Wedding Gowns & Bridal Fashion

Elizabeth Hurley has chosen the Italian designer, Donatella Versace, to design both her bridal gowns for her marriage to Arun Nayar, in the Cotswolds, next Saturday, and the Indian ceremony in Rajasthan five days later, which has a shocking pink theme.

The actress combined final fittings for the dresses with a front row seat at Donatella Versace’s autumn/winter 2007/2008 at the Teatro Versace in the Italian fashion capital last night.

Wearing a short, candy-pink silk dress with a scooped neckline and accompanied by her fiancé, Miss Hurley watched as the designer unveiled a new look for the family brand — “Versace Minimalism”.

The collection marked a high point of Donatella Versace’s 10-year tenure as creative director, following the murder of her brother, Gianni, in Miami, in 1997.

Sculptural tailoring in grey cashmere, stretch jersey and a new techno-wool, treated to look like feathers, emphasised the hourglass figure and gave particular emphasis to the hips.

Column gowns featured delicate, fingertip-pleating from hip to hem and trailing panels which floated like scarves around the body.

Sharply-cut swing coats in vivid shades of lime, turquoise, yellow and red injected hot colour into the opening monochrome palette.

But even the Versace Minimalism allowed space for a little extravagance via crimson-dyed fox “bubble” coats, jackets in silver crocodile, with chinchilla sleeves, and “warrior women” mini-dresses in silver chain mail, crystals and sequins the size of £2 coins, which although relatively modestly cut in front, featured deep, scooped out spinal cleavage.

The Versace “skyscraper” heels, glistening like steel spikes on the mirrored catwalk, took the Milan Fashion Week prize for height, at a teetering 13cm.

The Versace show brought Milan Fashion Week to an end. This weekend, the focus shifts to Paris for the opening of the prêt-à-porter season, the final leg of the international designer shows for next season.

Source: Telegraph.co.uk

Walt Disney Co. has made a fortune out of turning little girls into princesses. Now it plans to turn big girls into princesses, too.

In a move to expand the reach of one of its most popular franchises, Cinderella and her regal friends are moving into the bridal business with a line of wedding dresses and accessories. Disney has teamed up with couture bridal designer Kirstie Kelly to transform blushing brides into their favorite princesses, complete with billowing gowns and crystal tiaras. At a cost of $1,100 to $3,000 for each gown, brides will be able to walk down the aisle in dresses inspired by Cinderella, Snow White, Belle, Sleeping Beauty, Jasmine or Ariel.

As Ms. Kelly sees it, Cinderella is “classic glamour” – the dresses in her line come in high–shine satin with ball–gown skirts and make generous use of silver embroidery and crystals. Snow White has a slightly more conservative look dubbed “sweet elegance.” Ariel and Jasmine models are considerably racier. Ariel, who played the title role in “The Little Mermaid,” has a “sultry allure” and is “comfortable showing her body.” Jasmine, from “Aladdin,” is “bohemian chic,” and her various dresses are big on sheath and lace. In all, Disney will offer 34 princess designs for its first season.

The new wedding gowns, which will go on sale made–to–order at bridal boutiques in North America in June, are an effort by Disney to extend its line of princess paraphernalia to older consumers. Created in 2001 when the company’s consumer–products division started packaging its female characters, Disney Princess has grown into a craze among little girls that is fast approaching annual sales of $3.5 billion from costumes, dolls, bedroom furniture and other regalia.

In thinking of ways it could reach outside the core princess crowd of 3– to 6–year–olds, Disney honed in on women who had grown up with the characters. Brides seemed an obvious target.

“Most brides, even the cynical ones, want to be a princess on their wedding day and see their husband–to–be as Prince Charming,” Ms. Kelly said recently at her bridal boutique in the upscale Brentwood district of Los Angeles. To date, there are no plans to offer prince costumes for grooms.

But don’t expect the gaudy princess costumes that kids run around in. Ms. Kelly says her designs are more about capturing the “mood” of the princess than creating an exact replica of each of the cartoon characters’ outfits.

That means using more subtle colors than the startling pinks, yellows and blues of the mini–princess world. The Cinderella designs, for instance, come in refined ivory and champagne, rather than the bright blue of the original attire. That also means including only delicate features from the characters’ costumes. One of the five Ariel designs has a subtle mermaid styling to the skirt, for instance. Another has waves of shell–like beading cascading down to the hem.

