La Sposa Fanal brides

[The Future Mrs. Willis]

Lanie-
Love the Dress! And after reading your forums I feel exactly the way you did.
I got the dress a little less then a month ago. I drove 2 states to try on a different dress and ended up with the FANAL. I am not sure about it. I am a size 10/12 in wedding and I tried it on in a 16. It was huge.
But when they pinned it I liked it a lot. I can''t say I loved it...but it was like my 50th dress I tried on and really just needed to make a decision. It was in the top 3 and the least expensive and no sales tax in that state so I went with it. Still with doubt because I always pictured myself in something that made a little bigger statement or something no so plain. But after seeing your recent pictures of the dress fitting you like I glove I love it. So now I''m a little more excited about. We have similar body type and it looked amazing on you. I think I will definitely go with the sweetheart neck line like you had it pinned your bustle looks beautiful too. Now did you go with the ivory?
It looks great. I ordered it in Oyster. I hope it doesn''t come looking too gold. I saw another girl on here that said she ordered oyster and her dress is sooo gold in the picture she posted. My hair is blonde sooo ivory was a lot of white on me!
Can you tell me more about how she did your bustle...
Thanks for your help and let me know your thoughts..
Thanks

 

[blackbetty]

It definitely not too gold--just an undertone. It looks great with gold jewelry, though.

I liked my bustle. She did a French bustle, so it bustles under. It was a little complex with the tulle & satin layers, and yuor bridesmaid will be way up in your butt, but it takes like 3 miutes & you''re good all night. A couple other girls did once with multiple pick ups that attach on the outside (Chibride is one, if you see her pics), but I prefer the French, because it doesn''t hide tjhe shape of the dress.

 

[cheeks335]

I just ordered this dress. I LOVE IT!!!!!!
Anyone from New York here? If so, where did you get your alterations for this dress?

Thank you.

 

[Twinkle Toes]

I love this dress! Mine is coming in December, however, I''m a little concerned about the size the bridal shop ordered for me. I usually wear a 6 on bottom, and from others'' experience that should translate into 8 or 10 in this dress...but apparently the shop ordered a 4 after taking my measurements!

Blackbetty: what size did you order? I''m about your size (an inch bigger in the hips though).

Also, how much did your guys'' alterations cost? I''m not looking for anything fancy--just hem, bustle, and probably adding a slight sweetheart neckline. Just wanted to see what reasonable prices were!

 

[Miya03]

Ok I ordered the dress! I love it. Here are some pics, with the Augusta Jones belt...I''m having it ordered in ivory satin so it won''t be the grograin that you see here.

 

[Miya03]

Another

 

[Miya03]

Here you can see the belt close up.

 

[Lanie]

Miya!!! I had forgotten that you asked me if I got it at Maison Mode. Then I recognized it from your photos! The dress looks FABO on you!!! I like the belt as well. Yay!!! What accessories/veil are you going to wear?

Blackbetty and Chibride, you both looked delicious in it as well!!! I loved the dress! I got it cleaned and picked it up a few weeks ago and immediately put it back on. It just has such a lux feeling when you wear it!

 

[Miya03]

Thanks Lanie! Honestly, looking at all your pics helped me make the decision (it was this or a LeAnn Belter dress--sooo comfy, but it was more "princess" than I am). I''m wearing a long veil with sparkles throughout (cut-edge), and I bought some Art Deco diamond earrings (a wedding present from my mom) that are pretty and dangle but aren''t overwhelming. The closest that I can find online to show you are these, but they aren''t my actual earrings: http://www.antiquejewelrymall.com/artdecplatan.html

I''m still thinking about whether or not I want a small necklace--I don''t want anything overwhelming but it might be nice to have something there. Also, I''m so glad you like the belt! I loved it in the store because it helps to accentuate my waist and gives the dress a little more sparkle, but looking at it in the pictures I''ve been wondering if it takes away from the line of the dress. So I''m glad someone else likes it too.

I''m debating wearing my hair up or half-up/half-down. I originally thought half-up because I have really broad shoulders and it''s nice to have something breaking up that line from the back. I think if I do go half-up I might add a flower in my hair (probably fake).

 

[joelly]

Wow!!! Everyone is so beautiful. I tried this too after I bought my dress and darn it, I wish I know about this before I bought my dress, silly me!!!

 

[notdub75]

Hi Ladies....you were talking about the dress being a bit plain. I decided to make the hair and accessories bolder to bring a bit of glamour to the whole look. Might not be everyones cup of tea but its another idea to think about for your big day.

Hope it helps x

 

[notdub75]

The necklace and bracelet was enough with the hair..I had earings with the set too but decided that this was enough.

 

[Miya03]

Wow, what a necklace! You look stunning.

 

[joelly]

Wow!!!! notdub75, I must say you are one gorgeous bride!!!!! I wish to look like that in my wedding day. Save that picture, that picture is timeless. You look stunning!!! Congrats!!!

 

[notdub75]

Ahhww thanks girls. It was a great day and I loved it all....this site gave me a lot of help and I enjoyed seeing the other fanal brides'' ideas. It can really help to see what other people do.

 

[blackbetty]

I don''t think it''s plain at all. Sorry, I''ve been MIA since my wedding--catching up at work has been madness!
My MIL told my husband I looked like an old hollywood movie star & I''ve gotten mad amounts of compliments on the dress.

