Fashion Friday: A Panorama of Wedding Dresses

With New York Fashion Week in its second day, we're already taking note of our favourite styles from the Spring/Summer 2015 collections - an abundance of white dresses to inspire our brides. Since travelling across the Atlantic isn't an option, we're watching the shows online and we've come up with an alternative solution - an exhibition dedicated to wedding dresses at the Victoria&Albert Museum, in London. 
  
Wedding Dresses 1775-2014 exhibition at the V&A offers a panorama of fashion stretching across two centuries of designer bridal wear. Displayed chronologically across two floors, you’ll find over 80 pieces – from romantic and glamorous to more extravagant wedding outfits.

Some of the most famous outfits in the gallery include the Dior wedding dress worn by Gwen Stefani in2002, the Duchess of Cornwall’s embroidered silk coat designed by Robinson and Valentine in 2005, and the couture Galliano gown created for KateMoss’s wedding in 2011.

                    

    

The exhibition hosts not only superb dresses and grooms wear but also accessories including shoes, jewellery, veils, garters and corsetry as well as fashion sketches and personal photographs. What better way to satisfy your curiosity about the history of garments than with an intimate insight into some of the wearers’ fashion choices and personal details.

The choice of designs reflects the changing attitude to wedding ceremonies and fashion over the years – early silk satin dresses in 1775,19^th century white muslin embroidered styles and modern innovative designs from Ian Stuart and Gareth Pugh.

  

WeddingDresses 1775-2014 takes place in the V&A Fashion Gallery, from 3 May 2014 – 15 March 2015. It is open daily 10:00 – 17:45 and until 22:00 every Friday, with tickets costing £12. You can also get your hands on the accompanying book, The Wedding Dress: 300 Years of Bridal Fashions by Edwina Ehrman (the exhibition curator) for £25.

Let us know if you're going to the exhibition and how it may influence your choice of wedding outfits. Don’t forget to Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

Photos: courtesy of V&A Wedding Dresses 1775-2014

V&A
T: 020 7942 2000

South Kensington, Cromwell Road, London SW7 2RL

W: http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/exhibitions/wedding-dress-1775-2014/

Fashion Friday: Groom Style

We hope our brides don’t mind us focusing on the grooms this Fashion Friday - after all they need to look smart, too. Grooms-to-be, get ready to discover the latest fashion trends so you can rock your frock on the big day. 

There are plenty of choices for menswear wedding suits ranging in colours, styles and cuts available. If you’re fans of tails or kilts, then you’re probably better off renting one from a wedding specialist – we have a list of local stockists on our website and inside the pages of West Weddings magazine. However, if you’d rather invest in a suit that you can wear long after the wedding, then why not arrange a shopping trip with your best man – large department stores like John Lewis, House of Fraser and Debenhams are a good place to start.

Suit

Invest in a morning suit that fits well and makes you look and feel great. Adding a waistcoat is optional, but wearing one will give you a more polished look once you take off your jacket after the ceremony.

Shirt  

There’s something special about wearing a crisp white shirt fitted to perfection – your wedding day is the best time to let your personality shine, and even channel that James Bond look you’ve always wanted.

Stylish shoes

Make sure the wedding shoes you choose go with the suit and feel comfortable - wear them in before the big day to loosen them. Get ready to impress your bride and guests with your dance moves!

Accessories

Wear a bright tie or dickie bow to jazz up a dark suit and, if your wedding has a theme colour, then your tie could match the bridesmaids’ dresses. When it comes to cufflinks, why not splash out on a personalised pair that will make you stand out from your groomsmen. No wedding day look is complete without a stylish belt and your signature fragrance – perfect for making a statement!   

Before making your decision, take a look at these grooms’ outfits – you’ll recognise them from West Weddings magazine. We’ve also created a Pinterest board dedicated to grooms’ fashion - let us know which ones you prefer on our Twitter and Facebook pages.  

                                                                                              

Follow West Weddings's board Groom Fashion on Pinterest.

Fashion Friday: Birds of a feather

Here at West Weddings, we love the idea of going for something a bit different and unique when it comes to wedding fashion. Inspired by Alexander McQueen’s show-stopping gown – the same one Kim Kardashian wore in her Vogue editorial - we created this feathery bridal look for Fashion Friday. Check out our inspiration boards on Pinterest and Polyvore, and let’s flock together on Twitter!

Birds of a feather by westweddings featuring a white dress

Clockwise from centre

Eaddy faux feather gown, by Alice and Olivia

This white dress is ethereal and elegant with its fitted spaghetti strap bodice and feathery skirt. Ok, so our chosen Alice and Olivia dress is not really made out of birds’ feathers, but the overlapping petals mimic the texture creating a graceful effect. Layered ribbons and sequined swirls detail the lace bodice, while silk-organza layers bring soft volume to the skirt – all in all, a gown that will make you feel fashionably fabulous!

