Tips For Choosing A Wedding Dress Part 3

(Continued from Part 2)

-Look for deals whenever you can. For instance, I got my dress for a drastically reduced price because the shop was about to go out of business. Major designers will often have specials or shows, so research when these are. Also, you might be able to get a discount from a retailer if you take advantage of sales or store policies such as having alterations done on-site or getting your bridesmaid dresses from the same shop. If you live in a smaller town, you or your family might know someone who can get you a discount on either your dress or some other aspect of the wedding. If you're only going for a basic veil, you can often find them in “regular” stores as opposed to bridal boutiques. Every little bit of savings helps.

Also, don't stop at your dress. Since the dress I wore in my sister's wedding was very “prom-like”, it really helped to shop when prom dresses went on sale. Some people might look down on second-hand stores, but don't immediately rule out a bridal consignment shop because you may be able to find a great dress (for yourself or a maid) at a good price. As expensive as some bridesmaid dresses are and as tough times have been on some of our pocketbooks, the effort will be appreciated.

-Give yourself plenty of time to pick out a dress, but don't start too early. A good idea is to wait until the venue and reception are arranged because you will be better able to “tailor” your dress accordingly. However, you don't want to wait too much longer than that because you might find yourself in a pinch for time. Also, remember that specially-ordered dresses can take several months to come in. Even if you buy one off the rack, alterations can take a while to complete. The same goes for bridesmaid dresses, especially if you have a large party or some of them live far away.

-Don't bring a whole gaggle of friends with you to pick out your dress. As much fun as it might be to hear a bunch of people oohing and ahhing over your dress, you don't want too many opinions at once. Bring one or two people you can trust to tell you the truth about how you look.

-Don't let yourself be pressured into buying or wearing a dress you don't love. If someone else is footing the bill they definitely have a say, but you should make what you want known.

Hopefully these tips will make picking out a wedding dress to be as fun and stress-free as possible. Good luck and, again, congratulations!

Tips For Choosing A Wedding Dress, Part 2

(Continued from Part 1)

-Know what you want in a dress ahead of time. I don't mean that you have to have your perfect wedding dress pictured in your head; in fact, that might make things more difficult because it will be hard to find an exact match. You will, however, want to have an idea of what you want in a dress. A lot is going to depend on your figure and what parts of your body you want to accentuate the most. Do you want the skirt to be straight or flared? If you choose a flared one, do you want the crinoline built in? That will at least cut out one extra undergarment. What sort of silhouette (A-line, halter, empire waist, etc)? Do you want one with sleeves, or no? Straps or no? Can you wear a bra with it? For me, not wearing a bra is not an option, nor were “pasties” or other things for smaller-breasted women. Color-white, off-white, ivory etc? I wore white because, dammit, I could. What kind of embellishments do you want, if any? I know it's a lot to think about, but it really helps to have an idea of what you're looking for when you walk into the shop, especially if you have an appointment with a consultant.

Also, consider what to wear when you go shopping. If there's a particular accessory you want to wear-for instance, your mother's veil or necklace-, bring it with you so you can see how they look with your dress. If you're prone to crying when you find the perfect dress, I'd avoid wearing eye makeup that can run and stain. This isn't a problem for me, but it might be for you. It may also help not to wear lipstick for similar reasons.

-Consider how the dress will look in photographs. Some fabrics can look great in person but not so much in pictures. Does it flatter from all angles? If the shop you're visiting allows it (some don't), bring a camera and have a friend take pictures. This will give you a better idea of how the dress will look to others than a mirror would.

-Take the opinions of your intended and family into consideration, but don't let them pressure you. Like I said above, I was, um, qualified to wear a white wedding dress. My family wouldn't have made a big deal of it had I not been, but some families would.

-Look for fit rather than number size. Many shops will recommend that you try on dresses about two sizes larger than what you normally wear because of some of the undergarments (whale-boning for breast support, crinolines, girdles, etc) that are often worn under the dress. Even if you don't wear any sort of special underwear, wedding dresses may be sized differently “regular” clothes. Also, you're not just going to be standing; you'll be sitting, eating, possibly dancing, etc. Be sure you can do these things in your dress.

Tips For Choosing A Wedding Dress Part 1

Congratulations, you're engaged! Now what? Some of us dream about what we want for our wedding, but we don't always realize how much time and preparation can go into creating the day we want. I personally didn't have many ideas about my wedding, but I did know that I wanted to find the perfect wedding dress. Even though you're only going to be wearing this dress once, you'll be wearing it on what some consider to be the biggest and most memorable day of your life. There are a ton of details that go into picking out a wedding dress, even if you're going for a simple wedding. I'm no expert, but here are a few suggestions.

-Get a dress that fits you now. I know some people plan on losing a bunch of weight so they can fit into a smaller dress, but there's really no reason to get fixated on numbers. Also, what if you don't lose all the weight, or lose it in the wrong places? Instead, buy a dress that fits you now; you can always have it taken in if you need to. But, at the same time-

-Take into account any changes you might go through. I've known people who started on medication such as birth control and had their breasts expand in a way that didn't fit with their dresses. I had a similar problem and, while I was able to wear the dress, the seamstress had to make a lot of alterations that may not have been possible had I picked a different style. You might not be able to predict such things but, if you can, keep them in mind. It's a lot easier to take a dress in than to let it out.

