Something old, new, borrowed, and.....BLUE!

We all know how the quintessential wedding "nursery rhyme" goes..."Something old, something new; something borrowed, something blue..."  Over the years this has become a very important part of planning the accessories for the bride on her wedding day.  A grandmother gives an antique hankie; a best friend gives a new bracelet; the mom loans a veil...and someone ensures the bride is wearing something blue on her big day!

Ever wonder where this tradition came from?  So did we!  So I looked it up and the history and found some really fantastic information!  According to Ask Yahoo!, each item that is given to the bride represents good luck. "Something old" represents the bride's family and past.  "Something new" represents the hopes that the bride has a happy and fulfilling new life ahead.  "Something borrowed" is usually an item from a married family member or friend who whose good fortune in marriage is hoped to carry onto the new bride.  It also reminds the bride she has family and friends to count on.  And "something blue?"  Blue has apparently always been held as a color of virtue and and purity, hence why the Virgin Mary is always portrayed in blue.  There is a proverb the goes "Married in blue, lover be true."  And the rhyme apparently goes:

"Something old, something new
Something borrowed, something blue
And a silver sixpence in her shoe."

So what's the deal with the sixpence?  A bride puts a sixpence, or a piece of silver worth 6 pennies, in her shoe to represent wealth and financial security.  While many believe that this originated in Victorian England, where sixpences were minted, others maintain it is derived from a Scottish tradition of the groom putting a silver coin in his left shoe for good luck.

Wherever, and for whatever reason, the tradition was started, it has stood the test of time and brides everywhere make sure that on their wedding day they have...."Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue!!"

Take a look at some blue accessories we've found!

 Lave shoe style 2470 - Prevue

 Mariell garter style G1255

Mariell necklace and earring style 1003S-AQ

Famous Weddings!

Time for some fun!

There have been a lot of famous brides and grooms over the years and one thing is certain, celebrity weddings are often national, if not international, events.

What makes a terrific celebrity wedding?

• A famous name, for starters!  Think Grace Kelly, Chelsea Clinton, Carrie Underwood; famous faces, famous names!
• A whirlwind romance preceding the wedding.  Remember the excitement that swirled around Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston before they married?  America's best "Friend" marrying America's hottest actor!
• A gorgeous dress.  Who will ever forget Kate Middleton's wedding dress??
• A celebrity guest list.  Only a handful of people, including Macaulay Culkin, attended Natalie Portman's recent nuptials.  Who DIDN'T attend Princess Diana and Prince Charles'??

Celebrity weddings are multimillion dollar events that garner tons of media attention.  And over the years, as famous couples marry (often more than once...) people everywhere turn to their televisions, magazines, and more recently, the internet, to get the scoop on every wedding detail!

Who is your favorite celebrity bride or couple?  (I'm partial to Grace Kelly myself!)

 Grace Kelly and the Prince of Monaco

 Prince William and Duchess Kate (Second in wedding infamy perhaps only to his mother and father!)

 Natalie Portman and Benjamin Millepied

 Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston (No long married, but such a beautiful bride and groom!)

 Princess Diana and Prince Charles (Perhaps the most popular wedding couple in the world!)

 Chelsea Clinton and Marc Mezvinsky

 Carrie Underwood and Mike Fisher

Lace Gowns - Classic and Timeless

Lace has always been a popular choice of bridal gown fabrics for brides over the years.  It does seem, however, that the trend has been growing in the past couple of years.  While satin A-line skirts will always be a common bridal gown style, lace is often considered a more classic and elegant style.  With celebrities today, such as Ellie Kemper from "The Office", making lace bridal gowns more and more popular by wearing them in their own weddings, it is safe to say that lace will be around for years to come!

Mori Lee style 1813

Maggie Sottero style Camden

   Allure style M480

What are your thoughts about lace?  Do you think it's a classic and elegant look, or do you prefer the more modern fabrics and looks that come with satin, chiffon and taffeta?

Great Spring Colors for Bridesmaids

Now is the time to start shopping for those bridesmaid dresses if you wedding is next Spring!  Not only do you want to allow yourself plenty of time to search for dresses, you also want to give your bridesmaids enough time to have alterations done before the wedding.

We have gathered together some dresses that are perfect for Spring weddings!

