Blue Bridesmaid Dresses for Fall and Winter

In the autumn months, rich and deep colors are usually the order of the day. For bridesmaid dresses, a color like cobalt blue would be gorgeous. It is deep, yet vibrant, and would work equally well for a daytime or evening wedding. Cobalt is a popular color this year, and it is especially easy to picture it as the color choice for a September wedding. It bridges the gap between summer and fall beautifully.

Navy is another excellent shade of blue for fall and winter. Try a navy strapless faille bridesmaid dress for an afternoon wedding, or a long navy satin V-neck gown for a formal evening ceremony. Sets of pearl bridesmaid jewelry are a natural choice with classic navy dresses. As for flowers, mixed bouquets in shades of purple are particularly attractive against navy. Use a combination of plum, fuchsia, and lavender blossoms in loosely arranged bouquets tied with navy velvet ribbon. Another idea is to have play up the crispness of navy with bouquets comprised of all white flowers, surrounded by a cuff of bright green leaves.

For brides planning a fall wedding who are not crazy about dark colors, consider a medium blue dress with a chocolate brown sash. Picture the way that brown leaves look against a brilliant blue autumn sky to envision this winning color combination. The chocolate color brings in enough of a fall flavor to keep the dresses feeling seasonal. Bring the brown color into the bridesmaid bouquets by incorporating flowers such as chocolate cosmos or mini sunflowers. Natural accents like dried seed pods or berries will make the bouquets feel even more autumnal, and make a nice contrast with the medium blue of the dresses.

In the winter months, it often seems like all the bridesmaid dresses are red, red, and red. However, another fabulous winter wedding color scheme is an icy “Winter Wonderland” theme, with which ice blue bridesmaid dresses would be fantastic. The key to making such a pale color really work with the season is to use it in a distinctly wintery fabric like a heavy satin. Then add more wintery accents, such as crystal snowflake pendants and perhaps even white fur wraps for the ceremony, tied with lustrous satin ribbons. The end result will be stunning!

Wedding Planners’ Tricks of the Trade

Not every bride will hire a professional to organize her wedding, but that does not mean that you cannot benefit from their know-how. Over the years, a good wedding coordinator learns all sorts of nifty tricks that make weddings more beautiful, better run, and more cost effective. These are some of the tricks of the trade that wedding planners use.

Reuse Ceremony Decorations. Why pay for everything twice when you can reuse much of your ceremony decorations for the reception? While your guests are enjoying a fabulous cocktail hour, the vendors can move the ceremony chairs, altar flowers, and any other decorations you had into the reception space. Think about how much money you can save by not paying for duplicate chair rentals and floral displays!

Variety is the Spice of Life. If there is one thing that every planner strives to do it is to create a wedding that is unique, not cookie-cutter. A simple way to do this on your own is to break up the sameness of repeated elements with some variations. Rather than having the same centerpiece design repeated for a dozen tables, pick three centerpiece designs with similar flowers, but of varying heights. The same goes for your bridesmaids. Pick complementary dresses and sets of bridesmaid jewelry in several styles instead of having all the girls match exactly.

Great Food is a Must. Wedding planners have attended enough receptions to know that if the food is not delicious, the guests will be grumbling. Even worse than lackluster meals are weddings that do not have enough food. There is nothing worse than having the food at the cocktail hour run out before the end of the event! Scrimp in other areas of the wedding as needed, but keep your guests happy with food that is tasty and plentiful.

Brown Wedding Color Palettes

Brown is one of the most versatile colors for weddings. While not necessarily considered to be one of the most festive colors, brown adds a richness and sophistication to a wedding color palette that can really enhance the overall design of the event. Take a look at some of the elegant ways to include brown in your wedding color palette.

In the spring, a soft cocoa color pairs wonderfully with lilac. The unexpected color combination is chic and stylish, and the brown helps tone down the Easter egg effect of the spring pastels. Try bridesmaid dresses in lilac organza or shantung with cocoa brown sashes and mocha bridesmaid jewelry sets. Bouquets in a range of lilacs and light purples tied with cocoa satin ribbons will be the perfect coordinate.

For a late summer wedding, try mixing brown with a bright coral color. The depth of the brown will tone down the intensity of the coral and make it more sophisticated. It is great for an evening wedding, but would also be quite chic for the afternoon. A deep chocolate or even an espresso shade is an excellent match for the coral. If you wish to add another color to your palette, try mixing in touches of mango for a little more warmth. All these colors work beautifully for the centerpieces and bouquets, and will also look great for all the reception details. A tiered wedding cake covered with smooth chocolate ganache decorated with coral and mango mini calla lilies would be the height of elegance and style for any reception.

