Tag: Wedding Dress

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Final Countdown: 15 Essential Tasks to Complete in the Week Leading Up to Your Wedding!

The last week leading up to your wedding will be a whirlwind of activity. This is the time when you have to complete every last detail on your wedding checklist. Since there will be plenty of work to do at this time, it is easy to forget one or more things in all the hurry.

Having seen so many brides over the years, we can understand how exhausting it is when you should finish it all and also get everything right. Fortunately, we know how to make the task easy. Here is a checklist of all the important things you should complete in the week leading up to your wedding.

Use this list to finish your tasks in a planned manner and without hassle.

1.Pick up your wedding dress

Plan your final wedding dress fitting early in the week during your wedding. This will help you ensure that the dress fits perfectly. You needn’t worry about any size changes following this session, and hence can enjoy the best possible fit. In case your dress fitting is over before this, don’t forget to try on your dress during the last week. You can do any necessary alteration if there is any change in measurement at the time. Also try the dress on with the accessories you intend to wear. This will let you see how the overall look comes together, and you can make any necessary changes.

2.Pack or prep your wedding dress

If you plan to get dressed at home, set your wedding dress on a hanger. Steam or iron the belt or sash that comes with the dress, so it looks crisp and clean. In case you should transport your wedding dress, zip it into a garment bag after ensuring all parts are perfectly packed. Check with your wedding dress boutique to find whether there are any likely issues with transporting the dress. Follow their suggestions, if any.

3.Break in your wedding shoes

Don’t wait till your wedding day to first wear your wedding shoes. Unless you break them in, wearing them on the very day can be painful. Brand new shoes pinch, cause blisters or may feel too tight. If the heel height is more than what you usually wear, it won’t be easy to dance in them. So, start using it the month before your wedding and your feet will get accustomed to the fit. In the last week, wear it for a short while every day. Wearing them in short spurts will help you break it in gradually. Get used to the heel height. Also try to dance in them. For more tips and advice on how to break your shoes in effectively, take a look at this article on the Bustle. 

4.Practice your vows

You may have written your vows already. So, now start practicing it as well. Even if you will be reading it off a piece of paper, try it out in advance. This will allow you to modulate your voice and pace your lines for the right effect. Another benefit of doing this is that it will alleviate some stress. After all, many brides become nervous when the moment finally arrives and they have to say their vows in front of all these people. Prepare yourself with the lines and you are less likely to fumble and make mistakes. Thus, you will feel calm and confident when you have to finally say it at your wedding.

5.Check and confirm with those who will speak at your wedding

This is the right time to cross-check and confirm with those who are saying the wedding speeches and toasts. A gentle reminder will be sufficient for them to get their toast ready in time for the wedding. It is a good idea to inform then of when it will be their turn to speak on the day. Long toasts and speeches are boring. So, ask them to keep it short and not longer than 5 minutes. Also limit the wedding speeches to three or four at the most, so your guests don’t feel bored.

6.Put together your wedding emergency kit

There are many things that can go wrong on your wedding day. Get ready to tackle all such issues with an emergency kit with all necessary supplies. You will have to stock items like tissues, blotting paper, chalk, safety pins, thread and needles to handle potential wedding dress issues. Apart from that you should also include your hair and makeup essentials. Smelling salts, plaster and tape are some of the other items that can come in handy. For the full list of items to have in your wedding emergency kit, visit this previous article. If you don’t want to set up your emergency kit by yourself, you can also buy it ready made. Find out all about what our emergency kit contains and how you can order it from Best for Bride here. 

7.Complete all work-related assignments

You will have to run around a lot for your wedding tasks. So, get your work out of the way before that. Complete all pending assignments and delegate responsibilities to your colleagues in-charge during your absence. Send emails to all those concerned, informing them of your non-availability during your wedding and honeymoon. Get your work things organized and in-place. Create easy to access lists and information for your co-workers, boss and subordinates, so they will not have to contact you while you are away.

8.Confirm with vendors and suppliers

Don’t wait till the day before your wedding to get in touch with your wedding vendors. Call them up early and cross-check if everything is progressing as per plan. Confirm that there are no issues and all required ingredients and materials are available. Inquire about any likely changes, and give the go-ahead only after verifying them. Confirm arrival, transportation and pick-up plans for the day. Provide a contact who they can get in touch with in case of any questions on the day. If you have a wedding planner, she will handle all this. Nevertheless, it is a good idea to verify that everything is moving smoothly.

