Vera Wang's Fairy-Tale Surprise

Ask any bride what she dreams of wearing on her big day, and you can bet she'll say a Vera Wang wedding gown. For more than 20 years, Vera has been the reigning queen of bridal fashion.

In 1989, Vera's bridal empire was born from a bad shopping experience. While searching for her own wedding gown, Vera says she became frustrated by the poofy, Princess Diana–inspired dresses in stores. She took matters into her own hands and created a simplified, modern silhouette for her walk down the aisle. The rest is fashion history.

Today, Vera is still the top designer for wedding couture, with Toni Braxton, Ivanka Trump, Ali Wentworth and, most recently, former first daughter Chelsea Clinton as some of her celebrity clients.