It Happened This Week: The Knot Industry Gala at The New York Public Library

On Monday evening, Carley Roney, Editor in Chief of The Knot, gathered the “Who’s Who of the Wedding Industry” to celebrate the end of Bridal Market with an elegant gala at the New York Public Library. Wedding experts, bridal fashion designers and other luminaries of the wedding world danced and mingled in the halls of the legendary landmark, which was awash with a decidedly “Old New York” feel, thanks to StoneKelly and JoAnn Gregoli from Elegant Occasions.

The Knot's Carley Roney with Sylvia Weinstock

The editorial team of The Knot had set up a red carpet to welcome all the wedding experts, and Merci New York had the chance to interview some truly remarkable designers.
We loved Anne Barge’s golden gown, {below left}, which was the finale piece of her runway show. Anne told us she wanted to “design something fabulous” for bridal market, and that gold “always inspires her.” The icing of this gilded masterpiece was definitely the decadent gold veil – it evoked such a sense of drama down the red carpet, we could only imagine how exciting it would be for a wedding!

Left, Anne Barge and model in her design. Right, Claire Pettibone and model in her design.

Claire Pettibone {above right} walked the red carpet with one of her models wearing our favorite gown from Saturday morning's runway, with a light blue toile print and long lace sleeves. This look perfectly showcased Claire’s inspiration for her new collection: French Country Romance.

Ines Di Santo

Asked to describe her collection in three words, Ines Di Santo instantly told us “Glamorous, Elegant and Sexy.” She sipped champagne with our amazing blogger Amelie, and as she sashayed down the red carpet, Ines boldly stated this was her “best bridal market ever.” Bravo, Ines!

Carley Roney with Monique Lhuillier and husband, Tom Bugbee

Amelie also had the chance to chat with The Knot’s own Carley Roney who reflected on 2011 Bridal Market. She described it as "sexy, fascinating and utterly elegant"… Just like The Knot Gala, an annual event that she hopes to make a tradition in the industry. “The cinema industry has the Golden Globes, the music industry has the Grammys, and now the wedding industry had the Knot Gala,” Carley told Merci New York.

Music keeps guests dancing all night long

Finally, Heather Levine, Fashion Editor at The Knot, shared her takeaways from Bridal Market... After sitting alongside many runways this weekend, Levine advised that “layers, sleeves, embellishments and sequins will be heavy trends next season” and “silver, gold and muted colors” will steal the show as new color trends for 2012.

Our team! Merci New York blogger Amelie Ingenito with Jacqueline and Michael Weppner

Levine, a newlywed herself, was married only a few months ago, so we couldn’t help but ask her for her best piece of advice for a NYC bride. “Be true to yourself,” she exclaimed. And with the range of gowns that sashayed down the runways this week are any indication, it’s never been a better time to get creative with bridal fashion.
Want more? Be sure to stay tuned for all coverage from the bridal market runways, coming soon on Merci.

Top photos courtesy of Brian Dorsey Studios/ The Knot.com; blurry ones via our iPhone ;)