48 Hours in the Life of a Fashion Editor Who Went to Barcelona Bridal Week

Pronovias headquarters is huge. It's also ridiculously close to Barcelona's airport and one of the first buildings I spotted when I touched down. We were welcomed to the atelier by a handful of people, including the head of corporate business in America and the marketing team. They were so excited to host us, we celebrated with glasses of cava, a traditional Champagne.

Supermodel Irina Shayk just so happened to be trying on her gowns for the show, so we got a sneak peek at one of her looks. Next, we watched busy pattern-makers and seamstresses put the finishing touches on the Atelier line. We learned that the creation of a dress pattern alone can take up to 80 hours and how important lace is to Pronovias as a brand — it's a signature detail on almost all the finest gowns.

The design team assembles up to 300 pieces of appliqué on a mannequin like so, creating the toile, or model, for the final product. After this laborious process is complete and designer Hervé Moreau is satisfied, technical directions for replicating the dress are printed.

After a brief rest, we dressed up for dinner and took a trip to the Pronovias flagship store, located right around the corner from our hotel. We "bridecessorized," trying on netted fascinators and crowns that round out the label's bridal collection. Next, we went downstairs, where two excited brides-to-be were trying on dresses. All around the pristine shop were black-and-white inspiration photos of women whose wedding gowns went down in history. Kate Middleton, Jackie Kennedy, Carolyn Bessette, and other famous royals were all framed, serving as the Pronovias mood board.

We were also shown to what I'll call the celebration room, where brides congregate with their families once they've selected a Pronovias dress. A lovely bar complete with glasses of cava and chocolate candies was a surprise appetizer before our tapas dinner that evening.

After a heavy dinner, I put on my running shoes and made it to Jardins del Palau de Pedralbes, a lovely garden complete with gorgeous flowers and breathtaking architecture. The most romantic thing about Barcelona is that every building and every landmark looks completely different. You won't forget a single place you've been.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Pronovias designer Hervé Moreau before his runway show. Though he was busy, he answered my questions in French, and we sat with a translator in the model tent outside. It was a lovely location — right beside the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc, which is located in front of Barcelona's famous museum. Hervé recounted some of his favorite moments as a Pronovias designer, including working with Irina Shayk, who's walked in his own shows twice. As he detailed the bridal looks I was about to see later that night, models like Romee Strijd and Lourdes Coteron started to arrive behind me. How silly could I be to think that Mr. Moreau would forget to enlist some of the most beautiful Victoria's Secret supermodels in the game to show off his looks?

We jumped in a cab and directed our driver to the Mediterranean Sea, stopping at a crowded area where tourists get their shopping on. Tables and tables line the beach, covered in trinkets, books, jewelry, and other antiques up for sale. After putting my bargaining face on, I made out with an ivory elephant for a friend, a soccer jersey for my boyfriend, and a tiny music box for my mom.

I made plenty of time to shop for myself too. Everything seems more affordable in euros, so I hit up one of the many Zaras, which are stationed along the streets just as often as Starbucks in New York (seriously!).

A shop owner on Las Ramblas directed us to a sweets shop called Caelum Barcelona. Hidden in a tiny alley, it was clearly a stop for locals, and I was delighted by this cream puff pastry and a chocolate-sprinkled cappuccino.

The runway show began at 9:30 pm, look after look making for dreamy eye candy. I sent plenty of shots to my best friend who's looking for a wedding dress, and she oohed and ahhed over this strapless design on Cindy Bruna, its peplum frill extending into a floor-sweeping train. Of course, it was covered in Pronovias's signature lace appliqué.

Irina Shayk's final look featured a sleek, high-neck sheath that was backed with see-through lace and a long double train that extended from the sleeves on both sides. As a tribute to Prince, the aerial lights turned lavender and "Purple Rain" played as Irina slowly struck a pose in the center of the room.

Irina Shayk and Cindy Bruna weren't the only well-known models to walk in the Pronovias show. Romee Strijd, Jac Jagaciak, Kate Grigorieva, and Lourdes Coteron — many of whom are Victoria's Secret veterans — slipped into three looks each. Here's a detail shot of the backs of the gowns. The models lined up for Irina Shayk's finale walk, and she greeted at the end of the runway by designer Hervé Moreau.

When I spoke with Hervé, he gushed over the simplicity of Carolyn Bessette's sheath dress. He told me her exact look inspired a few of his Atelier gowns. While Carolyn's was a champagne silk, this design with a relaxed plunging neckline totally fit the bill, reminding me that sometimes, classic comes out on top.

The eight-hour, 50-minute plane ride back home wasn't easy, but I had the most recent issue of Vogue on hand. Inside was a feature on Andrew Bolton, who curated this year's Met exhibit, focusing on fashion in the age of technology.

The connection between what I'd just seen in Barcelona was palpable: the intricate process that goes into creating couture and the 2016 gala, which will bring out similar jaw-dropping gowns. All these pieces are made by hand, yes, but they wouldn't be possible without the help of a computer. Thank goodness we have Instagram to zoom in on all the little details.