The Perfect Fit: Monique Lhuillier

The hottest trends in wedding gowns this season are gowns designed by the incomparable Monique Lhuillier. A passionate woman, Lhuillier was born to parents with French, Spanish, and Filipino ancestry. She spent her childhood in the Philippines and travelled extensively with her family. These travels, along with her mother’s great sense of style, were early influences on Lhuillier.

Lhuillier has stated that she always wanted to design clothes. After high school she attended the Fashion Institute of Merchandising and Design and designed her first creations under the tutelage of several famous designer mentors. Once her studies were completed Lhuillier travelled to France to work for a small French design firm.

Lhuillier did not start out to be a wedding gown designer. She has stated in interviews that she only became interested in wedding gowns when she designed her own gown. What an inspiration it must have been. In 1996 she launched her very first wedding gown collection and the world became enchanted with Lhuillier.

Lhuillier has designed dresses for many Hollywood stars and fashion icons. The American singer Pink insisted on a black and ivory Lhuillier gown for her wedding to Carey Hart. She did double duty for singer Brittany Spears when she designed 2 wedding dresses for her wedding to K-Fed. The first, a long Italian silk, was worn during the ceremony. A short lace dress was designed for the reception and Lluillier also designed all the dresses for Brittany’s bridal party.

The list of Lhuillier’s famous clients runs on and on. Ali Landry, the star of Eve, called on Lhuillier to design the perfect romantic gown for her secluded and secret Mexican wedding. Emilie de Ravin From the hit American TV show Lost wore a Lhuillier gown of long and extravagant lace to her small wedding. And Kevin Costner’s bride, Christine Baumgartner, deigned her 2004 gown with Lhuillier.

A Lhuillier gown is a masterpiece. Fashion editor Marge Eli says that a gown designed by Monique Lhuillier will make a bride feel like a princess on her big day. In an article Eli stated, “These gowns, they are not for the faint of heart. It takes a personality to wear a Lhuillier gown or else the gown will wear you!”

A Monique Lhuillier gown is luscious and very feminine. The workmanship employed in making these wedding gowns is impeccable. The fabrics are rich. Eli describes a Lhuillier gown as a, “walk down a garden path in the Tuileries. The dress, it is at once present day and old fashioned. It is a bit like a stroll with old King Louis, no?”

Most of Lhuilliers gowns are very simple and rely on the fabrics and design to give the gown its romantic feel. Almost all of her designs are sleeveless. She also favours tight bodices and full skirts.

The quality of a Lhuillier gown is unquestionable. With prices starting at $2000 you will want this wedding dress to become a family heirloom.

View the 2009 Collection.

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Styleboard for February 09

Inspiration for February has to be filled with roses, hearts and red - all reflecting the passion and romance of Valentine's Day. We have included some Asian hints, since there are still a few sky lanterns lingering on the horizon from Chinese New Year. Touches of gold add glamour to red weddings, and give a feeling of warmth to a wedding that might still be feeling the chill of winter in many parts of Europe.



Credits (clockwise from top left):

Hand tied red and white roses, with gold beads. By Cream and Browns Florist, Spain.
Couture invitation by Lela New York
Red Daisy and green foliage topiary by Cream and Browns Florist, Spain.
Red wedding gown by Maggie Sottero
Fill your wedding with light, even on a dark winter day with colorful paper lanterns, these red ones are from the Paper Lantern Store
Garnet necklace with sterling silver rose clasp detail by Chimerique
Chocolate heart shaped sweets wrapped in red and gold foil, from Chocolatebuttons.co.uk

Central image:
Red wedding in Italy by photographer Carlo Giorgi, Florence

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Fashion Tips from the Experts

Guest post by BestforBride.com

Getting married used to be a simple task - find the right man, ask for your parents' approval, wear mom's wedding dress, and walk down the aisle. Now, it's a little more complicated, and of course, there's no way you're wearing what mom had worn. It's a little outdated. Your wedding dress should feature the latest in wedding gown styles. If you can't find the gown of your dreams, don't fret, that's just the proverbial tip of the iceberg. There's more where that came from.

White? After Labor Day?

To wear white on your wedding day is your right, but it's also your choice. With a wedding dress, the possibilities are endless. White, off-white, or white with trimmings, you can find it if you know where to look. Bear in mind that everyone has different body types, and different tastes. Take the time to look for the wedding dress of your dreams, try it on, and see if it works for you. You don't simply need to imagine if the material will fall the right way, you need to actually see it. Neither should you worry about the fit because alterations can be made at your convenience. The gown you want is waiting for you.

