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Alex and I were in New Orleans back at the end of February for bridal market with Essense of Australia, Stella York and Martina Liana! It was such a strong and exciting market and we chose so many beautiful things to bring home to our brides. With the ever changing bridal landscape and the fact that brides are getting married on a quicker timeline than ever before, our designers have pivoted and are getting us our sample dresses that much sooner. So, what does that mean? That means we have already started getting in some of our newest stock! Yay! Let’s go over the beautiful new things that have arrived!

Stella York 8274

This straight across, strapless mikado ballgown features a tailored bodice that gives way into slightly dropped waistline and gathered skirt. It has hidden pockets and the princes seaming in the bodice creates such beautiful length! Shown with a cathedral lace veil on Paige and an added bow belt on Alex. This dress comes in the color shown, ivory. We think this is more of a true ivory and has a beautiful creaminess to it!

 

Martina Liana 2062

This gown features a new fabric for the Martina Liana line and it is a brushed mikado that gives this dress a rich yet matte texture.  Our sample is shown with these incredible corded motifs but the dress can also be ordered without.  This dress also features Martina’s new interior corset which *really* snatched you in (if that’s your preference). If not, the corset provides beautiful support to your frame and allows the dress to comfortably sit on your figure! This dress only comes in this color, ivory. We would refer to this ivory as more of a soft white or natural. This dress also has a matching veil that’s not here yet but soon will be!!

 

Stella York 8330

This is a fun dress because she wasn’t originally on our “to buy” list. We saw her on the mannequin and didn’t think we needed her. And then we saw her on the runway….and we decided to order her in 2 sizes! We have another crepe fitted dress from Stella York that features similar front panel seaming and we’ve found it to be such a beautiful detail that many of our brides feel the same way about. The off the shoulder straps on this dress are fully connected to the dress to create a seamless look and while it’s not a dress where you can easily raise your arms and party with your hands up, the effect it gives is worth the sacrifice 🙂 We showed the dress with our Reign veil and the way the satin trim and horsehair cascades around the figure in this fitted dress is just one of our favorite affects! The color shown here, Ivory, is the only color available.

 

Stella York 8279

A combination of grand satin and beaded lace, this classic strapless ballgown has the most amazing detailed train! We haven’t seen detailed trains like this in a few years so we were ecstatic to see it slowly coming back! This dress is strapless but we paired it with some lace off the shoulder straps to show one example of how easily the top can be customized to fit your vision! Pictured in Ivory, this is the only color 8279 comes in! This is another ivory that we would consider more of a soft white.

 

All Who Wander Noah

All Who Wander is our non-traditional bridal line, which is to say bridal gowns that feature unique fabrics and elements. Noah is a great combination of both of those things! Her skirt is a crushed French tulle which is incredibly soft but will always maintain that crinkled texture.  The sleeves are made from the same fabric but are removable! When you take the sleeves off, what remains is simple French tulle straps which takes this dress to a more romantic feeling. Ivory is the only color Noah comes in, which is shown here!

 

Essense of Australia D4546

This dress is for our true princess, ballgown lovers! This is also a bridal gown with a variety of options! Ours has the beaded lace with the ivory, unlined bodice. Which, you can see on Alex with one of our cathedral beaded trim veils which highlights the beading in the bodice just perfectly.  She also comes in a lined option which is shown in the marketing image below. The skirt only comes in ivory but in person, the ivory looks much more similar to the image taken in our boutique – this is more of a soft white kind of ivory! Also, the biggest shocker of it all is how lightweight the dress is! You would think with a dress this full it would be super heavy but it’s not!

 

We just got notification today that 2 more dresses shipped out which means another installment of new arrivals coming soon!

Ballgowns are such an iconic wedding dress shape. They’re grand, make a statement and are quintessentially bridal! While the shape has been around for generations, it has gone through different iterations. The 1950s ballgown wedding dress was what we would think of as a “cupcake” type of moment. The 1980s ballgown bridal gown was defined by volume, heavy lace and satin. We saw ballgowns in the 2010s done in a way that showed off texture in the skirts.

And now? Today’s modern ballgown is a combination of all of those elements!

We’re seeing more volume than ever (yes, please!) but in fabrics that don’t make your wedding dress weigh 40 pounds. We’re seeing texture done through modern laces. The basque waists of the 80s are being re-imagined to incorporate flattering waistlines and drop waist influences.  The volume isn’t just being sewn all around the skirt – it’s being sewn and highlighted in specific places, such as the side waist, to give emphasis to our figures.

Strapless is back and in a big way and if you’ve been around here for any length of time, you’ll have heard me get on my strapless soap box and go through the reasons strapless wedding dresses aren’t, in fact, the devil.  The great thing about a strapless wedding dress is also the ability to customize it. Our designers have made it so easy to add the exact style of strap or sleeve you love. You can also order the exact fabric from your dress and work with a seamstress to construct a completely custom strap!

The modern 2026 and 2027 ballgown covers such a variety of fullnesses and looks. Ballgown doesn’t just mean cupcake wedding dress anymore!

