Gorgeous Fall Wedding Cakes

The design of your wedding cake should complement the overall style of your wedding. The rustic style is very popular for fall weddings. If you see yourself getting married in a barn wearing handcrafted bridal jewelry and carrying a casual bouquet of fall flowers, your cake should be equally rustic and full of country charm. A beautiful idea is a cake decorated with sunflowers. The cake itself would be lovely frosted in a cream colored buttercream frosting applied with a rough texture. Tie dark brown raffia around the base of each tier, and accent with several miniature sunflowers placed in clusters on each layer.

Another lovely idea for a fall wedding cake is a falling leaf theme. It can be done in a variety of ways, from an elegant monochromatic design to a colorful flurry of leaves to a minimalist metallic leaf pattern. Choose the style that best suits your wedding colors and theme. For instance, for a formal ballroom wedding, it would be very autumn chic to have a tall cake decorated with gilded gold leaves. Brides who prefer a more playful cake can opt for lots of different colors and shapes of sugar leaves scattered all over the cake in a random pattern. Real preserved leaves can be strewn about the cake table to continue the theme. A single color leaf made to resemble fiery red sugar maple leaves would be absolutely beautiful for any style of autumn wedding.

Your wedding cake can also be an opportunity to indulge your whimsical side. A very playful idea is to decorate the sides of the cake layers with flat cut out silhouettes made to look like your favorite forest animals. It would be just delightful to see a collection of woodland creatures like squirrels, foxes, and deer around the cake tiers. If you like, forest foliage and acorn shapes can also be added to the cake. Do it all in soft woodsy shades of pine green, mushroom, and brick red. This type of cake would be a natural choice for the bride who enjoys unique things which are handcrafted especially for her, such as one-of-a-kind letterpress invitations and custom bridal jewelry.

With nature being such a popular autumn theme, another fantastic option for a fall wedding cake is one made to look like tree bark. There are several approaches to this concept. The first is to frost a cake with dark chocolate icing that has been dragged with a tool to look like the bark of a tree. Decorate it with foresty accents, such as marzipan mushrooms and fern leaves made of gum paste. Another very cool tree inspired cake design is to frost the cake with a white chocolate ganache. When dusted with cocoa powder, it will look like the bark of a white birch tree. What a unique take on the white wedding cake!

Wedding Dresses for Brides With Baby Bumps

When a bride turns up pregnant, the first instinct is to run to the empire waist gown. This can be a wonderful option, as the higher waistline sits right under the bust, above the expanding belly. On the other hand, if the bride is very far along or the fabric under the empire waist is very gathered and loose, the whole effect can look like a giant tent – not exactly the most flattering effect! The trick to making an empire waist wedding dress flattering on a pregnant bride is to keep fairly slim through the ribcage and along the sides.

Drop waist wedding gowns can be a surprisingly viable option for many pregnant brides. This is especially true for brides who are on the taller side. It’s all about proportion. The waistline should sit towards the bottom of the baby bump, but not all the way under it. When the waist is too high, the skirt will not drape properly, and when it is too low, it will cup under the bump in an exaggerated fashion. The wonderful thing about a drop waist wedding gown is that it will clearly show that the bride is pregnant, not just overweight.

A softly draped column dress can be another possibility for a pregnant bride, especially one who is not so far along in her pregnancy. This is a good choice for the bride who is comfortable with her body in general, and one who is still fairly slim through the tush and thighs. Choose a fabric with a nice weight to it, like a heavy silk crepe or a beaded Chantilly lace. The weight of the material will help it to hang well and drape attractively over the baby bump. Always order this type of dress considerably larger than you think you will need it, because it will be easy to take in, but very limited in its ability to be let out.

A final tip for dressing a pregnant bride is to draw attention up to the face and neckline. Most pregnant women are blessed with a lovely radiant glow and great cleavage, so why not highlight those assets? Pair a relatively simple wedding gown with fabulous bridal jewelry that will bring the attention up to your smiling face. You will be sure to look absolutely beautiful on your wedding day, baby bump and all!

New Wedding Trend: Wine and Cheese Reception

If you are not planning to have a formal seated wedding reception dinner, you need a great alternative. A wine and cheese reception could be just perfect. Everyone loves wine after all, and of course cheese (along with other foods) is always a hit. This is a fresh twist on the cocktail receptions which have been popular in recent years, and it is a terrific option for a late afternoon wedding. A wine and cheese reception is also relatively budget-friendly, as you will not need to serve a full meal, nor hire a big band.

