Olga is manager at Best for Bride since 2005. Currently Best for Bride operates 4 bridal stores in Canada (Toronto, Etobicoke, Hamilton and Barrie). Best for Bride sells wedding, bridemaids, mob dresses and more. https://www.bestforbride.com/
The past two decades have been an incredible time for members of the LGBTIQ+ community in lots of countries as they, their friends, families and supporters have embraced marriage equality. The long struggle for the right to marry the person we love has led to a change in legislation in approximately 30 countries, since 2001, when the Netherlands became the first country in the world to make gender identity and sexuality irrelevant in marriage law.
Many of us have been allies and supporters of the LGBTIQ+ community. We shared the pain of members of that community being prevented, legally, from marrying the person they loved. And, rightly, we shared the joy and euphoria that swept over them and us when we learned that, finally, they could.
Every bride wants to look astonishing on her wedding day regardless of her age. However, there is a big difference to shop for your wedding dress when you are over 40 than in your twenties. While older brides may look weird in some types of dresses, it’s important to choose a gown, which flatters your figure, suits your individuality and looks elegant.
Just married couple running on a caribbean beach
If you need some assistance, we will be happy to help you. Here are some tips on how to choose the best wedding dresses for older brides as well as some ideas of them.
Silhouettes
Minimalist A-line Wedding Dress
It’s crucial to choose a simple wedding dress silhouette, which is flattering for your body. As a rule, ball gowns and princess dresses aren’t chosen by older brides. Moreover, such a silhouette may look very weird if you are 50. Leave princess gowns to the 20 year old brides, but opt for something more elegant.
Seek for clean and soft lines. For example, column and fit & flare wedding dresses will be suitable. If you have a tummy, opt for empire waist and A-line wedding dresses. If you have a beautiful body you are proud of, you may also try a slip dress.
The type of neckline depends on your body peculiarities. Almost all necklines can be used for wedding dresses for older brides. However, if you opt for a V-neck, avoid too deep plunging necklines. Also, off the shoulder wedding dresses aren’t always flattering and are absolutely inappropriate if you have wide shoulders. Another exception is strapless wedding dresses. They look better on young brides.
Besides, you may play with the wedding dress length. For instance, tea length wedding dresses look very cute. Or, you may have a knee-length one. One more option is a high low wedding dress, which combines short and long lengths.
Moreover, instead of a traditional wedding gown, you are free to have a pantsuit or jumpsuit. There are many beautiful and stylish pantsuits and jumpsuits for sale, which look no less festive than gowns.
Styles
Lace Wedding Dress
In fact, many older brides prefer simple and casual wedding dresses. Such gowns are usually rather affordable and, very often, they can be worn for other occasions. However, minimalist wedding dresses aren’t always cheap. There are many incredible minimalist dresses, which are rather expensive.
Of course, we can’t just pass by lace wedding gowns. They look so feminine and elegant that almost all women are fond of them. A dress, which is fully covered with lace, will be a fantastic way to highlight your female’s nature. Also, you may opt for the gowns with lace bodices and minor lace details.
Vintage style is in trend today. You may find vintage wedding dresses, dedicated to all the epochs. Moreover, there are many beautiful modern wedding dresses, which feature some vintage details or simply draw inspiration from the past epochs.
One more idea is to have a bohemian wedding dress. This style is also in trend now and will suit older brides perfectly. If you want to look simple and chic simultaneously, pay attention to boho dresses.
Colors
Blush Wedding Dress
While the majority of brides stick to traditional white and ivory wedding dresses, today, it’s rather trendy to choose a wedding gown of an unusual color. Colored wedding dresses can be worn by a bride of any age. But while young brides, who get married for the first time, still want to stick to traditions, older brides and the ones, who get married for the second time, are free to break them.
For instance, blush and nude color wedding dresses are one of the biggest trends at the moment. The nude color can have different hues, depending on your skin tone. However, it looks very interesting when a color of the dress is close to the one of your skin. Though, it doesn’t suit anyone.
Blush wedding dresses are more universal. They also may have various hues, but suit almost anyone. Blush color looks great with all the wedding dress silhouettes as well as can be used for the dresses of different styles: from simple to luxurious ones.
Also, some other colors are suitable for wedding dresses. Such colors as pastel pink, mint, blue and violet look very beautiful on wedding dresses. The bravest brides may opt for bright colors like red or purple.
Details
Open Back Wedding Dress
Undoubtedly, cute details turn a simple wedding dress into a special one. For example, older brides may consider wearing a wedding gown with sleeves. If you have beautiful arms, you may opt for cap or flutter sleeves, which hide shoulders, but show off arms. Lace and illusion sleeves look very interesting. For example, the ones in 3/4 lengths are flattering for your hands and wrists.
