Why White?

Thoughts on Bridesmaids Dresses

admin — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 10:24:48 +0000

Little girls dream of a big white wedding day, and for many women it’s a dream that never really goes away. The most important thing for a woman on her wedding day is her wedding dress; after all when else will you get to wear a spectacular dress? Whether it’s a full, fairytale chiffon affair of a simple, vintage lace design, it’s all about the dress.

But if you’re getting married in the next few months, or even years, then spare a thought for the ladies who will also be wearing a dress at your wedding – the bridesmaids. Yes, for years bridesmaids were forced into unflattering dresses, in equally unflattering colours and meringue type styles, but recently this is definitely a trend that is being bucked.

Take for example the recent royal wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton; her sister Pippa has been the talk of the town, not to mention to subject of much attention from celebrity magazines, after she too wore a stunning dress. Ladies, you shouldn’t fear being overshadowed by your female friends, and you should want them to look good too, after all, you’re the one that has to live with all the wedding photos!

There are plenty of popular styles of bridesmaid dresses and there is also a great selection of colours, so you can easily find something to complement your colour scheme. Many brides opt to put their bridesmaids in long, flowing gowns in a colour from their bouquet, although shorter, prom style dresses are also a popular choice of bridesmaid dress, especially in the summer months.

It’s important to choose a dress that is flattering to various body shapes if you are having more than one bridesmaid. For example if you have a tall and slender friend, the dress that’s right for her is probably not going to be the best choice for your shorter, bustier friend. Why not opt for a wrap dress, or a dress with an empire line, as these tend to be flattering to most body shapes.

If you're shopping around, then it might be a good idea to take a look online. There are various retailers and department stores that now stock bridesmaid dresses so do a little research. Visit sites such as http://www.kandco.com and you never know, you might find your perfect bridesmaid dresses online.

Bride’s Bootcamp – Calves

Why White — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 09:22:29 +0000

Plié Squat with Calf Raise

Sometimes with all the focus on stubborn thighs, our lower legs (our calves) are forgotten. But they are just as important! Besides, a toned pair of calves looks absolutely fantastic with a tea length wedding dress, especially when accentuated with a pair of heels!

To get toned calves, try this challenging but very effective exercise. It’s a compound exercise, which means you get the benefit of several workout moves in one. Work your inner thighs, butt, AND calves at the same time!

Position yourself for a plié squat. Keeping your butt back, abs in tight, and head looking forward, sink into a squat. As you reach the bottom of your squat, lift up onto the balls of your feet. Hold, then lower your feet back down and return to your squat start position.

Perform 10-15 reps. Rest. Repeat two more times.

Make this move more challenging by holding a dumbbell.

How to select the perfect DJ for your wedding reception!

Why White — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 11:52:48 +0000

Hiring the right DJ for your wedding can determine whether your event is a huge hit or not.

One of the first things you should do when searching for a DJ is to get references from family, friends, coworkers, and even the reception hall where you are holding your event. People who have gone through this experience and who you know and trust are your best resources, so ask around. Once you have your recommendations, it is time to begin the interview process.

You should interview 3 to 5 DJs for your big day. Ask if you can see videos from any previous weddings they have done so you can see a quick sample of their work. However, keep in mind that they will likely show you their best work, but at least you will be able to see their style to determine if it is right for your reception. If so, take it one step further. Ask if they have any gigs coming up that you would be able to stop by at, maybe at a different event.

If you like their style and decide to pursue the interview further, here are some important questions you should ask your potential DJ:

How many years of experience do you have?
Are you familiar with our venue?
Are you going to be the DJ we get if we hire you, or will it be one of your partners?
Are there overtime or other fees we should know about?
What attire will you wear?
Will you play CDs we provide?
Where will you set up your equipment?
Do you require a meal?
Do you have song request forms for us to fill out?
What problems have you encountered at other weddings? How did you solve them?
Are you insured or a member of any professional associations?

A DJ's talent should be more than just getting the crowd pumped up or making announcements at the right time. They should know everything that is going on during your wedding. Therefore, it is important to follow these tips when hiring your wedding DJ.

Budget Saver – Invitations

Why White — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 08:16:27 +0000

Photo Credit: Flickr/y-a-n

With invitations, you are already spending hundreds of dollars just to let friends know your wedding date and invite them to your wedding. And you haven’t even gotten to your actual wedding yet! Save some much needed cash with DIY invitations! And get the chance to create them exactly how you like.

Several options are open for you to use when creating your own invitations.

Do you have a close friend or family member who is talented at design? Have him create your invitations on the computer and then print them out. This could be his wedding gift to you.

