Wedding Dresses

I went to a lovely wedding exhibition celebrating 100 years of the wedding gown hosted by Kula Tsurdiu in Nottingham (it’s on until the 5th of June – if you’re in the area, it’s well worth checking out), and was excited to find out that Kula Tsurdiu are branching out into wholesaling, so if you love their gowns, hopefully they’ll be coming available in your area.  I’ve been a huge fan since seeing their wedding dresses at the NEC bridal show.  They’re gorgeous – beautifully made, with top quality materials.

If you know of any top end bridal shops who are looking for designers, mention Kula Tsurdiu.

Johanna Hehir only sell directly to the public, so if you’re interested in their gowns, a trip to London is in order.  It might well be worth your time – there are some really beautiful wedding dresses, if you have the budget.  If you’re happy to buy online without having the dress fitted, it works out cheaper, though you’re limited on the styles you can buy.

I’ve fallen madly in love with the dress on the left which is a copy of Audrey Hepburn’s first wedding dress.  The boatneck gown in the middle is very pretty, and pleats is a new trend that’s caught my eye, and really is lovely.

Check out the Johanna Hehir website »

According to Fashion Bride (a great blog with loads of wedding fashion info – well worth checking out),  the 2010 wedding gown collection by Augusta Jones will be available in shops this summer.  Seems kinda early to me, but hey. *shrug*  They have a winning formula  – lovely bridal gowns at affordable prices.  The gown on the left reminds me of a Charlottle Balbier gown.  Very pretty.

View Augusta Jones website »

View Augusta Jones Stockists »

Here are some very pretty, UK designed wedding dresses from Art Couture.  There were some dresses that I loved on their website, and some dresses that I instantly disliked, particularly one that looked as if it was made out of hot air balloon material and blown up with a bicycle pump.  Adds a whole new dimension to ‘walking on air’.

Despite the Hated Blow-up Dress, they have some extremely lovely wedding gowns. I’m particularly taken with the layered material and mermaid skirt of the right wedding dress.

See the Art Couture website »

View Art Couture Stockists »

Claire Pettibone’s wedding dresses seem to pull in a lot of influences from the past, particularly the 70′s and Victorian periods.  Quite honestly, I’m not mad about them (though I love the left dress in the pictures below), probably because I was never crazy about either of those two fashion styles (I’m more of a 50′s fan), but I can see the beauty and romance in the dresses, and if you’re into more edgy, rock chick styles, Claire Pettibone may well be your cup of tea.

Check out the Claire Pettibone website »

Linea Raffaelli is the only bridal gown designer I know of from Belgium, but as a representative of their country, they are super impressive.  The dresses are beautifully made, with fabulous material.

I particularly like their two-tone gowns – a lush alternative to a plain white wedding dress.  They have exquisite detailing on many of their gowns, including flowers, butterflys, lace, and beading.  Seriously pretty.

Linea Raffaelli UK Stockists »

View the Linea Raffaelli website »

I found this great article on the Bride at Chestergate website called “When is a white wedding dress not a white wedding dress?”  – here’s a taster of the article.

For many a white wedding is the ultimate in sophistication and simplicity, others seek something bold to make a statement…. red maybe? Or rich autumnal colours?

Finding “the one” when searching for a wedding dress means getting the right shape, the right price, the right detailing and above all the right feel.  But what about the right colour?  White is easiest…… or is it?

White may seem like the obvious and in some ways simple choice for your dress but you might be surprised to learn that white is not the most popular colour for bridal gowns in the UK.   That honour goes to “Ivory”.

But let’s stick with white for a moment and consider why most brides are looking elsewhere.  One reason may be that for many skin tones pure white is a difficult colour to wear, for the fair skinned it has a tendency to drain colour, for brides who have experimented with tanning solutions a white gown can bring out (and there is no easy way to put this) an orange hue!

Want to read the rest of the article?  Check it out here »