By making the designs more subtle versions of the characters, the company hopes to appeal to more buyers. “No bride wants to look like she’s at her sweet–16 birthday party,” says Sandy Ferreira, who has ordered the princess dresses for her Distinctive Designs Bridal boutique in Rockville, Md. “There needs to be a sense of elegance.”

Still, some of the dresses go places the princess costumes wouldn’t dream of – namely a sexier look. For the newer princesses, Ariel and Jasmine, the designs feature dropped necklines and backs and bare shoulders. (In an unrelated move, Disney also is using a sexy version of Cinderella in an advertising campaign that features actress Scarlett Johansson in the princess’s blue dress.)

The dresses aren’t Disney’s first venture into weddings. The company has a popular wedding service at its theme parks. Thousands of couples have been married to such tunes as “Someday My Prince Will Come,” with their wedding rings offered up in a glass slipper before being whisked away in Cinderella’s coach. On Wednesday, the company unveiled a new wedding–planning service from celebrity party planner David Tutera, starting at around $75,000 for 50 guests.

Until now, brides who wanted the full princess experience had to design their own gowns. In its research leading up to the decision to make the dresses, Disney found that brides tend to spend more on their dress than they plan to, which amounts to an average 10 percent of a $26,000 total budget.

The midrange market marks a shift for Ms. Kelly, who usually designs couture dresses costing as much as $20,000 for celebrity clients, including some of the cast in the movie “Wedding Crashers.”

To maintain a luxurious look at lower prices, the 38–year–old designer found a Chinese factory three hours outside Guangzhou that was experienced at making wedding dresses.

She used cheaper materials in parts of the dress that don’t meet the eye. The Snow White–inspired dresses, for instance, combine silks on the surface with polyester fabrics underneath.

In designing the dresses, Ms. Kelly says she spent night after night watching animated Disney movies such as “Cinderella.” Then she tried to imagine what the modern–day equivalent of each of the princesses would be.

She pictured Sleeping Beauty as a creative type and labeled her “pretty romance.” Her dress features an elegant A–line skirt with pearl–like beads and crystals at the hem. By contrast, Belle, from “Beauty and the Beast,” “knows who she is” and would be a doctor or lawyer. Her dress with “stylish sophistication” comes in taffeta and features her signature roses.

Some of the princesses skew slightly older than others, Ms. Kelly felt. Belle, for instance, is an older bride, perhaps 30–35, while Snow White is younger, maybe in her early 20s.

Ms. Kelly sketched out various designs for each princess, which she plans to unveil at Bridal Week in New York in April. Disney hopes by the end of the year to offer the dresses in around 500 boutiques in North America, and has plans to move into Europe and Japan as well. It’s also launching a line of costume jewelry for each princess with pieces costing $45 to $295.

Other accessories will follow in October, including bridesmaid and flower–girl dresses, as well as shoes next year. For now, Disney is recommending existing brands of shoes for each outfit – for instance, Jimmy Choo for Cinderella and London Sole ballet flats for Snow White.

Source: CaymanianCompass

Bridal Santacruzan fashion show is all set to make its debut in the City of Pines and the strikingly exotic Baguio Cathedral (BC) will become the host.

‘Weddings Made in Heaven’, 2007 Bridal Fashion Show is scheduled on February 23, where Designers Olec Josephus, Boyet Dysico, Ryan Rufino, and Cynthia Tabora-Tuason will present their creations.

This highly anticipated one-hour show has been organized by Heaven’s Touch Planners and Coordinators and Baguio Country Club (BCC).

Source: Fibre2Fashion

With so many over-the-top weddings, is there room for the budget-conscious bride?
Yes, says Vows, a spectacular day certainly doesn’t have to infer that a fortune has been spent. Just like fashion, real style doesn’t come from simply throwing lots of money around.

Take advantage instead of what you see at those ‘wow’ events and dazzle your family and friends in your own way and lest you forget, the most important part of your day is something money can’t buy. Your guests are there to see both of you unite, so make the ceremony meaningful.the cost of that. Priceless.

But first things first.
What’s your budget?

Before you make a single appointment or clip any photos from Vows, draw up a budget. This will keep you in control during the whirlwind planning process. It’s important to factor in a little extra for even the most budget-conscious bride spends a little bit more. Go over the budget by about 15%.

