It’s been a tricky year for brides. From postponed weddings to fiercely competitive 30-person guest lists, rearranged details and sometimes entire cancellations, the Coronavirus pandemic has had a knock-on effect to almost every wedding that was planned from March 2020 onwards. And with local lockdowns already having begun and whispers of a impending national second wave, the chaos is still ongoing.
But if anyone is resilient enough to tackle the emotional turmoil associated with the upheaval of such a sentimental occasion, it’s brides.
You’ve not only found and formed a formidable partnership with the love of your life (which, let’s face it, can be a battle in itself), but you’ve also spent months, if not years, relentlessly researching, making decisions and often having to compromise. What’s a few more obstacles, hey?
With the utter upheaval of so many planned nuptials, several brides are throwing out the rule book entirely and forgoing certain traditions in order to make. It. Happen.
And while some are getting married on Zoom or in the garden without family members present, others are looking to their sartorial choices as an area to put their own spin on things.
Ditching the traditional wedding dress, several are cottoning onto the recent trend of bridal separates. We’re talking skirts and corsets. Jumpsuits. Suits. Removable trains. Adjustable sleeves. If you’ve got a little longer before your big walk down the aisle than initially planned why not make the most of it and get really creative with your wedding look?
Designer Kate Halfpenny is a pioneer within the bridal separates sector, which she admits to design in hope that the bride will re-wear parts of the special outfit over and over again.
@lydiamillen / Instagram
@lydiamillen / Instagram
“The beauty of separates”, Kate explains, “is the wealth of possibilities at your fingertips. You can really fine tune your vision and get the very best of both worlds when it comes to choosing something for your wedding look and also being able to wear it again afterwards.”
“Of course, if you go for one of our huge overskirts then you may not be able to wear that again on quite as many occasions as a slimline skirt or trousers, for example, but many of our brides have their skirts or dresses tailored afterwards by cutting them short or removing the train.”
@voguewilliams / Instagram
@halfpennylondon / Instagram
“I also love the drama of an outfit change halfway through the day and my over skirts and beautiful layers – sheer or beaded – are made for those moments.”
Known and loved for her versatile pieces, Kate has an impressive roster of clients who each headed to her Halfpenny London bridal boutique before their own special days to create something entirely unique.
Millie Mackintosh is one of the designer’s biggest fans, and opted for an elegant, classic base dress with an embroidered over skirt and sheer, balloon sleeves which she removed half way through the day.
@milliemackintosh / Instagram
Influencer Lydia Millen also opted for a Halfpenny London bridal look, opting for the Riri skirt and Gordon long-sleeve for the ceremony, before swapping the top for the Dita beaded corset during the evening.
Not only looking to the designer for her wedding look, Lydia is also a big fan of Halfpenny’s Henson trousers and corset two-piece.
@lydiamillen / Instagram
@lydiamillen / Instagram
Vogue Williams is another who relied on Kate Halfpenny’s creativity for her bridal look, while Holly Willoughby opted for the Riri skirt and Andrea corset for an epic, ethereal aesthetic while presenting an episode of Dancing on Ice.
@hollywilloughby / Instagram
All of Kate’s pieces are handmade in England, and the iconic bridal label is is running an initiative to create capsule collections using end of line fabrics to make garments ensuring no fabrics are land filled.
Where that isn’t possible Halfpenny London is donating fabrics of older lines and samples to schools and universities.
See, brides. It’s not all doom and gloom is it?
Visit halfpennylondon.com to make an enquiry or to book a boutique visit.