With Engagement Season in full effect (and Wedding Season is right around the corner!) a HUGE portion of my friends and family are newly engaged and of course, one of the first discussion topics we always have is… THE DRESS! Aussie fashion labels have quickly became some of our favorite go-to brands so it’s no surprise that when it comes to wedding dresses, Australian brand Stella York (the sister label to Essense of Australia), has become one of the fastest growing companies in the bridal design industry! Their bridal dresses are each handcrafted with incredibly detailed beading, luxurious laces, and whimsical fabrics. I browsed through the collection at J. Birds Bridal, my local bridal boutique. From Cinderella gowns to form-fitting dresses to styles with sexy low backs and romantic sweetheart necklines, there really is a unique style available for everyone. The Stella York designers brought an extra level of excitement to their newest collection with a fun focus on lace which I absolutely loved! From linear lace creating sophisticated patterns, to graphic lace making a bold statement, and, of course, the classic, romantic lace brides know and love, there is something for every lace lover. Stella York’s designers also added an extra level of sparkle and glam with intricate beaded embellishments and fanciful tulle creating a collection with everything from classic and romantic styles to red-carpet inspired gowns which were all pulling at my heart strings! Seeing the collection, I couldn’t help but reminisce of our own wedding, 5 years ago and the search for the right dress. It almost (okay, instantly) made me want to play dress up again!

My brother is engaged and his fiancé recently asked me to be in her bridal party so I’m SO EXCITED to see what we’ll be wearing but most of all, what she’ll be wearing! Some of my favorite tips for wedding dress shopping are:

• Don’t be afraid of love at first sight! I ended up choosing the very first dress I tried on and so many of my friends have done the same! It’s not always too good to be true 😉 that very first dress you put on that instantly took your breath away, could very well be – The One.
• Keep your portrait in mind! One thing is for sure – you’ll be photographed more than you ever imagined on your wedding day (no really, however many photos you think will be taken of you, triple it!). Although a beautiful train, bustle and cute shoes are important, your neckline and the upper half of your dress is what will make it into almost every photo of you so make sure you love how it looks!
• Choose the dress YOU love! This sounds incredibly obvious until you actually go dress shopping with your squad and everyone has a different opinion. Getting your Mother, sister(s) and your friends all to agree on what dress looks best on you can be quite the feat on its own. Just remember, this is YOUR dress to wear when YOU walk down that aisle so at the end of the day, go with what YOU love.

Photos by Chris Dyer.

Are you newly engaged or in a bridal party? What’s your favorite Stella York style?

Xox,
An Dyer

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Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Essense Designs. While I was compensated to write a post about The Stella York Collection, all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting HautePinkPretty.com sponsors as they help make my blog possible!