Laurel Wreath Bridal Owner Laurie Haag shares what’s hot this season?
By Mandy Wolf Detwiler
Photo of Laurie Haag by Naomi Ruth Photography
Photos of wedding gowns courtesy Madi Lane
So you’ve got the ring on your finger. Your next step is to most likely pick up a bridal magazine. Maybe two. But don’t get your heart set on the first couture piece you see – chances are you won’t find it in Kentuckiana and if you, do the price is likely scary enough to scare the curl out of your hair.
Still don’t be defeated, says Laurie Haag, a wedding planner and owner of Laurel Wreath Bridal. These books are designed to give you an idea of what you want, be it a mermaid train, the poofiest dress found or sleek and sophisticated.
Haag dislikes being asked what’s hot in the bridal world, because that depends on location. Here in Southern Indiana, we’re still pretty traditional
“Bazaar magazine might say that suiting and blazers or these super really avant-garde bridal separates with detachable crazy trains are what’s going to trend for 2020,” Haag says. “I can 100 percent tell you the brides in the Midwest and in our area aren’t going to connect to that. They could say that’s what is the trend or what we’re moving toward. I always say that’s not for every bride in every area of the United States.
“There are some things that are kind of trends that I can see coming up,” Haag says. That includes add-on bridal capes –– not the long, winter styles designed to keep a bride warm, but light and gauzy capes that simply adorn the shoulders.
“It’s a short, beautiful capelet over a plain gown,” Haag says. “The capelet has the detail, the lace and the beading. (We also see) capes that attach to the front of the gowns and act as sort of the veil.”
Made of organza or tulle, these longer capes serve as both a stunning addition to a gown and take the place of the veil if a bride doesn’t want to wear one.
Feather details along the bottom of gowns are popular, but so too are more structured gowns of yesteryear.
“They’re trying to say that high-low hems are trying to make a comeback,” Haag says. “I’ve not seen it in Bridal Market, but it might eventually.” The aforementioned bridal event happens at the end of September and sets the tone for buyers for 2020.
“Traditionally, most bridal boutiques are doing their buys for the next season at the end of August/beginning of September, and that’s when the designers are doing their new visions that the brides are going to be able to get their hands on,” Haag says.
Haag says “illusion lace, sometimes labeled as “tattoo lace” on the sleeve or top is very “now” and “we saw a lot of Mikado satin at the last market, so I’m sure that’s going to carry over as well.”
Does fabric make a difference anymore? Haag said no, “and I’m a big proponent of not really trying to follow trends anyway. … We always say in our bridal appointments that people should have an open mind.”
Some brides come in with poof, glitz, Pinterest and “Say Yes to the Dress” on the brain, but once she starts exploring, “they’re not connecting, they don’t look that good on them and we’ll say at some point in the appointment ‘Hey, you want to try something a little more unexpected?’” Haag says. “At that point we’ve won their trust and they’re like, ‘Ok, sure!’ and that’s the bride that’s going to walk out with the most straight, sleek, no-embellishment, super body conscious beautiful gown, and it takes them by surprise.
“We can talk about trends, but I feel like every bridal, their dress shopping is a journey and they need to be open-minded.”
Haag suggests brides not get overwhelmed and to visit as many local high-end boutiques as it takes to find the one that makes her eyes sparkle, “and she almost doesn’t want to take it off,” she says. “That’s the one.”
So You’ve Been Asked to Be a Bridesmaid … Now What?
No, lime green doesn’t look good on everyone. And no, you can’t cut every dress short and wear it again (although I did once!).
Says wedding planner Laurie Haag: “We tend to recommend that the bride picks the color that she wants, maybe the stylistic look of what she’d like her bridesmaids to look like –– not that she should get any opinion from her bridesmaids, and we all know that bridesmaids are of varying ages, sizes various stages of life (like bridesmaids who are expecting or will have just had a baby and are more body conscious), you really try to keep that process simplified. We would hope that bridesmaids realize and understand that we think of bridesmaids as they’re going to be framing the photos. They’re going to be side by side with the bride in the total bridal party. They’re the frame to make the bride and groom shine.”
Haag recommends the bride choose a couple of dresses, a couple pairs of shoes and have their bridal party come to a consensus. Letting bridesmaids choose their own, say blush and back, is an invitation for disaster as there are many interpretations of both colors.
“You give bridesmaids total control, and it just gets crazy,” Haag says.
INTERNATIONAL BRIDAL STYLE COMES TO LOUISVILLE AND SOUTHERN INDIANA
In addition to a wide array of dresses, headpieces and accessories, Laurel Wreath Bridal is the exclusive carrier of Madi Lane gowns, which are pictured in these pages.
Laurel Wreath Bridal
203 W. 1st St.
New Albany
812.946.2038
