November 2008 Archives

We often times associate the color white with a traditional wedding dress. The odd thing about that is that white wedding dresses didn't really trickle into our society until the last couple of centuries. Before then, dresses were actually typically of color. Being able to afford luxurious textiles of all sorts of colors used to be symbolic of wealth and weddings were the number one places where people wanted to display their wealth.

Between white wedding gowns and colored ones, there's still one type of wedding gown that often seems taboo: the black wedding dress.

Black wedding dresses may seem a bit off the wall to the average female, but they're growing in popularity. I can't lie...I think they're incredibly sleek and sexy gowns.

If you're looking for a way to stand out on your wedding day from the crowd, a black wedding dress may be something that you want to consider. Lets face it: some girls just look better in black than they do in white.

My guess is that you already know that wedding dress styles can display your personality quite vividly. The guests at your wedding likely already know you and have embraced your personality, but being able to express yourself through your wedding dress is always a goal.

There are lots of different wedding styles, but primarily, there are five main styles. The 5 basic traditional wedding dress styles are:

Ball Gown
Colum
Mermaid
Princess
Empire

Even though we may like to pretend that they don't correlate to personality, these dresses do leave a certain impression on those who see you in them. For instance, I feel like the empire dress gives off a carefree hippie look. Mermaid dresses, on the other hand, frame the female body perfectly and have an incredibly sensual shape to them. The Ball Gown is extravagant and really creates that fairy tale look that a lot of girls dream about. Meanwhile, the column is simplistically gorgeous and the princess is more standardly classic. Which one best suits you?

The key is to really think about your personality. If I were picking a dress for myself, it would surely be the mermaid or empire because those two styles match my personality the best.

Picking a style that doesn't match your personality will lead to all sorts of fashion clashes at the wedding. Go with your gut and pick something that naturally calls to you.

If you're a fan of colors, like I am, you might be sort of lost in a rainbow world when it comes to picking colors for your wedding theme. It's important not to overdo it when it comes to colors of dresses and other fashion items at a wedding. But how do you know which direction to walk in with your coloring when you're in love with colors in general?

It can be tough, but the important thing is to pick a theme and stay focused.

Confused about where to start with color themes?
Here are some items you should consider color coordinating together:

The Clothing: Everything from the men's vests to the flower girl's hair ribbons can be color coordinated. Make sure you think about the small details! They make all the difference.

Flowers & Other Decorations: Luckily for all of us, flowers come in just about every shade. Explore different types of native and exotic flowers to find the ones that match your color theme the best and do the same with all your other decorations, too.

Wedding Cake: Your cake can most certainly be iced in a way that will help it fit your color theme. Regardless of the cake's color, you can make it whatever flavor you want, so don't let a flavor preference stop you from doing this!

(photo from: Getty Images)

In my opinion, the best part about the bride's entire outfit on the big day is the veil. To me, it's something about the princess look it gives the bride that really does it for me. The right veil needs to be a nice one though. It needs to be something that glistens and makes a bride look as elegant as she truly is on that special day. I'm not a fan of flimsy and cheap veils. Don't get me wrong, they can look convincing. The veil really, however, should be the nicest touch to the gown.

Bel Aire Bridal creates veil and tiara combos that I really love. The one featured in the picture above, for instance, is my favorite one they've got . It's pricey, at around $200, but I maintain that a good veil is worth the money.


Photo from: www.belairebridal.com

When the ballet flat first came in style here in New York a few years ago, I was sold on the shoe immediately. Being a girl who sort of hates heels, flats have always spoken to me on a fashion level.

From celebrities to high schoolers in the midwest, ballet flats are still a hit amongst many. They're a comfortable way to dress up the outfit and a reasonable way to look great without the pain of high heels.

The thing I like the most about ballet flats, if I had to decide, is the fact that they are just as easily dressed up or down. Ballet flats with a pair of jeans is just as fashionable and appealing as flats with a nice dress.

Why doesn't everyone just get on the bandwagon and wear these things? Check out Dessy's wedding ballet flats page in January. Twenty colors!