Wedding Gowns & Bridal Fashion

The demure bride casting furtive glances veiled behind her  ghunghat  , the scented sensuousness of henna-stained hands, the hint of unexplored pleasures behind her pursed lips - the sacred  sutra  of an Indian wedding. “New-age brides are extremely well-toned. They want to flaunt skin - either a revealing back, bare shoulders or a form flattering silhouette to accentuate their curves,” observes couturier Suneet Varma of the contemporary  dulhan  who’s taking wedding couture to dizzying new heights.

“Gone are the days when a bride’s mother or mother-in-law predetermined her wedding finery. Bridal wear is now definitive, glam and chic,” adds designer Ritu Kumar.

In an age of lavish, theme weddings in exotic locales, high-profile guest lists and buoyant budgets - auspicious experimentation is what sells. Weddings are no longer sedate. Most ceremonies preceding the main function comprise glitzy theme nights full of high octave revelry. It’s at these playgrounds of passion that the modern bride showcases her no-holds-barred avatar. “The bridal garb is highly stylised, slick, favouring skin show. The look is more streamlined with a predominant Western influence. Even the colour palette has evolved from reds and maroons to hot pink, wine, coral, dusty rose and tonal gold and silver. No longer does the bride want to be caged within an elaborate tapestry. She has wings and wants to fly,” says designer Rohit Bal, who’s designed the trousseau for actress Liz Hurley. “Liz wanted to look and feel like a sex goddess. I created a white lehenga embellished with diamonds worn seductively low and teamed with a three-inch high blouse revealing her midriff,” adds Bal of his videshi client. Surprisingly, the desi bridal entourage isn’t lagging behind when it comes to dropping their hemlines. And aiding her quest for a sinfully, sensuous wardrobe is a new creed of designers combining red carpet glamour with ethnic ethereal. “Brides hailing from smaller metros like Ludhiana and Patna want to innovate more with plunging necklines, deeper backs and necks,” holds designer Pam Mehta. “Lehengas structured like draped gowns accentuated with Western motifs and controlled bling are replacing the heavily ornamented lehengas. Brides today walk in for a head-totoe consultation armed with international fashion magazines. They want to be dripping Oscar night razzmatazz,” says designer Rakesh Agarwal, who recently created an embroidered bikini worn under a shimmering kaftan for a sangeet ceremony on a yacht in Bangkok and a three-layered, chiffon skirt teamed with a bejewelled T-shirt, costing Rs 60,000. “Backless gown lehengas, fishtail skirts with a winding trail, off shoulder corsets and halter blouses with diamonte chains are haute. Modern bridal wear incorporates elements of raunchy lingerie with an infusion of French lace and tie-ups. With outfits becoming bolder, we’ve infused elements of corsetry with built-in bras inside their outfits,” adds Agarwal. Designer Gaurav Gupta believes the modern look of brides is being inspired by medieval Grecian goddesses. “Offshoulder and one shoulder dress saris accessorised with stoles and Victorian broaches impart a neo-classical look,” adds Gupta.

Cashing in on the bridal boom are international couture brands. “Brides are going an extra mile to be different. A lot of them spend Rs 85,000 for an haute couture gown,” says Kalyani Chawla.

Brazen and bootylicious, the new-age diva’s also seen sculpting her body basics. “Brides are getting henna patterns and the names of their husbands written on their navel. It’s a very sexy combination with low waisted lehengas,” says Bollywood mehendi artist Veena Nagda, as tattoo artist Lokesh quips in, “70 per cent of my clients these days are to-be-brides who come to get their husband’s name tattooed on their shoulders and lower back.”

Bringing sexy back, the bride basks in an unbridled sensory saga. But is her diminishing choli a reflection of a waning value system? Bal has the final say, “Before the Mughal era, our auspicious costumes were downright sexy. The apsaras wore bustiers, resembling modern-day boob tubes, while the cholis were meant to be barely there. The modern bride is simply reinventing her.”

Are you or is someone you know in a dilemma over wedding preparations? The answer may be to hop onto a plane to Taiwan.

For those not in the loop, Taiwan has become a bridal services hub for couples from all corners of the world — anything from wedding photography to custom-made bridalwear is readily available.

The best place to start is Zhongshan (Jhongshan) North Road or Taipei Bridal Street which is situated right in the heart of the Taiwanese capital.

Countless mannequins garbed in extravagant wedding gowns dot both sides of the street. This is indeed a future bride’s paradise and possibly a groom’s worst nightmare!I headed for a posh bridal boutique called Julia owned by the husband-and-wife team of Mai Tsan Wei and Julia Muh. Muh is the dressmaker while hubby takes the photos.

