Practical Wedding Gifts That Don’t Break The Bank

February 15, 2012 by  
Filed under Wedding Planning

personalized-wedding-photo-albumAttending a wedding this winter? You’re probably looking for a wedding gift. Many people get anxious about finding the “perfect” wedding gift – and some go overboard spending way more than they can afford. Especially in today’s economy that can be a big mistake. Fortunately there are some great wedding gifts that don’t break the bank. Let’s talk about some of the bride and groom’s favorites that won’t be returned or wind up in the back of a closet after the honeymoon.

Personalized Photo Album. This is one of the best gifts you can buy them. Most couples spend thousands of dollars getting the best professional photographs they’ll ever have taken in their lives at their weddings. What better way to enjoy them than in a special photo album. But that’s not the only use for a photo album they’ll have. Remember they are often taking a special honeymoon to an exotic destination, a place where they will take many photographs. This photo album could be the one they use for wedding photos or for the honeymoon. Or get them two photo albums – one for each!

Gift Certificate/Card to a Restaurant. This a perfect gift to get a newlywed couple. Many newlywed couples find that their relationship changes, that they just don’t go out on “dates” the way they used to. Your gift certificate to a restaurant is an easy way to enjoy an evening out without the added expense to the family budget. Pick a restaurant that is near their home so they don’t have to think or plan extra hard about going out. You may be surprised, but this is often one of the bride and groom’s most favorite gifts.

Cookbooks. A cookbook is an ideal gift to get a newlywed. So is a subscription to a cooking magazine. Even if the bride or groom have been living on their own for some time, getting married often means adjusting your cooking styles. A cookbook offers some ideas and suggestions to make new meals together and find great family favorite meals. You could be creating family traditional meals by giving this cookbook!

Genealogical Research. This is a fun gift to give a newly wed couple. You can find professional genealogists and online services. Many brides and grooms are curious to learn more not only about the family they’ve married into, but about their own birth families after they have married. Learning genealogy is a wonderful gift. Especially if they have children or are planning a family. This is something they will treasure as they learn about new and old family relatives.

Gas Card. While this doesn’t sound like a very exciting gift, most bride and grooms would be thrilled to see a gas card as a gift. Gas is a regular expense – and weddings are expensive. Your gas card would offer great convenience and could make the difference between taking a quick family getaway for the weekend – or not being able to do it. Most major gas stations offer gas cards.

Say Thank You to Your Bridesmaids

February 3, 2012 by  
Filed under Featured, Wedding Planning

Everyone knows that a wedding day is the bride’s day. But it takes many people to make this day truly special. It’s the savvy and wise bride who takes the time to say “Thank You” to her bridesmaids and maid of honor for their hard work and efforts. Being a bridesmaid or maid of honor sometimes can be quite a challenge, and only someone who has done this task will understand what it takes.

Brides have been known to ask bridesmaids for help planning their wedding, with the small and big details. Anything from helping them to pick out a wedding dress to hand addressing wedding invitations. Some bridesmaids or maid of honor may feel at times just as overwhelmed as the bride, even though this is not “their day.” But they know they want their friend or family member’s day to be as special and as magical as she hopes it will be.

Say “Thank You” to your hardworking bridesmaids or maid of honor during wedding planning and also after the wedding. Don’t worry if your wedding budget is stretched to the limit: you can still offer a heartfelt, meaningful “Thank You” that they will appreciate. Here are some of our favorite tips to say “Thank You” to these wonderful women who’ve helped with your wedding day.

Hold a Thank You lunch or dinner for their bridesmaids and maid of honor. You can hold this before the wedding or even after the wedding, when you are back from your honeymoon. But if you hold the Thank You lunch after your wedding, it’s important to say “Thank You” before your wedding day to each of your bridesmaids and maid of honor. Make the lunch special and all about your bridesmaids and maid of honor. Don’t talk about the wedding; this is a day to celebrate your gal pals. A lovely gift for your bridesmaids and maid of honor on this day is a framed picture of all of you; it can be a casual or formal picture.

Thank You letter. There’s something special about a letter, in this day and age they have become even more rare. People often send emails or a quick cell phone call. A wonderful way to say “Thank You” to your bridesmaids and maid of honor is to write a Thank You letter to each of them. Don’t worry about being a great writer, just speak from the heart. Tell them how special they are to you and how helpful they have been in making your wedding a wonderful day. Don’t worry about how long or how short your letter is, this is not a homework assignment! Focus on saying “Thank You” and sending a personalized letter to each of them.

