South Africa – alive with possibility! These words, advertising our country on CNN and on the taxis in London, often came to mind when I attended The National Wedding Show held recently in that city. I have been participating in these shows for the past six years, and every time I come away feeling even more proudly South African than before. Visitors to our stand had nothing but words of praise for our country and it was interesting to talk to the many who are planning to marry on our shores. Even if they were not intending to marry here, many still said that it was one of the countries they were hoping to visit.
The Show, which took place over three days (from Friday 22nd to Sunday 24th February), was once again very busy, and with only two of us manning our stand, we worked solidly, with hardly a break. We handed out thousands of copies of Under African Skies - a guide to Weddings and Honeymoons in South Africa, which we had had airfreighted to London. We also had copies of my latest book, The really useful Wedding Book for South Africa, on sale. (My grateful thanks to all mothers of South African brides living in London, who had posted copies of the book to their daughters.) It was wonderful to hear first-hand from many of them how useful the book had been with their planning. It was also encouraging hearing from many brides that they read this column online.
Our stand at this year’s Show was opposite a large area displaying wedding gowns, and what an interesting place this proved to be! The rails of wedding dresses were like magnets to the brides-to-be, particularly the dummy featuring the beautifully elegant Ellie Saab- designed bias-cut dress with a fishtail bottom. We witnessed brides-to-be shedding their winter outer apparel in no time at all, and emerging in the glamorous garments. By the end of the three days of the Show, we were in no doubt as to the style of wedding dress that was a clear winner among the brides.
It was interesting to note that the age of glamour is still with us and that a style popularised by Marilyn Monroe in the movie The Seven Year Itch, way back in 1954, is still a hot favourite. White Mischief, the company selling these dresses, offered this wide, waisted and full-skirted dress in both short and long lengths, and with either halter or over-the-shoulder tops.
This revealing V-necked dress, in an off-white, satin-backed crepe with a fine net overlay, was a definite hit with the fuller-busted brides. Another style that proved to be popular was the romantic ‘Jane Austen’ look. The dress, with a square, lace-edged neckline, small lace-cap sleeves and a straight empire line skirt with a bow under the bust, looked extremely pretty on many fair-skinned brides-to-be. One could just imagine the bride wearing it to her wedding in a stone church in an English country town.
Lace shrugs worn with strapless dresses were also a popular choice, as were veils (especially long flowing ones). As bystanders, it was interesting to see how, on many occasions, these veils completed the overall look.
I mentioned in my column last month that wedding dress designs were becoming more streamlined and less ‘ballgown’ in style and this definitely seemed to be the case in London too, with the full-skirted princess-style gown being the one that was tried on least often. However, empire lines with low backs, as well as short trains, continue to hold their own in the popularity stakes.
Exhibits and exhibitors at the Show ranged from wedding cakes, stationery, photographers and bridal wear to wedding magazines, wedding organisers, jewellery, venues, car hire, chocolate fountains, honeymoon venues and more. In addition, visitors were treated throughout the day to a variety of talks and interviews. As always, the fashion shows - which were held four times a day in a vast space at the back of the huge Olympia Exhibition Centre – were a big attraction.
I have to admit that I felt that this year’s fashion show lacked the energy and originality of previous years, and, to be honest, was somewhat boring! Previously, at least one or two gowns have stood out from the rest, but there were no major showstoppers at this year’s event - or even any major emerging trends. A few of the dresses featured a bit more colour, but nothing that had never been seen before. The main crowd-pleasers, and the ones that consistently drew the only applause, were the very cute little girl and boy who modelled very appealing flower girl and page boy outfits.
On the other side of the exhibition hall, British TV style-guru Caryn Franklin once again hosted the very popular How to Look Good makeover shows, during which she and other experts provided the low-down on body shape, dresses, accessories, hair and make-up. A lucky bride-to-be in the audience was chosen to receive a make-over by top make-up artist Ariane Poole and British Hairdresser of the Year, Errol Douglas. After the make-over she was whipped backstage and emerged looked stunning in a wedding dress, to much applause from the crowd.
Meanwhile, Carryn shared some style secrets with the audience. She is a great fan of corset tops, as she feels that they give your figure an hour-glass shape. Her recommendation to brides was that they tie them up tightly for the ceremony and photographs, and then let them out later for the reception, to allow for more relaxation. Another tip she offered was that the popular Empire-line style is a good choice for petite women, as it makes their legs look much longer. According to her, antique rose is a popular colour for wedding dresses this season. She also advised brides to try on many different styles of wedding dresses before making their final choice.
Looking around at the vast and varied collection of stands on display, I once again felt confident that we could offer as much, if not more, to those marrying back home in South Africa. I have never quite understood why, as a nation, we still tend to think that if something is imported it is automatically better than what is available locally. Whenever I walk around these London shows, I know that our dress designers, floral artists, venues etc. can easily hold their own in the international arena. And after three days of hearing only praise about our country, my answer to the question: ‘South Africa – alive with possibility?’ would definitely be a resounding ‘YES!’
