Wedding Advice – Here Comes the Blog

Archive for the ‘Accessories’ Category

Wedding veils are a lovely part of a bridal outfit. Your choice to wear a veil is a throwback to the days when brides covered their faces so the evil spirits that were thought to surround the wedding couple could not see her face to harm her. (That’s why bridesmaids originally dressed the same, so that the evil spirits would get confused and not know who the bride was.) All tradition and superstition aside, a veil just looks elegant.

What sort of veil should you wear? That all depends on your style and taste. There’s no saying you can’t wear any veil you like, but it does have to match your wedding gown, so plan to choose your dress (and make your final purchase) before selecting a veil. You may change your mind if you haven’t paid for your dress yet, so wait until it’s paid for to shop for a veil.

Go out shopping with an open mind. What you might think you like may be nothing like what you end up choosing. Try to wear your hair as you will on your wedding day the day you shop for your veil. You’ll get a better idea of how it will work with your do and if you will need to select either another hair style or another veil.

If you’re more on the petite side, you might want to go with a veil that’s a little smaller, shorter and less puffy. You don’t want to walk down the aisle looking like a cloud. You want people to be able to see you under your veil. Taller girls can get away with longer veils and fuller versions as well.

There are several types of veils. One is a short veil designed to be worn with a hat or tiara. This is typically just made of tulle, a see through netting. You can also opt for a long veil either entirely made of lace or made of a tulle or nylon fabric. It can end halfway down your back or be more of a cathedral train trailing far down the aisle behind you. Longer veils can either be taken off at the reception or bustled up. Most likely you’ll want to take it off. Whether you choose to cover your face with a blusher panel is up to you. That’s typically what the father of the bride will lift as he gives his daughter away.

If you want to wear your veil for the entire day, opt for something shorter and lighter. Tulle veils are perfect because they are so light and airy. You won’t even feel like you have it on. Choose to anchor your veil either with a tiara or with combs that are under the head piece. Your head piece will be either permanently attached to the veil or removable so you can just wear the top piece at the reception. Choose a head piece that you really love as it will be in all your photos both at the church and the reception. Go with pearls and satin or all rhinestones. It’s up to you. You can also incorporate satin or fresh flowers into a crown that ends in a veil.

As long as your veil matches in style and color with your dress, you can pretty much wear any style you like. Try not to have a pure white dress with a cream colored veil. It will look off. Ask the opinion of those closest to you. They may find that what you have chosen is perfect or that you should keep looking. Either way, their advice is very valuable.

Have fun selecting your veil. It’s the one time in your life that you will be able to wear such a lovely piece of finery. Select it with care and preserve it after the wedding for generations to come. A good dry cleaner can help you with preservation and care.

Feeling bold? You can always try and make your own wedding veil!

When considering your bridal head dress, definitely put tiaras on your list of things to try on. They are elegant and regal and will make you feel like a princess for the day. They are timeless and classic and never go out of style.

A tiara can be as elaborate or as simple as you like. While most brides are not going to spend money for a diamond tiara, a rhinestone one can be just as lovely. Start browsing online. You’ll get a good idea of what’s out there. And there aren’t just one or two choices. You will find that there are designs and styles to fit every taste.

A good bridal tiara will sit firmly and high on your head. You’re going to need to work your hairdo around your tiara. So once you find one you like, start thinking about which hair styles might work with it. And you’ll definitely want to bring your tiara with you to your hairdresser once before the big day so she can do your hair and place the tiara on top of your do to see if it works. If it doesn’t, you’ll still have time to rework your tiara.

If you’re wearing a tiara, you can do an upsweep that’s smooth and elegant, or a curly, romantic casual and free flowing style. The tiara lends itself to both a traditionally upswept look as well as a more fairy princess kind of look. It’s up to you and your unique style.

You don’t have to stick to just white rhinestones. You can get a pearl tiara or a faux diamond tiara with colored stone accents. Who says you can’t wear an all faux ruby red tiara or a sapphire blue one? You’ll be amazed at how much there is to choose from. Don’t limit yourself to just the few that are at bridal shops. They only keep a few in stock so that they’re not sitting on a huge amount of inventory, but you have the whole world at your disposal. Shop catalogs and internet stores that carry everything to do with bridal jewelry and tiaras. You will find hundreds, one more gorgeous than the next.

Decide on what your budget will be. If you know the range you can shop in, you can often limit your online searches to tiaras that are just in your budget. That way you won’t be tempted to overspend. But no matter what you choose, you’re going to walk down the aisle regally and every eye will naturally be drawn to your crown.

