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Featured Wedding Dress: Dune by Madi Lane

Meet Dune!

Designer: Madi Lane

 Dune from Madi Lane
Dune from Australian-Designer Madi Lane Bridal

Why we Love Her: Dune is a fairy tale dress for a bohemian bride! Her a-line shape gives the perfect romantic movement that will set the tone for any wedding. She is covered with a delicate, unique lace pattern combination of tulips, irises, leaves, and more! This modern lace will stand out and ensure that the spotlight will be on the bride.

Dune's deep plunge neckline with mesh covering and Iris floral lace over top

Starting at her bodice, the deep plunge neckline is filled with a nude illusion mesh that has slight lace appliques covering. This avoids harsh lines and allows the lace to graciously flow into both the bodice and skirt of the dress. Moving up, the thin, delicate, mesh spaghetti straps flawlessly lead into the scoop back of the dress.

Dune’s back is jaw-dropping and show-shopping! Beyond the lovely open back and button closure, the train is absolutely stunning. She has a gorgeous long airy train that is full of lace detail all the way down to the edges! That’s right: the lace not only extends down to the bottom of the dress, it has an asymmetrical hem with the leaves and petals of the flowers extending past the natural circular shape of it!

Dune has a scooped out back with illusion

Looking for sparkle? Dune has it covered. Beneath her extravagant lace appliques, there is an entire layer of glitter tulle, making her shimmer in every lighting! This glitter is the perfect touch that every bride needs on her big day, whether she realizes it or not!

Dune is available in ivory/mocha (shown in photos) and all ivory and can also be ordered with a lined bodice or an unlined bodice (shown in photos). Once switched to a lined bodice, the top of the dress will be slightly more supportive and seamless to transition into the skirt of the dress.

Back view of Dune with scooped back, illusion lace, buttons, and gorgeous train

She’s Great For: A bohemian bride looking to stand out. Because she is a one of a kind dress, she will not be forgotten! Her versatile lace will perfectly match a garden venue with lots of floral accents or even a getaway beach destination wedding. Her lightweight features will make the burden of traveling a breeze!

When it comes to determining the perfect season to wear Dune; she will blossom all year round! Of course the floral lace will automatically match any spring or summer wedding off the bat, but with the right theme, color scheme, and venue, she will flourish in weddings at any time of the year!

Close up of Dune's beautiful floral lace

What Makes Her Special: The unique combination of florals in the lace pattern. This combination is a one of a kind Madi Lane specialty. It is a prime example of Madi Lane’s authentic nature vibe and it cannot be replicated! Any bride who wears her will have an unforgettable dress that will leave all the guests stunned. Enjoy this short video of Dune!

Featured Wedding Dress: Raquel from Beloved Bridal

Meet: Raquel

Designer: Beloved Bridal by Casablanca

Raquel from Beloved Bridal
Raquel from Beloved Bridal

Why We Love Her: Raquel has a flawless balance between modern and classic that all brides will enjoy! She consists of a gorgeous fit and flare silhouette that will show off and flatter all natural curves of the bride. On top, Raquel has a beautiful large floral lace that is complemented with iridescent shimmering sequins. Together they are the perfect combination!

Raquel's bodice has a deep V plunge and can be lined as shown or unlined
The bodice has a deep V plunge and can be lined (as shown) or unlined

Beginning with her bodice, Raquel has a stunning deep plunge neckline that is filled in with small mesh piece in order to hold together the bodice, leaving no chance of worry for the bride! Beneath all the detail and lace, Raquel is constructed with strong boning that keeps a structured bodice and ensures the dress stays in place the entire day: sitting, dancing, and all! She is then finished with delicate beaded spaghetti straps that give the perfect transition into her back.

Raquel has a Gorgeous Double V back with illusion lace and buttons
Gorgeous Double V back with illusion lace and buttons

Raquel’s back makes a statement by itself! It consists of a sexy, low, scoop back with illusion mesh lace that lets the bride show just the right amount of skin. The mesh is then enclosed with buttons, and who doesn’t love buttons! Moving down to the train, Raquel has an alluring long train that will graciously flow with the bride. The lining of the train stops about a foot shorter than the top layer of lace which showcases the lace even more and creates a light and airy train that will be easy to bustle (the bridesmaids will thank the bride later)!

Raquel is available in a variety of different colors which will allow all brides to find their perfect match! Those colors include: ivory/ivory, champagne/nude/ivory, diamond white/ivory, white/white, ivory/nude/ivory (shown in store pictures), and sorbet/nude/ivory. She also has the unique ability to be ordered lined (shown in store photos) and unlined (see model photo below).

