Wedding Blog by Ava Bridal

Hillary Scott’s Wedding Gown

by Ava on February 1, 2012

Hillary scott wedding dress

Singer Hillary Scott of Lady Antebellum fame just married her dreamy drummer beau Chris Tyrrell at an intimate ceremony in New York last weekend. I love it when celebrities are able to keep their nuptials hidden from the media; to me, it speaks volumes about how sincere they really are about wanting to be together (as opposed to a certain reality show star whose papparazzi’d wedding didn’t even last half a year).

Hillary has always been enchanted by the idea of a handmade lace mermaid wedding dress, and had Vera Wang custom design her dream gown. The result was a strapless wedding dress, which featured an all-lace underlay, a horsehair-banded layered tulle skirt, and hand-cut cord lace applique with crystal and pearl beads. Finishing off the look was a hand-embroidered, cathedral-length mantilla trimmed with Chantilly lace applique.

Hillary scott wedding dress 2

I think she looks absolutely gorgeous in it! What do you think of Hillary Scott’s wedding dress?

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Colorful Fabric Flowers for Bridesmaids

by Ava on August 22, 2011

Fabric flowers are a simple way to spruce up a bridesmaid look. Whether you add it to the dress somewhere, or wear it in your hair on a headband or barrette, it can instantly change the entire look of the ensemble.

If you wanted to be creative with your bridesmaids, you could experiement with how each would wear the flower, and yet they would all look coordinated through the matching colors and textiles.

Ava bridal has some beautiful fabric flowers in a variety of styles and colors. Shop Ava bridal store if you like it.

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2012 Trends: Short Wedding Dresses

by Ava on August 15, 2011

Many body-conscious brides-to-be shy away from short wedding dresses, fearing that baring their legs or arms will create cringe-worthy photos and memories instead of happy, radiant ones. Other brides-to-be think that short dresses are too informal for a wedding, and fail to consider these styles altogether.

However, the 2012 bridal runways revealed wave after wave of knee-length white frocks that suit various personal styles, body shapes, and wedding venues. We’ll help you find a short wedding dress that fits and flatters your figure by breaking down the seven top trends for this season.

1. Dimensions

Who says only long wedding dresses are suitable for dressy weddings? Short wedding dresses are now a fashion-forward option thanks to the range of textures they come in. Be it fringe, deconstructed fabric, or paillettes, short dresses with dimension add movement and drama despite its short length.

2. Feathers

Another stylish option is to look for dresses with feathered details. I’ve seen a number of them in the 2012 bridal runways, but my favorite has to be this sweetheart dress from Ivy & Aster.

3. Ruffles

Short wedding dresses are the perfect backdrop for dramatic ruffles. The shorter the hemline, the more sexy and saucy large ruffles will look.

4. Bows

Don’t want an overly trendy wedding dress? Keep it classic by balancing a short hemline with bows, a timeless detail that Audrey Hepburn would love.

5. One shoulder

While you’re showing off your legs, you might as well boast about your gorgeous tan with a one-shoulder dress. This style reveals a lot of skin while keeping the overall look classy.

6. Beading

One thing short wedding dresses can do better than long ones is all-over embellishment. Whether its crystals, sequins, or beads, it’s impossible to look gaudy in a glitzy short number.

7. Lace

This year’s lace wedding dress trend has never been more appropriate for the summer. The trick is to look for lightweight fabrics like appliques or sheer overlays, like in the Elizabeth Fillmore dress above.

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Half-Up Half-Down Wedding Hairstyles

by Ava on August 8, 2011

I sometimes find it a waste when brides opt to hide their long, gorgeous locks in a tight wedding updo. Though it’s a traditional look that withstands the ebb and flow of trends, wedding hairstyles for long hair shouldn’t be limited to buns or chignons, especially when your hair is the envy of all the girls. On the other hand, I can understand why many brides-to-be think twice about wearing their hair down on their big day.

Weddings happen once in a lifetime, and you may as well commemorate it by looking more polished and put-together than usual. But if you’re not entirely sold on the idea of an up-do either, half-up half-down wedding hairstyles give you the best of both worlds. The loose bottom half lets you show off your locks, while the pulled back upper half frames your face beautifully and allows you to have fun with your earrings. Take your cue from these half up-dos spotted on the red carpet.

