Dear Reader,
How's your Christmas going? All ready...? No, me neither. No matter how early you get started, doesn't it always seem a rush. Well, let's steal a minute away from the festive frenzy to draw breath and enjoy a few vintage moments from our year.  |
| Heiress Beatrice Borromeo in Armani Prive… just one of her five couture wedding dresses! |
As it's The Daily Telegraph these are crazy society weddings. All the brides do look stunning – but at what a price! One wedding dress is encrusted with 15 carats of Chopard diamonds. Another wedding dress is rumoured to have cost over £50,000. And heiress Beatrice Borromeo wears not one or even two – but five couture wedding dresses! A tad excessive... non?
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| Hilary Rhoda in Carolina Herrara dress, encrusted with 14.7 carats of Chopard diamonds! |
However, most of these fabulous couture wedding dresses are based on vintage originals. And it's perfectly possible to achieve equally stunning looks on a more realistic budget. So – of course – I can't resist showing you how...!
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| Beatrice Borromeo in blush Valentino vintage–inspired wedding dress and cape |
Beatrice Borromeo
For her official wedding ceremony, Heiress Beatrice Borromeo chose a pale pink Valentino silk tulle gown with a delicate beaded cape (above). I'm always looking for similar antique beaded capes from Victorian to 1930s. And if you too love this look, do call me to see what little treasure are in my current stock.
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| An original vintage wedding capelet, from my West London studio. |
A week later, Borromeo said 'I do' again Рthis time on one of her family's islands! For this ceremony, she wore a beautiful ivory-coloured dress with a flared silhouette in Chantilly lace from Armani's luxury Priv̩ label. The silk chiffon layered gown was paired with a delicate silk tulle veil, also with a Chantilly lace border.
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| Beatrice Borromeo in Armani Prive wedding dress |
Full length lace wedding dresses like this one are always in style. I have a range of lovely figure–flattering dresses in my Heavenly Collection made from exquisite lace (and you don't even need to be an heiress to afford one!) As well as some wonderful original lace wedding dresses like the 1960s one shown below…
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| Full length, 1940s–inspired lace wedding dress from my Heavenly Collection. |
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| Original 1960s vintage wedding dress in lace, from my West London studio. |
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| Long lace veil from my Heavenly Collection |
Allison Williams
Another featured bride is Girls actress Allison Williams. Allison married entrepreneur Ricky Van Veen in September at Brush Creek Ranch in Wyoming, in a ceremony officiated by actor Tom Hanks. Her 1950s–inspired Oscar de la Renta gown was created by the fashion house's British creative director, Peter Copping. The heavily embellished gown featured a sheer, long-sleeved overlay atop a full-skirted strapless dress.
Noor also wore an Azzedine Alaia wedding dress, speckled with delicate pearls...
While I can't promise to find you an original Medieval dress (!) many 1960s styles are based on this timeless silhouette – with its flattering empire line, high neck and elegant lace sleeves. This original Priscilla of Boston 1960s wedding dress was recently sold from my collection, but do contact me if you're a fan of this beautiful look…
Well, did you agree with their selection, and which is your favourite? At New Year (not so long now!) I'll be delighted to show you my own personal favourites from my real vintage brides – looking every bit as beautiful and radiant as the selection here! A happy wedding day, a room full of loved ones, a proud groom and a beautiful vintage dress – these are the things that can make every bride look as beautiful as any supermodel!
Love
Helena
Heavenly Vintage Brides
With thanks to The Daily Telegraph
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| Allison Williams in Oscar de la Renta wedding dress. |
These 1950s wedding dresses are so feminine and flattering, whether original or simply vintage–style like my Heavenly Collection version below. These styles really are timeless. Look out for the cinched waist, full skirt and neat bodice.
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| Original 1950s wedding dress from my West London studio. |
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| One of many 1950s inspired lace wedding dresses in my Heavenly Collection |
Nicky Hilton
Not only Allison's but several other dresses in the Most Stylish list had their roots in classic 1950s styles. Nicky Hilton married banking scion James Rothschild in Kensington Palace Gardens in London. Her 1950s–style couture lace Valentino gown that is said to have cost £50,000 and with its high neck, full skirt and long sleeves has echoes of everyone's favourite brides Grace Kelly and Kate Middleton.