9.Verify plans with your wedding party

Get in touch with your bridesmaids, ushers and the rest of the members in the wedding party and inform them of the wedding timeline and plans. Check and confirm that your bridesmaids have collected their dresses after necessary alterations. Also discuss their hair and makeup plans for the day. Delegate the responsibilities to the right people, so everyone is aware of what they are in-charge of. Inform them of where they have to be at different times on the day. Also discuss the details of how, where and when they should do their hair and makeup on the day. Once you do the overall planning, delegate the responsibilities to ensure each aspect is covered to your maid-of-honor, best man and bridal party.

10.Pack your overnight bag

Even if you will be getting dressed at your home, put all that you need together for easy access. Make a list of all the things you need to get ready. This should also include your change of clothes, an extra pair of shoes, your emergency kit and other essentials. Then pack a bag with these items and put it away safely. Once you have this ready, simply pull it out when it is time to go. You need not worry about searching for all you need at the last minute.

11.Pack your honeymoon bag

Pack all that you need for your honeymoon in the week before your wedding. Depending on the location, make a list of the different things you have to carry. Then pack these items into your bag. If your honeymoon is abroad, don’t forget to pack your passport and other travel documents. When you get everything ready in advance, you are less likely to forget any essential detail. For new clothes, shoes and other items, get rid of the tags and price stickers before packing them in.

12.Confirm the guest head count

This is the right time to ensure that your seating arrangement is done properly and that there are no changes to plan. If someone has failed to RSVP, reach out to them to find out if they are attending or not. You can make suitable last-minute changes to the seating plan if there is a difference in head count. Share this information with your caterer, venue manager and wedding planner, once the list is ready. If you have asked guests to make a choice from the menu options, this is also the time to follow up with those who haven’t responded already. Your vendors and caterers will need such information to plan their work for the day.

13.Prep your home

There will be people visiting you during the week before your wedding. So, get it ready for hosting, in advance. Do a deep clean, put everything in its right place and neatly arrange your house. Have your kitchen stocked with easy-to-prepare meals, for days that do not go as planned. Plan your outfits for the week, so you can dress quickly and efficiently. If there are items that are to be stored away safely, put them away now and you needn’t worry about them when you have to lock and go. Hire help if necessary, for the cleaning, maintenance and any other essential tasks. Also identify the zones where you will be taking photographs on the wedding day, and set them up neatly and as preferred so they are ready for pictures.

14.Get your mani/pedi and confirm hair and makeup appointments

You should do your manicure and pedicure closer to the wedding day, for best results. So, schedule your appointment just a day or two before the wedding. Make sure it doesn’t clash with any of the remaining wedding plans. You will have to spend at least an hour at the salon for this purpose. Decide on how you want your nails to look for the occasion. Here are some ideas on the Huffington Post.  This will prevent you from randomly picking it up and later regretting the choice. Book your appointment at the salon in advance. If you will be using a hairdresser or makeup artist for your wedding, double-check your booking details to avoid confusion on the day.

15.Brief your maid-of-honor or wedding planner on wedding day responsibilities

You do not want to spend your time overseeing every detail on your wedding day, when you ought to actually have fun. So, assign all responsibilities to a capable person or persons. Discuss factors like what to do with the décor after the function, how to handle vendor payments, what to do with your wedding dress etc. Give clear instructions on each aspect that is important. You can thus minimize their need to consult you with questions on the day. Do a double check of your wedding checklist and make sure everything has been handled.

Wedding planning is strenuous and can overwhelm every bride at some point or the other. To avoid drowning in the stress, it is wise to chalk out time for yourself during the wedding planning process. Also, don’t forget to enjoy every milestone you cross. Finding the perfect wedding dress is a big achievement in your wedding planning, and we can help you with this. Visit Best for Bride for the latest and most modern as well as classic bridal dress collections. Apart from that, also browse through our bridesmaids dress collections, wedding accessories collection and more to jump start your wedding planning today.

