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Alternative Wedding Dresses

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Celebrities and friends are getting married all over the place and photos are appearing everywhere from Hello magazine to Facebook. Unfortunately I haven’t had any invites this year (not even from Kate Moss!) but I do love looking at all the wedding dresses. Of course the wedding of the year was Prince William and Kate Middleton, and whilst I did like her dress, I preferred Lily Allen’s vintage style dresses. The price for all of the ones we see in magazines are usually somewhat astronomical and out of reach for most of us, which makes handmade dresses on sites such as Etsy, even more appealing.

The dress above by blackmirrordesign is no doubt a brave statement to wear as a wedding dress, but if you like it; why not? Surely your wedding day is the best time to wear something that truly reflects you.

I have never understood why people pay so much for a dress that is worn for one day only and tends to look pretty similar to everyone else’s. Young girls dream of their wedding dress long before the boy has even been met; and the dream usually consists of stepping onto the aisle, the organ playing and everyone turning to look at you. I dreamt of a train so long it would reach the door while I was stood at the alter! In fact, it was only two or three feet long, and that got trodden on often enough! My wedding dress was bought in a charity shop for £5, which I then customised by opening the back and adding red ribbon lacing, tying ribbon around the medieval style sleeves and gluing on hundreds of beads to form a gothic style flower on the train. I was very proud of my dress and especially loved knowing that no-one else would have one the same.

I am still happily married, but if I were to get married again, I’d be brave and go for a dark red one. Something like this from thesecretboutique is just the thing.

My dress is packed up in a box in the roof, but there’s no rule to say you shouldn’t think of the future and get better value by buying a dress that can be worn on other occasions. Some simple dresses look absolutely stunning, and it does seem a shame that they often never see the light of day again. This dress by K T Jean Designs is so pretty and could easily be worn to a summer evening soiree.

Save The Date

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When I got married 12 years ago wedding invitations were sent and only a handful of people had prior knowledge of the date. However in the past few years ‘Save The Date’ cards, like the above from Artcadia Wedding Stationery, seem to have become the norm when thinking of wedding stationery.

Yet as these ‘Save The Date’ cards are a relatively new concept brides can easily be confused as to the etiquette regarding to whom and when to send these cards. The above bookmark style cards by nmi Photo Creations are especially creative.

Traditionally wedding invitations are not sent until 6-8 weeks before the wedding. Yet by sending a ‘Save the Date’ card, like those above by The Little Stationery Company, you can give your guests a heads up of the wedding date, 4-6 months in advance. This is particularly beneficial as guest lists become more spread out throughout counties, states or countries. Therefore by providing the date of the wedding in advance people can start planning necessary travel arrangements.

Many weddings are held in the Summer months at peak holiday time, so by sending a ‘Save the Date’ card you can avoid the main wedding party and important guests being on their summer holiday at the same time as your wedding. This great card by Serendipity – Beyond Design is perfect for a destination wedding. Obviously this is also an important consideration if your wedding is to be at Christmas or during other key festivals or holidays.

Whilst etiquette suggests that an r.s.v.p. is sent in response to your wedding invitations there are no rules for responding to ‘Save the Date’ cards, like the above typographically-inspired cards by ABSINTHE Custom Print. However you maybe able to gauge a response from speaking to your guests, enabling you to have a preliminary head count.

When you have sent your ‘Save the Date’ cards you need to remember that these people will be those who receive an invitation to your wedding, so you need to be very sure of your final guest list prior to sending these. The above cards from Ello There are a fun way of confirming your head count. However you can add to your guest list after sending ‘Save the Date’ cards.

By sending a ‘Save the Date’ you can provide your guests with a first impression of your festivities, as these are often in the same design as you wedding stationery. The above card by ABSINTHE Custom Print announce a very formal upcoming event, whereas the below card by eb1 lets you know the wedding is likely to be more close and intimate. These notes can just say the couple’s name and the date of the wedding however it may be a good idea to include the venue location so that guests will be able to consider travel arrangements in advance.

So when you have booked your venue it’s time to choose your ‘Save the Date’ stationery and let your guests know the date of your big day.

Silvia Campbell

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As a child my favourite story was a Grimm’s Fairytale, The Elves and the Shoemaker. I loved how the elves helped the man make beautiful shoes that would turn his life from rags to riches. Today, as an adult, I still love this tale and share it with my children. But in real life can shoes turn your life from rags to riches, maybe not, yet they can make a ‘fat’ day seem slimmer, as shoes will always fit even if you did eat an extra chocolate brownie.

After some searching I have found a shoemaker, who may wish upon a visit from the elves at her busiest times. Silvia Campbell designs and makes beautiful bespoke shoes from her studio in London. Her design career began with a degree from The University of the Arts, London College of Fashion which then led to work experience with John Lobb Ltd a company renowned for the finest hand made to measure shoes and boots. Silvia Campbell then progressed to work for a shoemaker in the dance world, Freed of London Ltd and learnt about making shoes that are strong and comfortable yet elegant and fashionable.

