Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Wedding gowns: The convertible bridal gown

Sometimes, brides want to have 2 outfits on their wedding day: a beautiful gown for the ceremony and a short cocktail dress for a more laid-back look for the reception. But having an extra outfit for the reception can mean additional costs in your wedding budget. But here's a great solution: have a convertible bridal gown made for you.

Yes, there is such a thing. It's basically a wedding dress with a detachable skirt. It solves the hassle of having an extra dress made (and the extra costs that go with it). All you have to do is untie or unzip it from your main dress and voila! You achieve a new look with just one dress.

Convertible wedding gowns are hard to come by, but I found some on the Internet, which I'd like to share with you. You can use them as an inspiration for your dream wedding gown:

Monday, May 24, 2010

Inspiration board - Grecian

I guess this had something to do with my hangover from watching Clash of the Titans last weekend (and I mean the Harry Hamlin starrer released back in the 80s). But come to think of it, a Grecian-inspired theme makes for a really romantic wedding. Admit it, when you saw the wedding scene from Mamma Mia, you know you wanted to have one, too. It's perfect for an out-of-town wedding (and if you can go to Santorini, why not?) and with this theme, your guests will surely rave about the whole experience.

For this board, blue was chosen as the main color because it represented the whole look and feel of the Mediterranean. I added a splash of white and gold/yellow as accents, just like the beach and the sun blends with the azure sea. Hope you like it!

Thursday, May 20, 2010

What to wear as a wedding guest

Let's talk being a guest at a wedding this time. Now, once being invited by the soon-to-weds, the next question would most probably be what to wear for the event. Most of the time couples already put the desired attire in the invitation. It may be semi-formal, formal, or black tie. Based on this, what should a wedding guest pick for his or her outfit?

If the invitation says casual, then you probably can wear something like a party dress or a casual suit. Of course, stay away from jeans and t-shirt unless the couple says you can wear them for their wedding.

For a daytime wedding, the ladies can wear a pretty pastel sundress and the gentlemen can wear casual slacks and a dress shirt. Also take note of the venue; if the wedding will be held in a garden or beach, might as well do away with the high heels.

If it's an evening wedding, a short cocktail dress will be fine for the ladies. For the men, a dark suit is a good choice. Wearing a darker color, such as jewel tones or even black, is okay when attending an evening wedding.
If the invitation says black tie optional, you can expect it to be an affair to wear something formal. Ladies can wear a short formal cocktail dress or a long dress. Accessorize your look with a few jewels. For the guys, you have the option to wear a tuxedo, or if you don't have one then a dark suit and dark tie is what you should wear.

For weddings that say black tie, then this is the time to get really glamorous and formal. A long gown for the ladies with a bit of sequins plus a jeweled purse is a nice attire for this kind of wedding. The men will have to wear a tuxedo. Buying or renting one would be a must, if he does not have one.

While weddings can be your chance to dress up, just remember there are still a few rules to follow. Number one on the list is of course not to steal the attention from the bride and groom. Ladies should veer away from wearing a plain white dress (though if it has a printed design, it may be okay just as long as it's not predominantly white). As said above, too casual attires like jeans and t-shirt are not appropriate things to wear for a special event.

If you're opting to wear something black, remember that wearing such color should be reserved for evening weddings. Also, some cultures sometimes do not approve of guests wearing something black for a joyous occasion, so also consider that. Better ask the bride or groom if you could don a black dress for their wedding.

Ladies should also avoid wearing something too sexy or revealing. You're not joining a beauty pageant, you are attending a wedding, a special celebration of a union of two people. Besides, wearing a dress that shows too much skin can take the spotlight away from the bride who, along with the groom, should be the center of the day's attraction.

If the invitation you received does not indicate what attire the couple prefers, the look and feel of the invitation will give you a clue on what to wear. After knowing how formal or casual the wedding will be, I hope this post gives you an idea what to wear as a guest for a wedding.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Accessorizing with the best bridal jewelry for your look

It's common knowledge that brides put a lot of thought on their wedding gowns. But for that total look, the accessories the bride wears on the big day help make the spotlight shine brighter on her. And picking the jewelry that goes best with your gown is very important.