Get Personal with a thoughtful gift. You can find many personalized gifts for bridesmaids when you visit wedding favor stores, online or brick and mortar stores. There are hundreds, if not dozens of choices for you. Whether you choose a tote bag, sterling silver picture frame, beach towel, jewelry or other lovely gift – we’ll let you in on the biggest secret of them all. The very best personalized gift for bridesmaids and your maid of honor that you can give to say “Thank You” is not necessarily the exact same one to each of them, or one that focuses on the theme of your wedding. The best gift is one that you think that specific bridesmaid or maid of honor will enjoy the most. If you know that bridesmaid loves the beach, then choose the beach towel. If another bridesmaid takes dozens of photos with her digital camera, choose the sterling silver photo frame. You see? The right gift for the right bridesmaid or maid of honor, personalize it by thinking of them personally, individually.

Thank You! to all the wonderful, helpful bridesmaids and maid of honors who’ve made the bride’s day so special!

15 Things I Learned from Being a Bridesmaid

February 3, 2012 by  
Filed under Wedding Humor, Wedding Planning

Being a bridesmaid is a great honor but for grown-ups, being the bridesmaid, or worse, the maid of honor for one of your best friends can be an experience that you may not want to repeat too often or ever again!

Here are 15 things I learned as a bridesmaid veteran of five weddings:

  1. Remember it’s not your day!  The bride is the center of attention and it is her big day so be prepared to cater for her every whim.  After all, as bridesmaid you only have to deal with Little Miss’ tantrums and spats for a few rehearsals and the day of the wedding, after that the poor guy she’s marrying has to deal with her for life;bridesmaid
  2. While you may not be the center of attention as far as the wedding is concerned, you can be assured of being the center of attention for lots of guys!  I should know because I met my husband when I was a bridesmaid for the 4th time but be careful if you are thinking this will be a great way to find a catch because:
  3. Never, and I mean NEVER! Let a guy open the door and escort you if he calls you “Sugar”, “Babe” or worse, “Sugarbabe!”;
  4. Do not let a bride convince you to wear grapevine as headgear.  Yes you can still find it, on a remote hillside in South Carolina on property owned by a gun toting hillbilly aged 72 and related to Jed Clampett as both his brother and second uncle;
  5. Wearing woven grapevine leaves marks, both physical and emotional, which last for up to 6 months, if you have the choice, wear a crown of thorns instead;
  6. Glue guns are a great invention for people who want to stick things and are not worried about whether they will explode or not – just remember that glue guns do overheat and will overheat because they are going to get a lot of use and as bridesmaid, you have to pitch in;
  7. Brides want everyone to wear matching ear rings so be prepared to get your ears pierced if you haven’t already done so;
  8. If you are asked to write a speech, do not retell the time when your “Best Friend”, who is getting married, was violently ill after drinking too much and ended the evening clinging to the toilet, swearing the world was ending and she couldn’t let it go because there was an earthquake (we lived in Ohio at the time);
  9. If you are serious about catching the bouquet when the bride throws it, make sure you are wearing an outfit which will hold you in, as falling out of the top of your dress while stretching for the flowers can be very revealing resulting in more guys calling you “Sugar”, “Babe” etc;
  10. Do NOT get drunk at the reception!;
  11. The old saying, “Always a bridesmaid and never a bride!” is simply not true, I’m happily married to my husband whom I met when serving as a bridesmaid at wedding number 4;
  12. Do everything you can to convince the bride that bridesmaid can get out of their dresses and into practical dress as soon as possible for the evening.  If she won’t budge on this, make sure the bridesmaids dresses are comfortable and practical if you have to spend the day in them;
  13. The same applies to shoes!
  14. Buying gifts for the bride and groom should really be about getting them things they will enjoy – people buy the most boring and unoriginal gifts which cost a fortune but the ones that make an impression are the ones where a lot of thought has gone into them;
  15. Being a bridesmaid for five friends I am not interested in repeating the experience unless by new baby girl really wants me to do it for her !

Alternatives to The Wedding Veil

January 28, 2012 by  
Filed under Wedding Attire, Wedding Jewelry

Many brides today are choosing to not wear a wedding veil. Looking at the bridal magazines more and more bride models are shown without veils. Are the styles changing so brides will now go veil-less? Only time will tell. But if you do wish to be without a veil, there are a number of lovely options for the blushing bride.