Maybe you had planned on splurging on a pair of Jimmy Choo’s for your wedding day but imagine having a pair of shoes made specifically for you, that fit perfectly and are completely unique. Silvia Campbell offers a bespoke design service for brides and understands the importance of the need for comfortable shoes to take you from the walk down the aisle through to dancing at midnight as you celebrate the most important day of your life.

When you commission Silvia to design and make your wedding shoes she will meet with you to measure your feet and discuss your ideas of the design you would like, assisting you in choosing the shoe shape and heel height. Silvia will use this information to create her initial designs and a specific price proposal before your second consultation. When you visit Silvia for your second consultation she will discuss the choices of the material for your shoes and it is also very important at this stage to share your opinions of designs presented to you. Unlike mass produced shoes, Silvia Campbell shoes are designed uniquely for you and you can say what you do and do not want.

Now that you have confirmed your designs Silvia will produce a mock up to ensure a perfect fit and for visualising the final design. However this mock up will not be in the material of the final design. This mock up pair will also be vital for you, as a bride, to take with you for dress fittings ensuring the hemline of your dress is set at the correct length for your shoes, as the mock up pair of shoes will be the correct heel height.

Once your shoes are made they will be ready for a final presentation for you and Silvia will also advise how to care for the shoes. Leaving Silvia Campbell’s studio with your own unique shoes for your wedding day would surely be a fairytale itself.

Beautiful bespoke shoes may seem like a luxury but imagine walking down the aisle in perfectly fitted, unique shoes. Art really is one of life’s essentials.

Tiara Trauma

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As if you didn’t have enough decisions to make whilst planning your wedding you will have to think about what to wear on your head. For the groom this is fairly simple as most choose to avoid a hat unless you are having a grand affair and a top hat is required. Yet for the bride the decision about headwear is complicated and it is better not to choose a tiara before you have chosen your dress. However if you have chosen a vintage inspired gown then this headband from Chez Bec would be the perfect accessory.

Firstly a bride will need to think about how to wear her hair, up in a french pleat, half up or half down or fully down. Obviously this may depend on the style of dress you have chosen or you may have already chosen a beautiful tiara, like the slightly unusual motifs of pearls and crystals used in the design of the above tiara from Tiararama.

Whether you choose a tiara, hair slides or combs, veil or fascinator there is plenty of choice in styles available. Pearls are a traditional stone for wedding jewels and look great worn in the hair, as shown above in with the gorgeous tiara from Be Something New .

Yet you may want your headwear to add even more sparkle to your wedding day. Many jewellery designers can create bespoke tiaras, combs or headbands in a choice of Swarovski crystals to add colour to your day, as seen in the combs above from Tilley Jewels Bride.

Maybe pearls or crystals are not the look you are after but require a more dramatic statement piece. A fascinator is a great alternative to princess fairytale inspired tiaras, featuring feathers, netting and even pearls, crystals or rhinestones. Fascinators are also proving a popular choice for Mothers of the Bride and guests as an alternative to hats. Whilst you could stick to bridal creams and whites, a fascinator maybe your chance to add some drama, especially with this fabulous peacock feather fascinator from Nyjole J Walters Jewellery Design.

Bridal Party

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My best friend from high school got engaged this week and I couldn’t be more happy for her and her new fiance. She’ll be the first in my group of friends to tie the knot, making her wedding a momentous occasion for all of us. Despite the busyness and excitement around the engagement, I got a chance to speak with her over the weekend about the proposal, her engagement ring, and, of course, her ideas for the wedding.

My friend has loved the color baby blue ever since I’ve known her (we met in the 1st grade); therefore, it didn’t surprise me that she wanted to have it as one of her wedding colors. When I came across this beautiful baby blue dress by Ananya, I couldn’t help but think of my friend’s wedding. Besides being the perfect shade of blue, I love the elegant simplicity of this dress. The architectural collar adds just the right amount of elegance to this otherwise simple, but timeless piece. And just in case my friend changes her mind, there are plenty of other fabric colors to choose, everything from hot pink to black.

My friend wants to make sure that every girl in the bridal party feels completely comfortable in her dress, no matter what their body type. The Coda wrap dress by nataJane is the perfect solution. It can be worn a dozen different ways, from strapless to sleeveless to kimono style, and will look great on everyone in the bridal party. Oh, and it comes in baby blue as well as 44 other amazing colors.

My friend loves strapless dresses, and I think she would just adore the sweet ruffles and the architectural look of the Kia dress by Nostalgia. Accenting the smallest part of your waist and falling around the knee, this dress is universally flattering and timeless. With a price tag of only $89, it’s affordable as well!

I can’t wait to pass along the links to each of these dresses to my friend. With so many great choices, I have no doubt that her bridal party will look absolutely amazing for her big day!

**The photo featured at the top of this post was taken by CAPow Art & Design.