Israeli-Designed Wedding Styles

We’ve got one thing to say about this bridal inspiration – the dresses are beyond gorgeous! From beginning to end, walking down the aisle in one of these creations is a dream come true! Picture yourself at your wedding in one of these stunning gowns. Which one will you wear?

Picking a Dress That Tugs at Your Heartstrings

Getting hitched is a life-changing event that marks the beginning of something truly beautiful. The ceremony means a great deal because it signifies that two people have decided to stay devoted and committed to each other. It's easy to see why most make a day out of it and celebrate their nuptials in style.

For most brides, finding the perfect wedding dress ranks high on the list of priorities. Even more exciting, the shopping process is the first time that most women will try on selections of gorgeous wedding gowns. Even with a vivid idea of the ideal bridal ensemble, it might take time to get your hands on your dream dress.

The process isn't cookie-cutter for each bride but what's universal is the desire to find a dress that tugs at your heartstrings. Given that this spread is dedicated to top designers hailing from Israel, it's only fair to explore how weddings unfold in that part of the world as well as bride-centric traditions that you might want to steal for your big day.

It's an Occasion Drenched in Love

Most Israeli nuptials are based on the Jewish faith with influences from Indian and North African cultures. However, modern weddings in that part of the world are now influenced by western trends as well. Love is still at the heart of it all, and it's reflected through every facet of the big day.

Orthodox Jewish ceremonies last anywhere from 30 to 50 minutes. Guests seat according to gender, and the super religious folks even host separate ceremonies for men and women only to later gather for the wedding celebration. Much like western weddings, the ceremony includes the exchange of vows and wedding rings.

The bride-to-be is treated to a Mikvah Bathing Ritual which takes place after the wedding or the Saturday before the big day. 200 gallons of rainwater is involved in the process which in the modern sense is more like a spa experience.

Israeli Wedding Outfits

Guests dress more comfortably at Israeli weddings and their ensembles lean more towards the casual side. Male guests often cover their heads with skull caps known as "Yarmulka" or "Kippah." The suits are pretty much your standard European design.

The groom dons a shawl referred to as "Tallit" or a white robe known as "Kittel" for the ceremony. When it's time to celebrate the nuptials, the groom changes into a suit and wears a"Kippah" as well.

Like in most weddings across the globe, the bride's ensemble remains the show-stealer. Israeli brides wear white wedding dresses that should be "Kosher." The bridal ensembles are often modest, the decollete isn't too low, and the skirts are often ankle-length.

Modern Israeli-Designed Bridal Ensembles

Naturally, modern Jewish brides bend the rules a bit as displayed by the beautiful selections of gowns from Israel's top designers. In the case of Israeli weddings, most brides still try to make sure that they follow some religious traditions while embracing modernity. For instance, some might choose to don strapless numbers like the Zahavit Tshuba designs paired with cover-ups for the ceremony.

Beyond the Middle Eastern nation, lists of brides in Western countries, and really everywhere else across the planet, are saying yes to Israeli-designed wedding dresses. A case in point is when Beyonce rocked a bridal ensemble for the red carpet. Designed by Inbal Dror, the multi-Grammy winner wore the sheer, high-necked gown to the 2016 Grammys.

Israeli bridal designs also stand as statement pieces ranging from form-fitting to floral ball gown silhouettes. Sheer mermaid ensembles are equally popular and that takes us to some of the trending Israeli-designed bridal styles.

Mermaid Silhouette and breezy fabrics

The romantic Dror gown, as well as the Lihi Hod designs, showcase the mermaid silhouette at its best. It's a timeless design that never goes out of style, and the fit and flare aesthetic looks great on most brides. Best still, it accentuates the curves.

The Shimka designs are the best embodiments of how breezy fabrics create whimsically fun bridal ensembles. Fashioned using tulle and other breezy fabrics, the look is perfect for nuptials hosted at outdoor locations like gardens and beach venues.

Vintage Elements and 3D appliques

Most Israeli bridal designs have hints of vintage elements mostly brought about by the lace details. French lace is a common denominator in many of the styles, and it perfectly blends the old-world charms with modern aesthetics.

