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If you’ve had the chance to flip through Southern Weddings V8 (which we so hope you have! If not, find it here), you’ve most likely seen the gorgeous Astrid & Mercedes ad, right next to our Sweet Tea Society manifesto! We know wedding dress shopping can be daunting, so we love sharing our favorite designers, especially when we just know their styles and hearts will resonate with y’all. That’s why we’re tremendously grateful to have had Astrid & Mercedes (who believes in “petal-strewn kisses, ceremonies under the trees, and dancing barefoot under twinkling lights”) as part of the SW family for the past few years. We were tickled pink to have the opportunity to ask founder and designer, Lea-Ann Belter, a few questions for today’s Designer Spotlight!

Tell us about the beginnings of Astrid & Mercedes–why did you want to start a bridal line, and how did you get started? I spend a lot of time with my two nieces, Astrid and Mercedes, and after our adventures, all I want to do is sketch wedding dress designs. Rather than fitting in with my Lea-Ann Belter collection, though, the drawings that filled my notebook had a totally different sensibility. So, I followed my two muses and created a line of gowns just like my nieces–plucky, unconventional, and up for anything!

Tell us about what y’all offer to brides and gals. We create bridal gowns and accessories with a whole lot of care and love! Each wedding dress is made with 100 percent silk and is hand-cut, draped, and sewn by my wonderful team at our Toronto atelier.

What sets Astrid & Mercedes apart from other bridal gown brands? My niece-muses, Astrid and Mercedes! Their carefree, vibrant spirits weave their way into every gown and accessory. We also produce everything in the same studio as the Lea-Ann Belter collection. Something so special and dear to my heart needs to be made with the same attention to detail as my couture collection.

What is your single best tip for a bride about to start shopping for her wedding gown? Leave your expectations at the door. So often, women have preconceived ideas of what they’ll like, what they should wear, or how they should feel when they find the right gown. Approach the experience with an open mind and listen to your heart. When it flutters just in the slightest, you’ve got a winner!

What is your current favorite wedding dress in your collection? If you were to get married tomorrow, which dress would you wear? My favorite changes from day to day, but lately, whenever I see Glamour, she makes me smile–probably because she was inspired by a trip we took out to the Niagara escarpment. It’s such a beautiful place, so fresh and full of natural beauty! If I were getting married tomorrow…oh my goodness! I guess I’d be up all night sewing to create something that felt just right.

Do you have a favorite Astrid & Mercedes memory? I had been dreaming of creating the collection for so long that seeing it come to life in the studio was really moving. I’ll never forget how it felt to see all the new gowns hanging together in my Toronto boutique.

What is the single greatest lesson you’ve learned in business? Be fearless and believe in yourself.

Name three items every gal should have in her closet. A vintage piece that makes you feel beautiful, glamorous, and strong, a pencil skirt (so versatile!), and, of course, heels that won’t quit!

Thank you so much, Lea-Ann! Follow along with Astrid & Mercedes here:

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

This post is brought to you by Astrid & Mercedes – thanks for your support of the brands that make Southern Weddings possible!

lisa Written with love by Lisa
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As y’all may remember from our outfits at the V6 launch party and a number of editorials over the years, we are huge fans of LulaKate here at Southern Weddings, which is why we were completely thrilled to learn that the talented lady behind some of our favorite bridesmaid dresses officially launched a bridal line last year. Kate McDonald Bridal effortlessly blends the chic, flirty vibe we love from LulaKate with a feel of timeless elegance that is perfect for Southern brides. Katherine McDonald kindly answered a few questions we had about her new line, and we are tickled pink to share her answers, as well as a few of our favorite Kate McDonald Bridal designs!

Corbin Gurkin

Tell us about the beginnings of Kate McDonald. Why did you want to start a bridal line, and how did you get started? My bridal line was an evolution of my bridesmaid line, which evolved from the ready-to-wear line. Bridal is my favorite of all three. I love working with the delicate and intricate fabrics. I never intended to have a bridal line, but then, some of my ready-to-wear customers asked me to design their wedding dresses. After saying no a number of times, I finally said yes. After the first dress, I was hooked I love the process of getting to know a bride and her family, and being part of such a special day.

What sets Kate McDonald apart from other bridal gown brands? We are proudly sewn in the USA and have some of the best customer service in the industry. We are also able to customize our gowns for our brides to give them a truly unique style.

Andrew Cebulka

What is your single best tip for a bride about to start shopping for her wedding gown? Remember to purchase the dress you love. Consider your loved ones’ opinions, but make the final decision yourself.

What is your current favorite wedding dress in your collection? If you were to get married tomorrow, which dress would you wear? Waring is my favorite dress from the 2015 Collection. I would wear either her or LaMour, from last year’s collection.

Corbin Gurkin

What is your favorite memory from your own wedding day? My dad playing the drums with the band!

What is the single greatest lesson you’ve learned in business? Never take anything for granted.

Corbin Gurkin

Name three items every gal should have in her closet. Something from your mom, something from your grandmother, and something you can pass down to your daughter/daughter-in-law.

Thank you so much, Katherine! Follow along with Kate McDonald Bridal here:

Website | Blog | Twitter | Instagram

This post is brought to you by Kate McDonald Bridal – thanks for your support of the brands that make Southern Weddings possible!

lisa Written with love by Lisa
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Southern Weddings reserves the right to delete comments which contain profanity or personal attacks or seek to promote a business unrelated to the post.  And remember: a good attitude is like kudzu – it spreads.  We love hearing your kind thoughts!

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This has been the year of wedding dresses for me–I shopped for and chose my own wedding dress, Emily and I had a fabulous time admiring show after show at Bridal Market, and we featured so many seriously stylish brides here on Southern Weddings. To kick off our annual look back at the year, here are ten of the most memorable bridal styles of 2014. With this much goodness in mind, I can hardly wait to see what brides are wearing next year!

Nolan in “Eloquence” by Claire Pettibone, by Ashleigh Jayne

Melody in “Gobi” by Watters, by Courtney Dox

Rosa in “The Boulevard” by Lela Rose, by Gracie Blue

Emily in “Gigi” by Ian Stuart, by Haley Sheffield

Lauren in “3251” by Lazaro with custom Chic Parisien bolero, by Whitebox Photo

Katie in “9100” by Allure, by Weddings by Christopher & Nancy

Meredith in Monique Lhuillier, by Lauren Kinsey

Toree in “Elegant Dream” by Olia Zavozina with her mother’s lace bolero, by Mary Rosenbaum

Emily in “Julianna” by Christos, by Graham Terhune

Samantha in “VW351157″ by White by Vera Wang, by Perry Vaile

Stay tuned for our most memorable bouquets, menswear, bridesmaid styles, moments, details and decor, sweets, and love stories of 2014, coming up next week!

Courtney Dox, Gracie Blue, Graham Terhune, Perry Vaile, and Whitebox Photo are delightful members of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

lisa Written with love by Lisa
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  1. avatar Kyla Fetzner reply

    There were so many beautiful styles this year! Meredith’s Monique Lhuillier is my favorite.

Southern Weddings reserves the right to delete comments which contain profanity or personal attacks or seek to promote a business unrelated to the post.  And remember: a good attitude is like kudzu – it spreads.  We love hearing your kind thoughts!

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