The elegant mini dress is no longer reserved for cocktail hour.  Just about every collection prancing down the runway at New York Fashion Week’s spring 2011 showing featured at least one short bridal gown proving that though tradition holds strong, there is still plenty of room to play.

And play, they did.  With the bridezilla mantra, “I’ve never heard of ‘Here Comes the Groom;’ it’s my wedding!” freshly ringing in their heads from a marathon of WEtv’s Bridezillas, top designers went all out creating some major bridal eye-catchers.  Case in point, the cheeky (in more ways than one) little number above by Marchesa.

The “It’s about me and me only” Dress

Want to guarantee that no one misses your moment as The Almighty and All-Powerful Supreme Ruler of the Universe and…I mean beautiful blushing bride?  Take the spotlight, and I don’t mean just one, but all the spotlights in the venue, as you make your grand entrance in a show-stopping number like the glamorous Oscar de la Renta piece on the left or the Monique Lhuillier creation on the right.

The “I’m not a normal looking girl.  I’m absolutely stunning” Dress

Stun the crowd as you dominate the aisle in a demurely detailed bridal frock.  You’re not the average bride causing family and friends to well at the eyes.  You’re stealing the show and causing jaws to drop as you bring the party to the altar.  Melissa Sweet by Priscilla of Boston opts for softly swept, over-sized ruffles while Victoria Nicole keeps it neat, tidy and fitted to perfection.

The “I always get what I want” Dress

Many bridezilla’s seem to share the battle cry of, “It’s my day!”  Keep it your day and not necessarily your dress’ day by bringing the wow factor in an understated way.  Flawless construction, as demonstrated by these two Amsale wedding dresses, will cause every neck to crane.  The minimalist design grabs your guest’s attention then allows the focus to travel straight to you, where it should stay for the rest of your day.

This article was originally posted onBridezilla.

Alternative wedding dresses look set to be all the rage at celebrations this year.

The British Bridal Exhibition took place at Harrogate International Centre between September 12th and 14th and plenty of alternative styles were sent down the catwalks.

Many designers chose shorter, prom-style frocks instead of large, full-skirted creations.

Similarly, slinky gowns made from sleek satin fabrics were also debuted by the likes of Anoushka G and Lusan Mandongus, with the latter bringing a Grecian feel to the garments with subtle pleats and thin, one-shouldered straps.

Long wedding dresses were also the order of the day for Crystal Breeze, with one stand-out design featuring pearl detailing across the chest, which is set to be a key trend when spring arrives.

Among the other designers showing off their spring/summer 2011 collections were Amanda Wyatt, Maxima, Veromia and Justin Alexander.

Colourful gowns also look set to be popular among brides-to-be, as boutique owner Angela Wilson recently told the Sydney Morning Herald that women are using shoes, sashes and hair pieces to bring brighter tones to their attire.

Click through for a top of the range list of beautiful wedding dresses

This article was originally posted onHitched.

Now that everyone else was ready, it was my turn to slip on my dress. My stomach was all fluttery and I couldn’t wait to put it on. I felt like my hands were shaky and my heart was racing, but it was all because of the excitement. It was our wedding day!!

I got my shoes ready:

And, put on my wedding day jewelry:

I stepped into my dress:

Here’s where things got difficult. I’d purposely worn a dress that I could just slide off that didn’t have to go over my head. But this meant that I would be standing there nakey in my really hot Spanx, and I didn’t think anyone needed to see that, nor did we need to get video or pictures of that. So, my sister held up my wedding dress as I slipped off my other dress and tried not to mess up my hair.

I was in! Now it was time to zip it up. Of course, my niece and flower girl was there to help:

And just to be sure nothing fell out, I gave my dress an extra tug:

Then, I put on my Something Blue shoes. Again, my niece helped (with her silly bandz on):

Then I was all ready for our big reveal!

This article was originally posted onWeddingbee.