 

[blackbetty]

full length

 

[notdub75]

WOW Blackbetty you look amazing....you have a fab figure!! A real hollywood sarlet!! The colours all work together so well and compliment your own skin tone. The pics are timeless...perfect.

 

[MagsyMay]

Blackbetty, you look STUNNING! Your MIL is right, you do look like an old Hollywood movie star! So timeless and beautiful!!

Miya: As you''ve seen in my dress shopping thread, I was concerned it might be too simple, but I do LOVE the belt you''ve chosen to accessorize the dress with! I tried on one belt at another shop with another dress that I loved, maybe I''ll have to look into trying the Fanal with a belt! Thanks for the idea!

Notdub: You also looked gorgeous in the dress and that necklace is a real stunner!

 

[Cathlink]

Wow Ladies! Gorgeous photos!

My dress just arrived into the salon this past Wednesday, on my birthday! Eeee! I am super excited. I will go try it on this weekend. I live in Fresno and the gown is in Sacramento, so I am trying to decide whether to alter it in-house or bring it back here and find a local seamstress. Any advice?

I also inquired about replacing the button back with a corset back and the told me I would have to find my own material to do it, which sounds like it will be tricky since the oyster is pretty unique.

@blackbetty: OMGosh you look wonderful!

@notdub75: That necklace is just perfect, looks gorgeous!

 

[Miya03]

I''m curious, what shoes has everyone picked out to wear with the dress? I can''t decide if I''m going to go ivory or silver or maybe blue....

 

[blackbetty]

Who knew this would ever be such a popular topic? Man, we are all so damn stylish with our Fanals!

My dress was oyster, which picks up gold beautifully. All my jewelry was gold & so were my shoes. I was originally going to do a color, but it didn''t seem to really fit with the dress, jewelry, etc. Either way, I didn''t want to worry about matching, so metallics are a good way to go. I found a pair that had the rhinestone detail to go with my earrings & bracelet and with a strap so I wouldn''t fly out of them.

 

[Lanie]

I know, right? I am so flattered that the dress has gained so much in popularity!

Cathlink -- I wouldn't put in a corset back. I purposely steered away from corset backs (that was my own opinion though) and it would be expensive to make the switch. Also, it already has a corset inside...I couldn't imagine having 2 on there! I think you should go with the original design...the way it was meant to be.

Miya -- I had ivory shoes, and I changed to bright red ones for the reception! Gold, ivory, or any pop of color would look great!

 

[Cathlink]

Lanie, thanks for the advice. I picked up my dress and tried it on again and realized that the corset back was not as big of a deal as I thought it would be to me. I do love the original back, I think I will keep it.

As for shoes, I am planning on red ones!!! What height heels did you brides decide to go with? How comfortable were your feet?

 

[Lanie]

Cathlink -- I wore red as well!!! I wore very pretty ivory ones with a bling broach on them for the ceremony, then change to red ones for the reception. They were such a bit hit!!! Here''s a pic of my red ones and my ivory ones!

 

[Lanie]

I don''t have a pic of me in them with my dress unfortunately. But when I get my pro pics CD, I''ll post them! I loved having a pop of color.

Have you looked at shoes yet? What are you thinking of? What other accessories? Veil or no veil?

 

[Miya03]

I

LOVE both pairs of your shoes Lanie! May I ask where you found them and if they were comfy?

 

[Lanie]

The ivory ones are from davids bridal, believe it or not! I found them online just looking around. They were okay comfy. The red ones were from nordstrom. Not gonna lie - they crazy hurt. Plus I literally never left the dance floor so by the end of the night I was dying. But they were so cute on and ppl kept taking pics of them the whole night! Thanks!!!

 

[wabride]

Hello to all you beautiful Fanal brides!
I have been lurking on this site for a while but haven''t posted until today. This dress is the SECOND dress I tried on at the FIRST dress shop we went to, but due to the fact that my parents and siblings had flew out from the west coast for NYC wedding dress weekend that my amazing sister/moh had put together, and we had 6+ more shops and 3 days left, I felt like I had to reserve my emotions and not get too attached. But I kept coming back to it in my mind... After trying on literally 100+ dresses, I had two finalist and last night we went to the first appt (which was at Pronovias Flagship in NYC), put it on and absolutely loved it just as it was in my mind, so we purchased it, canceled the other appointment, and went for cocktails instead. So as of last night I''m officially a Fanal bride too! I''m so excited! I absolutely love it!

Many thanks to all the brides and brides-to-be that have posted their picture on this site. If anyone has any other pictures or website/blog from their photographers that have their pictures on them I would LOVE to see them!

I went with the Ivory (although it seems like most people are going with the Oyster) and I''m pretty sure that I''ll be doing a deeper sweetheart bodices as well. I''m also getting a belt, but was not "wow-ed" by any of the belts they had at Pronovias Flagship Store. So I''m still on the prowl for that

I''m attaching some pictures for all those undecided brides, as I know that I was virtually daily stalking this site before I made the decision to see more pics of the dress.

Again, thank you all in advance for any further pics you''re willing to send of you in your dresses (would love to see more "real" wedding pictures!!).

 

[wabride]

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