getting ready for your wedding isn’t all about finding the dress, the venue, and everything else that goes with planning a day of romance and celebration. It is also about making sure you look your best. After all, all eyes will be on you – unless the man you are marrying is David Beckham in his underwear that is.
So what can you do to look like a siren on your wedding day?
First of all drink lots of water and make sure you get enough sleep. Panda eyes and dry skin will not look good on any wedding photo. But if you are agonising over those stubborn pounds that just won’t shift we’ll tell you about a little thing called the Juice Master 7 Day Detox.
We would never advice you to go on a crash diet as it just isn’t healthy and those pounds you lose will probably be back with a vengeance once you go back to eating normally. The best way to do it is to find something that will help you slim down a bit, reduce any bloating, boost your energy levels (you will definitely need lots of energy in the weeks running up to your wedding) and this is where the Juice Master detox comes in.
And as with most things we wouldn’t dream of recommending you something that we haven’t tried ourselves, so when Philips asked us to take part in the World’s Biggest Juice Detox – and a potential 7 lbs lighter in 7 days – this January we jumped at the chance. So Bridalwave editor, Elisabeth (me!), let Philips take over her diet for a week, provide all fruit and veg needed – and a wicked juicer*! – and here’s what happened:
The detox
Developed by the Juice Master, Jason Vale, the detox involved drinking nothing but homemade juices and smoothies for seven days (apart from water of course!). The seven day juice plan consisted of six juices/smoothies each day at three intervals plus water and fennel or mint tea.
As a self-confessed coffee addict, I knew not being allowed coffee would hit me hard – The Juice Master even warns you about this in his book, The Juice Master Diet: 7 lbs in 7 Days. And boy did it. Having started on a Monday morning, I got up early to prepare the delicious and nutritious juices for the working day, tasting the wheatgrass on its own (not recommended) and happily filled up on juiced vegetables and fruit throughout the day. I wasn’t feeling hungry at all, but my oh my did the caffeine withdrawals hit me in the evening. It also didn’t help that I was coming down with a cold either…
Day 2 was not bad at all as the caffeine in my bloodstream was being substituted with fresh fruit and veg juice.
Day 3 on the other hand I couldn’t stomach having another vegetable based juice, but I think was mostly to do with the colour of the juice. As I had to make all my daytime juices in the morning before heading to the office, by the time afternoon came around the juices had got rather nondescript green colour that made me slightly nauseous by looking at it. But I could feel my energy levels increase and my post-Christmas chocolate skin was also starting to look noticeably better.
Luckily on Day 4 we received two great eco-bottles by SIGG to carry the juices in when out and about. And by not having to see them – and also having left out the spinach, wheatgrass and spirulina powder – I felt much better about juicing it up for lunch. I even brought them with me on a long walk around London on day 6, Saturday.
By the time day 7 came around, my sniffles (see above) had turned into a full blown cold and my body was craving some solid sustenance. And I gave in. Had some delicious eggs benedict at this place and a wonderful cup of coffee from here. Hey if you’re going to be bad you might as well do it properly.
The result
While I didn’t last the complete seven days, the results were great. I lost 6.2lbs and my skinny jeans definitely fit better. I also felt less bloated, so my stomach looked a lot flatter. Having been off the detox for a few weeks now, I am thinking about going back on it as it did make me feel great. But I’d probably keep drinking coffee…
For any brides wanting to detox before their wedding, a word of wisdom. While it will make you look and feel fantastic, make sure you start early enough so that you have weened yourself on some solid foods before your wedding. For after one week of nothing but liquids, your digestive system will not be happy if your suddenly start eating.
Our favourite juice recipe: The Lemon/Ginger Zinger
2 carrots
2 apples
1 inch slice of lemon
1/4 inch fresh ginger
Juice and pour over ice
*Philips kindly provided a brilliant super-powered Avance juicer.
How exciting! Jimmy Choo has launched a bridal collection.
The 2012 Bridal Collection offers a fantastic selection of designs, materials and colours to fit perfectly in with your wedding look. There are also shoes for the mother of the bride, bridesmaids as well as a few sparkly purses for the bride that has to have a few things with her. Would it be wrong to buy a pair or two despite not getting married just yet..?
You can buy the pieces online or at selected bridal salons.
From:Madeline Isaac-James launches two new collections