If you like a dramatic look, think about mixing a rich chocolate with a dark plum hue (sounds almost good enough to eat!). This would be a regal and striking palette for a winter wedding. These colors look excellent in the luxe fabrics of the winter season such as sumptuous silks, velvets, and even faux furs. When using a palette this rich, go overboard with opulent details, such as towering centerpieces set on quilted silk tablecloths with beading. Take it over the top with a chic lounge at the reception featuring low slung plum velvet sofas with cream and chocolate faux fur pillows scattered about. Too fabulous!

Beach Wedding Hair Jewelry and Veils

Naturally the bride will want something fabulous to adorn her hair on her wedding day. As a beach wedding tends to be more relaxed, it is best to choose a headpiece which is not overly formal. Rather than a tall tiara, for instance, try a double headband beaded with crystals and pearls. The gems will make it beautiful enough for a wedding, but the headband style will look more appropriate on the beach. Select a headband which complements your bridal jewelry set. Another great thing about a headband is that if you opt to wear your hair down, it will keep the ocean breeze from blowing your hair in your face during the ceremony.

A beach theme hair ornament can be a wonderful accessory for a wedding by the ocean. A starfish pin in your hair makes a lovely alternative to a fresh flower, and as a bonus it will not wilt in the hot sun. Small starfish clips or pins would also be fun for the bridesmaids. They would make a nice add on to the bridesmaid jewelry sets that the bride gives as gifts. Tie a pretty starfish clip to the jewelry box with an organza ribbon for a nice addition to the bridesmaid gifts that will also make the box extra special.

Pearls are a natural choice by the ocean. A cluster of pearl hairpins would be an elegant addition to a simple updo. Low buns are very chic and are un-fussy enough for the beach. They are also a classic staple to have in your jewelry box for future special occasions after the wedding. Wear your pearl hairpins with pearl bridal jewelry, such as a drop pendant or a unique keshi pearl necklace. Add some coordinating earrings, and you will be ready to walk down the aisle in style.

A veil on the beach can be a bit tricky, but any bride who wants one should definitely wear one. For a wedding outdoors, the veil should always be shorter than floor length. The last thing you need is to have your delicate veil catch on a wooden boardwalk or deck and tear. Nor do you want to have a long veil dragging behind you on the sand picking up seaweed and other beach debris from the sand! A calf length veil gives the effect of a long veil with none of the potential perils. Fingertip veils also work well, but be careful about choosing a very short veil, as it will fly around your face with the slightest breeze; in fact, the shortest veils are actually called “flyaways”.

Beach weddings are always beautiful, and with the perfect accessories, you can be sure to look absolutely stunning. From headbands to pins to special veils, there is a combination of beach wedding accessories that will be perfect for any wedding and to match any bridal gown.

Mixing and Matching Patterns in Wedding Design

So many weddings are done in white or pastel color palettes. While lovely, they can lack a unique character or that personal stamp that makes a wedding unforgettable. When you really want to create a wedding design that has style and personality, consider mixing and matching patterns. This is how to do it with ease.

Three patterns is a good number when you are trying to spice up your wedding design without overdoing it. A good rule of thumb is to mix a stripe, a large pattern, and a small pattern, along with color coordinated solids as needed. A plaid or check could be substituted for the stripe, but be wary of using plaids and stripes together.

The color palette should make sense with the patterns chosen. For instance, let’s say you were planning a nautical theme wedding by the ocean. Blue, yellow, and white would be an excellent color palette, perhaps with accents of Nantucket red. For your patterns, you could use a blue, yellow, and white variegated vertical stripe for tablecloths at the reception. A small scale blue on white or red on white anchor motif could be one of your accent patterns, and a medium sized geometric design could be the final print. Use the secondary patterns for things like side tables, pillows in the lounge area, and as a motif to print on the invitations and menus.

Another approach to mixing patterns is a French country style. Using a color palette of sage green, brick, and cream, combine a large scale toile with a woven check and a small sprig print. For a more luxe French design, try a beautiful burgundy and gold stripe, with a coordinating bee or fleur-de-lis print. A semi-abstract sprig or vine design will round out your wedding design. Use the patterns liberally for decorations, again be more restrained when it comes to your bridesmaid attire. Silk dupioni dresses in one of your signature colors with elegant bridesmaid jewelry sets will make your bridal party an attractive part of your overall wedding design, without making them match the tablecloths too closely. For more creative ideas on how to mix and match patterns, check out your favorite design magazines and home furnishing catalogs. Any style that catches your fancy can easily be made into a gorgeous and unique wedding design.