Beautiful back and layered train Raquel and easy dress to bustle.
Beautiful back and layered train

She’s Great For: Raquel is great for a classy bride who is looking for a touch of modern day features. Her floral lace, fitted shape, and lightweight fabric is the ideal blend for a summer wedding. They will keep the bride looking good AND feeling good (which is most important of course)! She will pair well with a variety of different venues too! While her floral lace will match an outdoor venue that’s filled with flowers and greenery, her classic look and shape will complement a classic venue (barn, for example) and rustic vibes as well!

Raquel shown with an unlined bodice and underlayer slit
Raquel shown with an unlined bodice and underlayer split

What Makes Her Special: What makes Raquel from Beloved special is her underlayer split! This split is a unique feature that allows the bride to have some fun and show the perfect amount of leg! This split is solely in the lining of the dress, so the mesh lace layer on top still comes intact all around, and also allows the bride to show off her stunning shoes as well; whatever they may be! And the best part is that she can be ordered without the slit too, so if the bride doesn’t love that detail it can be made without!

Featured Wedding Dress: Fiorenza by Morilee

Meet Fiorenza!

Designer: Morilee

Morilee Fiorenza
Morilee Fiorenza

Why We Love Her: Fiorenza will make every bride feel like a PRINCESS! She has a combination of every feature a bride can think of! She is a beautiful full ball gown with layers of tulle on top. Within those layers, there is an entire layer of glitter tulle and a top layer that is covered with floral lace appliques that gracefully cascade down the skirt. On top of the appliques are more 3D lace flowers and small subtle patches of beading in the center.

3D lace detailing over a sparkle layer
3D lace detailing over a sparkle layer

Her v-neck bodice features a traditional look that will be flattering on every bride that tries her on! Extending up are gorgeous, thick illusion mesh straps that will delicately lay on the very edge of the shoulders, creating a lovely open neckline and collarbone look. She also has a small piece of nude meshing that ensures the straps and bodice will stay in place all day long!

Keyhole back with buttons on Fiorenza wedding dress by Morilee
Keyhole back with buttons

Fiorenza’s straps perfectly transition into the gorgeous keyhole back of this dress! This back is perfect for a bride who wants to show a little skin, while still keeping proper coverage and support in the bodice. On top of the zipper closure around the waistline, she even has buttons! Moving down the skirt, Fiorenza has a luxurious chapel length train that will light up the night.

She is available in three different colors: ivory/almond/honey, ivory/porcelain, and ivory/honey. Having this variety will allow the bride to change the look of the dress in order to match the vibe of the wedding!

Gorgeous back details on Fiorenza including buttons, keyhole, and glitter cathedral train
Gorgeous back details

She’s Great For: Fiorenza is great for a fairy tale wedding! She will match perfectly in a ballroom venue paired with lots of florals and glitz. On the dance floor, Fiorenza will take the spotlight and everyone will know it! A bride will not have to worry about blending into a crowd or getting lost among other decorations and events happening, she will easily be spotted at any given point, so the bigger the better with the venue!

What Makes Her Special: What makes Fiorenza special is her unique combination of all of her features! All the sparkle, lace, beading, and detailing work together in the ideal way in order to make her magnificent! While in most cases, too much detailing can end up distracting from the bride or look too busy, Fiorenza’s detailing and placement of lacing by Morilee is SPOT ON!

What Are You Worried About?

We posed this question for two days on our Instagram story. We really wanted to know what brides are worried about as they plan their wedding. Some of these were mentioned multiple times so if you fit into any of these, know you are not alone!

Here is what you said you are most worried about, and our response and advice for each.

1. I won’t find the perfect dress.

Some brides need to go to every store they can find and try on hundreds of dresses, others are overwhelmed with the thought of one store.

If you are a bride that needs to try on every single dress from every possible store, our experience in discussing it with brides who have done this said it was a mistake. It was confusing, stressful, and wasn’t even fun anymore. By the end there wasn’t even a dress that they were excited about, since the excitement stopped after about the third store.

The story was the same: they cried happy tears but ignored it because they thought an even better dress was at the next store, and the next store, and the next store. By the time they went back to put the dress on that made them cry, it was just a dress. They all seemed alike. The magic was gone.

For a bridal stylist, this is an incredibly difficult appointment. This bride has no idea what she likes or wants because she likes something from every style – beading but also plain, fitted but also volume, low backs but also the detail on an illusion back, a skirt with tiers but also no tiers, long sleeve but also strapless, and we have no idea how to even begin. She is also bored and frustrated from the get-go. We pull our most unique pieces that she hasn’t seen to see if anything will wow her. And when this bride says yes, it isn’t at all what it was with the dress that made her cry.

Advice: When you find a dress that makes you emotional – you don’t want to take it off, and you can see yourself walking down the aisle in it – that’s your dress. Say yes and be so happy in your decision and celebrate with those who are there with you! Limit your search to a few stores with good reputations and designers that you love. You will know when you find one, and don’t keep trying to top it. That is when it’s not a magical experience anymore.

