Why is a wedding dress so important to the ceremony? It’s a very good question as it is one of the must haves on the big day for most if not all women. Depending on your views, it may very well make or break how the day goes. What type of dress you wear completely depends on your culture and religion, and we have been wearing them since the middle ages where weddings were more of a business rather than love.
The first recorded white wedding dress was worn by Princess Philippa of England in 1406 which was a tunic made from silk and bordered with grey squirrel.
Wearing a wedding dress started off not being anything to do with religion, contrary to popular belief. As mentioned before they were worn when business agreements were being made between families and other such engagements. It wasn’t until the mid 1800′s that it became a part of Christian tradition and more popular in general due to Queen Victoria getting married in one of her own. In Christianity, wearing a white dress bares two different meanings, the first being that the white symbolizes the brides purity and virginity and the second being that it is a picture of gods righteousness, meaning to symbolize god with “fine linen, bright and clean”.
It is a key ingredient for a lot of women to have a white wedding dress as it is the main focus of the guests for the ceremony as a whole. It Is your one chance to look the most beautiful you have ever been, and in some cases it can be grand and most divine. Not all women choose to wear a dress or at the very least not a spectacular white one due to them being higher in price, and some women are not too bothered either way. It’s personal preference at the end of it. It is however highly encouraged that you wear a white wedding dress, especially if you are getting married in a church or other religious building as it could cause some offense or uproar with family members or church goers if you go against it. These days the ‘traditional’ white wedding dress takes many shapes and styles.
If you decide to get a stunning white dress then it is important that the dress fits you properly and is not too weighty as you will be wearing it for the entire ceremony, which could take a good few hours. You also need to make sure that it is not too long or short as having it too short could cause offense and having it too long you could trip, fall or get caught on the fixtures. It has to be the right dress for you. Everyone has their own opinion on the matter but you are the one who has to be happy with it. You do not want it ruining your big day nor do you want to become stressed trying to find one. Traditional wedding dresses are either white or cream in color, are made of linen, silk and/or lace and are usually the length of your whole body, just covering the feet.
Picture sources: http://www.hitched.co.za/wedding-dresses/
A bride will plan her wedding day for months, but chances are good her future husband has his mind more on the honeymoon than the impending nuptials. These five tips will help keep his eye on the ballgown instead of on the bedroom.
Discuss the Tux
A man’s tuxedo is his James Bond to a woman’s Cinderella. He may not be able to vocalize it, but chances are your Prince Charming has some rock solid ideas about his big day day attire just like you do. Go over the finer points of wedding day ambiance with him such as the shade of white, off white or ivory of your dress; vests or no vests; color of the tux itself; and the specifics of the tie. A more modern tux with some spandex blend fabrics might make him feel like a sex god on your wedding night (these make the crotch look good). Write down the decisions and make sure you both agree before you send him off to set the decisions in stone. He may not see the difference between coral and soft pink, but you will: every single time you look at your wedding photos.
A Great Big Hairy Mess
If your man is due for a haircut before your big day, be sure to schedule the appointment a few days before the event. If he accidentally gets a smiley face shaved into his sideburns, it will doubtlessly be at the very last minute.
The Dreaded Bachelor’s Party
It is a time honored tradition for a man’s closest friends to take him out the night before the most important day of his life and get him good and drunk. To make sure your future husband looks and feels his best, defy tradition and celebrate his awesome bachelor status a few days before your wedding day.
To Drink or Not To Drink
A wedding is the celebration of joining two people in the ultimate act of love. It is a cause for revelry, joy and lots of drinking. If your man tends to get carried away in the moment, discuss limits for the reception ahead of time. Your wedding night will be magical regardless of how many times you may have been around that block already, but only if you are both conscious.
Defeat Cold Feet
It is normal for men and women to second guess a trip down the aisle. The best way to calm game day anxieties is open and honest communication. If your husband-to-be approaches you with butterflies, don’t panic. The walk down the aisle is the only first step in a very long journey.
Like fashion, bridal trends come and go. Here are a few to look out for over the coming year.
Retro
The retro trend is huge at the moment both on the fashion catwalks and when it comes to weddings. The vintage look has been popular for a number of years so you won’t be stuck for inspiration.
For flowers, go for English roses in pale colors, perhaps even have a few in vintage china on the tables during the reception. Find a good hair stylist who specializes in retro hairstyles. You could go for a beautiful beehive or glamorous finger curls depending on what era you want to emulate.
Short skirts
When most people think about wedding dresses they think about long gowns that sweep elegantly across the floor. The bridal catwalks have been showing quite the opposite recently. Knee-length gowns that show off beautiful legs and shoes are going to be everywhere in 2014.