-Have a budget in mind beforehand. Don't try on dresses you know you can't afford because you don't want to fall in love with one and not be able to get it.

-Be sure your dress doesn't take up your entire attire budget. Remember that it's not just the dress you'll be wearing-you'll be wearing shoes, jewelry, a veil. I managed to find a five-way bra I could wear with my low-backed dress, but it wasn't cheap. Also, it's almost a given that you'll need alterations. Even if you're not short like I am, most dresses will require at least some sort of hemming or adjustment. You want to set aside plenty of money and time for that.

-If you go to a bridal shop to try on dresses, it can help to make an appointment with a sales associate. Shopping for a wedding dress isn't like shopping for a party or prom dress; there are so many variables I've mentioned in this article that you're going to want help from someone who knows what they're doing. Stores such as David's Bridal have consultants on staff to help with these things, but you have to make an appointment in advance. If you do go this route, ask about the cost. Most of the time the consultants are store employees that make a regular wage plus commission, but this isn't always the case. If the store allows it, be prepared to give a tip because this person will be doing a lot more for you than you'd need to pick out other types of clothes.

Continued in part 2. 

Fun and Inexpensive Bridal Shower Games

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Anyone who has ever had to plan a wedding can agree that it can be pretty stressful. Between picking out the dresses, planning the ceremony and finding a caterer for the reception, there is just so much to do that anything that will help alleviate the stress is very welcome. Also, sometimes you want one last night out with just 'the girls'. Whether you're calling it a bridal shower or a bachelorette party, the pre-wedding celebration you throw for your best girl friend doesn't need to cost a lot of money to be fun. Here are some pretty fun bridal shower games that will be memorable without breaking your wallet.

Toilet Paper Bridal Gown. All you will need for this is a couple of rolls of tape and a lot of toilet paper! Break up into two or three teams, or more depending on how many guests there are. Each team should have one 'model' and at least one 'fashion designer'. The object of the game is to create a wedding gown out of the rolls of toilet paper. Give a period of about twenty minutes, and see what kind of 'creations' your friends will come up with. They're not going to be Project Runway-quality, but you can give a prize for the best or funniest dress. It's a lot of fun, and the only price you'll have to pay is the cost of the tape and 'dress material'!

Wedding Day Quote Game. The object of this game is to come up with the best quote for the wedding day. Give everyone a pencil and a piece of paper, and ask them to write down five things you might hear someone say on their wedding day. To make it even more fun, have everyone write down things they expect this particular bride to say on her wedding day (or wedding night!). You can aim for the funniest, strangest or most accurate quote. The only thing you have to pay for is the pen and paper, which you probably already have lying around the house.

The Bachelorette's 'To-Do' List. You've probably all seen the t-shirts with a checklist of things the bachelorette 'has to do' on her last night out. If your celebration involved going to a bar or out dancing, these are a lot of fun. My sister wore a necklace made of candy that she had to get guys to eat off of, and I had to get a guy to take off his shirt for me. They were all really silly, but it's still fun to see how many items you can check off the list! The only things you will pay for are the shirt and cover charge if the place you're going has one. Whether you have your drinks at the bar or at home beforehand, be sure to have a designated driver.

As you can see, you can make your friend's pre-wedding celebration a night to remember without having to break the bank. Have fun!

Bridal Makeup Tips

Wedding Day Make-Up Tips

For most women weddings only happen once in their lifetimes, so it would be imperative that you look your best and better looking than what you normally look like. Some enjoy the treatment of having their make-up done at a beauty salon while others prefer to do it themselves. But the most important thing to remember is that you apply make-up shades that you are used to. This way you’ll feel comfortable and won’t have to worry about the color of lipstick you are wearing.

DIY Bridal Make-up

Whichever the case, there are a few tips that you could apply that will help ensure that you look stunning on your special day. For your skin to look smoother you could apply a heavy pigmented cream foundation then top it off with a powder foundation. The mistake that most women make is to powder their face and then forget about their ears and necks. This will leave you with a painted face kind of look which is not very attractive. So when you apply the cream foundation then powder one, remember to repeat the procedure on your neck and ears.

If you’ve decided to skip the whole professional salon experience and want to do your make-up yourself, always do test runs before the big day. Also have someone handy who will give you an honest opinion of how you look.

When applying lipstick use a liner that matches your lipstick shade. This will give you a more defined look. For ladies with full lips a darker shade will work best, but for those who are thin-lipped a lighter shade would be the best choice. For your lipstick to last the whole day, you may want to begin by applying foundation on your lips. This will help keep an even lip tone. Next line your lips with the lip liner then fill them in. Apply your lipstick then blot it with a tissue. Re-apply your lipstick and let it set.

Avoid shine enhancing products on that day. This is because as much as you may want that glowing healthy look; in photos someone may actually mistake it for sweat.

Another bridal make-up tip is to mind the season you are getting married in. as mentioned earlier it would be disastrous to apply shine enhancing make-up if you are getting married during the summer. If you are getting married in the winter, dramatic make-up is allowed but it should just be an enhanced version of yourself. You could always apply a green tinted concealer that will hide the effects of the cold should your face adapt a red hue.

There are people who are very emotional and can even cry on their wedding day. If you fall into this category it would be advisable to use water-proof mascara. That way you will avoid looking like you walked off the set of a horror movie.

More bridal make-up tips can be found on the internet and in magazines specifically aimed at making your wedding day the most special day in your life.