A great space for this type of wedding reception would be a wine bar. Many have private rooms, or you may even be able to rent the whole space, particularly for an afternoon reception. No wine bar in your town? No problem; a chic restaurant, loft, or gallery space would make a terrific alternative venue. The seating should be comfortable and casual. Modern lounge spaces with low slung couches and coffee tables would be great. You can mix in a few tall cocktail tables with bar stools as well.

The style of a wine and cheese wedding celebration will tend to be chic in a low key way. The bride would be charming in a short white lace dress with pearl custom bridal jewelry for an afternoon reception. A long slender column gown worn with custom vintage inspired bridal jewelry would be fabulous for the bride who likes a bit more drama. In either case, a handsome suit will be ideal for the groom.

Set up stations with knowledgeable sommeliers who can inform guests about the wine selections being offered. Plan to serve a nice variety of red, white, sparkling, and dessert wines. It would be nice to set up food stations near the wine stations which feature the little bites which best complement the wine varieties. In addition to a broad selection of cheeses (soft, hard, goat, artisan, etc.), round out the food offerings with fresh fruit, bread, small hot bites like tartlets, and some tapas.

The Cardinal Sins of Wedding Gown Shopping

Shopping for a wedding gown should be one of the most fun experiences of your life. For some brides, though, the whole process can quickly turn into a nightmare. Why? In most cases, because they have committed one of the cardinal sins of wedding gown shopping!

Sin number one is to try on wedding gowns which you would never be able to afford. If your budget is $3000, you simply have no business trying on a $15,000 bridal gown “just for fun”. What happens if you fall in love with that pricey gown? Going back to the dresses within your price range will feel like a major let down, because they simply will not have the same type of details, embellishments, and construction as the higher priced gown – if they did, they would cost just as much! Spare yourself the heartbreak, and only try on gowns which you have a reasonable chance of being able to bring home.

Another cardinal sin of wedding gown shopping is to try on dresses once you have already purchased another gown. Unless you are seriously planning to lose your initial deposit and select a different gown, this is a recipe for disaster. The last thing you want is to discover another gown which you like better than the one which you have bought, only to be stuck wearing the first one. It will greatly diminish your love for the gown you will be wearing on your wedding day, which is just really sad. If you just can’t stand the idea of being done shopping, start looking for your bridal jewelry, veil, and other accessories – but trying on more gowns is off limits!

Many brides unwittingly commit this next sin of wedding gown shopping: bringing too many people along to the appointment. It becomes extremely difficult to hear your own voice when you are being drowned out by a large chorus of opinionated sisters, friends, moms, and aunts. The savvy shopper brings only one or two people to help her. How do you narrow it down? If your mother is paying for your wedding dress, she certainly has a right to help in the selection. Besides that, your sisters or maybe one close friend who shares your taste in fashion is more than enough. Let your extended family and wider circle of friends help with the other shopping decisions, such as what type of bridal jewelry to get, the bridesmaid dresses, and so on.

How to Care for Your Bridal Gown After the Wedding

The very first step in caring for your wedding gown is to have it professionally dry cleaned. It is best to do this as soon after the wedding as is practical. Do your research on dry cleaners before the wedding. Many regular cleaners do not know how to properly clean and press a bridal gown. Look for a dry cleaner who specializes in bridal and formal wear. That goes double if your gown has beading, buttons, lace, or is made of silk. Depending on where you live, you may well have to ship your gown off to a specialist to get this service, but it is worth it to know that your precious gown is in good hands.

Once your gown is clean, it is time to pack it away. Leaving the gown hanging up is not the best long term solution, as the weight of the fabric will invariably cause the dress to stretch out. A flat box is the proper way to store a bridal gown. And not just any box will do; it should be an archival acid free box especially designed for long-term garment preservation and storage. Your dry cleaner or bridal shop may offer an archival boxing service, or you may obtain the supplies from an archival catalog geared towards museum preservationists. The gown should be placed over an acid free bust form to maintain the shape of the bodice, and then loosely folded with acid free tissue between the folds and wrapped around the dress.

Never seal the box or use plastic, as this can cause dry rot and fabric deterioration. Take your wedding gown out of the box to refold it (and to admire it, of course!) annually. It is ideal to wear a pair of white cotton gloves to handle the gown so that the natural oils in your hands do not get on the fabric of your clean bridal gown. Brides often wonder if they should store their bridal jewelry, veil, headpiece, and shoes in the same box as their gown. If you wish to store your veil in the box, take extra care to wrap the metal comb of the veil with tissue and to place it away from the gown; otherwise the metal comb can make rust marks on your dress.

Shoes are too dirty to store in the same box as your pristine gown, and your bridal jewelry is too precious to pack away and not use. The best advice is to dye the shoes black if possible and to wear your bridal jewelry as often as you can. That way you will get the best use out of those special wedding accessories. Then slide the box with your carefully packaged bridal gown flat under a bed (better than a hot attic or a damp basement), and rest assured that your beautiful wedding gown will be preserved for your future daughter to wear one day.

