Bridal Preview: Kenneth Pool Spring 2014

If there’s one word we can associate with Kenneth Pool’s Spring 2014 bridal collection, it’s…glamour. These are no fun-and-flirty frocks or garden-nymph gowns. These wedding dresses are straight-up spotlight-stealers. Look for lots of lustrous satin, hip-hugging drop-waist and fit-and-flare silhouettes, plus a few queenly ballgowns for good measure. While, unlike in collections past, bling is at a minimum in this new Kenneth Pool showing, when beadwork does make an appearance in the collection, it is magnificently delicate and detailed, as in a gorgeous, shimmering cap-sleeve gown—the showstopper of the collection. See designer Amsale Aberra’s newest Kenneth Pool gowns when Belle Mariée Bridal hosts a September trunk show. Check the salon’s site for more details. Meanwhile, check out our favorite Kenneth Pool Spring 2014 gowns!

Bridal Preview: Kenneth Pool Spring 2014Bridal Preview: Kenneth Pool Spring 2014Bridal Preview: Kenneth Pool Spring 2014

Photos: Kenneth Pool

Cocktails, Nibbles and Wedding WOW at Darryl & Co. Next Week!

Cocktails, Nibbles and Wedding WOW at Darryl & Co. Next Week!

Photo: Morgan Lynn Photography

If you’ve ever laid eyes on a Darryl & Co.-designed wedding, chances are your heart went from a pitter-pat to a thump, thump, THUMP. Design guru Darryl Murchison just has a way with flowers and finery that makes a bride go all swoony inside. And next Thursday, Aug. 22, he and his expert design team will be unveiling what kind of magic they’ve got in store for winter 2013 and spring 2014 weddings at their Holiday Showcase & Wedding Inspiration open house. Join them, and us—you think we’d miss this scorching hot event??—for cocktails, hors d’oeuvre and delicious tabletop, reception decor and ceremony-design displays, plus tons of tips, ideas and opps to chat one-on-one with Darryl and his crew. It’s free, but you must RSVP. See you there!

Fairytale Wedding Gowns by Claire Pettibone

Fairytale fans, behold the Spring 2014 collection from the inimitable Claire Pettibone. The one-of-a-kind designer’s newest gowns are just as ethereal and garden-nymph-dreamy as ever, but the newly launched collection is just a wee bit more grown up—a little less boho and a little more chi-chi. You will, of course, find all the yummy details—lace straps, whimsical appliqué, sheer illusion netting, diaphanous layers, oodles of floral touches—that make a Claire Pettibone a Claire Pettibone. It’s no surprise that Pettibone’s mother and father were both professional artists who exposed her to galleries and museums at a young age—each and every one of her gowns is a unique work of art. Her designs haven’t quite made their way to Houston but word on the street is she’ll be available locally soon. Until then, you’ll have to head to ATX to get your own Pettibone. In the meantime, enjoy some of our top picks from the new collection!

Fairytale Wedding Gowns by Claire Pettibone Fairytale Wedding Gowns by Claire Pettibone Fairytale Wedding Gowns by Claire Pettibone Fairytale Wedding Gowns by Claire Pettibone Fairytale Wedding Gowns by Claire Pettibone

Photos: Claire Pettibone

Timeless Elegance: Anne Barge Spring 2014 Collection

Talk about romance on the runway! Filled with luxurious lace appliqué and airy fabrics, designer Anne Barge’s new collection brings together the couture and architectural romance of the past to create this ever-so-dreamy collection. You’ll also see hints of sophisticated silhouettes inspired by Pierre Balmain’s Parisian design aesthetic. These gowns are perfect for the classic bride who longs for timeless elegance with a modern twist. Keep an eye out for their debut at Belle Mariée Bridal later this year.

Timeless Elegance: Anne Barge Spring 2014Timeless Elegance: Anne Barge Spring 2014 CollectionTimeless Elegance: Anne Barge Spring 2014 CollectionTimeless Elegance: Anne Barge Spring 2014 CollectionTimeless Elegance: Anne Barge Spring 2014 CollectionTimeless Elegance: Anne Barge Spring 2014 CollectionTimeless Elegance: Anne Barge Spring 2014 CollectionTimeless Elegance: Anne Barge Spring 2014 CollectionTimeless Elegance: Anne Barge Spring 2014 CollectionTimeless Elegance: Anne Barge Spring 2014 Collection

Photos: Anne Barge

Regal, Refined, Reimagined: Carolina Herrera Spring 2014 Bridal

As exquisitely made as ever, Carolina Herrera’s recently runway-revealed Spring 2014 collection introduces a few exciting twists to the renowned designer’s classic silhouettes and sumptuous fabrics. A delicate lace overlay lends sweetness to a sleek mermaid silhouette; long lace sleeves are perfect for a grand cathedral ceremony; perfectly scalloped edges create intrigue in an otherwise traditional ball gown; and metallic-accent appliqués seem to bloom larger as they travel from bodice to hem. There’s plenty more magic in Herrera’s newest gown group—enjoy some of our favorites right here, and, for an in-person experience, schedule your appointment for this week’s Carolina Herrera Spring 2014 trunk show at Joan Pillow Bridal Salon.

Regal, Refined, Reimagined: Carolina Herrera Spring 2014 BridalRegal, Refined, Reimagined: Carolina Herrera Spring 2014 BridalRegal, Refined, Reimagined: Carolina Herrera Spring 2014 BridalRegal, Refined, Reimagined: Carolina Herrera Spring 2014 BridalRegal, Refined, Reimagined: Carolina Herrera Spring 2014 BridalRegal, Refined, Reimagined: Carolina Herrera Spring 2014 BridalRegal, Refined, Reimagined: Carolina Herrera Spring 2014 BridalRegal, Refined, Reimagined: Carolina Herrera Spring 2014 Bridal

Photos: John Aquino