The boutique boasts A-List celebrities and socialites among its customers. “Most of our customers can afford to be lavish in their spending,” said Muh. The boutique ranks among the top five bridal boutiques in the country, and also attracts customers from overseas. “People travel all the way from Hong Kong, the United States, Canada, Singapore and Malaysia to engage our services because we offer personalised bridal gowns and professional photo shoots,” she added.

As Muh took me and my fellow journalists on a tour of her boutique, I observed how every customer was being given undivided attention by the staff. Muh’s wedding gowns were impressive: intricate, classic and stunning, reflecting Muh’s partiality for European and American haute couture.

She uses mostly expensive fabric from branded fashion houses such as Dior and Gucci. “I design elegant gowns that are likely to be in fashion for a longer time than just one season,” she explained. After a crash course on bridal couture by Muh, I left for Ching Jing mountain to witness 99 couples in their wedding wear getting their photos taken. The event was organised by the Bridal Boutique Association of Taipei and the Taiwan Tourism Board.

During my stay at the mountain top resort, a little bird told me that there was a Malay couple from Malaysia participating in the event.

I was thrilled and determined to interview them about their choice of setting for their wedding pictures. Imagine my disappointment when I was informed by the tour manager that they weren’t keen on media attention.

Still, I did manage to speak to a few couples, despite the language barrier.

Wu Jin Fa and Xu Yi Xiang stood out. The couple had been married three decades and had never organised a wedding reception until now!

“I did not wear a wedding gown then, only a plain and simple dress because we had a civil marriage ceremony,” said Xu.

The Taiwan trip was a surprise wedding anniversary gift for her.

“I didn’t know anything until I reached the hotel in Taipei. I felt strange when reading about the wedding dress fitting session in the itinerary. Added Wu: “She (Xu) deserves it. She had been there for me through thick and thin. It feels like we’re getting married all over again.”

Chen Miao Long and Ji Li Ling from Singapore, on the other hand, are bridal photo addicts. “We have done this quite a number of times,” said Ji.

“Our first was two years after our wedding. We flew into London, bringing along a photographer whose trip we sponsored. And then we did a European tour. We took pictures in London, Venice and Paris,” said Ji.

Shanghai was the venue for their wedding photos during another trip. It’s an expensive hobby, the couple admits.

“But as long as Ji is happy, I am also happy to do it. She’s a natural in front of the camera. Instead of taking cues from the photographers, she takes over the shoot,” said Chen, laughing.

At 6am, with the temperature below 10º Celsius, I witnessed 99 couples posing in front of photographers.

I was amazed at how willing the brides were to brave the cold and hike up the mountain in revealing designer wedding gowns and high heels for the session. Ah, the things people do when they’re in love!

Central to every bride’s wedding dream is the gown she wears.

Style-Bride Boutique & Design Studio, 315 N. Santa Fe Ave., is about fulfilling those dreams, says owner Mia Gonzalez, who terms the store’s recent opening a wish come true for herself.

The 1997 Pueblo County High School grad brings a strong background of education and experience that took root at age 11 when she dreamed of becoming a fashion designer and started teaching herself to sew.

Her junior and senior prom gowns were original pattern creations.

Fashion design school at Colorado State University at Ford Collins propelled her to Beverly Hills design houses upon graduation.

She lists off the prominent bridal and lingerie industry names with celebrity associations like a bride ticks off her wish list.

At Victoria’s Secret, Gonzalez was in charge of technical design, making sure every lingerie fabric, lace and notion was in place for Sri Lanka production. While working for designer Cocoe Voci, Gonzalez met actress-musician Moon Zappa and helped make her wedding dress.

One of Gonzales’ most glamorous associations was at the Renee Strauss for the Bride in Beverly Hills store, where off-the-rack dresses and custom gowns like Julia Roberts’ dress in “Runaway Bride” were sold.

“All of the studios, Warner Brothers, Sony and Paramount, any time they would have a bridal theme or a wedding, they would go over there to either make the gown or borrow the gown,” said Gonzalez.

In 2003, her career nearly went academic when she returned to CSU to teach fashion illustration before another Los Angeles adventure.

From the beginning of her fashion career, however, Gonzales, 28, says she always hoped to run a bridal boutique here.

She said her store prides itself on stellar customer service, while offering gowns starting at $300, as well as high-end custom dresses.

