Photos courtesy of Claire Pettibone

Cherry Blossom Bloom for Claire Pettibone in 2010

Romantic pieces of art best describe Claire Pettibone’s 2010 collection. Using the Cherry Blossom as her inspiration she captures the Japanese style with breath taking gowns. Using a soft and effervescent palette of snow white, metallic silver and gold with accents of pale pink and Empire Red, “Cherry Blossom 2010” was a luminous vision of purity and exotic innocence.

by Jennifer Gibbs

The day a bride finds her gown is one of the most memorable throughout the wedding planning experience. She puts on the dress at the bridal shop and knows instantly that the dress was made for her. Her eyes swell tears, and before you know it, all the sales clerks are dabbing her face with tissues, crying right along beside her. However, the pathway to the perfect dress is usually rocky. The number of dresses she tries on before “the one” becomes far too many to count.

Trunk shows can help alleviate the stress of finding the right gown. “A trunk show is a special weekend where every piece of a particular line goes into a specific, bridal store,” Elle Warren of Angel Sanchez describes. “Because stores don’t usually have it in their budget to buy all of a line’s pieces, trunk shows provide a unique time that brides get a chance to see all the designer has to offer.”

Trunk shows create a surge of energy for bridal gown stores. “We get to hear pros and cons of our store from designers,” says Elizabeth Maxwell, co-owner of Faccio Bridal in Franklin, Tenn. , “and it helps us better serve our customers.” Beth Bowman, Faccio’s other owner, adds, “We really get to know designers at these shows, and once that strong relationship is formed, we stand behind the name.” Brides learn a great deal about budgets, gown construction and body styles. “The designers advise the brides that they should understand exactly what they are paying for,” Maxwell says. She continues, “Brides also discover which designer and silhouette fits their body the best.” “Most of our brides walk away saying ‘I’m so glad I came,’” says Bowman.

Seeing anywhere from 20 to 30 different gowns from one line, brides get a good sampling of what a designer has to offer. “Many have the misconception that trunk shows are high-pressure sales, but that’s not it at all,” Maxwell says. “It’s a fun time for designers and brides. It’s a very relaxed atmosphere, not stressful at all.” Bowman adds, “All the brides who attend come together and help one another find the perfect dress. The designer, sales associates and brides all become one united force—one big family.”

“We try to do a trunk show every weekend,” says Lee Price of Stephen Yearick. “When we started doing shows, we found them very beneficial, so we started doing them more and more.” Price finds it much easier to serve the customers if he can get to know them. “We get to meet the girls, and no one else knows bridal trends better than brides themselves.”

“Bride’s benefit greatly from shows too because they get to see the entire breadth of a collection: from skimpy to sexy, from slim silhouettes to full ball gowns,” Price explains. He goes on to say that the best benefit for a bride shopping a Stephen Yearick trunk show is that the designer’s representative will make changes to fit the needs of the bride. “Sometimes brides’ visions are not practical in terms of construction. At trunk shows we can make those visions feasible.”

It’s important for brides to know that designers try very hard to serve their needs and desires. Trunk shows give designers the opportunity to make magical things happen for brides. Price says, “We can make your dreams come true in a way that is practical as well as beautiful.”

“The best thing about a trunk show is that the bride can see everything the designer has to offer,” Warren concludes. Furthermore, the bridal shops benefit from having the designers give them specific information about their lines, helping them better inform the brides. Then again the designers benefit and can give brides exactly what they want. It all comes back to the bride. Everyone’s goal is to make her gorgeous for her wedding day.

Anastasia tiara from the Ice collection, $250

Designer Mandy Greenan

by Kate Parrott

Try doing an Internet search for the meaning of “Tiger Lily” and you’ll find meanings aplenty: wealth, pride, prosperity, etc. But for Mandy Greenan, founder of D.C.-based bridal jewelry design company Tigerlilly, the word means so much more: luxury, versatility and one-of-a-kind design. The up-and-coming designer sat down to talk with I Do about how she began, this season’s hottest accessory trends and where Tigerlilly is heading in the future.

