Kansas City & the Bridal Trends We’re Loving for 2026–2027
“It’s always a healthy dose of dresses, work, and fun — and Kansas gave us all three.”
Our Journey to the Heart of Bridal Design
In July, the Pearls & Lace team packed their suitcases and set off for Kansas City — the home of world-renowned bridal brands-Essense of Australia, Martina Liana, and Stella York.
These were the first brands we knew we wanted to stock before Pearls & Lace even opened its doors, and over a decade later, we’re proud to now be among their largest stockists in the world.
So when an invitation arrived to visit the Essense headquarters again, it was time for another adventure — and this time, Carole brought along Nollaig and Noreen to experience the magic.
After a quick stopover in Philadelphia, we arrived in sunny Kansas and checked into The Country Club Plaza — a stunning area filled with shops, restaurants, and rooftop bars (yes, we tested a few!).
Day 1: Warehouse Wonders & Warm Welcomes
Our first day began with a tour of the Essense warehouse, where we seen how every single gown is handled with the most incredible care and attention to detail — down to exact temperature control — to ensure each dress reaches us in perfect condition.
Next stop was the Essense head office, where we met all the familiar and friendly faces of the Essense team that we have gotten to know over the years and from Carole's trip to Kansas in 2024. Kansas City is famous for their barbecue and were treated to a Kansas City-style barbecue lunch from one of Kanas city's most popular Barbeque restauarants before joining an inspiring bridal focus group with experts in bridal design, marketing, and customer experience. We absolutely love learning and this afternoon was one of the highlights of the trip for us. Full bridal nerd mode activated.
That evening, we swapped spreadsheets for poolside cocktails and absorbs some of the gorgeous Kansas sunshine.
Day 2: Training, Trends & the Ultimate Fashion Show
Day two was all about more learning and connection. We toured the Essense studio sets, met their marketing and social media teams, and chatted with bridal peers from across the U.S. It always amazes us what a small world bridal is- the trends are always the same in Texas, New York, Charlestown as Donegal!
But the highlight of Tuesday and the part we are always the most excited for is the unveiling of the latest collections. The Essense fashion show, where we got our first look at the bridal trends that will define 2026 and 2027. We love seeing the new dresses that will be coming into store for brides and picking our favourites for the boutique. Buying is one of the best parts of the job and it is as glamourus as it looks for the fashion show part! The hard part then is making sure we pick the right dresses, the ones which our brides are looking for, the ones that will have the best fit and making sure we have them in the right shades, the right sizes and that we aren't missing anything- that is the head frying part! Cue- Carole with excel spreadsheets!
The Bridal Trends for 2026–2027
This season, it’s all about a blend of romance, classic, and individuality. Some seasons the dresses are all simpler or another season all more detailed- there are strong themes. The collection this year we really felt had it all- we seen classic clean dresses, ultra glamorous pearl dresses and also classic and soft un-beaded lace so the choice is more individual than ever.
There were a couple of key trends that stood out to us from the collections:
Corsetry & Structure
Beautifully constructed bodices, visible boning, and cinched waists. Dresses that feel couture — created to sculpt and celebrate every bride’s silhouette.
Modern Minimalism
Sleek, pared-back gowns with clean lines and subtle sheen. Simple doesn’t mean plain — it means confident, refined, and timeless.
Soft Matte Lace
Romantic, feminine, and less “sparkle,” more texture. Lace feels organic and natural again, adding soft movement without fuss.
Pearl Accents
From veils dotted with pearls to delicate button backs and necklines, pearls are everywhere — adding subtle luxury to modern gowns.
Ballgowns Are Back
The return of volume! We’re seeing dramatic full skirts and structural layers. We bought more ballgowns this year than ever before!
Other Trends We Loved:
The clutch bouquet — small, sculptural florals carried like an accessory. We had seen this wedding trend appearing before the summer and loved to see this trend then feature on the Essense Catwalk. Go check out this trend on Pinterest- you will be obsessed!
Something blue reimagined — soft blue veils, bows, and embroidery. Something blue has always been around from blue shoes to the traditional blue on garters. But because brides are changing their look or creating entire second looks- they are able to have more fun and be a little more daring with this. 
Day 2 Evening: A Taste of Italy in Kansas
After a full day of learning (and swooning over gowns), we went with the gorgeous Katie from the Essense team to dinner at the incredible Lazia, where we all agreed — it was the best Italian of our lives.
We finished the night with rooftop cocktails overlooking the city — the perfect end to a perfect day.
Day 3: Dress Decisions & a Target Haul
Day three was all about final selections — we revisited the showroom to confirm our favourite gowns (and trust us, they’re breathtaking).Not pictured here are several excel spreadsheets and litres of diet coke & coffee. Fun Fact- Essense actually have their own coffee beans, being an Australian company they are passionate about coffee also!
After our busy day, we squeezed in a Target haul on the way home for a few gifts to bring home to our kids and little target fans, followed by dinner and drinks back at The Country Club Plaza.
Day 4: True Society & True Inspiration
Our final day was spent at True Society, Essense’s flagship bridal store in Kansas City.
Getting a behind-the-scenes look at how they deliver the bridal experience stateside was so inspiring — it reminded us why we love what we do. We loved meeting their team, watching them run appointments- it felt like we were in a real episode of 'Yes to the Dress' even though it's what we do everyday!
We ended the trip with drinks at the Loews Hotel, reflecting, dreaming and planning for another year of incredible brides ahead.
What’s Next
Now that we’re home, the excitement continues as our new season gowns that we picked in Kansas are starting to arrive in-store and we're seeing brides reactions to them. We have new dresses arriving weekly now in the boutique and we are loving the fact that brides love these dresses as much as us, and that they are giving them those dream dress vibes and moments.
You can see all our New Dresses here. Below is one of our gorgeous new arrivals pictured in-store. We have this bridal dress in two sizes- 12 & 20. Each season once we have bought our gowns, we then work hard researching accessories trends and sourcing pieces that match our dresses so we can help brides create the full look. How incredible is this gorgeous thick matte lace edge veil with this new dress! We're really excited to create looks and for styling the new arrivals in the season ahead.
Our next bridal adventure? London in November! More dresses, more inspiration, and no doubt… a few more cocktails.
We absolutely love our work. The travel, the training, the sparkle and the cocktails — it’s all part of the fun for a team of girly girls who live and breathe bridal.
Yet nothing compares to that moment when a bride walks down the aisle wearing a gown that we’ve travelled the world to bring home — a dress we’ve seen from sketch, to catwalk, to brides on their wedding day.
And that will always be the very best part of it all.
xo