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What to do with your wedding dress after the wedding

Your wedding dress is one of the most important dresses you will ever wear in your life. This dress has more meaning than just a piece of fabric. It is also a symbol of happiness and unity. Your bridal dress is also a reflection of your personal taste, who you are as a person and perhaps even your love story. Apart from all these factors, your wedding dress is very expensive.

So, isn’t it quite sad that you will wear it just once in your life?

You may not find it easy to decide what to do with your dress after your wedding day. With so much money and emotion invested in making this choice, you may not think it apt to just leave it as such. So, we have rounded up all possible ideas on what you can do with your wedding dress once the big day has come and gone.

But before we proceed further, I must touch upon the importance of having your dress professionally cleaned and preserved. You should do this soon after the wedding day. The only exception for this is if you plan to trash your wedding dress.

Unless you have it cleaned immediately to remove dirt and stains, you risk the following:

  • The damage from stains that occur on the wedding day in it can become permanent. It will not be easy to restore the dress to its original condition once this happens.
  • Your dress will have picked up dirt, grime and sweat over the day. This can sink into the fabric and spoil its pristine look. It can also result in mildew and mold, if left untouched for long.
  • Creases and wrinkles affect your gown when you wear it or store it. You should have these removed promptly if it isn’t to set in permanently
  • The longer you leave your dress outside, the more susceptible it is to environmental conditions. The white color will yellow. Also, the dress is prone to new stains unless it is isolated and boxed.

For more information on the importance of professional cleaning and preservation of the wedding dress, visit this section on our website. 

Now that we have covered this aspect, let us take a look at the various options available to you after your wedding day is over.

Save it as an heirloom

Vintage wedding dress trends keep returning to the wedding scene. So, it is highly likely that your daughter, grand daughter or even great grand daughter will someday seek a dress like yours. Save your wedding dress in pristine condition, and it will come in handy in such a situation. Even if the dress isn’t used as such, it is possible that your future generations may re-purpose parts of the gown to make their own wedding dress. Whether it is worn in its original form or customized into something modern and chic at the time, it will once again find use.

The downside of saving your wedding dress for this purpose is that there is no guarantee your dress will be used. It depends on whether your children will even consider the option. If your daughter chooses to buy a new wedding dress, just like you did, saving it carefully would simply be a big waste.

Save it for your future vow renewal

Many couples decide to celebrate their marriage years after they are married, with a vow renewal. You may like to reuse your wedding dress on such a day. This is an apt occasion to relive your wedding day and deck yourself up as you did when you were a bride the first time. However, it isn’t necessary that your dress will fit you in the future. If you don’t change size significantly, you could wear your wedding dress once again with some alterations.

Nevertheless, you can even use parts of your wedding gown in a new dress for the day. All you need for this is a talented seamstress who can convert your dress into something else. Are you having trouble thinking up interesting ideas on how to achieve this transformation? Here are some stunning ideas on the Good Housekeeping website . There are more ideas here as well, on the Cosmopolitan to inspire you.

Sell your dress

Wedding dresses are expensive. If you never intend to use it again, it is sensible to sell the dress after your wedding. This will help you recoup a part of the money spent on it. There are many websites that allow you to list your dress online and sell it through them. Improve your chances of making the sale by having it professionally cleaned and restored to mint condition. Also, make sure you capture amazing photographs of the dress and add all relevant details to the listing.

Put up your dress for sale promptly after the wedding and improve your chances of making a sale. The longer you wait, the more likely its price will go down. For more advice on how to sell your dress online, visit this article on the Daily Life blog. 

You can also discuss this option of selling your dress with the boutique that you buy your dress from. If the shop has a dress rental service, it is likely that they will be ready to buy back the dress after your wedding at a reduced price. With this option, you needn’t search for another buyer, since the sale is guaranteed.

Trash the gown

If the money you spent on it doesn’t matter, trash your gown. This trend is supported by a relatively new style of wedding photography called the Fearless bride or rock the frock. Here the photographer will use a location that is entirely different from the typical wedding day scene. This could be a marsh, beach, field or outdoor location. The photographer aims to shoot photos that fit into the fashion photography genre. The pictures will look amazing, unique and one-of-a-kind. Your dress will become wet or dirty during the course of the session. So, it may be impossible to restore it to the original condition after the session. Because of this, it isn’t a good option if you wish to keep your dress for later use.

