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By Karen Birney
As you have probably gathered already, we are HUGE fans of all that is true vintage and are known to pine over the intricate embroidery, lavish laces, striking structures and the delicate beading of often one-off, hand-made, pre-70s pieces. We are also aware that the words 'vintage' and 'couture' are a tad overused when it comes to bridal fashion and style (two very different concepts.) Except, unmistakably, when it comes to The Goddess Room.
"The aim of the Goddess Room," says owner Marie Therese Duggan, "is to seek out stylish, classic, one-off vintage wedding gowns for the contemporary bride at a reasonable price. The quality of the fabrics, usually silks satins and laces are exquisite and of far superior quality than those available to most brides today...I love the workmanship and craft displayed in each and every gown."
If the thoughts of 20s Chanel is a little intimidating to some fair weathered fashionistas, remember that vintage couture is not just for the ultra-fashionable. “Any bride can find a dress to suit them,” says Marie. “Vintage clothing is a winner for all body shapes because the clothes were made to flatter the female form, it was the first and most essential job a garment had to do.”
If you fall in love with a gown that doesn’t hug you in all the right places however, don’t fret, Marie offers a couture service and designs to your personal specifications.
Prices for gowns at The Goddess Room range from €350 to €3,500.
The Goddess Room's latest video Vintage at the Cutting Edge of Fashion showcases their latest evening, bridal and day wear. Check it out below.
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Grey and yellow is a wedding colour theme that you'll be seeing a lot more of in 2012! It's fresh, modern and chic and is particularly perfect for a spring and summer wedding. This palette works well with almost any location and is easy to achieve using variations of yellows, greys and silvers.
| Bow tie: Handmade by Emy on Etsy €28 | Dress with brooches: Jose Villa | Bunting: Stitch in Netka on Etsy €26 | Shoe: Louboutins | Cake and macaroon images: Jose Villa | Dress: M&S | Couple in a field: Leila Brewster | Grey bridesmaid: Jennifer Eileen | Necklace: Monsoon €39 |
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If you're looking for a wedding dress that's a bit different, a bit wow, a bit out there and very on-trend for 2012, consider a backless gown! Perfect for the bride who wants a show-stopper and who is not afraid of showing off some skin.
If it all seems a bit daunting, try a dress with sleeves or with a lace back for some extra cover. Whatever style you choose, you are sure to turn heads in the glamourous gown! Compiled by Amy Croffey
Claire Pettibone available from Myrtle Ivory
Jenny Packham available from Memories - The Bridal Boutique in Dublin and Cork
Jim Hjelm available from La boda bridal, Tracy Bridal, Marie McElheron Bridal Designer
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Happy Holidays to all our Wollies!
2011 was a great year for us, like everyone else we had our ups and downs, but they were mainly ups thanks to you!
Here’s hoping that 2012 will be filled with happiness, laughter, prosperity and most importantly and aptly, love for you all.
Best wishes,
The WeddingsOnline Team x
Image: Emily Johnson Anderson
Wonderful winter weddings are all the rage this time of year, so to make yours stand out from the crowd try something a little different like a vintage winter theme! The best thing is this wedding look is chic and beautiful and you can never, ever go wrong with chic and beautiful. Compiled by Amy Croffey.
Wedding sign - Confetti.co.uk | Table setting by Jenny Haas Photo | Shoes in the snow by Camilla Photography | Shoe clips - B Poetic at Etsy | Miss Dior Perfume by Christian Dior | Earrings - Confetti.co.uk | Sequin dress - River Island | Corset - Agent Provocateur | Nude shoes - Office | Speech image by Studio 33 Weddings | Nail varnish - Chanel | Wedding dress by Monique Lhullier | Wreath - Debenhams | Banner - The Ruffled Word at Etsy | Bride with gift by Camilla Photography | Tulle dress by Modcloth |
Belleza Bridal announced yesterday that it will be an exclusive stockists of the Alfred Angelo replica of the dress worn by Bella when she marries love interest Edward in this year's Twilight: Breaking Dawn. The original, designed by Carolina Hererra was designed to "reflect the personality and style of the bride." Herrera told Vogue.co.uk, "Bella's dress is romantic and filled with a timeless sophistication, very similar to the character. In a way, this dress served as a symbol of the character's coming of age and introduction into womanhood."
The Alfred Angelo replica is made from satin sheath and lace applique, and the full-length sleeves, v-neck and classic silhouette create a timeless style while the cut-out illusion back and button detail adds a little sensuality to the gown.
To make an appointment to try on the dress, click here.