Fresh flowers are one of the most popular options for the bride without a veil. These brides have fresh flowers created into a custom-made headdress they wear. This is an ideal choice for brides who feel especially close to nature or want to celebrate the seasons. Flowers are also very romantic. You may choose a flower to design your headdress around that your groom first gave you when he was courting you. That expression gives your bridal ensemble much more meaning than choosing a wedding veil. Fresh flowers can be worn any time of year with the assistance of a florist.

2569585433_c32a07a637Tiaras are another excellent choice for many brides. Who could resist a bit of sparkle on their wedding day? The bride who chooses a tiara often has an elegant or evening themed wedding. Compliment your tiara with some sparkly jewelry if you can – as your tiara will be flattered with the extra shimmer and shine. Many women dream of being a princess or a queen for the day and a tiara makes their dream come true!

Theme weddings often make it possible for a bride to forego a traditional wedding veil. Some brides during the Halloween season have all of their guests dress in costume – right along with the bride and groom. Depending on what type of costumes the bride and groom have chosen, a wedding veil may not be the ideal expression she wants. She can get just as pretty a “bride” look from a wedding bouquet, lovely jewelry or fancy shoes.

homepageWraps are also quite popular and another choice for the bride who wishes to forego the wedding veil. With a wedding veil the eye is naturally brought down to your neck and shoulders. You have the same “eye appeal” when you choose a beautiful wrap. Many bridal stores like David’s Bridal now carry wedding wraps to compliment wedding dresses. A wrap can be perfect for a Winter wedding in a faux or real fur. Or a silk or linen fabric for the Spring and Summer. You have many options when you choose a wrap.

Stunning wedding jewelry is an ideal choice for the bride that doesn’t wish to wear a veil. There are so many choices when you choose jewelry to compliment your wedding dress. You could wear heirloom jewelry from your grandmother and mother. Or you could wear jewelry ideal for the theme of your wedding. Your new husband may even give you special jewelry to wear for your wedding day. Or you could have jewelry custom designed for this day to celebrate your union.

If you choose not to have a wedding veil, know that there are many options to stay just as lovely a bride as you would like to be. Every bride deserves to express her originality and personal style as she says her vows and dances for the first time with her new husband.

Tiara photo by robleto

Your Mother in Law and Planning Your Wedding

January 20, 2012 by  
Filed under Wedding Planning

We’re about to let you in on what truly smart brides know about their mother in law’s and planning their wedding. Just about every bride knows it is “their” day. They also know that typically the mother in law doesn’t play a big part in the wedding planning. But it is the smart bride who understands that the mother in law typically plays a big part in the family life, and connecting with your mother in law during wedding planning is a great way to develop your future relationship with her.

“Does this mean my mother in law will take over my wedding plans?” Hopefully not! What we’re suggesting is that you invite her to some of the fun wedding planning activities where she can enjoy the experience, without expecting her to make any big decisions. Invite her to one of your wedding dress fittings, so she can see your wedding dress. Invite her to the wedding cake tasting, where you try different types of wedding cake to select your wedding cake.

The best way to do this is to know a bit about your mother in law’s personality and tastes. If your mother in law loves fashion, then talking about your wedding dress and the bridesmaids’ dresses is the ideal topic to connect with her. If she loves food, then bringing her to sample wedding food or wedding cake is perfect. Match the fun activity to her personality and her tastes, and you’ll have a real winner.

You do, however, truly want to avoid a sticky situation. If your mother in law loves to gossip, you don’t want to show her your wedding dress. You don’t want to have her let your fiancé know what your wedding dress looks like before you walk down the aisle. If she has a weight problem, you won’t want to invite her to a wedding cake tasting. If she has expensive tastes and is a bit of a snob at times, you probably are going to want to keep her away from your vendors because you won’t want her to make expensive choices on your flowers, food, wine and other things you’ve already decided on. If she’s very opinionated and “has” to be right, then try to select an activity where the choice has already been made, like bringing her to a wedding dress fitting. So the wedding dress has already been picked out and she can just enjoy seeing the wedding dress. Be the adult and be proactive about managing your mother in law. But do involve her in the process in some way that will be fun for her, because it will help to develop your relationship with her.

