How Much Should You Spend on a Wedding Gown?

In standard wedding budget tools, it is recommended that 10% of the wedding budget be allocated to attire. Some people take that to mean all of the wedding attire, including the groom’s, particularly when the bride and groom are paying for their own wedding. If the bride’s parents are picking up the wedding tab, it would be reasonable to assume that the 10% figure applies only to the bridal ensemble, since the few items for which the groom is responsible (his attire, bride’s wedding band and bouquet, wedding gifts) would fall outside of their budget.

When people say that 10% of the wedding budget should be set aside for the bride’s attire, they mean her entire bridal ensemble, including the wedding gown, veil, crystal bridal jewelry, shoes, headpiece, and even the alterations on the gown. All of those little extras can really add up. For instance, if you were planning a $20,000 wedding and spent the entire 10% for attire on a $2000 gown, you could easily end up over budget by $500 or more with the accessories and alterations. The choices would either be to select a less costly gown, or to purchase the accessories with funds from the “extras” category, which should have a cushion of about 8% of your total wedding budget. Some brides also get around this problem by asking for wedding accessories like their crystal bridal jewelry or shoes for their birthday or as a holiday gift.

A lot of what will determine the right price point for your bridal gown depends on what is important to you. To some brides, nothing short of a made-to-order silk gown will do. Going back to the example of the $20,000 wedding, $2000 would be rock bottom for the gown desired, and closer to $4000 or even $5000 would be more realistic, especially for a gown with lace or beadwork. Those women may need to allot more than the standard 10% of their budget towards attire. That is perfectly fine, as long as the wedding budget is set up that way from the beginning. There are always other areas where you can trim expenses, as long as they do not detract from entertaining your guests graciously.

On the other hand, some women would not dream of spending thousands of dollars for a dress which they will wear only one time. For those women, spending less than 10% of their budget on attire might feel more comfortable. A great money-saving tip is to shop for an elegant white or ivory bridesmaid or special occasion dress instead of a traditional bridal gown. Those gowns can be in the hundreds, rather than the thousands, of dollars. Of course, a less expensive dress will not feature the same elaborate details as a designer gown, nor will the quality of the fabric or construction be identical. So it really comes down to where your priorities are. As long as you put your wedding budget towards the things which mean the most to you, however much you choose to spend on your wedding gown will be the right choice for you.

A Welcoming Winter Wedding

A great way to make your guests feel pampered upon arrival at your winter wedding is to greet them with a hot drink station. It could be a selection of gourmet teas, served in the traditional fashion with sugar lumps, honey, lemon, or milk in elegant china. The station could feature cozy hot chocolate made from a rich drinking chocolate served in oversized mugs with big gourmet marshmallows. Or it could be a selection of hot toddies and spiced cider to chase the chills away. Whatever you choose for your hot drinks station, it will instantly help your guests to feel cozy and get settled in to your wedding.

A true coat check with an attendant (or several, depending on the size of your guest list) is an excellent amenity to offer your guests. It is customary for coat check attendants to be tipped, but when someone is your guest, they should not have to do any tipping; the hosts of the wedding should tip the coat check attendants, and place a discreet sign by the coat closet informing guests that no gratuities are expected. By the way, if you are having a smaller wedding or one at home, you can set up an informal coat closet by renting rolling racks and heavy wooden hangers. Hire a niece or nephew to help guests with their coats.

A roaring fire is always inviting on a chilly winter day. If your wedding venue happens to have a working fireplace, by all means use it! When a fireplace is not available, look into the possibility of renting a portable one. There are all kinds of styles available, from those with a very traditional mantel to modern closed fire pits. If you are wearing a sleek gown with hip crystal bridal jewelry, choose the modern streamlined closed fire pit, or if your venue is very old-fashioned, opt for a fireplace with a classic wide mantel. These portable fireplaces are designed to be very safe, but of course you will need to clear it with your venue before renting one for your wedding.

Music is another way to make people feel welcome. For a winter wedding, it would be a really fun detail to have traditional carolers singing wintery songs greet guests as they arrive at the venue.  Can’t track down any old-fashioned carolers? Check out a local college to see if they have an a capella singing group to hire for an hour’s performance. Greeting your guests with song is a wonderful way to make them feel welcome at your winter wedding.

