“I want people the see The Dress.
But focus on The Woman.”
– Vera Wang –
Choosing your wedding dress is an exciting time but it can also be slightly scary. Throughout our lives, we hear people talk about, fuss over and criticise wedding dresses. The time then comes for you to pick your very own dress and you suddenly have to decide on that one special dress out of all the incredibly beautiful dresses available. I have to admit I put way too much thought into choosing my own dress. I almost agonised over the decision. I wanted to wear the perfect dress that represented my own personal sense of style but I couldn’t seem to find the right one. I just needed to relax and stop thinking about it so much and after months of searching through Pinterest, Instagram, my favourite wedding blogs and trying on just about every style dress available both here in Ireland and in London, I finally found it.
My one little piece of advice would be to remain true to your own style and wear exactly what you want to wear- Don’t suddenly change your own individual style just to “look like the perfect bride”. Who says that brides have to wear white or cream? Who ever said that you have to wear a long veil and simple, barely-there makeup? Nobody is forcing you to wear a strapless gown when you have never worn anything strapless in your whole life. It’s your dress and your day and you should rock a dress that you feel absolutely beautiful in.
These are some of my personal favourite designers and dresses:
For the true Bohemian Beauty – Grace Loves Lace
I have been raving about this incredibly beautiful Australian online label for the last year. I was so close to buying one of these dresses online for my own wedding but they were much less established when I was looking over a year ago. This brand has grown so quickly since and the latest bridal collection – Island Luxe- will literally take your breath away. The collection is reasonably priced but they do only sell online so if you are a non-traditional bride that wants something really unique, beautiful and one who isn’t afraid to buy their dress without trying it on beforehand, make sure to check out Grace Loves Lace.
For the Haute Couture loving Bride with a weakness for texture and colour – Maria Lluisa Rabell
I tried on some of these beautiful dresses by this Spanish designer in Myrtle Ivory in Dublin. Whilst Myrtle Ivory only stock a few of the gorgeous designs, I contacted the designer directly and they were happy to custom-design a dress for me through the store. These dresses are really special and are a mix of classic and contemporary with lots of personality. There are lots of other beautiful dresses and designers at Myrtle Ivory in Dublin including gorgeous Amanda Wakeley, David Fielden and Claire Pettibone.
For the Princess in You– Inbal Dror
Israeli designer, Inbal Dror knows exactly how to make women feel beautiful and to make the most of their body shape. I wore an Inbal Dror dress for my own wedding and my dress gave me curves I never thought were possible. Inbal Dror is available in De Stafford Couture in Dublin and in Morgan Davies Bridal in London. Her made-to-measure couture dresses fit like a second skin with the most exquisite attention to detail.
If Traditional isn’t your Thing – The Reformation
LA-based design company, The Reformation, offer the perfect choices for the stylish bride… and bridesmaids! These dresses are the type of dresses that you will be able to wear more than once in your life. They are just so cool – simple and elegant. Like Grace Loves Lace, you might have to purchase your dress online, unless you plan on taking a trip to New York or Los Angeles to one of their stores.
For the Woman who believes in Fairy Tales – Helen Cody
I came across Helen Cody’s whimsical, romantic bridal designs at a pop-up shop in Dublin a few months ago and I almost cried when I did. It was really near my own wedding and I couldn’t afford to buy one of her beautiful pieces. Saying that, her collection is so reasonably priced and all of the pieces really are just so pretty. Helen is based in Dublin and specialises in bespoke, couture pieces.
Nessa Cotter is a Lifestyle Blogger at www.lifeslusthaves.com and Wedding Stylist who doesn’t ever need an excuse to throw a great party. She can be found dreaming about beautiful weddings on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook & Twitter. She celebrated her own destination wedding in Portugal in June.