Wedding Gown Alterations FAQs

Is It Easier to Take a Gown In or Let One Out? It is almost always easier for a seamstress to take in a bridal gown which is too large, rather than trying to let out one which is too tight. This is particularly true for any bridal gown which has embroidery on the bodice, because if the side seams are let out, you might be exposing a section of interior fabric which was not embroidered. This is why bridal salons always recommend ordering your gown in a size which is fits your largest measurement, even if it may come in a bit large.

Can a Gown With Straps Be Converted to Strapless? Sometimes. If you are thinking about ordering a gown which has straps with the idea that you will have it altered to become strapless, always consult with the store’s head of wedding gown alterations first. Gowns which already have a lot of structure and boning often can be made strapless, but very soft gowns made from flowing fabrics may not lend themselves to the conversion.

Do I Need to Bring Someone to My Gown Fittings? Yes! Definitely plan on having your mother or maid of honor present for at least your final fitting. The person at your final fitting serves two purposes. The first is to look over your bridal ensemble from all angles, at the wedding gown, the veil, the bridal jewelry and other accessories to make sure that everything looks fantastic together. The second reason to bring a friend or your mom to your final fitting is so that she can get a lesson in how to dress you on the morning of the wedding and how to do your bustle after the ceremony.

How Much Should I Expect to Pay for Bridal Gown Alterations? This depends considerably. The factors are where you are having them done, how much the gown needs to be changed, how full the skirt is, and any special considerations like a lace hem or a beaded bodice (they are more time consuming to alter). If your wedding gown arrives fitting like a glove (which is rare), you might spend $200 having the gown hemmed and bustled, whereas if you need extensive alterations the final bill could run $750 or more. The bridal salon should be able to give you a general idea of their alterations price range when you purchase your wedding gown.

Wedding Ideas That Are Too Good to Be True

Planning a wedding is a big undertaking, both in terms of time and money. It is only natural that brides want ways to cut down their budgets and the amount of work that goes into their weddings. However, not every offer of help or “unbeatable deal” is as good as it first appears. These are some of the wedding ideas that are simply too good to be true.

Volunteer Amateur Services: People love weddings, and many brides are fortunate enough to have well-meaning loved ones who really want to help them with their wedding. Unfortunately, in many of those instances there is an abundance of good intentions, but a lack of the skill to perform the task at a professional level. This is the uncle who offers to take all of your wedding photos to save you money. It could be your sister who thinks she can make your bridal hair jewelry, even though she has no experience making bridal hair jewelry. That “great” offer can end up with a very disappointed bride and hard feelings all around.

Knock-off Wedding Gowns: Many a bride has fallen in love with a wedding gown that she loves, but cannot afford. There are plenty of websites online that offer reproductions of designer gowns at rock bottom prices. The only problem is that the knock-offs never look anywhere near as good as the originals. The fabric, craftsmanship, embellishments, and fit are usually very poor quality from the designer imitation sites, and it is a rare bride who is pleased in the end. The wedding gown is one case where you definitely get what you pay for.

Electronic Wedding Invitation Responses: It sounds great at first: you will save on the cost of the response cards, the computer will tally up the number of guests who have accepted or declined, and your guests will all respond on time because it is so easy for them. In reality, however, there are several drawbacks to the online R.s.v.p. system.  Some of your older guests simply will not be comfortable with this form of reply. Also, there is no guarantee that you will get a higher rate of replies using this system; if you have ever received an evite to a big party, you will have seen that plenty of people do not bother to reply. If you have your heart set on an electronic response system on your wedding website, make it one of several options, not the only way to R.s.v.p.

Renting a Wedding Gown

This is a look at the pros and cons of renting a wedding gown…

Without a doubt, the number one reason to consider renting a wedding dress is the cost. It will definitely be a more affordable option than if one were to purchase a comparable gown. For some brides, the idea of spending a big sum of money for a dress to wear one time is just too hard to stomach. Renting a gown could also be an option for a bride who wants to wear two gowns for her wedding instead of just one.

Some brides also like the idea of renting a bridal gown for a destination wedding so they do not have to deal with transporting a big dress on a plane. This is particularly popular among Vegas brides. All they have to do is pack their bridal jewelry sets and grab their fiances on their way to the plane. In fact, there are even some places which offer one stop shopping: tuxedo rental, wedding gown rental, and wedding venue all rolled into one. A word of caution: while you will find a number of places in Las Vegas where you can rent a bridal gown, this service is not very common in many locations.