With the amount of love you’ve all shown us for our Super Sample Sale, we’ve extended it through December 20th to give your schedules more time to shop out sale!!

If you love a deal as much as you love good quality, beautiful wedding dresses then our Super Sample Sale is the perfect event for you!

What is a sample sale?
A sample sale is focused on our dresses that can be purchased off the rack and taken with you that day!  Our special order dresses will also be available to look at and try on if you would like to look at both sample gowns and special order gowns.

What’s the difference between your Super Sample Sale and just purchasing a sample dress?
This is where it gets fun!  We have wedding dresses available for purchase off the rack throughout the year but during our Super Sample Sale, there will be further discounts available on these dresses that aren’t available during the rest of the year.

What can I expect during my Super Sample Sale appointment?
Our sample sales are very similar to our regular bridal appointments. The only difference is you’ll be shopping our sample sale selection! You’ll still get to work one-on-one with one of our amazing consultants, and they’ll help you find your perfect dress!

What are the details?
When you say yes to your Super Sample Sale dress, you’ll take it home with you that day!  The dress will need to be paid for in full (cash or credit card – no checks) and will be sent home with you in one of our breathable bridal bags! Because you are purchasing an off the rack dress at a deep discount, the dresses are sold in as-is condition.  There could be a button missing, some dust on the train or some loose beads. We do go through and repair and hand clean any spots but wear and tear is to be expected. Imperfections may be present!  That’s the tradeoff for getting such a good discount!

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at 260-483-8000 or email info@onefinedaybridal.com.  Appointments are highly recommended for this popular event and to make an appointment, fill out the form on our Contact Us page and put that you’re interested in the sample sale in the notes, call us or email us!  We look forward to helping you find your dream dress at a dream price!

We’ve been invited to host a Essense of Australia Designer Preview Show! To find out more details about the event, read on below, but the main points is you get to see and try on dresses from not-yet-released Essense of Australia collection and you’ll be able to make one of these dresses yours a year before any other bride in the country!  Talk about being in front of the bridal trends!!

Make your appointment for Friday, September 12th & Saturday, September 13th!

What is a Preview Show?
Essense will send us around 30 wedding dresses that won’t be in stores till early Summer 2026 and won’t be worn by brides until the end of 2026!  This means you get to try on and purchase a wedding dress before any other bride in the country!  You also get a hand in shaping the newest collection – your feedback and comments help Essense tailor the collection to their brides (like you!) 🙂

What’s the benefit of finding my dress during the event?
Because this is not the final collection, the designs are constantly changing.  The dress you fall in love with could get cut the following week which means you get a one of a kind wedding dress (and how cool is that?!). It’s also possible the design slightly changes through the process. One of our former stylists bought her dress during an Essense Preview Show and her dress had lace on the train which the dress in the final collection did not!

What’s the price range?
Similar to our permanent Essense of Australia collection, these wedding dresses will range from $1,800 – $2,500.  You only need 1/2 down to get your dress ordered during this event! These dresses do take a solid 6 months to come in so they are on a slightly longer time frame than our normal stock!

What’s the size range?
The preview show dresses will be sent to us in bridal size 10s (similar to a 6/8 in street clothes) but our entire boutique will be open for our brides to try on.

Do I need an appointment?
Yes, you do!  This is always a popular event and we will book up so go ahead and schedule your appointment now!  Email us at info@onefinedaybridalandgown.com, fill out the contact us page here or call us at (260) 483-8000.

 

This is an amazing event where you get to see, try on and purchase a wedding dress that almost no other bride in the country has even seen!  There are only 2 “rules” during this event #1) Your wedding date needs to be after May 1st, 2026 and #2) no pictures of the preview show dresses are allowed during this event.  In order to respect the integrity of the designs, the designers have asked that no pictures be taken.  If you purchase a preview show dress during the event, you are welcome to take a picture of that dress!  But no worries, either way, you will be celebrated!

I helped a bride this past weekend and as we were talking about her venue she pulled up the Barn on Nye Manor and when I tell you I gasped…..it is a stunning venue and it’s in Hicksville, Ohio which is only about 45 minutes East of Fort Wayne. With outdoor areas for your ceremony and the possibility of an outdoor dance floor, the Barn on Nye Manor can house 300 guests which is incredible.

While we think you can wear any type of dress at any location, here are some of our gowns that we think would be especially beautiful at this venue!

D4080 from Essense of Australia features the most delicate gold thread weaving throughout the fabric which lends just a hint of color!

D4038 from Essense of Australia features these amazon, removeable long sleeves which create the most dramatic and romantic look!

D4007 from Essense of Australia is a great ballgown with that deep neckline plunge that, we feel, makes it very modern looking!

Alton is from our Lily Rose Collection and she’s a silky fitted stunner with a slit and waist ruching. This dress is very lightweight which would be perfect for a Summer, outdoor wedding!

One of our favorites is 1713 from Martina Liana because she is such a romantic and detailed dress. She has 3D florals throughout with a bustier style cup and she’s just all sorts of fabulous!

One of our newest dresses is D4341 from Essense of Australia and this detail…gah! It’s hard to capture all the sparkle and details in the picture but she is a showstopping look!