This fits in quite nicely with the retro trend as a white swing dress, one that screams fifties glamor, would make a beautiful wedding dress.
Dramatic backs
The bridal catwalks have also shown us beautiful dresses that have a lot of detailing on the back. This could be anything from a lace panel to a low back decorated with diamante.
If you want to be on trend for 2014 take a look at the backs of the dresses that catch your eye.
Capes and wraps
Forget a simple lace bolero; start looking at wraps and capes to keep the chill away during your wedding. A cape would be perfect for a winter wedding but it doesn’t have to be made of thick material. A simple lace or sheer cape would make a great addition to any wedding dress.
Bridal accessories
We’ve been seeing loads of bridal accessories on the catwalk; this could be anything from a jeweled cuff to an elaborate tiara. Don’t be afraid to accessorize even the most intricate of wedding dresses. Don’t forget about accessories for your bridesmaids too.
Crystal
Crystal details are going to be very popular this year. You might go for shoes with sparkly bits or you could add some glamor to your wedding invitations with some stick on jewels.
Crystal could also be incorporated into your wedding décor depending on how much bling you want. Diamante pins could be added to bouquets for something simple. Or you could go for crystal sculptures in the middle of every table for something a bit more over-the-top.
Brooch bouquets
Most brooch bouquets are handmade by the bride or are custom creations for the wedding. Start early on by collecting old brooches from charity shops, flea markets, family and friends. Or, you can hire someone to do the hard work for you. Regardless of how you go about getting your brooch bouquet, you’ll walk down the aisle with something truly unique in your hands.
Author bio: Jess Shanahan is a writer working with Ballistic Blue Wedding Invitations. She likes vintage brooches, Pinterest and beautiful, candid wedding photography.
It goes without saying that the wedding dress is the most talked-about outfit at a wedding. Once a bride-to-be has found the perfect wedding dress it feels like a huge weight off her shoulders. But then there is the equally important task of dressing the rest of the bridal party. Even if you’re planning a wedding on a budget and asking the bridal party to purchase their own outfits, they’ll still need some guidance on what they should be wearing! And don’t forget the groom, it’s his big day too! Here are a few tips to help you make sure everyone is well-dressed and happy.
The groom
Although renting a wedding tuxedo may seem like the cheaper option since it will only be worn for one day, buying is highly recommended. Rented tuxedos tend not to fit very well since they haven’t been tailored to you; they often end up looking loose and baggy and the groom may not feel confident on his wedding day in a suit that several other men have worn on their wedding days! Make sure a portion of the budget is allocated to a well-tailored suit. Try to think about long-term wear as well as looking good on your wedding day. Blacks and dark greys, in a heavy wool-based fabric will make for a sharper, more timeless suit that can be worn for smart events and important business meetings in the future.
Best man and groomsmen
It’s important that the groom is dressed slightly differently from his best man and groomsmen, after all it’s his special day so he wants to stand out! The best man and groomsmen should try to reflect the style of suit that the groom has chosen. For example if the groom has gone for charcoal grey, the groomsmen could go for a paler grey. If the best man opts for the same color and style of suit as the groom then distinctions can be made with different colored ties or different lapels. Subtle differences may not be picked up on by the guests but they’ll show up in the wedding photos.
Mother of the bride/groom
Traditionally the mother of the bride will avoid dressing in cream, white, ivory, i.e. colors that are similar to the bridal gown, and black is usually a no-no as it can be associated with mourning. Harsh, vibrant colors like reds are usually avoided. It’s always best to liaise with the bride and find out what colors and styles she would like her mother to wear on her big day. If you’ve had no guidance though it’s best to stick to subdued yet classy colors such as lavender, silver and blue. Once the mother of the bride has chosen her outfit it’s customary for her to liaise with the mother of the groom to ensure that their styles and color choices don’t clash but complement each other.
Bridesmaids and maid of honor
These are usually your best friends and sisters/cousins and they’ll be very proud to be your bridesmaids so it’s important to get their outfits right. It can be tempting to dress them in a way that makes the bride stand out and look more stunning when pictured next to them. However, your bridesmaids won’t be impressed if you ask them to wear outfits that make them look frumpy or fat as they won’t feel comfortable posing for photos. It can also put a strain on your relationship with your bridesmaids and affect your friendship, which is not a stress that you need on your wedding day! Your wedding photos will turn out a lot nicer if your bridesmaids are happy and confident in their outfits, and your wedding day should be a little less stressful!