Tabletop décor Who doesn’t want a fabulous table like the ones above created by Laurel de Mercado? Upgrading all the china and silver will wipe out the budget - stocking up a year ahead from stores like Megamart or Azmart will afford you gorgeous, inexpensive, coloured glasses. Upgrade one thing, eg swap the boring white hotel tablecloths for a bold colour. Smaller tables mean that once tableware is in place, there’s not much room left to decorate.

Say I do by day
Those of us who have had the experience of planning weddings know that as soon as the sun goes down the costs triple. Why? Brunch becomes dinner, morning cocktails become a full bar, then there’s the disco. Get the picture?

Avoid the popular months
Come to think of it, so much has changed these days but June, November and December are pretty popular wedding months.
Avoid Christmas.
Why? It’s difficult to keep visiting relatives and families away. Interpret this to mean they’ll gatecrash.

Saturdays too
Fact is, there are only so many Saturdays a year and naturally there’s more demand for everything.

Stationery & Paper
Choose A Colour
Decide on your wedding’s colours before you order your stationery. If you stick with this palette for all of your printed materials, your event will look more coordinated - and therefore more expensive.

Be a Printer
You’ll save a pretty bundle if you have or have access to a quality printer. Spend the money to have save-the-dates, invitations and RSVP cards printed professionally. Then do the maps, accommodation cards and programmes yourself.

Delivery costs
Mail has to be sent out. If there’s time stick a stamp on them if not register them.

Hire a coordinator
No we’re not being funny. Trust us when we tell you that a smart wedding planner can save you money in the long run by helping you decide what’s important.
If your budget simply won’t allow for a full-time helper, consider a part-time arrangement. Two weeks before the wedding works for a few people - the most important thing being that she’ll be there on the day to handle any last-minute crises.

Flowers can cost a small fortune, so blossom modestly
This is the reality if you’re on a budget you’ll just have to pick less expensive flowers and mass them together. Carnations, for example, tied in fours and fives can look like peonies. Daisies are also a great on-a-budget option or giant baskets of potted geraniums or azaleas on a table. These are as fabulous as roses.

Stay in Season. Anything that’s imported costs a fortune and naturally roses during Valentine’s week will triple in price. Check out the possibilities of renting plants.

A wedding reception
with no flowers?
Yes, try candles instead every five inches down the centre of the table. Or let the meal be the focal point of the table served family-style as centrepieces.

Borrow atmosphere
There’s nothing like a great location offered by a family member or friend.
Replace white bulbs with amber ones. Flatter guests’ complexions by using warm-tone gels on overhead lights.

Music
Live band music is fabulous but only if it’s affordable. So use a smaller ensemble, or a single artist such as a pianist or violinist to play for the ceremony and through cocktails and dinner. Switch to a disc jockey for the dancing later. You can also plug your MP3 player into good speakers, just be sure you have a second player as a backup.

Food & Beverage
This is where most of the money goes. So reduce costs by forgetting about an appetiser station, they’re true budget busters. Have waiters pass appetisers you’ll have better portion control. If you do have your heart set on stations, be creative with dips and breads.

Narrow the options by serving one meat (don’t forget the vegetarians).
Skip the toast or serve a sparkling bubbly like prosecco which mimics at a fraction of the price.
Stock the bar with well chosen as opposed to a full international one. Bring the wines in and pay corkage.

Wedding Cake
Think small. Yes, we all love the notion of a traditional tiered wedding cake but gorgeous iced cupcakes on pretty cake stands stacked one on top of each other will create quite a frisson. Cake stands filled with cupcakes can also be your table centrepieces, eliminating the cost of pricier floral arrangements.

Glam up a Plain Cake
Mariska Hargitay’s wedding cake created by Luke and Tammy Massman-Johnson of Very Different Cakes in LA was decked out in custom Swarovski crystal butterfly and flowers. Theirs cost thousands but you can create yours for less by choosing a plain cake from a bakery and decorating it with Swarovski “cake jewellery” available at differentcakes.com.
Acknowledgement: Instyle Weddings Spring 2006

The smell of beautiful bridal bouquets and scented candles filled Lake Hume Resort yesterday as more than 1000 people attended Lake Hume Resort’s 12th annual Bridal Fair.