The owners of slim bodies may opt for backless wedding dresses. They look incredibly sexy. However, we don’t advise to opt for deep cuts. Thus, a back open to the shoulder blades will be absolutely appropriate. Or, you may have a dress with illusion back. Such a design looks very mysterious and stylish.
If you think that you need a wedding dress with a train, you can definitely buy the one. However, we don’t recommend long cathedral trains as they are inconvenient and may look too pompous for older brides. Opt for a gown with a sweep train. This train is about 6 inches long and allows moving freely.
In addition, don’t forget about accessories. Your bridal look may be much more interesting if you have beautiful shoes, bouquet and headpiece. Also, a wedding dress can feature some additional details like a belt or bolero.
All in all, you see that older brides have a wide choice of dresses they can wear for their weddings. Just choose the silhouette and style, which highlights your individuality and flatters your body. Also, don’t be afraid of the experiments with the dress color and length.
There’s always a new trend around the corner that could make your wedding reception become a memorable affair. Frequently, you don’t have to go big, make it extravagant, or even spend a mint. There are tons of fun and new wedding reception ideas and trends could be right up your alley. Read on for our take on some themes, trends, and Knick Knacks that are sure to enhance your special day and your guests experience.
Add Some Flair to Your Programs
Wedding days tend to provide guests with considerable amounts of free time. Whether it is the anticipation of the ceremony or the sometimes awkward timing before the reception, your guests are likely to have some “free” time throughout the day. Providing programs with some added flair is an excellent way to make those periods of time more exciting and enjoyable.
Blank notebook and wild flowers on blue wooden background. Concept flowers of spring,
Adding fun facts about the couple or ceremony location, introducing the wedding party, outlining the event schedule, and adding any fun tidbits, are creative ways to make the experience feel more personalized. It’s also a great conversation starter for family and guests that want to get to know one another. You’re also more likely to have guests taking pictures of your program and sharing fun with non-attendees.
Create Small Knick Knacks For Your Guests to Use or Keep
It goes without saying that the Bride is always the most important attendee at any given wedding. That being said, there are plenty or small ways to make your guests feel truly appreciated and more involved in the event.
Confetti in wedding thrown on the floor, celebrations and events
Providing to-boxes for leftovers or cake, personalized coasters to leave on drinks while dancing, or customized guest lists based seating arrangements to help people get to know each other, all make for great ways to make guests feel the love too. Going the extra mile to enhance your guests experience will make for an even more memorable reception. Make sure to add your wedding hashtag on these types of items so your guests can share their memories on social media!
Make Memories That Last a Lifetime
Hire a photographer that knows how to mix and mingle with the guests to take some candid shots. Nothing is staged here. These photos show the two sets of grandparents toasting each other. They show the bridesmaids and ring bearer flossing. Ask the pro to customize the borders of the pictures to spell out your wedding details.
The photos are printed out throughout the night and placed on a board. Guests can walk right up and take the images that they want. If there’s a shot you want but someone else snapped up, don’t worry! These photos also go on a website for downloading and social media sharing. To make it even more fun, all guests can use a special app that allows all images taken to be easily shared on social media. Now your wedding hashtag can truly go viral!
Skip the Restaurant and Invite the Food Vendors
Artisans from the local bakery bring the bread. The lady with the delicious cheeses at the farmer’s market stand brings some of her wares. The mom and pop restaurant with the fiery spaghetti alla puttanesca provides an experience worthy of its Napoli origins. The ice cream vendor whom you always see when you walk the dog? Invite him, too! He’ll bring the dessert. Now, that’s a party!
Encourage Guests to Bring Their Best Friends
No, we’re not talking about the plus-one option on the RSVP card. This best friend is the canine companion they refer to as a fur baby. If you and your significant other met in a setting that involved dogs, this is an ideal way of honoring the memory and giving the nod to the canine that brought you together.
Go wild, and encourage guests to dress up their dogs. Keep it low-key and merely let friends and family members bring their best friends as they see fit. Just be sure to provide plenty of water bowls, treats, and a designated area for doggies to do their business.
Incorporate Your Hobbies into the Party
The standard reception includes a meal, some toasts, and dancing. What would happen if you made your favorite hobby the backdrop to the standard? Are you and your love members of a roller skating team? Have the event at the roller skating rink! Did you meet at an indoor trampoline park? They have party rooms!
Wedding guests are enjoying a dance while the father of the bride plays piano music.
Just Have Fun!
In short, make the party a fun event for participants of all ages. Just be sure to let folks know if they need to bring special footwear or should pack a change of clothes. After all, nobody wants to jump on a trampoline in a long evening dress.
With so many new wedding reception ideas and trends, there’s no reason to do the same old routine. Forget the chicken or steak dinner and let’s party like you mean it!
