Anthropologie's BHLDN Review: From a Wedding Planner's Perspective

Today was the unveiling of the much-anticipated Anthropologie wedding line, "BHLDN," short for Beholden. I could just lead you to the link to check out the gorgeousness for yourselves, but I wanted to give you some perspective on the line, the prices, the everything - in the opinion of one wedding planner. Here is some food for thought... And just like your movies on DVD, I'll add my own little disclaimer that the opinions hereafter are those of mine alone and not all will share in them, but hey - get your own blog then. ;)

The BEST things about this line: the cover-ups (bolero jackets) and the wedding gowns and their prices. We'll get to the boleros in a minute, but first the lovely gowns. They're extremely unique and capture the essence of what we all love about Anthropologie... modern twist on vintage, feminine, different. Right now, the line only consists of 16 gowns -- not a large selection, but they do have a nice number of formal, vintage, and short dresses. The prices are, for the most part, very reasonable.
Here are my faves:
$3,600 Pleated Fantasy Dress


$1,800 Zinnia Dress

$2,400 Tulip Gown$1,000 Eyelet Medley Sheathe


Buying your wedding gown online has NEVER been recommended for many different reasons. However. I will say buying online from a trusted seller such as Anthropologie has its benefits. They have a 30-day return policy if you're unhappy for any reason; the gowns ship out (typically) within a WEEK - unheard of unless you buy off the rack, which may very well not be in your size. They give you a good fitting chart (ALWAYS get fitted by a professional seamstress to get your accurate measurements first.) Of course, you're still highly likely to need alterations of some sort. They also have online stylists available to answer questions and - the best part - they have video for every gown where you can see them on a live model and watch the material of the gown, the way it moves, and looks from every angle -- key to your happiness by setting your expectations.

Pitfalls - gowns look SO so so very different on various body types, complexions, etc. so it would be really hard to determine if they'll actually look good on you. However, you can always return. They've got good shipping rates too.

OK, on to the outstanding lineup of bolero jackets, which are very in right now. They're such a nice touch to add at your reception if it gets chilly. One of my sweet brides put hers on during the reception and said that she was married now and wanted to cover up for her new husband. So sweet.

Here are some faves:


Other things I like:

Pom-Pom ($25) and Festooned ($85) shoe clips (note the gold glitter shoes - fab!)


Sinuous Silk Bracelet ($290)


Voluminous Silk Headband ($130 )

Chantilly Romper (what bride doesn't want to wear a romper for her honeymoon night? :) ($390)

And probably my favorite item on the site is just this little number for $1,600.


Negatives? I would just say the lingerie is very expensive, and the jewelry is not all that great -- there are definitely some jaw-dropping pieces, but you'll pay for them - $450 - 700 for necklace is probably out of many brides' price range for one piece.

So what are your favorites from the line?