The Trends You Need to Know From the Spring 2019 Bridal Shows

By Alexandra Macon

The royal wedding is less than 3 weeks away, and the fashion world can’t stop talking about what Meghan Markle might wear. There’s been mention of Roland Mouret, and of course, Sarah Burton—the woman behind Kate Middleton’s Alexander McQueen dress—but most recently, the word on the street is that it will likely be Ralph & Russo (the twosome who created the off-the-shoulder lace look model Shaina Shaik wore when she wed DJ Ruckus last weekend).

We hear Tamara Ralph and Michael Russo—the designers of this luxe British brand who split time between their three studios around the world and also designed the dress Markle wore in her engagement pictures—were seen working late at their offices in London recently. With all of this speculation feeding a constant game of “who done it?,” it’s no wonder princesses were on the brain during bridal fashion week.

Reem Acra and Monique Lhuillier gave the people what they wanted and actually went as far as showing completely princess-inspired silhouettes in their collections. Other notable trends included pantsuits and short skirts at Danielle Frankel, color at Carolina, and minimalism for the girl who wants to channel Carolyn Bessette Kennedy. Below, we distill it all and recap some of our favorite looks of the season.

1. Color Me Happy
Vera Wang has pushed the boundaries of bridal many times before, even going so far as sending black dresses and Victorian-inspired gowns down the runway, so the idea of her incorporating color into a collection isn’t exactly groundbreaking, but it sure was pretty. Inspired by Dutch master painter Johannes Vermeer, Wang designed 11 looks featuring mustard yellow tulle skirts, lavender corsets, rose pink floral embellishments, and emerald green sashes. And while her dresses are anything but traditional this season, the beauty and romanticism of her previous collections is still very much on display.

Vera Wang Spring 2019

Meanwhile over at Carolina Herrera, Wes Gordon served up color just the way we like it in his first bridal collection for the classic brand. Citing Katharine Hepburn in The Philadelphia Story as his inspiration, Gordon offered up a number of feminine looks with subtle accents in a range of hues—like these deep purple satin bows tied at the shoulder.

Carolina Herrera Spring 2019 Bridal

2. Minimalism à la Carolyn Bessette Kennedy
When it comes to weddings (and otherwise for that matter), Carolyn Bessette Kennedy is, was, and will always be a style icon. So it’s no wonder that, many of the dresses in the Spring 2019 bridal collections brought to mind her effortless approach to nuptial dressing. Both of the below would work well for a formal affair in the city.

Carolina Herrera Spring 2019 Bridal
Pronovias Spring 2019 Collection

3. If The Suit Fits . . .
Perhaps Meghan Markle’s show Suits was on their minds? Up and comers Danielle Frankel and Cristina Ottaviano along with go-to bridal brands Lela Rose and Amsale all showed a menswear-inspired look or two in their spring 2019 collections. We particularly like Frankel’s take—the blazer-like jacket and skirt dripping in lace would make for an amazing after-party look.

Lela Rose Spring 2019 Collection
Danielle Frankel Spring 2019
Photo: Courtesy of Christian Oth Studio
Cristina Ottaviano Spring 2019 Collection

4. We Like Big Bows
Bows were everywhere at the Spring 2019 shows. But, the collections that made us really want to tie one on were Lela Rose and Carolina Herrera.

Lela Rose Spring 2019 Collection
Carolina Herrera Spring 2019 Bridal

5. Can I Be A Princess? Please.
Your wedding is the one day when acting like a princess is actually allowed, so why not embrace it and go all out? Go big or go home right? If this is your M.O., look no further than Monique Lhuillier’s “The Majesty” (which is giving us major Kate Middleton vibes btw) as well as at Marchesa and Elie Saab. The latter two make looks dripping with embellishment done right and are total showstoppers. Sounds like something just right for the soon-to-be duchess.

Monique Lhuillier Spring 2019 Collection
Reem Acra Spring 2019 Collection
Marchesa Spring 2019 Collection
Elie Saab Spring 2019 Bridal