Monday, August 12, 2013

Choosing Bridesmaid Dresses - Long Gone are the Days of Bows on the Butt


After you have found your wedding dress, you can start looking for your bridesmaids dresses. Long gone are the days of terrible taffeta, big sleeves and bows on the butt. As tempting as it may be to make your girls wear a putrid-colored peach dress to make yourself look better, your bridesmaids will be by your side the whole wedding day, so you want to choose a dress or dresses that they'll feel comfortable in, and that is flattering for a range of body types. Plus, you don't want karma to come back around when they're getting married!  

The traditional rules that all of your bridesmaids must wear the same dress have been thrown out the window. Many brides today are choosing a style of dress and allowing their girls to choose a color from a color palette, so each bridesmaid can look good. Other brides are opting for a specific color, and are letting their bridesmaids choose a style that's flattering for their body type. As long as there are some guidelines so all of your bridesmaids complement one another, I like allowing your girls some free-range to choose what dress works best for them. Let's face it, a dress that looks great on a girl that's 5'10" and 120 pounds, probably won't look the same on a girl that's 5'3" and 150 pounds.

My best friend had a vintage wedding and she wanted all of her bridesmaids to find a dress in a shade of white and covered in lace. Even though we were all in different shades and styles, the lace tied us all together and looked great in pictures. The best part about it, was the fact that I didn't have to drop over $200, on a dress that I would only wear once. I spent under $100 on a dress I liked, and I have already worn it multiple times.

If you're more of a control freak (like me!), allowing your bridesmaids to choose their style or color may be too much for you to handle! When I went shopping for a bridesmaid dress, I was only able to shop with my sister and my mom because all of my girls live in different states. We each found dresses that we liked, and if we all liked them, they went into the pile to be tried on. Once we narrowed down the dresses, I allowed my sister to pick which dress she felt best in. (Fortunately, we both chose the same dress!)

Since my sister is also my Maid of Honor, I wanted her dress to stand out a little bit from the rest of my bridesmaids. I've seen some brides choose a different color dress for their Maid of Honor, but I chose to do something a little less drastic. My sister and I chose a sparkly belt to accent her dress to give her dress a little extra pop.

Friday, July 19, 2013

Short Wedding Dresses Sure to Wow

Whether you're a bride getting married outside in the summer, or a bride who wants to stray from the conventional wedding fashions, a short, tea-length dress might be the best option for you. If you're eloping or getting hitched at the courthouse, you may not want to wear a huge ball gown. A short wedding dress allows you to be less formal and more comfortable, while still feeling like a bride. Short wedding dresses are also great for brides wanting to change into a more flirty and fun dress for the reception. Here are 10 short dresses for brides who aren't afraid to show a little leg!

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Thursday, July 18, 2013

Do You Need to Hire a Wedding Planner?

Before Matt even probably thought about popping the question, I longed for the opportunity to plan every aspect of my wedding day. I'm a perfectionist and want to make even the little decisions so the day goes exactly as I envision it, so I opted not to hire a wedding planner. As much as I love being in control of the planning, there have been times throughout the planning process that I have reached my capacity for looking at centerpieces or cake, and I wish I had someone to make the process a little less stressful! There are several factors to consider if you're questioning hiring a wedding planner.

Not every bride has dreamed of planning her wedding since she was a little girl. Planning a wedding does take a significant amount of time and patience. If you're a bride that is looking forward to the marriage but not so much the planning, a wedding planner can save you a lot of stress. Wedding planners can be as involved as much or as little as you want them to be. They can help you create a budget and timeline, and they can do vendor referrals and contract negotiations. They will help you design the type of wedding that you want, and will make sure the day runs smoothly.

Friday, July 12, 2013

10 Ball Gowns that would make Cinderella Jealous



Some girls have grown up watching all of the Disney princesses and dreaming of the day they would marry their Prince Charming. For the "Princess Bride," their wedding day is the one day they can live out all of their fairytale fantasies, and you can't have a fairytale wedding without a fairytale dress. So all of you Princess Brides polish off your tiaras and take a look at 10 ball gowns that would make even Cinderella seriously jealous!

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Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Veils, Headpieces and Combs, Oh My!

When trying on wedding dresses and debating which dress to choose, my bridal consultant asked if I wanted to see the dresses with a veil in order to help clarify my decision. At the time I didn't have any interest in a veil. I didn't see the point in spending more money on something that would only be worn for the wedding ceremony. Also, I didn't think veils really added anything to the bridal look. It's not like most people come away from a wedding ceremony saying, "Did you see the bride's veil?!"

However, I decided that since I was at the shop and I'd only be a bride once, that I would give one a whirl. My consultant brought out a long cathedral-length veil that encompassed my dress. To my surprise, when she placed the veil on my head, I felt like I went from a girl in a wedding dress, to a bride. The cathedral-length gave me a feeling of royalty, like I was Kate Middleton! Unprepared to buy the veil or make a decision that day, I left the store veiless.

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

15 hip-hugging dresses for the sexy bride

Not every girl wants to look like a princess on her wedding day. These 15 dresses are for brides who want a more hip-hugging, sexy look.


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Monday, June 24, 2013

10 Non-Updos For Brides!

Not every bride wants a perfectly polished updo for their wedding day. Here are ten pictures of wedding day styles for brides who want to forgo the bun and let their hair down!


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