Glamorous Winter Wedding Bouquets

Snowy white feathers are an amazing addition to a winter  bride’s bouquet. Fluffy and white, feathers are a great way to add glamor to your ceremony. They can be used in a variety of ways. One idea is to insert curly tendrils of feathers in amongst white flowers for a surprise bit of texture. For a more feather-intensive look, create a ruff of fluffy white feathers all the way around a nosegay of either red or white blossoms. If you really like the glamor and fun of feathers, consider eliminating the flowers altogether and carrying a bouquet created entirely from snow white feathers. It would be fantastic for a Winter Wonderland wedding.

Arm bouquets, also called presentation bouquets, are back in a big way for brides. A sleek bouquet of calla lilies would be a sophisticated arrangement for a winter bride to carry. White calla lilies are lovely, of course, but it would be great to choose a less expected color, such as purple or russet callas. Tie them up with a luxurious satin ribbon with a big bow and long streaming tails. A very wide ribbon, such as 3 or 4 inches, will add to the luxurious feeling of the bouquet. Gold or silver colored ribbon will make the whole effect ultra glamorous.

In the winter months, brides are especially drawn to the icy sparkle of crystal bridal jewelry sets. Play up the sparkle and glamor of crystals by incorporating them into your bouquet. There are many ways in which this can be done. When carrying an arrangement of round flowers such as roses, it looks fabulous to have the florist adorn the center of each blossom with a sparkling crystal. Another idea is to drape strands of shimmering crystals over the top of a large round nosegay – almost like crystal bridal jewelry sets for the flowers. More loosely arranged flowers look amazing with crystal teardrops suspended around the edge.

Another way to make a wedding bouquet more glamorous is to add silver accents to it. Curly grapevine dipped in silver glitter will look fantastic when interwoven with a mixed arrangement of flowers. Some florists will even dip the very edges of fresh flowers in a silver glitter; this technique works especially well with roses. This is one of those cases where a little goes a long way, so it would be nice to combine glitter edged roses with plain ones, as well as another type of blossom, such as white stephanotis with rhinestone tipped pins in their centers. Wrap it all up with a sheer metallic silver ribbon for a breathtaking winter bouquet.

New Year’s Eve Wedding Favors

Champagne is a popular part of many New Year’s Eve celebrations, and it would be a great idea for a wedding favor. To make it even more impressive, hang a small strand of crystals around the neck of each bottle (almost like a crystal necklace for the Champagne – how festive!) with a message of thanks from the bride and groom. There are a few variations on this which would work very well, such as substituting sparkling wine or Prosecco for Champagne. A non-alcoholic sparkling cider would be another option, especially if you are likely to have underage guests or tee-totalers at your reception.

A very fun idea for a New Year’s Eve wedding reception is a masquerade theme party. Beautiful party masks would be a perfect favor for this style of reception. Look for very fancy masks with plenty of sparkle and feathers, in the style of the renowned Venetian masks. For the gentlemen, a classic black mask would be appropriate (not as fun as the masks for the ladies, but that can’t be helped). Encourage your guests to wear their fun new masks during the reception party. Set up a photo booth so that you can get pictures of everyone in their masks. Think what a fun addition that will be to the wedding album.

Help everyone start their New Year off with miniature calendars for the wedding favors. This would be a fun project, and has become so easy to do at one of the online photo sites like Snapfish. Put some thought into the pictures that you select for the calenders. The best ones are seasonal for each month. To make the favor even more fun, highlight non-traditional holidays throughout the year like National Relaxation Day or Go Fly a Kite Day.

Edible favors are always a bit hit, and they would certainly be great for a New Year’s Eve wedding. Choose fancy sweets like handmade truffles displayed in silver boxes. Another great favor would be silver and gold M&Ms personalized with the bride and groom’s names and the wedding date. Place them in clear containers so that the metallic colors will really show and tie it up with an elegant black satin bow. With any edible favor, it is a nice touch to add a personalized tag with a message from the newlyweds.

