Lace has always been a fixture in the world of wedding gowns. In the past year, however, the romantic fabric has taken centre stage at several prestigious weddings: the Duchess of Cambridge wore lace for the royal nuptials and Molly Sims donned a sexy Marchesa gown during her ceremony. Whether your dream gown is sophisticated, fun, classic or all of the above, check out 15 of our favourite lace gowns and see which one fits your style.

Fashion inspiration can come from absolutely anywhere! This season we’re obsessed with Spanish flamenco dancers and their dramatic over-the-top style. To get the look for your wedding day, stick to a sophisticated colour palette of black, white and red and look for luxe accessories with lace and ruffle accents. Here are 10 of our top picks—pieces that are guaranteed to spice up your bridal style!

The key to feeling like a million bucks on your wedding day? Finding a gown that flatters your figure! There really is no such thing as a perfect body—looking great is all about playing up the parts of yourself you love, and downplaying the others. Whether you want to show off your arms or disguise your tummy, we’ve got a dream dress for you! Check out these 10 figure-flattering options.

If you’re a Toronto-area bride and you haven’t visited MRS. Bridal Boutique yet, now is the perfect opportunity! This weekend only (September 23-25), the lovely ladies at MRS. are hosting a trunk show to end all trunk shows, featuring hard-to-find high-fashion bridal designers like Francesca Miranda, Johnna Ho and Ugo Zaldi. Not familiar with these names? Check out these gorgeous gowns to see why you need to get acquainted…STAT! Call 416-925-1674 to book your appointment today.

Good news for Twilight fans: Alfred Angelo will be reproducing Bella Swan’s wedding dress this fall as part of a new line called Twilight Bridal by Alfred Angelo! Following the release of Breaking Dawn Part 1 on November 18th, a replica of the dress worn by Kristen Stewart in the film will hit stores. The dress will be priced in the same range as Alfred Angelo’s other styles and will be available in a wide range of sizes (from 0 to 30W). Bella’s actual wedding dress in the movie is by designer Carolina Herrera, but the appearance of the dress has been kept under wraps. You can, however, catch some glimpses of Bella’s veil, crystal hair comb and engagement ring in the official trailer (watch here).

I just can’t stop looking at this gorgeous new collection by Valentino and imagining how beautiful these gowns would be for a garden wedding. I love the soft colours and floral prints—plus the fabrics look light as air! If you’re just starting to plan your big day, this collection might be the perfect inspiration. You could definitely plan a whole celebration around these jaw-dropping dresses.

All photos courtesy Valentino.

Photo courtesy Elie Saab.

Fashion designer extraordinaire Elie Saab is launching his very first fragrance this summer, and I’m attending an exclusive launch event at Toronto’s Hazelton Hotel this evening! To get myself in the mood, I thought I’d peruse some of his jaw-dropping couture creations—for Fall/Winter 2011—and they’re simply too pretty not to share! Personally, I think these soft shades of gold and grey are great alternatives to white for your wedding. What do you think?

Photo courtesy Elie Saab.

Photo courtesy Elie Saab.

A: There are a few things to consider when picking a colour scheme for your wedding. First of all, details about season and locale may influence your decision. For example, a spring wedding in the country would look lovely with a bright pink and mint green theme, whereas a fall wedding in the city may look great with dramatic oranges and reds. Look at the environment your wedding is taking place in and take cues from your surroundings. Secondly, the bridal gown and bridesmaids’ dresses may influence the colour scheme: a cream-coloured dress would be lovely with warm tones of orange or red, whereas a pure white gown would be beautiful with cooler blues and greens. Finally, the foremost influential decision will be whether you’re having a formal or informal wedding. If you’re planning a formal wedding, the colour scheme can be more dramatic with bold colours and lighting, whereas an informal wedding will be a little more subdued with subtle tones dominating the colour scheme. In the end, however, a lot of the decision about colour scheme depends on personal preference—so pick your favourite! For more information, check out this article on our website all about picking the scheme that is right for you.

Have a question for Belle? Email her at feedback@weddingbells.ca