In her 11th week of business, Gonzalez says she’s found most brides prefer a nontraditional look.

“They don’t want the dress that looks like it’s from the top of the cake, poufy and plastic and blasted with sequins,” she said. “We have girls with tattoos, second weddings so they don’t want white, girls incorporating different colors, the different themes, the ’50s style.”

Plus, Gonzalez, who says she’s one of few custom designers statewide, can make a gown from scratch, perhaps starting with a magazine photo. She then adds “a little bit of a twist” in the bride’s taste - whatever’s needed to realize a bride’s special dream.
Style-Bride Boutique & Design Studio
315 N. Santa Fe Drive
Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m. to p.m. Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday by appointment only; closed Monday.
406-0006

http://www.stylebridalboutique.com/

Choose a Tea Length Wedding Dress that captures the informal elegance of your wedding If you’re planning your wedding and searching for the perfect dress, consider a tea length wedding dress. While this may not be the traditional silhouette, more and more brides are choosing to wear whatever strikes their fancy. This less formal dress may be just what you have been looking for.

What is a tea length wedding dress? Tea length dresses fall between the knee and ankle, usually about mid-calf. The dress often has a full skirt, which can be made even fuller by wearing a slip and a fitted bodice. For a modern take on the tea length dress, consider a stunning yet simple strapless dress in silk or satin. You can also look for the more traditional cap or three-quarter length sleeves. A tea length wedding dress is a wonderful choice for a less formal wedding. While a formal evening ceremony and reception would warrant a floor-length gown complete with flowing train, you might desire a wedding that is a little more unique or out-of-the-ordinary. If you are planning to have a garden wedding, or a mid-morning ceremony followed by a brunch reception, a tea length wedding dress would be perfect.

While any bride who loves the look of tea length dresses should feel free to wear one on her special day, brides who are blessed with a tall stature look especially stunning in this length. The nipped in waist of a tea length gown also accentuates a tiny waist, so if you have an hour glass figure a tea length wedding dress will be quite flattering. The tea length wedding dress is a throwback to the 1950s and early 1960s, when this length was very popular. Choosing a dress in white taffeta including a full, tulle slip that peaks out the bottom makes the dress look even more vintage. An elegant strand of pearls, a sleek pillbox hat with an attached veil, and a small white nosegay bouquet completes the look quite nicely.

When shopping for a wedding dress, you can look in bridal salons, catalogs, vintage shops, or search the Internet for new or previously worn dresses. Consider purchasing a tea length bridesmaid’s dress to wear as your wedding gown. Because tea length is a very popular length for bridal attendants, you will probably have a large selection from which to choose. Many of the dresses can be purchased in white, but you can also choose another color. Buying a bridesmaid’s dress will most likely be less expensive than buying a traditional wedding gown. A tea length wedding dress may be the perfect dress to transform you into a blushing and beautiful bride. Whether your look is vintage or modern, your gown can be preserved and passed on for another generation to enjoy.

The whole idea of a “fairy tale wedding” may have lost its luster after the demise of Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s marriage. Still, Disney isn’t deterred. Earlier this year, the media company devised a line of wedding gowns designed by Kirstie Kelly, based on its “Disney Princess” franchise.

No, the Cinderella gown doesn’t come with glass slippers. In fact, the dresses look like typical wedding dresses (complete with typical “mid-tier” prices, ranging from $1,100 to $3,500).

But Disney won’t stop there; oh, no. It also plans Princess-branded housewares and sleepwear. Disney’s had great success with Disney Princess merchandise for little girls; according to Newsweek, the Princess brand is already a $4 billion business.

The House of Mouse has its eyes on more than just brides. Several days ago, The Wall Street Journal reported that Disney is also including the motif on infant goods like cribs and diaper-changing mats. Perhaps that’s all part of its long-term strategy — little girls who dream of Disney Princess weddings may grow up to demand Disney Princess weddings one day.

I got burned poking fun at this sort of thing in 2004, when Mattel first announced a line of Barbie-inspired clothing for grown women. Although I had a hard time believing there was a market for childhood-inspired accoutrements, that article ranked among my top generators of soul-wilting hate mail. Obviously, some women really adored the idea.

“Barbie Luxe” hasn’t died on the vine, either. In 2005, the high-priced line had a launch party during L.A. Fashion Week at the Fred Segal Flair boutique; this month’s BrandWeek covered the addition of a new designer, for the “Barbie by Patricia Field” collection of clothing and accessories, available in two separate lines for Macy’s East and Hot Topic, of all places.