Make Your Maid of Honor Special

The maid of honor is a very important part of a wedding. She is the top honor attendant, and as such is often dressed or accessorized in a way that sets her apart from the rest of the bridal party. These are some ways to make your honor extra special for your wedding.

Perhaps one of the easiest ways to distinguish your maid of honor is by selecting special attire for her. If the rest of your bridesmaids will be wearing the same dress, select one for your maid of honor which is similar, but not the same. For instance, your bridesmaids could wear an A-line dress and your maid of honor could wear the same style and color with a fuller skirt. Or keep the cut of the skirt the same, but choose a different neckline for your best girl. If the bridal party wears strapless gowns, your honor attendant can be clad in a beautiful portrait neckline dress to set her apart.

It is customary for the bride to give her wedding party sets of bridesmaid jewelry as their wedding gifts. Part of the tradition is to treat the maid of honor with a gift which is similar, but a bit more special. Let’s say that you have decided to give your attendants crystal earrings and necklaces for their bridesmaid jewelry sets; splurge on your maid of honor by treating her to the matching bracelet as well. The idea is something which is similar, but extra special, just as your head attendant is extra special.

Flowers can be another way to show the prominence of your chief bridesmaid. Typically, the bride’s bouquet will be larger and more costly than the ones she has made for her wedding party. As a way to distinguish your maid of honor, make her bouquet somewhere in between for size. You might also choose to have her flowers more similar to your own. Of course, whatever you opt to do for the ceremony, she will already be set apart in the way which matters the most: the honor of being asked to be your maid of honor.

Glamorous Wedding Attire

Weddings are one of the few excuses we get to really dress up these days.  Let’s face it: dressing your best makes a special occasion feel even more special. That goes for everyone involved in the wedding, from the bride and groom to the wedding party to the guests. This guide to glamorous wedding attire will help you turn out in high style.

There are spectacular options available for the bride who wants a wedding gown with a glamorous attitude. It is all about the use of luxurious fabrics and rich details with a touch of drama. A trumpet style is one of the most glamorous, with its slim fit through the bodice and sudden flare of fullness at the skirt above the knee. The most au courant versions of trumpet shape wedding gowns are created in silk satin or silk taffeta and feature interesting ruching and gathering. A one shoulder gown would be very chic as would one with an asymmetrical oversized bow. Lots of dazzling crystal bridal jewelry and fabulous high heels will make the look even more glam.

When the bride is the picture of glamor, she will surely want her bridesmaids to embody the same fabulous style. Rich color can be an excellent way to make your bridesmaids look glamorous. Try an eggplant silk or a peacock blue for drama and sophistication. A satin draped column dress would be a fantastic silhouette for the bridesmaid dresses (the draping is not only gorgeous, but it hides any figure flaws). Sparkling crystal bridesmaid jewelry sets will be the perfect finishing touch.

Without a doubt, the most glamorous style for the groom and the rest of the gentlemen is black tie. The female wedding guests can take their cues from the bride and bridesmaids: rich colors, luxurious fabrics like silk, special accents like feathered accessories and crystal wedding jewelry. The entire wedding will be a marvelous sight to behold with such gorgeously attired people there!

Bridesmaid Dresses to Pair With Red Wedding Gowns

A red wedding gown can actually take on a lot of different styles, from elegant to retro to dramatic, and that is a great place to begin when shopping for bridesmaid dresses to match your gown. Let’s say that you are having a formal evening wedding, and really want your attendants to look sophisticated and elegant. Black satin column dresses would be very striking for the bridesmaids. You can bring in the red wedding theme with custom red crystal bridesmaid jewelry sets and bouquets of deep red roses. If you want to bring a touch of the bridesmaids’ black to your bridal attire, add some black feathers to your bouquet, and maybe even wear them in your hair.

Black and red are a fairly dark color combination, so it will not suit every wedding. Metallic neutrals are a fantastic option for a chic bridesmaid dress color to pair with a red wedding gown. Silver or pewter chiffon dresses would be elegant for a summer evening wedding. In the autumn, a rich tone like bronze silk dupioni would be magnificent with a bride in red. Match the metallic to the undertone of the red of your wedding gown. If you are wearing a cool cherry red, silver would be a good complement. Brides in rich burgundy would look best surrounded by bridesmaids in warm metallic colors like gold. Glittering Swarovski crystals in a coordinating metallic shade would be great for the bridesmaid jewelry sets.