The brides-to-be, their mothers, girlfriends, and fiances wandered the fair looking for the items that would make their wedding perfect and unique.

Stall holders covered everything from stationery and photography to the little gifts placed on dinner tables for guests at the reception.

Billion Dollar Dreams customer service manager Brett Baird said women’s bridal dress trends were shifting towards “more romantic styles”.

“We are seeing a lot more embellishments, like embroidery, lace, beading and dresses with shoulder sleeves are very popular at the moment,” he said.

“The sweetheart neckline is also coming back with a vengeance and A-line skirts with tulle and lace inserts are also quite popular.”

Mr Baird said choosing the style was sometimes the easy part.

“Once a bride is set on the style there is also the matter of finding the right colour to set off her skin tone,” he said.

“Ivory is a very popular colour and now comes in 18 different shades from warm ivory to a vanilla shade.

“But white is still strong, especially with tanned girls.”

Lake Hume wedding co-ordinator Shelley Dargan said the crowd numbers were up 20 per cent on last year.

“We have people from as far as Melbourne and Sydney coming to see our beautiful fashion parade featuring up-to-the-moment bridal fashions from Border businesses,” she said.

“Some people are interested in the fashions while others just wanted to pick up last-minute pieces for their wedding.”

Fleece jackets and yoga pants might be the style of choice for the average Vancouver woman, but when it comes to their wedding, brides are draping themselves in silk.

“In our market, (brides) are quite classic and sophisticated. Not the kind who want over-the-top princess gowns,” said Monti Samuel, bridal manager of Blush Bridal and Special Occasions in West Vancouver.

Vancouver brides, she says, aren’t interested in a lot of beading or tulle.

“They want to be fashion-forward, have slimmer silhouettes and luxury fabrics – lots of silk.”

“There’s been a trend away from pure white,” said Samuel. “A lot of people are going for ivories, and there’s a move into the champagne colour. A lot of brides are accessorizing with sashes with colour to match with bridesmaids’ dresses or with their flowers.”

But, she said, “no crazy colours.”

As for bridesmaids dresses, brown is the colour of choice, and pink bouquets seem to be must-haves for many women this season.

“Gloves are not a big thing,” said Samuel. “(Vancouver brides) are very understated brides. We have lots of outdoor weddings.”

As for jewelry, she said it’s always pretty minimal - Swarovski crystals, diamonds and pearls. “And these days people are liking pearls with some crystals or diamonds to mix it up, and some colour in them.”

She added that chandelier earrings seem to be the new rage.

And while the “ever classic veil” is still as popular as ever, with about 90 per cent of brides wearing one, she said many women are wearing hair pieces that are woven into the hair as an alternative to the tiara which, she said, is a fad that has for the most part died.

source: http://www.northshoreoutlook.com

Lou Ching Wong, project coordinator for the mega Hair and Beauty Fair and Hair Asia Pacific 2007, speaking on his role at the event, said, ‘I am in charge of the coordination and choreographing of the productions held throughout the event’. The fair will kick off on March 2 with the day focused on everything related to hair.

The show is sponsored by L’Oreal, the leading hair-care product company. There will be demonstrations by leading local and foreign experts featuring cuts, colouring and a variety of styles, along with competitions for the national awards ceremony, comprising of ladies and gents haircuts, as well as bridal and evening hairstyles during the day. An international hair show will be held in the evening, showcasing trend statements, especially with regard to forecasting the latest trends in hairstyles. The one-hour show will feature Sri Lanka’s top hairstylists with foreign hairstylists also participating.

Renowned Pakistani Cosmetologist and Dermatologist Dr. Farah Farook will have a comprehensive two hour presentation followed by a one to one session with the public on the medicinal aspect of beauty and skin care on March 3, which kicks off the day focused on beauty.

March 4, focuses on fashion - where there will be competitions related to bridals from western and oriental to the traditional and contemporary as well as the full fashion look for men and women. The highlight of the day will be the much-anticipated Fashion Extravaganza, where fashion shows will be held right throughout the day showcasing creations of some of Sri Lanka’s leading fashion designers and designing schools. Comprising of a series of fashion shows, with a pool of 15 female models and six male models, eight collections will be displayed, with each show lasting for 30 minutes, with breaks in between.

A bridal show, which will showcase a cross section of brides, will be presented by SLAHAB in the evening. Anom, an Indonesian designer who will be showcasing his collection, will follow this, with four Indonesian models participating.

