5 Shows, 3 Days, and One Dress—72 Hours Inside Bridal Fashion Week as a Bride-to-Be
After I got engaged earlier this year, the one thing everyone has asked me since seeing me is whether or not I've secured my dress yet. Thee dress, if you will.
As a fashion editor, my life is dominated by pretty clothing and shiny things, but when it comes to my bridal wardrobe, I've felt stuck. While there are some brides-to-be who feel like they have no options, I almost find that I have too many. After a few years of working in the industry, I've amassed countless bridal designer and stylist friends who feel like family rather than brands to know. As a result, narrowing it down to only one dress has felt impossible. With my wedding approaching faster and faster, I knew I had to make a decision, and thus I began my search for my wedding dress in the midst of New York Bridal Week. Spoiler alert: I may not have found my dress yet, but I think I'm closer than ever to nailing down exactly what I want.
Unlike regular ol' New York Fashion Week, New York Bridal Week feels like a breath of fresh air—the shows are calmer, the people slightly nicer, and the atmosphere a bit lighter. We are celebrating love, after all! While New York Bridal Week has transformed from a place to showcase runway dresses into a week of events celebrating the best of all engagement and wedding love stories, my heart still lies with the big, poofy, white dresses I'd watched as a kid on TLC's Say Yes to the Dress.
From the best New York jewelers showcasing their bespoke engagement rings to the one-of-a-kind bridal trends going viral on social media, here's your firsthand account of bridal week as a woman walking down the aisle very, very soon.
DAY 1: Everything's Coming Up Roses
9 a.m.: After walking my dog, Holly, and throwing on a pair of jeans and last night's T-shirt, I ran downstairs to catch a taxi to my first presentation of the day, Francesca Miranda. I'd previously traveled with the brand to Colombia for the label's ready-to-wear show in Barranquilla last October. During the trip, I'd witnessed Colombian artisans handcraft every detail that goes into one of the brand's bridal dresses, and with this latest collection, you can really tell the labor of love that goes into producing the gowns.
10:45 a.m.: After an hour of chitchatting and oohing and aahing in an intimate West Village townhouse with the Francesca Miranda team, I met up with Nikki Chwatt, Who What Wear's associate fashion editor, to head to the next presentation of the day. We may or may not have filmed a TikTok (or two!) on our way over.
11:15 a.m.: Up next was Galia Lahav, a celebrity-beloved bridal brand focused on high-end couture and bespoke dresses. Friends of the brand include Nina Agdal and Millie Bobby Brown, both of whom wore the brand's jaw-dropping designs on their big days. This season, the brand teamed up with fine-jewelry company Leibish to create an extravagant gown featuring a 30+-carat red sapphire surrounded by diamonds. If you're a bride sans budget, this one's for you: The gown is estimated to be worth over $1 million. It might not be exactly in my budget, but a girl can dream!