Wedding Flower Basics

A great place to begin planning your wedding flowers is by looking through magazines and wedding websites. Bring the pictures to prospective florists so they know what you are interested in for bouquets and centerpieces. The more information you can bring to meetings, the better each florist will be able to understand your vision and provide good advice and an accurate quote. Useful details include swatches of bridesmaid dresses, pictures of the wedding venue, and a head count of the bridal party and number of reception tables. Also let the florist know about your wedding theme or any special accents which appeal to you, such as crystals in the bouquets to match your crystal earrings.

When interviewing florists, take a look at their albums of previous weddings. Use key words to indicate your style like modern, eclectic, classic, or bohemian. Be upfront about your budget, and ask what the florist can do within that price range – you may well find significant variations from one florist to the next. The best florists will offer suggestions on how to get the look you want for your flowers within your budget by giving you similar alternatives to pricey blossoms. They should also be able to advise you about what flowers will be in season during your wedding and be comfortable warning you against your first choice if it is not the best option for the time of year when you will hold your wedding.

The exact number of wedding floral arrangements you will need will depend on the size of your wedding party and the layout of your ceremony and reception sites. In general, plan on a bouquet for the bride, each bridesmaid, the junior bridesmaid, and either a basket of petals or bouquet for the flower girl. You will also need boutonierres for the groom, groomsmen, and fathers and grandfathers of the bride and groom. For the mothers and grandmothers, corsages are the traditional option and small posies are the contemporary choice. Then there are ceremony flowers for the altar, aisle decorations, and possibly a wreath for the church door. If you wish to have an aisle runner, that is usually arranged by the florist as well, as are candles for the church.

Flowers needed for the wedding reception will of course include a centerpiece for each dinner table, but that is only the beginning. You may wish to have arrangements for the bar, cocktail hour tables, food displays, the cake table, guest book table, gift table, and even the ladies room. Speak to your florist about how some of the ceremony flowers can be re-purposed to decorate the reception space. Bridesmaid bouquets, for instance, can easily be dropped into vases to serve as decorations for the guest book or gift tables, which is a great way to make the most of your wedding flower budget.

Bridal Beauty Trends for Fall and Winter Weddings

Updos are back in style for brides this fall and winter. Brides have moved away from the beachy, bohemian look in favor of hairstyles which complement this season’s sophisticated trumpet gowns and ladylike 1950′s inspired styles. Hairdos are polished and neat, exuding a sophisticated confidence. Brides are not afraid to look like grown ups this fall. A classic chignon, a low bun, or an asymmetrical knot swept to one side are among the top hairstyles for fall and winter brides. If you wish to create more visual interest, sections of the hair can first be braided before being pulled into the bun or knot. When the hair goes up, earrings tend to get longer, so look for pearl or crystal chandelier earrings to wear with these updos.

Bridal hair jewelry is equally sophisticated for this season. The bride who wants a headpiece which is visible from the front should opt for an elegant jeweled headband. The headband can add just as much sparkle as a tiara, but the close fit to the head is more regal than princessy. Feathers remain a very hot wedding trend, and a cluster of black or white feathers looks fabulous tucked into one side of a braided knot. Crystal chandelier earrings will complement this chic headpiece. A beautiful understated type of bridal hair jewelry is a set of crystal or pearl hairpins. The great thing about hairpins is their incredible versatility. They can be placed in a neat row along one edge of a twist, clustered like a brooch next to a sideswept knot, or scattered daintily around a low bun. Hairpins also look fantastic for bridesmaids, by the way.

Naturally everyone will be looking at the bride’s radiant face during the wedding. Be sure that yours is ready to be admired by creating a good foundation. Opt for a clean polished look, which can be created by layering light products. Start with a foundation primer, which ensures that foundation glides smoothly onto the face for a flawless look. A fairly sheer foundation will even out skin tone without looking artificial (tip: if your makeup covers your freckles, it is too heavy and will look unnatural). The next steps in creating a flawless face are concealer around the eyes and on the eyelids, sides of the nose, and on any blemishes. Top with a sheer powder to set the makeup. If shine appears during the day, use plain blotting papers rather than reapplying layer upon layer of powder. A tiny bit of highlighting powder or cream may be applied to the tops of the cheekbones and right under the eyebrows, but be careful not to overdo it.