If you are into stamping, drawing, embossing, or other creative card work, why not make your own invitations from scratch?! This could be a very time consuming project if you have many guests to invite, but the invitations will be extremely special. Enlist a creative friend to help or start working on your invitations early enough to get them all out in time. If you have a smaller guest list, this would be a very feasible option.

Print invitations online. This isn’t quite as creative as making them yourself, but you can still pick colors, font, wording, etc. Check out DIY invitation websites, such as Invitation Kits Direct, where you can print off invitations for under a dollar a piece! Or Formal Invitations for invitation templates and ideas how to embellish. (Note: if you are using vellum, be sure to give the ink plenty of time to dry after printing the wording out)

Send out wedding postcards. Though postcards are simple, they can be elegant or playful, depending on the design of the card. Include your engagement picture for an added touch. Postcards are extremely economical. They are cheaper to mail and you cut back on the cost of envelopes. Because postcards don’t have much space for details, be sure to include your wedding website. Then on your website, give the extra details which usually go on all the extra paper included in invitations, such as the location, maps, gift registries, RSVP, etc. This drastically cuts down on paper and postage costs!

While save-the-date cards are growing in popularity right now, consider skipping them. You will be saving money and another wedding detail to figure out. If you want to send out announcements before your invitations, consider using email or ecards.

Sunflower Wedding Flowers

Why White — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 14:50:51 +0000

Photo Credit: Flicker/meghannfinn

With a sunflower wedding, you don’t have to think too long about what flowers to use! Sunflowers have enough contrast and color that they look stunning by themselves. There are various options on how to carry them. Carry one long-stemmed flower by itself. Or bunch a few together with long stems and carry across your arm. Or hold a big bouquet of sunflowers, keeping the stems short and securing them with ribbon or raffia. An alternative to the traditional bouquet is to have your bridesmaids carry a kissing ball of sunflowers! A bright, cute alternative!

Photo Credit: Photobucket/5687texmex

While sunflowers look stunning by themselves, there are many flowers which coordinate well with them, too. Determine your colors by researching online flowers or visiting local florists and pair accordingly. Greenery, such as ferns and eucalyptus pull out the green sunflower stems. For a more country feel, add in shafts of wheat.

Photo Credit: Photobucket/5687texmex

Looking for more color? Long lavender stems add a lovely purple touch, while thistle adds a rustic, wild look. Or use asters. Red, pink, or white roses are elegant. Gerbera daisies come in an array of bright colors and are more fun. Calla lilies are modern.

Photo Credit: Flicker/italintheheart

Have your flower girl carry a basket or tin bucket full of sunflower petals to scatter down the aisle.

The groom and groomsmen can wear a single small sunflower or paired with a small sprig of eucalyptus or wheat.

Sunflower Wedding Reception Decorations

Why White — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 14:47:29 +0000

Photo Credit: Flicker/studio-d

Name each table by a different flower and have the wedding table as the sunflower table! Set place cards inside a single sunflower blossom at each setting.

Scatter sunflower petals around tables covered with brightly colored tablecloths. Or lay out long eucalyptus, lavender, fern, or wheat stems down the center of the table.

Photo Credit: Flicker/marys

Go with a traditional cake with white icing and sunflowers climbing up the side or around the sides of each layer of the cake. Or have several heart-shaped cakes, with sunflowers surrounding them.

A unique alternative to a wedding cake is to create a Twinkie sunflower cake. The center is a round chocolate cake, iced with chocolate frosting and topped with semi-sweet chocolate chips. Around this center, place yellow frosted Twinkies for petals. A fun and creative cake—plus easy to make yourself!

Photo Credit: Flicker/probonobaker

Instead of a cake (or to compliment a smaller cake), have cupcakes decorated as sunflowers. These can be placed on tiers or set around on tables as a tasty decoration.

Accent with colorful fruits, such as lemons, limes, oranges, and strawberries. Slice them up and have them float in the wedding punch. Or in clear dishes filled with water and placed on tables.

Photo Credit: Flicker/jecraigs

A very simple but extremely eye catching decoration is to just set big bouquets of sunflowers in the centers of tables. Depending on what type of vase you put them in will set the atmosphere of the tables. A big black vase is elegant. For a country feel, use tin buckets, large mason jars, baskets, or watering cans.

Photo Credit: Flicker/charamelody

Hang huge sunflower wreathes on the location doors or around the walls. Place mini wreaths or bouquets on the aisle ends.

Set out hay bales for guests to sit on or to use as décor around the room.

For favors, put sunflower seed packages in baskets for guests to pick up as they leave. Or tie chocolate-covered sunflower seeds inside mini paper bags and a little note on the outside. Set up a cookie bar with sunflower shaped cookies. A little pricier but stunning option is to place mini chocolates inside yellow boxes at each place setting.