The Total Package

Since you're not walking down that aisle alone, make a stunning entrance and dress your bridesmaids in beautiful bridesmaid dresses. Get rid of the notion that bridesmaids' dresses are horrible fashion statements, and hear the words "exquisite" instead. It can be sweet and simple, classy and elegant, or sexy and stylish. It could be a full gown, a mini dress, or anything in between. It's your choice and they will love you for it. You can also include your bridesmaids in the decision making process to make sure that everyone's happy. After all, you're not the only who should look good on your wedding day.

Now imagine the awed silence as you walk in with your own wedding dress, be it a form-fitting, strapless number from Alfred Sung, a daring corseted gown from the My Lady collection, a wonderful ruffled and girlish Tulipia dress, or an elegant classic from Mori Lee.

The Million Dollar Look

You should have a look to die for, but not necessarily spend a lot for it. There are many shops offering dresses at reasonable prices and discounts. You don't have to make that guesstimate on how much to spend, and you don't have to compromise on the quality, not just for you, but for your whole entourage, no matter what the color motif or the time of day you're having your wedding. It's not going to be easy. But it'll be worth it.

After all, you must only have the best on your wedding day - wedding dress, bridesmaid dresses, wedding cakes, wedding invitations, wedding favors, accessories and all!

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Tattoo or not Tattoo?

If you are one of the 20 - 50% of women who regret getting their tattoo, and are wondering how to cover it up or remove it before your wedding day, there is a great article over at The Wedding Guide of Europe.

Did you know that they key to getting a good coverage with make-up is to use red lipstick as a base? That some people resort to skin grafts to remove their tattoos? Or that you can actually buy creams to fade and remove your tattoo safely and easily at home?

If you are worried about a tattoo ruining the look of your wedding day outfit, then check out the article.

How to Fade a Tattoo for a Wedding

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Plan Your Honeymoon Pampering

Guest Post By Shirley Tan, AmericanBridal.com

Here at Wedding Fashion Police we understand that much consideration, planning, and sometimes even dieting goes into choosing the perfect wedding dress. And rightfully so, the wedding dress is more than just a garment, it is an institution! How many young girls (…and not so young girls) spend countless hours daydreaming of their stroll down the aisle? Practically all of them. An episode of the hit sitcom Friends even went so far as to portray Monica as having built a binder with several different “scenarios” to accommodate her budget possibilities. This obsession is not too far from reality.

However, how much planning goes into what you wear the morning after your wedding? Sure some of you may be planning to spend most of your honeymoon in nothing more than a bikini or some lingerie but eventually you will need to cover up.

Picture this: You are rushed onto a plane mere moments after your wedding, only after you are forced to go through the rigorous security checks at the airport (like you could or even would hide a bomb in Manolo Blahnik! Don´t they know how much they cost?). You sit on a plane and await your arrival to your Honeymoon destination, you catch a cab to your hotel, you check in; by now most of your day has been spent en route to your destination and you are absolutely exhausted from traveling. What is the one thing you most likely cannot wait to do that doesn’t involve your new hubby? Wouldn’t you just love to draw a bath and pamper yourself with a Relaxation Spa kit, and after that cuddle up next to your husband in your new luxury fleece monogrammed his/hers bathrobes?

It’s these little creature comforts that help us to take the edge off after years of preparation and anticipation.

Shirley is the President/CEO of AmericanBridal.com. Her company is a major leader in the wedding favors industry and her website contains many useful resources for brides planning their wedding.

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Wedding Parasols / Umbrellas

Hiding from the rain or the sun at a wedding in Europe is a common problem, and bulky, mis-matching umbrellas can ruin the look of wedding photographs.

Fortunately, we found this great article at Here Comes The Guide, with plenty of advice for finding stylish and functional parasols or umbrellas for your wedding, as well as where to find them.

I love it when a site helps couples plan for every eventuality with style!

Read their article here.

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Designer Wedding Gowns in Bride Wars

It didn't get great reviews, but Bride Wars did deliver on the fashion front. With stylist Karen Patch (who also styled Kate Hudson in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days) in charge of costumes, and a setting of Manhattan, how could it fail?

The two gowns worn by the brides in the film were by Vera Wang, although they represented polar opposites in terms of bridal fashion: one dress is simple and elegant, in nostalgic ivory tones and classy fabrics, while the other is over-the-top layers of bouffant chiffon.

Film.com has a great interview with Karen Patch, talking about her fashion choices and inspiration for the two brides here.

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