Tanya C. Ellis, Freelance Fashion Writer
For the ultra-modern bride, less is more.
Almost every woman starts planning her wedding day from the age of five. But the wait until that special day always seems endless. For some women in the United Kingdom, it is a rite of passage to attend The National Wedding Show in London, and so, a proposal made before the event is vital.
Dubbed the 'UK's biggest wedding department store', the annual event is known as the one-stop-shop for every stage of preparing for the big day. London Earls Court was abuzz on September 26, with brides-to-be looking for the dress they spent years dreaming of; and the selection was endless.
From designers to boutiques, the essence of virginal white distilled an atmosphere of a mid-summer night's dream in every style; not surpassing post modern, vintage or uber contemporary. Filtered in-between were soft cascades of bridesmaid dresses, tiaras, possible event locations, decoration choices, photography, as well as ready-made wedding planners.
The right to white
However, nothing could steal from the small selection of red wedding dresses, which should be assumed are not ideal for the very traditional brides who still believe that white signifies a certain purity. Regardless of colour, full-length was still the preferred unspoken code, whether the theme is: less is more, or more is more; and the boys were not forgotten. Moss Brothers, branded suit specialists, insisted that some great deal of attention would be paid to the groom and his men this year. They were giving away a chance to lie in a hammock, sipping on exotic cocktails, while feeling the Caribbean breeze for the honeymoon on no island other than Jamaica. Hotels up for grabs included: Couples Resorts, Couples Tower Isle, Couples San Souci, Couples Swept Away and Couples Negril.
As promised, The National Wedding Show also offered the opportunity to interact face-to-face with key players in the very personal wedding market. And the one thing a potential bride must know is that a relationship with industry traders has to be almost as intimate as the proposal itself.