Diana Agron is a vision with soft waves cascading down her shoulders. Her hair is gently parted to one side, braided, then secured at the back.

Taylor Swift’s romantic curls are very popular among brides, not only because it looks utterly romantic, but because large curls are perfect for humid tropical weddings. To get this look, Taylor’s blonde hair was curled with a curling iron, and each lock was carefully separated by hand. The hair is then pulled into a ponytail then pinned into a loose ball, with large chunks of hair left loose in front.

Not all half-up half-down hairstyles involve curls or waves. Nicole Kidman looks polished and chic with lots of volume on her straight hair. Do as she did and have the top part of your hair pinned back back to show your glowing face and stunning wedding jewelry.

Jennifer Garner’s ‘do is another great example of a half up-do with straight hair. I love the way her dangling earrings frame her face!

Reese Witherspoon shows a glamorous 60s-style half up-do at the 2011 Oscars. To achieve this look, her hair was blow-dried with a barrel brush and coated with a volumizer. A sparkly headband serves as the perfect finishing touch.

Which celebrity style rocked your favorite look? Would you consider wearing a half-up half-down hairstyle at your wedding?

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Short wedding gown

by Ava on August 8, 2011

A short wedding gown may seem less formal than a gown that reaches the ground or trails a long train, but there are other benefits to be had if you have the courage to be a little different with your gown length.

If you have gorgeous legs, a short gown allows you to show them off. This is especially great for brides who may not want all of the focus to be on their upper body. If you are very proud of your shoes, you may also love a short wedding gown that lets you show them off. In the end it comes down to taste, completely, but if you are proud of your shoes and legs, why not try on a few short styles and see how they work for you.

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Kate Middleton Wedding Dress Designed by Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen

by Ava on April 29, 2011

The speculation finally came to an end when Kate Middleton stepped out of the vintage Rolls Royce with Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen, wearing an ivory royal wedding dress fit for a queen.

As predicted by fashion insiders, the Sarah Burton wedding dress worn by Ms Middleton is a flawless combination of traditions and moder styles, rich royal history and romantic heritage. The wedding dress is made of ivory and white satin gazar, and has an ivory satin bodice narrowed at the waist, a hallmark of Alexander McQueen’s designs. The long sleeves have a lace overlay. However, the lace in Kate Middleton’s wedding dress was hand-appliqued using an Irish lace-making technique called Carrickmacross.

Individual rose, thistle, shamrock, and daffodil flowers were painstakingly cut from lace, then hand-engineered onto silk tulle to create a unique design. The bodice and skirt of the lace gown has hand-cut French Chantilly and English lace. Ms Burton and her team made sure that each flower from the lace came in the same color for a uniform look.

The veil is every bit as lovely as the wedding dress. Made of soft, ivory silk tulle and trimmed with hand-embroidered flowers by the Royal School of Needlework, the veil is kept in its place by a Cartier tiara lent by The Queen. The Cartier tiara is a vintage beauty made in 1936 and purchased by the Duke of Yorke (later King George VI) for the Duchess (later Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother) shortly after he became King. The Queen Mother later presented the tiara to her daughter Princess Elizabeth (now the Queen) during her 18th birthday.
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Sarah Burton’s design kept with tradition with a 2.7m Cathedral train that was long and elegant enough to sweep across Westminster Abbey’s aisle. In this photo, Kate’s sister Pippa helps her navigate the dramatic train.

According to the description on the official Royal Wedding website, Kate Middleton chose a McQueen wedding dress because of the beauty of its craftsmanship, technical construction of clothing, and respect for traditional workmanship. She worked closely with Sarah Burton on the design, and ended up with a dress that successfully combined tradition, modernity, and the artistic vision of Alexander McQueen. Oh, if only he were still alive to see this.

Much like the horribly poufy wedding dress Princess Diana wore when she married Prince Charles in 1981, Kate Middleton’s Alexander McQueen wedding dress will surely set a new trend in the bridal industry. Somewhere in China, sweatshops are hard at work creating knockoffs and several other lace wedding dresses.

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