Archive for the ‘Bridesmaids’ Category

Where There’s Smoke…

Monday, June 15th, 2009

Full disclosure: I used to smoke. In fact, at the height of smoking career, I could down a pack and a half in a day. Now I don’t smoke, and I have my reasons. The way I figure it, we all know smoking is bad for us, but we’re all grownups, so as long as you’re not smoking in my house or near my baby, your habit is your business.

smoking-bride

That said, I’m going to assume that brides and grooms who smoke are going to want to have a few cigarettes before their wedding ceremonies and at their wedding receptions. It is, after all, a day where indulging oneself is part of the fun, so smokers will be smoking, whether the laws of the land permit indoor puffing or require it be done out of doors.

So what’s the problem? Well, I recently came across some wedding photographs that included a bride who is a fairly regular smoker. Either she or her wedding photographer was a fan of the traditional pre- and post-wedding poses, e.g. the bride getting ready in the mirror, the bouquet on the makeup table, and so on. One photo that caught my eye (and not in a good way) was a close-up of the bride’s hands, showcasing her engagement ring and wedding band… and her nicotine stained French manicure. Her pinky, index finger, and middle finger nails were a bright, traditional pink and white, while the polish on her pointer and thumb were a not-very-subtle yellow.

In 1945, Emily Post stated that “above all [the bride] must not, while wearing her veil, smoke a cigarette.” Bridal headpieces aside, I’d add that the bride who wants her wedding photographer to photograph her hands looking their wedding day best must not smoke after the application of a French manicure. They’ll be plenty of time to light up at the reception.

Photograph by Christopher Prinos

Green Chic

Tuesday, June 9th, 2009

Brides looking for wedding gowns that can be described as eco-friendly have more than a few options. My favorites by far are buy a secondhand wedding dress, re-purpose a secondhand dress, or have a wedding gown made for you by a local seamstress who’s using sustainable materials. But you know what? Eco conscious though you may be, you and your perfect secondhand dress may never cross paths. For whatever reasons, re-purposing a gown or even having one made might be impossible.

In that case, there’s always shops like Green Union. In addition to a range of green and/or ethical wedding favors, accessories, and stationery, they carry a handful of very pretty wedding gowns.

eco-friendly-wedding-gown

Tammam White is a bridal collection handcrafted in House of Tammam’s fair trade atelier in India. The wedding dresses are made with exclusively developed fabrics including organic-certified wild peace silk, sustainable bamboo satin, and 100% organic fair trade cotton satin jacquard and linings. The two wedding dresses above are a long satin wedding coat dress with vintage button detailing and a simply chic gown with a luxe gold sash. Both could use a some alterations, but with them would look stunning on the right brides.

The Lightness Is the Rightness (For Some)

Tuesday, May 19th, 2009

As much as I like the bold, bright bridesmaids dresses I featured in Inspiration for Ashley #5 — and as popular as they are right now — there’s still a huge contingent of brides-to-be out there planning weddings with predominantly pastel color schemes. And good for them, I say. While it’s not my bag, I support a bride-to-be’s choice to outfit her wedding party in any color, from black to neon green to white!

That said, if you favor a wedding color scheme that could be described as soft, pretty, and/or feminine, don’t think you have to go running straight to the bridal salon for your bridesmaids’ dresses. For the same money you’d spend at David’s Bridal or a similar shop for your bridesmaid frocks, you can outfit your best girlfriends in pretty Amsale cocktail dresses from Bluefly. True story. And none of the potential bridesmaids dresses below cost more than $180, while all of them promise to look beautiful on your ‘maids without needing all that much alteration.

Amsale wisteria sateen strapless cocktail dressAmsale sage pleated chiffon v-neck dressAmsale turquoise satin strapless dress
Amsale celedon satin strapless dressAmsale butter ruched chiffon strapless empire dressAmsale ice pleated chiffon v-neck dress

How about pairing them with slightly brighter bridesmaids bouquets similar to this one from One Source Weddings:

pastel-bridal-bouquets

Suggesting to my bridesmaids that they look outside of the world of weddings to find their dresses (I gave them some color and cut parameters but let them shop on their own) was something I really ought to have done. After all, I write about weddings for a living. Maybe, just maybe, they would have found their bridesmaid attire before the last possible second if they had realized they could have shopped online or at the mall.

