Category: Wedding Tips

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Color Me Beautiful – Choosing your Wedding Dress Color

For some brides to be choosing their wedding dress is by far the most important aspect of planning their wedding. For a handful it could even be a more important decision than choosing the right partner! Choosing a dress to walk down the aisle can be a daunting task, particularly if you have no pre-conceived ideas about what you want. Even if you do know what you want, finding the wedding dress that meets the image in your mind’s eye that you have held for decades can seem like a never ending search and can even end in disappointment if your dream dress just doesn’t look right on you.

Wedding Dress by Alfred Angelo Disney

Worse still, for blushing brides who just don’t want to conform to the idea of a traditional white wedding, the task of finding the perfect dress can seem even more impossible. However, help is at hand and fortunately there is a lot more leeway these days when it comes to bridal fashions. Furthermore there is a lot more choice and professionals are on hand to help you source exactly what you require for your big day, particularly when it comes to fashions for brides, bridesmaids and mothers alike.

White dresses are a tradition set by Queen Victoria who wore one at her wedding to Prince Albert in 1840. Since then it has become a common theme in European weddings as brides subsequently wanted to adopt the fashion set by the then Queen. Initially wearing white was also a sign of significant wealth as laundering techniques of the era weren’t what they are today and as a result wearing white indicated a certain social standing.

http://www.bestforbride.com/showDresses/SophiaTolliByMonCheri/Bridal.php

With this in mind modern brides looking for an alternative to so called ‘traditional’ white may be more encouraged as wearing white is not actually a symbol of purity and virginity as many often think. It may even mean that more prospective brides look to utilize different colors in their wedding dress than they previously might have done. Here’s a few things to consider:

Know what suits you

Having an idea of what suits you and an image of your dream dress can be two wildly different things. When it comes to wedding dress shopping don’t lose sight of what suits your individual style and shape. More importantly don’t try and become something you’re not just for your wedding day as invariably you will end up feeling uncomfortable and find it hard to enjoy the occasion. The same applies to the color of your dress so if you know that white won’t suit you don’t try to make it fit – opt for something more flattering rather than going with what you think is expected of you.

Talk to professionals

When it comes to weddings it pays to talk to professionals and get as many ideas as possible before making any rash decisions. A professional will know what is both fashionable and seasonal and therefore can guide you with what works and could work for you. When it comes to choosing a wedding dress color they can help you find something that is suitably special and yet flattering for your skin tone and at the same time exceeds your expectations. Don’t feel you have to find everything on your own and end up floundering – getting the opinion of a professional can be invaluable.

Bridal Dress by Mori Lee

Getting covered

Ensuring that you have adequate protection in place in the form of wedding insurance is not just recommended for eventualities like ill health or venue cancellation but is also important to protect assets associated with your wedding. Your wedding dress is one such asset and as such should be covered in your wedding policy to ensure it is safe in the lead up to your wedding day and for its duration.

In any event wherever you purchase your wedding dress from should be able to advise you about different options available for insurance. This is particularly important if you choose to opt for a bespoke, handmade wedding dress rather than one off the peg.

Being happy with your choice

Your wedding is a day to remember for the rest of your life so what is most important is being happy with the choices you make for your wedding and choosing things to please yourself and not others. If you desire to step outside the norm and opt for a different style or color of wedding dress then that is your wish and your loved ones must respect that fact. Making informed and confident choices about how your day should be will stand you in good stead for your future happiness.

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Style Tips For The Modern Bride

wedding dress

If you’re not the old-fashioned type who wants a traditional wedding dress and veil, you’re not alone. Many fashion-conscious brides feel uncomfortable with puffy princess gowns and sparkling tiaras.