I Do: What piqued your interest in creating bridal jewelry?
Greenan: I never considered it until I got engaged in 2000. I’ve always made jewelry as a hobby, but when I started looking at headpieces for myself, I was totally inspired. I definitely felt an immediate and strong attraction to creating headpieces.

I Do: When did you realize you could turn your hobby into a business?
Greenan: I became really consumed with it right away. Every spare moment I had, I was making different types of tiaras and combs and exploring new materials. Things took off fairly quickly. I took a bit of a leap of faith and started doing it full time because I was so passionate about it.

I Do: When did you know that Tigerlilly had become a successful, well-known company? What was your defining moment?
Greenan: It was probably when we showed at our first wholesale market in New York in 2004. Nobody knew who we were, but we opened a dozen accounts in one weekend with some of the best stores in the country.

I Do: Describe the look and feel of your pieces.
Greenan: It’s actually hard for me to say what my “signature look” is. I love to mix things up every season and come up with totally new and interesting pieces. However, I do find that I often come back to nature with flowers, leaves and vines. I love the “Midsummer Night’s Dream” look—a really natural, magical vibe.

Anya lariat with Swarovski crystals in sterling silver or gold, $275

I Do: Speak to the versatility of your pieces. They can convert from bridal jewelry to everyday wear. Was this the goal you had in mind when you began designing?
Greenan: Custom, handcrafted bridal jewelry is an investment for most brides. A lot of brides fall in love with a design but can’t justify the expense when they’re only going to be wearing it one day. I totally get that, and I think about that when designing new pieces. Just last week, a bride called us and asked if we could make one earring for her. She was married four years ago, and she still wears her Tigerlilly earrings all the time and was so upset when she lost one. I love that she still gets so much wear out of them! We sent her a new pair.

I Do: Tell us about your trademark piece, the convertible tiara.
Greenan: I started out doing all custom work for brides, and I kept hearing over and over, “I wish I could wear this for more than just one day!” I was styling a photo shoot one day and was putting a necklace into a model’s hair, so it would look like a headband. It occurred to me that the length of a choker necklace is about the same as the size of a headband. At that moment, the Tigerlilly Convertible was born. Brides just love it because you can wear it on your wedding day as a headpiece, then wear it as a necklace on your honeymoon. Some brides wear it one way to the rehearsal dinner and another way for the wedding itself.

I Do: What are some of your favorite trends that you’re currently seeing with wedding-day accessories?
Greenan: I have a lot of brides wearing a traditional veil/tiara combination for the ceremony, then changing into a more daring piece for the reception, like a birdcage veil or feathered piece. I love the two different looks, especially because they are ordering really fun accessories in bright, bold colors for the reception.

Waterfall necklace from the Destination collection, $275

I Do: What do you consider to be the most rewarding part of your career?

Greenan: Seeing an entire, final look put together. Photo shoots, runway shows and seeing my designs on real brides is so much fun. We’re surrounded by all of this sparkly jewelry.

I Do: Where are your products sold?
Greenan: We currently do not have a retail location; we sell directly to brides from our Web site, www.tigerlillyjewelry.com. There are also more than 100 stores worldwide that carry Tigerlilly products.

I Do: What can we expect from Tigerlilly moving into the future?
Greenan: I want to be the Madonna of bridal accessories! I definitely want to continue coming out with new and innovative designs each season and expand the business in the new directions it’s taking. I’ll never stop custom work with brides, but I also love designing for runway and television.

