Out of the mouths of lovers....

Everyone has a love language, the predominant mode of expression that they particularly enjoy. Whilst we all appreciate a variety of expression forms, I think everyone has something that they specifically like. For some its gifts, for others it's the touch, for those of you who love words, this post is for you. Words when strung together whether simply, in a complex manner, or colloquially, can have such profound meaning. It is not necessarily the complexity of language or the eloquence that matters but rather it's the depth, sincerity and passion from which love is expressed.

Famous Brides Spotlight

I have been thinking about wedding dresses a lot recently. The more I think about it the more I realise I was somehow destined to do something wedding related. Even when I was a child my favourite nightie was the one that to me looked like a wedding dress because it was far too big and far too long but I loved it anyway. I also loved being a flower girl and being part of any wedding. I was riffling through pictures on my laptop and found some celebrity wedding dresses which is what has inspired this post. I thought I'd pick out a few of the looks I like (I like so many) and blog about them...

Bianca Jagger

I love the audacity of Bianca Jagger wearing not only a skirt suit but a cleavage bearing one at that! It's not your typical wedding dress by any stretch of the imagination but she dared to be herself and I loved her for it. The veil over her hat and her loose wavy tresses add a softness to this look, it captures the rock n roll era perfectly. It's hard to upstage Mick Jagger but she more than held her own. One of my all time favourites.
Designer: Yves Saint Lauren

Audrey Hepburn

I simply adore Audrey Hepburn. Slight with exquisite cheek bones, innately and effortlessly stylish. This is a star that embodies simplicity and the less is more philosophy. All these aforementioned points are exemplified in her choice of wedding dress. She understood her body and enhanced it with her choice of dress. Rather than overwhelm her minute frame she wore a tea length length dress. She didn't have curves so the cummerbund showed her waist and in so doing, gave her shape. The sleeve that she went for ensured her arms did not look too thin. Her pixie hair cut allowed her face to shine and the crown like wreath flowers on her hair softened the look further and made her bridal, perfect.
Designer: Balmain

Princess Diana

I feel its almost bridal sacrilege to do a post on famous wedding dresses and not talk about Princess Di. In all honesty the dress isn't me but it is so iconic and to me so poignant. I picked these particular shots because I think they are telling.  The dress totally overwhelms her small frame which ended up not being a departure from how her real life turned out. Amidst all the drama of the dress she still emerges a star, innocent and captivating, one might say these shots mimicked what was yet to come.

Designer: David and Elizabeth Emanuel

Grace Kelly

Grace Kelly. The definitive bride. For me and probably many others she epitomises elegance, class and a timeless bride, so much so I can feel her essence in some more modern day brides like Nicole Richie, Ivanka Trump and more recently Catherine Middleton.

Designer: Helen Rose 

 

Victoria Beckham

Anyone who knows me will know I absolutely LOVE Victoria Beckham. The frenzy in England at the time she and David were going out and eventually leading up to their wedding was fever pitch. A royal wedding was far off, Prince William still being so young so their's was the closest thing. Who can forget the thrones and the miniature crown she wore on her head?! A lot of people critiqued the setting of her pictures for being a nouveau riche but I am unapologetic in my love for her! Her personal style has evolved into a more refined yet relatable look and this is exemplified in her collections. Love, Love Victoria Beckham!

Designer: Vera Wang

Kate Moss

John Galliano captured Kate Moss' essence in her wedding dress. It personified her. It was ethereal, waif like with a 30's vintage feel to it, rock and roll, modelesque- it was Kate.  The backdrop and setting reminded me of Shakespeare's a Midsummers Nights dream.

Designer: John Galliano

Melania Trump

Haute Couture with no apologies! Melania's dress was very elaborate, very dramatic, very over the top and opulent. Only she could have pulled off such a big dress, with statement diamond necklace and that high veil altogether! Anyone else would have had to wear the dress with a simpler veil and no jewellery. It's no wonder that she was the only celebrity at the time to ever have been photographed in her wedding dress for the cover of vogue. 

Designer: John Galliano

Lauren Bush

Lauren Bush for me was breathtaking. The scenery in its simplicity adds an amazing backdrop (its the Lauren's 17,000 acre Ridgway, Colorado ranch), it was nothing short of stunning. When your future father-in-law is Ralph Lauren you can be rest assured you will look amazing.  In a nod to the past she wore a hand embroided antique tulle dress with cowboy boots. The boots are not conventional but genius and again evidence of someone staying true to themselves and embracing the scenery, it all tied in beautifully. 

Designer: Ralph Lauren


Georgina Champam

Georgina Chapman's look was delicate, feminine, soft, romantic and dreamy.  Marchesa represent all those elements and for me, their dresses our visually poetic, delicate, intricate and fine pieces of art. They are responsible for creating dresses for  Emily Blunt, Nicole Riche, Coleen Rooney amongst others. Beyond bridal, their dresses they adorn the red carpet beautifully and always catch my eye. Needless to say they are a brand I very much admire. Georgina Chapman summarised their essence well in saying "I approach wedding dresses the way I approach my evening dresses. We're a timeless brand as  opposed to a fashion focused one...I think it's really important to be true to your aesthetic, to feel beautiful and comfortable."
Designer: Georgina Chapman, Marchesa

Bride Spotlight

The bride. The most beautiful woman of the day, the one everyone has come to see. I have always loved brides so I decided to feature some of my favourite  brides. Thank you to all the ladies who agreed to share their pictures...

