The Wedding Dress Should Enhance the Bride

Wedding Gal — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 16:49:12 +0000

There is so much excitement and anticipation when it comes to planning a wedding. There are also a multitude of details to arrange and decisions that have to be made by both the bride and the groom. One of the most important and personal decisions a bride must make is to choose the wedding dress she will wear, to make her walk down the aisle to join her groom at the altar.

While the bride and groom are really the proper center of attention on the big day, it is natural and customary for the bride to be a bit more in the spotlight and the bridal dress that she chooses in many ways sets the tone for the whole day. At the same time, the wedding gown very much serves as the frame around the bride and should serve to beautify her and highlight her very best features.

It goes without saying that the wedding dress must not distract the eye in any way from the beauty of the bride. Often, this can be a challenging balance to achieve, but if the bride has enough patience and also can rely on the assistance of a bridal consultant, then the right bridal gown will be found.

There are many stories of brides who had so much difficulty choosing a wedding gown that they ended up being completely frustrated or reduced to tears. At times, it is just the sheer number of choices, trying to meet deadlines, and trying to stay within a budget that causes the difficulty. Other times, it can happen when a well-meaning friend or family member tries to impose their own idea of the perfect wedding dress on the bride.

This is a situation where a bridal consultant can be very helpful. Since they are a third party, and usually on staff at most wedding dress shops, they can offer an objective perspective and opinion about a wedding dress that will be perfect. They can also help the bride to have the courage to stand up for her preferences and decisions and can calm down situations that begin to spiral out of control.

Because there are so many choices in designs and styles from which a bride can choose to find the perfect bridal dress for her special day, it is best to set aside as much time as possible for shopping for the wedding gown and for the wedding gown accessories. First, there needs to be sufficient time to review the many options available. Second, time needs to be set aside for trying on sample gowns. Third, if the bridal dress is going to be a special order or custom tailored, then there must be time allowed for that as well.

When selecting the wedding dress, it is also important to think about more than just the look and style of the dress. Also consider the setting where the wedding will take place and think about comfort. While every bride wants to look stunning for her wedding day, being comfortable will also help to ensure that she enjoys the day as much as possible.

Wedding Fashion Trends for 2011

Wedding Gal — Sat, 21 May 2011 09:50:55 +0000

You’ve been dreaming of the day since the first time you draped a piece of lace over your head and pretended to be a bride. Now, you actually are a bride and it’s time to choose all the little details of your own bridal look. Of course, you want to look classic and timeless at your engagement—these are pictures you will treasure for the rest of your life. But every year’s runways bring with them modern trends and twists that can apply beautifully to a bridal ensemble. The key is subtlety—you never want to look dated or super-trendy, only modern and fresh. By choosing design elements you love and incorporating them into a classic bridal look, you will look up-to-date and elegant without worrying that you will one day regret your big hair or voluminous lace collar. It’s very similar to engagement ring shopping—you want to incorporate new and fresh designs into a framework that is very classic and traditional.

The 2011 runways provided many brides with exciting new bridal fashion ideas. Badgley Mischka showed a 1920’s-inspired look, with dropped waist dresses, art deco jewelry elements and geometric draped fabric. Brides can incorporate that art deco look into their wedding day ensemble with geometric beading and simple silhouettes. Carolina Herrera offered a cheerful but sophisticated runway show, with elegant but bold details and interesting asymmetrical silhouettes. Brides can incorporate the look with delicate details and subtle prints in their bridal gowns. Designer Monique Lhullier, known for her ultra-feminine looks, is perfect for bridal inspiration. Her runway show offered pastel looks with lush tulle draping, flowing chiffon, and dramatic use of ruffles. All these fun details—tulle, chiffon, ruching and ruffles—work perfectly for the girly bride. Meanwhile, Nicole Miller prefigured the Kate Middleton inspired look that is sure to become the biggest bridal trend of the year—the daring but modest v-neckline on an otherwise classic dress.

For a quick cheat sheet on the must-have bridal fashion trends for 2011, check out these top ten trends. Choose one or two for a bridal ensemble that is current and up-to-date without going overboard with every option!

1. Sleeves.

Experts predicted that Kate Middleton would wear sleeves to her traditional Westminster Abbey wedding ceremony, but when audiences around the world saw her beautiful sheer lace long sleeves, calls went out to bridal ateliers around the world. Sleeves are unexpected, fashionable, classy, and flatter every figure.

2. V-necks.

With long sleeves, a crew neckline can seem a little frumpy, while a scoop neck can seem over-exposed. A narrow but deep v-neck shows a little sexy skin, without revealing too much, and also helps elongate the figure, making you look tall and thin. And who doesn’t want that?

3. Color.

Expect to see more and more brides opt out of the de rigeur white bridal dress in 2011, and walk down the aisle in gowns that are pink, gray, or even purple. For less adventurous brides, adding a shot of color through colored gemstone jewelry, a ribbon sash, or a great pair of shoes can be a great way to personalize a classic dress.

4. Vintage.

Not only are vintage dresses unique and fashionable, but they are eco-friendly too, which more and more brides care about. Finding the perfect vintage dress that is retro without looking dated, and then getting it altered to fit you perfectly, can be more of a challenge than brides expect. Leave yourself plenty of time to search for that perfect dress, and be prepared to replace parts that are faded or out of date.

5. Colored shoes or comfortable ballet flats.

Brides are no longer stuck wearing boring white satin pumps. You can add a sassy pair of red patent leather heels, a vintage-inspired pair of suede booties, or beaded flat sandals, to tailor your dress to your wedding. Some brides are even choosing to skip the heels altogether and wearing comfortable, neutral-tone ballet flats so they can dance all night without blisters!

6. Hats.

If one trend is likely to cross the pond after the royal wedding, it is the elegant and quirky British mini-hat known as the fascinator. These small hair ornaments are attached to the head with clips or combs, and can be decorated with anything from feather to flowers to genuine gems. Trendy brides are topping bridal fascinators with retro birdcage veils for a bridal look that is totally 2011.

7. Short gowns.

One continuing trend in wedding planning is simple, casual events where guests can wear comfortable clothes and eat fun, unfussy food while dancing to Top 40 hits. Weddings like these call for short bridal dresses like linen sundresses and little white cocktail dresses, so the bride can party til dawn with her guests.

8. Groom fashion.

Grooms have a lot more options than the basic black tuxedo. Dress your fiancé in a cute and trendy gray suit, or dress up a classic tuxedo with a colored vest or tie in your wedding colors. If your guy is leaning towards a simple, dressed-down look, suggest that he pair a casual pair of slacks with a linen blazer for a classic summer look.

9. Hair accessories.

Bridal hairstyles remain simple for 2011, with most brides choosing to wear their hair down in loose waves or pulled back softly in loose chignons. But the trend is in the ornamentation, with modern, trendy brides choosing creative hair ornaments like clips, combs and even tiaras embellished with rhinestones, crystals and even gemstones.

10. Wedding colors.

Moving away from boring pastels, brides are choosing summer wedding colors that reflect their personalities. Fun colors like turquoise and coral add a tropical feeling to a summer wedding, while subtle hues like latte, slate gray, and muted yellow make a sophisticated, elegant impression. Black and white wedding colors remain popular, but the number one bridal color of the year is the official Pantone color of the year—honeysuckle. This fun, upbeat shade of pink is confident, courageous, and looks great on everyone.

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Royal Wedding Facts & Statistics (infographicsshowcase.com)
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