Article by Johanna Osborne
 

Here at The Wellington Wedding Show (and Mr and Mrs magazine) we love to keep our finger on the pulse of fashions worldwide –particularly when it’s about bridal trends. We are excited to share some of our favourites with you.
 

1. Lace sleeves – The royal wedding inspired designers the world over, and for a great majority this meant lace sleeves. Taking the old-school style and working it into sleeker and more contemporary designs has been a god-send for brides looking for something different, and just a little regal.
 

 

2. Blush coloured gowns – Whilst the departure from shades of white has been considered a bold one until recently, more and more brides are opting for a softer and more unique option. And what’s more sweet and romantic than a pale pink coloured gown? Done right with appropriate flowers, this is beyond chic! Reese Witherspoon led the style revolution and many brides followed suit.
 

 
3. Ditching the veil – We are big fans of the romantic and love a pretty veil, but there is something to be said for the current trend of sparkly headpieces, twinkling clips and glittering tiaras. These accessories can be real show-stoppers, and have the potential to create a true movie star look. In order to avoid being led astray and accidentally crossing over from glam to gaudy, it’s wise to steer in the direction of vintage inspired pieces that accentuate the hair, and add a touch of old school glamour. Brooches can also be used and attached to hair, bouquet handles or the wedding gown waist for a striking effect.
 

 

4. Colour me happy – The most popular colour for bridesmaid’s dresses is black, can you believe it? And whilst black is always chic, a bit of colour on your happy day will never go astray. Some gorgeous colour trends at present are, of course, shades of nudes and blush, watermelon, violet, lemon and tangerine … all perfect colours to bring out a rosy summer glow and best of all, these hues flatter most skin tones. For winter weddings nude, bronze and deeper, bolder shades are very much in vogue right now.
 

 
5. Make up faves – Pink lips! We just love a pink lip on a bride, and nothing says “kiss the bride” better than cotton-candy, rose or fuchsia coloured smackers. Tones of pink are easy to wear and you will feel girly and feminine. Alternatively a bold red lip screams vintage glamour- totally to die for! And of course there’s the smoky eye. It still rules supreme in 2012, but our advice is to go subtle. Finish off the look with some great mascara and add in some fake lashes on the outer corners of your eyes for really dramatic look!

 
Stay tuned, plenty more to come!