You’ll find that most mother in law’s stay rather quiet about their opinions about the wedding. Some think this tradition comes from the bride’s family paying for the wedding, so if the mother in law does not have any financial power, she probably does not feel confident making a decision. But inviting her to see what you’ve picked out, to enjoy something fun and enjoy the excitement of your upcoming wedding is something she certainly won’t want to miss out on. She’ll be thrilled by your joy and probably very touched that you thought to share this moment with her.

Your relationship with your mother in law will very likely last a lifetime, if not the lifetime of the marriage. It makes practical sense to start out on the right foot and develop a good, loving relationship with her. You can probably think of 1 or 2 fun wedding related activities you can invite her to that she would enjoy….why not do it!

Image: http://www.dailyweddingplanningtip.com/

Creative Wedding Favors

January 16, 2012 by  
Filed under Wedding Favors, Wedding Planning

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The wedding favours were little figurines that were boxed as matching pairs. Chad found an amusing way of playing with these little bubble bottoms; using them to head butt each other. We found 2 minutes of pleasure in this.

To a new bride and groom, wedding guests are special. Each guest has been painstakingly selected based on love, friendship, family dynamics and ‘other reasons’ that maybe only the marrying couple is aware of. For the invited guests, a memento or two can be a nice reminder of that special day.

Matchbook covers, candies, as well as other traditional items have been offered in the past; and brides often spend hours and hours poring over magazines and then selecting large quantities of these trinkets…usually out of exasperation, and then quickly start placing orders without a moment’s hesitation. Why? Well…because it is expected of them. Many of the items, although cute…can be quite useless; and many end up in boxes and junk drawers. Over the last few years, the selections have changed considerably, and there are quite a number of different types of wedding favors to choose from these days.

For example: Wine stoppers, small digital clocks, personalized golf balls, miniature manicure sets, sewing kits, coasters, and book marks can be wonderful alternatives to candy and salt shakers. These items can be selected based on budget, and then personalized and packaged in ways that fit in beautifully with the wedding’s theme and personalities of the bride and groom.

Many of these gifts, although high-tech, can be surprisingly inexpensive. Mercifully, items of more practical use can now be given to the honored guests. Please keep in mind: Wedding favors are usually different than bridal shower favors, in that they are less “frou-frou”, and have a much broader guest appeal. This ultimately requires that a wedding couple recognize the difference between them; and make their selections accordingly. And so, if enough thought is given to choosing of your special wedding favors; your guests can be both…grateful , as well as delighted!

Photo by Sifu Renka

Be a Honeymoon Savvy Bride

January 6, 2012 by  
Filed under Honeymoon

Every married couple looks forward to their honeymoon. It is one of the most romantic vacations you’ll take as a couple. That’s why we feel we should let you in on a few bride to bride secrets that only brides truly know. No…it’s not what you think…it’s actually all about enjoying your honeymoon as a fun vacation with your new hubby. You too can be a honeymoon savvy bride!

honeymoon-savvy-bride

Bride to Bride Secret #1

Remember the 24 Hour Rule. Now there may be other 24 hour rules, but this one is so important for brides. Your wedding day is an exciting, very memorable day. You’ll probably celebrate all day and night, dancing well into the wee hours of the next morning with friends and family. The only challenge with this is that you’re getting up at 6am to catch that 9am flight to Bora Bora for your wonderful honeymoon! It’s the savvy brides who actually plan 24 hours between their wedding and leaving for their honeymoon to relax and enjoy every moment of this experience. This is a far better choice than missing your flight or rushing through everything sleep deprived, a sure recipe for starting your honeymoon as “the Bickersons” couple!

Bride to Bride Secret #2

Plan ahead. It’s no surprise that 99.9% of the brides we know are totally focused on the wedding. They just don’t think that much about the honeymoon. Brides are far too busy, thinking about bridesmaids’ dresses, the perfect flowers and finding that great band. But you do need to plan ahead for your honeymoon and get every detail taken care of, just as you do for your wedding. Get your passport or other travel details organized well in advance. Take care of other practical travel details like packing sun block or suntan lotion.

Bride to Bride Secret #3

Be sure to budget. Your honeymoon is a once in a lifetime experience, and you’ll want to enjoy every moment. Before you go is the time to plan for all of the special and fun things you want to do, instead of giving your credit card a real workout. Most often you can get approximate costs of the activities you would like from visiting the hotel and location’s website, these can help you budget. Our tip: don’t forget to include gratuities (tips!) when these will apply!

