Photos: Courtesy of Lovely Bride

From the West Village to the West Coast, NYC's loveliest bridal salon is expanding to cities across the US, staring with the Feb. 14 opening of its new LA location. Seemingly destined for California's indie vibe, Lovely Bride caters to women whose independent spirit aligns them with designers such as Ivy & Aster, Carol Hannah, and Nicole Miller—all collections that will be carried in the new store, along with accessories by Untamed Petals, Twigs & Honey, and Lo Boheme.

Tucked away in a garden courtyard on North Robertson Blvd., the salon will host a larger celebration in April but is already taking appointments for its Valentine's Day opening. Visit Lovely Bride online for more information.

—Phillip B. Crook

Photo: Fairchild Archives (Streep), Conde Nast Digital Studios (runway)

The Oscar's are three short weeks away and designers are helping celebrities pick the perfect dress for the red carpet. We've been busy at the office coming up with our predictions of who might wear what, but until the stars step out of their limos the secret is a secure as the name in the Oscar envelope.

Meryl Streep is no stranger to the awards shows and this year was nominated for Best Actress for her role in The Iron Lady. While we thought her shirt dress by Alessandra Rich at this year's Golden Globes was a bit of a miss, we loved the white Chris March gown she wore to the 2010 Oscars and thought this taupe mother-of-the-bride dress by Watters Collection 20 had a similar streamlined quality.

See our prediction for Michelle Williams' Oscar gown and visit our Mother of the Bride gallery to view more dresses.

—Stephanie Davila

Photo: Courtesy of Nordstrom

Last month we got a glimpse of the first of three wedding gowns Christian Siriano is designing exclusively for Nordstrom. Here are two other wedding gowns from the collection, which will be out in March.

From the looks of it, Siriano didn't scrimp on the fabric, but instead skipped the beadwork to keep the price down. The tulle gown on the left retails for $1,920, while the one of the right is priced at $2,280. Plus, it provides the perfect blank canvas to accessorize it and make it all your own.

Check out the rest of Nordstrom's new wedding gown lookbook.

—Stephanie Davila

Photo: Jackie Lebowitz

A working girl loves Ann Taylor for no-fuss work clothes that transition from the office to date night. For the same reason, we love Ann Taylor's five new wedding gowns from the Spring 2012 collection, which are equally unfussy and versatile.

Photo: Jackie Lebowitz

The mini collection is great in range: an unadorned ivory silk chiffon shift dress with a matching sash, a beach-y peach gown with a handkerchief hem and sequin beaded bodice, a one-shoulder white chiffon gown with pin-tuck detailing, a sweet and simple short dress with a crochet overlay, and a strapless column dress with a lace overlay. The thing they all have in common is a phenomenal price tag: all under $1,200 (and starting at $550).

—Jackie Lebowitz

Vanity Fair's Hollywood issue hit newsstands this week to reveal its picks for the next wave of starlets, such as Jessica Chastain and Rooney Mara—both of whom have Oscar nods. The cover also confirmed that the Roaring 20s and Old Hollywood Glam are here to stay.

Between Midnight In Paris, My Week With Marilyn, and the highly anticipated The Great Gatsby, it's no surprise that pop culture is getting a full spoonful of this retro look. In addition to being big on the runway at shows like Ralph Lauren (center), bridal designers such as Pronovias (top left) and Reem Acra (top middle) are getting in on the action. With that, of course, comes accessories that channel the same spirit. We picked a few of our faves.

Necklace, Bijoux Heart; ring, Kenneth Jay Lane; Shoe, Calvin Klein Collection; Purse, Ralph Lauren

—Stephanie Davila

Photo: Courtesy of Sophia Kokosalaki

Grab a pencil and write this name down: Sophia Kokosalaki. The fashion designer, who is also the head designer for Diesel Black Gold, launched her first bridal collection in January—and we can't seem to get enough of her ethereal designs. Born in Greece, Kokosalaki named each dress in the 18-piece collection after a Greek goddess. This tulle gown is entitled Thalia after the muse of comedy one of the Three Graces, and comes from the Greek noun "thallw," which means "to blossom." How romantic!

A handful of styles will be available on Net-A-Porter.com later this month and the rest will be sold directly through her website.

Browse more gowns in our Wedding Dresses gallery, and visit our local vendor listings to find a bridal salon near you.

—Stephanie Davila

Photo: Courtesy of Banana Republic

The world issued a collective groan back in October of 2010 when we learned that Mad Men's fifth season wouldn't return until 2012. Oh, the martini-sloshed agony! A year and a half later, the wait has proven its worth now that Banana Republic will offer a second iteration of its hugely popular Mad Men-themed capsule collection—juuuust in time for the show's March 25 premiere.

Banana Republic creative director Simon Kneen and the show's Emmy Award-winning costume designer, Janie Bryant, revisited their shared passion for 1960s design to create a new 40-piece collection for spring. Incorporating bold floral prints, tailored fits, and statement accessories, the styles include dresses, capris, and cardigans for the Joan Holloways and blazers, polos, and vests for the Don Drapers. (Sounds like a treasure trove of party outfits and bridesmaid looks, if you ask us.) Hitting the store's typical price point, items will range from $35 to $355. Look for the collection to make it's encore debut at Banana Republic on March 1.

Click here to see a Mad Men-inspired wedding cake.

—Phillip B. Crook

Although brides must wait until March to snag one of the two bridal gowns Christian Siriano designed exclusively for Nordstrom, the Project Runway alum's Spring 2012 video campaign premiered this week just in time to tie you over.

