Before they hit the runway, get a first look at some of your favorite bridal designers' wedding dresses.
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It's (almost) that time of year, when the latest wedding dress collections are unveiled at Fall 2017 Bridal Fashion Week. But before the bridal gowns hit the runway, we're giving you a first look at the designs. Some of your favorite wedding dress designers, including Marchesa, Monique Lhuillier, and Hayley Paige, plus a few newer (but no less impressive) names, like Stephanie White of Odylyne the Ceremony and Rime Arodaky, are sharing exclusive sketches or snapshots of their works-of-art before they were transformed into wedding dresses. Be the first to see the stunning silhouettes and dreamy details, plus get the inside scoop from the designers themselves. And check back in for inside access to the shows and more, throughout Bridal Fashion Week, which officially kicks off on October 5!
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Alon Livné White
He's designed for Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Naomi Campbell, Olivia Palermo, and more. So it's no surprise that Alon Livné's Fall 2017 bridal line features dresses that modern and traditional brides alike will love. "The floral motifs, interlocking organic patterns, and curvilinear embellishments, as seen in the Pearl sketch [above], are inspired by the stylistic elements of the Spanish Art Nouveau movement of the late 19th and 20th centuries," Livné tells us. "Pearl, along with the entirety of the 2017 collection, embraces femininity and perfects the female silhouette."
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Alvina Valenta
Do you live for special, hidden details? You'll want to check out Alvina Valenta's latest collection, which head designer Jessica Williams calls "an ode to artful, magical nature, expressed through refined materials, intricate embroidery design, and graceful silhouettes."
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Anne Barge
How glamorous is this gown by Anne Barge? And it should be: This season, she channeled "the glamour and gravitas of the famous Ziegfeld Follies showgirls." The result: 30 vintage-inspired wedding dresses with grand silhouettes and rich details, like this sketch of a ruffled ball gown with an embroidered bodice.
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Badgley Mischka
The classic glamour of the '40s is a staple of Mark Badgley and James Mischka's design style. And from the looks of this open-back fit-and-flare gown, their next crop of dresses won't disappoint!
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Berta
"I surround myself with confident women and am constantly inspired by their strength and poise," Berta Balilti says of this season's designs for her eponymous label. "The F/W 17 collection was created for those discerning females. I incorporated regal elements into each garment; from luxe appliqués to lush layers of European fabrics to ensure that the special woman who wear my gowns feel like their most beautiful selves."
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Charlie Brear
Contemporary, eclectic, pretty. That's how Charlie Brear would describe her design style. And based on this fun, fringe, off-the-shoulder sketch, we're expecting nothing less from her this season.
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Claire Pettibone
Embark on a journey through the four seasons, with an Art Nouveau influence, in Claire Pettibone's new designs. The season depicted in this colorfully embroidered gown? Unequivocally spring.
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Costarellos
Judging by this dress, Greek designer Christos Costarellos will return this season with another chic collection that embodies bohemian elegance. We're loving the tiered skirt and structural quality of the sleeves in this sketch.
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Elizabeth Fillmore
Elizabeth Fillmore's signature sleek bias-cut silhouette takes on a Victorian-meets-rock star vibe this season. Expect to see plenty of color and playful details, as in this wedding dress with a dramatic train, plunging V-neck, and butterfly appliqués, dubbed "Love & Rockets."
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Galia Lahav
Galia Lahav blended the bohemian with the baroque in this season's dresses, then softened them with a romantic touch of Orange blossom, rose color shades, petal details, and silk tulle embroideries. The reason for the florals? "To replicate the captivating sense of strolling through royal flower gardens."
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Hayley Paige
Are you "a go-getter, a good human, and a phenomenal dancer"? Look no further than Hayley Paige's celestial new collection. "Meet 'Chandon': She is what I like to call Champagne wishes in ball gown form," says Paige of the sketch shown here. "This season has a cosmic energy, so my goal was to extract a sense of natural effervescence in each look!" Mission accomplished!
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Houghton
Houghton has become synonymous with "cool" when it comes to bridal. But you haven't seen anything yet. This season, prepare for "millions" of sequins and outerwear, including sweaters and jackets adorned with "Houghton Girl" and "Not Your Baby" (hello, badass brides!). (Note: The jackets can be customized with your monogram, "Mr.", "Mrs.", or "Just Married"!) Designer and founder Katharine Polk collaborated with 10 real women to design individualized looks. The ladies will also appear in a film Polk created to debut the collection. The celebrity most suited to this season? Rihanna, obvs.
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Inbal Dror
The major influence for Inbal Dror's Fall 2017 designs, which are filled with countless beads and three-dimensional details? "The streets of Paris: the characters in the cafes, the architecture, and the quiet city squares, both by day and by night," she says.