If you’re the modern type, you may prefer to wear clean lines or riskier, couture-inspired styles on your special wedding day. These sleek, cutting-edge designs can look wonderful, since they are generally quite body-conscious – without being tight or tacky. Any women can look beautiful in modern designs – they streamline a voluptuous figure with careful tailoring, and they also give a leaner build a runway-ready silhouette…

When you’re at the bridal boutique, look for straighter styles, such as sheath dresses. Experiment with shorter gowns – they can be quite chic and they always send a modern message…

Modern style is about looking fresh and polished. You should not appear to be trying too hard to be feminine or sexy…it’s about easy elegance and confidence! To get the perfect effect, you need to find the ultimate white wedding dress, bridal rings, and other important wedding accessories.

With a modern aesthetic, nothing should be overdone…beading and embellishments are generally scaled-down and subtle…if not absent altogether. For the modern bride-to-be, minimalism and spare, arty design elements can be very appealing..and flattering. Here are some tips on creating a chic, modern vibe at your wedding:

Focus On One Detail – You can still have drama while embracing the modern aesthetic…simply choose one detail of your wedding outfit, and go for stand-out style. A simple hairband with an outsize flower attached (such as the one worn by the model at the top of the page) can add charm and whimsy to a sleek, tea-length bridal dress.

When doing your makeup and hair, it’s also good to focus on one special detail for each. For example, consider a sleek modern up-do, with some interesting style details in the back. Tiny braids woven into the bun or chignon, or a hair-wrapped low ponytail can be lovely. Your creative hair elements should not detract from your overall modern look – they should always be subtle and low-key.

When you do your makeup, focus on eyes or lips, but not both. Modern makeup artists only highlight one feature when they do realistic, wearable makeup for magazines and the runway. A wash of sheer color on the eyes, a faint flush on the cheekbones, and a soft, velvety matte-finish lipstick in a fresh color can be great ways to keep things modern.

If you want to highlight your eyes, consider a thin line of silver-blue eyeliner along the top and bottom lashes. Gwenyth Paltrow, known for her modern style, often pairs this eyeliner look with a sleek dress, flat-ironed hair, and wild shoes (her one bold detail). She generally keeps her lip color soft, using a pale pink lipstick or soft, cool pink gloss (try Chanel Glossimer in Charming). Now and then, she will take the focus off of her eyes and do a vibrant, matte red lip with a neutral eye (shadows in taupe and icy champagne work well for this).

Modern colors are often cool in tone – silver, blue-gray, white and black are always chic and minimalist. Using these colors in your eye makeup can give you a modern effect, as long as the finishes are sheer and eyeliner, mascara, etc. is expertly applied. However, so much depends on your natural coloring…for example, a redhead with a peaches-and-cream complexion will look more modern in warm tones that blend with the tones of her skin and hair…

Diamond Luxury Can Be Also Be Modern And Wearable

bridal rings

Your bridal rings should be chosen with care – you will be wearing them every day! Some women are very active, and they prefer a sleeker, flatter engagement ring/wedding band set that won’t catch on things and get in the way. The stunning piece featured above is a stellar example of a modern wedding band that still offers total luxury. Sleek links, crafted from glam 21k white gold, offer a touch of cool, industrial style, while diamond accents provide subtle, elegant shimmer.

This wearable design is meant to be treasured for a lifetime, and it will go with everything in the modern bride’s wardrobe. In general, white gold and silver are more modern than yellow gold. However, you should feel free to break the fashion rules whenever you like – it’s your wedding and you should always make choices that feel right to you!

Adding modern elements to your reception’s table settings, your wedding invitations and wedding flowers, and even your menu (think fresh and local) will be great ways to reinforce your theme on the big day. Guests will love the chic, fresh vibe!

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Wedding Dresses Emergency Solutions

Murphy’s law states that “If something can go wrong, it will” and even if it seems like such a pessimistic point of view, bad things have happened to wedding dresses on wedding days. You can’t prevent everything from happening to your wedding dress, and if you are one of the many unlucky brides who have wedding dress disasters, make sure you can fix it.

