Finding Your Perfect Dress with Nearly Newlywed

I’ve heard time and time again that it’s so hard to find the one… the right wedding dress that is!  Do I make a statement in something fun or play it safe in something classic?  White or ivory?  Long or short?  All of these thoughts and more pop into your mind at some point.

Brides.com published an article about Jacqueline Courtney, wedding dress consultant who started Nearly Newlywed.  Nearly Newlywed is an online wedding dress boutique, designed to help a bride find her perfect gown.  The dresses are all “nearly new” and the boutique offers many designer labels.

Valuing quality and style, Courtney says that her company offers “the best designs to girls all over the country, big city and small town girls brides alike, at incredible values.”

In the interview, Courtney reveals her favorite trends and popular silhouettes.  My favorite piece of advice that she gives when it comes to rules of wedding dress shopping is; “the only rule is that you need to be true to yourself and to have fun.”

Nearly Newlywed’s website is simple, organized, and easy to use.  You can shop by designer and style and even find accessories.  You can even customize a personal shopping experience using your Pinterest Bridal Inspiration Board!  Based on your board, Nearly Newlywed will select dresses to personally suit you!  There is also an option for you to sell your dress back.  Nearly Newlywed has so much to offer and I think it’s a great tool for brides to be!

Jacqueline Courtney is also an expert blogger for Brides.com and has an exclusive partnership with Kleinfeld!

Designer Profile: Delphine Manivet

Image Source: http://downtheaislect.com/dress-trysts-for-the-modern-bride

“Simplicity well-carried out” is how wedding dress designer Delphine Manivet describes her personal style and her designs in an interview with bhldn.com.

Manivet chose to end her studies of economics to pursue her true dream of becoming a fashion designer.  Manivet moved to Paris and started working for a design house until one day it was time for her to find a dress for her own wedding.  Unable to find anything that felt truly her, Manivet designed her own dress.  She channeled her creative energy into wedding dress design and now has her own design house in Paris.

Manivet’s ideas are inspired by eighteenth century portraits, the symbolism of the wedding gown, and the individual femininity of every girl.  Her goal and biggest challenge is to create timeless looks.

Her dresses are all about the mix of modern and vintage and dream and simplicity.  Manivet looks to every day as an opportunity to gather inspiration for her next design.  The designer loves looking for vintage inspiration at flea markets and charity sales.

Manivet names the dresses in her collections after men’s names.  “For me, it’s a way to pay tribute to the man who is never included in the process of choosing or making the dress, but counts in the choice for sure”, she says.

Manivet’s looks are absolutely beautiful and worth taking a look at.  I love the simplistic femininity of her gowns and her classic use of white!  Please read this article on Manivet for more about her.  Here is her website.  Browse through her collections; they are stunning.

Top 5 Trends from Fall 2013 NYC Bridal Fashion Week

Photo from Brides.com

This weekend marked the start of New York’s International Bridal Week!  Bloggers and editors from bridal magazines all over the country came to the city to see the latest trends in wedding gowns and bridesmaid dresses at the bi-annual bridal market.  The looks were simply stunning; from lace to embellishments, there’s so much to get inspired by!

Obviously, we can’t all afford these designer price tags, but many designers get inspiration from events like this.  Want cutting edge fashions for your special day?  Here are my top 5 favorite trends from Fall 2013’s NYC Bridal Fashion Week!

1. Lots of lace!  So many of the collections featured stunning laces.  The Vera Wang collection was simple and elegant.  Dresses had lace in all the right places.  She used lace in all the right places like the bodice.  Think iconic Kate Middleton in her 2011 royal wedding.  Choose lace if you are going for the soft romantic look.

2. The embellished bodice.  It’s all in the details when it comes to the bodice.  From ruffles, to lace, to crystals, to flower embellishments, to beading, bodices are gorgeous and intricate this fall.  Drawing attention to the bust line, the bodices are balanced by simple skirts making the dresses just interesting enough; not too gaudy or overdone.  Even the simple girl can rock a stunning bodice!

3. Jewel tones… not for the brides, for the bridesmaids!  Playing up plum, midnight blue, and magenta, the deep berry tones are perfection for fall.  The Monique Lhuillier collection used jewel tones and drew attention to the shoulders incorporating strapless and off-the-shoulder designs.

4. The detailed back.  I absolutely LOVE a detailed back.  When it comes to fashion, I always think that unexpected is beautiful.  What’s more gorgeous than a simple dress with an intricate back?  Think deep-v and keyhole gowns with lace details.

5. Headpieces.  So many of the gowns were paired with beautiful headpieces and bands incorporating crystals, beading, and simple flower embellishments.  Headpieces can be a unique and elegant addition to your look.

 For photos check out Brides.com blog Aisle Say!  

Mismatched Can Be Beautiful

Model Molly Sims’s Bridal Party

One of my favorite trends in the bridal industry is the mismatched look of bridesmaid dresses! Looking at our parents wedding photos, we see a lot of the same; the same hairstyles, the same colors, and the same flowers. Now as weddings are getting more and more creative, brides are dressing their girls in a variety of different dresses!

Variety adds interest and personality to your wedding party.  I keep seeing this trend all the time in celebrity wedding photos.  I love how model Molly Sims chose simple dresses that the girls can reuse for the other events.  Letting your bridesmaids choose from different options gives them the ability to choose something they love and feel confident in.  They will feel like they helped make creative decisions and weren’t forced to wear something they didn’t love.

This trend is not only for the ladies; your groomsmen can be mismatched too! Think mismatched ties, or unique boutonnieres! Nervous about this trend? Here’s a tip! Try to keep all of the dresses in the same color scheme, like the muted brown tones Sims chose.  Or keep all of the dresses the same color, but vary the style of each dress. Mismatched can be beautiful!