2. That no one is dancing and it’s boring.

Inviting your family and closest friends to celebrate is exciting and fun! Why wouldn’t they dance?! Hmmm, but what if they don’t? Yikes! Never fear – we asked a pro for this one. The advice and information given is worthy of a guest blog post on this as well on how to hire the right entertainment company – watch for this blog coming out soon with SO much more info!

Enter Art Armani from Armani Entertainment who has been in the business for 20 years and worked hundreds of weddings and events:

Advice: There are many things that can affect the dancing – or lack of dancing – at a reception, such as the time of day (an afternoon brunch), the type and set up of a venue (size, ventilation, multi-floor, etc.), the time of year (hot/humid). If the reception is a Friday/Saturday night, and the venue has a large dance floor, Art says, “The Bride and Groom’s involvement is the biggest factor to success.  The focus of the reception itself is always on the Bride and Groom! Guests will follow them around the whole night so if the bride and groom are outside taking breaks, people will follow them outside.  If the bride and groom don’t hit the dance floor, the chances of a full dance floor for the whole evening is decreased.  So we always encourage at a minimum, the Bride to get out there and dance.”

Also, Art says that just because people are not dancing, does not mean they didn’t enjoy the music or didn’t have a good time. “Sometimes guests are very content with a laid back reception dance floor.”

3. Rain.

So many answered that they are most worried about rain and of course right? Even a song lyric references the ‘irony’, “It’s like rain on your wedding day.”

Advice: Now because you are not the first to express this fear, we did a blog years ago on it and you can and should read it here! Planning in advance goes a long way to alleviate this worry and (spoiler alert:) – your photographer can get some of the most beautiful and creative photos in the rain… and this lighting (not direct sunlight) makes for some gorgeous ones!

4. I will spill something on my dress.

Ahhh, the red wine is flowing and those pesky hors d’oeuvres … how dare they get near your dress?! But they will and accidents happen. Not only food can cause stains, dropping a lipstick, leaning on a counter, brushing up against a railing – anything can cause smudges or downright blotches. You must be extremely careful, but also prepared.

Advice: First, separate the layers, if possible, so it doesn’t spread through. For a dirt stain, use a dry cloth and lightly brush. For a food or wine stain, use a white towel underneath and a Q-tip with dish soap and water, or peroxide, and gently blot from the underneath. Lipstick stains are the most difficult to remove so do your best to have that applied before you put your dress on, or lean out and have a towel underneath so it does not hit your dress if it drops. Ask your makeup person what chemicals are in the lipstick and what to use on it in an emergency, and make sure that is available. MOH, MOB/G, your wedding planner or coordinator needs to make sure that on-hand is everything you need for stains including: Q-tips, small bottles of a dish soap/water mix or peroxide, make up removers, bleach pens, stain stick, white hand towels.

5. That I trip and fall.

We’ve all seen the videos, had the nightmares, envisioned ourselves falling in our dress. While there isn’t anyone that can make sure this doesn’t happen except for you, you can take obvious measures to make it less probable.

Advice: First is your shoes. Not saying you have to wear sneakers or flats, but if you aren’t used to wearing high heels, your wedding day isn’t the day to try out those 5″ high beaded ones. Even if you are used to wearing them, you definitely aren’t used to wearing them in a wedding dress with multiple layers that will catch on anything even remotely pointy. Wear shoes that are comfortable that you feel confident walking in. Make sure your dress is hemmed to floor length and that you do not need to lift it to walk. Beyond that: take your time! Take your time on the stairs, in and out of cars/limos, doors, walking down the aisle, take your time all day long!

6. Everyone looking at me/saying our vows.

All eyes will be on you, you are the Bride. There’s no place else they want to look but at you. That’s just the way it is and you know from any wedding you’ve gone to, you look directly at the bride as much as possible.

If you are not comfortable with this you have two choices, you can elope with just your fiancé or you can accept the fact and deal with it. My guess is most of you are going to accept the fact and deal with it, in which case we offer you the following:

Advice: Breathe. You are about to marry your best friend and those are the only eyes that matter. Focus on your fiancee not everyone else! When those doors open and you are confronted with a room full of people staring at you, obviously it can be a little overwhelming. However you are there to marry one person, not the entire room, and that person should be your sole focus. And really, let them stare at you, you have never looked so beautiful, and they love you! It is a day to make endless memories, not be worried about saying or doing the ‘wrong’ thing.

The vows however can be tricky. Many people are worried about speaking in public. There are ways to get around this! If you are really worried about speaking your vows (like I was!), then eliminate this and have the officiant say them. You don’t need to read, memorize, or speak anything other than “I do”. This can eliminate SO much stress and anxiety from both parties knowing they don’t have to read or remember anything!.

