It's mid-June and brides are in high gear—as much as a year of intense planning is about to come to fruition. Wedding season is in full swing. The bridal industry's wheels are turning as families prepare for what may be the biggest celebration they've ever thrown.
This summer we might see fewer weddings around the stuffy concrete jungle as more and more couples are opting for more exotic locations to tie the knot. Many choose islands and beachfront coasts. There is just something about the ocean with the sun setting on the horizon that says "I want to be with you for the rest of my life." Perhaps it comes with a modern-minded generation, where God isn't necessarily in a church. Under an open sky, among nature, lovebirds find a mutual spirituality.
Or perhaps it's just more fun and a good excuse to invite close family and friends for an island holiday. Couples often feel overwhelmed by the number of people that end up on their invitation list, and having a ceremony on the beach in Bermuda or the Virgin Islands definitely weeds out many guests.
So, with a large portion of brides opting for a beach wedding, or at least a summer one, overlooking the ocean, bridal designers are not missing a beat. Most brides walk into a bridal salon with the following list of requirements: "I don't want anything pouffy or heavy. I want something light and flowy, simple and elegant. Oh, and I don't want a long train." Enter fine silks. Silk chiffon, silk organza, raw silk, silk carmeuse, duppioni, taffeta. And don't forget chantilly lace and tulle.
The Grecian goddess look is draping off everyone's hips this season. You'll see these delicately ruched chiffon gowns flowing off celebrities on the red carpet in Hollywood, and the white versions on barefooted romantics having a ceremony under an arc of palms in Tahiti. But these gowns are not flattering on everyone. Sometimes the style is all wrong.
Think twice about that empire waistline flowing out from the bust. You may have everyone whispering behind your back as you head to the altar, "Is she trying to hide something? She looks pregnant, doesn't she?" Try the same look, but a little more tailored through the waist. Show off your waistline … while you still have one.
If you're a fashion-conscious bride, you'll keep tabs on what Vera Wang (whose name has become synonymous with bridal fashion), Rosa Clara, Oscar De La Renta and Carolina Herrera are doing, just to name a few. But these designers' gowns come with a price tag that might cost as much as the wedding you're so carefully budgeting. Think $5,000, $8,000, $10,000 plus.
That's where the modern bride's Internet research skills come in handy. Web sites like The Knot.com are great bridal tools. From gowns (along with designer's price ranges and where to find them), to venues, honeymoon destinations, to-do lists and personal wedding stories, a bride can stay on top when it comes to planning.
According to bridal industry statistics, brides in the United States are spending an average of 7 to 15 percent of the wedding budget on the dress. If you have $15,000 set aside for the wedding, a reasonable amount to spend would be in the $1,500 range. In this range you can get a beautiful silk gown. But keep it simple. A lot of beadwork and lace on a gown at this price may have the potential to look a little cheap, and feel it. Check out Nicole Miller's bridal collection for nice quality chic and beachy styles for $500 and up.
If you are on a tighter budget (dare I mention the economy), perhaps you and your beloved have just put a down payment on a new house or condo, but you still have your sense of style to satisfy, then start looking for sample sales.
Gowns that get tried on in the salons are often sold with big discounts at the end of a season. It's better to still have help from a bridal stylist in the store than going to a crazy grab and push, off the rack sale. You'll end up with something you regret, and keep in mind it might need dry cleaning, add $150, and alterations, add $500.
The key word to describe bridal styles this summer is romantic. The gowns are flowing almost like water, and the sunlight glows through their layers of airy silk. Fine details of subtle crystals and soft French laces and silk flowers make you feel like a queen, wherever you say your vows.
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