Sri Lanka’s pioneer in the fashion industry Kirthi Sri Karunaratne starts off the series of shows, displaying a wide variety of sari’s at the show, followed by Yolanda Aluvihare, who will also showcase a collection of sari’s, with tie and dye, batik and classical motifs. Undergraduate students following the degree programme in Fashion Design and Product Development at the University of Moratuwa will present their creations, with Brian Kerkoven’s collection for men and women and Purnima Abeyratne’s medieval themed collection next in line.

Dhammika Amarasekera is staging a comeback, with a collection focused on the colour white,thirteen students from the Lanka Institute of Fashion Technology (LIFT) recreating the 1970’s look and Ruchira Silva’s Haute Exotica Couture themed collection end the show,leading to a gala dinner for all competitors.
Hair Asia Pacific starts on March 5, with over 200 foreign participants comprising of Jacklyn Tan, Director of Pivot Point, Singapore, Rudi Hadisuwarno, President of the Indonesian Hairdressers Association and President of the OMC and ICD, Indonesia, Suchard Konreuk, President of the All Thai Hairdressers Association and Ruhana Iqbal Khan, President of PHABA, Pakistan among others. Attended by 15 countries in the zone, which include Japan, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Indonesia, China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Thailand, Philippines, Pakistan, India, Taiwan, and Malaysia, the international event is to be one of glitz and glamour.

An awards ceremony will also be held, with winners from each category entitled to prize money of USD500 and USD2000 for the grand championship category. An international hair show will follow with New York based Indian designer, Payal Singh showcasing her Indo Western collection, which will be on sale on March 6, 2007 at the lobby of the Galadari Hotel.

Recognised by the Ministry of Tourism as a national event, the fair is guaranteed to create benchmarks in the local hair, beauty and fashion industry as well as go a long way in elevating the standards to an international level by creating awareness to the consumer and giving exposure to talented individuals in the various fields. There will be demonstrations by leading local and international experts, as well as fashion and hair shows and 50 trade stalls, with Indian cosmetic jewellery and special honeymoon packages to Bali standing out. There will also be mini competitions for the public during the three days, with prizes being given out to the ‘Best Head of Hair,’ ‘Best Skin,’ ‘the Smartest Dressed Girl.’ All of this is on offer to the public, with the entrance ticket being only Rs100, which includes a welcome drink.”

Nayana Karunaratne, founder of the Sri Lanka Association of Hairdressers and Beauticians (SLAHAB) and Chairman of the organising committe, speaking on the event, said, “This is going to be a mega event, featuring three days focusing on hair, beauty and fashion, and finishing up with the grand finale, which would be the Hair Asia Pacific event.”

To be brides in Vancouver prefer to drape themselves in silk for their wedding night.

Vancouver brides, are no more interested in lots of beading or tulle in their trousseau, instead they are interested in slimmer silhouettes and luxury fabrics.

Pure whites and ivories have captured the hearts. There is a slight tilt towards the champagne colour.

To color up the white trousseau lot of brides are accessorizing with sashes in colours to match with brides maids’ dresses or with their flowers.

Swarovski crystals, diamonds and pearls are the likings of Vancouver brides and chandelier earrings have become the new rage.

As far as the Veil is concerned many women are wearing hair pieces that are woven into the hair as an alternative to the tiara.

The second edition of the Perfect Wedding Show is all set to open its doors at Expo Centre Sharjah on February 20, 2007.

The five-day event, considered the region’s most comprehensive display of wedding related products and services, will feature over 120 exhibitors.

Exhibits at the show will include a very diverse and fascinating range of items. Among them will be wedding decoration products, fashion and jewellery wear including bridal wear, beauty items, wedding stationery, catering services, wedding venues, sound and light services, and photography and video services.

Exquisite and rare bridal collections from Lebanon, Italy, Bahrain, India, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, will be major head turners at the show.

‘The coming edition of the Perfect Wedding Show will be a reflection of traditional as well as contemporary wedding trends in the Middle East region,’ said Mr. Saif Al Midfa, Director General, Expo Centre Sharjah.

For to-be-married couples and their families, irrespective of the trend they wish to follow, the event will serve as a one stop shop for all their wedding needs,’ he added.

