After months of planning, and stressing the details, you want to make sure you remember your wedding day. Guestbooks are traditionally a great way for family and friends to leave behind memories from the wedding, but most modern couples aren’t looking for a simple name and good luck message from there friends and family. It is now important to couples that they find meaningful ways to include family and friends favorite memories from the day. These ideas will give you the opportunity to find a unique way for friends and family to leave you with lasting memories from your wedding day.
Read MoreModern Modesty: How to Cover-Up While Looking Chic
Whether it’s for a church or synagogue ceremony, the weather, or personal taste, some brides don’t want to show it all on the big day. Finding an appropriate jacket that does not compromise your style can sometimes feel impossible. However, there is no reason to fear, these daring brides pushed the limits of bridal fashion to bring you ideas and inspiration for your own wedding day. From denim to lace there’s no aesthetic you can’t achieve while still feeling comfortable. We always want our brides to feel like themselves, and these style ideas will help you bring all of your personality into your bridal look.
Read MoreThe Basics of Bridal Design: A Guide to Silhouette, Necklines, and Sleeves
Most brides are familiar with the basics of bridal gowns, but knowing the names for the styles that you love can help you to describe the dress of your dreams. The more you know, the better you can explain what you want, and the better we can help you achieve your dream dress. Though there are so many styles of dresses, it is can be simplified by breaking it down into silhouette, neckline, and sleeve styles. These categories can also help you to know what will best flatter your body, and therefore the styles that you can focus on for your bridal gown.
Silhouettes- One of the most important elements of the dress is the overall shape, and how it is going to flatter your body. Silhouettes not only change the way our bodies look, they can change the way we feel.
Ball gown: The most iconic of all silhouettes, this look is for the cinderella bride. Flattering on almost all body types, the full skirt emphasizes the waist, giving a slimming effect. Ball gown dresses are a perfect traditional look, but can be played up depending on the amount of tool, size, and shape of the skirt.
Sheath: This simple style is also a very flattering look on most bodies. These dresses are designed to slide against the body and hug in all the right areas. This style tends to be more modern, and can follow a more minimalist style. Although this silhouette lends itself to a more simplistic design, some designers are starting to use lace and embroidery to really glam these gowns up.
A-line: A line dresses are the happy medium between the ballgown and the sheath dress. This style of dress still has volume from the waist down, which creates a slim waistline. The A-line, however, tends to lend itself to a less dramatic look, as the proportion of the skirt is smaller than a ball gown. The A-line dress is slimming, and modern while remaining traditionally bridal.
Mermaid: This dramatic choice is a perfect compliment for a bride with a curvy body type. The style hugs the body from bust to knee, and then breaks out into a voluminous skirt at, or just above, the knee. This tight to the body style is a sexy choice, and is very fun and flirty for the modern bride.
Fit and flare: Like the mermaid, fit and flares hug the body at the top, and loosen toward the floor. The fit in flair tends to lay sunggly against the body instead of hug tightly. This is a very flattering look for all body types as it can flare anywhere below the hip, and flatter a multitude of waistlines.
Drop Waist: Gowns in this style hug the bust to hip, and typically meet a seam below the hip where the skirt dramatically flares out. This style is great for emphasising the waist, bust, and behind, making it another sexy choice. Drop waists typically have lots of volume in the skirt, making them an alternative to the ball gown.
Empire: These high waisted styles sit the skirt right below the bust, which is a flattering on our tall, slim brides. This style is easily incorporated into beach, or bohemian weddings. The drape that falls from the high waistline falls beautifully over the body, and makes for a soft and feminine silhouette. This style is simple, but very classic, and will leave you feeling royal.
Sleeve styles: This often overlooked element of bridal design can totally change the way your dress is perceived. The sleeve cna really compliment elements of design, and bring new aesthetics to your look.
Off the shoulder: This subtle, but sexy look can draw attention to the shoulders and neck, and is a perfect compliment for many styles of dress as there are many options for off the shoulder sleeves. From small sashes to full sleeves, many brides choose off the shoulder as it exposed a modest amount of skin.
Flutter/Butterfly Sleeves: These sleeves are soft and elegant, and look amazing on flowy, modern dresses. The fabric on this style of sleeve falls off of the shoulder into a draped sleeve. These sleeves are often draped in transparent fabrics and are a good choice for brides who want to maintain modesty in a dress for religious or other reasons.