Abike Abu

Simply stunning, not many people can pull off these colours but she did so beautifully. I like how she used white to line her buba rather than match it with the colour of her gele, and how her necklace subtly compliments the attire.

To me this is how a coral top should be worn, with plain fabric rather than something with a lot of pattern. Less is more, especially when the coral top is such a statement piece. The same can be said for her hair, she pulled it to the back and kept it simple.

I love the satin and the perfectly placed lace detail on the dress. I love the fit, the veil, the hair, even her collar bone could serve as an accessory, such fine bones, love everything!!

Makeup: Alison Cameron www.alisoncameronmakeup.com

 Hair: Abike Abu www.hairbyabike.com 

Photography: Maria Murray www.lovesasart.co.uk

Banke Otudeko

Needless to say Banke is beautiful. I love the soft colours and the light coral. Just perfect! 

Makeup: Banke Mashida-Lawal Photography: Ade Plumptre

Recently a lot of brides tend to wear their hair up, I love that Banke wore hers down. I also like that she deviated from the strapless look, the v-neck was a refreshing change and to me, gave a softness to her look as did the colour of her bouquet. 

The Demetrios dress is a coincidental nod to her part Greek heritage and fits her to perfection. This is a bride that wore the mermaid silhouette without looking red carpet, she looked the part of a stunning bride.

Makeup: Banke Meshida-Lawal Hair: Becks Buki Photgraphy: CaptureIt

Timi Ejiwunmi

Yours, truly. I decided that for my engagement I wasn't going to wear aso oke I wanted to be different and wear lace for both looks. I wanted to bling from head-to-toe so I had swarvoski crystals pressed into my gele as well as my lace. I went for coral jewellery because my grandmother loved coral and I felt the contrast would be nice with an otherwise neutral look.

Kept the bling to the toe!

 I went with an Ines di Santo dress, trumpet silhouette, crystal encrusted with a tulle overlay.

Makeup: Banke Mashida-Lawal Hair: Lucky Photography: Ade Plumptre 

Desola Oyegunle

Desola is easily one of the prettiest girls I know. Not many people can pull off three bold primary colours, but she did. I like the accents of blue in her buba and on her eyelids.

The contrast of the smokey eye and light makeup is beautiful. I picked this shot also to show how pretty the beading on her bodice was.

I liked her Maggie Sottero dress particularly the beading, colour and fit.  The short veil was a good choice as it showed off her figure more.

Makeup: Banke Mashida-Lawal Photography: Ade Plumptre (both days)

Leila Funke Kuku

Funke and I have been friends since we were kids and even so she blew me away at her engagement. To see someone so often and still be blown away is a testament to how great she looked. 

I like how she didn't go with the regular buba but still looked traditional, it refelected her personality and it was different. The design of the pearl and diamond necklace is exquisite.

For her second look Funke went with darker lace but I like how she kept the gele light. I love a dressy bride this iro and buba was beautiful, it was heavily sequinned which caused her to sparkle more talk about a statement necklace, Love!

Makeup: Banke Mashida-Lawal Photography: Photonimi

You don't get more elegant than this. I love this Elie Saab dress, the veil was stunning and the orchids with the pearl handle was a nice touch.

Makeup: Becks Buki Hair: Remi Photography: Peter Gear for Filmography

Beryl Amar-Aigbe

Beryl is Ghanian and picked a lovely yellow kente outfit which complimented her figure nicely, I liked the white jewellery for its simplicity.

For her second look she changed into a white outfit which had panel at the back that had a train to it, a prelude to the wedding.

Hair & Makeup: Lola Maja-Okojevoh Photography: Tom Kennedy for Ovation International

I liked the drama of this Pronovias dress, as I'm used to seeing lace from them. It was a statement piece that needed little or no accessories and thats how Beryl kept it.

Hair & Makeup: Lola Maja-Okojevoh Photography: Jo Hughes, Captive Photography UK

Makashe Awogboro

Love this shot of Makashe. I like the contrast of the large coral beads against the softer more delicate darker coral and diamond necklace.

The contrast at the bottom of her wrapper is nice and well positioned.

Red was an excellent choice this shade suits her skin tone, she looks like a ruby princess.

Makeup: Banke Mashida-Lawal Photography: Photonimi

Makashe went for Monique Lhuillier, I liked the covered up look for church and how different the dress was by the reception, a pretty lace creation.

Lamide Shonekan

Talk about bling! The white and gold is very bridal and glamorous. The choice of canary yellow and white diamonds was an excellent choice for this outfit. 

Lamide wore Enzo Ani dress which had a soft tulle feel to it. I liked the bolero as it looked like a part of the dress. Oftentimes I see brides wear bolero's that look like an add-on hers didn't, it was a nice lace touch to her dress.

Makeup: Banke Mashida-Lawal Hair: Remi Photography: Ade Plumptre (both days)

Having done this spotlight other brides I like have been coming to mind, so watch the space there may well be a part two of this.....