This year’s Perfect Wedding Show, like the debut edition in 2006, will be an action-filled event packed with glitz and glamour.

A major attraction will be the daily fashion shows by some of the best-known and most exclusive names in the regional fashion arena.

UAE based Salma Khan Fashion House, Hanayen, Amato, Sweet Lady, and Ateej Al Souf, Iran’s Rahmanian, Bahrain’s Shujoon and Scarf, and Saudi Arabia’s Zaki Bin Abboud, are some of the designer labels that will be showcased at this year’s Perfect Wedding Show.

Salma Khan Fashion House is a renowned fashion house located in Dubai and specializes in Westerns, Asians and Arabic fashion that include ‘Jalabiyas’, Wedding Gowns, along with several other fusion outfits.

Hanayen, spread across the UAE, on the other hand concentrates exclusively on traditional Arabic dresses for women, particularly Abaya and Sheila.

Dubai-based Amato, known for infusing creativity and innovation along with sophistication and glamour, has over the years gained a significant number of elite clients in the region.

Sweet Lady, also known for its exclusive designs of Abaya and Sheila, uses premium quality Japanese fabric for its creations. It uses the latest machines and technology in its high-end creations.

Ateej Al Souf is a name that is synonymous with exclusive Jalabiyas and special Henna dresses. The creations have been presented in numerous fashion shows across the region.

Among designers based outside the UAE, Iran’s Rahmanian is a name to reckon in the Middle East fashion scene. Its designer Mohamed Rahmanian, is known for integrating centuries old techniques of superior embellishment with the beauty of today’s modern silhouettes.

Bahrain’s Shujoon and Scarf have also successfully created a name for themselves among the region’s fashion enthusiasts.

Shujoon, known for its exclusive Abayas, features designs that are unique in the sense that it uses premium Abaya fabric, embroidery and special stones.

Scarf is also known for its creation of the traditional Arabic Abaya with Saleh. The company has demonstrated that the Arabic dress can be transformed from a mere article of clothing to fashionable wear by adding new designer dimensions, styles, embroidery, accessories and decorative jewellery.

Jeddah-based Saudi Arabian designer Zaki bin Abboud is known for her spectacular designs in her haute couture collections. A winner of several international fashion awards, Zaki bin Abboud is better known as the Princessa of Arabic Fashion. Her work has been publicized in both local and international media.

The electrifying fashion shows alongside the Perfect Wedding Show will be held everyday at 7.15 pm and 9.00 pm on February 20th, 21st, and 22nd, at 7 pm, 8 pm and 9 pm on February 23rd, and at 7.30 pm and 8.30 pm on February 24.

Another highlight of the Show will be the performances by professional dance troupes from Lebanon on the sidelines.

The Perfect Wedding Show is an initiative of Expo Centre Sharjah with the support of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI). The Show will be open exclusively for ladies on 20th and 22nd February from 10 am to 3 pm. For general public, the show will be open from 3 pm to 10 pm.

Choosing a wedding dress can be a stressful time in a bride’s planning process. Countless visits to bridal shops looking for the perfect dress often yield sighs of frustration and sore feet and backs from standing. New trends make the options seem even more endless. The upcoming Cary Magazine Elegant Weddings Gala hopes to offer a unique event in which brides can relax and enjoy the planning process with their friends and families. Slated as an evening of celebration, Western Wake County’s soon-to-be-wed will have the opportunity to meet vendors in an intimate environment, complete with cocktails, served hors d’oeuvres and live entertainment.

Alexia’s Bridal Boutique, the evening’s Presenting Sponsor, will feature the newest trends in wedding gowns and bridal fashion. Cary Magazine’s Elegant Weddings Gala will be held at Prestonwood Country Club in Cary on March 1 from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m.

“We participate in the more upscale bridal shows,” said Alexia Joyce, owner of Alexia’s Bridal. “We look for an elegant event that showcases top vendors in the area, not shows for the mass crowds.”

Displays and live models will showcase traditional and unique dresses for their weddings and themed quadrants will allow vendors to display their services in a way that will help brides visualize ideas for their special day.

The collection of dresses Alexia’s Bridal will showcase represents the themes displayed in each quadrant. Gala themes include Modern, Traditional, Southern and Coastal weddings. For the Modern quadrant, Alexia’s will feature a dress from a Parisian designer with a unique fabric and shape, and an artsy style; the Traditional quadrant will have a simple dress with traditional elements to reflect this theme; a light and airy dress designed in lightweight fabric will be featured in the Coastal quadrant; and to properly represent the Southern quadrant, a feminine dress of fabrics like organza and lace will be displayed.

