Last week we attended London Bridal Week at Excel London to find out what the hottest wedding dress trends for 2019 are going to be - here are our top picks of bridal trends...
Feathers
One of the most popular trends we saw at London Bridal Week and White Gallery this year was feathers! Ostrich feather skirts were popular with plenty of designers this season, including Donna Salado, Morilee, Elbeth Gillis and Eliza Jane Howell. We also saw cleverly cut feather-effect skirts from Ian Stuart and Naomi Neoh, which is perfect for brides who want the lighter-than-air look without the use of actual feathers.
Eternity Bridal
\nSheer
Sheer and nude effect gowns were a popular trend for 2018, and we can see it going strong into 2019. Practically every collection at London Bridal Week included nude, blush and champagne-coloured liners, combined with sheer bodices and cut-outs for a daring 'naked' effect (Allure Bridals, as always, excelled in this area!). Designers Anny Lin and Diane Legrand took it one step further with flowing sheer skirts that would be perfect for destination brides.
Elbeth Gillis
Pastels
We knew that pastels were likely to be present at the show this year, but it was still a lovely surprise to see them appear in embroidered details and floral prints on the bridal stands. The pastel beading and embroidery at Donna Salado would be perfect for a spring wedding, and we spotted multicoloured pastel floral prints at a couple of stands. Sorbet shades are also popular with bridal accessories too, with Rachel Simpson reporting that their pink suede styles were some of their bestsellers this season.
Donna Salado
Rachel Simpson
Toppers
Brides have been wanting to customise their looks more and more in recent years, and bridal brands are designing to reflect that - we spotted plenty of toppers, capes, overskirts and detachable trains this year, all of which are designed to give the dresses a new look that's easily customised. Brands that excel at this are Charlie Brear, whose entire ethos revolves around creating the perfect gown from the base dress up, and Casablanca, who pride themselves on being able to switch up any gown to suit a bride.
Charlie Brear
Charlie Brear
Bows
A sweet detail we saw cropping up time and time again is bows! From chic pussy-bow details tied at the neck to retro, kitschy embellishments or dreamy tulle bows tied at the back, it looks like designers are falling in love with bows all over again. The undoubted queen of the bows had to be Sassi Holford, who opted for large frothy tulle numbers and chic satin with long ribbons.
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Blue
It's official - blue is the new blush! Out of the pastel shades on show, pale blue was the most popular, with bridal gowns ranging from the lightest of baby blues to deeper, steelier shades. We saw duck egg tulle at David Fielden, storm blue silks at Charlie Brear, and deep grey-blues at Ruth Milliam Couture.
Ruth Milliam Couture
Harriet Wilde
High necks
This is another trend that's been up and coming since last season, and it's still going strong for 2019 - in part thanks to the popularity of Pippa Middleton's high-necked Giles Deacon wedding gown. Designers such as Casablanca, Valentini and Suzanne Neville all showed Victoriana-inspired high necks, with a combination of racer backs, illusion necklines and long sleeves. Anything goes when it comes to this neckline!
Casablanca Bridal
Gold
We saw plenty of metallics at the shows, but gold was by far the standout shade of the season. Whether it was gold embroidery, sequins, glitter or brocade, designers such as Savin London, Morilee and Lazaro were coming up golden. One of our favourite styles was Sassi Holford's show-closing gold brocade ballgown, accessorised with a sparkling golden tiara.