When it comes to wedding fashion, John Chwyl has pretty much seen it all.
After spending more than a quarter-century directing and choreographing bridal shows in Edmonton, he admits the white dresses can sometimes start to look the same.
“Except this year, they are so elegant,” Chwyl gushes amid prep for this Sunday’s 35th annual Bridal Fantasy.
It’s the largest event of its kind in Western Canada. And the fashion show, which Chwyl is in charge of, always draws a huge crowd of eager brides-to-be and their entourages.
Here’s a sneak peek of some of the big trends they might see grace the runway.
Bridal gown trends
“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen long sleeves popular, but this season several new styles have the long sleeve and I love it,” Chwyl said.
“Delicate lace on the arms is so feminine.”
The sleeves seemed to be big in bridal-wear from the 30s to 50s before making a comeback in the 70s and 80s.
The trend began to pick up steam again following Kate Middleton’s 2011 nuptials to Prince William.
“What makes them special this season are the gorgeous lace overlays, the look is so slimming, elegant and classy! It’s nice to see a bit more fabric covering bare bodies!”
Plus, they can be a bit more forgiving (i.e. you don’t have to sweat about getting your arms super buff).
Credit: Ines Di Santo Fall/Winter 2016 Couture Bridal Collection runway show on October 9, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Ines Di Santo)
While the “naked” look is nothing new in bridal fashion, sexy sheers that show all have become more popular recently.
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“It’s more about the body now,” Vera Wang said in the fall of her spring 2016 bridal lookbook.
READ MORE: How to pull off the barely-there bridal gown
Credit: Ines Di Santo Fall/Winter 2016 Couture Bridal Collection runway show on October 9, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Ines Di Santo)
Chwyl confesses he’s never been a fan of the big poofy princess looks.
But for those who dream about it, a sleek body-hugging silhouette is a strong new look in that department.
Credit: Ines Di Santo Fall/Winter 2016 Couture Bridal Collection runway show on October 9, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Ines Di Santo)
Also extremely popular, he says, is the two-piece.
“[It] allows the girls, essentially to design their own style. Kind of a cool way to feel like it’s your very own dress.”
READ MORE: Wedding Planning 101: What to do as soon as you get engaged
WedLuxe Magazine fashion and style editor Elizabeth Clark adds that colour is huge with brides right now, as well.
They’re going for everything from blush tones to nudes and naturals, silver and golds, and blue dresses.
READ MORE: Light pink and blue named Pantone’s 2 colours of the year for 2016
“Brides are not shying away from colour and it’s making things exciting.”
Popular looks for bridesmaids
Clark has noticed a lot of champagne and golds in bridesmaid dresses lately.
Chwyl, meanwhile, has seen some “spectacular” sequin dresses in metal colours.
“Not your typical sequin,” he said. “They looked a lot softer.”
READ MORE: Wedding party etiquette: what you should know about being a bridesmaid
Both agree that letting the bridesmaids show some individuality with their dresses is bigger than ever.
“You don’t want things to match,” Clark said.
“Choosing a shape and style of a dress that fits their body type, and personality, is far more important than having everyone match,” Chwyl added.
What about the groomsmen?
While the focus is usually on the ladies (let’s be honest), we didn’t want to forget about the gents.
According to Chwyl, they’ve been dressing down a bit more for the past year or so.
“Gone are the full tuxedo looks for those guys,” he explained.
“The grooms are still full tux. But those who stand with him are opting for no jacket or tie, a white shirt, vest and pants.”
Whatever you end up wearing for the big day, just make sure to break in the shoes.
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