Today I had a great experience visiting the atelier of THE Anne Barge and sampling her trunk show. The salon is quite lovely and the gowns were of course to die for.

Casey was my tour guide and she did a great job showing me the collection. There are 3 lines to choose from. In order of price they are: "Couture," "Black Label" and "La Fleur." There were also several stunning Badgley Mischka Bride gowns available there including this "showstopper:"

Badgley Mischka Bride gown at Anne Barge Atelier

Casey shared with me that brides in the South really love lace. We looked at several beautiful gowns that made her point - some with added beads and crystals, others just lace from bodice to skirt. Casey said that other than the attraction to lace, there was no clear winner with regards to silhouette or style among today's brides. Some brides want the big, beautiful ball gown look, others want the slimming sheaths. Lots of brides ask for sleeves but then choose sleeveless gowns once they try them on. Either way, there's a wide selection to choose from at Anne Barge.

For the bride who wants to be different, the collection features several blush pink gowns that I was particularly drawn to. The pink is very subtle and the gown designs were quite gorgeous. I saw this one which was once featured in a magazine I think and it was really exquisite in person:

Photo: theknot.com

Casey also shared with me that Ms. Barge has been experimenting with new fabrics. She showed me a silk magnolia fabric in a Badgley Mischka Bride dress that was really beautiful. There were also gowns made of silk shantung, silk charmeuse and other newer fabrics that were wonderful selections as well.

Other innovative features of today's wedding gowns included gowns that convert into shorter versions for dancing into the wee hours of the night. There were at least 2 of these kind featured at the trunk show. Also saw gowns with pockets in the skirts. Perfect for hiding your grandmother's handkerchief in case you're prone to crying at the altar.

The highlight of my visit was meeting Ms. Barge herself. She was very warm and welcoming and a radiant spirit in person. Several lucky brides were receiving her personal attention while I was there. One cool thing in the salon was a black and white photo of Ms. Barge's mother as a bride. It was a wonderful photograph and really set an elegant mood in the salon.

If you live in Atlanta, I would encourage you to visit Anne Barge and see the wonderful gowns that she designs and offers there. If not, check out her designs on her website www.annebarge.com or look for her other Trunk Shows throughout the Spring. Also, Ms. Barge's newest line will be introduced this April so look out for those pictures soon.

Anne Barge's Atelier on West Paces Ferry in Atlanta, GA