5 Shows, 3 Days, and One Dress—72 Hours at Bridal Fashion Week as a Future Bride

5 Shows, 3 Days, and One Dress—72 Hours at Bridal Fashion Week as a Future Bride

      After getting engaged earlier this year, the most common question everyone asks whenever they see me is if I've found my dress yet—"the dress," as it's often called. As a fashion editor, my life revolves around beautiful clothing and sparkling items, yet when it comes to my bridal wardrobe, I feel somewhat overwhelmed. While some brides feel limited in their choices, I seem to have an abundance of options. Over the years, working in the industry has allowed me to build friendships with numerous bridal designers and stylists, blurring the line between acquaintances and brands. Consequently, choosing just one dress has been a daunting task. With my wedding day rapidly approaching, I realized I needed to decide, prompting me to start my search for my wedding dress during New York Bridal Week. Although I haven’t found "the dress" yet, I believe I’m getting closer to defining what I truly want.

      Unlike the hustle of New York Fashion Week, New York Bridal Week offers a more refreshing vibe— the shows are more tranquil, the attendees a bit friendlier, and the overall atmosphere is lighter. After all, we are celebrating love! While New York Bridal Week has evolved from merely showcasing runway dresses into a series of events celebrating various engagement and wedding love stories, I still find myself enchanted by the grand, puffy white gowns I used to admire as a child while watching TLC's "Say Yes to the Dress."

      DAY 1: Everything's Coming Up Roses

      9 a.m.: After walking my dog, Holly, and throwing on some jeans and my T-shirt from the previous night, I hurried downstairs to catch a taxi for my first presentation of the day, Francesca Miranda. I traveled with the brand to Colombia last October for their ready-to-wear show, witnessing Colombian artisans craft each detail of their bridal dresses. With this latest collection, the dedication to producing these gowns shines through.

      10:45 a.m.: After over an hour filled with chatting and admiring the collection in an intimate West Village townhouse with the Francesca Miranda team, I met up with Nikki Chwatt, Who What Wear’s associate fashion editor, to head to the next presentation. We might have filmed a TikTok (or two!) while heading over.

      11:15 a.m.: The next stop was Galia Lahav, a prestigious bridal brand loved by celebrities. The brand counts Nina Agdal and Millie Bobby Brown among its friends, both of whom donned the brand’s stunning designs for their weddings. This season, Galia Lahav collaborated with fine-jewelry company Leibish to craft an extravagant gown featuring a 30+-carat red sapphire encircled by diamonds. For brides with an unlimited budget, this is a showstopper: the gown is valued at over $1 million! While this far exceeds my budget, one can always dream!

      

      12:30 p.m.: Nikki and I parted ways, and I made my way uptown for Jenny Yoo’s latest collection at the brand's atelier. Surrounded by luxurious blue velvet curtains and delectable macarons, the team presented a small runway show featuring gowns from Yoo’s three unique collections: Jenny Yoo Collection (the brand's main bridal line), Jenny by Jenny Yoo (a modest, entry-level wedding dress line), and a selection of refined bridesmaid dresses. Earlier this summer, I interviewed Yoo for my exploration into the plus-size bridal market, and I admire the simplicity and timelessness of the brand's styles.

      1:45 p.m.: As much as I wanted to spend the entire day exploring potential wedding dresses, I had responsibilities to tend to at my desk! I grabbed a snack from my favorite Venezuelan spot nearby and headed home to work on my stories for the day. Naturally, between meeting my deadlines and preparing for the evening's final show, I shared my thoughts on the pieces I'd encountered so far with my mom. Despite being practical and not having thought much about my wedding dress until now, I knew I had to make a choice soon, especially considering my mom is hard to impress, so my search would likely continue well into bridal week.

      

      7 p.m.: It’s showtime at Alexandra Grecco's enchanting flagship store, transformed into an interactive venue where models roam among an enthusiastic crowd for the brand’s biggest presentation to date. As someone who loves theater, I’m thrilled by the detail that has gone into the show. As a bride-to-be, I’m excited to catch glimpses of the gowns amidst the eager guests. I notice a flowing, oversized coat and make a mental note to inquire about it later. Like everything Grecco creates, it’s absolutely breathtaking.

      8:15 p.m.: After mingling with friends and fellow editors for about an hour, I take the elevator down and see that a large crowd is still waiting to enter New York’s trendiest club for the evening. I say goodbye to my dear friend Sofia, thanking her for the invite to the presentation.

5 Shows, 3 Days, and One Dress—72 Hours at Bridal Fashion Week as a Future Bride 5 Shows, 3 Days, and One Dress—72 Hours at Bridal Fashion Week as a Future Bride 5 Shows, 3 Days, and One Dress—72 Hours at Bridal Fashion Week as a Future Bride 5 Shows, 3 Days, and One Dress—72 Hours at Bridal Fashion Week as a Future Bride 5 Shows, 3 Days, and One Dress—72 Hours at Bridal Fashion Week as a Future Bride 5 Shows, 3 Days, and One Dress—72 Hours at Bridal Fashion Week as a Future Bride 5 Shows, 3 Days, and One Dress—72 Hours at Bridal Fashion Week as a Future Bride 5 Shows, 3 Days, and One Dress—72 Hours at Bridal Fashion Week as a Future Bride 5 Shows, 3 Days, and One Dress—72 Hours at Bridal Fashion Week as a Future Bride 5 Shows, 3 Days, and One Dress—72 Hours at Bridal Fashion Week as a Future Bride 5 Shows, 3 Days, and One Dress—72 Hours at Bridal Fashion Week as a Future Bride 5 Shows, 3 Days, and One Dress—72 Hours at Bridal Fashion Week as a Future Bride 5 Shows, 3 Days, and One Dress—72 Hours at Bridal Fashion Week as a Future Bride 5 Shows, 3 Days, and One Dress—72 Hours at Bridal Fashion Week as a Future Bride 5 Shows, 3 Days, and One Dress—72 Hours at Bridal Fashion Week as a Future Bride 5 Shows, 3 Days, and One Dress—72 Hours at Bridal Fashion Week as a Future Bride 5 Shows, 3 Days, and One Dress—72 Hours at Bridal Fashion Week as a Future Bride

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5 Shows, 3 Days, and One Dress—72 Hours at Bridal Fashion Week as a Future Bride

Ana Escalante, an editor at Who What Wear and soon-to-be bride, attends New York Bridal Week and shares her insights on everything, from the stylish dresses she’s interested in to the essential engagement items every future fiancée should have.