For the signature touch, as the Maison Bellaish looks, most Israeli bridal looks feature 3D appliques or floral embroidered details. Dror uses Swarovski crystals in some of her creations while Shimika sprinkles beading embellishments on her looks.

Slits and dramatic details

Elements like the high slits give the bridal looks a romantic and sexy edge. Dror is on the list of Israeli designers who fully embrace this style. One of the Hod pieces also showcases how slits can be chic bridal details. Most of the mermaid styles are also paired with sweeping trains. The trumpet-style trains add to the overall drama and truly makes every bride the belle of the ball.

Zahavit Tshuba is yet another designer not afraid to break from tradition by presenting two-piece looks, alternate-coloured ensembles, and ruffle designs. Some of Tshuba's merge eclectic and unconventional styles by merging elements like delicate shoulder necklines and leather details

A few pieces, like the second Hod creation, incorporate haute couture techniques. The oversized sleeves paired with the low-back, and back bow detail give the look a high-quality aesthetic.

Full-length Sleeves and low backs

Several of the bridal looks feature full-length, sheer sleeves. That's where a hint of conservativeness comes into play, and the long sleeves also give the ensembles a touch of glamor.

The low backs enhance the romantic feel and further give the looks a modern edge. In cases where the outfits feature this style, the ensembles also include back bow details.

Tel aviv’s top bridal designers

I’m so pleased to welcome the lovely Lian of Israel’s top wedding blog – Hatunot  to Burnett’s Boards today!

It’s hard not to fall in love with the bridal designs coming out of Israel and I fell hard when I shared Ronen Farache’s newest collection a couple of weeks ago. To go a little more in-depth I asked Lian to come and share a little bit about Tel Aviv’s top designers!

Hatunot’s fashion posts have always been favourites of mine and Lian pulled out all the stops for this one. You’re going to love it!

For a country the size of New Jersey, Israel has a surprisingly large number of amazing bridal fashion designers. Even though I have been blogging about the local wedding industry for over a year, it seems like the talent of our local designers just keeps growing and every time I discover a new designer it is as thrilling as when I wrote my first blog post.

Tel Aviv is the fashion capital of Israel, and most of the designers live and work near the city. It was really hard to choose just five favourites because there really is so much talent here, so I’ve brought you designers to cover every taste and style: from boho-chic to red carpet worthy glam.

One of the hottest names right now in the bridal gown scene not only in Israel, but around the world is 39-year-old Zahavit Tshuba. Although Zahavit has had a passion for fashion her entire life, she first decided to major in gemology and diamond studies and only later decided to fashion.

It was a great decision because Zahavit’s fashion-forward gowns are stirring up a buzz all over the bridal world. Zahavit’s gowns can now be bought in Australia and will be arriving in the United States very soon so stay tuned!

Victor Bellaish’s boho-centric creations are the crave of many Israeli brides. Bellies are a former designer for Roberto Cavalli and launched his line ‘Maison Bellaish‘ in 2006. Bellaish’s gowns are inspired by romance and the art nouveau style of 20th century Paris. They are easily recognizable from afar due to their unique one-of-a-kind look.

If you are a bridal gown enthusiast, the name Inbal Dror should already be a recognizable one. The Ashdod based designer (30 minutes from Tel Aviv) has gained international fame for her low-cut daring backs and intricate designs. Her gowns are now sold internationally, so if you like what you see be sure to check out her website for more information.

Another hot name in the local bridal circuit is Lihi Hod. This 31-year-old fashionista graduated from Shenkar (Israel’s leading design school) and was immediately picked up for an internship at John Galliano’s Paris studio.

Several years ago, she decided to return to Tel Aviv to launch her own bridal line and has been designed romantic gowns since then. Lihi Hod doesn’t have a website yet, but you can check out her gowns on her Hatunot page here.

We shouldn’t leave without a vintage budget option and thankfully designer Shimrit Bitton delivers just that. Her downtown Tel Aviv boutique ‘Shimka‘ offers a range of romantic vintage gowns that are all sold for under $1,500. The dresses all have a lovely vintage feel and are made with breezy fabrics with a close attention to detail. These are perfect for the budget savvy bride!

Which of these bridal designers is your favourite? Let us know!

Credits: Hatunot gowns are pictured here