A Timeless Wedding Dress

By Anne

There are definitely a few classic movies that you love to watch over and over again. For me, Funny Face (1957) is one of them. I watched it again over the weekend, and fell in love with the movie all over again. The first time I saw it I was in my pre-teenage years. My mother has always been a big fan of Audrey Hepburn, so we ended up watching all her movies at a pretty young age. As a child, I was amazed by the seeming endless parade of pretty dresses on the television. The movie is a fairy tale; it is the “pretty woman” of the 50’s. And yet, when I watched it again last night, I was captivated by the timelessness of all the styles of the dresses on Hepburn. All the dresses she wore in the movie were designed by Hubert de Givenchy, who was then a young, up-and-coming designer. Perhaps one of the most memorable pieces was the wedding dress – a bateau neck, tea-length wedding dress, which design is ahead of its time. It’s a great dress for an afternoon garden wedding and especially for brides who love dancing.

2010 Wedding Dessert Trends

By Claire

Wedding cakes usually take up a big portion of your budget and for centuries, it has been a tradition to have a cake at a wedding. Many couples don’t even like cake, but get one to appease guests or just to have in wedding photos. Now there are many fun alternatives for those who prefer not to have a cake at their wedding:

While traditional stacked wedding cakes are still going strong for 2010, there’s also a trend in individual servings of other treats. Here are some fun alternatives that I just love!

Tree of desserts
We’ve all seen the cupcake tree, which is a fun departure from the same old tiered cakes that we all expect. Now, some couples are choosing new confections, such as carrot cake cupcakes, individual cheesecakes, tarts, cream puffs or donuts! These are easily made at home or purchased from a bakery without the heavy wedding cake price tag.

Sundaes
The recent trend toward candy buffet tables is hot right now, and many couples include it along with some kind of wedding cake. A fun and new way to add to the candy buffet concept is to have an ice cream sundae bar and add the candy and various toppings instead of wedding cake. Your guests will enjoy building their own sundaes, and you can still feed one another a spoonful of sundae for a photo op!

Tea Party
Miniature cookies, tarts, mini éclairs and individual mini cupcakes scattered on large platters are another trend for the 2010 wedding season. 'Tea party' catering platters can appear around the traditional tiered cake to create a small buffet-style dessert table for wedding guests.

Here are some great pictures to inspire you!http://images.google.com/images?q=wedding+desserts&hl=en&rlz=1C1CHMB_en-USUS292US304&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=xnnvSrKmBISOtAOvsP2DBg&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CBsQsAQwAA

Bohemian Elegance

By Claire

During the past decade, wedding dress designs have evolved to cater to all types of personalities and styles. Brides who are more carefree might like Bohemian wedding dresses better than the traditional gown. The style worn by Bohemian brides is a combination of cultures and time periods that is uniquely theirs.

The Bohemian style features empire waist, full length dresses that are loose and have a flowing style in chiffon or other light weight fabrics. These airy fabrics are easy to layer and are more comfortable. Bohemian wedding dresses are unconventional and contain offbeat accents, bold colors, or unexpected details. Look for a dress that contains whimsical fabrics with interesting details such as floral embroidery, a velvet sash, a colored ribbon, or sheer overlay. Your accessories should evoke nature or express your artistic creativity. Instead of wearing traditional gold or silver jewelry, wear a necklace of colorful turquoise or amber beads or a wreath of fresh flowers on your hair. http://www.brides.com/fashion/jewelry/findyourstyle/bohemian/

In order to wear this Bohemian style well, remember to keep your look light and effortless.
This dress by Bari Jay has a simple beauty which is perfect for a modern Bohemian bride. Paired with long free flowing hair it makes a beautiful statement about the elegance of simplicity!

