Franklin Dean
'When Calls the Heart' is a heartwarming Hallmark Channel series that transports viewers to the Canadian West, where the residents of Hope Valley experience the joys and challenges of building a community in the early 20th century. The show features several weddings, including that of the beloved couple Elizabeth and Jack, whose nuptials were hotly anticipated by fans. Elizabeth's wedding dress, in particular, has an interesting story behind it, as it was chosen by the actress Erin Krakow herself from a sample sale at Kleinfeld Bridal in New York City, the iconic store featured in TLC's 'Say Yes to the Dress'. Barbara Gregusova, the costume designer for the show, then tweaked the dress to make it more period-accurate for the early 20th-century setting. This involved adjustments to ensure it aligned with the fashion of the time, such as adding sleeves to Rosemary's wedding dress to make it more true to the period.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Wedding dress designer | Barbara Gregusova |
| Wedding dress store | Kleinfeld Bridal |
| Wedding dress style | Modern-day wedding gown, lace, long-sleeved |
| Colour palette | Lighter colours like pink and yellow |
| Period | Early 20th century |
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What You'll Learn
Erin Krakow's involvement in the wedding dress design
Erin Krakow, the actress who plays Elizabeth Thatcher in When Calls the Heart, was involved in the selection of her character's wedding dress. While chatting about Season 12, Krakow revealed that Elizabeth's gown from Season 5 was chosen by her from the Kleinfeld sample sale room in New York City. Kleinfeld is an iconic bridal store that was featured on TLC's Say Yes to the Dress.
Krakow expressed that she had to purchase a new suitcase to bring the dress back to Vancouver, where the show is filmed. She worked closely with the show's costume designer, Barbara Gregusova, to tweak and adjust the dress to make it more period-accurate and appropriate for the show and its early 20th-century setting. Gregusova is known for taking actors' suggestions and feedback into account when designing costumes, and she has a small team and a limited budget, requiring her to get creative.
The choice of the wedding dress held extra significance, as Elizabeth's original wedding dress was burned in a church fire, and the new dress was a community effort made by Rosemary (Pascale Hutton), Abigail (Lori Loughlin), and the other ladies of Hope Valley. This added a layer of sentimentality to the already emotional wedding ceremony between Elizabeth and Jack Thornton (Daniel Lissing) in Season 5, Episode 5, "Love and Marriage".
In real life, Erin Krakow also recently tied the knot with her co-star Ben Rosenbaum. She wore a Vivienne Westwood wedding dress with an off-the-shoulder corseted bodice and cinched waist, while Rosenbaum sported a classic black suit.
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The iconic bridal store, Kleinfeld
Kleinfeld's bridal stylists offer one-on-one attention and are experts at pairing your personal style with the ultimate dress from their vast collection. The store also has a team of 120 seamstresses who perform meticulous alterations to ensure your gown is absolutely perfect for you. Kleinfeld's legacy is founded on offering a luxurious yet personable experience for each and every bride.
The iconic NYC doors of Kleinfeld have also been featured on TLC's 'Say Yes to the Dress', further adding to its fame and allure. The store carries an extensive collection of plus-size wedding dresses and showcases the most modern looks fresh off the runway while remaining true to a timeless aesthetic.
Kleinfeld's showroom features leading bridal designers such as Sareh Nouri, Anne Barge, and Tony Ward, as well as emerging designers like Nicole + Felicia and Blanche Bridal. Their beloved Israeli designer, Pnina Tornai, also started her journey at Kleinfeld. With such a diverse range of designers, Kleinfeld offers an unparalleled selection of unique visions and individual stylistic approaches.
Kleinfeld truly understands the importance of your special day and is committed to supporting you every step of the way. From dresses to accessories, their expert stylists and alterations specialists will ensure that your bridal look is absolutely perfect and truly reflects your personal style.
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Costume designer Barbara Gregusova's adjustments
Costume designer Barbara Gregusova is the person responsible for creating the costumes for each character in the Hallmark Channel series When Calls the Heart. Gregusova has a small team and a limited budget and time, so she has to get creative with her costume designs.
Gregusova works within a particular colour palette for each character. For example, Rosemary often wears vivid colours, like her blue walking suit and a red dress, while Elizabeth tends to dress in lighter colours like pink and yellow.
Gregusova takes the actors' suggestions and feedback into account. For instance, Erin Krakow expressed an interest in wearing more short sleeves, which Gregusova was able to accommodate. On other occasions, Krakow will see a coat or another item in a store that she thinks would be perfect for her character, Elizabeth, and send Gregusova a photo for inspiration.
Gregusova also makes many alterations to the costumes. For example, Rosemary's wedding dress was originally a strapless gown that had sleeves added to make it more true to the period. Gregusova might also buy a modern blouse in a gorgeous fabric and combine two of them to create an item that fits better with the show's time period.
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The community effort to make a new dress
The residents of Hope Valley in the Hallmark Channel series 'When Calls the Heart' experience the joys and challenges of building a community in the Canadian West in the early 20th century. The show's transportive effect is due in no small part to the work of costume designer Barbara Gregusova and her small team, who dress the large cast within a limited budget and time.
In Season 5, Elizabeth Thatcher's wedding dress presented a unique challenge. Actress Erin Krakow, who has played Elizabeth since Season 1, bought the dress herself from a sample sale at Kleinfeld Bridal in New York City. Kleinfeld is the iconic wedding shop featured in TLC's 'Say Yes to the Dress'. Krakow then transported the dress back to the set in Vancouver, where Gregusova and her team tweaked it to make it more period-accurate for the early 20th century. The dress was custom-made for the show and fit for a princess, with beautiful lace and floral arrangements.
However, Elizabeth's original wedding dress was burned in a church fire, so it was up to Rosemary (Pascale Hutton) and Abigail (Lori Loughlin), along with the other ladies of the community, to come together and make a new dress. This was a true community effort, resulting in a stunning design. Gregusova's team is accustomed to such challenges, often building costumes from scratch or making alterations to modern clothing to make them more appropriate to the period. They also work within a particular colour palette for each character, such as vivid colours for Rosemary and lighter colours like pink and yellow for Elizabeth.
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The colour palettes of the wedding dresses
The wedding dresses in 'When Calls the Heart' reflect the show's early 20th-century setting and the individual personalities of the brides.
Elizabeth Thatcher's wedding dress, for example, was chosen to be fit for a princess, with a modern 20th-century twist. The actress who plays her, Erin Krakow, bought the dress herself from Kleinfeld, the iconic bridal store in New York City. The costume designer, Barbara Gregusova, then made adjustments to the gown to make it more period-accurate for the early 20th century. The final design was a beautiful lace gown with a stunning silhouette.
Rosemary's wedding dress was originally a strapless gown, but sleeves were added to make it more true to the period. The character is known for wearing vivid colours, like her blue walking suit and red dress, so her wedding dress may have incorporated these brighter shades.
In contrast, Elizabeth (Erin Krakow) usually wears lighter colours like pink and yellow. Her wedding dress was described as "modern-day", so it may have incorporated softer, more romantic colours.
Mei's wedding dress, in the Season 11 finale, was a traditional Chinese wedding dress, incorporating her culture into the nuptials and creating a unique and memorable ceremony.
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Frequently asked questions
Barbara Gregusova, the costume designer for the show, made adjustments to the dress to make it more period-accurate.
Erin Krakow, who plays Elizabeth, bought the dress from a sample sale at Kleinfeld Bridal in New York.
It was burned in a church fire, so Rosemary and Abigail, along with the other ladies of the community, came together to make a new dress.