Sunflower Theme Dress

Why White — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 11:05:12 +0000

Because of the style versatility of sunflowers, nearly any wedding dress will work! Just as long as you stay away from dresses with lots of lace or flower designs, you should be fine. Too much lace would seem to compete with the boldness of your sunflowers.

If your wedding is more formal, look for an elegant dress, such as one with full fabric or pin tucks.

Photo Credit: romanticgowns.com

More carefree, choose a simple, A-line dress.

Photo Credit: romanticgowns.com

Or for a rustic theme, pick a whimsical, pleated gown.

Photo Credit: romanticgowns.com

Wear a bright pair of sandals, coordinating with your wedding accents.

If you are using brown in your wedding, consider having your groom and the groomsmen wear brown pinstripe suits. If your wedding is casual, they could wear brown pants with champagne shirts and deep green or brown ties.

Or continue the casual theme with the guys by having them wear black pants with a vivid shirt the color of your accents (such as blue or yellow). Black or yellow Converse add to the casual feel.

Even if your wedding is formal with tuxes, have the guys wear bright yellow (or accent colored) socks with their black suits. It’s a fun addition and creates some great picture opportunities, too!

Sunflower Wedding Themed Invitations

Why White — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 10:14:17 +0000

Photo Credit: invitationconsultants.com

Choose your invitations based on the atmosphere of your wedding. Incorporate your accent colors and patterns in with your invitations.

Include gingham or polka dot ribbon, or wheat or raffia onto your invitations!

Photo Credit: zazzle.com

Photo Credit: blossomaccents.com

Sunflower Wedding Theme

Why White — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 09:30:05 +0000

Photo Credit: Photobucket/Kirstiethirsty

No flower says cheerful as much as a sunflower! Sunflowers are a perfect theme in which to center one of the happiest days of your life. With their vibrant yellow petals, deep brown center, and vivid green stems, sunflowers allows you to choose among an array of styles and colors to create your wedding.

Imagine the glorious setting of getting married near a sea of sunflowers! Under a canopy draped with sunny yellow! Or go more formal at an art museum or church, using a black and white theme, accented with big, yellow sunflower blossoms. Whichever way you choose to go, sunflowers are easily adaptable—from fun and funky to carefree and country to chic and classy.

To set the style, play around with colors to use as your accents. Pick brilliant shades of colors to compliment sunflowers. Such as vibrant blues, pinks, reds, and purples. Of course, you can use sunflower colors, too—yellow, gold, brown, and green. White and black create a stunning and formal atmosphere. Gingham and polka dot prints coordinate well with sunflowers, too. Gingham lends to a country feel, while polka dots are trendier. Experiment with the prints to find which you like the most.

As an added bonus, sunflowers are in season right now, which means you have fresh flowers easily available. If you plan ahead, you can grow your own, too! They are hardy, low-maintenance plants. It’s an easy way to help out your wedding budget!

Gorgeous Wedding Dresses for a Black Tie Affair.

Why White — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 06:29:20 +0000

Photo Credit: romanticgowns.com

For brides who desire a truly elegant wedding, a black tie affair is the perfect option. Black tie is a style of evening wear for special occasions, with wedding receptions being at the top of the list. The significance of black tie attire originated in the Victorian era. People wore such attire as a symbol of leaving the dirtiness of riding to special events on horseback behind them. Once the automobile was invented , black tie apparel evolved into a clothing style mostly reserved for social occasions that embodied being neat, clean, and attractive.

Photo Credit: romanticgowns.com

Needless to say, black tie affairs are very formal events immersed in tradition. These events can be any size, from private and intimate to large and extravagant. They may be held in a private ballroom, a cathedral, or even a castle.

One of the reasons brides choose to have a black tie wedding is for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to wear a fabulous, full-length gown that is accessorized to the nines.

Photo Credit: romanticgowns.com

The look of the bride will be a key element in setting the stage for a black tie affair. If you are planning such an event for your upcoming wedding, there are some important tips to keep in mind when you begin shopping for that perfect dress. The most important guideline to follow is that your gown should be extremely elegant. The ideal silhouettes for a black tie wedding are either slim, intricately detailed sheaths or very full ballgowns. You should also be looking for lavish fabrics such as alencon lace or duchess satin. Dresses with very long trains are also perfect for this type of ceremony.

You should also take the time to choose gorgeous accessories that accent and complete your classic look, such as Swarovski crystals that will sparkle all night long. Your jewelry should complement the neckline and details of your gown. Attention to details like these will polish the look of your elegant black tie wedding.