No matter where you celebrate your wedding, the guests who come to watch your nuptials in person will be delighted to witness such a display of love. Still, there’s something even more special about a destination wedding — maybe it’s the fact that it blends the adventure of traveling with the joy of experiencing that everlasting love we already mentioned.
And that’s precisely why you’ve decided to take your “I dos” somewhere other than your hometown or the city in which you reside. Now, all you have left to do is figure out how to put together a wedding from hundreds or thousands of miles away. Fortunately, we’ve got you covered.
Here’s your guide to throwing the destination wedding of your dreams.
Select the Perfect Spot
Chances are, if you’re thinking about having a destination wedding, you already have a spot in mind. Maybe it’s a particular city or a gorgeous resort or somewhere off the beaten path that holds a special place in your heart. Regardless of where it is, start by pinpointing your location.
In your research, make sure there’s a lot for your wedding guests to do. Most destination weddings will require them to stick around in your chosen city for a few days, so the more activities available, the better. Post a list of suggested activities on your wedding website, too — that way, everyone will be even more hyped about the chance to travel and attend your nuptials at the same time.
Provide Trip Prep Tips
Your wedding website is a powerful tool in preparing your guests for your big day, especially when everyone’s traveling to experience it. Not only will it create anticipation for a far-flung getaway, but it will also help them to ensure they have everything they need to travel to your chosen locale.
So, provide guests with a packing list tailored to your destination. If there’s a beach, and the resort charges for towels, suggest that your guests bring their own. Or, if there are hiking trails near the mountain lodge you’ve selected, remind everyone to bring boots or sneakers so they can take a few picturesque walks.
Book Services for Guests in Advance
Your destination wedding is at a resort with an incredible pool. However, in order to get a seat a said pool, your guests would have to wake up at 7 a.m. every single day or pay a hefty sum to rent a cabana.
You don’t want to force them into either one of these scenarios, so plan in advance to make these types of activities simple and fun for everyone. Speak to the hotel and see if they will rope off a corner of the pool for your event. Chances are, they’ll save you some seats because you’ve reserved a good chunk of the place for your nuptials.
On top of that, think ahead to the other services your guests might need while they’re there and reserve those, too. This is especially true for your attendees who are bringing their kids — scheduling babysitters will take a huge weight off of their shoulders. Think about anyone else with a unique need and plan accordingly for them, too.
Connect Your Guests
You know everyone coming to your wedding, but they might not all know each other. So, make a point to bring attendees together. You can have hotel staff block off rooms, so all of your friends and family stay near each other and socialize that way. Or, you can have a welcome party, which will allow everyone to break the ice and spend the next few days hanging out before, during and after your nuptials.
Give Them a Ride
Your guests have traveled around the world to attend your wedding, so make the rest of their journeys easy. Start by scooping everyone up from the airport and transporting them to the hotel. You could make this ride even more memorable by hiring a local guide to point out some of the sights on the way in.
Have cars lined up for your wedding day, too, if it’s not taking place at the hotel. Weigh the merits of different types of hirable transportation. For example, a limo is a bit more of an intimate ride, since fewer guests fit inside of the stretched-out vehicles. On the other hand, a party bus can carry more people, which, as the name implies, gets everyone in a festive mood for the reception.
Gift Them with a Welcome Bag
Another grand gesture when welcoming your wedding guests is to have a gift bag waiting for them when they arrive. The hotel staff can hand them out at check-in, or you can have them on-hand at the break-the-ice party we already mentioned.
The gift bags don’t have to be fancy. You might fill them with a few bottles of water and some snacks to get your loved ones through the weekend. You can make them even more special, though, if you add local treats, maps or even a souvenir representative of the trip they’ve taken. You can make these goodies useful by slipping a copy of the weekend itinerary inside, as well as any additional gifts that could come in handy — bug spray or sunscreen, anyone?
Keep Décor Simple
You’ve chosen to take your wedding across the world, so let the backdrop shine through. There’s no need to lug heavy décor from your home all the way to your destination. Instead, pack light and simple pieces that will play up the otherworldly feel of the location — too much will take away from the spot you’ve picked.
This should be your game plan for all the wedding’s events. Choose a theme color and stick with that, whether you’re throwing a welcome mixer, rehearsal dinner or wedding reception. Always rely on the local backdrop for its beauty, as well as its flavor — the more inspiration you can draw from your location, the better.
Give Them a To-Go Gift, Too
As your guests gear up to go home, arm them with one last “thank you” — a goody bag to take on the plane, train or in the car. Again, think about the types of sweets and snacks that’ll get them through that long journey. This is your last chance to express your gratitude for their long trek, so choose munchies that are a cut above what they can buy at an airport shop or road stop.
Planning a destination wedding takes work, but the payoff is huge — you’ll put together the idyllic nuptials of your dreams. And, even better, everyone who comes to witness your “I dos” will love every minute of it, thanks to your careful planning. All there’s left to do is to get started.
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