Atlanta-based bridal gown designer Anne Barge bears the quintessential fairytale story of success and destiny in her career. With a passion for weddings in her school-age years, she began creating gowns for her schoolmates and paper dolls. Still determined to pursue her designing dreams in college, Barge happened upon a Priscilla of Boston trunk show wherein she revealed her sketchbook and landed the dream of a lifetime as an apprentice designer. The rest was history as Barge embarked on a burgeoning career to create her name-bearing design powerhouse that exists today. Here, she sits down with I Do to talk about how she changed wedding tradition in the UK, her current favorite apparel trends and what brides can expect to see from her Spring 2009 collection.

by Kate Parrott

Designer Anne Barge

I Do: What piqued your interest in creating bridal gowns?
Barge: My interest in creating bridal gowns began when I was about three years old. My mother was a church organist and took me to weddings on a regular basis.

I Do: When did you know that you had built a successful, well-known company?
Barge: Maybe the defining moment was winning NBC’s “Today Throws a Wedding” when hundreds of thousands of people across the United States voted for my dress.

I Do: Describe the look and feel of your dresses.
Barge: The look of my gowns is always timeless and classic with historic elements and fabric treatments.

I Do: What distinguishes your Black Label, Couture and La Fleur collections from one another?
Barge: We have three divisions in the Anne Barge Collection so that we might address different price points. They all have the same classic lines, fantastic construction and beautiful fabrics. The opening price point is La Fleur, with pricing from $2,400 up to $3,500, and most of the line has very clean, architectural lines. The Anne Barge Couture Collection is priced up to $6,000. The Black Label is priced above $6,000. The higher price points use more elaborate beading and embroideries and more expensive fabrics.

I Do: Where do you derive inspiration for your designs? What other designers have influenced you?
Barge: The inspiration for my designs comes from historic fashion, both modern and vintage. I especially love the elegance and opulence of the European royal courts. The one designer that has inspired me the most is Chanel. Other designers I admire are Balenciaga and Valentino.

I Do: What did you do before designing full time?
Barge: My occupation before becoming a designer full time was [working as] managing director of Virgin Bride in London, owned by Richard Branson. Prior to that I managed the Saks Bridal Departments nationwide, and prior to that I owned Anne Barge for Brides.

I Do: Tell us more about your experience working with Branson and Virgin Bride.
Barge: Richard was a one-man show; we never had to advertise when we opened the store. We had a runway fashion show, and for the finale, Richard came out in drag, with a mini bridal dress, shaven legs, yellow heels, blonde wig and full makeup. The next day, his picture was on the front page of every newspaper in the world, announcing the opening of Virgin Bride. The rest would fill a book!

I Do: You’re known for having changed tradition in the UK by introducing adult bridesmaid gowns. How did that happen?
Barge: When I arrived in the UK in 1996, I had bought [American] adult bridesmaid gowns for Virgin Bride, forgetting that UK brides’ attendants were always children. Oops! But soon the idea caught on, and within a short time, everyone was having adult bridesmaids in their weddings. Well, almost everyone!

I Do: For which celebrities have you designed?
Barge: We have done gowns for “The Bold and the Beautiful”; Montel Williams’ bride, Heidi Newfield of Trick Pony; Meredith Eaton of “Boston Legal”; Lennox Lewis’ wife, Violet Chang; and two Georgia governors’ daughters, Beth Busbee and Allison Barnes. But all of our brides are celebrities!

I Do: What are some of your favorite trends that you’re currently seeing with wedding apparel?
Barge: One of my favorite current trends is necklines other than strapless—sleeve treatments, bateau necklines, V-necklines, bolero jackets … [there are] many great alternatives!

I Do: How do you distinguish your gowns from those of other designers?
Barge: My gowns differ in many ways. First, there is a great fit. We are capable of custom making the gowns where special measurements are required to ensure that the fit is perfect. Second, the construction is like a historical costume, complete with inner bodices, bonings and lining.

I Do: What can we expect to see from you in terms of design in 2009?
Barge: You can expect to see some really different gowns—very unusual embroideries and fabrications. I find that most brides today are reaching out to gowns with character that do not look like what they would deem “typical.”

View Anne Barge’s current collection at www.annebarge.com.