(As always, click on any of the dresses for prices and availability)

Inspiration for Ashley #5

Friday, May 15th, 2009

Finally, we come to the matter of Ashley’s bridesmaids’ dresses. She didn’t have anything to say about that, but I thought I could choose some candidates based on her preferences in the wedding flower and flower girl dress departments. Ashley obviously has a thing for bold, bright colors, and unless she’s planning to opt for bridesmaids in white (hey, it’s been done) it seems likely that she’ll dress her bridesmaids in vivid hues.

pink-bridesmaids-dresses

It doesn’t get much brighter than these bridesmaids’ dresses from Lynn Lugo. I happen to love the checkerboard frock, though it might look just a touch hokey when worn at a backyard barbecue wedding reception. Then again, maybe not. Plus it would just be a fun dress to have around for future fancy functions.

(more…)

Bridesmaid Letters?

Tuesday, March 17th, 2009

Planning a wedding is arguably one of the most time-consuming responsibilities one can take on. Yes, a wedding is at its heart just a really big party, but most brides- and grooms-to-be have never had to put together an event budget, vet and hire vendors, track down color coordinated party gear, and wrangle party VIPS while also trying to stay on top of work and spend time with friends, family, and their SOs. Now maybe it’s just me, but the thought of adding extra to dos or expenses to the bride’s plate sets my teeth on edge.

bridesmaid letter

What you see above is a bridesmaid letter. This is not to be confused with a heartfelt note asking the special people in your life to stand by your side when you say your wedding vows. Rather, this is an overview of all of your wedding details, from the color of the bridesmaid dresses to a description of the wedding cake. Bridesmaid letters may also include lists of duties the bride would like her bridesmaids to take on or lists of bridesmaid “don’ts.” This particular bridesmaid letter took much more work than sending a card, creating an e-mail list, or setting up a wedding planning blog would have.

I’m not against bridesmaid letters, of course — bridesmaids who are in the know are less stressed out than those who aren’t. I’m likewise not against detailed and extravagant bridesmaid letters. What does drive me nuts, however, is the idea that the bride who does not go above and beyond the call of duty (by, say, designing a fancy bridesmaid letter) is shirking her prenuptial responsibilities. That said, I almost hope that bridesmaid letters like the one above don’t become the next must-have wedding accessory. In much the same way that save-the-date cards with their niche usefulness have become a common piece of stationery, I could see bridesmaid letters going from functional for some to necessary for all.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that brides and grooms shouldn’t feel compelled to spend their time or their money on X, Y, or Z because another couple did or because a particular wedding accessory has become popular. If something matters to YOU — be it creating a beautiful DIY bridesmaid letter or finding the perfect bridal shoes — then put your all into it, but if you catch yourself doing or buying something because the media or someone on a bridal message board says your special day will be less special without it, it’s time to reconsider your priorities.

Very Rewearable

Tuesday, March 3rd, 2009

…if, that is, you and your bridesmaids frequently find yourselves in situations where a brilliant silk shantung, faille, or Indian cotton sateen dress is an appropriate uniform. I only just today stumbled upon Coren Moore’s lovely bridesmaids dresses and wedding dresses, but I’m already enamored.

Coren Moore bridesmaids dresses

While her models, like almost all bridal models, need to stop looking so darned uncomfortable — seriously, is “Oh God, not another picture” the best expression faux brides and bridesmaids can give us? — the dresses are almost all cute and fun. Moore doesn’t muss things up with a lot of crazy embellishments or fussy details. Plus, almost all of Moore’s bridesmaids dresses price in at under $300, which isn’t exactly cheap, but is still in line with what many bridesmaids expect to pay for a dress, aaaaand you can order online.

Brides In the Navy

Wednesday, February 18th, 2009

Want to join the navy, by which I mean the bevy of brides choosing this elegant wedding color over robin’s egg and Tiffany and baby blues.

Navy blue wedding inspiration board

How about navy blue engagement announcements from My Good Greetings… a chunky cocktail ring from Rumour makes a great bridesmaid gift… and for the groomsmen, navy monogram cufflinks from Eternally Linked… navy blue monogrammed postage from Zazzle is one way to personalize mass market wedding stationery… you can save money on your bridal shoes with feminine flats from Old Navy (of all places)… navy blue bridesmaids’ dresses complement an Oscar de la Renta grosgrain gown in navy and white, while deep blue florals and an almost nautical reception table tie it all together.

Where do I sign up?