Bell Sleeves: Strong and dramatic, this style of sleeve is fitted near the arm hole and widens greatly above the wrist and the hand. This style works well with mermaid gowns because of similar fit and flare proportions. Often in lasce, these sleeves can go from modern to romantically Renaissance inspired.
Cap Sleeves: Simple additions to any wedding gown, a cap sleeve is a small cover on the shoulder that covers just a little of the shoulder and sometimes the upper arm. This dainty addition has more of an aesthetic than a function purpose, but is a very popular sleeve choice.
Bishop Sleeve: This historically based sleeve brings some tradition to a wedding gown. The drape from armhole to the fullness that ends tightly at the wrist gives a romantic feeling to this style of sleeve. This style can be a modest choice for bridal gown sleeves as it covers the arm from shoulder tip to wrist.
Puff Sleeve: Voluminous sleeves like these could have you feeling like Cinderella on your wedding day. Though in the recent past they were considered outdated, designers now are using puff sleeves in new ways. They have over-sized them, and dramatized them to bring a unique and fun twist to the traditional sleeve.
Neckline Styles: Posible one of the most important elements to understand about your bridal gown is the neckline. Not only is this one of the basic design elements, but it is the closet part of the gown to our brides beautiful faces, and we want to compliment you in every way possible with your gown.
V-neck: The cut of this neckline allows the bride to show some skin, and feel sexy on their big day. Having a big space of open skin near the face draws the eye from the bride top to bottom, and accentuates the whole body and gown.
High neck: Modest, and sophisticated, this neckline comes up on the neck like a low turtleneck. It is a very modest look that will flatter brides of all ages. This look is good for brides who are getting married in cooler seasons, or locations.
Bateau: Necklines of this style are flattering to the neck and face because they sit low on the collarbone and lay high across the chest. This cut allows it to flatter an older bride as it shows peaks of skin across the chest, but remains subtly sexy.
One-shoulder: One shoulder dresses are fun and flirty. Typically most flattering on slim shouldered brides, these asymmetrical looks are unique. One-shoulder looks can have a loose toga reference, or can be sleek and simple for a more modern bride.
Halter: Wedding gowns with a halter neck have a open shoulder idea that is complimentary on women that want to show off their arms or back. Athletic brides look amazing in halter necks as it gives them the confidence to show off their strong feminine form.
Sweetheart: Most easily recognized by its name, everyone loves the sweetheart neckline. This traditionally look is always sexy as it open the chest up, and shows more cleavage than some of the other necklines. This neckline is a suitable options for so many body types, which makes it one of the more popular.
Illusion: An illusion neckline is one that is made up of a transparent mesh that rises above a lace that finishes around the bust. This style often fakes a strapless gown while providing the structure and support of shoulders and a neck.
Wedding Send-off Ideas: A Modern Ride into the Sunset
Planning a wedding is full of exciting choices to be made, and for a bride who likes to be an individual, having unique ideas to choose from is undoubtedly helpful. Hopefully you can find some inspiring ideas to include in your own special day. Every bold bride loves to make an entrance, and let’s not forget that the exit can be just as important. Whether you want to make sparks fly, or send sweetness into the air, starting your marriage off right is always important. We believe that there are many traditional ways to send-off a couple, but who says you have to do that. We know that there is certainly a perfect send-off for you and your significant other.
Read MoreFinishing Touches: Styling A Wedding Gown with Bridal Belts
So we have created the perfect custom wedding gown for your wedding day, but you’re scared to ruin it with accessories. Well you have options, and we are here to show you how we can help you complete your look with the bridal belt that matches your personality. With your wedding day choices, colors, and accents, we can create the perfect finishing touches on your bridal gown, leaving you looking, and feeling, like a beautiful bride.
Read MoreChoosing The Right Lace for Your Custom Wedding Gown: A Guide to Bridal Lace for Every Bride’s Style
Choosing a lace for your wedding gown may feel like an unapproachable task. With so many choices, and the endless options that you can find online, it can be difficult to know exactly what is right for your style. Although these small details can feel overwhelming, they do not have to. With our help you can easily find a type of lace for your bridal gown that will go far beyond your expectations. When you visit our studio we can go over all the option available but in the mean time here is a guide for you to explore!
Read MoreThank You Cards – What’s the Etiquette?