Silver diamante feather comb clip, by No.1 by Jenny Packham

This is by far our favourite hair piece for a beautiful bridal look. If you don’t fancy wearing real feathers in your hair, then a delicate diamante design, by top bridal designer Jenny Packham, imitating the shape would make an awe-worthy alternative.  

Bridal bouquet inspiration from Pinterest

Whatever your favourite flowers and colours for the wedding posy, why not add a unique edge with feathers? We’re swooning over this bouquet made with white calla lilies and peonies, pink roses, and white feather accents. 

Rhinestone wedding clutch with ostrich feathers, by Etsy

Soft feather embellishments and sparkling crystals make this bridal clutch a true scene-stealer! A gorgeous white clutch gathered at the top and bottom in soft satin for a stylish bride - perfect for carrying your make-up and tissues- only for happy tears, of course! The focal piece is a beautiful dangle crystal clip brooch, which makes it one-of-a-kind. 

Feather strap sandals, by Ann Taylor

We love a pretty pair of satin sandals to complete a wedding day look and this feminine design by Ann Taylor is exactly what a bride needs! Adorned with wispy feather detail, they can help create a head-to-toe luxurious look – now’s the time to get shopping!

White feather drop earrings, by River Island

Say yes to these delicate white feather drop earrings for a touch of feminine chic on your special day. This pretty pair are a steal at only £3 – hurry before the go! 

Miscellaneous Monday: Prints & Accessories

As I warm my hands on (yet another) cup of tea, I’m looking at the calendar in disbelief that it’s the last Monday in November. Just one more month left of 2013, folks, and winter is setting in soon. Hopefully today’s miscellany will help inspire the transition from autumn to winter wedding planning. This week I am loving heart- (and home-) warming Scandinavian art prints, hair vines from Bridezillas, and twig-inspired jewellery from Etsy!

(Also – if you are having a winter wedding, we’d love to hear what you’re doing to decorate, dress, and style your special day. Let us know at westweddingsbristol@gmail.com.)

Favourite décor: ‘Love’ by Violet and Percy

This adorable print won my heart immediately, and I thought I’d share it with West Weddings readers as an adorable idea for wedding reception or home décor. Check out the rest of Violet and Percy’s site for other equivalently heartwarming prints.

Favourite accessory (part 1): hair vines from Bridezillas

An alternative to the headband, fascinator and veil, these hair vines (my favourite is pictured below) are a lovely option for bridal headwear. They can be worn with an up-do or with hair down, and provide just the right amount of understated sparkle.

Favourite accessory (part 2): twig-inspired jewellery

Scrolling through the jewellery section of Etsy I stumbled across these hand-crafted rings and I couldn’t take my eyes off them. These would make a great accessory for a slightly more casually-styled bride who wants to take inspiration from the winter scenery for her look. I’m loving the look of small, stackable rings this winter, so this fits right in with that trend.

Miscellaneous Mondays: 50's, and red and Bristol - oh my!

Through bleary eyes, poking my head over a hot mug of coffee, I (Editor Kate) haven’t quite decided if I’m ready for Monday (and it’s already past noon). That said, here it is, and what better way to take a tentative step into the week than by sharing some of my wedding-inspired finds from across the internet? This week I’m loving 50’s-inspired a-line dresses, deep red nail polish, and a shout-out to Bristol’s own The Paintworks on Rock’n’Roll Bride!

Favourite wedding dress: A-line gown

My favourite aspect of this gown is its timeless simplicity. It’s elegant, flattering to most figures, and puts the focus squarely where it ought to be: on the bride. If you’re local to the Bristol and Bath area, you’re in luck, as this one was supplied for our Autumn 2013 photoshoot by local Bath dress shop Solitaire Brides.

Favourite accessory: Deep red nail polish

I saw this featured on a recent photoshoot over at Rock My Wedding, and fell in love with the colour. Many brides (myself included) find it a bit daunting to consider wearing a bold colour on their nails for the wedding day (even if they typically wear stand-out colours day-to-day). But this fabulous photoshoot should give you the courage to make a statement! I love nail polish for its ability to be the perfect accessory: bold without being overwhelming.

(c) Rebekah J Murray

Favourite local venue: The Paintworks (as featured on Rock’n’Roll Bride)

Clearly this was a week for being inspired by fellow blogs, because I stumbled across this Bristol shout-out over at Rock’n’Roll Bride and knew I’d have to feature it here. Abbie and Daniel had their wedding at Bristol’s own The Paintworks, and the photos are simply lovely. For the less-than-traditional wedding, The Paintworks is a fantastic venue – truly ‘rock’n’roll’.

(c) Marshal Gray