A Green Wedding? Part 2

By Claire

Here, I have expanded on some ways you can have an Earth-friendly wedding that is beautiful and affordable:

Go small and remember that less is moreThe trend towards smaller, more intimate ceremonies is very popular this year. By inviting only your closest family and friends, your stress level is reduced and you have time to visit with everyone. Have the ceremony and reception in the same locationHold your ceremony and reception in one place, there will be less traveling for your guests and you'll cut back on fuel emissions. Or, choose a venue that gets plenty of sunlight and have a daytime wedding so you can leave the lights off. Buy or make consumable favorsA creative way to use minimal and eco-friendly packaging is to use seed flower boxes for your favors http://www.wholesalesupplies.biz/oftheearth/Wholesale/wholesale_seed_flower_boxes.html.

If you are having a small wedding, why not make cookies, truffles or homemade jam? You could also buy or make your own handmade soap, lotion or candles. Your wedding guests will enjoy and appreciate the personal touch.

Donate to your favorite charity in lieu of favorsYou can ditch the favors altogether and donate to a charity instead. Let all of your guests know about your contribution via word of mouth or a posted sign as they walk into the reception. Use potted plants instead of cut flowersAn eco-friendly choice is to choose potted plants as centerpieces. Each guest can take one home at the end of the reception and this can also serve as your wedding favor.For more ideas on how to have a green wedding, visit: http://wedding.theknot.com/real-weddings/green-weddings.aspx

A Green Wedding? Part 1

By Claire

Green weddings are the hot new thing for eco-conscious couples all over the world, and there are many different ways to do your part as you make your plans.

The term “green wedding” refers to weddings that are more eco-friendly. These weddings make less of an impact on the environment and are not in excess of things not necessary. The wedding industry is working hard to make sure people are able to have very stylish, affordable and beautiful weddings while leaving a smaller footprint on the Earth. Having a green wedding does not mean you have to compromise on your big day.

And not to worry, you can have an eco-friendly wedding during these tough economic times. Eco-friendly weddings are often more affordable than the less Earth friendly wedding. Why? Green weddings are conscious weddings. Couples who go the “green” route are usually very aware of what they consume and they realize that less is more.

Here are some ways you can have an Earth-friendly wedding that is beautiful and affordable:

• Go small and remember that less is moreBuy or make consumable favorsDonate to your favorite charity in lieu of favors
• Have the ceremony and reception in the same location
• Use potted plants instead of cut flowers

Stunning is this year’s spring line of bridesmaid dresses…

By Claire

Remembering back to my blog entitled “The Perfect Gift for Your Bridesmaid’s!” Well, here you go! The trends for bridesmaid dresses this spring are great for re-purposing, not just to be worn once. Modern, sophisticated and sexy silhouettes are seen in the Jim Hjelm Spring collection.

You can find figure-flattering dresses for your bridesmaids, such as baby dolls or A-line styles made of tissue taffeta, jersey or a mix of satin and chiffon and some dresses are even sporting pockets! High hemlines and monotone colors are all the rage for bridesmaid dresses this spring, and these hemlines and colors are very versatile. The color palette is absolutely beautiful, with hues of gold, copper, turquoise, lilac, champagne, navy, pink, cream, yellow, platinum, ice blue, teal green, deep burgundies, plums and the silvery hues are the most popular ones; all paired next to the more sophisticated blacks.

Even if you aren’t in the market for a bridesmaid dress and are just looking for a dress to wear to a cocktail party or a night out to the theatre, these styles are a must to see! One of my Jim Hjelm favorites for this season is the Plum satin-faced taffeta A-line tea-length dress, V-neckline, pleated high waist skirt, side pockets. STYLE: JH5918. Stunning!

What’s New With Engagement Photos?

By Claire



New trends and twists on engagement photos are changing with the times and more and more couples are including their pets and/or are choosing more non-traditional backgrounds such as the restaurant where they had their first date, a theme park, the beach, urban areas or anyplace that holds significance to the couple. Often, couples are also choosing the non-traditional poses or actions that capture their personalities and the energy they share as a couple. My husband and I chose the beach for our setting since it is a favorite place for the two of us. Our Photographer, Jeanne DePolo http://depolophotography.com/ drove us out to the beach and just had us be ourselves. We walked, we ran, we laughed and chased after seagulls. In-love and happy and it was all captured in the photos.

So what do you do with your engagement photos besides putting them away in an album or on a disk?

