Storyboard Wedding Why It Works Wednesday

Lately I have been playing the ‘If I were getting married’ game with  myself.  No no, the hubs and I are fine, swear!  I have to imagine that most wedding industry folks go through the same thing as I am right now.  Day in and day out you’re exposed to any number of gorgeous wedding accoutrements from decor to fashion, with each new inspiration drudging up a feeling of, ‘oh I would love to wear that or have table decor like so’ and so on.  I find myself easily slipping into a world where I squirrel away ideas for my fantasy wedding…. labeled as vow renewal, but I digress!  I think the biggest ‘offender’ for me are the stunning wedding gowns that seem to be endlessly revealed with each new incredible season.  As wedding dresses are a seriously dialed up version of  special event frocks, I think they are consistently the most relatable wedding element around and as such, the spotlight of today’s Why It Works Wednesday!

If you don’t already know Pronovias, seriously get to know them and quick.  I won’t go too far down the rabbit hole here but Pronovias has grown to be quite a rather large design house with strong  Spanish roots stemming from Barcelona beginning with a small family business back in 1922.  Each collection is surprisingly vast, wonderfully diverse, and always ultra feminine, romantic & seriously in tune with the female form.  I’ve had the privilege of sitting runway side at a show or two and can honestly say audible gasps can be heard on a number of occasions.  The object of my affection today is Pronovias Manuel Mota’s Erika, which in short is a full lace beautifully fitted strapless gown with a pretty amazing lace poncho.

Pronovias Manuel Mota Erika Full Lace Fitted Wedding Dress Poncho Shoulder Wrap

Breathtaking, amIright!?  The body hugging silhouette is the keystone to the design, and I am probably going to blow your mind when I say this, but I actually think this curve enhancing number will truly look just as incredibly stunning on more full figured gals as well!  The beauty of the design is the perfect enhancement and soft hug of each and every female curve.  The strapless top is indeed your standard sweetheart neckline, but as you might not notice, the bodice is designed to  wrap forward & in,  most certainly creating a support system that brings the girls in and up.  Not only does this bodice offer incredible structure to the chest, it equally brings everything in around the waist, false waists need not apply here!  Where a lot of strapless sweetheart necklines fall flat in their inability to provide total  support & structure {sometimes feeling as if they are moving from left to right, aka wide allowing for spillage, vs front to back} Erika is beautiful AND strong by design.

To quote Shakira, the hips on this feminine dream dont lie either.  There is a quiet beauty to the race track like flow of the design, allowing the natural given form of the female to do the heavy lifting.  Here again is another reason that I actually think full figured gals could be incredibly stunning in Erika, enhance those gorgeous curves!  The material of the gown is allowed to simply fall along the natural curvature of the body, with just a few spots of guidance.  The secret here is in the water like ability to take on its surroundings vs creating a false forced hip line.  Lastly but certainly not least, the trumpeted skirt & petite train which is TO.DIE.FOR.  As if the structured top, waist line, and hip hugging elements weren’t enough, the perfectly executed trumpet finish to the gown serves as the quiet giant.  Wonderfully flared in juuuuust the right amount, the trumpet skirt provides some much needed symmetry to the overall  design.  Trumpet flares on gowns are a wonderfully complimentary shape to just about every form,  creating a delicate & uniquely feminine balance.  On more curvy gals it allows the S shape curve of the body to fully complete and on more slim ladies, provides that necessary shape overall to give that full female form, a win win!

Pronovias Manuel Mota Erika FUll Lace Fitted Wedding Dress With Lace Poncho Front Back

*Pronovias Manuel Mota’s Erika

I have purposely left out the true star to Erika until now…. The LACE!  Oh yes, the lace and she is a mighty star at that!  Lace can be used in many a ways, but trust when I say, the patterns chosen, the places used, and the direction of the lace’s movement {yes lace can have movement} is ALWAYS with purpose and by design.  Remember how I was speaking of the corset to the gown and the structure which gave lift and tightness, not only is that the case due to the boning and design, BUT the placement of the lace in all its scalloped glory is the real reason the shape comes through!  Look again at the bodice starting around rib cage.  You’ll note the expertly placed scalloped trim of the lace that comes up over the hip on either side, meeting in the middle just around the leg split in the front, creating a natural directional illusion for the eye that pulls everything inward, the perfect slimming effect.  The lace is uttering stunning and down right drool worthy throughout the gown, but in this particular section, the delicate material has a real job to do, and do it beautifully it does!

As if all this gorgeous lace weren’t enough, Manuel Mota crafted the perfect accoutrement to the Erika dress, the lace poncho.  Mullet cut in design, the poncho is perfectly short in the front, hitting just below the chest line, while dropping to just below the backside on the reverse, really allowing for the lace to stand out from itself, which is truly a feat when you think about it.  Lace on lace can easily look like noise, but the beauty here is allowing the freedom in size & length to really pop out from the gown itself.  Worn either traditional poncho style or just gracing the shoulders leaving the chest bare, this piece is a really fun element that will serve both the more reserved just as well as those looking for a bit more of the spotlight.  Naturally the dress doesn’t need to be worn with the poncho at all, but it certainly provides a great option for those wanting to have a transition from ceremony to reception.

The beauty to Erika is the ability to be a bit of a chameleon.  Naturally a more romantic, luxury seeking bride will feel right at home in a gown of this design, but I can also see a boho chic bride eyeing a frock of this nature.  As always a wedding day look comes in a complete package and is everything from the hair & makeup to accessories that fully drive the look your after.  I can’t stop swooning over Erika’s utterly gorgeous shape and how incredibly feminine it feels.  I don’t think any gal wearing this gown could feel anything other then the most gorgeous woman on the planet and I am fairly certainly that’s the point!  Is this lace beauty among your top favorites like it is mine?  How do you feel about the gown’s ability to transcend different female figures?  I’d love to hear your thoughts on this gorgeous lil gem and as always, send in those design breakdowns!!

Storyboard Wedding Post Signature