Show some leg! Sexy slits and short wedding dresses were among the popular gowns on the runway for 2012.

Monique Lhuillier

Ines Di Santo

Bare Shoulders: Off-the-shoulder necklines with tulle skirts create a romantic look.

Marchesa

Bejeweled bodices: Dazzling beaded tops accompany minimalist skirts.

Anna Maier - Ulla-Maija Couture

Anne Bowen

 Illusion necklines: Sheer bateau necklines continue with crystal and pearl appliques to give it a more glam look.

Ines Di Santo

Carolina Herrera

Ruffles, ruffles, and more ruffles: Fun flirty and flattering!

Pronovias

Kenneth Pool

Romantic and dainty cap sleeves.

Reem Acra

Jenny Packham

Full and dramatic ball gowns.

Maggie Sottero

St. Pucci

Peek-a-boo hemlines: High and low hemlines are fun, flirtatious and a great way to show off amazing wedding shoes!

Claire Pettibone

Oscar De La Renta

Oscar De La Renta

Cover-it-up capes: Graceful capes cover up shoulders.

Alfred Angelo

Ines Di Santo

Passion for purple: We’ve seen a lot of color on the runway for bridal gowns for 2012, blush pink and black among them, but purple seems to be a hot one for the coming season , be it for accents or gowns.

Rivini

Rivini

Among these pretty amazing trends were also lingerie inspired bustiers, large floral details, v-necklines, mini-skirt dresses, Chantilly and Alencon laces, light fabrics such as organza, taffeta and chiffon, and ornate and bejeweled belts.

More 2012 Wedding Gown Trends

Source: The Knot

Loved Kate Middleton’s gown like we (and almost everybody else) did?

Chances are you can’t afford a custom-made Alexander McQueen frock. However, you’re in luck! There are gowns with similar details that recently graced the runways.

Enjoy!

Love, Raya

Gowns w/ Long Lace Sleeves

Top photo courtesy of Landov. Photo above, clockwise from top left: Legends By Romona Keveza, Monique Lhuillier, Legends By Romona Keveza and Modern Trousseau. Photos courtesy of firstVIEW.

Gowns w/ a Full or Padded Skirt

Clockwise from top left: Carolina Herrera, Aria (from ariadress.com), Ines Di Santo and Val Stefani (valstefani.com). Remaining photos courtesy of firstVIEW.

What happens when you bring together a bridal designer that has been churning out red carpet-inspired gowns for the past seven years and a celebrity wedding planner? Something very, very fabulous.

Early this year celebrity wedding planner, and host of WEtv’s hit show My Fair Wedding, launched a luxurious bridal line through Faviana. “I’ve always felt that every bride should feel like a celebrity on her wedding day,” stated the ads for his line. “I wanted to make sure there was a dress for every woman out there.”

And there truly is something for every bride. For the true glamour girl that is looking for something less traditional and dance-worthy, The Fergie Short dress is perfect. Or, if you want to feel like a princess the Scarlett gown with its tulle skirt and embellished halter bodice may be your bridal answer. So it turns out you can be a celebrity for a day. We love when life (or fashion) imitates Hollywood!

XOXO,                                                                                                          Raya & Erin

(Clockwise: Gwenyth, Fergie Short, Charlize, Eva Short, Jennifer, Marilyn)

This year Melissa McMillin and Jeremy Gebhardt, high school sweethearts from Missouri, will wed live on the TODAY show at Rockefeller Plaza. In its eleventh year, the wedding series drew an impressive 60,000 votes on Facebook to determine the winning couple. What makes this story even more sweet is that Jeremy has been serving overseas intermittently for the past few years and came home in early September.

In a series of votes through Sept. 30, every major wedding detail down to the cake will be decided by TODAY viewers. (If you want to get in on the action you can vote via TODAYshow.com or Facebook.)

We’re particularly excited about the next round of votes, which will decide the bride’s wedding gown (and the groom’s tux). Here are the categories along with the designers:

Modern Romance – Lela Rose

(Style: Cloud 9)

Retro Glam – Lazaro

(Style: LZ3059)

Classic Elegance – Paloma Blanca

(Style: 4105)

Sophisticated Drama – Monique Lhuillier

(Style: Dasha)

How would you like to have your wedding gown determined by complete strangers? At least there’s an element of surprise! We’re very curious to see the outcome…

Which gown gets your vote?

Happy Friday!                                                                                 Erin & Raya

But what happens to the gown, possibly the most important tangible aspect of the wedding, once the festivities are over? That meaningful gown requires special attention in order to stand the test of time.

I spoke with Arman at Old English Cleaners, a dry-cleaning business that has been running strong since 1937 in Glendale and La Crescenta, California. Among their specialties, other than offering environmentally-friendly services, is gown cleaning and preservation. He explained that the process includes cleaning and securing the dress in an acid-free box and tissue paper, both being elemental in the preservation process. I inquired as to why preservation is necessary, and Arman stated quite frankly “because the dress turns yellow in two years.” The horror!

So preserve your gown! To preserve your wedding gown is to preserve memories, as well as to secure a family heirloom that can stay beautiful for years and years to come. Who knows if your daughter or granddaughter will want to wear it (or if you’ll want to pull it out for your ten year anniversary)?

Love,                                                                                                                Erin

(The Beautiful Box Co.)

(Duke Photography)

At Old English, the cost of the process begins at $240, and this includes the cost of cleaning and supplies (the box). Of course, the price depends on the gown, specifically its fabric, condition, size, ornamentation, etc. Arman offered a 15% off discount. So if you’re curious about the process, call Old English Cleaners at (818) 243-1143 and mention Weddingish. If you are not in the Los Angeles area, ask friends for recommendations.