Bride to Bride Secret #4

Learn one of the easiest ways to make your new husband happy. We’re about to let you in on one of the easiest, simplest ways to make your new husband happy. Ready to learn? It’s all about packing a suitcase, and traveling lighter instead of bringing two or three pairs of shoes for every whim. Even if hubby isn’t carrying your suitcase, somehow most men tend to fuss over too many suitcases brought on a trip. And every additional suitcase is an additional charge as you travel with most airlines today.

Bride to Bride Secret #5

Romance appears in unexpected moments. This is something every bride learns about the honeymoon, and its one of the loveliest things. Romance does appear in the most unexpected moments. You don’t always have to plan for that candlelight dinner or roses and champagne. It can be that moment of laughter that you share or a shared experience on your honeymoon. And it’s the perfect way to start your marriage, the biggest romance of them all!

Photo credit

Easy Ways to be An Organized Bride-to-Be

January 6, 2012 by  
Filed under Featured, Wedding Planning

Planning a wedding can sometimes be overwhelming. That’s in its best moments. A wedding is often stressful and challenging – especially with all of those tiny details a bride has to manage. Today’s bride is busier than ever, with family obligations, a full time job, school and community obligations. How can she keep it all together? Let us suggest some of our favorite tried and true easy bride’s organization tips for you!

get-organized-bride

  1. Create a bridal binder to gather all vital information. Purchase a large binder at a stationary store and keep every detail regarding the wedding in this binder. Add sections related to the wedding such as “reception,” “formal wear,” “honeymoon,” “flowers,” and so on. Each section will help you stay more organized and able to reach information quickly. The trick is to not have dozens of sections – but simply enough to keep the information well organized so you don’t have everything stacked together. Tip: if it takes you longer than five minutes to find something, you need to redo your sections to make them work for you.
  2. Put an envelope in your purse or briefcase to keep all wedding related receipts. It’s an old habit and some of us are “savers” and others are “tossers” by nature. If you are a receipt saver then you’ll find this a bit easier than the tossers will. Fortunately this is an easier habit to develop than some. You just need to make it simple and convenient for yourself. Make sure the envelope is large and sturdy and always well within reach. Don’t let receipts wind up all over the place – every receipt related to the wedding during daily life goes into the envelope and at the end of the day you transfer it to your bridal binder. It’s actually that easy!
  3. Keep your cell phone (with photo ability) or digital camera on hand for wedding errands at all times. Brides today do a lot of comparison shopping. There’s also the challenge that you need to confer with the groom and each other’s families about some of the things you’ll want to do. So if you want to show your future mother in law how beautiful the flowers will be, be sure to snap a photo of them while you are at the florist’s. No one should mind your taking a few photos while you are running errands and this can also help you make up your mind about which vendor to choose as you do your comparisons of them later on.
  4. Delegate wedding related chores wisely. It can be tempting to drop any chore on literally anyone offering to help. But DON’T! This sometimes can cause you double work in the end as you have to redo something they have done. A wedding is a very personal and intimate event. Even your mother or mother-in-law truly might not understand your exact tastes. Having them select something could also cause a frustrating misunderstanding when you go to reselect something on your own – as they will then be offended with your new choice. Delegate only what you can accept with someone else making a choice or where you have done some of the original legwork for them. For example don’t ask your mother-in-law to choose your invitations. You could ask her to get information from three different companies about a particular style of invitation and how quickly they could be printed and delivered. Notice YOU are making all of the important decisions there. Your mother-in-law is not selecting the invitation in any way. Keep all wedding related chores smooth and simple for everyone concerned.

Every moment of your wedding is special. Good organization helps you enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime event all the more!

At Home Workouts for Buff & Brides

January 2, 2012 by  
Filed under Wedding Planning

buff-brides

Want to get buff for your wedding? Many brides – even those with that “perfect 10” figure want to amp up their workouts a bit the weeks before their wedding. There are many workouts you can do at home to get buff for that walk down the aisle. Don’t worry about adding gym fees to your wedding budget – or getting to the gym in time for a class when you’ve got all of that wedding planning to do. Here are some of our favorites. So whether you are just getting started with exercise or are a true athlete, you’ll find something you’ll enjoy.

 The Bollywood Dance Workout with Hemalayaa $14.99

Bollywood films are full of expressive music and great dance. You’ll enjoy this energetic and fun cardio dance workout that engages your entire body. It’s ideal for the beginner or anyone who enjoys dance. The Bollywood Dance Workout with Hemalayaa includes cardio, sculpting and stretching – so your workout is complete. Best of all you may pick up a few new dance moves for the wedding reception dance floor!

