The name says it all. Buuuuur-lap. Yes, burlap’s rough, no-frills nature wouldn’t go far in that fancy wedding department dominated by lace and satin. That is, unless you are planning a beach wedding. In that case, it’s the fabric du jour. It’s got that all-natural appeal and, for those thrifty brides, the tightly-woven, course fabric is pretty cheap. (Depending on your needs, prices can start at $3 a yard.)Thinking sea shells, sand, and sea glass? Burlap’s in the same department when it comes to creating a warm, cool theme that brings elements of the ocean and beach to your wedding and reception. The fabric, which can be picked up on online and at craft stores, can be used to fashion table covers, gift bags, ribbons, banners and more. A tricky fabric to work with, if you are not the do-it-yourself patient gal you might want to head over to Etsy.com, which is where we found these lovely creations.
On that very special wedding day, every bride wants to look like a million dollars! Whether you are applying your make up yourself or you have hired a professional for the day, wedding make up can be very daunting. You take so much time choosing your dress, jewelry, shoes and hairstyle, don’t let your face take a backseat! Are you wondering how you are going to keep your make up looking flawless in your photos all day? Easy! We HIGHLY recommend hiring a professional like Melissa Rae who uses airbrushing, an alternative to traditional foundation. It is water resistant, weightless and achieves an amazing naturally flawless looking complexion.
If you insist on applying the make up yourself, please keep these tips in mind. Firstly, don’t scrimp on the moisturizer. You will look chalky in pictures without it. Give it a few minutes to sink it before you apply your foundation. Also, highlight your eyes and temples. It will brighten your skin and keep you looking a lot more natural. Do NOT forget to wear Waterproof mascara! You will be crying tears of joy and the last thing you want is to look like someone threw a bottle of black paint on your face! Next, set your make up with a quick dusting of face bronzer or powder. This will give you a more lightweight finish. And lastly, a little trick of the trade: take a picture of yourself before you head out so you can see anything you may want to change. The camera picks up things that the human eye does not. This may be your last chance to fix it! Remember, you want to put your best face forward. These special moments only happen once in a lifetime.
With these tips, you will be feeling like a Hollywood Bombshell in no time!
Chances are, you want to have an original wedding. You want to carry something down the aisle, but you aren’t quite sure if you want it to be flowers. What if you, GASP!… are allergic to flowers? Believe it or not, there are actually a bunch of other options instead of a flower bouquet. In wedding traditions, it was custom for a woman to carry aromatic bunches of herbs, garlic and grains down the aisle when they got married to ward away evil spirits. Now, more than ever, brides are swaying from the old school traditions and are doing their own thing!
Here are some other alternatives to the traditional bridal bouquet. Crystal bouquets: Extremely fragile but have a beautiful, elegant regal look to them. They aren’t the most cost effective option and if you are a self confessed klutz..this would not be for you! If you have a sweet spot for your sweetie…why not walk down the isle to him, holding a candy bouquet? If you are a beach bride, a simple bouquet can be completely made out of seashells….perfect for a summer wedding! If you are the crafty type, a button, fabric or paper bouquet could fit your style! For a fancier look, stop by www.emplume.com to see their one-of-a-kind feather bouquets…absolutely stunning!
No matter what item you choose to carry with you, they will be a special symbol regardless. As long as it is meaningful to you.. you can carry whatever you would like! So go get creative!
… or rather, plant one. Toss aside those Hershey kisses in miniature chinese takeout boxes, an emerging trend in wedding favors are seedlings and actual trees wrapped up in pretty paper and bows. Light in calories, uber friendly to Mother Earth. We dig it. Recycled wedding dresses, reusing wedding decor from a wedding last week, and now this? Yes, ladies and gents, going green is EVERYWHERE on the wedding scene. Plant the memory of your special day with an oak seedling. Check out The Magnolia Company’s Seeds of Life, which sells oak seedlings wrapped in pretty boxes. They have a pretty extensive collection with favors hovering at about $4 a box, depending on how many you order (see photo above). If that’s not in your budget, a trip to Home Depot, Michael’s, a glue gun, some bows, and a little creativity could do the trick.
Oh, yes she can! Thanks to the lovely Pippa Middleton and that spectacular royal wedding just weeks ago, brides are starting to think: Oh yes she can. Wear white, that is. It used to be a huge no-no at a wedding. Only the bride could wear white, right? Well, we did our research and sure enough, it’s not immensely popular on this side of the pond but it has been done. (Over there, in good ol’ England, it’s pretty much a tradition dating back to the middle ages.) It’s a brave, brave thing for a bride to do. A poll of our gal pals say they never would. (Who wants drunk guests accidentally congratulating your college roommate?) But if you want to live on the edge and have an all-out white wedding give yourself a “rebel yell” and check out some of our tips:
(1) The white bridesmaid dress must be simple. Straight lines, a little flow-y perhaps, but no poof. You don’t want your wedding to look like a scene out of “Swan Lake.”
