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thePeorian.com
ATTIRE MOSTLY FORMAL,
REGARDLESS OF VENUE
Brides are not afraid to still
wear formal gowns with long
trains even for outdoor and/or
rustic wedding venues, said Ra-
chel Kress, owner of Cloud Nine
Bridal Boutique and Fine Paper
in Peoria.
“
Outdoor weddings are
amazing because the sky is the
limit in terms of decor, colors,
etc. They of course are also a bit
tricky because of weather issues,”
Kress said.
“
Elegance definitely works
with a rustic outdoor setting.
In fact, I love it when a bride
selects an off-the-charts elegant
and classic gown and then mixes
in pieces of vintage and rustic
aspects,” she added.
Kress said her clients still
want elegance “with maybe a
bit of ‘pop’ to their dress. This
is where adding an amazing
sash or unique headpiece comes
in. A gown can still be elegant
and classic but with a twist of
something fabulous. Trains
are definitely still popular and
photograph wonderfully.”
With attire remaining more
formal than casual, off-
white colors such as ivory or
champagne are the top choices
for wedding gowns, Kress said.
She did acknowledge some
brides are choosing gowns of
darker colors but added “we still
tend to stick with the traditional
ivory gown in our boutique.
Ivory is timeless and classic.
If a bride would like to wear a
colored gown, we suggest putting
on a unique reception dress or
rehearsal dinner dress.”
Kress said one reason she
believes elegance remains the
top choice of brides is because
they have dreamed of it since
childhood. When asked about
gown styles, she said many still
choose the gown of those dreams.
“
Most of the gowns sold in Cloud
Nine are a fit-to-flare silhouette,
however, many brides still want
that fairy tale dress with a larger
skirt. It’s something that a girl
has always dreamed of, getting
married in a ball gown,” she said.
When it comes to color,
planners said that usually is
accomplished with bridesmaids
dresses or in accessories.
O’Shea said last year
everything was a shade of
purple, either in the dresses or
accessories. “I’ve noticed lately
the colors are more neutral while
in the previous few years there
was more boldness,” she said.
One growing trend Kress
noticed with her clients at
Cloud Nine is in the styles of
bridesmaids dresses. “It’s an
even split between bridesmaids
wearing the same style and
then those that wear different
styles but the same color. That is
definitely becoming a trend and
I foresee it staying as a trend for
many years to come,” she said.
Kress, who started Cloud
Nine to give brides the kind
of experience she found only
in Chicago or St. Louis when
planning her own wedding —
including starting appointments
with a glass of champagne —
said prices of gowns vary with
design and designer, but mostly
with the material used and the
labor that goes into making the
gown.
“
Yes, gowns are priced
by the fabrics used, location
where the dress is made and by
designer. Most of our gowns
are made here, in the USA, and
are hand-made. This requires
a lot of physical labor and the
fabrics used are all imported
from Europe. To me, there is
something special about having
your bridal gown, the most
important piece of clothing you’ll
ever wear, made by hand in the
USA,” she said.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 16
This photo and the one on the following page, both taken by Shelby Studios, show how
vintage-style and country wedding receptions can be accessorized.
The Present
