Dress Shopping

Let me preface this by saying I am a researcher by nature and by profession….please don’t think I am crazy.

Recently I went dress shopping with a friend of mine who is also getting married in 2010. The owner of the store just happened to be there, and she said to us, “You girls spend HOURS on the Internet looking for the perfect dress and come in with all sorts of pictures you’ve found. And what good does it do? No girl ever comes in here buying the dress that they fell in love with on the Internet. I bet I’m right about you girls too, my theory never fails.”

By the time I visited Nicole Miller, I had already memorized all of the dresses on the website. I could have told you if something was new or removed, same goes for the J.Crew Weddings site. Some might say this is obsessed or crazy, but I just like to think I’m thorough in my research. :)

Last time we left off I was trying on dresses in the $2k-4k range. After that day, I promised myself–no more trying on dresses over $2k. Under $1k? Even better!

It took me about six months to buy a wedding dress, and in those six months I visited five different salons and probably tried on about forty dresses. Can you imagine? FORTY DRESSES. I remember going to my first appointment and asking “what’s a sweetheart neckline?” and by the end of round 2 of dress shopping I was a pro at all the terminology.

If there is one “pretty thing” I love more than paper, it would have to be fashion, hands down.  So of course, the hunt for the perfect dress and the perfect wedding day style began as soon as I said “I will.”  While I had a general idea of what I wanted (well, more what I didn’t want: no beads, no beddazzle, no pouf), I still figured that I’d hit up several bridal shops before finding my dream dress.  Little did I know…

We just returned from a fabulous week in NYC for Bridal Fashion Week, where we were introduced to new collections and offerings from the best of the best in wedding fashion. One of our favorite new lines? Lillian Wild‘s “Create” Collection- a customizable collection that is the epitome of modern, classic simplicity. With a set of gowns each named after peonies (swoon), the Lillian Wild lookbook showcases separates, underlays and overlays, and dresses, designed to flatter every bride. Select from five laces, three linings, and multiple cuts and styles, to create a bridal look as unique as you are! The collection is expected to arrive at retailers all over North America in the new year, and is now available in the Lillian Wild Bridal boutique in Kelowna, BC. See the entire lookbook here!

It’s safe to say that we are completely smitten by Allure Bridals. Featuring impeccable design and craftsmanship, their gowns are the epitome of the romantic, elegant style that we love (EAD brides love them too, check out all of the amazing real weddings featuring Allure gowns!). Their Spring 2015 collection is all that and more, showcasing modern silhouettes with exquisite detailing like stunning lace, embroidery and beading. These gowns are a fresh take on classic bridal design, pairing dramatic backs and floral appliques with on-trend features like illusion necklines and pretty cap sleeves. If you’re looking for a truly remarkable gown that will look as fashionable today as it does in photos decades from now, Allure Bridals will have you feeling like the belle of the ball on your wedding day!

We are so excited to unveil the upcoming Fall 2015 collection from one of our absolute favorite designers, Sarah Seven! Sarah Seven is known for their ethereal, elegant gowns, and this set of frocks is undeniably stunning! The new collection features not only beautiful gowns (our favorite? The positively gorgeous Lafayette.), but also bustier tops, camisoles and rompers that can all be paired with the collection’s skirt styles!

Let’s all just pause a minute and marvel in the delicate, graceful beauty of Sarah Seven‘s gowns. We’ve long been smitten with the elegant creations (the luminous Goldie is one of our favorite gowns ever!), and the new collection may just be the most stunning yet. From the ethereal Brighton to the sparkling Soho, each of the flowing confections is more beautiful than the last!

So many ladies dream of their perfect sparkler, and what better way to make that wish come true than to design your very own engagement ring! The sky’s the limit when you work with the fabulous Joseph Jewelry! Specializing in custom engagement rings, Joseph Jewelry offers an array of options for all styles and budgets. Work with their jewelers to design your own ring in-store or online, creating your very own ring from scratch or customizing one of their gorgeous existing designs. You can adjust as many times as needed to create your perfect ring!

Be still my heart! We all love beautiful baubles, and today we get to introduce you to the stunning and unique jewelry from Diamond in the Rough. Rough diamonds feature the gem in its natural form, showcasing the beauty of diamonds in their untouched state. The result? Utterly gorgeous and one-of-a-kind engagement rings, eternity bands, earrings, and more! Their passion for creating jewelry that you will fall in love with extends from their design process to their ethical sourcing. Not only are all of their gems evaluated for their natural beauty and radiance (to ensure true works of art!), but they are all also ethically sourced and conflict-free. From the graceful Embrace collection—our favorite!—to the bold Covet collection, there’s a ring for every personality, with diamonds in a range of colors from colorless to chocolate. Visit the Diamond in the Rough website and Pinterest page to find a piece that matches your own personal style!

