Just when you were beginning to wonder where all those divine designer trunk shows had gone…they’re back! That’s right, it’s trunk show season again in Houston, and we’ve got the scoop on the hottest upcoming shows in town.
First up, this Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Feb. 18-20, Saison Blanche comes to Brickhouse Bridal, with its collection of stunning couture gowns. New designs include an ethereal silk organza ballgown with a handkerchief-tiered skirt and rose-appliqué bodice. Breathtaking! Take advantage of free style advice and, as always, a 15% discount off trunk show gown purchases.
Also at Brickhouse, Friday and Saturday, Feb. 19-20, are your dates for a not-to-be-missed Amsale Bridesmaids trunk show. If you’re in the market for maids’ wear, you must pop in to Brickhouse for a viewing of these chic (and very-rewearable) chiffon and taffeta dresses, available in a variety of lengths, in alluring hues like Flamingo, Rhubarb, Wisteria and Peacock.
On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 19-21, Maison de Mode hosts La Sposa, part of the world-renowned, Barcelona-based Pronovias Fashion Group. La Sposa bridal consultants will be showing a collection of regal, sophisticated gowns worthy of European royalty (and you, Houston bride). And, of course, there’s that 15% discount to entice you, as if those luxurious La Sposa gowns and Maison de Mode’s gracious hospitality weren’t enough.
Stay tuned for more trunk show announcements, and be sure to check Weddings in Houston’s regularly updated Shows & Events listings.
A little Greek goddess, a little Midsummer Night’s Dream, a dash of vintage elegance, a smidge of Cinderella and a LOT of detail, detail, detail. That’s the word on this season’s new crop of wedding frocks, Houston bride.
Whether you decide on a flouncy ballgown or an ethereal empire-waist column—both are big for 2010 weddings—the season’s best wedding dresses offer a bounty of truly extraordinary accents from handmade fabric flowers (Augusta Jones) to bodacious bows (Vera Wang) to zillions of organza pleats (Oscar de la Renta) to oceans of tulle (Jim Hjelm). And more.
These dresses are a lot of things…but slick and sleek they’re not. Neither is the new look in wedding-day hair.
Our favorite new wedding hairstyles are very feminine and very elegant but never ever fussy or stiff. Allow us to show you:
This year’s Golden Globes gals had the right idea about updos. Check out these sensational styles—formal and refined, but with a natural touch. Perfection.
Golden Globe Updos
Oh, Carrie, we’d love your hair even if you yanked it back and tied it with a sweat sock. Fortunately, you’ve got way more style than that. And this half-updo with side-combed straight bangs and rivers of soft curls is one we want to steal for our big day!
Carrie Underwood
Feast your eyes on this fabulous down-low updo with bangs. So graceful, so pretty, so perfect for showing off our lovely shoulders in our strapless ballgown… Gorgeous!
Black Hair Wedding Updo
Here’s another nape-level updo we love. Soft, pretty and special-occasion fancy when accented with seed-pearl, Swarovski crystal or other sparkly hair jewelry or accessories.
Nape Updo
As for braid styles, we can’t get enough of them. There’s an obvious wow-factor to these complicated-looking creations, but also an earthy, sensual sweetness that is a perfect complement to the season’s dreamy, fairytale gowns.
Braids
Like these looks? Got a lead on more examples? Let your sister brides-to-be know. Post your comments here!
Best known as the suave and style-savvy director of bridal and special events for crystal/china leader Waterford Wedgwood, Jorge Perez has gotten into gowns. That’s right, the wedding-gifts guru—you may remember when we sat down with him to talk registry trends–has debuted his wedding gown line, Jorge Perez de la Habana, which will be available to brides in early January.
Cuban-born Perez draws inspiration from his grandmother, who sketched and created intricate gowns for family members for quinceañeras, weddings and other special events. Marked by a “1950s Havana” feel, and embellished with brilliant Swarovski crystals and other luxurious details, Perez’s gowns have vintage appeal, along with a good dose of va-va-voom. We even spotted one “wow” gown with a bejeweled, transparent midriff! While a see-through wedding dress might not be every girl’s cup of tea (served in Wegwood china, of course), more than a few fashionable Houston brides are sure to be enticed by Perez’s ruffled trains, sparkling bodices and lavish Latin flair.
For now, Jorge Perez de la Habana is available from Kleinfeld Manhattan…but we have no doubt these spectacular gowns will be coming to a boutique near us soon.
Bring you mother, sister, maid of honor, fiancé…or the whole crew, and enjoy cocktails, gourmet nibbles, spectacular tablescapes, gorgeous cakes, a stunning bridal fashion show, door prizes and special treats. And while you’re at it, take advantage of the chance to chat one-on-one with some of the best wedding talents in the business.