Also to be highlighted at the Elegant Weddings Gala are new trends emerging for 2007, including: belts instead of sashes adorned with details like embroidery and rosettes, and lots of color on the dresses, even black accents. Hair accessories and styles are changing as well. Where tiaras have held the market for crowning glory, headbands are now taking their place.

In recent years, strapless dresses have dominated bridal fashion. The trend is now changing to offer different necklines and more strap options for dresses. Multiple layers of different fabrics offer dresses that have a fitted shape underneath and a more traditional shape on top, as dresses with fitted lace gowns and chiffon and English netting layers appear on the runways.

“We choose the dresses in our boutique by going to designer’s fashion shows in Chicago and New York that showcase upcoming trends in the lines,” said Joyce. “We choose which dresses to offer based on what we think our customers will like. Brides want a variety of styles; some want a more modern and fashion-forward dress, while others are looking for something more simple and traditional, and we try to offer a unique selection of gowns to suit their needs.”

For gala information, contact Jennifer Ingulli at (919) 674-6020, ext. 135, jingulli@carymagazine.com, or visit www.carymagazineweddings.com.Tickets for this exciting event are limited and will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. Ticket prices are $10 per person in advance or $15 at the door.

Alexia’s Bridal Boutique is located at 1051 Darrington Dr. in Cary. For more information, visit www.alexiasbridal.com, e-mail info@alexiasbridal.com or call (919) 481-6633.

Contrex(R) Natural Mineral Water, a leading Nestle Waters North America brand of mineral water, sourced from Contrexeville, France, announces its partnership with legendary bridal retailer Kleinfeld Bridal, and New York-based Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), to support aspiring student bridal designers through the 2007 Contrex Natural Mineral Water Bridal Design Competition. Students from FIT will compete for the chance to earn bridal industry recognition and $5,000, by designing and constructing a water-themed wedding gown.

“Contrex is very excited about this competition and we are anxious to see how the students embrace this challenge,” said Bob Davino, Nestle Waters North America, vice president of marketing. “Like Contrex, the bridal industry’s primary audience is women. French women have enjoyed Contrex for more than a century — enjoying its calcium and magnesium benefits. A woman’s wedding day is one of the most important days of her life and what she drinks affects her overall health and appearance.”

Contrex, Kleinfeld, and FIT came together to create the Contrex Natural Mineral Water Bridal Design Competition, which launched this month, and continues through the spring and summer 2007 college semesters. Interested students will go through two elimination rounds until five finalists are identified. Each finalist will construct an original, water-themed wedding gown and be judged on creativity, originality, wearability, demonstrated technical skills, and professionalism. The judging panel will consist of representatives from Nestle Waters North America, Contrex Natural Mineral Water, the Kleinfeld Bridal owners, a high-end bridal designer, and a bridal magazine editor. Kleinfeld plans to provide students with guidance throughout the design process and offer high-end bridal industry insights. The top two winners will be announced during a September media event at Kleinfeld Bridal.

“We have always wanted to do something to help up-and-coming student bridal designers in New York City. When Contrex approached us with this opportunity we were excited to offer our expertise to the talented students at FIT,” said Mara Urshel, co-owner of Kleinfeld Bridal, and member of the judging panel.

About Kleinfeld
Founded in 1941, the legendary Kleinfeld has long been known for carrying the largest selection of exclusive designer wedding gowns anywhere in the world with the highest level of customer service. In recent years, Kleinfeld has experienced dramatic growth in it’s 35,000 square foot store in Manhattan, under the leadership of Mara Urshel, Ronald Rothstein and Wayne Rogers, the savvy investor of M*A*S*H fame, who jointly purchased the business in 1999 along with an investor group.

About FIT
FIT is a college of art and design, business and technology of the State University of New York. Educating nearly 11,000 students annually, it offers more than 45 programs leading to the AAS, BFA, BS, MA, and MPS degrees in such diverse areas as interior design, advertising and marketing communications, fashion design, and fashion merchandising management, toy design, global fashion management and cosmetics and fragrance marketing and management.

Source: PR Newswire