For brides who like the royal associations of a red wedding gown, the perfect bridesmaid dress color is another one with regal undertones: purple. Rich aubergine bridesmaid dresses will look like the epitome of elegance and style next to a bride in a deep red wedding gown. Tie the colors together with bouquets which combine the red and purple. The bride’s bouquet could be mostly purple flowers with a few red blossoms, and the bridesmaids could carry bouquets that are the reverse. That will help the flowers to stand out against the color of the dresses.

Although red is not the traditional wedding gown color, it is actually a fairly versatile one. Once you have an idea of how to mix and match your red gown with the rest of your wedding details, the whole design picture will quickly come together. These great ideas for bridesmaid dresses should help you get off to a terrific start.

Bouquets for Bridesmaids

Your bridesmaids’ bouquets are the largest accessory that they will carry, so it is important to choose wisely. There are a few rules of thumb to keep in mind when talking bouquets with your florist. One is that your bridesmaids’ bouquets should coordinate with their dresses, your wedding gown and bouquet, as well as the style or theme of your wedding. The biggest choices that you will make are: color, type of flower, size and shape of bouquets, and special accents like ribbons.

It used to be common for a bride to try to match the color of the bridesmaids’ flowers to their dresses as closely as possible. Although this is still done, many florists are getting away from the exact match, because the flowers will tend to blend in too much with the dresses. You can lose the visual impact of the blossoms in this way, especially in photographs.

A nice alternative is to select flowers in a color that will stand out against the bridesmaid dresses, and tie them with a ribbon that matches their dresses for continuity. The flowers can be another version of the same color, like hot pink peonies carried by bridesmaids in pale pink gowns, or go for a modern look with a strong contrast, like orange flowers with a deep purple dress. Sometimes brides will choose to have the bridesmaids carry a progression of colors in the same type of flower; for instance if your attendants were wearing butter yellow dresses, you could design bouquets in a range of purples from lilac to eggplant for a dramatic contrast.

It is very important that the style of flowers you choose for bridesmaid bouquets makes sense with their dresses. If your attendants were wearing long black sheaths and crystal bridesmaid jewelry sets for an evening wedding, you would not give them a bunch of daisies to carry down the aisle. On the other hand, an elegant bouquet of calla lilies would be perfect with such a chic bridesmaid ensemble. And the daisies have their place too; they would be charming with cotton voile bridesmaid dresses and simple sets of silver jewelry for a summer afternoon wedding in a park.

When in doubt, ask your florist to make you a few samples to view along with a sample of your own bridal bouquet. The wedding flowers are such a key decorative element at your ceremony that you want to make sure they all look gorgeous.

Grand Cathedral Weddings

If your dream is to have a grand wedding ceremony like something out of a fairy tale, then a cathedral just might be the perfect venue for you. They are unmatched in their soaring grandeur and impressive architecture, and there is no more breathtaking ceremony venue. This is what you need to know to plan the perfect grand cathedral wedding.

In some communities, use of the cathedral may be reserved for parish members, but this is not the case everywhere. St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York, for instance, will open its doors to Catholics from outside of the parish. Something that is important to keep in mind when considering such a famous site for your wedding is that you may not be able to have a private ceremony. This is the case at St. Patrick’s, which does remain open to the general public during wedding ceremonies.  You should also be aware that while a house of worship does not usually charge a fee for its use, there may well be a minimum mandatory “donation”, which can run into a couple of thousand dollars.

A grand setting demands equally grand attire; this is a chance for a bride to choose something really spectacular. The long aisle of a cathedral is the perfect setting for (you guessed it) a cathedral length train. If you prefer a more fitted gown with a shorter train, up the wow factor with a cathedral length veil, which looks absolutely stunning over a beaded sheath cut bridal gown.

The rest of the wedding party will want to look equally fabulous. The bridesmaids should definitely wear floor length dresses, accented with pretty bridesmaid jewelry sets and gorgeous bouquets. Very petite accessories will get swallowed up in a large cathedral, so opt for sets of bridesmaid jewelry with great impact, such as sparkling Swarovski crystals in your wedding colors.

Imagine the scene: grand doors part, a pipe organ plays, and a bride in a fabulous gown glides down a long aisle to a flower-bedecked altar. Now imagine that the bride taking place in a scene straight from a Hollywood spectacular is you. It could be, if you decide to have your wedding ceremony in a marvelous cathedral.