Big news this morning for Carolina fans of the Priscilla of Boston bridal line – their Signature Salon experience is coming to Raleigh!

As a long time fan of the line, this is so exciting.  I have long preached that the POB label as well as Melissa Sweet, Vineyard, Jewel, Platinum and Reverie (which all fall under the same design house) are tailor made for the Carolina bride.  Classic sensibilities with modern touches thrown in for of-the-moment looks.  I really think there is a dress for every bride and every budget in these lines.  Indeed, two of my all-time favorite dresses from my Top Ten series are by Priscilla of Boston & Melissa Sweet.

The grand opening is slated for Saturday, June 19th, and it is the first and only Priscilla of Boston Signature Salon in the Carolinas.  The boutique will be located at 2023 Cameron Street in Raleigh in the heart of Cameron Village.

They will also carry their lovely bridesmaid designs so even if you already have your dress but are still on the hunt for your girls, you have to check it out!

No further word on if locally owned boutiques who carry the line will continue to do so or if the Signature Salon will become the one spot to get your hands on one of these beauties.  Maybe someone in the know will chime in and fill us in!

Either way, we couldn’t be more excited to welcome Priscilla of Boston and crew to Raleigh.  Carolina brides thank you!

For a slightly different take on the 3-dimensional fabric flower design from that Liancarlo gown, I LOVE this design from Melissa Sweet.  It’s got a little more va-va-voom than the Liancarlo gown, thanks to the slinky fit-to-flare silhouette.  And I love how the floral motif is brought up to the diagonally draped bodice with that flirty flower petal on the bust. 

What do you think?  Do you have a favorite between Melissa Sweet’s Uma and Liancarlo’s 4804?  I was hesitant to include 2 such similar dressse but I love each’s use of dimensional fabric details and, amazingly, the differing silhouettes really makes them feel unique to me. 

Let me start by saying I am a HUGE Melissa Sweet fan.  Yes, I know they’re owned by the evil dress Goliath that is David’s Bridal, but the line consistently puts out great dresses in my opinion.  Seriously, top #3 favorite designers for chic, eminently wearable, timeless yet modern gowns.  The fall collection last year…not one dress I didn’t love.  Not one!  So as you can imagine, I get pretty excited for the new collection.

Don’t get me wrong…there are some winners.  Big, big winners that I rank right up there with some of my Melissa Sweet perennial favorites (like this one, this one and this one). These make me happy.

{Photo credits:  Martha Stewart}

But these…what happened?  I know they can’t all be home runs and perhaps my expectations are unrealistic.  But really?  Someone please tell me that crazy fabric lei thing is detachable…please!  I don’t know, am I being too harsh? Someone disagree with me, please.

p.s.  For what it’s worth, I do love the hot, retro pin-up vibe with the red lips and curled bangs though.

{Photo credits:  Martha Stewart}