{Twilight Wedding Inspiration}
Clockwise from top left: Christina Brosnan | Braedon Photography | We are the Mastersons Make-up by Glamour by Dawn, glamourbydawn.com | DecoModWalls at Etsy.com | Photo by We are the Mastersons, bouquet by The French Touch | Hair image via WantthatWedding.co.uk
It's Bridesmaid Week on WeddingsOnline.ie and we're picking some of our favourite looks for a winter wedding! On Tuesday we featured our favourite red and cranberry bridesmaid dresses, both designer and high street, and now we're showing you how to style the colour!
The gals in WeddingsOnline HQ are mad for a bit of leopard print, not to mention faux fur, so we've added a touch of animal to accessorize our fave red dress this season. FIERCE. Leopard print really compliments bright red, but don't go overboard if you're not into the Cat Slater look, a clutch (below, Karen Millen) is a great way to add a hint while keeping it classy. Diamont�s (bracelet from Coast) and fur (cropped jacket, Karen Millen) are Christmas staples, so it would be an awful shame not to bling your bridesmaids up with a little of both!
Finish the look off with a red lip, some Louboutins (or similar!) and a gorgeous brooch bouquet. Divine.
PS Will work as well for guests or for a party outfit, just maybe give the bouquet a miss.
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The English Department is a boutique based in Oregon which showcases the oh-so-sweet creations of acclaimed designer and owner Elizabeth Dye (it also houses dresses and accessories from Jenny Yoo, Nicole Miller and Twigs & Honey to name but a few). However you don't have to fly across the waters to get your hands on one of Elizabeth's gowns, as she is housed in the homemade-lovers dream website Etsy.com.
Where is The English Department available from?
The English Department is available fromEtsy,com/shop/Englishdept
What is the price range of Elizabeth Dye at The English Department?
Dresses range from $900-$2000
Left: Oyster & Pearls Short, $1,350 | Right: Ghost, $1,000
Left: Circa, $1,650 | Right: Tempest, $1,500
Left: Emily, $1,550 | Right: Honeychurch, $1,200
Left: Giselle, $900 | Right: Beatrix, $1,250
Left: Tea/Blush, $2,400 | Right: Alabaster $1,250
Left: Miss Bianca, $1,800 | Right: Oyster & Pearls Long, $1,650
Blue wedding shoes are a sassy way of adding some colour to your wedding attire, and are a perfect way to include your 'something blue'. Check out some of our favourite blue shoes from The Brown Thomas Shoe Rooms, Schuh and Topshop. Would you wear blue shoes on your wedding day? Tell us by leaving a comment below!
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Cardigans are a pretty way of keeping out the cold during the autumn/winter months. Try a bold colour to make a fun and feminine statement on your big day, matching the colour to your bouquet and his buttonhole. By Karen Birney
Clockwise from top left: Photo by Adrienne Gunde via PerfectBoundBlog.com | Photo by Rebecca Hansen via InspiredbyThis.com | Photo by Christina Brosnan, Brosnan Photographic | Photo by Anne Hamilton
Wearing a short, waist-legth cardigan over the shoulders is very 50s, and very lady-like (coowee!). To go the full hog wear a diamond or pearl clasp to hold the collar together. If you're going for a colourful cardie however, keep the detail to a minimum, you don't want the cardigan to overshadow your dress! Some pearl buttons would give it a glamorous edge but keep it simple!
Left: Photo by Braedon Photography | Right: Photo via FortheLoveofSkinny
If you are wearing a sheath dress, your cardigan can be a little longer, but your best option is to keep it to the waist if you are wearing a traditional dress. If your dress is a-line you could get away with ballerina-style wrap around (see above).
Get the look -Brides in Cardigans
Top row, l-r: Topshop �38 | Savida at Dunnes | AWear €26.25 | Bottom row, l-r Topshop �42 | Topshop �46
Green Cardigan, AWear €16.50 | Yellow Cardigan, Penneys €14 | Purple Cardigan, Dunnes | Pink Cardigan, Topshop €20 | Blue Cardigan, People Tree �125
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Clockwise from top left: Erin Heart Court Photography | Elizabeth Anne Designs | Todd Pellowe via Weddingbeauty.com | Jose Villa
By Karen Birney
We love any wedding where you can see and feel the personality of individuals shine through. And that doesn't just go for the bride and groom! Sometimes dressing your bridesmaids feels like more hassle than it's worth; if they don't like the colour of the dress, they don't like the style, or if in fact you just can't get them to even look at one to choose! That's why mismatching bridesmaids is such a welcome trend in the wedding world -anything that hacks off a little bit of stress is, in our opinion, a good thing.
Now, you may get a bit panicky about letting your bridesmaids loose and them turning up in a purple PVC bustier and skirt (if that's not the look you're going for of course) but the trick is too give them a bit of guidance, whether that be through pictures, swatches, or by leaving recordings of your voice saying 'below the knee, below the knee' over and over under their pillow (maybe don't try that last one).
Decide on whether you want to go: casual, semi-casual, or dressy. Pick a colour scheme: nudes, pastels, or strong vibrant colours, browns and creams, navies and yellows. See below for a few of our ideas.
