It's 3 a.m., and I'm at Disneyland. Where popcorn carts and visiting families once stood are now camera cranes and models. We're all gathered here in the middle of the night for the taping of a fashion show for Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings, which just released its newest bridal collection featuring dresses inspired by nine princesses. Taking place in front of the park's pastel castle, the fashion show also revealed the addition of bridesmaid dresses.
The collection is Disney's fourth with Allure Bridals. "Going on our fourth collection, I think it's an interesting challenge to make the dress special and different," says Nikki Deeds, the global brand manager for Allure Bridals. This year, Deeds tells POPSUGAR, the pressure was on with the larger Disney enterprise celebrating its centennial. And so, greater emphasis was placed on little details, like beading and lace appliqués.
Deeds also wanted to make sure they were incorporating new trends, like voluminous puff sleeves, asymmetrical necklines, and modern fabrics without sparkle or lace. "It combines the nostalgic timelessness of the princesses and brings them into the modern bridal trends of the year," Deeds says of the collection.
All in all, the new collection has 21 gowns inspired by the following princesses: Ariel, Aurora, Belle, Cinderella, Jasmine, Pocahontas, Rapunzel, Snow White, and Tiana. Prices range from $1,799 to $10,000, and all gowns are available in sizes 0 to 30. As for the first-ever bridesmaid collection launching in the fall, dresses will be available in various fabrics and more than 20 colors. At the fashion show, models wear pink and blue in a nod to "Sleeping Beauty."
Deeds does have a favorite. "Belle really speaks to me. I'm probably more of that classic, timeless, traditional type of gal, so I love Belle," she says. "She is in a beautiful, soft mikado fabric. She's simple and elegant, which is very trendy right now."
Korri McFann, the marketing director for Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings and Honeymoons, is a fan of the Tiana-inspired dress featuring elaborate beading and fringe shoulders. "It actually hearkens back to the jazz age, so I'm a little smitten with that one," McFann says.
Now, it would be safe to assume the collection is only for so-called Disney adults. Deeds argues otherwise: "They are modern and just beautiful bridal dresses, even for the girl that maybe isn't the Disney fan but wants to feel like a princess in her own way." I observe as much during the fashion show. Though I am occasionally able to match a dress with its corresponding princess, it isn't as glaringly obvious as I had assumed it would be.
McFann thinks people generally carry a lot of assumptions about Disney weddings in general. (She herself got married at Walt Disney World's boardwalk.) She says, "I think some misconceptions are: What would that look like? Where would that be? Are you getting married by Mickey Mouse?" McFann also credits the Disney+ series "Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings" with helping show the variety of what they do.
Looking ahead to future collections, Deeds wonders if they'll experiment more with color or perhaps put out a villain-inspired range. In the meantime, however, Deeds says the Cinderella dresses continue to be the collaboration's top-selling "by far," with Belle and Pocahontas quite popular, too.
For anyone currently wedding-dress shopping, Deeds recommends noting how a dress makes you feel, as opposed to how it makes you look. She says, "That's what we're really shooting for, is just creating that magical moment for every bride."