Every so often, the Wedding Shoppe introduces a brand-spanking-new designer to our squad of fabulous bridal brands, which makes us just as giddy EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. This intro is certainly no different, as we’re beyond excited to share the news with our friends and fans. Behold, our newest wedding gown designer: Calla Blanche!

NEW & Noteworthy: Calla Blanche Wedding Dresses

Who is Calla Blanche?

Basic, be damned. Kicking boring to the curb, the designers at the Toronto-based brand take pride in their ability to offer continually updated looks each season to keep brides on the cutting edge of wedding style. With its fashion-forward approach, Calla Blanche is the go-to brand for the bride who embraces trends and knows how to integrate them into her own personal style. Two-piece gowns? Check. Cutouts? Check. Off-the-shoulder styles? Check. Traditional, cookie-cutter designs take a backseat to unique silhouettes, sumptuous textiles, daring details and bold shades. That’s not to say that tradition is thrown out the window entirely. Each design begins with a classic silhouette – including A-line, sheath, mermaid, ball gown and more – at its foundation. Once the shape is selected, the gown is given the designer treatment in a flurry of fabrics and of-the-moment flourishes, transforming the conventional cut into a modern-day work of art. In addition to the runway-ready style, another of the brand’s major selling points is its red-hot sex appeal. For the bride looking to majorly up the va-va-voom, Calla Blanche designs boast sexy flashes of skin and shapes that hug every feminine curve for the bride who wants to stand out, not blend in. Bust-hugging bodices, down-to-there V-necks, thigh-high slits, booty-grazing contours and wide-open backs – made tasteful, not salacious – are par for the course. Perhaps the best part is the price tag. While most brides dream of walking down the aisle in a high-fashion frock by a favorite label, the sky-high cost can bust almost any bridal budget. Does it really make sense to blow tens of thousands of dollars (or more!) on a gown when that money could be put to good use elsewhere? Not a chance, says Calla Blanche. Though the designs are couture-inspired, the brand is able to offer elevated fashion without the elevated cost, helping most brides stay within budget.

I’m sold. What are my options?

Here at the Wedding Shoppe, we’ll be offering several new styles from the brand’s hot-off-the-presses Fall 2016 collection. While the Spring 2016 collection took on Old Hollywood (think retro details and silhouettes infused with a modern edge), the Fall 2016 collection is a study in texture. Like beautifully delicate snowflakes, no two gowns are alike. Intricate beadwork, distinctively embroidered lace and unexpected layers of luxe textiles make this collection a true feast for the eyes. Ahead, we’ll be sharing a few of our top picks from the forthcoming collection with you, our favorite fashionistas. Read on for more!

Our Favorite Calla Blanche Dresses:

Bella: For the wifey-to-be who’s not afraid to flaunt her femininity, the Calla Blanche Bella gown is – quite literally – a perfect fit. The fit-and-flare style drapes the bride in heavenly lace from head to toe, cinching the waist and hugging the hips in a sensuous hourglass shape to show off the bride’s, um, assets. The scallop-edged V-neck dips low, practically grazing the navel, while an equally sexy V-back allows for a flash of skin from behind.   Lesley: This ethereal creation perfectly marries tradition and trend. A classic ball gown silhouette, the voluminous skirt boasts endless layers of fluffy tulle, topped by a figure-flattering strapless bodice bedecked in delicately beaded embroidery. The twist? A down-to-there deep V-neck – a fresh spin on a timeless design. Aviana: The devil is in the details with this glistening A-line stunner. Exquisite beaded embroidery twirls and swirls across the sheer panels of the fitted bodice, dipping gently into a V-neck and deep V-back. But that’s not all – deep V underarm cuts reveal triangular bits of skin for a sneaky side angle. An inset waistband forms a border between the bodice and the contrasting pattern of the skirt, which is blanketed in geometric crosshatched beaded embroidery. The fashion-forward mismatched patterns converge into one striking runway-ready look. Chloe: Like something out of a fairytale, this ladylike lace number is the height of romance. Delicate embroidery blankets the fit-and-flare style from top to bottom, forming scalloped edging across the modified sweetheart neckline, over the dainty cap sleeves and down the illusion V-back. In the back is an inset tulle train, from which a row of covered buttons gracefully ascends, crawling over the bride’s curves and all the way up the sheer back.   Kate: Reminiscent of the dreamy Givenchy stunner donned by Kim K during her nuptials to Kanye, this lace gown boasts sheer paneling and cutouts galore. Much like the Kardashian kreation, this fit-and-flare style hugs in all the right places. Triangular side cutouts widen as they wrap around the waist, opening into an exposed back, while an inset band cuts across the open sides and back, ringing the natural waist. A sweetheart illusion neckline and refined cap sleeves complete the look. Carrie: A Cinderella story, indeed. This princess-worthy ball gown design features a shimmering bodice blanketed in intricate beadwork for a multi-dimensional feast for the eyes. A V-neck and deep V-back uncover a bit of skin to balance the modest skirt, which cascades to the floor in dreamy, creamy white layers, while the bodice’s side cutouts offer a little extra oomph. Gloria: This fit-and-flare frock may be enveloped in floral lace appliqués, but it’s certainly no garden-variety gown. The sheer embroidered fabric cinches the waist and hugs the hips to create an hourglass silhouette, while a scalloped sweetheart illusion neckline finishes the style. The best part? A separate peek-a-boo embroidered overskirt is also available to transform the curve-hugging design into an A-line shape. Sitting on the natural waist, the skirt is secured at the front with an adorably diminutive bow. Alicia: This extraordinary secret garden-inspired style takes the off-the-shoulder trend to the next level. Beneath the bride’s bare shoulders, vine-like embroidery weaves through a trellis of contrasting criss-cross detailing for a visual feast of varying textures across the fit-and-flare shape. A sweetheart neckline bears a bit of décolleté, while long sleeves deliver a dose of modesty.   Victoria: Not for the wallflower bride, this super-sexy stunner boasts a healthy dose of skin. The barely-there sheer bodice features strategically placed embroidery that covers the bride in all the right places (and not much else), while the wide-open illusion back flaunts even more. The unique embroidery continues down the length of the gown, with leaf-like flourishes cutting through the criss-crossed latticework.   Jasmine: Who says that horizontal lines have to be unflattering? This luminous fit-and-flare (are you noticing a pattern here?) is a bona fide work of art, with painstakingly detailed crystal-encrusted embroidery that wraps the body in horizontal tiers, connected by shimmering beaded crosshatching. A scallop-edged illusion neckline adds a ladylike air, while the open back delivers a dose of sexy skin.   Trinity: A study in contrasts, this celestial stunner features intricate beadwork that wraps the sheer bodice, with its crystalline embroidery twisting and turning across the bust like rare shooting stars. A sweetheart illusion neckline that dips low on the bodice complements the deep V-back, flaunting an alluring flash of skin. To balance the intense shine and elaborate detail of the bodice, a slim A-line satin skirt falls to the floor in clean, unfettered lines. Bottom line: If you’re the gal who worships the pages of Vogue like it’s your very own fashion bible, falls down the Instagram rabbit hole during each and every Fashion Week and takes prides in jumping on the latest trends each season, then Calla Blanche is for you. Come visit us at the Wedding Shoppe to browse these styles and many more! You may also like…