Jennifer Lòpez
By IRIS EDÉN SANTIAGO
Special to The STAR
When money is no object, most brides turn to luxe labels like Vera Wang, Elie Saab, Monique Lhuillier, Jenny Packham and Vivienne Westwood. Not salsa singer Marc Anthony’s new wife Nadia Ferreira.
Ferreira, who kept her wedding dress under wraps and reporters guessing for months, chose Russian fashion designer Galia Lahav for the special occasion. Although not a household name in Puerto Rico, Lahav is a leading international bridal couture designer known for her contemporary opulence, romantic silhouettes, plunging backs and sparkling dresses. Lahav is also known for dressing celebrity brides including Beyonce, Paris Hilton and Olympian Simone Biles. Actress Gal Gadot and tennis superstar Serena Williams have also turned to her for special engagements. Interesting fact? Salsa singer’s former wife, Puerto Rican Jenniffer López, has worn dresses by the designer in the past. The wedding gown she wears as “Darcy Rivera” throughout most of the action film “Shotgun Wedding” was designed by Lahav.
According to Lahav’s website, a custom-made wedding gown by the brand ranges from $7,000 to $20,000. The average cost of a wedding dress in the U.S. is around $1,000, though the majority tend to range anywhere between $300 and $1,650.
Born in Belarus with Israeli nationality, Lahav, with 30 years in the couture bridal business, is considered the pioneer of Israeli bridal brands. Her skillfully tailored corsets, cinched bodices and bejeweled embellishments have captured the attention of brides-to-be around the globe. As revealed by Hola! magazine, the only media outlet authorized at the wedding event, Nadia Ferreira wore two dresses. At press time, we saw the one chosen for walking down the aisle. It was a princess wedding ball gown over a strapless corset bodice with structural shoulders. The stunning design is embroidered with scattered floral appliques, crystals, beaded petals and other tiny 3D floral embellishments. The gown also has beaded leaves over nude tulle cascading down the dress’s long illusion sleeves. The bride wore a cathedral length veil.
The delicate dress chosen by the former beauty queen for the big day is part of Galia Lahav’s FW 2023 collection, which focuses on grand ball gowns, tailored corsets, and neo-romantic designs that feature sparkling lace and tulle. Each look in the collection is meant to evoke uniqueness through accents such as capes, jackets, overcoats and overskirts, according to the website. The couture collection is about glamour, sparkle and drama. The gowns feature new couture techniques to introduce modern yet timeless silhouettes. A focus of the collection is on lots of volume without the weight to offer effortless movement and elegant drape. Bridal Collections by Galia Lahav can be found in 70 stores across 40 countries in Europe, Australia, China and the United States. Flagship stores in the U.S. are located in Miami, Los Angeles and New York. Other flagship stores include Shanghai; Tel Aviv, Israel; and Hamburg, Germany.