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Ines Di Santo
Ines Di Santo cited the sweetest inspiration for her latest wedding dresses: exquisite Parisian confections! Also: "I travel around the world meeting brides, and what they dream of is so varied," Di Santo says. "People can expect to see a collection emerged from my respect for the spirit and style of today's lovely brides." Sure enough, this sketch depicts both femininity with its Juliet sleeves and presence in its ball gown skirt.
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Kaviar Gauche
The Berlin-based design duo Alexandra Fischer-Roehler and Johanna Kühl say brides can expect to see "straighter cuts with a cool but still dreamy attitude" in their new collection.
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Laure de Sagazan
One of French designer Laure de Sagazan's favorite pieces from her Fall 2017 bridal collection isn't a dress, but a jumpsuit: "I am in love with this style," she says. "It is a statement design, but I really like the character it gives to the women wearing it." Her effortlessly boho designs will come to life with beautiful French laces, embroidered silk organzas, and broderie anglaise fabrics.
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Lazaro
Want a wedding dress that will wow? This strapless ball gown with embroidered, floral, and crystal detailing embodies Lazaro Perez's new collection. "My overall aesthetic is resembling a combination of soft floral embroidery with sparkle on modern silhouettes," he says.
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Lea-Ann Belter
Marilyn Monroe and Rita Hayward inspired Lea-Ann Belter's latest collection. The muses' influence is evident in the sexy-yet-classic Old Hollywood feel of this sketch. "My brides can expect curve-hugging lace and satin charmeuse as well as classic ball gowns and lots of flowing organza," Belter says.
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Lela Rose
This shaped lace gown with a bustier top is one of Lela Rose's favorites from her upcoming collection, which she describes as feminine, timeless, and ethereal—aka everything you know and love about Lela Rose!
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Marchesa
This soft tulle Marchesa ball gown embroidered with crystals, threadwork, and organza cutouts is aptly named "Blossoming Romance". Consider it a prelude to the romantic, ethereal, and timeless wedding dresses designers Keren Craig and Georgina Chapman will debut this season.
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Marco & María
The female characters in the novel The Leopard served as inspiration for Spanish design duo Marco Marrero and María Díaz this season. Just as in the theme of the novel, "everything needs to change, so everything can remain the same," Marco & Maria played with the structure of their gowns (think: delicate sleeves and collars that call to mind insects' wings) while maintaining a certain timelessness.
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Mark Zunino
Ball gown or short romper? Why not both! Enter Mark Zunino with this daring dress with a detachable skirt. "This season, brides can expect a sultry collection with translucent elegance, soft fabrics, and textured embellishments for a strong and confident bride," he says.
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Matthew Christopher
Expect light-as-air dresses from Matthew Christopher this season—complete with structure and detail in the brand's signature seaming. "I selected this gown because there is nothing like this out on the market," Christopher says. "The lace of this gown is truly a one of a kind masterpiece, meticulously crafted to be soft, feminine, and elegant."
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Mira Zwillinger
When asked to sum up their collection in three words, mother-daughter designers Mira and Lihi Zwillinger replied, "Whisper of blooms." Fittingly, the phrase seems to be the only way to describe the dress pictured, which, along with the rest of the gowns, consists of beads and crystals delicately combined with non-beaded flowers and ornaments. The bride best suited to this season's designs? "A bride who know what she wants; super chic, elegant, and flawless."
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Monique Lhuillier
With its sweetheart neckline and bow-studded skirt, this ruffled ball gown from Monique Lhuillier is all romance and femininity—everything you want and expect from the designer's dresses.
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Moonlight Bridal
Moonlight Bridal's new designs will be anything but ordinary. "This season is our most daring collection yet," says the brand. "We wanted our brides to make a statement with stunning detailing like low backs, cathedral-length trains, and even bold color choices with our red wedding dresses."
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MORILEE by Madeline Gardner
If this sketch seems like something straight out of your dreams, it's supposed to! Aptly named "Dress Come True," expect "layers of sparkling tulle, gowns that flounce and float on air, crystals that shine like diamonds, and beautiful laces that are timeless."
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Naeem Khan
Naeem Khan's last bridal collection brought lots of color, including pinks, purples, and one incredible black ball gown for the finale, but as the designer puts it, that was only the introduction. Khan tells us the Fall 2017 dresses will be even more colorful, and also bohemian, gilded, and '70s-inspired. Take this sketch, which hints at bright hues.
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Odylyne the Ceremony
One of our favorite new names in bridal, Stephanie White's design style for her label, Odylyne the Ceremony, is ethereal, whimsical, and magical. You'll see some of that magic this season, with her romantic silhouettes and clean lines, as in this sketch, called The Stella.