If you still prefer to speak your own vows, make sure they are written largely and clearly so there is very little room to get mixed up. Maybe add a little humor in there because the laughter can really lessen your nerves. And don’t forget to speak up so everyone can hear them.

7. How my dress will fit.

We saved this one for last. This one is not one you should even worry about! Your alterations will be done 4 to 6 weeks prior to the wedding. You will go back for a final fit approximately two weeks before, where any last minute adjustments will be made. The chances of you changing sizes in two weeks is virtually impossible, so your dress will fit you perfectly. There is always the risk of a strap breaking while dancing or a rip somehow, and it is something you can be prepared for, just like a stain on the dress!

Advice. If you are worried about changing sizes, make your final fitting 5 to 7 days prior to your wedding where there is no chance that you will change sizes. With our seamstresses, you will not leave your final fitting until you are completely satisfied with the dress. What you see at the seamstress is what you will see at your wedding. There is no need to worry about the fit. Some brides have dresses that are much bigger in the skirt and require a more elaborate bustle. If you have this, we recommend taking several people to your final fit to show them exactly how to bustle the dress. They can even video it so there is no room for error! In an emergency, the dress can always be pinned up using safety pins if necessary. If you are worried about how your wedding dress will fit, discuss your specific concerns ahead of time with your seamstress and she will make sure your dress fits like a glove! Safety pins will easily fix most minor dress issues so make sure they are on hand. In addition, a needle and thread must be nearby and ready to go (with the pins and stain removers) to quickly stitch up any rips or holes!

We hope this helped address those issues you are most worried about! We would love your feedback or any additional advice you need!

Featured Wedding Dress: Stella York Style 7424

Meet: Style 7424

Designer: Stella York

Stella York Style #7424
Stella York Style #7424

Why we love her: Stella York’s style 7424 is a bold and beaded beauty. A structured bodice juxtaposes a flowy and bouncy skirt. This dress is a modern princess dream. The bodice is covered in delicate beading while her ball-gown skirt is tiered with voluminous layers. The bodice is supported by thin spaghetti straps; the straps are lined with silver beads and pearls.

Stella York style 7424 has a V-back with beautiful beading over illusion mesh
V-back with beautiful beading over illusion mesh

The neckline is a classic V-shape, and the backline is a deeper V-shape. The open back will keep brides cool underneath all the beading. Front and back, the bodice is covered with bead patterns reminiscent of Cinderella’s carriage; this dress is certainly fit for a princess. The Diamante beading is a mix of pearls, silver beads, and sequins; the resulting effect is enchanting. This combination gives dimension to the bodice and highlights the intricate patterns. Brides will be able to find their perfect accessories with the mixed beading as well. The bodice is unlined, but brides are able to line it in alterations to their specific preferences if they wish.

Stella York 7424 has Delicately beaded spaghetti straps
Delicately beaded spaghetti straps

Stella York style 7424’s bodice stops at the natural waist, where a tiered ballgown skirt starts to flow out. The lush skirt has soft, cascading layers of tulle flowing downward. Each tier of the tulle skirt is finished with a stripe of horsehair; this helps the skirt hold its volume and shape. Brides will look as if they are floating on air while they walk down the aisle in this gown. The lightweight material of the skirt will not weigh brides down; they will be able to dance all night long! The juxtaposition of the flowy skirt and the beaded bodice is dramatic yet elegant; they are two puzzle pieces that fit together perfectly. The train is chapel-length and with the fullness of the tiered skirt, the train does not need to be an extravagant length to make an extravagant statement.

Stella York 7424 has a Lovely chapel train with horse hair trim
Lovely chapel train with horse hair trim

The train will glide down the aisle behind brides as they make the grandest of entrances. The layered skirt will camouflage the bustle so brides can party all night long! A zipper closure holds the dress shut, and four buttons with rhinestone centers hide the zipper– a super sweet and romantic detail! This stunning wedding dress is available in Ivory with the Diamante beading, Ivory with all-ivory beading, or White with all-white beading. 

She’s great for: Summer brides searching for those fairy tale princess vibes! The ballgown silhouette is dramatic yet lightweight. The open back and unlined bodice means brides will be able to keep cool in the gown, and they should feel any breeze that blows their way! Outdoor summer weddings can get hot, and this dress is the perfect solution for that. Venues that would complement 7424 include gardens, estates, and country clubs.

Gorgeous diamante beaded bodice

What makes her special: the beading on this gown can come in Diamante, which is the mixed beading described above, and it is the beading style that is on our sample gown in the store. Stella York also creates this gown in all ivory beading or all white beading. This allows brides to customize their gown and pick the coloring that suits them best. Brides can pick which beading will match their accent colors and accessories to create their dream wedding look!