That brings us to one problem with wedding dress rentals: many towns do not have any shops which offer rental gowns. Even in areas which do have stores that do rentals, the choices will be far more limited than if you were shopping for a wedding gown to purchase. Another major concern about renting a wedding gown is the fit. Some stores permit no alterations and those that do will still have a limit on how much you can change the dress to fit you. Brides who are not a standard size will likely find that renting a gown is impractical.

Also keep in mind that you must return the rented wedding gown in the condition in which you received it. If someone spills a glass of red wine on you at the reception, you will end up having to pay for the dress. Don’t overlook the sentimental aspects of wedding gowns either. For many brides, their wedding gowns, bridal jewelry sets, and veils become cherished mementos from their weddings; would it make you sad not to have your bridal gown to someday pass down to your daughter? While renting a wedding gown can be a very practical answer for some women, clearly it is not a good idea for every bride.

Prepare Your Wedding Jewelry for the Big Day

On your wedding day, everyone will want to admire your diamond ring. Every bride should have her engagement ring professionally cleaned a day or two before her ceremony so that it shines brilliantly.  Nothing will cut the shine of a diamond worse than hand lotion, so if you get a manicure after the cleaning, remove your ring. And when you go to put it back on, avoid touching the gem with your fingers, which will make it smudgy.

If you are wearing fabulous crystal and silver bridal jewelry, you will want to make sure that shines to its best advantage as well. Gently wipe your crystal wedding jewelry with a soft damp cloth to remove any dust or fingerprints. Then run a special polishing cloth over the sterling silver parts to give them a beautiful gleam. Wedding jewelry which is made of sterling silver without any gems can be dipped in a special silver cleaner if it has tarnished. Silver dip can ruin many gems, especially pearls, so use it only for jewelry which is all silver.

Pearls are the ultimate symbol of bridal elegance; they are also fairly fragile, so be sure to baby them. They can be wiped with a soft dry cloth if need be, but that is about it. The best way to make sure that your pearls are in tip-top shape for your wedding is to keep them from getting dirty in the first place. Always put on pearl wedding jewelry after your hair and makeup are done. Hairspray is the sworn enemy of pearls, as it will dull their luster. Spritz on perfume before donning your wedding pearls for the same reason. Never get the silk thread of a pearl strand wet, as it may be prone to stretching and breaking.

If your groom is planning to wear any wedding jewelry, take care to make sure that his accessories look as good as yours. Silver cufflinks can be polished with a silver polishing cloth to restore them to a brand new luster. If they are pure sterling silver and in need of major shining up, cufflinks can also be dipped in a silver cleaner. The chances are that his wedding band is in perfect condition, but inspect it to see if it might benefit from a fresh polish by the jeweler. If your groom has expressed interest in a matte finish ring instead of the traditional high polish, ask the jeweler to brush it on the wheel to make it matte. It takes just a minute to do and will give the band a modern look.

Tips For the Family of the Groom

It is easy to feel like the proverbial “second fiddle” when you are a family member of the groom. You may be just excited about the upcoming nuptials as the bride’s family, but the parents and siblings of the groom often have limited involvement in the wedding plans. These are some tips for the family of the groom to help you navigate the wedding planning process.

First of all, it is important to realize that when girls grow up dreaming about their weddings, the person they always imagine planning it with is their mother. So if you, as the mother or father of the groom, feel like the bride and her mom are taking over the wedding planning, you are probably correct – however, it is probably not done with any intention to leave you out in the cold. Since the bride might not think of asking for your assistance, you will need to go to her. The groom’s mom might say that she knows where to get the best wedding jewelry in town or that she would love to make the ring bearer’s pillow. Just remember that taste is very individual, so try not to take it personally if you make suggestions for the bouquets or bridesmaid dresses and the bride does not take your advice.

If the family of the groom can afford to help pay for some of the wedding expenses, they should feel free to make the offer. Often the groom’s family will say that they would like to pay for one specific part of the wedding, such as the flowers or the band. Matters of money can get dicey among families, especially if it is the bride who is spending the money; if you are afraid that an open-ended offer to pick up the tab for the florist or the photographer might result in the bride hiring someone out of your price range, simply offer to contribute a specific amount towards the service, like $2000 for the flowers or $1000 towards the videographer.

There are times when the groom’s family may feel pressured to contribute more to their son’s wedding than they can comfortably afford. To be as diplomatic as possible, the groom’s parents should speak privately with their son about what they can or cannot do to help with the wedding expenses. Let him be the one to break the news to the bride, since the groom should have known to ask his parents before signing them up to write unlimited checks! Remember that the wedding is the foundation of a lifelong relationship with the bride and her family, so it is worth it to to make the effort to get along.