So basically, Sharon Bowen is nice. And extraordinarily talented – her dresses are very very classy. Check out her website for more eye-candy.

Since I am blessed with an extraordinarily large head (it creates its own gravitational field), I’m really not sure how her hats would look on me (you need to be feeling sorry for my mother right now – she had to give BIRTH to this thing), but my head aside, if you are looking for something extraordinarily stylish and different from your regular bridal veil, especially if you’re going somewhere a little vintage with your style, Viven Sheriff may well be the milliner for you.

Take a look at her website »

Anyway. MiaMia Bridal. What can I say, but “Wow!”. Go look yourself if you don’t believe me. MiaMia Bridal »

Alan Hannah has also sent me a couple of shots from their latest collection called English Romantics due out very soon (thanks Alan!). Oh, I’m exceedlingly smitten with the flower neckline number on the right.

View the Veromia website »

Carolina Herrera is one of those US designers who I’ve heaved wistful sighs over – she has utterly gorgeous wedding gowns that make me drool on every perusal. So after another idle glance through her website this morning, I discovered (to my delight) that Browns Bridal is the sole stockist in the UK, so if you too were longing for a Carolina Herrera gown, you’re now officially in luck, and you’ll only need to go as far as London.

What with so many cool (and free!) planning tools online now, you barely need wedding planning books, though you still need to do something with all of the bits and pieces of paper you pick up along the way, so you could make a good argument for using both.

If you want to go strapless, avoid a bodice that cuts straight across – you’ll look much better in a dress with shaping to show off your cleavage.  The other great option is going with a v-neck gown as it will do all of the right things: lengthening your neck, and minimising the width across your boobs and shoulders.

For skirts, go for a softly fitting skirt that skims the hipline, but avoid any fussiness or detail at your waist as it will emphasise it.  If you’ve got slim legs, why not show them off in a tea-length gown with a fab pair of show-stopping shoes?

If you want a jacket with your gown, avoid box jackets – they’ll do you no favours. Instead opt for a gently fitted jacket.

Left to right:

Ian Stuart, Alan Hannah, Jesus Peiro

So what suits the hourglass figure? Well, as the bearer of an hourglass figure (yippee!), though sadly with short arms and legs and a long torso (curses!), I can start by telling you what hourglass figures DON’T suit, and that is anything that doesn’t go in at the waist, but rather hangs from the chest. It creates a rather unfortunate ’shelf’ illusion, which will only make you look pregnant. So avoid empire line dresses (ala Jane Austen), and box jackets – they’ll do you no favours.

On the other hand, us hourglassers can embrace the fifties styles with relish – anything that pulls in at the waist and emphasises it is superb. Corset bodices will also make you look wonderful, and your groom’s eyes pop (just don’t do it up too tightly, or your eyes will pop too…!).

Fishtail skirts will make your legs look longer (big tick!), but avoid bias cut skirts – they’ll add a bit too much curve to your bottom half. Also avoid lots of pleating and ruffles, as they’ll make your bottom look bigger than your top half, turning you into a pear! A-line skirts are fab on hourglass women.

Left to right:

Augusta Jones, Benjamin Roberts, and Stephanie Allin (wow!!!)