The Latest & Greatest Bridal Trends Of 2021 & 2022

We are now well into 2021 and I think we can all agree this year is tremendously better than the last! Last year challenged us all and one of our challenges was bringing in new inventory from our designers without being able to attend the bridal market to see dresses in person. We now have received over half of our Fall 2021 dresses that we ordered and I can honestly say I am not the slightest bit disappointed! We've also seen some sneak peaks of the Spring 2022 lines and we are seeing some new trends come into the spotlight! So let's dive right in to some of the new and fabulous trends we are seeing right now! All of these dresses are currently in store at Amour Bridal in Cedar Park for you to view in person!

Sleeves

Sleeves are something we've always had requests for but very few actual sales on due to Texas being so hot through most of the year. However, this season we are seeing some new designs and getting so many requests for sleeves that we have brought in at leas t 10 new styles with full sleeves!

Julietta 3308 / Morilee Blu 5877 / Martin Thornburg 220281

Square Or Scoop Necklines

Move over sweetheart necklines! Square and scoop necks are making a comeback! One of my favorites is from the Adore by Justin Alexander line style 66180. We have a few more coming in that I can not wait to see on our brides!

Lillian West 66180 / Morilee 12121

A Slit In The Skirt

There is nothing wrong with showing a little leg on your big day! These styles are sophisticated with a touch of sexiness!

Morilee 12102 / 12125

Super Simple Dresses

We have also seen a huge increase in demand for super simple designers such as satin or crepe gowns. These materials will show well in any silhouette and can easily be accessorized with jewelry, a veil, or even a belt to bring in a touch of sparkle.

Morilee 12018 / Adore 11150 / Enchanting 220113

Off The Shoulder

A flattering neckline for any bride, you can't go wrong with off the shoulder! Here are a couple of my favorites!

Lillian West 66145 / Morilee 2195 / Sophia Tolli Y11961

Bows And Back Embellishments

Lastly, I can't forget about back embellishments! Bringing a fun detail to more simple styles and can easily be removed if it's just not your thing!

Morilee Blu 5875 / Adore 11140 / Sophia Tolli Y22063

These are some of my top picks and as you can see, some of these dresses really encompass several of the new trends we are seeing! I'd love to hear from you! What trend are you most excited about?

Different shades of...white?

It's time to talk about the different colors of wedding dresses (bet you didn't realize you have options?). The options out there are seemingly endless! But the realty is, there's several different color names for the same color. For example: one designer may say the dress comes in " Champagne" but another designer may call it "Honey", others will use words like "taupe" or "nude". I'll be honest, each season I roll my eyes at the new options that designers come up with (do we really need 4 different names for the champagne color?). Not to worry though! Your bridal stylist will help you navigate this and find the perfect dress for you!

So let's dive in and start with the biggest misconception: IVORY vs WHITE.

Ivory is what we refer to as "bridal white". About half of our sample gowns are in ivory, the other half are in a speciality color (more on that later). We tend not to have samples in a true white, which actually has a blue undertone. Many brides come in thinking they want the traditional white dress. When we show them white vs. ivory, they choose the ivory.

Ivory has warmer undertone. It's important to know the difference when planning your whole wedding look. If your dress is Ivory you'll want to make sure the flower girl is also in ivory and that your veil matches accordingly.

Now let's talk about the specialty colors.

Many dresses come in other colors such as champagne, blush, nude, or honey, we even have a couple dresses that come in smokey lavender! This is where it gets complicated as each designer has their own color chart and several different shades, BUT not every dress comes in the same color options. Are you still with me? Like I said, your bridal stylist will be your best resource to help you find exactly what you want.

Lace dresses will always have IVORY lace and the color comes from the underskirt. What is great about this is you really see the detail of the lace and beading. Check out some pictures below of our darker tones compared to the ivory.

I hope this will help you in your journey to find the perfect dress! My advice is go in with an open mind. Try on some colors, and try on some ivory! I'd say we order about 50% ivory dresses and 50% in darker tones so weather you want the traditional bridal white or a modern twist, you can't go wrong!

Bridesmaid dresses YOUR way!

Let's take a minute to talk bridesmaid dresses....

Brides ask me all the time what's "normal" for bridesmaids. The answer is - these days anything goes! The tradition of bridesmaids was started so that a brides closest friends or relatives would stand at the alter and actually wear the same dress as the bride. This was to throw off the evil spirits (spooky, right?). For today's standards - it's a group of your closest gal pals (sometimes even guys are included too!) that you want to spend your wedding morning with and know that you have their ultimate support your big day!

That brings us to the dresses. The days of hideous bridesmaid dresses are behind us (or so we hope). Whether you want everyone to match (like I did for my wedding) or have your maid of honor in a different style so she stands out or just have everyone pick their own dress style, anything really goes! Right now there is a huge trend in the bride picking a designer and color and the girls get to pick their own style (even different colors). This I LOVE! Not every bridesmaid is made the same! Some are busty, some are curvy, some are tall and thin, some are short and thin. The reality is that what looks good on one girl may look terrible on another.

Here's my recent experience being a bridesmaid in my cousins wedding:

I had a baby 3 month prior so I knew I could not do something strapless (new moms know what I'm talking about!). My sister who was also in the wedding, was pregnant, so she needed something that was going to accommodate her growing belly. Each of us got to pick a dress that we loved in the color that the bride loved.

Whatever direction you decide to go, make sure you leave plenty of time (a lesson I learned the hard way). Bridesmaid dresses can take up to 4 months to get to us in store, and you want to be sure to leave time for alterations! I recommend shopping about 6 months in advance (if not earlier).

Dresses: Sorella Vita

Photographer: Geoff Bernstein - Bernstein Studios