The Wedding Dress Kit

It’s not hard to create a kit that will fix most wedding dresses and most of what you need will probably fit in a small vanity bag. If you plan it well enough, you can even fit enough in there for your bridesmaids dresses as well. You don’t have to hold the kit yourself, so hand it to someone who will know what to do with it when the time comes.

wedding dresses

Giving Your Dress CPR

Here is a list of a few useful things that you can stick inside the kit:

Double sided tape- ever see the red carpet on those film awards nights and wonder how the celebrities keep the dress in place like it was defying gravity? Well, this is how most dresses are held in place and how many actresses are saved from discomfort as well as embarrassment. This tape can also be used to fold hems and edges that may have unraveled.

Safety pins- don’t go for the dressmaker’s pins because you are not a dressmaker’s mannequin that can stand being pricked while wedding dresses are made. Safety pins are also more likely to hold whatever it is that needs to be held in place better.

bridal gowns

Stick-On Crystals- these are especially useful for wedding dresses that are embroidered or with little gems sewn into the design. It’s also good for covering up little stains.

Stain Remover Sticks- obviously to get bigger stains out from wedding dresses that have met accidents. You can find these near or on the detergent aisle at the supermarket.

Talcum powder – if the stains are too tough for the stain removers, you can cover it up with talcium powder if your dress is white.

A Small Sewing Kit- like the ones you find in hotels, or just improvise one. All you need is a needle, some thread and a small pair of scissors to cut it with. Scissors are also useful for wayward threads on bridal gowns.

A Little Effort Goes a Long Way

It’s not expensive to create your own wedding dress emergency kit, at most it will cost you $20, even if you don’t have any of the items readily available at home. It will also keep your mind off your worries because you know that if something goes wrong, you will be able to take care of it.

For Keeps Having a story to share about how you fixed your wedding gown will be a trip one day, and you can even show the “scars” on your dress to prove it. One thing that you should do before putting the dress away and make sure that it will not end up ruined is to have it dry cleaned before storing it.

For evening dresses, Toronto only has one source. For wedding dresses and bridesmaid dresses in Toronto, visit BestForBride.com.

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Choosing the Right Fabric for your Wedding Dress

Fabrics for Wedding Dresses

The style of your wedding dress will determine which fabric you choose. Choosing the right fabric can be the difference between a fabulous wedding dress that flatters you and a wedding dress that just doesn’t look right. Some wedding dresses look fabulous in one type of fabric but will just not look right in another. If your wedding dress fits well and is made of the right fabric it will look like a million dollars even if it costs a fraction of the price.

The overall appearance of a wedding gown is made up of many factors. The fabric chosen can make a dramatic difference to your wedding dress. Fabrics all have different qualities that effect the drape, and cut of a wedding gown. Some fabrics hug the body, and give a soft silhouette while others may have more body and are suited to a more tailored design.

Silk fabrics are undoubtedly the most desired and cherished for wedding gowns, and have lustre and luxury. Satin, duchesse satin, charmeuse, shantung, chiffon, organza all can be woven from silk but will behave very differently. All of these fabrics can be made of other fibres, such as polyester or nylon and will have similar properties at a more affordable price.

Below is a list of some popular fabric for wedding gowns with some explanations of their qualities.  You can find definitions of the different Wedding Dress Styles here.

Brocade

Softer, lighter than satin.

Surface: Woven Pattern
Fibre: Silk, polyester
Weight: medium, Heavy
Drape: Semi Stiff

Best for: Structured wedding gowns, A Line, Column, Mother of the Bride

Charmeuse Satin

Softer, lighter than satin.

Surface: Semi sheen
Fibre: Silk, polyester
Weight: Light
Drape: Soft

Best for: Unstructured wedding gowns, flowing styles. Empire, Mermaid

Chiffon

Drapey, sheer fabric not as heavy as Georgette.

Surface: Sheer, translucent
Fibre: Silk, rayon, polyester, nylon
Weight: Light
Drape: Soft, fluid

Best for: Overskirts, layered wedding gowns, sheer sleeves. Ballgown, Empire,

Crepe

Slightly wrinkled appearance, heavier than Georgette.

