This one goes out to all the ladies who shamelessly searched for their dream wedding gown whilst reviewing this season’s couture collections. (You’re not alone…)

The Classic Bride: Elie Saab

In keeping with house habit, Ellie Saab crafted his red carpet-ready evening gowns from exquisite Chantilly lace, set upon layers and layers of silk jacquards, and adorned with an abundance of crystals, sequins and beads (oh my!) While his aptitude for couture doesn’t necessarily lie in his patternmaking ability (his silhouettes are repetitive, and use of ornamentation, predictable), we can always rely on Saab for gowns that are shiny and uncomplicated – the portrait of a classic bride. The simplicity of design we’ve come to expect from Saab is a nice contrast to the edgier collections paraded down the couture catwalks. While the sun-washed whites and gold-leafed detailing are far from traditional, a classic bride is bound to choose nothing more or nothing less than an Ellie gown.

The ‘Bianca Jagger’ Bride: Versace

On a scale from one to Versace, how sexy was Bianca Jagger on her wedding day? Yes, the Bianca Jagger bride is not afraid of showing off her woman curves in a gown that bares it all. Versace’s 2012 haute couture show was as sexy as sexy gets – short corseted dresses were elaborated with narrow strips of organza, sky-high slits and a fearless display of sun-kissed flesh. What man wouldn’t want to be waiting at the alter for that?!

The Modern Goth Bride: Valentino

It was more evident than ever this couture season that Valentino is still a house in transition, under its current leadership of Marie Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli. While the label’s classic femininity carried over into long-sleeves, brocade appliqué and plisse finishes, its development into a state of ascetic luxury was communicated through the collection’s dominant use of the colour navy – a simple detail indeed, but speaking volumes for a label that traditionally reads red. Chiuri and Piccioli proved the goth, in all her glory, is in transition as well. Keeping with the nineteenth century notes she craves (ie: that romantic brocade, which fell like dark shadows on satin), there was a stark quality that made the severity of the gowns feel sensual and, ultimately, modern. Let me stop the rambling; case in point: there was enough contradiction in the clothing to get future rebel brides chanting “Be still my racing heart.”

The ‘It’s my second wedding’ Bride: Christian Dior

For all the females out there already planning their second, (third and possibly fourth) wedding, I’m about to lay down the fashion rules you should consider adopting, as dictated by Dior’s latest collection. Yes, you can wear white. Yes, you can wear it short. And yes, you should wear the pants this time ‘round (literally and figuratively). Raf Simons approached couture this season with reverence and iconoclasm, achieving a sort of design equilibrium only realized by true visionaries. We love how the traditional full-skirted silhouette princess brides always opt for is truncated at the hips and offset by a pair of killer café capri pants.

The ‘Daphne Guinness’ Bride: Chanel

For the girl who understands she can make anyone believe she’s royalty, if only she dresses the part. I call this the Daphne Guinness bride, solely because Daphne had it right all along. She taught us that style that is unafraid, often outrageous or ludicrously vivid will be praised in ways unimaginable. The Chanel show is, as always, the perfect representation of this “beyond your wildest dreams” Daphne Guinness-inspired attitude brides nowadays lack (but should assume). If there’s anything Lagerfeld’s show closing (pictured above) has taught us, it’s that brides should resemble birds that are ethereally embellished – always, darling.

Photos via Vogue.com