Better late than never!

The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s biggest event of the year, by Hollywood standards, is the Met Gala. Last Monday we saw fashion’s biggest players, from models to celebrities to designers, make their grand entrance in sky-high heels while balanced by jewels, accessories, and for some, a man. The theme? American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity.

We saw on parade a collection of wedding-worthy gowns in an array of bridal whites and ivories, and perhaps less conventional colors like dark champagne, gray and pink. Ruffle, tulle, lace, embellishments, and liquid silk were aplenty. And for the more daring brides, so was some leg and less-than conservative necklines.

If these designer looks are not in your budget range, use them as inspiration.

What was your favorite gown of the night?

Pure as White:

Stark and muted white. Diane Kruger in a demure, yet body-skimming, Calvin Klein gown; Emma Watson in a one-shoulder ruffled dress by Burberry, for whom she endorses; Tory Burch.

All That Glitters:

Oh, to be a princess, or to at least dress like one. Jennifer Lopez in Zuhair Murad; Anne Hathaway in a golden Valentino gown; Marion Cottilard in a bedazzled dress by Dior, for whom she endorses.

Slinky Delight:

Sometimes liquid silk is all a girl needs. Jessica Alba in Sophie Theallet for Gap; Jessica Biel in an antique ivory gown by Ralph Lauren Collection; Kate Hudson in friend Stella McCartney’s slinky design.

Vintage Glamour

A hint of Old Hollywood was ever-present. Eva Longoria in bridal queen label Marchesa; Kirsten Dunst in Rodarte for Gap; Taylor Swift in a flowy Ralph Lauren number.

(photos source: vogue.co.uk)

Growing in popularity is a trend of which Weddingish is very fond. More and more brides are recruiting artists to sketch an illustration of possibly the most important, and most beautiful, dress or ensemble of their lives. Designers have used sketches to bring their creations to life, and the same can be done for brides seeking the ultimate in customized art.

Many artists, and aspiring artists alike, boast websites documenting their custom sketching services. However, before signing a contract, view your potential artist’s portfolio to ensure that his or her style fits your artistic vision. The creation will be a lasting piece of art, and you will want to enjoy admiring it, after all! Weddingish recommends Dreamlines, or seeking out artists on Etsy or Craigslist if you have a stricter budget. Know a friend who draws well? Recruit him or her to sketch; they will more than likely be delighted to play a special part in your big day.

A bridal gown sketch can be utilized in a variety of ways. Display the drawing in a gorgeous frame in your apartment or house, or make mini-sized copies to send in your “thank you” cards. If you’re not a bride, a sketch is a wonderful, and unexpected, wedding or bridal shower gift.

Custom gown sketch by Megan Hamilton.

Custom gown sketch by Dreamlines

Custom gown sketch by Soliloquy.

Expert groom blogger Chris Easter is co-founder of TheManRegistry.com – the leading online resource for grooms. The site offers a unique wedding registry for men, groomsmen gift ideas and a wealth of content aimed at helping men make it through the wedding planning process in one piece.

It’s Hollywood’s biggest night, and most definitely one of fashion’s biggest nights.

This past Sunday at the 82^nd Academy Awards viewers saw an array of gorgeous dresses on the red carpet. We saw red carpet mainstays like Marchesa, Oscar de la Renta, Versace, Dior and Chanel, and we saw some perhaps unexpected designers represented, like Dries Van Noten and former Project Runway contestant Chris March.

The accessories were fabulous, too. Bracelets were especially popular, with Julianne Moore sparkling in a luscious emerald ring and diamond bracelets by Bulgari. Sarah Jessica Parker got in on the bracelet action with stacks of diamond bracelets by Fred Leighton, and Demi Moore wore Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry. We saw Chopard diamonds, Salvatore Ferragamo clutches, and Sergio Rossi and Jimmy Choo heels.

(source: life.com, celebrity-paradise, justjared)

And there was some color! Maggie Gyllenhaal wore a floral satin column gown by Dries Von Noten, a last-minute, custom-made choice. Zoe Saldana modeled a bold, either you love-it-or-hate-it Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci ombre couture gown. And Rachel McAdams sported a pastel-print couture gown by Elie Saab Couture.

(From left to right, Zoe Saldana in Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci, Maggie Gyllenhaal in Dries Van Noten, and Rachel McAdams in Elie Saab Couture, source: instyle.com)

But colorful gowns aside, there was a surprising array of wedding-worthy dresses. We saw pink, white, gray and gold in the form of iridescent organza, silk draping, tulle and beading. We saw a lot of romance, a dose of sexiness, and plenty of elegance. Who knew that practical inspiration could be drawn from the red carpet, too? Here were some of our favorites:

(Jennifer Lopez in Armani Prive, Sandra Bullock in Marchesa, Cameron Diaz in Oscar de la Renta)

(Julianne Moore in Calvin Klein Collection, Amanda Seyfried in Giorgio Armani Prive, Miley Cyrus in Jenny Packham)

(Meryl Streep in Chris March)

And if you’re looking to buck the traditional bridal gown trend, there were some non-traditional wedding dresses seen as well – and they were lovely.

(Elizabeth Banks in Versace, Demi Moore in Atelier Versace)

(Helen Mirren in Badgley Mischka, Kate Winslet in Yves Saint Laurent, Anna Kendrick in Elie Saab Couture)

(source: all photos from instyle.com)