The photos are however worth the effort. In the hands of a talented photographer, these photos will be at a whole other level and much better than regular, wedding photos in every way. Take a look at this article to see what you can achieve with this idea. 

Donate your dress to a worthy cause

You can make sure that your dress lives on and is used by another bride when you donate it. There are many organizations that are ready to accept used wedding dresses. They may donate it to a bride who needs one for her wedding day. Or they may sell or auction it and use the proceeds for a worthy cause. Either way, you will contribute to a good cause. You may feel this is the right thing to do.

If you are unsure of whom to contact for this, take a look at this article on the Babble website.  Their suggestions include organizations that not only cater to needy brides, but also those that turns donated wedding dresses into beautiful burial grounds for infants who passed away. Take a look and we are sure you will find the choice that appeals to your ethics.

Transform it into a christening gown

If there is a baby on the way, or even if you intend to have children someday, you can save your gown and convert it into a christening dress. Just like your wedding, your child’s christening is a momentous occasion in your life. This is an amazing way to give your wedding dress a new purpose. With the help of a good seamstress, you can have your wedding dress transformed into a grand christening gown for your little bundle of joy.

There is another good aspect to this idea. Unlike when you hold on to your dress hoping your future daughter or daughter-in-law will choose the dress, you can take the uncertainty out of the equation in this case. After all, you have the freedom to make decisions for your baby. So, you can most definitely dress your child up in a converted wedding dress and make it part of a happy life occasion.

Use the fabric in customized lingerie

There are better chances of you using your wedding dress again this way. Companies like Impish Lee specialize in this type of work. Book a consultation with them to discuss your options for the garment so close to your heart. They will help you decide on a style that works best for you and suggest how to transform your beloved dress into the chosen design in the most efficient manner.

You can also use the extra fabric and embellishments like trim, lace or ribbons in something entirely unique and new. Once the blueprint is ready, their experts will complete the task of bringing the design to life.

Use the fabric in stunning throw cushions

Here is a great idea to keep your wedding dress within sight all the time. Throw pillows are a popular décor accessory. You can use them anywhere in the home, from the bedroom to the living room and even the patio. Your wedding dress has beautiful fabric that can be designed into throw pillows. The netting and inner layers can also be used as the filling.

The best part about this idea is that you can do this project yourself. It is relatively simple and you can easily complete it within a few days.

With the embellishments and ample fabric that goes into most wedding dresses, you will have plenty of material to get creative. Moreover, do it right and you could even make them family heirlooms to pass on to your children. Or gift them to your loved ones as a special gesture of thanks. You can also use the same idea to make beautiful pillows instead of cushions. If you do not have the time or aren’t confident in taking up the job yourself, get it done by a professional. We are certain you will love the results.

Make a pretty patchwork quilt

If you loved the feel and look of your wedding gown, keep it close to you forever by having it made into a patchwork quilt. This is a project where you will have to invest more time and effort. You should also have a good idea of what you are doing, if you have to succeed at it.

You can use your wedding dress immediately after the wedding, or keep it till later to have this done. You can even add your wedding photo, initials, invitation or other details into the quilt by having it printed onto the fabric. If your wedding dress was a ball gown or heavily layered style, you could get up to two quilts from it. With this you gain a valuable décor piece that has a sentimental value attached to it. Don’t you think the idea is wonderful?

If a quilt doesn’t catch your fancy, you can do something on a smaller scale. A tote bag or clutch are such options. You just have to give it some thought and the ideas will keep coming.

So, which of these options will you choose for your wedding dress?

For more interesting ideas and valuable wedding advice and fashion updates for the modern bride, keep visiting us here on the Best for Bride blog.

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7 Important Thing to Consider While Choosing Your Wedding Dress

Cheers to all the gorgeous brides-to-be!

It’s never too early to start looking for your wedding dress. Your marriage is once in a lifetime experience, and you have got every right to make it the best day of your life. A perfect bridal dress is never found just like that, you have to do extreme research to find one for you.

  1. Research and Know What You Want

Before marching ahead, sit back and have a deep thought on every wedding dress, you ever liked. Looking back will give you a clear view of your perfect day picture. It is necessary to know your desire at the very first stage of wedding dress shopping. Check all your favorite bridal store’s online website to pick your preferred styles. Also, have a look at the most popular bridal dress trend to ensure if you are not missing any new trend. Give a good shot of time to every bridal magazine’s and shows to collect images of every single dress that you liked.