Women have come a long way, even since I was a teenager; our opportunities now in society are pretty amazing by comparison. Given all that progress, news like this makes me wonder when things took a sharp turn toward Crazyville. Could you imagine Marvel licensing a line of Spider-Man or Hulk-inspired formalwear for men? I won’t be holding my breath.

Sure, some women aspire to beautiful, wealthy princesshood. But these icons aren’t always healthy, what with the accompanying unrealistic body image, the need to be rescued, and of course, the tiaras. Fairy-tale weddings may be big business, as Disney definitely knows, but I have to wonder whether Americans’ appetite for fantasy isn’t getting out of hand. Perhaps some people simply need to grow up.

Source: The Motley Fool

Sale of European-style dresses is banned in Chechnya. The announcement was made by the president of the republic, Ramzan Kadyrov on air of a local TV-channel.

Kadyrov did not specify how maintenance of the ban would be observed, but said he gave an order to take away all low-cut dresses from wedding shops and ateliers. Ramzan Kadyrov noted that his task was to bring lost cultural and moral values to the youth. He said he would not grudge inviting well-known designers to the republic to make them invent a “Chechen fashion,” which suits the best the national mentality.

The Chechen president emphasized that he would toughen measures regarding firing from arms during wedding ceremonies. “Of course, I will not manage to prohibit it completely, because a Chechen without a rifle is not a true Chechen, but I will not allow turning a celebration into a shooting-range,” the president said.

Several months ago, under an instruction of the Chechen president, female employees of governmental institutions were prohibited from going to work without a headscarf. The same innovation was spread to female TV-presenters and singers.

Source: Regnum

Brides wear specially designed gowns or dresses during their wedding ceremony. These are known as bridal dress and play a very important role in a wedding. It is important for the bride to select a wedding dress of a precise color, fashion and traditional importance often based on the religion and cultural background of the bride.

White has come to be known as the customary color of a wedding dress, but this was not the case in earlier times. This trend was started with the marriage of Queen Victoria to her cousin, Albert of SaxeCoburg in 1840. Her marriage is said to have had more influence on weddings than any other.

Bridal dresses are incomplete without a headpiece. A bride could choose to wear a tiara, a short headpiece, a veil covering her face or a flowing headpiece. The bridal dress may also have a train, a part of the wedding dress that trails behind the bride. This practice came into being from parallel trains worn by kings and queens. It is advisable to order a bridal dress well in advance. Once a wedding dress is selected, one must allow extra time for modifications or unexpected delays.

The range of bridal dress color choices may be perplexing. For example, eggshell, ecru, ivory, diamond white, candlelight and champagne are just a few common shades of white one can select. The cost of a wedding gown can be exorbitant, as well, and is something brides should take into account when choosing their dresses.

One of the most important purchases for a bride is her wedding attire. The gown and headpiece should match the occasion and her personality perfectly. It is important to shop for a gown that is stylish and just right for the bride. A wedding is a social event and many brides choose to take advice from a friend or family member who has previous experience with bridal dresses.

Bridal Dresses provides detailed information on Bridal Dresses, Bridal Shops, Bridal Bouquets, Bridal Registry and more. Bridal Dresses is affiliated with Discount Bridal Gowns.

Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Max_Bellamy

Driven by the rise of the Millennials in the population mix, and backed by strong economic growth, rising standards of living, affluence, and sophistication of brides, the world bridalwear market is projected to reach US$53 billion by the year 2010. Higher purchasing power, a keener sense of personal style, and the tendency to marry later in life, when older, mature and financially stable, are all factors which are leading to a rise in wedding spends, especially for bridalwear.

World bridalwear market stands enthused by the coming of age of the “Millennials”, who are children of the aging baby boomers. In the United States alone, the number of Millennials aggregate to over 80 million as against the 45 million baby boomers of the yesteryears. Exposed to money, pomp, glamour, and cutting edge technology, the Millennials is a lucrative demographic group expected to drive growth in the market. The implications boded by this demographic trend for the bridal jewelry category is huge and comes in the form of a 25% growth compounding through the years to 2015. Fashion trends in bridalwear are fairly stable with styles and color fads always reverting back to simplicity. The unchanging popularity of white, flowing, Cinderella styled princess gowns complete with veils, and high-heeled shoes, continues even to the present day, notwithstanding the modern day brides initial desire to look, fashion-forward, unconventional, and radical in bold colors. The fashion fantasy revolving around the bridal gown often crumbles, and the final purchase decision almost always culminates to the traditional, practically styled dress with a ‘barely there’ color change that offer sobriety, elegance, color, and tradition. Subtle contemporary trends are nevertheless evolving to become part of the timeless mainstay in bridal fashion Ultrafeminine gowns with stylish cuts, bare backs and plunging necklines, yards of elegant fabric, including tutle, satin, lace and organza, laced with shimmering with beads, crystals, rhinestones and handmade silver embellishments, are rising in popularity. Popular choice of colors includes white, oak, crème and champagne.

