Chic & Sleek Wedding Dresses

Stop the press! Just take a look at these amazing 1920's-style glamorous wedding dresses by boutique fashionista Johanna Johnson. Inspired by the heady nights of the 20′s and 30′s where the evening shone with cresol beads and the heady scent of violets and jasmine. The Swarovski crystals, Parisian bead-work and deep-drop backs have stolen my heart, but there is a fly in the ointment.... Johanna's shop is in Sydney. The good news is you can buy a selection of her gowns from Luella's Boudoir in Wimbledon, and she has a beautiful selection of bridal accessories available online.

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Would You Rent Your Wedding Dress?

Would you ever rent your wedding dress? One of my friends is having two weddings, one secret and civil, and the other in a field on her parents' farm. She can't afford two wedding gowns, so she's planning to borrow her civil ceremony dress from Wish Want Wear. I've recently tried their service out, and it's amazing! You can borrow wedding dresses worth over £2000 for a tenth of the price, which leaves plenty of pennies left over for your wedding reception, or perhaps a change of outfit half-way through the reception {double-wedding-dress-oh-yes!}. It would work for bridesmaids dresses as well, because you can search by colour, and pick and mix outfits that best suit your maids and your wedding theme. See what you think of the dresses below, but it's worth checking out the Wish Want Wear website as well.

{Product Credit} 1. Temperley London mini wedding dress, £115 to rent 2. Temperley London wedding gown, £265 to rent, 3 Erin Featherston lace dress, £55 to rent

{Product Credit} 1. Ruth Tarvydas sparkly wedding gown, £110 to rent, 2. Jovani mini Prom-dress, £65 to rent, 3. Badgley Mischka wedding gown, £115 to rent

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Introducing PreOwned Wedding Dresses

Wedding dresses are way too expensive, and {mildly controversially} I reckon wedding dress designers take advantage of brides by overcharging. Nervous brides want to look their very best on their wedding day, they're often nervous about being the centre of attention, and they're willing to spend crazy-money to make sure they feel super-special. There's no escaping the prettiest wedding gowns tend to be the most expensive. But now there's a way you can get the wedding dress you want, without breaking the bank, and it's all thanks to PreOwned Wedding Dresses. This AMAZING website is the modern bride's way to buy a wedding dress. With over 10,000 new sample, and used wedding gowns, The One is out there waiting for you, with a bargain price tag. PreOwned Wedding Dresses list gowns from all your favourite designers, {think Monique Lhuillier, Jenny Packham, Vera Wang & more} plus stunning pre-owned wedding accessories as well. Here's just a few of my favourite wedding gowns on sale now, but check out the website for your favourite designer.

{Photo Credit} Pronovias wedding gowns

{Photo Credit} Jenny Packham wedding dresses

{Photo Credit} 1. Jenny Packham wedding gown, 2. Vera Wang wedding dress

{Photo Credit} Caroline Herrera wedding gowns

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Boho Grecian Wedding Dresses by Matthew Williamson

It's been far too long since I last blogged on divine wedding dresses. For me, choosing my wedding gown was my hardest wedding decision. I'm just not that fashion-y. Also there's a serious bridge most brides have to cross when choosing their wedding dress. On one side is normal life, where you probably wouldn't spend more than £200 on a dress, and then on the other side of the bridge are wedding dresses, which all seem to cost more than £1000. When my mother bought me my Delphine Manivet wedding dress, I had a sleepless night over how much she'd spent on my behalf. It just felt like a crazy amount of money. I felt amazing on my wedding day though, and there is a certain expectation that a bride must look better on her big day than ever before. Incidentally, if you're worrying about your wedding figure and your wedding look, do check out the blog posts from Alice Cowen, our wedding blog fitness expert, and Julia Bowden, our wedding hair and make-up expert. They've got fantastic advice on how to look your best on your wedding day. In the meantime, feast your eyes on my favourite wedding dresses from the gorgeous Matthew Williamson Bridal collection.

