Cornelia Powell has been the voice of conscious, intuitive weddings for over two decades. She offers brides a guide for combining the wisdom of ancient rituals and the freedom available in modern culture to create ceremonies from their hearts. Exploring how the origin of ancient ceremonial traditions reveals the true inner spirit of women, Cornelia leads the way in restoring a sense of intimacy and grace to the world of overly commercialized weddings.

Cornelia developed an imaginative eye for costume early on, playing “dress-up” in her mother’s wedding gown and trousseau lingerie as a child in Alabama. She honed her artistic eye in her early twenties as an associate editor at Vogue magazine. These experiences, combined with her interest in antique textiles and how the past influences the present, contributed to the creation of her namesake shop opened in 1986 in Atlanta. An “art-to-wear” store honoring life’s rites-of-passage and the feminine spirit, it was filled with beautifully restored romantic vintage clothing, designer gowns of antique laces and new silks, and one-of-a-kind accessories.

The innovative store provided women an elegant alternative for bridal and special occasion wear. Becoming nationally known over the years, it was touted by magazines as “magically unique, something out of a woman’s dream.” Cornelia shared folkloric stories that addressed the deeper questions of a bride’s transformational journey with the thousands of women who came into her shop—and today with audiences around the country—establishing her expertise in wedding mythology and as a spokesperson for “wise, heart-full weddings.”

To the dismay of romantics everywhere, Cornelia closed her shop after 14 years. Afterwards was a time of travel and expansive exploration, finding the inspiration for the language for her book envisioned years before. Interweaving tales of costume history, wedding mythology, women’s studies, goddess legends, and her own intuitive musings, Cornelia writes and lectures on subjects close to the heart of all women. Her book in progress, Weddings of Grace: The Bride You Want to Be, The Woman You Become, focuses on women’s inner growth as the heart of wedding traditions, creating more meditative, intimate weddings and relationships.

Cornelia continues her entrepreneurial ventures, intending her new online magazine, Weddings of Grace, unique products (including the upcoming Bride’s Ritual Kit), and future books bring ease, pleasure and reassurance into a bride's life, shaping a more conscious world. Cornelia speaks of every woman’s life as a series of rites-of-passage, illustrating the magic possible when each passage becomes spaced with the reverie of inner stillness.

“The Autumn Weddings Of Grace is super. Your authorship is felt. I’ll share with a friend’s daughter who is getting married….. Your soothing words may help her be more meditative as her special day approaches.”  -Kaye in Florida  “I have read every single page of your beautiful new e-zine … what an expression of you!  I felt myself getting centered and quiet as I read.  It is such an exquisite inauguration of what is to come.  Thank you! (makes me want to get married....).”  -Cynthia in Texas “Your e-zine/site is lovely – rich with meaning, which is so refreshing in the make-money wedding industry. I’m sure you know: you’re playing an important role. I could see you becoming a larger brand -- a new voice on weddings.”  -Danielle in California “It looks beautifully different from standard bridal fare, and like a wonderful resource for brides who want to remain sane.”  -Erin in Indiana “You've done a wonderful job of putting your experiences into an online magazine. And it needs to be a BOOK! It will do very well!”  -Sarah in Tennessee “Wow. Really beautiful and gracious.”  -Claire in Texas “BRAVO! Weddings of Grace is beautifully presented and the content is very special. I could really relate to what you say about letting a ritual take you to a spiritual, safe place. Powerful - you are definitely onto something most brides/grooms need to know about. I am very impressed!”  -Karen in Vermont “Your website looks great!!  It is taking weddings to a whole new level of the sacred-ness that it is....the connection….the true meaning of marriage.  Wonderful!!!”  -Carolyn in Florida “Congratulations!  Your website is beautiful and full of pleasure.  Even though I'm not a bride, I was one and find the service you provide fascinating.”  -Barbara in Georgia “What a beautiful concept and exceptional website!  I'm not planning a wedding and I still read it through.  Now...that's attractive and compelling!”  -Marianne in Texas

Did you miss the premier issue of Weddings of Grace?