VERA WANG | SYDNEY FLAGSHIP BRIDAL STORE | INTERCONTINENTAL SYDNEY

On Wednesday night, I attended the launch of the first Vera Wang store here in Australia. The stand-alone bridal flagship boutique is located at the InterContinental Sydney hotel. Upon arriving, we were greeted with Louis Roederer served in elegant Vera Wang for Wedgewood crystal flutes and canapés embellished with foie gras, truffle, oysters and oscietra caviar. One of my favourites were the pretty miniature wedding cakes (from cake maestro Anthea Leonard of Sweet Art) for dessert and as a toast to the many happy brides to come!

The minimalist store features arch windows filled with beautifully dressed mannequins and spotlit elegant racks. The interior design with shades of grey, including charcoal walls and sleek concrete floors, allows the beautiful dresses with tulle, lace, ruffles and layered textures to glow and be perfectly exhibited. There were magnificent classic Vera Wang pieces and the Spring/Summer 2012 Bridal Collection in store, including some dresses we found familiar, including Hilary Duff and Khole Kardasian's wedding dress designs or the one Kate Hudson wore we might have seen on the big screen in the movie Bridal Wars. In addition to the bridal gowns, the store includes accessories from footwear to corsages, as well as fragrance and highlights from the designer’s Wedgwood home collection.

The current Spring/Summer 2012 Bridal Collection sees Vera Wang take inspiration "... from the works of French artist Edgar Degas and his depiction of young dancers floating about the stage. Key pieces from the collection include an elegant strapless natural-waist ballerina ballgown with veiled layers of dégradé floral laser-cut organza and detachable trapunto-stitched bustier, and a graceful strapless sweetheart soft mermaid gown with draped bodice of sunburst pleating and cascading fan back train. Vera Wang describes this Collection as “artful and adorable”. "

For Vera Wang, it's a journey, an experience that is every girl's dream. With the Vera Wang bridal service, by appointment only, it allows brides to fully enjoy the entirety of the Vera Wang experience. For Australian brides there will also be twice yearly Vera Wang Trunk Shows, held in the boutique each May and November, allowing the brand to fully immerse with the customers. With so many brides I know going overseas every year for signature Vera Wang wedding dresses, it's great that it is now available here down under as the destination for Australians and brides from Asia. People can even spend that little extra money on other special things, instead of those more expensive flights for those multiple fittings and dress delivery!