Wedding Blog

I never expected that finding the perfect dress would be such a challenge! When we first got engaged, I thought it would be pretty easy to find a dress that matched exactly what I envisioned…I had always wanted something simple, classy and elegant, that still had a little bit of detail to give it some character. And I definitely wanted a long train. However, as soon as I began browsing dresses online and in magazines, not only did I begin to realize how challenging it was to find a dress that fit my criteria, but I also began finding inspiration for new looks that I hadn’t considered before!

To help inspire any brides looking to go for the “simply elegant” and classic type of look, I thought that I would share some of my favorites along the way, in chronological order based on when I tried them on. I felt like I couldn’t have gone wrong with any of these dresses…I loved them all!

Choice #1: Tara Keely gown # 2650 and 2651

I loved the classy and simple look that both of these dresses had. I also thought that 2651 was rather slimming. My only grievance with these was that the train on each dress was not quite as long as I would’ve liked. Additionally, as you can see from the actual pictures below, the 2650 did not come with the subtle pick-ups as shown in the model picture (though those could have been easily added in through alterations). Cost: ~$1,200-1,500.

Choice #2: Mikaella #1106

Loooved this dress (and the veil!). I thought the back was so unique and “red carpet” as one woman remarked when I tried it on. The back has a bow toward the top, sort of at the empire waist level, and the bow extends into part of the train. I actually couldn’t find this dress on the Mikaella website, and was also told that there weren’t that many salons that carried this sample. In fact, I found the model pictures only on the website of a European bridal salon, so chances are if you are interested in this dress, you may have to special order it from a salon that carries Mikaella. Here is a closer look at the way the bow looks, as well as the model pictures. Cost: ~$1,100.

Choice # 3: Alvina Valenta #9702

Beautiful gown, perfect in just about every way. Simple, elegant, with the perfect amount of detail. Also loved how the back dipped in the v-shape. What held me back was that I liked the idea of having a bigger sash or bow, and this was also quite a ways out of my price range. Cost: ~$3,900.

Choice # 4: Amy Kuschel’s Talia

This dress quickly went to the top of my list. It was very simple, but I liked the assymetrical design on the bodice and the subtle beading on the side. Very flattering and slimming. It also had a great shape to it…gave the sense of a trumpet style gown, but it is actually a “fluted A-line,” so it was very flowy and was the most comfortable dress I tried on! Definitely one that I could’ve danced all night in. Cost: ~$2,400 (inclusive of alterations if purchased from their design studio)

Choice #5: Paloma Blanca #3814

I almost bought this dress. It is a recently released Paloma Blanca gown…I loved the modern yet classic look to it! This dress made me fall in love with trumpet style gowns, and I absolutely loved the sash (which comes in your choice of light earthy tones, i.e. ivory, beige, etc.). The only thing that held me back was that I wanted to try on the Talia one more time just to make sure. Cost: ~$1,900

Bridal salon reviews, pics of my actual dress, as well as suggestions on cost effective alternatives to come at a later date!