 Allure Bridal style 1257 - Full Length

 Allure Bridals style 1279 - Full Length

 B2 by Jasmine Bridal style B4033

 Da Vinci Bridal style 60038

 Pretty Maids by House of Wu style 22466

Light colors and pastels are often the most popular color choices for Spring weddings, but don't hesitate to mix it up and try something different, especially if it matches your wedding theme!

Under It All

All brides look for a wedding gown that has the look and features that they want.  Whether simple or ornate, there truly is a gown "out there" for every bride.  The guidance of an experienced consultant who knows each designer's specialty can put her in the perfect dress.  The hands of a skilled alterations expert can make the gown of choice fit beautifully.  But even those professionals can't change body shapes.  We all sometimes need help with that.

Some designers construct a wedding gown with built in corsets.  That can come as a surprise to a bride from a generation that thought corsets disappeared with the end of the Civil War, but the designer who added the proper "infrastructure" to the gown, knew what he/she was doing.

If your gown of choice does not have a built in minimizer or enhancer, rely on the skill and advice of a trained consultant who can help you find the proper undergarments to make the most of you and the gown.  The proper bra and slip and other "control" items like Spanx can help you feel and look your very best on this important day.

Be sure that the undergarments you choose are neutral or skin toned.  You don't need a surprise color peeing out or showing through.  Be sure that you try all of the undergarments on under your gown and have a friend take photographs from the front, back and side so you know all is secure.

Far from being uncomfortable, many of today's undergarments are designed for both comfort and camouflage.

Matching Bridesmaids?

There is a new trend sweeping the bridal fashion industry and it has all to do with bridesmaids!  The norm in the past has always been to have your bridesmaids in matching gowns and matching colors.  Lately, however, more and more brides are doing things a bit differently.  Here are some alternative options:

• Choose a different style of dress in the same color for each bridesmaid.
•  Give your bridesmaids a designer and let them choose their own dresses.  If you want to have some control over their decisions, tell them a specific fabric they have to get it in, or a certain length of skirt.
• Have your bridesmaids all wear the same style, but let them choose from several different colors.  This is a great way to incorporate some color into your wedding theme!
• Want to really leave the decision up to the bridesmaids?  Tell them a color (for instance, black) and let them get whatever dress they want!  This allows them to stick to their own price range and possible choose a dress they know they'll wear again and again.

The great thing about mis-matching the bridesmaid dresses is it gives a different look to the wedding party and allows each bridesmaid to be a little unique.  Of course, don't hesitate to your your bridal powers in your favor and make them wear whatever dress you choose...it's your wedding after all!

                                     Impression Bridal styles from left to right: 1774, 1775, 1773

                                 Impression Bridal styles from left to right: 20043, 20042, 20048

Photo Tips

After all the planning and purchasing and partying, what remains are the treasured photographs of your wedding day.  For many brides, the album and collections of photos are the most important record of the biggest day of their lives.  We have worked with hundreds of brides and enjoy seeing their photos when they return from their honeymoon.  We continue to add to the tips we share with brides on how to insure that they love the results of the photographic record of their wedding day.

• If the ceremony and reception are going to be big, make sure the photographer you hire works with an assistant at least.  Many consultants will say that as a rule, one should plan on one photographer per 100 guests, but a skilled professional with an efficient assistant should be able to handle your ceremony and formal photos without a problem.
• Reception photos require a few formal shots and some informal/occasions specific photographs.
• If you have special photos you want taken, be sure to make a list of those shots and review them with the photographer prior to the ceremony.  If out of town family members are attending and you want large family shots, let the photographer know that as well.
• Consider having many of your formal and unique shots taken before the ceremony.  Your makeup is fresh, the gown unwrinkled, your hair fabulous, and you have the glow of anticipation.  Besides, it will cut down on the time spent on photographs before your reception.
• Spend time before the wedding showing the photographer some photos you've had taken in the past that you like.  He/She will get a sense of your good side and how best to position you.
• When you are posing for formal shots, don't just stand there full face on to the camera.  Take a tip from pros and remember to put your weight on your back leg.  It doesn't matter which one - left or right.  Then place the other leg slightly in front and face the camera.  This will provide a more pleasing angle from which to be photographed.
• Ask your personal attendant to stay close and have pressed powder and lip gloss handy for shots.  Keep the shine on your face down and your lips up. 

Remember, these pictures are to capture one of the most important days of your life, a day that will, at the time, fly by!