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| Nicky Hilton in lace Valentino wedding dress |
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| 1950s style lace wedding dress from my Heavenly Collection |
Noor Fares
Fine jeweller Noor Fares also chose 1950s style for her wedding to artist Alexandre Al Khawam at a beautiful ceremony in Normandy in June. Her first dress – yes, there were two – was this beautiful haute couture Giambattista Valli gown.
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| Noor Fares in 1950s style wedding dress by Giambattista Valli. |
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| 1950s lace wedding dress from my Heavenly Collection |
Noor also wore an Azzedine Alaia wedding dress, speckled with delicate pearls...
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| Noor Fares in Azzedine Alaia wedding dress. |
Bar Refaeli
The next bride featured in the Most Stylish list is Israeli model Bar Refaeli. For her lavish wedding to business magnate Adi Ezra this year, Bar wore a custom-made, 1970s–inspired bohemian Chloe gown.. and looked every inch a supermodel!
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| Bar Refaeli in Chloe vintage–inspired wedding dress |
But you don't have to be a model marrying a millionaire to look gorgeous in a boho–style original vintage wedding dress, like this beautiful original 1970s dress from my collection...
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| Original 1970s wedding dress from my West London studio. |
 Original 1970s wedding dress from my West London studio |
Hilary Rhoda
Model Hilary Rhoda wore an elegant and simple 1930s–inspired Carolina Herrera wedding gown to marry NHL player Sean Avery in the Hamptons. But – you guessed it – this chic and 'simple' dress also featured beading with 14.7 carats of Chopard diamonds!
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| Hilary Rhoda in Carolina Herrara wedding dress |
For similarly chic and elegant 1930s–inspired silhouettes try my Heavenly Collection… (Real diamonds come as extra!)
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| 1930s style lace wedding dress with fishtail, from my Heavenly Collection. |
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| 1930s inspired wedding dress from my Heavenly Collection |
Riley Keough
Model and actress Riley Keough wed stuntman Ben Smith-Peterson in Napa Valley in Feruary. She wore a Delphine Manivet Couture gown featuring double levels of soft French lace, long sleeves with vintage-style buttons and a stunning open back. Truly lovely and very 1940s.
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| Riley Keogh in 1940s style full length lace wedding dress |
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| 1940s lace wedding dress & jacket, from my West London studio |
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| 1940s inspired lace wedding dress, from my Heavenly Collection |
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| 1940s inspired lace wedding dress from my Heavenly Collection |
Sophie Hunter
Theatre director Sophie Hunter and actor Benedict Cumberbatch may have kept their wedding pictures under wraps, but thanks to US Vogue we got a good look at the bride's heavenly dress. The Valentino gown was Medieval-inspired with long sleeves, a high neck and formed of delicate silvery-grey lace.
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| Sophie Hunter in grey Valentino lace wedding dress |
While I can't promise to find you an original Medieval dress (!) many 1960s styles are based on this timeless silhouette – with its flattering empire line, high neck and elegant lace sleeves. This original Priscilla of Boston 1960s wedding dress was recently sold from my collection, but do contact me if you're a fan of this beautiful look…
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| Original 1960s wedding dress by Priscilla of Boston, from my studio. |
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| Detail from Priscilla of Boston 1960s wedding dress. |
Sabine G
For her wedding to billionaire Joseph Getty, Lebanese–Egyptian jewellery designer Sabine G wore a wedding dress and cape by couture house Schiaparelli. The outfit was hand–embellished with no less than 500,000 sequins. A fabulous dress to end the list – and one I'm afraid I can't match. But I guess when you're marrying into the Getty family, you really need to pull out all the stops!
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| Sabine G wears Schiaparelli couture wedding dress and cape with 500,000 sequins |
Love
Helena
Heavenly Vintage Brides
With thanks to The Daily Telegraph
