Bridal Tip #3 - Say Yes to the Dress!

 They say there are two times a girl falls in love. The first time is with her fiancé and the second time is when she finds “the dress!!!”   Picking the perfect wedding dress should be one of the most memorable and enjoyable moments for you.  However, it can often be over shadowed by stress that range from dieting, to over opinionated family, to finding the right fit.  This should never be the case, so here are a few tips to make “saying yes to the dress” a great experience!!!

 

What do you like?

Envision the way you want to look in your dress.  Will it be a traditional ball gown, A-line, or a more fitted mermaid style that you will walk down the aisle in?  Do you want a sexy dress or do you want to feel like royalty?  The gown you decide on should evoke and follow the overall feeling of your wedding theme, style of your reception venue, or the mood that you want to set for your day.  Most of all the dress you choose should be all about you and allow your personality to shine through!!!

          First things first, when you start your search for the dress, set a price point that you are comfortable with and do your best to stick with it.  Begin to browse bridal magazines for dresses that catch your eye. Be sure to bring the photos with you to your dress appointment’s to give the sales consultant direction.

 

Also don’t be afraid to be open-minded and adventurous while dress shopping.  You only get to do this once in your life…..right, so try on different silhouettes. You may have envisioned yourself in a mermaid gown but find that you love the way you look and feel in a ball gown.  In addition, think about the fabric and texture, not to mention the time of year that you are getting married.  Do you want to look romantic in a lace gown or elegant in satin?

         

Make the appointment work for you

          Although, I totally broke this rule when I shopped for my wedding dress, try to limit the amount of guests you bring with you to your appointment.  Two guests at most, is considered safe, as it will ensure that your opinion does not get lost in a crowd and that you have the two trusted opinions that you care most about.

          Remember that timing is everything when planning the details of your wedding.  Start dress shopping about a year out from your wedding date, as most gowns can take any where from three to ten months to arrive, once you place the order.  Go to a couple of stores so that you get a good feel for what you like.  You should love your dress and how you look in it.  However, no two brides are alike. Some brides cry when they find their dress and others don’t.  Just be in the moment and take note of how you feel while you are in the dress.  If you feel great and can’t envision yourself in anything else, you may have the found the one!!!

         

Once You Say Yes, Give it a Rest

Once you’ve committed to a dress, STOP the search.  I know this may be hard to do but it will save you tons of misery in second guessing yourself.  It’s kind of like finding the right guy or the perfect house…..you do not need to keep looking once you know. 

Lastly, size is only a number, love yourself in whatever dress and size you order, trust me, your fiancé does, so no obsessing about weight.  However, be sure to stay healthy mentally and physically, so you look and feel your best for the wedding.

Once you decide on the gown, you’ll probably have about two fittings where alterations can be made, about a month before the wedding.  Be sure to pick accessories that do not take away from your dress but compliment it.

          So to all of my lovely brides-to-be, soak up each and every moment searching for your dress with family and friends.  This is your time to be amazingly beautiful!!! Enjoy!

Bridal Tip #2 - FIVE WAYS TO HAVE FUN WHILE PLANNING YOUR WEDDING!

Wedding planning is fun but lets face it, at times all the little details can become stressful. So for our second bridal tip, I decided to switch it up and get some advice from an unexpected yet knowledgeable source. These are often the people on the outside looking in on our wedding day-the vendors. They’ve seen it all and heard it all, they are there from the moment you book them until the last song is played at your reception, capturing the emotion of each moment. This person is the photographer and since, this vendor is usually in on all of the details, what better person to seek advice from? It’s what I like to call the “Vendors Perspective.” So when looking for advice I turned to seasoned professional photographer, John Davydov of Photography In Style, in New York. So here it is Brides, straight from the vendors’ mouth.

