Weddingbee Blog

I love wedding dresses (I mean really, who doesn’t?). I love clothes in general, but nothing compares to wedding dresses. The obsession began before Mr. Dalmatian and I were engaged, although it was after I had realized that he was the man I wanted to marry. It swung into full gear during the semester I studied abroad in Florence, Italy. I lived with some of my closest girlfriends from college and we fully embraced the romance of Italy by picking out engagement rings on the Ponte Vecchio and browsing wedding dress websites while sipping wine on the balcony of our little Florentine apartment (I know, I know, such a rough life…).

By the time my perusal of wedding dresses turned from hopeful fantasy to timely reality, my mind was overflowing with inspiration. The very first dress that made my jaw drop was Francesca by Melissa Sweet:

Melissa Sweet Francesca / Image via RecycledBride.com

In case you haven’t heard, I love ruffles! Mr. Dalmatian, on the other paw, is not such a fan. So I said goodbye to Francesca before I even started shopping.

Not to worry, I had plenty more dress-spiration! One designer I discovered in my shameless internet browsing was Ivy & Aster. If you have not been to their website, go now! Read their story and you will want to climb into every page. I mean seriously, look at this picture:

Image via IvyandAster.com / Photo by Elizabeth Messina

Oh right, we’re talking about dresses… Sorry, I have trouble focusing when there are sequin heels and a crown nearby. My original favorite Ivy & Aster gown was Sweetpea (and not just because of the adorable name). I was mesmerized by how delicate and feminine she is. This dress also marked the beginning of my love for Swiss dots.

Ivy & Aster Sweetpea / Image via IvyAndAster.com

Then, they released images of their Fall 2011 Collection, and I had a new love:

Ivy & Aster Duchess - Image via IvyAndAster.com

She is also delicate and feminine, and has such a beautiful shape! Normally spaghetti straps are not my favorite, but I seem to be okay with them on a wedding dress, particularly one as amazing as this.

Another spaghetti-strapped gown that I bookmarked for its charming style and flattering shape was this one by Mikaella:

Mikaella Style 1460 - Image via Brides.com

Speaking of straps, my fascination with them was not limited to those of the spaghetti variety. This dress with cap sleeves was another one that took my breath away.

WToo Vanessa / Image via Watters.com

As if the front isn’t stunning enough, look at the back!

WToo Vanessa / Image via Watters.com

So much prettiness!

Another designer I have coveted is Priscilla of Boston. Ever since I landed on their website one day long ago (probably on that Italian balcony), I have loved the classic elegance their dresses. I still cannot believe they’ve  closed their doors - so sad! Here is one of my favorites:

Vineyard Carter / Image via TheBrideRoom.com

And to round off my wedding dress-spiration, a little something pink! Any chance I had of resisting a pink gown went out the window when sequins and tulle came into play.

Alita Graham Style No: 32105892 / Image via AlitaGraham.com

This last one is a bit of a curve ball, but in general I feel like my inspiration dresses helped me narrow down what I was looking for in my dress-to-be. So, with a somewhat embarrassingly extensive amount of research under my belt, I was ready to go shopping!

Did you do a lot of online browsing before shopping for your dress?