Then it is time to choose your makeup colors. For the eyes, warm tones like browns, soft purples, bronze, and gold look beautiful for fall and winter. Satin or matte colors will tend to wear better than shimmery eyeshadow, although a light dusting of a golden shimmer over the colors can be lovely. A couple of coats of waterproof and flake-proof mascara and a light application of dark brown eyeliner will help define the eyes. A sheer cream blush enhances the natural bridal radiance and lasts well. Lipstick will be longer lasting than lip gloss. With hair, makeup, and bridal hair jewelry in place, you will be ready to shine on your wedding day!

Easy Winter Wedding Centerpiece Ideas

Christmas ornaments are a great design resource for holiday wedding centerpieces. A very simple idea is to gather a collection of beautiful round Christmas balls and place them in clear glass elegant footed vases. Make the look more wedding than holiday by choosing ornaments which are not in the very traditional red and green combination. Frosted metallic lime green with purple and silver balls would be gorgeous filling a clear footed vase or hurricane. Coordinate the napkins and stemware on the table to the colors in the ornaments to create a beautiful reception table design.

Sparkle is very popular for winter weddings, from beaded gowns to crystal bridal jewelry to the bride’s bouquet. To bring some sparkle to your reception, try a crystal branch centerpiece. Tall white or silver painted branches can be artfully arranged in cylinders, vases, or painted ceramic pots. Using clear fishing line, suspend large crystals from the branches. Crystals with an “ab” finish will really capture the light and look dazzling. Hang small lanterns with candles from some of the other branches to help illuminate the crystals. It is a fabulous centerpiece for the bride who loves sparkly things like crystal bridal jewelry.

A very charming idea for a winter wedding centerpiece is gingerbread houses. The bride and her mom could make the houses themselves from kits or simply purchase them already made. The gingerbread houses can be decorated in the wedding colors, or could even be created to look like little gingerbread chapels, complete with gingerbread brides and grooms! This centerpiece makes a nice tie-in to the wedding favors. Gingerbread cookies in glassine bags with pretty bows would be perfect. Attach a small card with your favorite gingerbread recipe to the favor bags.

Certainly flowers are beautiful for centerpieces at any time of the year. An ultra easy idea for a winter wedding centerpiece is to buy pots of white poinsettias to use as table decorations. Remove the foil wrapping they come in and place the plants in white glazed ceramic pots. Surround the white poinsettias with crystal votive candle holders to add sparkle and light to the tables. The effect will be simply gorgeous for a winter white wedding, and as a bonus, the potted poinsettias will be far more cost effective than arrangements of cut flowers.

Bachelorette Party Planning Tips

Tip One: When friends are planning a bachelorette for a bride-to-be, they should keep the personality of the bride in mind. If she is the type of gal who is up for anything, a wild and crazy night hitting bars, clubs, and even Chippendale’s might be right up her alley. Without a doubt, some brides can rival their grooms for rowdy pre-wedding bashes! On the other hand, if the bride-to-be is a more reserved type of woman, she might be genuinely appalled to find a pair of breakaway pants tossed at her head by a greased up man on a stage. For her a more low-key party in a restaurant or friend’s home would be a good bachelorette party.

Tip Two: Plan ahead! While the bachelorette party should be a freewheeling good time, it never hurts to make some plans in advance. You wouldn’t want to get to a club and find it closed for a private event. Even more importantly, you don’t want anyone drinking and driving. Hire a limo to be your transportation for the evening. Not only will it get the gang from pub to pub in style, but it ensures everyone gets home safely.

Tip Three: Make an event of it. This is not just any ordinary night out with the girls after all, it is a once-in-a-lifetime party. For the bride, this might mean getting a great new outfit to be worn with a fabulous pair of crystal earrings. Some groups like to wear shirts which proclaim their role in the wedding, like bride or bridesmaid, printed or emblazoned in crystals. A pair of crystal earrings is a cute touch with the crystal t-shirts. And what would a bachelorette party be without a cheap veil to pop on the head of the bride-to-be in the bar or club?

