Top tips for brides and the latest selection of wedding dresses from one of Ireland’s best-known designers …
The Wedding Salon at The Merrion is an annual highlight in THE GLOSS calendar. At this year’s event, in association with Hyundai, host and wedding planner extraordinaire Tara Fay provided guidance for the big day based on close to thirty years’ experience.
After lunch, Tara was joined by fashion designer Sharon Hoey whose Merrion Street bridal boutique is the exclusive stockist of beautiful wedding dresses from Suzanne Neville and Temperley London, as well as her own stunning creations. To the delight of attendees, Sharon introduced three beautiful gowns modelled by Sarah Morrissey, Vanessa O’Connell and Yomiko Chen.
From an elegant fitted satin dress with a breathtaking lace overlay by Suzanne Neville to a divine drop-waist ballgown and a crepe fitted dress with a detachable train by Sharon Hoey, these dresses were chosen to be the starting point for a discussion about choosing the right wedding dress.
For Suzanne Neville gowns, nine to twelve months is the ideal timeframe to order. For a bespoke Sharon Hoey gown, Sharon works with every single bride herself, from sketches to design to fittings, meaning she only has capacity to take on two per month, so it’s best to get in touch nine months before your big day.
Suzanne Neville Aurora lace overlay with a fitted satin under-dress.
Suzanne Neville Seloura drop-waisted ballgown.
Sharon Hoey Bella crepe fitted dress with a train.
Top 5 Fitting Tips:
1. Be open-minded and try on a few styles to begin with. You may have an idea in your head, but it may not suit you. In-house specialists can offer alternatives to work with any shape.
2. Sample sizes generally go up to a size 12 in the boutique, but their long openings mean that those above a size 12 can still try them on to get an idea of how they look before placing an order for a custom made dress.
3. Nine months is plenty of time to order a bespoke gown, with the possibility to order six months in advance for ready-to-wear styles in standard sizes, updated in final fittings.
4. Sharon advises brides-to-be against bringing more than one style advisor to fittings. “Choosing a dress should not be done by committee. It can be helpful to have someone who you trust with you for advice, but consider carefully who that is, and definitely don’t bring more than two people.”
5. It’s helpful to bring a pair of shoes or heels that you are comfortable in – both Tara and Sharon agreed that they love the trend for fun colourful heels peeking out from a gown – and she advises full nude underwear instead of a thong.
The number one piece of advice before an appointment: do not wear fake tan under any circumstances!
Photography by Conor Healy / Picture It Pix