So how do you know what bridal jewelry would go well with your overall look? One of the things you have to remember is that the accessories you wear should complement your gown and not overshadow it.

Different dress necklines require different kinds of jewelry. Strapless gowns are pretty easy, because you can wear any kind of necklace with it. And because this type of neckline adds focus to your shoulders and face, jewelry that enhances your beautiful features is a must. You can go for a Y-strand necklace or even a choker for a clean look. Match it with some earrings to finish this elegant style.

Y-strand necklaces can also be worn with a sweetheart or V-neck wedding gown. Chokers are also a good option, especially for V-neck gowns because it gives a cleaner look.

A backless or low back wedding gown will show a lot of skin. Accessorize that bare part with a bridal lariat, a necklace that has a dangle at the back area. Of course, you can wear a simple strand necklace and leave your back bare for a sexy look.

Halter top wedding dresses also go well with a bridal lariat, drawing more attention on the back, or even a Y-strand necklace, which follows the flow of the neckline.

The traditional square neck goes well with simple accessories. A single or double strand necklace, a pair of earrings, and bracelet look great with your square neck wedding gown. If you're thinking of going vintage, a choker and stud earrings are perfect choices.

For brides going for off-the-shoulder wedding gowns, there are also a lot of options for accessories. Single strand necklaces frame the face elegantly. They can also go for Y-strands or lariats, depending on how much skin it shows on the back.

If your wedding gown has a scoop neckline, a multi-strand necklace will frame your neckline perfectly especially if the neckline is pretty low. This type of wedding dress also goes great with a simple single strand or Y-strand necklace, or a choker.

You won't need to wear a necklace if your bridal gown is an asymmetrical or one-shoulder dress. The necklace would just seem out of place. You can instead accessorize with teardrop or dangling earrings and a jeweled hair vine.

A hair vine is a great bridal accessory if you're pretty much doing away with your bridal veil. But even under a veil, it gives a dainty look. Anyway, guests will see the true beauty of your hair vine once you take off the veil for the reception party.

Another accessory most brides can't do away is a pair of earrings. They frame and put the focus on the face, and even with different necklines, you can easily wear earrings to finish off your look.

For the earrings, what's important to know is that aside from the dress, the kind of earrings you're going to wear should complement your face shape. If your face is round, go for earrings with angular designs or with a dangle. For rectangular shaped faces, stud earrings and hoop earrings are good choices since they do not elongate the face further. Brides with oval face shapes can do with any type of earrings.

Also take note of the hairstyle you're wearing on your big day to determine what type of earring you have to choose. Go for an updo, such as a bun, if you're wearing stud earrings. Otherwise, it will just be invisible to the eye.

It's not just the face and the neck that has to be accessorized. Also an essential bridal jewelry is the bracelet. There are many bracelet options you can choose from, like a cuff or a simple one-strand wedding tennis bracelet. Just like the other bridal jewelry mentioned, choosing a bracelet also has a few rules. If you're not wearing gloves, a cuff or multi-strand bracelet would be a good option. If you're wearing plain gloves on your wedding day, a diamond tennis bracelet would be a great accessory to go with it.

Finding the perfect wedding jewelry for your look need not be hard. It's just a matter of knowing your style and what you like. Keep in mind, though, to not over-accessorize -- your bridal jewelry are not the stars of the show. You are. Remember that accessories enhance your overall look, so choose what goes best for you and you'll be effortlessly beautiful on your wedding day.

Photo credits: Silver Chain - Single White Freshwater Pearl Sterling Silver Necklace by WeddingJewels from Etsy.com; Pearls & Silver Necklace & Earring Bridal Jewelry Set by Daisy-Days.com; The Crystal Lariat from AmysBridalAccessories.com; 3 Row Tapestry Swarovski Crystal Droplet Choker from PearlsOfPurity.com; Angelina 3 Strand Quartz Crystal Necklace from NicoleWinkler.com; Bouquet Hair Vine from CarrieYeo.co.uk; Big Hoops Diamond Earrings from RothemCollection.com; Swarovski Crystal Cuff Bracelet from Crystabelle.co.uk.
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