Author: Olga Pomeransky

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, bridesmaids, mob dresses and more. http://www.BestForBride.com
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Wedding flowers: 5 sensational choices

Roses, petunias, daisies, lilies, tulips…..do the floral varieties have you in a tizzy?

Flowers are so beautiful, that it is often impossible for a bride to pick a favorite from the stunning variety available. Yet, some flowers are more popular than others.

This article is dedicated to those wedding favorites—flowers that have secured their place as the top choices in gracing bridal bouquets and wedding centerpieces. Let us look at what they are.

Ravishing roses

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The flower that symbolizes romance, love and all the emotions that go with it—Roses;particularly red roses, are an all-time favorite. These charming blooms come in an astounding range of colors and sizes. They are versatile; the flowers can be the focus of the bridal bouquet or centerpiece, or used to add sophistication to a diversity of blooms. Tea roses are the common variety that you often see in florist shops. The other two varieties include large and fragrant garden roses, as well as spray roses which are smaller and come as a bunch on a stem.

Happy hydrangeas

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Hydrangeas are a popular choice for centerpieces, as they easily fill a space and add a cheerful note to any setting. The colors range from pink to blues and whites, and it can be used as a bunch, or as sprigs. These bushy flowers remind us of spring and are a colorful addition to any space. Perfect for both casual and formal weddings alike, they have a surprising richness.

Tantalizing tulips

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Tulips are flowers that spell romance and look exquisite when bunched together. All you need are a few tulips to create a beautiful bouquet. Since these spring flowers are available in various colors, tulips are an ideal choice for spectacular bouquets in a single color. They are usually used by themselves in bridal and bridesmaids bouquets, but can be mixed with other blooms like pieris or ranunculus to form interesting combinations.

Classic carnations

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Strong flowers that add color and texture to any setting, carnations are available in a variety of shades and are super-affordable. While they are hardly ever used by themselves, they add the little details that complete a bouquet or centerpiece. Carnations are a popular choice when the venue decoration requires more flowers than usual, like when there are floral backdrops. These flowers work well in bouquets that have roses, orchids, petunias and daisies, and the ruffled petals add texture and charm to the bouquet.

Dainty daisies

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The go-to choice for outdoor, spring and summer weddings, daisies are traditional wedding flowers that symbolize purity and innocence. They are even used as hair accessories in garden theme weddings. A simple flower that can lift the atmosphere and be creatively spun into any centerpiece, daisies are perfect for vintage theme weddings. While white daisies are an eternal favorite, daisies in various other colors are also used in bridal bouquets and floral centerpieces.

These are but, a mere introduction to the sensational world of wedding blooms. Turn to your florist for suggestions and go with seasonal flowers or those that are available all around the year, to stick to your budget. For more inspiration and wedding flower ideas, visit us on Best for Bride.

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Trendy mix and match dress ideas for your bridesmaids

The current trend in bridesmaids dresses is to mix and match various aspects of their outfits to create more visual interest. You can be more adventurous than go with the popular (read as safe!) option of mixing hues of a single shade, while keeping hemlines constant. Find the latest trends with these tips that we bring you, and try the ones that appeal to you. So, read on!

Contrasting colors that compliment each other

While choosing a single color palette for all your bridesmaids dresses is interesting, you can also opt to have them in complimentary shades. Take a look at the color wheel and choose sets of colors that fall opposite to each other, to find the shades that are complimentary. You can throw in a few doses of neutrals like grey or navy if you want to balance out the look. This however is purely optional.

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Glitter and gems

via Best for Bride

Add more glitz and glamour to your wedding by dressing up your bridesmaids in dresses that are embellished with glitter and sparkles. Stick to a single palette of colors or a similar pattern, so the look is cohesive. Since the dresses will itself be elaborate and striking, make sure that the accessories are simple.

Patterns and prints

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Forget the plain bridesmaids dresses and opt for ones with brilliant patterns and prints instead. To unify the look, consider picking dresses with similar patterns or hemlines from the same collection. Or keep the prints similar, and vary the colors. You can either go with elaborate prints, or simple geometric, polka dots and chevron. This is perfect for an outdoor garden or beach wedding. Printed dresses have a casual and cheery vibe, that will uplift the mood at your wedding and make everything more pleasant. The other great factor about this choice is that your bridesmaids will be able to use the dresses again. Other prints that are trending this year include animal prints and graphic 3D prints.

Brilliant in black

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Now, here is an unusual but interesting color for your bridesmaids. Black is a shade that adds sophistication to any palette. So, you can employ it to your advantage, especially if you have a colorful wedding theme going. Consider having your bridesmaids in different designs in black. This is one color that suits almost any skin tone, and a black dress can definitely be worn more than once. If you are worried about whether the pictures will be boring without any color, consider adding brilliant pops of color through accessories like shoes, waistbands or headpieces.

Color block dresses

via Best for Bride

The latest trend on the fashion runways, use color blocking in your wedding for a spectacular effect. You can either set the stage by having all your bridesmaids in just two colors, or mix and match various colors for each outfit to create a stunning palette.