Are there limits to what you can wear with a tiara? Not really. Of course if you’re opting for a pant suit, the tiara might look a little out of place. But basically any dress or gown will work with a crown of jewels. Try to choose a style that lends itself to sparkling accents. If you have a very plain sheath dress, you can accent it with the gems on a tiara. If you have a dress that’s covered in sparkles, a tiara will only enhance its beauty. You really can’t lose when choosing a tiara. And yes, they are still very cool for the chicest brides all over the world. There’s a reason they’ve never gone out of style. It’s because they are classy and classic.

Interested in more wedding trends? Check out this article on an Edwardian Fairy Tale Wedding Theme.

The wedding cake topper is often one of the most unique and personal items that the bride and groom will get to choose. But it’s also one thing brides often stress about. Forget the days of plasticine, poorly painted toppers that looked stiff and uncomfortable. Today’s wedding cake toppers are beautiful and original.

Consider your hobbies when picking a wedding cake topper and also your uniqueness as a couple. If you’re not the traditional couple, why have a traditional cake topper?

Today’s couples are choosing cake jewelry more and more as their cake toppers. They’ll have splashes of faux jewels in the shape of hearts, butterflies, rain drops, star fish or any other shape they can think of. Often, they are suspended by wire and placed into the cake for a waterfall effect. Also, rhinestone hearts with the couple’s new last initial will be featured on top of the cake. Or three letters are sometimes used for the couple’s first initials and a larger last name initial. These monogram cake toppers are really cute yet glamorous.

The brides and grooms on today’s cake toppers can be made from glass, acrylic, porcelain or really well done plastic. Many couples are choosing small pieces of sculpture for their cakes. The sculptures are more realistic, show the brides and grooms in more detail and can even be customized to look like the bride and groom. Many brides even go so far as to have their actual wedding dress recreated for the figurine on the top of the cake.

Poses are now all the rage. You may see a bride chasing after a reluctant groom on the top of the cake or a groom on bended knee kissing his new bride’s hand. The sculptural aspects can range from funny—think a guy fishing off his wedding cake while the bride looks on in mock disapproval—or sentimental, like a bride and groom in a picture frame as the “picture perfect couple.”

Many wedding cakes are now going without toppers too. Flowers are being used as sculpture. Fresh flowers can be arranged by either your cake decorator or your florist into a lovely presentation that requires no additional adornment. Some cakes even go without flowers and just have edible gold or silver jewels to dress them.

Gone are the days when you had to choose a cardboard figure off a shelf. You can shop for lovely wedding cake toppers online and find a variety of looks and styles that will perfectly suit your tastes. You’re not limited to Caucasian brides and grooms anymore either. Cake topper companies have now gotten wise and offer a wide range of ethnicities to choose from.

Today’s cakes are anything but ordinary. Your cake topper should be extraordinary too. Use your favorite colors, theme or personalities to come up with something really different. There are even skeleton brides and grooms these days, so anything goes. Go all out and your friends and family will definitely remember your topper. Make it yourself or shop online. Nothing is too wacky or too funky. Go for what really speaks to you and you’ll be right in keeping with today’s trends.

For ideas on wedding cake, try:

• Black and White Wedding Cakes
• How To Find A Fantastic Cake Baker
• Personalized Reception Items

Oh #tuesdayshoesday, we love you. And that's why this week, we are helping brides research some fun, Spring wedding shoes. Why not? Spring is coming up and sometimes the toughest part is finding the perfect shoes once you've found the perfect dress. So, this post is going to highlight all kinds of fun, Springy shoes!

Meet the Shoes

• Steve Madden - Fifi - $99.99
• Badgley Mischka - Karlisle - $199.99
• Chinese Laundry - Baldwin - $55.99

I just love soft and subtle colors for Spring, but if you wanted to go a little crazy for color, you certainly could. The nice thing about white is that it goes with anything. So if you want something that will pop with your white wedding dress, any color is a go!

Here are a few colorful Spring shoes that might make your heart zing!

Meet the Shoes

• Rsvp - Bryn - $42.40
• Nine West - Annalisa - $79.95
• Nina - Electra - $67.46

So what are your thoughts? Would you go light, soft and Springy - or would you go bright, colorful and Springy?

Careful planning can prevent most wedding day emergencies – like not having your rings or failing to bring waterproof mascara.  But no matter how well prepared you are, there are little situations that arise that can go from a little inconvenience to a major problem in no time.  A blister, for instance.  If you are ready with a Band-Aid and a little pad for the back of your shoe, you’re all set.  If not, then your walk down the aisle may become a hobble down the aisle.  To prevent this, and other day-ruiners, it is a great idea to have a wedding day emergency kit. What should you pack, besides those Band-Aids?