♥ Want more wedding dress ideas? ♥ Or how about wedding beauty ideas? ♥

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Reasonable But Dreamy Vintage-Style Wedding Dresses

Finding reasonably-priced wedding dresses is incredibly difficult, which is why I'm so excited to introduce you to Belle & Bunty. This gorgeous duo make dreamy, vintage-style wedding gowns, without the crazy price tags brides have {unfortunately} come to expect. Every dress is elegant and flowing, with beautiful dipped backs, and discreet luxurious embellishments. With ten wedding dress styles to choose from, you're sure to find a gown that works for you. Beautiful shoot pictures by Media Light Bulb.

♥ Want more wedding dress ideas? ♥ Or how about autumn wedding ideas? ♥

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Wow Wow Wow Jenny Packham Bridal Collection 2013

It doesn't take a huge amount to get me excited, but my pulse leapt three feet when I spotted a sneak-peak of the Jenny Packham 2013 Bridal Collection on Before the Big Day's Facebook page. I knew I had to share them with you instantly! We're talking some seriously divine wedding dresses, with an English garden theme. With names like Azalea, Marigold and Mimosa, I'm finding it hard to pick a favourite. They're not available until September this year, but any lovely brides getting married in Autumn/Winter 2012 are in for a treat! P.S. If you're looking for a reasonable wedding dress, have you spotted the Sample Sale section of Before the Big Day? Follow me on Twitter to find out about all the Wedding Dress Sample Sales.

♥ Want more wedding dress ideas? ♥ Or how about vintage wedding ideas? ♥

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Sample Sales

Wedding dresses can be a huge part of your budget if you pay full price. Luckily there are lots of sample sales each year in London and around the UK. Do a good search on google, and keep an eye out on the wedding blogs. Also recommended is Sales Gossip, a fab website with all the latest sample sales including wedding sales. Plus if you sign up for my free newsletter or follow me on Twitter, you won't miss a single sale - hint hint! If you're worrying about the cost of your wedding day look, take a look at my blog post on how to buy your wedding dress for less.

♥  In exceedingly exciting news, one of my favourite designers, Vera Wang is hosting a one-day-only winter sale at Browns in London. With {wait for it} up to 70% off her beautiful handmade gowns, this is definitely one for your diary. Prices start at £1,000. Pencil in Sunday, 29th November 2015 - no appointments needed

♥ Prepare yourself ladies, there's a Phillipa Lepley Winter Sample Sale coming soon! She's a favourite of celebs like Geri Halliwell, so it's no wonder her gowns are selling like hotcakes. This might be your last chance before your wedding day to get up to 70% off, so be sure to make a booking right now! Sale starts on Saturday 12th December until all sale dresses are sold. Appointments are £30 for weekdays and £50 for Saturdays, taken at the time of booking and redeemable against a purchase. To book call 0207 590 9771.

♥ One of my favourite online bridal shops of all time is BHLDN, so I'm super excited to tell you all about their Wedding Dress Sale, which has just started. It includes massive discounts off their wedding dresses, bridesmaids gowns, accessories and wedding details, and you'll want to get clicking right away! ♥

♥ One of the best wedding magazines in the world, Brides is hosting an amazing wedding dress sample sale every year, and I'm pleased to announce it's on 25th January 2016. This one-day-only event is held at the veeeeery classy Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park in London's Knightsbridge. With massive 70% discounts on wedding dresses, accessories, shoes and bridesmaid outfits, too, you're bound to find some serious bargains! Big names involved include Caroline Castigliano, Freya Rose, Maids To Measure, Twobirds Bridesmaid and more. Book your tickets here ♥

Here are some lovely links to what we do best here on Before the Big Day

Real Weddings - we're talking hundreds of pictures and pages of inspiration

DIY Bride - DIY wedding projects of the crafty or hoping-to-be-crafty amongst you

Wedding Themes - the first rule of planning a wedding, pick a theme!

Wedding Advice - helpful hints and tips if you're feeling freaked

Before the Big Day Black Book - our favourite vendors and a work in progress

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