You want to express your gratitude and you are grateful for all the love, gifts and attendance. So, why does the thought of giving thanks seem so daunting? It doesn’t have to be!
Read MoreShould You Book a "Wedding Dance" Lesson?
Did you envision your first wedding dance before you started planning your wedding? I know I didn’t! That was not a top priority on my list. I figured, what's the big deal? It's just dancing, right? But, wow, has my perception changed. I have to say I was completely wrong!
I am very lucky that one of my best friends is a professional dance instructor who owns a dance studio, which offers private lessons to couples.
Read MoreSNEAKERS TO WALK DOWN THE AISLE? The modern bride's guide to this season's fashionable wedding sneakers
With all the importance placed on the wedding dress, we should not forget how essential the shoes are for completing the look.
For the modern bride the old question about practicality versus fashion has come to have new meaning with respect to wedding shoes. Fashion is more casual these days.
Read MoreCreating a Custom Wedding Photo Book
Prep Work: Have an idea about how you want your finished product to look, and express it to your photographer.
Sizes: Think about sizes. Do you want the photo sizes to be consistent or a mix of 8"x10" portraits and 5"x7" shots. Research photo album styles and tell your photographer your top picks.
Read MoreTo Veil Or Not To Veil ? A Guide To All The Different Types And Lengths Of Veils
Veils are timeless and classic and before you go dismissing them as too traditional, why not educate yourself on the veil varieties. Some of these are definitely not your grandmother’s veils!
Read MoreWedding Favors Gift Ideas I Found On Etsy
Are you thinking of giving your guests charming little presents to take home as a keepsake? I am! And I loved all the different options available on Etsy - they have a whole section dedicated to this stuff!
Read MoreTips For a Healthy Glow On Your Wedding Day – An Essential Guide To Beautiful Wedding Day Skincare Regiment For The Modern Bride
We all want radiant, healthy skin for our big day. This requires some work and a good regimen, especially because the wedding preparations are stressful. Makeup, of course will help, but bright, healthy skin as a base is essential. Here are some tips to ensure that you can have the best skin for your wedding.
Read MoreWedding Invitations: Online versus Post Office?
Decisions, decisions, decisions! There are so many more decisions that need to be made while planning for a wedding - - Right? Let me try to help you with this one by providing some practical points and also sharing my personal experience. Keep in mind that, just as with any other aspect of your wedding preparations, there is no right or wrong way. It’s all about your priorities and how you want to spend your wedding budget.
Read MoreTuxedos Can Be Just As Dazzling As A Wedding Dress
When planning the wedding we (the brides) are often responsible for overlooking every aspect of the event. The bride’s job is to make sure everything is perfect and picking the groom’s attire is often included in her duties.
There are tuxedos for every personality and occasion and here are some fun out-of-the-box ideas for you and your hubby to consider when it comes to his attire.
Read MoreMicro-Wedding : What do you think about having a small wedding?
Recently, my close friends opted for a “micro-wedding” (about 20 guests or less). I was intrigued to find out that this is becoming more and more popular with couples. With the price of weddings as high as ever, and everything else that goes into having big celebrations, a small wedding is looking more and more appealing to many couples.
What To Wear To a City Hall Wedding - The Complete Guide
Our City Hall Wedding, although a small affair with just 6 people, still took some preparation. Figuring out what to wear was – as usual – the hardest part. Personally, I wanted to make it a little bit festive, but I didn’t really want to wear a full-blown wedding dress to City Hall. I decided to do a separates look. Here are some ideas that I came up with for you.
Read MoreOriginal and Stylish Wedding Nails Ideas You Will Love #NailART
I am currently planning my own wedding next summer and I’m collecting ideas for all aspects of the event. Recently I saw a friend of mine rocking this really cool crystals manicure and I knew I wanted something similar for my wedding day. After I did some research, I realized just how creative you can get with your wedding Mani and Pedi. Here are some ideas that I loved.
Read MoreOver-The-Top Fashion Weddings I Can't Get Enough Of!
Over-the-top weddings are a fantastic source of inspiration for your own ceremony and reception! These lavish events were magical and original and I just love them.
Read MoreWeddings Around the World: Italy
Mamma mia, you’re in for a treat! If you’re lucky enough to be invited to an Italian wedding, we’re certain you won’t be short on excellent food, drinks, venues, fun traditions, and of course, fashion. So, put on your best outfit and get out those dancing shoes because we’re taking you to Italy!
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