Your wedding emergency kit should be customized to meet your needs as a bride (or groom.  Grooms can have emergencies, too!).   Assemble the following:

• Brush or comb
• Hair spray or extra hair product, pins, etc.
• Dental floss
• Extra panty hose if you’re wearing them
• Tissues (a wedding handkerchief might be a little more elegant)
• Mints
• Compact mirror
• Makeup essentials, such as blemish concealer, lip color, mascara, and foundation
• Perfume or scented spray
• Legal documents (don’t forget the marriage license!)
• Antacid and pain reliever
• Hand lotion. Your hand is likely to appear in more than a few photos, so make sure it’s looking pretty!
• A small sewing kit, which includes needles, thread, and safety pins. Add a roll of double sided tape, which can come in handy for quick hem fixes and other potential emergencies.
• White chalk. If you get a spot or stain on your wedding dress, don’t panic.  Dab it over with chalk to mask it.  Also make sure to ask at the dress boutique or your seamstress what to do if you spill something on your dress.  Should you get out the club soda or baby powder?
• Deodorant.  It’s a stressful day; smell your best.
• Tampons or pads.  Even if you are nowhere near your period, it is best to be prepared just in case for yourself and your bridesmaids.
• Wet wipes and/or stain removing wipes.
• Cell phones and important phone numbers.
• Healthy, energy-boosting snacks, such as fruit and granola bars.
• Chocolate.  Brides tend to get frazzled and stressed out on their wedding day.  Relax with a piece of luscious dark chocolate.  Just don’t get any on your dress.  But that’s what the stain removers are for, just in case.

A man’s wedding day emergency kit will of course be a bit different.  He won’t need the makeup items.  The groom or best man should have a kit containing:

• Extra black socks
• Brush or comb
• Cologne
• Corsage pins
• Shirt buttons
• Extra engraved cufflinks
• Lint brush
• Quick sewing kit with buttons, needles, safety pins, thread, and small scissors
• Shoe polish

Basics like breath mints, deodorant, legal documents, cell phones, phone numbers, and other must-haves should be tucked into both brides’ and grooms’ kits.

You can purchase pre-made wedding emergency kits, but it is just as easy, and much less expensive, to assemble your own.  The bride or groom can do this themselves or delegate to a dependable attendant or parent.  In either case, make sure to put in items that will provide you with a bit of comfort on your big day.  We mentioned chocolate, but you may find that lighting a lavender candle helps or having a sip or two of champagne.  Everyone’s emergency kit will be a bit different, but with the basics, you’ll make it through your big day looking and feeling great.

For more details on your wedding preparation, read this article on 10 Ways To Personalize Your Wedding.

This weekend, I received a neat package that couldn't help but get mentioned in the blog. One of my new favorite ways to dress up the guestbook table is to add some of these adorable "Rosy Writers" by Leela Lou Designs. They are so cute and will totally add a little creativeness to your wedding.

These pens are made with polymer clay flowers that are heat bonded to a pen. They're then wrapped in green vinyl tape, to look like a gorgeous rose. Leela Lou makes the flowers for any occasion including weddings (of course), baby showers, new home gifts, point-of-sale decor, the uses really go on and on.

As for me, I'm picturing these little guys, perched in a little flower pot filled with sand on a guestbook table. Buy the flowers to match your wedding colors and it's the perfect little complement to your wedding decor. These would be perfect for an outdoor Spring or Summer wedding, but they'd look great any time of year, you just need to pick the right colors!

Choose your colors, the number of pens, and make your own little set. Or, you can simply order one and test it out at your desk. Either way, these Rosy Writers are making any space look beautiful.

Also in the package was a uber-cute, handmade card. You can see the photo here, it was so cute and can really be used for any occasion. She also makes them to the occasion that you are going to be using your flowers for, so if it's a thank you gift, or a new baby gift, then your card will be made accordingly... and really cute!

If you'd like to view other Rosy Writers that have been done by Leela Lou Designs, you can see them at her website: www.LeelaLou.etsy.com

*We did not receive any payment for writing this article, just a sample of the Rosy Writers, which we love!

A woman’s wedding is truly the most special and remembered day of her life.  You may find yourself concentrating on the guests, the venue, the details- but don’t forget to pamper yourself a big for the big day!  Of course, once you find the wedding dress of your dreams most of the searching is over for your total look.  But don’t forget, the wedding jewelry you wear during your ceremony and your party can be the difference between a plain bride and an absolutely dazzling fairytale bride.

Beyond the diamond engagement rings, wedding jewelry is lusted over by brides to be.  Depending on your personal style and the wedding dress you’re wearing, you can find the perfect combination of wedding jewelry to fit your exquisite look.

If you have a sophisticated and refined taste in fashion, you may want to opt for simple stud earrings and a pendant necklace to compliment your engagement rings dazzle and the beauty of your dress.  An understated look with a little sparkle can really go a long way in your look and the overall bridal feeling.