Jillian Michaels – 30 Day Shred

Jillian Michaels is known for her success as a no-nonsense trainer on The Big Loser. If you’ve been impressed with her on the TV show, get ready to see what she can do to get you ready for your Big Day with her 30 Day Shred! This is a workout for those who are already exercising regularly and expect it to push you to the limit. But Michaels’ encourages you to stick to her routine to see great weight loss and toning results.

Bellydance Fitness for Beginners – Arms, Abs, Hips, Buns & Thighs

This belly dance DVD features twin sisters Veena and Neena who lead you through a fun belly dance routine. Even if you’ve never belly danced before, you’ll find this fun and easy to follow. Best of all, you’ll work out all of those bridal “trouble zones” we all stress about for that wedding dress. If you like this DVD, the twin sisters have several others so you can keep belly dancing till you say, “I do!”

The Firm Calorie Explosion

The Firm workout DVDs are known for their tough workouts so you can expect to get a great workout from their Calorie Explosion. On this DVD you can choose the workout you’d like to do – choose from 4 great workouts. This is a workout with weights so you’ll get both cardio and toning. Ideal for someone who has been doing some regular exercise. The Firm has many exercise videos so if you like this one, try their other great workouts before your Big Day to be a buff bride!

Zumba Fitness Latin Workout Routine 4 DVDs Box Set

Many have fallen in love with Zumba – for a high calorie burning workout that’s lots of fun. 4 DVDs are in this set and you can start with the Beginners DVD to help learn all about Zumba. Don’t worry about learning all of the steps from the beginning; you’ll catch on the fun Zumba moves before you know it! Then try Abs, Buns and Thighs or the Advanced DVD or Power DVD for a great workout. A great way to burn calories and get ready to dance all day (and night) on that wedding reception dance floor as a buff bride!

“I Do” or Don’t Wear a Wedding Veil

January 1, 2012 by  
Filed under Featured, Wedding Attire, Wedding Planning

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Wedding veils are a hot topic these days. Brides of your mother’s time can remember the moment when their groom would lift their veil to reveal their face for the first time as a married woman to have that kiss as man and wife. Some contemporary brides are choosing to say “I don’t” when it comes to a wedding veil. Others are adding wedding veils to their bridal ensemble to look more beautiful than ever.

Brides who wear wedding veils can count on them for a dramatic look. This is one of the biggest arguments bride-to-be’s make when it comes to staying contemporary and selecting a wedding veil. These brides will say their wedding veil is a true showstopper look and going without it makes their bridal ensemble look “incomplete.”

But brides who choose to go without a veil can often get a stunning look with other accessories. A rhinestone or gemstone tiara for example, glitters and shines and is an ideal accent. A headdress created from fresh flowers is a beautiful look that doesn’t have to be limited to Spring or Summer weddings. Talk to your florist about creating a lovely Winter or Fall themed bridal headdress. Wraps such as faux or real fur are another attention grabber at a wedding that can make guests completely forget you are veil-less.

For many contemporary brides the choice to wear a veil is not simply about fashion – it is a traditional choice. These brides remember being little girls playing “bride” with their pillowcases and looking at Mommy’s picture in her wedding dress with her lovely veil. The veil to them means “bride” in every sense of the word. To not have a veil would be missing out on something very special. This bride puts on her wedding veil with her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother in her heart on her wedding day.

But other brides don’t like some of the old wedding traditions and want to be seen as a completely contemporary bride. They see wearing a wedding veil as putting themselves in a traditional mold they long to break out of. This contemporary bride may not even wear a classic white wedding dress or have a unique wedding bouquet of wildflowers or other flowers not usually seen. The contemporary bride of today has many more choices than her mother or grandmother. She chooses to exercise these choices in every way – especially when it comes to her wedding veil.

Many know that the wedding veil traditionally covers the bride’s face. This custom comes from the times when many couples did not actually meet until their wedding day. As hard or unusual as this may seem to so many of us, these weddings happened all the time. Some wonder if the wedding veil was meant to mask the bride – it was more meant to reveal her face to her husband as a new bride at that very moment – just to his eyes.

Whether you choose to keep the wedding veil or to go veil-less, know that you will be a beautiful bride on your wedding day!

Photo by aprillynn77

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