Innovation in merchandizing bridal products is helping drive demand. Retailing practices today, revolve around building vibrant customer relationships through offering customer-oriented services and value added products that guarantee customer satisfaction. Manufacturers and retailers are beginning to harness the power of internet wedding directories in an attempt to penetrate deeper into the industry. Internet marketing, therefore, is beginning to make its presence felt in the bridal marketplace with both online, and traditional vendors polishing up their websites with easily navigable search engines, and loads of new product related information.

Bridalwear: A Global Strategic Business Report
As stated by the recent report published by Global Industry Analysts, Inc., world bridalwear market is dominated by the United States, Europe, and Japan, with a combined share of over 88.42% estimated in the year 2007. Growth is expected to stem from the United States, with a projected CAGR in excess of 12% over the period 2000 through 2010. Bridalwear market in Japan and Australia, together, is expected to rise by US$2.9 billion between the period 2007 through 2010. In Europe, Germany, United Kingdom, and France, together, collar over 63% of the market, with Italy, a noteworthy market, poised to grow by US$468 million between the period 2007 to 2010. Revenues in the Scandinavian bridalwear market are expected to rise by 29.6% between the period 2007 to 2010. By the year 2015, the Australian market is projected to reach US$840 million. By the same year, Latin America is portended to corner over 6.71% of the world market.

Leading players operating in the industry include Alfred Angelo Inc, Macy’s Inc., Creations Bridal & Fabric Boutique, David’s Bridal Inc., Harrods Ltd, Helen Rodrigues Bridalwear, Justin Alexander Limited, JLM Couture Inc, Paloma Blanca, and Pronuptia de Paris SA.

The report titled “Bridalwear: A Global Strategic Business Report” published by Global Industry Analysts, Inc., provides a comprehensive review of the market trends, drivers, issues, challenges, fashions trends, consumers, their tastes, preferences, purchasing patterns, and couture design trends. Richly annotated with authoritative, and unbiased commentaries, and hard-to-find statistical facts, the report provides unequivocal views on future potential while throwing light on the prevailing climate in key regional markets. Latent demand patterns for bridalwear are quantified across major geographic market verticals including the United States, Canada, Japan, France, Germany, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Scandinavia, Australia, and Latin America. Also provided in the report is an enumeration of recent mergers, acquisitions, and other strategic industry activities.

For more details about this research report, please visit www.strategyr.com/MCP-1033.asp.

About Global Industry Analysts, Inc.
Global Industry Analysts, Inc., (GIA) is a reputed publisher of off-the-shelf market research. Founded in 1987, the company is globally recognized as one of the world’s largest market research publishers. The company employs more than 700 people worldwide and publishes more than 880 full-scale research reports each year. Additionally, the company also offers a range of more than 60,000 smaller research products including company reports, market trend reports and industry reports encompassing all major industries worldwide.

Global Industry Analysts, Inc.
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Web Site www.StrategyR.com

Many young women can remember their favorite Disney princess who once captured their young imaginations. The spirited and determined Ariel followed her dreams of living on land. Belle, the modest and intellectual beauty, ventured into danger to save her father and ended up befriending, and saving, a beast from his life of solitude and misery.

The kind-hearted Snow White cared for the lonely seven dwarfs and overcame a jealous queen. Cinderella, who lost her father and was forced to live with her evil stepmother and stepsisters, eventually found the life she deserved. And who could forget the lively and beautiful Jasmine who outsmarted an evil sorcerer? The Disney princesses’ stories have never really left our hearts.

April 15, 2007, during Bridal Fashion Week in New York City, the Walt Disney Company officially launched its exclusive Disney Princess bridal fashion line. The Disney Bridal and Maidens gowns, inspired by the Disney princesses, were created by couture designer, Kelly.

Known for her vision, quality, and creation of timeless looks, Kirstie Kelly designs for America’s most fashionable celebrities and socialites. According to Kelly, her goal in designing these dresses was to, “create a look that connects to every girl’s inner princess.” She aimed to develop a line that captures the unique spirit and beauty of each Disney Princess.