The ad stars actress Mena Suvari modeling a range of looks from Siriano's Katharine Hepburn-inspired collection at the Soho Grand Hotel. While we can't exactly picture Hepburn donning one fiercely tangerine gown in particular (tangerine pants, however, yes), the look would make an ideal gown for trend-obsessed brides. Pantone predicted that tangerine will be the color in 2012, something Siriano clearly already knew. Click here to see our tips on translating the trend into your wedding style.

—Phillip B. Crook

Photo: Conde Nast Digital Studios

We're loving the creamy perfection of this drop-waisted Rivini gown with a crumb-catcher neckline and contrasting floral appliques from the designer's Fall 2012 collection. It'd be the perfect fashion complement to a romantic garden celebration, don't you think?

Browse more gowns in our Wedding Dresses gallery, and visit our local vendor listings to find a bridal salon near you.

—Stephanie Davila

Photos: Patrick Demarchelier (Carolina Herrera); Craig McDean (Oscar de la Renta)

Like many well-matched competitors, Oscar de la Renta and Carolina Herrera share some rather obvious commonalities—luxury empires and couture sensibilities among them. But one thing the designers likely never intended to share was a concept for their respective Spring 2012 ready-to-wear ad campaigns.

Both spreads feature models (Sigrid Agren for Carolina and Karlie Kloss for Oscar) wearing boldly hued gowns shot in nondescript rooms with graphic black-and-white floors. The main distinction is that Patrick Demarchelier photographed Carolina's campaign from a lower perspective than Craig McDean's elevated vantage for Oscar—well, that and Carolina threw in some furnishings, but who's splitting hairs?

We'd never dream of playing favorites between Ms. Herrera and Mr. de la Renta, but we'll say this, at least, for the latter's ad campaign: The high-low skirt and cropped-sleeve lace top are also available in white in Oscar's Fall 2012 bridal collection.

See more looks from Oscar de la Renta and Carolina Herrera (similarities, differences, and all) in our Wedding Dresses gallery.

—Phillip B. Crook

Photo: Fairchild Archive (Michelle Willilams); Conde Nast Digital Studios (runway)

Michelle Williams has come a long way since her days on the teen soap Dawson's Creek—the actress was nominated for an Oscar for her lead role in My Week With Marilyn. Whether she decides to channel her character and go the blonde bombshell route for the Oscars is anyone's guess, but based on her previous red carpet looks, like this red Valentino number she wore to last week's SAG Awards, we predict she will keep it demure-yet-chic with a column or sheath gown, very likely one with sleeves. That being said, we think this beaded Reem Acra gown would be perfect for her svelte, petite figure and signature style.

Browse more gowns in our Wedding Dresses gallery, and visit our local vendor listings to find a bridal salon near you.

—Stephanie Davila

Oh Kristen Wigg. We love you so, but we have to ask: What were you thinking when you accessorized a halter dress with a thick choker necklace? We know you are in the business of being funny, so was that a joke?

But seriously, we aren't in the business of being mean but we are in the business of giving fashion advice to brides, so we thought it was worth pointing out that it's a no-no to wear a choker with a halter dress. Dangling earrings or a cuff bracelet, sure, but never a choker because it competes with the neckline and hides your neck, which just looks weird.

But the Balenciaga gown itself was pretty—we'll give you that.

See more halter gowns in our Wedding Dresses gallery, and visit our local vendor listings to find a bridal salon near you.

—Stephanie Davila

Photo: Fairchild Archive

Although we think you'd be hard-pressed to find a bride who would turn her back on any one of the 44 flirty looks that Elie Saab sent down the runway earlier this week, the very last look has undeniable bridal appeal.

"I thought of the fairytales," Saab explained after the show, "which all girls dream of, in order to come up with this collection. Concerning colours, I thought of very soft colours but ones that still retained the dazzle I wanted to achieve in this collection."

And dazzle us he did. The wedding gown featured a sweeping pink and white ballgown-style skirt finished with crushed glitter. Cap sleeves, a tied waist, and a cutout neckline all reinforced the fairytale. Not to mention that endless train.

As the designer behind some of our favorite red carpet gowns, Elie Saab will no doubt be front and center at this year's Academy Awards. The question isn't which celebrity will be wearing Elie Saab, but how many.

Bridal designer Amsale Aberra, who is best known for her namesake collection, Amsale, is teaming up with Nordstrom for an exclusive lower-priced line called Nouvelle Amsale.

The four-piece collection will hit Nordstrom Wedding Suites in February, and will be available made-to-order for around $2,400 to $2,800 (her private label hovers around $6,000). And much like the Amsale line, these dresses are fuss-free and classic—with a modern twist.

This comes as exciting news, especially after Nordstrom just announced a two-dress collection with Project Runway alum Christian Siriano last week. We have a feeling they have a few more tricks (ahem, collaborations) up their sleeve and can't wait to hear what's in store.

—Stephanie Davila

See the full collection after the jump!

To better understand their muses, we asked some of our favorite designers to imagine what their brides would say on everything from '80s icons to fantasy destinations to bachelorette parties. Meet the woman below who inspires Alfred Angelo designer Michael Shettel.

Photos: Conde Nast Digital Studio (runway); Fairchild Archive (coffee machine, Gaga); courtesy of the vendors (others)

Is there a designer you want to see featured in this series? Leave a comment or shoot us an email! And see more from Alfred Angelo in our Wedding Dresses gallery. —Phillip B. Crook