Lovely Lacey Kate

Okay, so by now you are most likely feeling a bit overwhelmed with all the attention on the Royal Wedding, but what do you expect? In a world where the news is cluttered every night by murders, natural disasters and other horrific headlines, it is nice to see something so beautiful plastered all over websites and newspapers.

I have counted down the days until the royal nuptials. Ever since I was a little girl I thought Prince William was quite the dreamboat, and ever since he introduced his lovely Kate to the world I have be enthralled by her impeccable fashion choices, bright personality and charming ways.

When I saw Kate for the first time (at 3:45 in the morning, yawn!), I told my daughter "look at her, she is the perfect princess, so beautiful." And she was. She wore exactly what I envisioned she would and she was the epitome of class, grace and elegance. In fact - there have been many comparisons to Grace Kelly, and what a role model for beauty she is!

Sleeves and lace are nothing new, but the popular strapless, mermaid style has really been on top for years and I am so happy that this may turn a leaf in bridal fashion. Another way to have two looks in one, is to have a wedding cap or bolero with lace sleeves - and then for the reception you can still go strapless if you can't decide between the two looks! If you are wanting something Kate-inspired, check out just a few of the stunning options you have to pick from:

Manuel Mota "Opera"

Romona Keveza "L186"

Maggie Sottero

Sassi Holford "Chloe"

Monique Lhuillier

Claire Pettibone "Sky Between the Branches"

Valentino Sposa "Euradice"



Congratulations to Will and Kate on a beautiful wedding and the happily ever after everyone dreams of!

Guess The Dress - A CONTEST!

Hello my lovelies!

I have some very exciting news! The ladies of Ruby Woo and I are collaborating on a very fun contest. We have decided to challenge our readers to guess the style of gown Kate Middleton will wear on her big day.

To enter the contest, you must:

1) "like" Ruby Woo and Urban Vows on Facebook
2) Post a comment below and include a link of any dress you can find on the internet that will resemble Kate's dress. That's it!

On May 1st, Ruby Woo will be hosting "Ruby Woo for Japan Tea Party" where the winner of this contest will be announced. It runs from 1pm-4pm at the Art Gallery of Calgary (117-8th Avenue SW)and is a free event.

Oh right...what do you win? $500 towards your Ruby Woo dream dress as well as shipping within Alberta! Start Googling my lovely bride-to-be's! Good luck!

Rules: No restrictions on where you live, but buyer will be responsible for shipping outside of Alberta. Contest closes noon on Thursday, April 28th. Urban Vows and Ruby Woo will decide a winner based on Kate Middleton's wedding day attire and who comes closest to guessing the actual dress. Winner will make arrangements through Ruby Woo for ordering, measurements and designing the dress. Winner will be announced at the May 1st event, but winner does not have to be in attendance to win. Winner will be contacted via email. Contestants do not have to be engaged or getting married, if winner does not want a wedding dress, they can put $500 towards another dress of their liking - or can transfer the $500 credit to a friend who is getting married (you can use this as their wedding gift even!). Certificate expires one year from contest end date (May 1st, 2012). Good luck!

Photographer: Rob McKay

Model: Luressa Diehl

Make Up Artist: Polly Shum

Hair Stylist: Savin Lucy Pearson

Take Five with Ruby Woo

Yesterday I had the pleasure of chatting with the lovely Teang Tang, one of the two partners that own Ruby Woo, a whole new face in the bridal gown game. We met at Fashion Central's DeVille, she treated me to a Chai Latte and we got down to business...fun, pretty, silky white business.

Ruby Woo is an extremely exciting concept. As you may assume, I am a big fan of Say Yes to the Dress, and one of the most voiced complaints is "I like the top of this one, and the bottom of this one". Well, in flies Ruby Woo to the rescue! They custom make intricate, ornate and couture gowns, made to the specifications of each and every bride, so it fits your body, budget and personality to a T.

When I say budget, how does $1000 flat sound? I know for a fact, to buy off the rack in Calgary you are usually looking at at least that amount, plus many more hard earned dollars on tailoring. Ridiculous right? These dresses are so gorgeous and they will make anything - bring them a picture of the dresses you like and in a few months, it's all yours!

I decided to do a fun little interview with Teang about her company and the wedding dress business.

B: "Teang, who in the world of wedding designers would you say inspires you most?"
T: "Marchesa, we love Marchesa, hands down our number one favourite designer. Her pieces really accentuate the female form. The cut, is impeccable! For wedding dresses specifically we love Pnina Tornai, her pieces are wild and fun."

B: "What trends are you seeing for 2011/2012 brides?"
T: "We're seeing a lot of ballgowns, one shoulder and shorter dresses on the runway I personally love the shorter wedding dresses...they are fun and playful!

B: "If you could dress any of the celebrity for her wedding, who would it be?"
T: "Kate Middleton - Once pictures of her dress are released to the public, we'll be receiving requests for "princess-inspired" creations. Her dress will be popular in upcoming weddings."

B: "Okay, that rolls into my next question, what are your predictions on Kate's dress, it's the talk of the town what style she'll be wearing".
T: "I think she'll be in something form fitting, elaborate, a super long train...think Marchesa India dress."

B: "What makes a Ruby Woo dress so special?"
T: "It's made to fit every inch of your body, we make you look phenomenal! The inspiration behind our company is that little girl inside of you that imagines her wedding day. That little girl has this vivid image of a dream dress in her head but doesn't quite know how she's going to get her hands on it - Ruby Woo brings that little girls imagination to life".

What a great idea, and a seemingly simple solution. I have high hopes for Teang and her partner Ivy Su. With everyone's busy lives and work schedules, blocking off hours of time for shopping and fittings sometimes isn't practical or possible. Ruby Woo to the rescue!

Stay tuned - Monday, April 18th, we'll be announcing a contest that will earn you a chance to win the wedding dress of your dreams from Ruby Woo!

Photo Credits:
Dresses: Ruby Woo Wedding Couture Inc.
Model: Xia Martens
Photography: Rob McKay
Makeup: Polly Shum
Hair: Lucy Pearson
Shoes: Pumped Shoes