For the lady with a bit more extravagant taste, it may be a great idea to consider a pair of diamond dangle earrings.  If you are wearing your hair in an updo, dangle earrings will draw attention to your glowing face and your feminine neckline.  Moreover, you can match a beautiful necklace with the earrings easily and create a regal bridal look.

If the regal look interests you, it’s a great idea to wear the ever popular tiara!  Tiaras are making a comeback in a big way this bridal season and they’re absolutely gorgeous on any bride!   Tiaras come in a range of large and small sizes so you can wear one with the idea of looking like a princess, or just add a bit of sparkle to your updo.  Reminiscent of the queen and the beautiful traditions that equate the bride to royalty, you can be sure a tiara will lighten your step on the big day.

Regardless of the wedding jewelry you wear, paying attention to detail will assure you the most magnificent and special wedding you could ever have dreamed.

Your wedding ring is one piece of wedding jewelry you’ll keep for a lifetime. Chances are you’ve dreamed of it all your life and now that you have it, you’ll want to protect it so it always keeps its shine.

There are many ways you can ensure that your wedding ring looks as great as the day you first opened that little velvet box. One is to always take it off and put it in a safe place if you are working with anything caustic like a chemical, paint, or other corrosive liquid. Often household cleaners can damage rings, so read the labels before you dive into your next project.
NEVER leave your wedding ring above a sink on a shelf or take it off near a sink and leave it on the counter “just for a second.” More plumbers have been called to snake out lost wedding rings than is necessary. If you take your ring off for any reason, put it in a box in the same place every time so you always know it’s safe.

A diamond is the hardest gem out there, but it’s not indestructible. Yes, it will cut glass and that’s why diamonds are used as cutting tools. Only a diamond can cut another diamond. But that’s where the hardness ends and the pampering has to start. You’re not planning on using your diamond as a tool, so don’t treat it like one. Baby your diamond. Small nicks and chips can mar your diamond so don’t think it’s fine to bang it around. Take it off when doing tasks that can cause it to chip or crack.

Get your setting looked at by a professional jeweler. Over time, the prongs can loosen and your diamond could fall out. To prevent this horrifying mishap, every so often you’ll want to bring it in to be tightened.

Use only cleansers that are approved for diamonds and the precious metal they are set in. Not all cleaners are equal. Ask at a jewelry store what they recommend you use. Some steam or ultrasonic cleaners that are on the market are very good. They allow you to place your ring in a container that blasts off the microscopic debris safely. But you’ll want to be sure it doesn’t contain chemicals that will react badly with your precious diamond.

If you are planning a vacation overseas or a cruise, you may want to consider leaving your good wedding set home in the safe or safety deposit box. There are many fantastic diamond simulants out there that you can wear instead. No one will be able to tell the difference. You can find an entire line of faux diamond jewelry on Home Shopping Network, QVC, and other places. For a fraction of the cost of your real set, you can own a set that looks just as fabulous but that won’t break your heart if it’s lost. So, if you’re planning on scuba diving, mountain climbing, or trekking through Europe, consider leaving your valuable and sentimental set behind.

Your diamond is meant to last. If you take care of it properly, you’ll be able to pass it down to your grandchildren and great grandchildren. A little precaution and pampering will ensure your ring is as lovely as ever for years to come.

Find more wedding jewelry advice here:

• Tips for Selecting your Bridal Jewelry
• When It Comes to Wedding Rings, Size Does Matter
• White Gold Bands and Rings are a Timeless Choice
• To Buy Or Not To Buy Diamonds Online - That Is The Question

First off, can I just make the announcement that I love Steve Madden and his shoes? They're absolutely beautiful and practical, and not too bad on the old checkbook either. So when I came across these platform pumps, I just had to feature them because, well, they're gorgeous. My personal favorite is the touch of rhinestones along the platform. How cute will these be under a wedding dress? They'll absolutely sparkle. Love it!

Designer: Steve Madden

Style: SM Cristl Pump

Colors: Nude, Navy, Black, Red, Purple

Cost: $99.95 (find them here)

Instead of picking a particular #tuesdayshoesday color like we did last week, this time we are going to pick a particular designer. And who better to choose than the infamous Christian Dior? His style is so posh and unique that it can't be overlooked, and it is the perfect look for any modern yet traditional, elegant wedding. So to highlight Dior and his extraordinary taste, we've chosen three different styles that we absolutely adore. Here goes!

• Find the Pink Satin Dior Cabine Pumps here...
• Find the Duo Stamped Python Pumps here...
• Find the Pigeon Leather Lolita Cork Pumps here...