Heart of Haute Blog

What you wear on your wedding day is one of your most important (and photographed) expressions of personal style. Thankfully, weddings have become more flexible and creative than the past days of white satin and puffed Princess Diana sleeves. As a bride, you have the ability to choose a look and overall wedding theme that celebrates your personality, interests, and style. 

Heart of Haute dresses many brides and bridal parties who are creating a vintage or retro inspired wedding. This is a popular wedding motif that allows you to celebrate your future, and the past that brought you there. Even with a vintage-inspired theme, elements of contemporary fashion can be included to create a look that is as unique as your relationship. Here are our three favorite ideas picked out of the knot's article on The Top Wedding Dress Trends From Spring 2016 Bridal Fashion Week.

Bateau Neckline: Bateau or boat necklines run straight across the chest from shoulder to shoulder. The origin of this style comes from sailor’s tops and sweaters - the high but wide neckline made the top easier to remove in case of falling overboard! This stylish shape is also known as a Sabrina neckline due to the black cocktail dress that Audrey Hepburn wore in the movie Sabrina.

 

If you are looking for a casual wedding dress with a bateau neckline, try our Monique or Mitzi. Both have an A-line skirt and a waist tie for the perfect fit. A more formal shape with the same neckline can be found in our Mercedes dress, with a fully lined and princess seamed bodice, a matching belt, and a full circle skirt. 

 

Floral Prints: White wedding dresses did not become popular until the mid 1800s, and those early white dresses often had floral details. In 2015, plain white or ivory are not your only wedding dress options. Floral print wedding dress are frequently seen, particularly for spring weddings. Floral options are also a striking choice for retro bridesmaid dresses - think beyond solids while working within your wedding color theme. Heart of Haute has florals from bold to soft. Try the Marseilles dress in Blush, or the Milan Dress in Rose Garden. Mint has continued to be a popular wedding color, and our Bouquet fabric has gorgeous hydrangea flowers on a mint background. 

Bridal Suits: The two piece wedding suit is perfect for a casual modern wedding, but it is far from a new idea. Beginning in the era of the Great Depression, brides often married in their best outfit, not a special dress that would only be worn once. Many 1940s wartime brides were married in this casual (and less expensive) look. Bigger, more impractical white dresses returned with the economic boom after World War II, but style icons from Marilyn Monroe to Carrie Bradshaw continued to rock the bridal suit.

  

If you are ready to try this unconventional yet classic look, our Diva Suit comes in wedding-ready Ivory, and the even more daring shades of Red and Navy. Whether you want an authentic 1940s vintage wedding look, or a memorable modern silhouette, a wedding suit will get you noticed.

 

 

At Heart of Haute, we love helping to make your wedding day dreams come true. We have loads of experience making magic happen for bridal parties of all sizes. We offer free shipping to bridal parties, and can custom cut dresses in special sizes, including for children. We will custom cut and make your dream dresses to order right here in California, but don't delay as many of our unique fabrics and styles sell out quickly!  

Spring is finally here - warmer days, blooming flowers, and a pile of wedding invitations in your mailbox. Weddings now are not always the church and banquet hall celebrations of the past. Couples have gotten more creative, and often more casual. Looking for the perfect dress to wear to a non-traditional (or traditional) wedding? Heartbreaker has you covered! You never thought your wildest friend would ever settle down, but she is getting hitched in Vegas! It's sure to be an outrageous party, and you want to look the part. The Sweetie Dress in (limited edition) Hip Kitty leopard fabric will look right at home on the Strip, downtown on Fremont street, or posing with the Elvis Impersonator who performs the ceremony. Don't forget a sweater to ward off the freezing casino air conditioning, and a hat for a hungover pool day. For your very practical and private friend, there was no ceremony - they simply went down to the courthouse on a Tuesday. For the informal after party at a local bar, try our popular Beverly Dress in Black Dynasty. The gold metallic print elevates it from typical daytime wear. For a more traditional, semi formal wedding, try the Elsie or Elaine Dresses by Heart of Haute. These cocktail dresses are polished  and versatile, whether you prefer a fitted or fuller skirt. Sheer black stockings and your highest heels complete the look. For a tropical destination wedding, the Rebecca Dress has a full skirt and halter top that will keep you cool and comfortable in the sun and sand. Remember your sunglasses, sunscreen, and no tanning until the ceremony is over - no one wants to be the lobster sunburn girl in the photos! Kork Ease Sandals are comfortable, come in many colors and heel heights, and look better than flip flops. For a casual ceremony in the country (or even a bridal shower), try our Aimee Dress in (limited) Strawberry Patch. The Marseilles Dress in the Katherine Floral Print is a great choice for a chic country or beach wedding. For wedding gift ideas, I like a couple of cookbooks (Nigel Slater and Mark Bittman are both great), and a cast iron skillet. It is something that every kitchen (and barbeque grill, and campsite) needs, and one will last a lifetime. I hope that you have a great summer filled with top shelf open bars, good appetizers, and inspired dance moves gleaned from other people's parents! Mrs. V