At Best for Bride, we have bridesmaids dress collections that fall into all these categories. Whether you want a traditional selection, or a bold and trendy one, this is the place to look at. Visit us today and find the perfect attire for your favorite girlfriends.

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Gratitude in Action: The Essential Guide to Tipping for Your Wedding Services!

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Is it obligatory to tip every vendor at your wedding? Or is it alright to assume that the vendor charges cover their services and you needn’t add gratuities into your already-stretched wedding budget?

Wedding tipping is a tricky area, with no set rules on what is right and what isn’t. More often than not, it is up to the couple to decide whether they want to tip a vendor or not. If you aren’t really sure of what to do, this guide will help you recognize who you should tip and who you can skip.

Ground and set-up staff

These people do most of the hard work, like moving or setting up equipment and furniture at the venue. So, they deserve a tip for their efforts. You can budget roughly $10 per person. This list also includes anyone who delivers gifts or the important items from your baker, florist etc.

At your reception venue, unless you have taken an all-inclusive package, you will have to pay the staff in charge of serving wine or cutting cake, separately. In both cases, it is common practice to tip these attendants, and you can put aside roughly 15% of the food expenses for this purpose. To avoid double-tipping, check your contract for whether it includes service charges and make your decision accordingly.

Hair and Makeup

Similar to when you visit a beauty salon, these staff expect a tip for their service. How much you pay will depend on how well you think they performed the job.

Florist and Baker

It isn’t usually necessary to tip your florist or baker, as their rates normally include gratuity. One way to know whether it would be appropriate to tip the person you are dealing with is to read your contract. If it includes service charges, you do not have to tip again. Another thing to remember is that you needn’t tip a vendor who owns the service, but it is right to tip employees.

Wedding planner

It is optional to tip your wedding planner, but you can always do so if you appreciate the effort the team put in, to make your wedding a success. You can also show your appreciation by giving them a nice gift instead of cash. Don’t forget to send a thank you note to your wedding planner if you loved what they did, and make sure you do this soon after the wedding. A good review and photos for their portfolio would be nice too.

Photographers and Musicians

It is optional in both cases, but if you are happy with their service or if they exceed your expectations, don’t hesitate to tip them. Again, if the photographer is the owner of the business, you can always skip it. For the musicians, if they did a splendid job and kept the evening alive and active, you can tip them.

Apart from the customary tips, you should appreciate anyone who has made a special effort to do the job well. Don’t think of the rules if you think they did a splendid job, and also send out a thank-you note afterwards. In a business where customer satisfaction decides a vendor’s business prospects, it will be well-appreciated if you can provide them a good online review or recommend them to your engaged friends

To obtain more wedding advice and tips, and also find everything you need for your wedding, visit us at Best for Bride.

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Crafted to Perfection: Why a Custom-Made Wedding Dress Might Be Your Dream Solution!

How many times have you wished that a wedding dress had that one extra feature that would make it your dream dress? How many times have you thought that you will never find the wedding dress that is exactly what you envisioned? How many times have you wished your wedding dress had half the features in one, and half of another to be the dress you always wanted?

Many brides share this tale of woe. As pretty and attractive as designer wedding dresses can be, they need not always have all the features a bride wants. Many brides settle for the best of the lot, Whether because of budget constraints, unavailable sizes or lack of attractive choices.

If you are a bride who dreads going through thousands of wedding dress pictures or aren’t excited about trying on dozens until you find the right one, customizing your dress may be the way to go. Did we just hear you say “Impossible?”

Having a wedding dress custom-made isn’t as difficult as it seems. All it takes is finding the right people for the job. Let me tell you how you can make this possible.

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Decide on what features you want

The first step to having your dress custom-made is deciding its features. What is it that you’ve been searching for and have been unable to find in the available dresses? Create a list of factors that you are particular about, and what other features would be good to have. If you have seen them in other wedding dresses, get their pictures to show to your dressmaker.

Find the dressmaker for the job

A custom-made wedding dress is only worthwhile if you work with a master dressmaker. For this, look no further than at Best for Bride. Our in-house designers are specialists who can help you realize your vision of the perfect wedding dress and execute a masterpiece you will be dying to try on. If you aren’t sure what you want, our designers can help you by suggesting what looks good on you and can fill in the empty spaces in the list we asked you to prepare earlier, with the right choices.

Run through the designs, see the sketches and plan your budget

Don’t assume that a limited budget is a constraint to having the perfect dress. A talented dressmaker can convert even the most inexpensive fabric into a masterpiece of finesse and elegance. Discuss your budget upfront and find your dream dress come to life with what fits within that amount. A wedding dress expert can advise you of the latest trends and alternate options that will work in your favor. Be prepared to spend some time on discussions, reviewing sketches and looking at fabric swatches till you find the perfect mix for your bridal attire.

Once this is all done, it is only a matter of days before your gown is ready and you are ready to be married in it. So, what do you say? Would you like to have your own exquisite custom-made wedding gown? If so, visit us at Best for Bride today and learn everything you want to know.