The wedding market has changed: from the recent rise of the anti-bride aesthetic to varied bridal trends, championing unique designs, the unconventional, and personal is finally at the top of bridalwear's agenda.
Since 2019, the contemporary bridal shop, The Fall Bride, founded by Annelise Sealy, has been at the forefront of this movement. After struggling to find bridalwear that resonated with her style, Sealy opened the boutique with the modern-day, independent bride in mind. Founding The Fall Bride as a destination for women who don't relate to mainstream bridal offerings and yearn for a relaxed yet elevated alternative to wedding dress shopping.
"The wedding industry is traditionally quite conservative and very feminine, and not everyone identifies with that anymore," says Sealy. "The shopping process can also be quite intimidating, which is not something that I ever want a customer to feel. It's important for us to create a space and product offering that not only represents a truly modern customer but also offers a safe space with no judgment."
Through The Fall Bride, Sealy has been able to stock multiple international retailers that align with the boutique's ethos and values of local and ethical production, with almost all of their brands holding nearly all-female teams. From LA-based Cinq Bridal to Spanish brand Cortana The Fall Bride is the UK exclusive stockist for many Global bridal brands.
The Fall Bride recently announced that it would be stocking one of New York Bridal Week's most disruptive collections: Tanner Fletcher's 'Weddings' 2024 capsule. Making its debut earlier this year, this bridal collection has been long awaited by adoring fans since the brand's inception in 2020.
Founded by Tanner Richie and Fletcher Kasell, the pair decided to release a bridal collection after noticing the industry's gap in the market for non-traditional brides, grooms, and celebrants. As with their previous ready-to-wear collections, they held the same ethos of ignoring gender labels, uplifting individual personalities, and highlighting authentic characters. This ethos has strongly resonated amongst celebrities and the fashion set alike, with avid fans of Tanner Fletcher, including Bad Bunny, Troye Sivan, and Tom Daley.
"To me, it is non-negotiable to stock brands such as Tanner Fletcher. Everyone deserves to love and be loved and to be able to express their love for their partner however they please. If that's a wedding ceremony, then we are honoured to be part of their day," says Sealy, "Tanner Fletcher photographed their wedding collection on real couples, which is not only so lovely and joyful but also the first true breadth of representation across LGBTQIA+ couples that we have seen in the wedding industry."
“Upon doing research into the bridal industry, the first thing we noticed was endless gender norms. The bride does this, the groom does that. We always say we like to take our customers out of a box rather than put them in one, and Tanner Fletcher Weddings is no exception. Many prospective wedding clients are making their own rules and traditions when it comes to how they celebrate their nuptials. It’s our job to adapt to their needs, allowing them to shine brightly as their authentic selves on such a special day,” says Tanner Fletcher co-founder, Tanner Richie.
Inspired by the true, delicate nature of love, this collection deeply relates to the delights of wedding details from lace trims, silk charmeuse, ruffles, feathers, bows, and tuxedo stripes. Covering all aspects of wedding dressing, from shirting to blouses to gowns, cocktail dresses, suits, and dressing robes.
Taking a nostalgic 1920s-inspired approach to satin ball gowns and reworked 1950s and 60s silhouettes (a major 2024 bridal trend, as stated by Sealy), each piece has its own speck of vintage individuality with a modern twist. Ensuring the colour palette is anything but classic white, the brand has introduced muted off-whites with deep blacks and—of course—unusual touches of blue as per the classic 'something blue' tradition.
Over at The Fall Bride, there is a lot of love for the collection's Walt Bow Suit due to its multifunctionality to mix and match with different bows. Perfect for a bridal party or for someone looking to find a special piece to wear on multiple occasions.
Additionally, the Lucille 'Love Letter' gown has been highlighted as a favourite by Sealy. This gown was crafted from hand-placed patchwork fabric with printed love letters dating as far back as the late 1800s. The beauty is in the details as this gown can be customised with couples' love letters, notes from loved ones, vows, or from a loved one who's passed; it is truly one of a kind.
Fulfilling an important demand in the bridal market that can be difficult to find elsewhere, it's deeply refreshing to see boutiques like The Fall Bride open their spaces to trailblazing brands like Tanner Fletcher to ensure couples and guests feel welcomed and cared for in their search.
“The brand represents a demand in the market that is difficult to find elsewhere. Not only do we see traditional bridal clients coming to the brand for their wedding day attire but also grooms and, more specifically, queer clients coming to Tanner Fletcher with relief from their previously inconclusive search for a wedding day look that feels representative of themselves," says Tanner Fletcher co-founder, Fletcher Kasell.
Tanner Fletcher's 'Weddings' is now available to shop at The Fall Bride in-store.