A unique symbol of your love and commitment, we are head-over-heels for fingerprint wedding bands from Brent & Jess. Featuring metals, finishes, and designs to fit every couple’s individual personal style, each band is a custom designed piece, imprinted with you and your partner’s fingerprints as the ultimate sign of devotion. With craftsmanship and an attention detail that is second to none, Brent & Jess handcraft each of their beautiful fingerprint wedding bands from ethically sourced materials. In addition to gorgeously one of a kind wedding bands, there’s also a stunning collection of custom designed jewelry, including the prettiest pendants that can be inscribed with your wedding vows! I personally love this dainty rose gold band that boasts not only your partner’s fingerprint wrapping along the inside, but also a shimmery little diamond. So pretty!

The best part about inspiration shoots is the collection of so much fabulousness in one place, and this collaboration from Marvin Tsai Photography and Liz La Vie is no different! These amazing gowns from Royal Accessories, Inc., are simply stunning—we love the variations, from simple silhouette to fancy and elaborate. Fascinators and hairpieces are a huge trend right now, and we’re smitten with the headpieces and jeweled headbands on these lovely models. Of course, no event is complete without fabulous flowers, and these bouquets from Figaro Flowers, Inc., are incredible. There’s something for everyone to love in the gallery!

The engagement ring looks dazzling on your finger, and now it’s time to think about the other bling that you will don on your wedding day—the accessories! From jewelry to sashes to headpieces, there are a lot of options available to brides to help you pull together their perfect look. To help you with this process, we’d like to introduce you to Weddings Bespoke, an online boutique that has a truly stunning collection of vintage accessories sure to make your jaw drop! We are totally smitten with Weddings Bespoke and are thrilled to announce an unbelievable giveaway they are offering to one lucky EAD reader!

There’s nothing more mesmerizing than bridal fashions with Old World sophistication and gorgeous details, and these stunning images from Arielle Doneson Photography confirm that! Captured as a look book for Something White bridal boutique near Cleveland, Ohio, at the equally glam The Tudor Arms Hotel, these gowns and veils—especially all of the lovely lace—leave us drooling! We adore the vintage look of the surroundings, complemented by pieces from Borrow Vintage + Eclectic Rentals. Baci Designer created the stationery for this shoot, and oversaw the styling of the entire day. We feel as though we’ve been transported to another era!

This lovely inspiration shoot from Shoot In Love Photographie is perfectly elegant and ethereal, which speaks of its setting in Bordeaux, France. The bouquet, dotted with blush and cream flowers and a lace wrap, is from Fleurs de Mars Artisan Fleuriste. We absolutely adore the casual silver bracelets from H&M and Claire’s, paired with the model’s cream lace Manon Pascual gown, and a pair of T-strap Zara wedges pulls the ensemble together. This effortlessly chic style is the perfect mix of bohemian and sophisticated—see all of the gorgeous images in the gallery!

Are you kidding?! We are just stunned beyond words over this whimsical garden tea party shoot from Ruche and This Modern Romance! Featuring pastel, vintage-inspired dresses and accessories from the Ruche spring line, fun prints, patterns, and even a few sequins dot the Alice in Wonderland-style landscape. We’re really loving the oversize floral hair pins and bold colors on the funky shoes. These photos are delicious—just like the colorful spread of cakes and macaroons from Sweet and Saucy Shop. See all of the beautiful new spring dresses and accessories in the gallery!

We have raved before, and we will rave again!  We think Bows-N-Ties is the icing on top of a ten-layer wedding cake. They have thousands of ties, cufflinks and handkerchiefs to choose from for your wedding day needs, and they can even be sorted to match specific wedding colors from J. Crew, Alfred Angelo, David’s Bridal, and just recently, Bill Levkoff! Today we’re showing off some of our very favorites, inspired by the looks of our own featured brides and grooms, so prepare to swoon!

A little cuteness goes a long way, and swiss dots definitely provide just the perfect amount of cuteness! Whether hidden in layers of tulle, as the most adorable cake icing, or front and center on a romantic dress or veil, sweet swiss dots are our current crush!