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Beautiful Pearl Wedding Dresses & Accessories

28 April, 2021 by gaby

Bridal Gown With Pearls by Dream and Dress

Pearls are nothing new to bridal style, but they’ve recently come back in a big way and are making a truly gorgeous fashion statement! Pearl wedding dresses have been all over the bridal runways, from delicate sheer gowns with pearl details to heavily beaded gowns studded with pearls and crystals. And it’s not just about wedding dresses with pearls. Pearl wedding accessories are also super hot right now. Bold pearl headbands, belts, boleros and capes, veils… you name it! What I love most about the pearl wedding dress trend is that it manages to be classic and chic as well as contemporary and cool – the perfect combination for a bride! If you love the look as much as I do, then read on for my pick of the best pearl wedding dresses and pearl bridal accessories from Etsy.

*Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.

20 Beautiful Mermaid Wedding Dresses

21 September, 2018 by gaby

BONITA Mermaid Wedding Dress by Ange Etoiles

If you’re looking to cut a sexy silhouette on your wedding day (or if you’ve always dreamed of looking like a Hollywood starlet), then look no further than the mermaid wedding dress. This slinky style hugs you in ALL the right places, beautifully enhancing curves, and making a very sophisticated statement! It’s super flattering for hourglass shaped brides and column shaped ladies (where it creates the illusion of sleek curves) – the only body type where it’s not really recommended is pears, where the style can emphasize rather than balance out full hips. But what actually IS a mermaid wedding dress style? A classic mermaid hugs the bust, waist and hips, before flaring out into a wider shape, just like a mermaid’s tail (and haven’t we all wanted to be an actual mermaid?). The flare itself can be slim or dramatic, providing lots of variation within the style. A similar silhouette is the trumpet wedding dress, which is often used interchangeably with the mermaid dress, but in fact a trumpet flares higher up (mid-thigh), while the mermaid usually starts to flare around the knee. The con to this is that a mermaid bridal gown can be a little constricting to sit in. The pro is that not only does it look amazing, but it’s great for shimmying around like a goddess on the dance floor! We’ve rounded up 20 mermaid dresses from Etsy – which is your fave?
Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.

Lilac & Lavender Wedding Dresses

19 July, 2018 by gaby

Lace Wedding Dress by Luv-Luv

*Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.

It’s official: lilac is the new blush! With bold Ultra Violet being the colour of the year and the bridal runways featuring some beautiful lavender and lilac gowns in the last shows, purple is definitely having a moment right now. And while I’m not always the biggest fan of bright purple, I am LOVING the softer shades of the spectrum on brides right now! It’s like blush, but a little more grown up and sophisticated, and it reminds me of fields full of lavender in Provence, or soft purple pastel blooms. SO pretty. We’ve rounded up 20 of our fave lilac and lavender wedding dresses from Etsy to inspire you.

Embroidered Wedding Dresses

19 June, 2018 by gaby

Wildflower Gown by Natalie Wynn Bridal

*UPDATED FOR 2020* Embroidered wedding dresses are officially a thing! The runways at NY Bridal Week were full of them, with an especial leaning towards embroidered floral dresses. And I have to say, I personally love this look. It adds a special handmade element to any gown, as well as a touch of colour, and something unique. Perfect for a bold bride who wants something a little different, or a boho bride who loves a bit of a folksy feel. Etsy has also reported a surge in search for the term ‘embroidered bridalwear‘ too, and in researching this trend, I found it was one of the best places to source gorgeous embroidered dresses. So of course I had to round up my faves. And if you love the look but want something more traditional for yourself, I’ve included a roundup for embroidered bridesmaid dresses at the end too!

Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.

20 Chic & Sheer Wedding Dresses

13 March, 2018 by gaby

FRIGGA Floral Lace Wedding Dress by Milamira Bridal

*UPDATED FOR 2021* Sheer and lace wedding dresses are where it’s at – a chic, sexy, super feminine way of expressing your fashionable self that I absolutely love. From the established illusion neckline and illusion back style, to nude lade gowns and sheer fabrics, to sheer panels showing off flashes of ‘skin’ (usually lining, in fact, which makes the look ironically and surprisingly quite modest), the whole thing is sheer perfection! We’ve rounded up 20 BREATHTAKING gowns from Etsy to inspire!

*Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.

Sposabella Boutique Tour

8 May, 2017 by gaby

It’s a sunny afternoon when I drive up to The White House in Morningside, Durban, a little oasis for brides, bustling with wedding-related businesses. My destination is Sposabella Bridal Gowns, an exclusive bridal boutique, and I find it at one end of the corridor – its light, modern showroom awash in sunshine and smiles from owner Gayle Erasmus and her team. From behind a mirrorball desk, they welcome guests like old friends. But the real star of the show is, of course, the dresses. With elegant silhouettes of lace, tulle and sparkle lining the shelves and draped on a host of mannequins, it’s hard not to get a little giddy, and I imagine many real brides do. And that’s where the Sposabella team comes in again, with their reassuring presence and extensive knowledge of what brides want (and need!). The boutique is home to the Enzoani Beautiful range, which is even more gorgeous in person than on screen, and for KZN brides, Sposabella is the perfect place to spend an afternoon trying on gowns and undoubtedly falling in love with ‘The One’. I asked Gayle a few questions about what makes her salon unique, and Michigan Behn was on hand to take these lovely images.

20 Gorgeous Beach & Destination Wedding Dresses

28 April, 2017 by gaby

Amy Corset Wedding Dress by Angellure Bridal

*UPDATED FOR 2021* Well folks, it’s the last day of the last week of our extended beach-themed content, and it’s also Fashion Friday, so there’s really only one thing for it – beach dress bonanza! A beach wedding dress is such a special garment – it should have a mix of casual and elegant, an ease of wear but also a beautiful fit, and ideally some kind of movement, so that it photographs well against the wind and the waves. Whether your style is boho, modern or classic, you’ll find at least one dress in this roundup that makes you go ‘oooh!’. You’ll find all of them over on Etsy.

*Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.

Blush Collection 2017 by Bride&co

14 April, 2017 by gaby

Most of you are probably chilling out for the Easter weekend already, but I couldn’t resist bringing you some Fashion Friday loveliness today in the form of the new Blush Collection created by SA bridal boutique heavyweights, Bride & Co. I was so sorry to miss the launch of this gorgeous collection while I was on my travels, so I just had to bring you the a sneak peek now that I’m back! The Bride&co team have thought of every type of bride, dividing the collection into a range of ‘personalities’, so there’s something for everyone, no matter your bridal style. I love that there’s also a range of silhouettes, and every body type will find something that fits them beautifully and makes them feel like a million bucks!

Key Wedding Dress Trends for 2017

13 January, 2017 by gaby

Hello friends! As usual, January has been craaaazy, and I didn’t get to post this yesterday, so we’re going to have a jam packed Friday! Let’s get this party started. Last week we looked at all the top trends in weddings for 2017 and today we’re focusing in on bridal fashion because boy, there’s a lot of pretty stuff going on right now! Ever since these designs made their way down the catwalks at New York Bridal Fashion Week in October, I’ve been sighing over my personal faves, and watching to see where the trends are for this year. And as always, what’s new is often an evolution of what’s already established, so you’ll see some familiar shapes coming to the fore, but there’s also lots of cool new stuff to influence your own wedding dress dreams. As I mentioned in my trend report, this year it is ALL about the shoulders, whether that’s off-shoulder, shoulder detailing, or capes. And I have to say, I’ve never loved this neckline more. Add in details like bows, feathers and every kind of sleeve you can imagine, as well as beautiful textures and fabrics, and you have one pretty season!

Best of 2016: Dresses

29 December, 2016 by gaby

Ah, one of my favourite posts of the year! Wedding dresses are one of the elements I adore about the real weddings we feature, and we’ve seen so many absolutely GORGEOUS dresses over the years, each with a story of how they came to be ‘the one’. This year has been no exception, and while we’ve seen a return to more traditional white gowns in general, it’s been all about the details – low backs and plunging necklines, soft tulle skirts, lace sleeves and backs, extraordinary fabrics and elegant silhouettes. It’s so hard to pick just twenty favourites, but in the end, this is the group of beauties we settled on. Dress swoon!