Red Wedding Dress

Peak bridal season is almost upon us. After the Royal Wedding and the watercooler and blogosphere  blazing with post wedding fever, I wondered how many soon-to-be brides had decided to be loyal to their original selection, change course and opt for a Kate Middleton replica dress, or risk a slightly more contemporary twist with a splash of color. Yes color.

Like many stories, my impetus were photos of wedding dresses that would not just seal my wedded fate but perhaps trigger a trend in minimal-garment Miami and beyond.

My first discovery was a red wedding dress which sent my heart fluttering. Simply stunning. Is this a flickering sign of trends to come or is it here now perhaps in far away lands?

Former newscast producer and author, Tamara Duricka Johnson, reminded me that going back in time, the wedding dress for the common woman was essentially the finest dress in her closet, usually her best church dress. Upon further research I learned that the white wedding dress did not date back to ancient times but rather in 1840 when Queen Victoria married Albert of Saxe in a white wedding dress which came as a surprise. White was not the symbol of purity, but rather the color blue took that honorary title. White was a symbol of wealth. So once this royal figure changed course with a white dress to pronounce her status, women across Europe and America followed suit. So if you're a successful career woman getting married for the second or third time, then you can reference this historical note and feel confident with your choice.

During Medival times, the more vibrant the colors and the more layers of silk, fur, and velvet, the higher the social standing of the bride. Those of a lower social standing wore fabrics that weren't as rich, though they copied the elegant styles as best they could.

According to industry expert, Ana Chertoff, former editor in chief at royalwedding.aol.com and senior editor at Brides.com, a number of designers showcased dresses in light pink and blush at the April Bridal market. Even Reese Witherspoon wore a pale pink Monique Lhuiller gown in her wedding in March.

"While most brides won't choose a dress in a color other than white or ivory, they will choose a dress that is accented in a color with a sash, beading or embroidery." shares Chertoff. "Ever since Amsale and Vera Wang introduced wedding dresses with a splash of color in the late 90s designers have been adding a pop of color to their wedding dresses, "continues Chertoff.

Fashion style expert, Alexandra Suzanne, offered this ruby red nugget "I was smitten when Alexandra Posen (Zac Posen's sister) wed in a red gown which later was displayed at FIT museum 2005. Since then I have vowed that I too want to be wed in red. Red is also my signature color for my brand because I feel such a strong connection to it. It is a color of power, passion, and love." Alexandra is definitely passionate about color. She once owned an orange audi.

Zac Posen designed dress for his sister's wedding

Perhaps the most pleasant discovery in my research is a wedding site that offers pre-owned but stylish wedding dresses by designers such as Vera Wang and Justin Alexander. Introducing PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com.

In doing a quick search based on my size, stunning dresses immediately graced my computer screen.




Priscilla Costa dress



 This gorgeous piece of art  is designed and hand-made by the young and upcoming Brazilian designer Priscilla Costa in New Jersey with the finest material. The body is made with silk taffeta and the romantic flower tail is made of more than 500 silk organza fuxico flowers each finished with a Swarovski crystal. The original owner had this dress custom-made and paid $4,000. She is selling it for $1,750 plus shipping.

But does this site offer dresses with color? Sure enough a bouquet of colors streamed across the screen. A white with black trim Romona Keveza dress, a blush, strapless mermaid style Vera Wang that appears straight out of a 1930's  movie set, and an ivory dress with French blue taffeta sash are proof of the growing trend of use of colors in wedding dresses. Even better, the dresses are available at a fraction of the original cost.

While there are no foreseeable wedding plans in my future, there's always an excuse to wear a formal gown. As chairperson of the Black Cat Gala (to raise awareness for homeless cats), our next theme is romance and thus the color scheme will be black and red. While I should be searching for venues and working on other event logistics, I'm now tempted to search for my red formal dress now! Many sites are marked favorite so I'll be snuggling with my new iPad fantasizing about the dress that will make heads turn.

Krysha