Kelly stated that, “Every look takes its inspiration from the silhouette, palette, and icons of each Disney Princess story and interprets the spirit of each young woman. Each of them has a unique, charming, and very individual style that many brides can identify with — and now truly emulate — on their wedding day.” For example, her form-fitted Ariel dress has halter straps and a jewel on the bodice. The fabric is a shimmering silk with a mermaid-like “wave” hem.

The bridal fashion line is an extension of Disney Fairy Tale Weddings, held in the Disney Parks in California and Florida. These dresses are made with organza, chantilly, chiffon, satin and tulle fabrics which are embellished with lace, ribbons, crystals, pearls, embroidery and beads.

The majority of the bridal gowns are white; some have a hint of blue or yellow. The bridesmaids and flower girl dresses, also inspired by Disney princesses, come in a variety of colors, and will contribute to a coordinated look for the wedding.

Prices for Disney bridal gowns range from $1,100 to $3,500, and they are sold at specialty boutiques in North America, Japan and Europe. Currently, the only store in Pennsylvania carrying the line is Bridaltown in Collegeville.

One issue is whether the dresses are worth the price. “The idea is a good one, but I’m not sure if it is worth the price.” Junior Education major Megan Quinn said. A second issue is how much the dresses are actually reminiscent of the princesses. “The dresses are all gorgeous, but I don’t feel the looks of them are representative of the princesses they are named after,” junior Jenna Karkuff said.

Kelly considers her involvement with Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to design unique gowns and jewelry that will be cherished for years to come.” You can visit the official Web site, www.disneybridal.com, to take a look at the new dresses, gowns and jewelry for yourself.

Source: the Etownian online

A wedding is an expensive occasion for even the most humble bride and groom. Imagine, then, the wedding that includes the most expensive wedding dress in the world. The Diamond Wedding Gown is a collaboration of Renee Strauss, owner of a highly successful bridal salon in Beverly Hills, and Martin Katz, who deals in rare jewels. Featuring 150 carats of diamonds, the dress is valued at US $12 million.

The world’s most expensive wedding gown was unveiled at the premier Luxury Brands Lifestyle Bridal show in February of 2006. Later in the year, Dubai’s Fashion & Diamonds show also featured a gown touted as the world’s most expensive wedding dress. Yumi Katsura’s design, however, is only valued at $8.5 million. Despite being only the second most expensive wedding dress, it features 1,000 pearls and one of the world’s only two 5 carat white gold diamonds.

Wedding dresses are a matter of especially personal choice and it is often the case that imagination can be a much greater plus point than money. Wedding dresses are usually white, but there are many other colors available. Wedding dresses are factually the icing on the cake on every bride’s wedding day. Informal wedding dresses are in soaring demand and very popular. In general popular wedding dresses are sleeveless or strapless therefore look for complimenting accessories.

Style
Wedding dresses range in styles from simple and elegant to flamboyant and everywhere in between. Consider the different options when deciding on a wedding dress that will show your fashion: a beach wedding dress, a short wedding dress or long wedding dress, and also styles: Strapless, spaghetti, halter, or tank. The type of fabric that will make your skin feel and look good: Chiffon, satin, lace etc. Fishtail or trumpet, sheath, A-line, sweep train, chapel train. Often when you actually try on a gown, you can be surprised what styles would look good on you.

Accessories
After choosing your perfect wedding dress, you will have to think about wedding accessories to match. Accessories ought to complement your dress and add to the look that you are going for. Simple, yet pleasing to the eye, accessories are the perfect way to add a little something to your wedding dress. Always try to set aside a little money for alterations and accessories.

Shoes
Other wedding accessories to think about are shoes. As for shoes, sandals or ballet flats will compliment an informal look. High heels often become uncomfortable for most women.

Information
Find related local information for planning your wedding. Many bridal magazines will offer tons of information. Often these magazines also have websites which you can visit to receive more helpful hints and tips to make your wedding day the best day of your life.

Most wedding dresses are perfect for a theme wedding or objective wedding whether you are getting married in a church, castle, on a beach or at a country side. Classic wedding dresses are a great way to complete a nostalgic wedding party theme. Used wedding dresses are wonderful if you’re looking to save money, but also if you desire a unique classic wedding dress instead of a more contemporary design. Remember, women come in all different shapes and sizes, so a lot of wedding gowns are made to suit each body type, and many can also be altered to make them more comfortable.

Source: BestVideoFlix.com

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

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