Surface: Textured
Fibre: Silk, acetate, rayon
Weight: Light
Drape: Soft

Best for: Flowing wedding gowns, soft silhouettes. Ballgown, Empire, Mermaid

Damask

Pattern is the same colour as the fabric.

Surface: Dull jacquard design
Fibre: Silk, cotton
Weight: Medium
Drape: Semi stiff

Best for: Bodices, tailored wedding gowns, shrugs, jackets. A Line, Column,

Duchess Satin

A beautiful heavy fabric with lustrous rich finish. Also know as Bridal Satin

Surface: Glossy, very lustrous surface with a dull back
Fibre: Silk or silk/rayon blend
Weight: Medium
Drape: Semi Stiff

Best for: Tailored silhouette, simple formal wedding gowns, excellent base for embellishments. A Line, Ballgown, Column, Mermaid

Dupion

Heavier, stiffer than satin.

Surface: Semi sheen, smooth
Fibre: Silk, polyester
Weight: Medium
Drape: Semistiff

Best for: Structured styles, suits, jackets. A Line, Ballgown, Column,

Georgette

Light and floaty as a top layer it forms a soft silhouette.

Surface: Sheer with a slight crepe finish.
Fibre: Silk or polyester
Weight: Light
Drape: Soft, floaty

Best for: Layered wedding gowns. Ballgown, Empire, Mermaid

Knit Fabric

Comfortable, yet stable enough to hold a tailored shape.

Surface: Matte
Fibre: Various, wool, polyester, rayon, blends
Weight: Medium
Drape: Soft

Best for: Tailored Suits Mother of the Bride outfits

Organza

Crisp, sheer fabric for top layer or inserts

Surface: Sheer, smooth finish
Fibre: Silk, polyester, nylon
Weight: Light
Drape: Crisp

Best for: Layered wedding gowns, veils, trains full layered skirts. Ballgown, Column

Peach Skin

Smooth, finely woven Micro fiber

Surface: Smooth, soft
Fibre: Silk, polyester
Weight: Medium
Drape: Soft

Best for: Mother of the Bride outfits, Empire line, Column

Satin

In between charmeuse and dupion.

Surface: Lustrous, smooth. Matte satin has a dull sheen.
Fibre: Silk, polyester
Weight: Heavy
Drape: Soft

Best for: Almost any wedding gown. A Line, Ballgown, Column, Empire, Mermaid

Shantung

Similar to dupion with a textured surface, may be satin backed.

Surface: Slubbed texture, dull
Fibre: Silk, polyester
Weight: Medium
Drape: Stiff

Best for: Tailored wedding gowns. A Line, Ballgown, Column,

Taffeta

A stiff fabric with good body. Moire is a watermark pattern.

Surface: Either dull or a light sheen, moire finish
Fibre: Silk or polyester
Weight: Light
Drape: Stiff

Best for: Wide skirts, structured silhouette. A Line, Ballgown, Column,

Tulle

Available in different weights for and stiffness.

Surface: Netting
Fibre: Silk, nylon
Weight: Light
Drape: Stiff

Best for: Layered skirts, veils, under shirts, petticoats. Ballgown.

Velvet

Softer than velveteen, luxurious.

Surface: Plush plain under surface
Fibre: Silk, cotton, rayon, acetate
Weight: Heavy
Drape: Soft but luxurious

Best for: Soft silhouette, full skirts. A Line, Ballgown, Column, Mermaid
Wanda Arnold’s website http://weddingsdresses.tv will help you find your dream wedding dress and buy it online. Helpful tips and information for choosing fabrics and styles. Explanations of different wedding dresses to help you choose your perfect wedding gown. Site reviews and links to online Wedding Dress Stores. You can find explanations of wedding dress styles and tips to help you choose the style to suit your figure type on our website. http://weddingsdresses.tv/wedding-gown-figure-types/.