Now, get photocopies of the selected styles and attach it to the board. Find out the common love between them. Make a list of everything you want in your wedding dress. Initially, when you began, you had no idea, but now you have a clear image to relate. So give yourself a well-done pat and let move to the next step.

  1. Be Open to all the Suggestions

It is commendable that you have cleared the first step exceptionally well. It is time to make your first Wedding dress appointment. Select your favorite wedding store to try on your dream dress. It is not necessary that you will get your dress on your first-day shopping. So be calm and open to every suggestions that your dress consultant has to offer. At times, experienced advice is more eye-opening than self-realization. Explain the consultant, the look you are expecting so that she/he can assist you better. You will be surprised to see how many dresses look absolutely stunning on you.

  1. Choose a Perfect Size

Bridal dresses usually come in one or two sizes higher than your regular dress sizes. This might sound a little troublesome, but your size will be kept as the top secret between you and your consultant. So don’t pick a dress that is not of your size. If you are planning to lose some pounds just inform it to your designer so that there are no last minute edits in the dress.

  1. Pick The Right Time For Wedding Dress Shopping

You might be very excited, but it is not recommended to shop too early for your wedding dress. A season before your wedding date should be perfect. But if you are shopping from Kleinfeld, it is never too early. The logic behind choosing the right time for your wedding dress shopping is that you don’t end up picking something out of trend. So, make sure to pick the right time of the year so that you look the most stunning bride.

  1. Don’t Exceed Your Budget

A wedding is definitely an important day of your new life, but it is the starts not the end so plan wisely your budget. There will always be something more pleasing and attractive in the bridal store. Like every other thing, every gorgeous gown has an expensive price tag. You might not want empty your pocket just for a day. So you must stick to a pre-decided budget. You will definitely get your perfect dress in your budget so don’t get distracted with extravagant dresses in the store. You will get the wow feeling with your perfect dress. So have patience and take your time to find your dress.

  1. Dress Fabric and Elements

Once you have visioned your wedding look, you can try on varies style to check out their appearance on your body. If you are curvy or petite, there will be different style complimenting you. So before any judgment, compare all the other styles, fabrics and embellishments. You must consider your wedding theme and location as well. Find a dress that goes perfectly with the wedding theme and venue. Too traditional length might cause you trouble walking and traveling to the wedding location, so keep your entire wedding day schedule in mind while choosing a dress. Check out complimenting accessories and veil to complete your wedding day look. This is the best time to pick all the elements to complete your bridal look because later you might get too busy with appointments and preparations.

  1. Go With The Wedding Theme

Every wedding has a theme, you must have one for your wedding too. Wedding themes make things less complicated as you will have a clear idea. You will be the showstopper at your wedding. Therefore, your dress has to be fabulous. A right look with the right theme can intensify your entrance up to thousand times. Hence have your wedding theme planned before heading to the wedding gown store. It takes through planning to have a perfect wedding so start early as much as you can.

Conclusion:

2018 has witnessed some of the unusual bridal looks and styles. There are so many new extensions in the bridal collections like the cape, hand gloves, colored dress, pant style wedding dress, pearl elements, and so much more. Therefore, you ladies are so much in luck to choose from the entirely new bridal collection. A bride is always an angel to her husband and family. So please, don’t pressurize yourself. You will be one of a kind bride anyway. Wishing you all a great wedding dress shopping experience.

Hope you enjoyed the above list of important thing for a bridal dress shopping. For any feedback, drop a comment here. Enjoy shopping!

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10 Most Common Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing Your Wedding Style And Colours

Mistakes to avoid when choosing your wedding style and colors

Every couple dreams of a wedding day that is unique and creative. Colours play a huge role in enhancing the overall mood and effect of this special day. Unfortunately, choosing the right colours for your wedding isn’t as easy as it seems. Although you may have specific favourite colours, you cannot simply put them together and plan your wedding around them.

Wedding colour pitfalls are pretty standard, and they ruin the wedding ambiance. Fortunately, being aware of the likely mistakes will help you avoid them. Here is our guide to the common mistakes couples make when choosing wedding colours. Use it to steer clear of a visual overdose of colours and mix and match combinations that do not gel together.

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