Tickets for this once-a-year luxury showcase of the best in Houston weddings are only $20—that’s less than the price of a single manicure!—for a full FIVE HOURS of wedding ideas, inspiration and goodies galore. And guess what? They sell out. Every year.
We’ll definitely be there. Make sure you are, too!
We love the idea of adding a splash of unexpected color to our wedding ensemble, and this coming season there’s no better way to do so than with a pair of brilliant-hued bridal shoes.
Choose shoes to match other accessories/details (sash, embroidery or beading, jewelry, etc), or set your colorful shoes against a backdrop of pure white or ivory. Either way, you’ll make a stunning statement as you make your way down the aisle.
And now, some of our favorite finds in colorful wedding footwear:
Joan David Demille
Like a burst of sunshine, the brilliant yellow suede Demille by Joan & David makes for a beautiful springtime surprise, especially with that sweet little flower accent at the vamp.
Max Studio Scent
How about this lilac lovely from Max Studio? That shimmery satin, that romantic rosette, that sturdy slingback strap with built-in elastic (dancers, take note!)—perfect to pair with an ivory or champagne gown.
Valentino Pump
Nobody does red like Valentino. And there’s no red Valentino wedding shoe like the Bow Couture Pump. In rouge suede with covered platform, peep-toe and sculptural bow. Chic, bold, brilliant.
RSVP Lovely
This one from RSVP is called the Lovely, and we can see why. That crystal-encrusted heel? Fabulous. Comes in hot pink, too.
Rene Caovilla
Last but not least, the Floral Ruffle Sandal from Rene Caovilla is a destination bride’s dream. What could be more celebratory, more sophisticated, than the combination of gold leather, fuchsia/orange floral and crystal detail? What could be handier than the extra set of heel tips that come included with your pair?
Oh boy, are we excited to turn you on to Freddy & Ma. This brother and sister team makes finding the perfect handbag to go with your gown or bridesmaid dresses a breeze. What do we love the most? Why, being able to shop by color, of course!
Looking for green? Freddy & Ma have got limes, olives, forests, shamrocks, springs and emeralds. Got your girls done up in pink? Freddy & Ma offer fuchsias, roses, salmons, cerises and the palest blushes. Looking to contrast your maids’ orange or pink gowns with a hip yellow handbag? Look to Freddy & Ma for ambers, golds, mustards, lemons, goldenrods and chartreuses.
And what about patterns? Glad you asked! This uber-talented design duo has everything from florals large and small to paisleys to geometrics to mod motifs, fleurs de lis, peacock feathers, and on and on and on.
For the bride who can’t decide, Freddy & Ma has custom style options with features including chain wristlets, hot-pink grosgrain lining, leather trim and ID pockets.
You really can’t go wrong with these retro-chic, totally contemporary, perfect little clutches—for your wedding day, or any day.
We love our servicemen and women as much as the next American. So we were super excited to discover how Brickhouse Bridal in Spring saluted brides-to-be in the armed forces, as well as the fiancées of men in the military.
The shop knows that a gorgeous gown is the ticket to a perfect wedding day. They also know that the price tag on those gorgeous gowns can be a bit hefty for military brides, who are already giving so much to our country.
Military Brides at Brickhouse Bridal
So last week, Brickhouse Bridal celebrated Veteran’s Day by joining 17 other bridal shops across the country to participate in Brides Across America. To show their appreciation for our military personnel, this fabulous Spring bridal salon gave away—yes, gave away!—designer wedding gowns to military brides who visited the store on Wednesday, November 11. Brides came to Brickhouse Bridal from all over Texas and even as far away as Minnesota, Louisiana, and Oklahoma.
“It’s so wonderful to see these brides,” says Brickhouse Bridal’s Jill Ivers. “They give so much by serving themselves or supporting their fiancées who have been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan.”
Military Bride at Brickhouse Bridal
Before the big day, Brickhouse Bridal selected 100 gowns for military brides to choose from. The most in-demand ones were designed by Pronovias, Rosa Clara, and Henry Roth. The ten dresses that the shop ended up giving away that day ranged from $1,000 to $2,000.
This was the third time that Brickhouse Bridal participated in Brides Across America. They also participated on July 4 and last Veteran’s Day. Between the three events, they’ve given away more than 50 wedding gowns. Talk about giving back!
“The brides are so excited, happy and appreciative to be wedding gown shopping and nearly every single one cries!” says Ivers. With that kind of generosity, we don’t blame them!