Get the Look
1 Asos.com, €78.27 2 Asos.com, €26.09 3 Asos.com, €84.79
1 Oasis, €75 2 Oasis €81 3 Coast, €250 4 Coast, €235
1 Coast, €230 2 Coast, €188 3 Coast, €175 4 Jim Hjelm available from Marie McElheron Designs (Please check for availabilty)
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Photo by Elizabeth Messina for Twigs and Honey
By Karen Birney
It's no secret that we love our bling here in WeddingsOnline HQ, and sure what would a wedding be without a bit of it? There are plenty of ways to add some sparkle to your wedding wear, whether it comes from rhinestones or diamontes, sequins or Swarovski. And it doesn't just have to be on your bodice. Headpieces, cuffs, shoes, bouquets and even your candles could don some extra bling, just have a look at a few of our selections below! And stay tuned this week because we have a blingtastic DIY project coming up!
Headpieces
Left-Right: Top image Vintage Vine Royal by Harmione Harbutt | Bottom Image Twings & Honey, Myrakim on Etsy | Jenny Packham Acaica III | Johanna Johnson
Shoe Clips
Main image by Shaun Flanigan
Clockwise from left: Finkshop | Kirsten Kuehn Designs | Past Splendors
Bridal Sashes
All from Kirsten Kuehn Designs
Cuffs
From left: Johanna Johnson | Jenny Packham | Lovely Ever After via Etsy
Accessories
Kirsten Kuehn Designs
{Get the look}
All from JewelleryShopOnline
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The newest wedding dress styles and details for 2012 includes pastels, a combination of lengths, fantasy necklines and more fabric! These designs appeared on dozens of runways, marking their official debut on the wedding scene.
Short: We love these shorter dresses by Tobi Hannah. Last season, three-dimensional skirts were in, this season, designers are focusing on shorter hemlines, creating skirts with tiers that flatter all shapes!
Length combinations: Dresses that are short at the front and long at the back are very popular for 2012 and give you the best of both worlds! Carol Hannah’s dress is also layered with a sweet-heart neckline, adding to the overall drama and romance of the gown.
The one-shouldered dress, as seen here with Matthew Williamson, is flattering on most body types and a great way to show off your shoulders with a bit more coverage than a strapless style. Feminine, romantic and sexy!
Mesh is most often used in underskirts to create volume and shape, however designers, like Tara Keely for Pronovias, are now exposing this fabric to create another dimension to the wedding gown. This style also looks really unique, frothy and feminine!
Pronovias is available at Jeutonic Bridal Shop.
Pastels: For BHLDN’s Spring/ Summer 2012 collection, off-shades of white and pastels featured heavily. These subtle shades of colour, like the silver seen here, can be really chic and offer something different to the brides who want to shun all things traditional, conservative and white!
Fantasy necklines are big this season as seen here with Reem Acra’s 2012 Collection. A sheer layer of fabric covers the skin, so you get a strapless look with some added coverage - two looks for the price of one! This style is soft, elegant and perfect for brides who don’t want to feel over-exposed or too-covered-up.
For more gorgeous wedding dresses, have a look at our Suppliers Directory.
The goddess that is Sofia Vergara only needs to flutter her luscious lashes to turn heads, but at the Emmys this week it was her ears that did the eye-catching. Many brides like to opt for an upstyle for a classic and neat look on their wedding day, but if they’re anything like me they may feel a little exposed having all their hair off their face. Big earrings are a great way to make you feel feminine and elegant and provide a little security blanket if you’re used to having hair to play with!
Blue statement earrings are a different way of adding your ‘something blue’ to your wedding day, and will look AMAZING if you have blue eyes. Brown eyes look great with emerald green earrings. Compiled by Karen Birney
L-R Thisilk on Etsy.com, BHLDN, Jubilee Events
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After the dress, your shoes are the next big fashion statement you can make on your wedding day. Question is: Are you a classic, understated and clean cut bride, or a bright and bold bride? Nude shoes were huge in 2011 and will continue to be big in 2012. The reason? Nude heels elongate your legs, look super sophisticated and can be worn with every colour and outfit after the wedding! Whatever you choose, wear shoes that will make you feel special, and, preferably, ones that you won't fall over in on the way up the aisle (cough!).
By Karen Birney
Quick links: Coast / KG / Aruna Seth / Ted Baker
Quick Links: Coast / Miss KG / Vivian Westwood / Miu Miu
Quick Links: Aldo / Miu Miu / Asos.com
From the Forums
DIY glitter wedding shoes, now with pics! http://weddingsonline.ie/discussion/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=329838
Alternative wedding shoes, any ideas? http://weddingsonline.ie/discussion/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=326451
Show us your shoes! http://weddingsonline.ie/discussion/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=272479
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