Lastly is this classic beauty D4265, also from our Essense of Australia collection. We love dresses that feature a combination of fabrics and this lace + mikado combination is our favorite. It keeps the dress feeling modern and fresh but still is utterly classic!

Today, we’re traveling over to Findlay, Ohio which is just 1.5 hours from Fort Wayne! Because of our location near the Ohio border, we get many Buckeye Brides come and find their wedding dress with us! Ohio has so many beautiful venues and many of our brides chose a venue in Ohio for that reason!

Scarlet Oaks Estate is a family owned venue with a barn on the property that was built in the 1860s and I am a complete sucker for old barns and bridal businesses that are family owned and operated! The barn can hold around 150 guests which makes this the perfect intimate setting for our brides who love the feel of a beautiful barn and plenty of outdoor space. Their website also states that you can have a tent on the grounds that holds around 250 guests!

I’m picturing lace and fitted shapes in this space (although you all already know we are true believers in wearing what you love regardless of the season or location). Here are some of our dress that I think would be stunning at Scarlet Oaks Estate!

 

7849 from our Stella York collection is the most beautiful and elegant soft ballgown dress. We have her both in ivory and almond coloring in our store!

From our All Who Wander Collection is Dune who is a new arrival! She’s mostly chiffon with some beautiful lace godets through the skirt and drapey sleeves (that are removable) which also feature a little lace!

1891 from our Martina Liana Collection features 3-D petals, a subtle basque waist and detail throughout the entire dress! This is a show stopper dress that will make your guest’s jaws drop!

Lastly, we have D4258 from our Essense of Australia Collection. Shown here in an ivory and rum color (we have both in our store!). She’s got some sexy details like the wider side cut outs and higher slit but her lace keeps this dress feeling relaxed and comfortable!

I love this trend because it is truly a point in the “nothing in fashion is new” column. Basque waists have been around since the Victorian Era, popping up in fashion through the Decades. The last time we saw basque waist wedding dresses be in fashion was in the late 80s and early 90s. They were generally accompanied by loads of detail and poof at the shoulders

(via Pinterest)

 

While the poofed shoulders haven’t made there way back around, yet, the basque waists have! This is a lovely trend that features a beautiful shape so many of our brides love on their figures. Let’s take a look at some of our newest basque waist dresses!

Our Stacia dress from our in-house Lily Rose Collection is a fitted crepe style with boning detail and a slight basque waist.

Elouise, also from our in-house Lily Rose Collection, is a satin strapless gown with ruched scoop neckline, boning detail and subtle basque waist!

D4149 from Essense of Australia features a jacquard overskirt, boning detail and a slight basque waist (I’m making the argument for a Bridal Trends – boning detail post!)

D4098 from our Essense of Australia collection features beautiful delicate lace and sparkle throughout with the most perfect soft ballgown skirt!

Also from our Essense of Australia Collection is D4110 which is an all over mikado dress with off the shoulder sleeves and pockets!

 

Lastly, we have D4158 from our Essense of Australia Collection and this is a lightweight ballgown with a jacquard print and tie up back detail

In store, we have many more basque waists in different shapes and fabrics! But tell me, what are your thoughts on this trend?

The classic wedding dress look has been “in” for wedding dresses for a few years now, but what we’re seeing is a trend towards classic dresses that feature something just a little extra. Whether that be through color, fabric or a design element! It’s so fun to see small shifts around a bigger trend for bridal gowns. Classic dresses are classic for a reason – they are styles and looks that will move through time beautifully and while we 100% believe you should wear the look that you are most confident and comfortable in today, many of our brides are drawn towards dresses that stand the test of time.

Our Thompson gown from our in-house Lily Rose Collection is a classic, mikado trumpet shaped dress with a beautiful mikado overskirt and detachable bow at the back. She brings the drama for your ceremony and then becomes and easy, comfortable reception dress!

From our Stella York Collection is 7817 which is also exclusive to our plus-size collection. It’s hard to tell from the photo but she features a glitter tulle which gives this dress the most fabulous sparkle! Tiered horsehair skirts have been around 10 or so years and at this point, they are a classic shape but the edition of the glitter tulle and bustier bodice make this dress classic with a little something extra.

7755 is from our Stella York Collection and is also exclusive to our plus size collection. She comes in a beautiful ivory, but there is something so striking about this dress in the black satin. The shape, neckline and skirt are quintessential bridal gown but the color lends itself to today’s modern bride who has embraced color!

Kenedy is from our All Who Wander Collection which by it’s nature is designed to be for the modern, creative bride and doesn’t always play by any bridal “rules”. This deep, wide set neckline and wide belt detail are perfect for our confident brides. She’s also constructed out of a beautiful taffeta which keep this dress super lightweight but with a nod toward wedding dresses of the past!

From our Essense of Australia collection is this beautiful Cinderella blue ballgown, style D4109. As with any of our wedding dresses shown in a color, they always come in a more traditional ivory but this blue is so subtle and so lovely. We paired it with our colored floral lace veil and we love the Springtime vibes this look gives!

 

Share your thoughts on what you think about these classic plus a little something extra dresses!