Nobody loves her bling more than a Texas bride. But today’s tough economy has put a damper on many a gal’s diamond dreams. So it is with great excitement that we direct you to Adorn Brides. If you think you can’t afford red-carpet diamonds for your white-wedding day, Houston bride, Adorn is here to tell you, “Yes you can!”
Adorn’s selection of jewelry for rent includes pendant necklaces, chandelier and drop earrings, and bangle and cuff bracelets. These are extraordinary pieces with retail values that range from $5,000 to more than $100,000—and you can “borrow” them for a tiny fraction of the price. How’d you like to sport the spectacular Spencer Necklace—a brilliant lace-pattern drop necklace featuring clusters of round bezel diamonds that sells for almost $10,000? Well you can, for a few days at least, for a mere $360 (including insurance!).
Spencer Necklace at AdornBrides.com
Looking for a serious statement piece? You can’t do much better than the gorgeous Adkins Pendant—an Art-Deco-inspired diamond beauty. To buy the $7,300 Adkins necklace, you might have to give up a little something—like, say, your gown. But if you’ve got $190, you can rent it from Adorn, and wear it with, rather than instead of, your dream dress. Another $190 gets you the matching earrings.
Adkins Necklace at Adornbridal.com
Adorn items are shipped to arrive two days prior to your wedding, leaving lots of time to admire your borrowed bling. Can’t find what you like on the Adorn site? “If a customer doesn’t find exactly what they are looking for, we encourage them to call us. Often times we are able to access more jewelry styles and options then are listed on the Web site,” says Adorn vice president of marketing Laura Carrington. What a gem!
If your mother, or your groom’s, has already started searching for the perfect MOB/MOG dress, she’s probably aware of T. Carolyn, which is among the nation’s tiny handful of boutiques dedicated to dressing wedding moms. In fact, proud mamas travel to T. Carolyn from all over Texas, the United States, even other parts of the globe, to get that picture-perfect dress. If your mom doesn’t know about the shop, she’ll thank you for pointing her in the right direction. And if you really, really want to help, instead of insisting on that seafoam pantsuit or mauve-ish mumu, just buy her the book (available at the store, too). She’ll love it (unlike the mumu).
T. Carolyn
In the meanwhile, here are some words of wedding-dressing wisdom from Tibbetts herself:
“The three most important things in a dress are color, color and color. Color can transform a woman from being ordinary to being beautiful. This is your second most photographed day after your own wedding. If you don’t wear your color, you’re not going to be happy with the pictures.”
“One thing I have a real beef with is women executives who come in here and turn into bowls of jelly in the presence of the bride. When shopping for a dress, mothers of the bride should first go into the store themselves and see what the options are. After you’ve done that and narrowed your choices, take your husband or the bride. It’s important not to get confused by too many opinions.”
“Dresses run anywhere from $200 to $2,000, and we sell lots in the high range and lots in the low range. To find the right dress, and something within your budget, start shopping early—six months in advance. That gives us time to order without a rush charge, and with plenty of time for alterations.”
“The mother-of-the-bride and mother-of-the-groom should coordinate with each other—if one goes long, the other should go long. But they should each wear their own color, although it’s not a sin to wear the same color if they both look best in that color.”
We love our bridesmaids. We love doing good for the world. We LOVE Mar Y Sol’s simply, sustainably gorgeous little clutches (and so do the likes of Daily Candy, Glamour and Lucky, by the by).
We came across Mar Y Sol while dropping in on brides’ chats about which bridesmaids’ gifts were the biggest hits with their girls. Sure, we heard about all the usual stuff—pashminas, spa mani-pedis, earrings, etc. But these raved-about clutches really stood out, and here’s why: Not only are they beautifully designed and incredibly chic, but they are fair-trade bought and handmade in Kenya and Madagascar by local women artists using a combination of traditional weaving and contemporary techniques. Whenever a bride-to-be (or anyone for that matter) buys a Mar Y Sol bag, that purchase contributes to the artist’s economic independence and generates funding for community projects—what a beautiful way to celebrate the spirit of sisterhood with your ’maids, Houston bride.
We’re especially fond of the fresh, elegant Gigi collection, which includes one design with a butterfly closure, another with a contemporary take on the sunflower and still another accented with a carved wood heart to show your bridesmaids how much you love ’em.
Mar Y Sol Garden Clutch
If you’re still a stickler for the traditional mani/pedi gift, go ahead and pop a gift certificate for a local spa inside one of these beautiful, eco-friendly bags. We guarantee your ’maid will instantly be among the most fashionable girls in town!