These days, couples are incorporating their engagement photos into their wedding or reception elements by putting a picture on the save-the-date cards, favors or wedding programs. You could even have them printed on your thank you cards. My husband and I chose to use our favorite engagement photo to have our guests sign at our wedding.

There are so many fun new trends to consider when preparing for your engagement photo session and deciding how you want to use those photos. Have fun!

Using a make-up artist is worth it!

By Claire

I got my makeup professionally done for my wedding and it was so worth it! I wasn’t planning on getting it done because of the cost and I thought I would be able to pull it off myself. But when I told this to my photographer, she made me change my mind very quickly. She said that a professional would apply the makeup properly with the right colors and right amount to ensure that I didn’t look washed out. So, my photographer recommended I get my makeup done at LaBelle Day Spa since she had other clients experience great results http://www.labelledayspas.com/. Wow! She was so right! I let the makeup artist do whatever she thought would bring out my features and make me glow on my special day. She even put fake eyelashes on me (I must admit I was leery at first but ended up loving them!). Paying to have a make-up artist do my makeup was worth every penny! I compare my wedding pictures to other pictures where I have done my own makeup and it is like night and day. I am so glad I took my photographer’s advice and spent the money… well worth it!

The Perfect Gift For Your Bridesmaids!

By Claire

Trying to think of the perfect gift for your bridesmaid’s is such a dilemma and the last thing you need is more stress while planning your wedding! When I got married and was trying to come up with the perfect gift, I thought… why not make their bridesmaid dress their gift. I got all of my girls together for a shopping trip, gave them the guidelines and off we went. The guidelines were that all of the dresses had to be the same color so that they went with the color scheme of my wedding and I wanted them to make sure to choose a dress that they felt comfortable in and would wear again. The color I chose was navy blue which is a timeless color and great for most any occasion. My bridesmaids were very happy that they didn’t have to buy their dresses and that they were gaining a new dress in their closet that they would actually be able to wear again instead of want to toss out like the usual bridesmaids dress! Wouldn’t that make you happy if you were the bridesmaid? I hated the thought of my girlfriends buying their own dresses, wearing them once for my wedding and then wanting to get rid of them. In the end, everyone was happy and I didn’t have to stress out about an extra thing needing to be checked off on my wedding planning to-do list.

Selecting a Photographer

By Andrea

After choosing our reception venue, the next most important thing that my fiance’ and I selected was our photographer. Selecting a good photographer was important to us because photos are the only physical memorabilia from our wedding that we can look back and reminisce upon of our big day. Many times the biggest regret I hear friends say was that they wish they had more pictures or selected a better photographer. In many cases, the photographer is the next biggest wedding expense after the reception – so it is a big decision! There are so many photographers out there and it is a hard process deciding which one to go with. Here are some tips that I thought were particularly helpful during our selection process:

• Consider photographic style – do you prefer a photojournalistic approach or a posed style or a combination of the two? This is the first step in deciding who to interview.
• Make sure you meet and interview the photographer in person before making your final choice - You may like the pictures you see online or in brochures, but meeting the photographer will reveal a lot about him/her. Is he/she pushy? Do you get along with his/her personality? Is the person fun to work with? The photographer will be following you around the whole day, so these are all things that need to be considered. For example, do you prefer a photographer that will direct you where to go/what to do on the big day for pictures, or do you prefer a more laid back approach?
• During the meeting, make sure you ask to view the photographer’s albums – There are a huge variety of albums that are available today! For example there are flush mount albums and there are albums where the photos are matted inside the pages. Make sure that the photographer offers the type of album that you like.
• Getting the photographer to fit within your budget – many times photographers already have pre-selected packages available. However, if your budget does not allow for these pre-selected packages, you can ask the photographer to work with you and develop a customized package for you. Many times they are more than happy to have your business (especially in today’s economy) and will help you get what you what at the price you need.
• Lastly, make sure that you are getting all you want before signing the contract. Are you going to be getting the negatives of the proofs or is that going to be an extra charge? Will you be able to reproduce the images at another store, or will it all have to be done through the photographer? Will the hours you sign for cover your wedding day from start to finish? These may be all be obvious, but it is important not to overlook any of these little details because these extra costs can add up at the end.