(2) If you have more than four bridesmaids we would urge you to opt for pale blue or pink instead of white. You big day could run the risk of resembling the waiting room at city hall.
(3) A little color can help give you the best of both worlds. Here we mean a little sash around the waist in one of your wedding colors might help distinguish the bride from her maidens.
(4) Think short. We loved Pippa’s look, but that was a royal wedding, with jeweled crowns and kings and queens. For your day, check out cocktail-length dresses to add a bit of informality to a trend borrowed from the palace.
(Photos above courtesy of JCREW. See www.jcrew.com for details.)
Here’s a hint: It’s your favorite place to buy yogurt by the case. Yes, Costco has said “I do” to offering wedding gowns! (No, you do not have to buy them in bulk!) According to an article in the Los Angeles Times, the Costco line features six dresses designed by Kirstie Kelly, who said she was selling the gowns for 40% less than they would normally retail for. They range in price from $700 to $1,400, in sizes 2 to 24, and in a variety of wedding-worthy materials: taffeta, organza and silk. Now, Costco Wholesale Corp. has always done a little work in the wedding department with travel, flowers, invites, rings, and other wedding must-haves, neatly packaged at its Web site. But dresses? Yes mademoiselle, in the form of a traveling trunk show. Check your local store for more details!
Apparently you can have your cake and eat it too when it comes to meshing individuality, creativity, and your wedding cake. These days we are seeing flowers, rubber duckies, candies, and funny little penguins on the tops of wedding cakes instead of the boring ol’ bride and groom. For the record: that one where the bride is pulling the groom by his tie or trying to keep him from running away? Don’t go there. (Marriage is tough enough without going into it as the crazy, controlling wife, no? Poor guy.) What we like to see is clever individuality. Initials are always pleasing and tasteful, as are simple flowers that coordinate with the bride’s floral scheme. “Love birds” always work too. If you are feeling a little more daring, check out Etsy, our favorite online marketplace for unique, handcrafted goods, or stroll around Michaels Crafts or Joanne Fabrics. If you insist on the traditional bride and groom, you can go the more personal route and have one made to look just like you and your beloved. Check out www.weddingcaketoppers.com.
The new bridal line at the Limited is a little limited but if your are on a budget, we encourage you to not limit yourself…. OK, we are trying to be funny here. The big news is every gal’s fave mall store has launched its own wedding shoppe, complete with gorgeous bridal gowns (nine to choose from) and affordable bridesmaid dresses galore (your friends will love you!). The catch is… the dresses are only available online, which means you may have to do some returning and exchanging. But if you plan ahead and you see something you like… go for it. The good news? Hello, budget friendly! Wedding dresses are priced at under $400 and, style-wise are what you would expect at The Limited. Think: sophisticated yet girly. Our favorite is the romantic gown (top), which Glamour magazine highlighted as a favorite for a beach wedding. Check it out at The Limited!
Over the past few years there is a growing trend for brides to wear two dresses on their big day: one for walking down the aisle and another for dancing the night away. The former is usually a more formal gown while the latter is a lot more fun, frisky and, in a word, short. The problem, aside from having to choose not one but two perfect dresses for that perfect wedding day, is budget. David’s Bridal to the rescue! The budget-friendly discount bridal salon has included in its Spring 2011 lineup two convertible dresses for the bride that wants to add variety to her wedding wardrobe without breaking the bank. The dresses are pretty simple, strapless numbers. One is A-line; the other is mermaid. When it comes time to boogie-woogie-woogie on the dance floor, you just remove the bottom portion. Both are priced at $599! Who says you can’t have it all? Check out www.davidsbridal.com.
Now that classy, tailored suits have upstaged the typical rented-tuxes on the big day, brides may want to know how to best tie the look together with their wedding theme colors. Key word: tie. There are two ways of doing this and that’s using ties in solid fabrics or prints. We think both work wonderfully, with some simple rules. First, if you are going with a solid tie for the groom and his guys, your job isn’t as easy as you think. We urge you to skip the easy way: an internet search for “red tie,” grab your Visa card and click “buy”. Shop around for the right fabric. If you are looking for sheen, you need to see the tie to be sure it’s not too shiny (reminiscent of a Vegas sideshow and cheap looking) or too dull. Second, if you are going to dive into the daring world of patterns and prints, take your time! We like simple stripes (one to two colors max) or classy small- to medium-prints. Stay away from larger florals or paisley designs that seem to have been made from grandma’s curtains. Regarding stripes, know that you run the risk of making your groomsmen look like a pack of prep school boys if you stick to traditional reds and navy blues. Brides, whatever you decide, make sure you do the shopping.