 
“Everyone knows that the wedding day should be special, with family and friends gathered to help you celebrate, the ceremony reflecting your love and the reception providing a perfect happy ending” says John. Before the actual wedding day couples spend mouths or even years planning for the wedding of their dreams; that is personalized and unique. The list of planning could be endless, from the brides dress to tuxedos, flowers, photography, video, reception and so on. In general, couples tend to forget how to have fun. Every waking conversation tends to be about the wedding that could lead to many arguments and stress. With this in mind here is John’s list:

(The Photographers Perspective)
5 WAYS TO HAVE FUN WHILE PLANNING YOUR FAIRY TALE WEDDING!

1) Going to a comedy club:
When talking to photographer John Davydov from Photography In Style, he says “it’s important that his clients are relaxed. Getting the bride and groom relaxed is the biggest thing that photographers struggle with. Some photographers are good with telling jokes for other is might be a little difficult. With that being said, we give all brides and grooms two free comedy tickets so they could take their mind off planning and have a night on the town on us.”

2) Find little things that make you happy:
Think of ways to incorporate the special things that you share or shared in the past. Something that makes the two of you laugh, even if you two are the only ones that get it! Spending time together and remembering every little moment of how you guys first got introduced or met.

3) Couples Spa
Couples massage is one of the hottest services at the spa. Two people are massaged in the same room, at the same time. It’s a perfect way to relax and rejuvenate when the stress of wedding planning is taking its toll.

4) Girl’s night out or Boy’s night out
Giving each other space and time to miss each other and getting your mind off of planning. This is also a great way to connect with your friends who are participating in the wedding and see what they are up to.

5) Foot Detox Therapy
Now I know your probably thinking is this some type of joke, but John is actually quite serious. Foot Detox therapy removes the body’s toxins by generating a mix of positive and negative ions. These ions attach themselves to impurities that are oppositely charged eliminating them through the reflex points of the feet by the way of osmosis. After a series of treatments the results are generally a sense of heightened well being and energy enhancement making for a happier bride, groom, and photographer.

I hope these tips come in handy for you future brides and grooms to be. Remember that when all is said and done, your wedding day is about uniting and coming together. So when you feel yourselves getting stressed out take a breather and remember these tips!!!

 To learn more about John and his photography visit him online at  www.photographyinstyle.com

Bridal Tip #1 - First Step your Budget!

Recently Engaged? Well here are a couple of tips you should remember when you are in the beginning stages of planning your special day.

The first thing you should do is create a budget and figure out who is paying for what. This is important because it will dictate how much money you allocate to spend on each of your wedding vendors, for example food, photography, attire. Also, creating a budget will help you decide what things in your wedding are necessities and what things you can do without. For some brides-to-be, it will be important to have a couture dress and for other brides it may be important not to skimp on the lush and beautiful flowers. Decide what is important to YOU for your wedding day.

Next, take a close look at your guest list. Decide if you want to have a big soirée or if you want to have a more intimate wedding. The numbers will definitely add up, so have a talk with your future husband and figure out the amount of people that you want to share your wedding day with. Also, consider asking your parents if there is someone that they would like to include on the guest list as a courtesy. Remember that the guest list goes hand-in-hand with your budget.

Now that you’ve set a budget and figured out your guest list, you can move on to the fun stuff! Set a date and start researching where you would like to get married. Will it be in a church or on a beach? A lot of brides decide to get married at the reception hall, so again, decide what is most important for you on your wedding day. Next, decide if you want your reception to be at a hall, restaurant, or country club. You can email or call the venues to ask for quotes. From there you can decide if you would like to visit the venue in person. Remember to take your time when searching and do not be afraid to negotiate and ask for what you want. Most of all remember to have fun during your engagement and throughout the entire process. Happy planning!!!!

Coming Soon!

Stay tuned as we add a new section focused on weddings and wedding planning. Get helpful advice and information on honeymoon planning, destination weddings, wedding travel and wedding planning in general. We also will have our partner Wedding Planner share tips, advice and insider knowledge to help you plan the wedding of your dreams!