Tip Four: Keep budget in mind. If all the girls in the wedding party can afford to jet off to Vegas for a bachelorette weekend, great! But if the price of the trip would leave a lot of the bride’s friends out of the party, scrap the destination celebration and have a bachelorette party closer to home (or in a big city within driving distance). After all, what makes a bachelorette really fun is having all of the bride’s best friends together to celebrate.

What to Wear to a Black Tie Party or Wedding

Most of us lead fairly informal lives. So when an invitation arrives in the mail which states “black tie”, many women are left scratching their heads. What exactly does black tie mean (for a woman; the dress code is pretty straightforward for a man)? What is appropriate, what is too casual, and is there any type of outfit that would be too fancy? All your questions about what to wear to a black tie party or wedding are answered here!

The perfect dress will be the most important part of your black tie ensemble. There are two choices, either floor length or an extremely fancy knee length cocktail dress. The long dress is the more traditional option, so if you are unsure that would be the safest bet. A slim to A-line skirt is appropriate for a floor length gown. A ballgown to the floor is another possibility, although you run the risk of being the most dressy person in the room. If a cocktail dress is the preference, it can be as slim or full skirted as you like.

A fabulous dress is a great start, then you need to add equally glamorous accessories. Sparkle is always gorgeous for a black tie dress. Crystal chandelier earrings are the perfect type of accessory for a formal dress. You will definitely want a matching crystal bracelet, and most likely a coordinating necklace, depending on the neckline of your dress. If you love pearls, choose a pearl necklace with large diameter pearls to give your necklace presence. A strand of large Swarovski pearls and crystals in combination is a gorgeous way to add some sparkle to a classic pearl strand.

Of course you will need the finishing touches for your black tie outfit. A spectacular pair of shoes in silk, velvet, or patent leather will be ideal. A small silk or beaded evening bag for the essentials is also a must. A wrap or stole is a great way to deal with a chilly evening or an overly air-conditioned venue. Finally, think about a small ornament like a jeweled comb or silk flower to tuck into your hairdo. You will be ready to shine at the black tie event!

Dinner Guest Manners

The art of fine entertaining is not lost. Although most of us rarely host elegant parties, every once in while, it can be a lot of fun to gather around the table with friends for a proper dinner party. Of course, it is not just the efforts of the hosts that make a dinner party a success; the guests have a role to play as well. Brush up on your dinner guest manners with these helpful tips.

R.s.v.p. promptly. Yes, we all lead busy lives, but it is patently unfair to leave your host hanging about whether or not you plan to attend their dinner party. Oftentimes, the hosts are aiming for a certain number of guests around the table, so if you decline, they may well wish to invite another guest to take your spot. Once you have accepted an invitation, you are obligated to keep the date, unless you become very ill or get invited to the White House. “Something better came along” does not qualify as a reason to back out of an invitation to dinner!

Show up on time. By “on time”, I mean not late, but not early either. The host of a party works hard to create a special ambiance, while making it all appear effortless. The guest who arrives twenty minutes early will find the candles unlit, the host walking around with wet hair from his shower, and the hostess frantically searching for those cute little earrings she picked up at her favorite jewelry store in Raleigh. Your hosts will be less than thrilled to have a guest to attend to while they are running around putting the finishing touches on their party. Of course, being late is just as bad.

Offer a small gift. A bottle of wine or a box of fine chocolates can properly be brought to the dinner party, but if you plan to give flowers, it is most polite to have them delivered to the house in advance of the party. That way your host does not have to drop everything to search for a vase when you arrive at the door. It is also fine to think more creatively about a hostess gift. A beautiful hardcover book, a small gift from the jewelry store in Raleigh your hostess likes, or a gift for the kitchen like a handcrafted wooden cutting board all make great dinner party presents. Don’t feel like you have to spend a lot of cash either, just pick a charming little trinket that will make your hosts smile.

Finally, send a thank you note! Let your hosts know how much you enjoyed their party by sending a brief thank you note the next day. And last but not least, plan to reciprocate with an invitation of your own sometime in the near future.