Short Wedding Dresses

Absolutely adorable made to order dresses from Claire La Faye (and they're surprisingly affordable)! If you have the budget, these could even make great options for a second reception dress. {Found via Something Old, Something New}

Bridal Session Inspiraton

Lauren was married the week prior to this shoot, but because there wasn't ample time during their wedding day for photographer Kevin Keefer to capture a lot of couple and bridal portraits, they opted for another session after the wedding. When the time came, her new husband Aaron was called away unexpectedly which left Lauren with a bridal portrait session of her own. Kevin later called the shoot "For Aaron" which I think is so sweet. Lauren looks lovely in her Jenny Packham dress, and what a beautiful keepsake she has now!

Etheral Wedding Gowns

These beautiful wedding dresses from designer Maria Lucia Hohan and so lovely I can hardly stop looking at the photos! Each dress just seems more beautiful than the next, and the styling of the photos is just gorgeous. All the pictures were taken by The Cherry Blossom Girl, and you can see a lot more on her blog {found via Hello!Lucky}

Flower Girl Dresses

I've always loved the idea of dressing flower girls in adorable little patterned (or colored) dresses, versus having them wear white stain. So, when I was browsing for a gift this weekend and came across these dresses at Olive Juice Kids, I immediately thought they would be perfect flower girl options! Not only are they really affordable, they could certainly double as a party dress for use later in the year. They even have silver ballet flats...I can't imagine a little girl who wouldn't love to dance down the aisle in those!

Wedding Dresses Under $600

Nordstrom has been providing a pretty good selection of bridesmaids dresses online for awhile now, but a few days ago I was browsing through their official Wedding Shop and came across all these gorgeous bridal dresses. Would you believe that every single one of them is under $600? Most are certainly more on the casual side, but I think they're each just lovely! And actually, only two of the dresses pictured here are over $500, the rest are even below that. I love it when stores provide beautiful options for affordable prices!

Vintage Dior

Oh my...this dress is divine. I am not sure I've ever seen a dress more lovely. {Found via Dress, Design, Decor}

Amanda Archer

These dresses from Amanda Archer would make adorable bridesmaid options (I would gladly wear one to a wedding). They come in a variety of really fun colors and there is even a "made to measure" option! Not only that, but almost all of the dresses you see here are under $200. Check out Amanda's Etsy Store for even more designs (including bridal dresses).

Elizabeth Dye

The extremely talented Elizabeth Dye has started to share some of her 2010 collection on her blog, and the dresses are gorgeous! Each of them is named after a literary heroine, which I adore, and it seems like every dress is lovelier than the next. And of course, Elizabeth's photo styling is always impeccable!

Guest Post: Heather Levine of The Knot

I am really excited to welcome Heather Levine to the blog today, for a guest post on the latest and greatest wedding gown fashions. Heather observed all the newest gowns from a front row seat at fashion week, and she was gracious enough to write up her five favorite trends for all of you! So without further ado, Heather's five favorite trends (examples of each trend can be found above):

1) Rosettes
These bold blooms weren’t the only flowers to pop up on the bridal runways: I also spotted smaller varieties, like cherry blossoms, and even some cascading petal details. But here’s the reason rosettes are so highly ranked: Their larger-than-life size makes a normally romantic flower feel more, well, fresh. Gown: Melissa Sweet.

2) Retro Style
I’m addicted to Mad Men (but still catching up, just started the Season 2 DVD, so no spoilers, please)! When I saw these tulle, natural-waist numbers paired with sheer wristlet gloves, I instantly fell in love. Gown: Tara Keely by Edric Woo.

3) 3-D Embroidery
Over the years, some of my favorite gowns have had that old-world allure, or looked, you know, vintage. But they all had one thing in common: a slim, sheath-like silhouette. Finally, this season I saw intricate tulle-embroidered ball gowns and A-line skirts that offer that same antique appeal. Gown: Christos.

4) Bold Straps
The asymmetrical strap is nothing new, but this year bridal designers really took risks making each strap -- and more importantly, each dress -- a unique work of art. Gown: Claire Pettibone.

5) Black Accents
No, I’m not Twilight-obsessed, but I do think there’s nothing more elegant than a white gown adorned with this gothic hue. Gown: Vera Wang.

Thank you, Heather! What do you all think? Do you love any of the trends or will you be using them in your own wedding? Discuss!

Heather Levine is the Fashion Editor of TheKnot.com, the #1 wedding website. As fashion editor, Heather is responsible for producing and styling the stories most coveted by brides – fashion and beauty – for TheKnot.com and The Knot Weddings magazine, as well as acting as host for fashion segments on The Knot TV, the site’s 24-7 streaming video channel. Heather also serves as in-house stylist for The Knot that includes editorial styling for media and special appearances.

*Photos: Clark+Walker Studio, Courtesy of TheKnot.com

New Jcrew Dresses

Once again, jcrew has some beautiful new bridal and bridesmaid dresses. I am loving the belt on the upper left dress and the flower on the one below!

And these bridesmaids dresses are beyond adorable. Isn't the patterned one lovely?

Swoon Dresses

I absolutely love these dresses from Swoon! Designer Amy Wong Micucci set out to create a line of bridesmaid dresses that didn't feel like the standards we're all so used to seeing, and she definitely succeeded. And the best part? All of the dresses are under $300, with most in the $250 range (and several under $200). They're affordable and beautiful, and certainly something that can be worn after the wedding. Bridesmaid or not, I would certainly wear any of these to a wedding!

Oh, Vera...

I just adore these dresses from the Vera Wang spring collection. The top left dress is my absolute favorite (also available in ivory and white), but they are all so ethereal and lovely. Don't you love them? Which one is your favorite?

Real Wedding: Megan and Tanner

Megan and Tanner translated their style so beautifully into their wedding - its safe to say that I am a little obsessed with the bridesmaids attire! And as usual, Rebekah Westover did such an amazing job photographing the day. The fourth photo below is something I would absolutely put on a canvas and hang on my wall if I were them! Thank you so much for sharing, Rebekah (you can see more photos from the wedding on her blog)