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Persy
The ocean is what inspired Yaniv Persy this season: His premiere collection, called "Le Trésor," is an edgy option for free-spirited brides and contains cascading ruffles and semi-sheer layering suggestive of waves and water.
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Rembo Styling
Stop everything: Bridal knitwear is a thing, and Rembo is debuting a collection of cashmere and mohair pieces with lace detailing (a cardigan, scarf, beanie, and trousers), along with coordinating dresses that incorporate their signature stretch jersey, French lace, and open backs. "We really want bridal fashion to be fully fledged fashion, so that's why we opt for innovation each year and we now introduced the knitwear!" the designers say. "With Rembo Styling, we're very close to nature and natural looks and that's why we opted to offer the knitwear and their matching dresses as an ecological collection. Only natural materials."
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Rime Arodaky
"Expect to shine," Paris-born Rime Arodaky says of her new collection, titled "Mystical Journey," which aims to be fashion-forward, wild, and effortless. You'll see "a mix of very minimal, graphic pieces with lots of dreamy embroidery," Arodaky teases.
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Rivini
Rita Vinieris's upcoming collection is best described as "Renaissance idealism and fluidity meets 2017." Case in point: The blush ball gown seen in this sketch has all the trappings of a traditional, romantic bride, but with a few modern surprises (read: peek-a-boo shoulder detail).
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Sachin and Babi
The ready-to-wear brand, led by husband-and-wife designers Sachin and Babi Ahluwalia, forayed into bridal fashion last season, and we can't wait to see what Fall 2017 will bring. Known for their super-chic, luxurious designs, Sachin and Babi's latest line hints at "lots of plays on lace and our take on modern romance."
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Samuelle Couture
This season, Sam Walls Beasley of Samuelle Couture referenced her archive of favorite styles and techniques and infused them with fresh texture and fabrics. "I have tried to simplify some elements whilst still playing with couture embellishment techniques," she says. "I am working with new laces that won't always be available, so the dresses will be unique like a limited print edition. It's such an organic process that in two weeks, there will be new surprises on the runway!"
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Sareh Nouri
Sareh Nouri knows what brides want this season (detachable trains that offer not one but two looks), and she's ready to give it to them. "This dress very special because it has the element of a detachable train," Nouri says of her design, pictured here. "I love the light material on the train but it also has so much drama. The large flower pattern is unique on the jacquard fabric and it creates a beautiful illusion."
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Steven Birnbaum
It may be fall, but Steven Birnbaum's new designs call to mind the warmth of wedding season. Think: silhouettes with movement and modern, structural details that feel fresh. Take this sketch, in which Birnbaum says "the soft watercolor tulle skirt and bandeau bust line of three-dimensional flowers reflect a summer sunset on the open fields of the French countryside."
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Theia
Calling all destination brides! Don O'Neill, the creative director at Theia, created this collection for the bride who "is escaping the frigid cold and heading to a warm tropical island. She longs for warm sand between her toes and bright lagoon blue waters to form the perfect contrast to her white bridal gown. The sun will tint her winter white skin with a golden glow, her hair will flow untamed in the cool ocean breeze." Translation: simple, boho-chic, beautiful.
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Viktor & Rolf
For their first-ever bridal collection, Dutch co-designers Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren are planning an "artistic interpretation of bridal exuding unexpected elegance, glamour, and provocative couture."
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Watters
The fringe and lucent chiffon fabric the team at Watters is utilizing in their new line aim to transform a bride's movements into design elements within themselves. Other standout details: beaded straps, capelets, and a full overskirt. This dress, the Ferrera, "exemplifies the joyous and celebratory aspect of weddings," Xay Vongphachanh, creative director at Watters, says. "I loved the idea of harnessing the actions of our brides into the mesmerizing motion of the beaded fringe."
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Wonder by Jenny Packham
Jenny Packham's signature sleek style returns this season in her latest Wonder by Jenny Packham collection, exclusively for David's Bridal. "The collection was inspired by Elizabeth Taylor, her opulent and eclectic jewelry collection and her effervescence," Packham tells us. "The collection celebrates the style and sensibility of an iconic Hollywood star."
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YolanCris
There's a reason "Barcelona" is one of the three words sister designers Yolanda and Cristina Perez would use to sum up their latest collection (the other two are "modernism" and "chic"): Their native city—with its modernist palaces and rooftops with expansive views—is a constant source of inspiration for the two. But YolanCris is trying a few new things this season, too. Namely, color—nude, blush, pink, gold, and more—and "exploring the more traditional silhouettes," they say. "That's very new for us."