How to Choose Your Bridal Gown

Choosing a wedding gown is one of the most exciting tasks in the wedding planning process.  It can also be one of the most stressful. If you’re like most brides, you started looking in magazines and online for the perfect dress as soon as you got engaged.  It’s helpful to go into your dress hunt armed with the basics in bridal gowns.

Consult these wedding planning tips to help you with everything from understanding different types of bridal gowns, necklines and fabric types, to selecting the right dress to flatter your body.

Types of Wedding Gowns

Wedding gowns come in a variety of shapes and styles.  This wedding planning tip will help you understanding the general silhouette of each type of wedding gown.  It will help you determine the direction you want to go in.  If you walk into a bridal shop with one or two or these gown types in mind, they will be able to provide much better assistance in finding the perfect dress. [Read more]

Types of Wedding Gown Silhouette

You’ve looked at several photos of models dressed in beautiful wedding gowns and you are probably wondering which one will look regally on you.  The first step to identifying which wedding gown is for you  is to know the terms the wedding fashion world uses.  It is not that difficult.  Even though there are several variations on gown silhouettes, there are only five basic ones. (Click on image to enlarge)

A-line. This is the most popular silhouette. It is universally flattering and come with many shapes from subtle, modified A-line to full circle silhouette. The top of the dress gracefully hug the natural curves of your upper body and then it flares out into an “A” shape as it falls. It can be designed to be worn at a backyard pot-luck celebration or at the most formal ballroom reception. [Read more]

Traditional Polish Wedding Reception

A traditional Polish wedding reception features two important customs. The first custom is the “Oczepiny”, or Unveiling and Capping Ceremony. For this ceremony, all the married women present will circle around the bride. The maid of honor will remove the bride’s veil and a married woman, usually her mother or godmother, will pin the “Czepek”, or bride’s cap, on her head. When it is first placed on the bride she is officially considered a married woman.

Following the Unveiling and Capping ceremony, the bride will often throw her veil, in place of the more common bouquet, to any single women present. She may also choose to give it to her maid of honor. The veil is then passed around from one single woman to another, each wearing it for a dance until all single women at the reception have worn it.

Polish Wedding Apron

The second important tradition at a Polish wedding is the last dance, referred to as the “Pani Mloda”, also known as the Bridal or Apron Dance. This is the last dance before the bride and groom make their exit. The bride will wrap a Polish wedding apron around her dress, signifying the end of her innocence and beginning of her wifely and motherly duties. During this dance the bride will pass from one guest to another for a short spin. As each guest dances with the bride, they will pin money for the new couple to her apron, or drop it into one of the pockets. The last person to dance with the bride will be the groom. As the dance concludes, he will toss his wallet into an apron pocket and the bride and groom make their grand exit. This tradition is a fun and festive way to see the new couple off.

In some Polish weddings, the maid of honor is given the honor to wear the wedding apron instead of the bride.  You can find a “made in America”, handcrafted Czepek (bride’s cap) and traditional Polish Wedding Apron set at Bridal ‘N Beauty website.
Photos: J Lowe Photos

Winter Wedding Theme in Blue

I’ve always been facinated with Preston Bailey’s designs.  This famous Winter Wonderland on the upper left is the inspiration for this winter wedding theme in blue.  This illustration board shows that you do not need to live in a state that is blessed with winter wonderland to use a winter wedding theme.  Bring the winter indoors with flickering tiny indoor lights in white to simulate the snow and wash the room with blue lights.  The wedding cake, table setting and the bridesmaids’ gown complete the theme.  Last, but not the least, the bride with her lovely flowing bridal gown brings in the warmth to the cold winter night.

Red Wedding Theme

Red is considered the color of love and in some cultures, it also means prosperity and happiness. Why limit your choice of bridal gown color to “pure white”? Wedding gowns are pricey, we all know that. In addition, you will probably wear it only once. With this red wedding gown, you can wear it again in any formal occassion.

 

 
Picture your maids of honor in pretty salmon gowns walking down the aisle with beautiful red flower bouquets. Trade the bouquet with matching purses and use the flowers as table decoration at the reception. Yes, red reign supreme from the invitation to the wedding cake. May love, prosperity and happiness reign in your wedding day and in your years together…