You will have one big weight off your shoulders once you select the photographer of your dreams and know that your memories will be captured forever!

What's New?

By Kate

'Hope everyone has a very Happy New Year!

It's been a while since our last post, but many exciting things have been happening in the Perfect Bridal family. We just improved our websites and launched our new online store.

Come visit the all new online store. We have a wide collection of wedding, bridesmaid, flower girl, special occasion dresses and accessories that we are certain you will find something you will like. When you're at our online store, you will have access to shop and purchase the growing list of designer's dresses online. There is also a new feature, 'My Favorites'. which allows you to save a list of your favorite dresses. Dresses can be viewed, added or deleted at anytime. You can also tell a friend about a dress by clicking on ''E-Mail a Friend'' button.

We have already heard from many brides who think this is a great addition to the site, and think that will make dress shopping even easier.

In addition to the designers available at our online store, you can also order from a long list of designers via telephone. In the coming weeks, there will be more designer styles added to our online store. Stay tuned!

Happy Shopping!

Lessons learned from my hybrid wedding

By Elaine

Ok, it wasn’t even a wedding. It was my husband’s 40th birthday party. But it was a bit like a wedding…there were flowers, there was a guestbook, there were gifts…you get the picture.

Many many years ago, I did plan an actual wedding, my own. And the year after that, between my husband and I, we were invited to eleven weddings!! I was in the wedding party of three of these weddings and my husband was in four of them. You can say that I have quite a bit of experience planning, participating, and attending a wedding.

But it wasn’t until this past weekend when I threw my husband’s hybrid wedding/40th birthday bash that I realized that I had almost forgotten the important lessons I learned from my own wedding…many years ago.

1) Remember why you are having a wedding in the first place - it’s to celebrate your decision to share your life with your fiancé. So plan a wedding that will be fun and memorable for the two of you, not for your mother, and especially not for his mother!

2) Everyone works under some kind of a budget, whether it’s big or small. So sit down and figure out what’s important to you and let your budget reflect that. Have you always dreamed of walking down the aisle in a fabulous designer gown? Then, allocate more $$ for the dress. Everyone will be too busy oohing and ahhing over your dress to notice that you went for the simple but tasteful centerpieces.

3) No matter how absorbed you get in the wedding details during the months and months of planning, some time before the actual big day, find a trustworthy and responsible friend (or wedding planner if you can afford one) and delegate it all. The goal is that you will be your most beautiful and relaxed self on the day of the wedding. Besides, who can look beautiful if they are all stressed out over what time the cake cutting is supposed to start?

4) Last of all, remember and cherish every detail on the day of your wedding. This is one day in your entire life and it will go by so fast. Don’t worry if things don’t go exactly as planned. The guests will never notice. Trust me, I’ve been to many weddings where everything seemed to flow perfectly only to find out from the bride afterwards, that very few things actually went according to plan.

View from a bridesmaid – Part 1

By Anne

I was in a close friend’s wedding this past weekend, and observed how the bride enjoyed the wedding as much as the rest of us did. It’s been a long time since I have gone to a wedding (most of my friends are having their 3rd, if not 4th child), let alone being in one, so I was able to see many things with a fresh pair of eyes.

The first thing that came to my mind is that having a wedding in September was a great idea. There is nothing special about being a “June Bride” (although I was one). Of course, this depends on the city in which you are having your ceremony. In San Francisco, where my friend got married, September is probably just as nice as June. It was a great idea because you are probably not competing with many other couples in fighting over the same venue or vendors, and therefore, it may likely be cheaper than having a party in the busier months. The couple was able to have an outdoor ceremony at sunset while the guests still managed to stay relatively warm.

I also love the colors that were used at the wedding. The bridesmaids had on a Jim Hjelm dress in Sienna, a very nice Fall color. The bridal bouquet was all hand-tied bouquet of exclusively calla-lilies, dyed in a similar color. The bridemaids’ bouquets were also very elegant, using simple white calla-lilies and orchids. These 2 flowers were used throughout the cocktail reception and the banquet and created a nice and warm atmosphere.

