Wedding Gowns & Bridal Fashion

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