How to Choose the Perfect Dress

By Kate

As you know, picking a wedding dress is one of the biggest decision you will have to make. The dress shows your sense of style. A-line? Bateau? A bustle? What does it all mean? Feeling pressure to wear ritzy that is straight out from the bridal magazines? There will always be the perfect dress to fit your desire and budget. Don't fret! Let's start with the basics.

I am offering tips on choosing just the right dress:

* Ball gown is a full-skirted gown with a very fitted bodice. Good for slim girls and pear shapes. Slim the hips down.

* A-line is a style that flares out gently along the body; It emphasizes the waistline and create an elongated line. Most forgiving and creates a feminine figure for most body type.

* Sheath fits closely the contours of the body. It could be plain or embellished. Good for tall and thin with no visible curves or the slim and petite with hourglass frame.

* Mermaid is a type of sheath that has outward flare at the bottom. Trumpet is a variation that flares out even more. Good for curvy figure brides.

De listes de mariage or the Wedding Registry

By Elaine

No cost shopping spree or another to-do among an endless list leading up to the big day?

In traditional Chinese culture, brides and grooms receive “red envelopes”, literally red-colored envelopes filled with cash, instead of traditional wedding gifts chosen from a wedding registry. Precious time is not spent picking out your future blender and dishes and putting them on a list and guests do not expect to spend their time figuring out what to buy from your registry.

While the practical side in you may say, “hey, that’s not a bad idea”, in reality though, the wedding registry does have its place in the whole hoopla surrounding the planning of a wedding. Although it takes time and effort, putting together a wedding registry is a fun and sweet way for you and your fiancé to spend time planning and imagining your life together. Never underestimate the romance of figuring out together just which sauté pan will help you whip up your first dinner as a married couple. For your guests, having the option of choosing an item from a gift registry takes away the anxiety surrounding what gift to give. Some guests may not feel comfortable making a monetary gift or may find it a tad too practical. Other guests may actually relish the idea of the two of you sitting down together for your “married” meals using silverware that they bought you. Whether the reason is practical or sentimental, a wedding registry is definitely a should-do in your wedding planning.

Here are some tips on how to approach the wedding registry:

* Decide on which store or stores you want to register at. While it may seem obvious that you should choose the store in which you like the merchandise, you should also about about their exchange and return policy. Some stores may even give you cash in exchange for your returned gifts or give you cash back when you return a gift certificate that your guest purchased for you from the store. Is that an option at your store? Also, talk to your recently married friends who registered at the store to see just how difficult or easy it was to return gifts. Was the return process simple and quick? Did they receive good service when they tried to return items?

* Set aside a few hours, a weekend morning is best, when you and your fiancé are not stressed by the weekday grind. Now, we all know some guys who would rather have a root canal than spend a precious weekend morning shopping. So make it a date. A fun one that begins with coffee and some breakfast and give him an idea upfront how long you plan to spend at the store. Then let him have the afternoon off from wedding planning duties to hang out with the guys to recuperate from all that retail experience.

* Finally, choose a range of items from high to low price points. Choose practical everyday items that you know you will use, as well as a few sentimental, “non-necessary” items, such as a nice vase or a leather photo album. Some guests like the idea of buying something “meaningful” instead of just plates and dishes. And pick a few splurge items that you would not otherwise be able to afford, like a fancy espresso machine or that super duper mixer with fifty attachments (if you’re a baker, of course). You never know if your mother’s girlfriend from high school…the one who remembers what you looked like tottering around in your first pair of real shoes…decides that your wedding is as much of a celebration as you and your fiancé think it is. Finally, if you ask me, skip the fine china. My friends who got fine china never ended up using it and the dishes just became another thing to pack and unpack when they finally moved out of their starter apartment. Besides, who has time to use dishes that you can’t run through the dishwasher?

And…it doesn’t hurt to let your guests know that you would welcome gift certificates purchased from the store that you registered at. And though you may or may not be Chinese, let them know you would certainly be happy to receive the most practical of gifts, cash in an envelope, red or otherwise.