Wedding Gowns & Bridal Fashion

Lisa Alpern-Cucinotta remembers how her pilgrimage in 2003 left her weeping with happiness.

It wasn’t a trip to Jerusalem, the Ganges River or Mecca. No, the plus-size fashionista, then 25, had arrived for the first time at the altar of Torrid at the Garden State Plaza.

Alpern-Cucinotta, a Washington Township native with a degree in design, found herself strapped for clothing options. She had always been a “curvy girl,” usually wearing sizes 12 and 14 available in mainstream stores. Though she lived in the limbo between “straight” sizes and plus sizes for a long time, a few extra pounds gained in college put her squarely into the plus-size category.

She thought she would never be able to find trendy clothes again. Plus-size fashions in the early 2000s were, in her eyes, disappointingly dowdy and unflattering. But the selection of clothes at Torrid was different.

“Here were the funny, funky T-shirts that any twentysome-thing girl wants to wear,” she said. “They had sexy skirts and sexy shirts. I have never been that excited. I probably took 45 things in the dressing room and spent hundreds and hundreds of dollars.”

A fashion desert
Although the demand for plus-size fashion has been growing for at least a decade, many women like Alpern-Cucinotta are still wandering in a fashion desert — especially when shopping brick-and-mortar stores. Specialty stores are still a tiny minority in shopping centers, and mainstream clothing retailers never seem to have room in their stores for special sizes.

“They simply don’t carry the sizes we’re looking for,” said Christine Alt, a plus-size model who does consulting for Lane Bryant’s newly renamed catalog line Woman Within.

Can plus-size women ever find well-designed, quirky clothes that fit their bodies and their personalities? Or are they doomed to shop at a handful of specialty stores?

The answer may be at the click of a mouse. For those who eschew the commute and crave variety, cyberspace may be the new dressing room. Web site portals dedicated to plus-size fashion like beautyplus power.com — founded by Alpern-Cucinotta after her Torrid adventure — direct you to deals online and smaller plus-size lines that haven’t made it to the malls, advertising their friendly phone and Internet sales services. There are blogs, bulletin boards and countless shopping Web sites that collect the best of the trendy plus brands.

“The Internet is a great sales channel for niche markets because of the laser-like marketing accuracy it provides,” said Scott Silverman, spokesman for online retailer network shop.org.

According to projections by Silverman’s organization, 10 percent of all clothing sales — plus-size, regular or otherwise — are expected to occur online this year. Apparel, accessories and footwear sales reached $18.3 billion in 2006 and are expected to hit $22.1 billion in 2007, a figure that surpasses online sales of computers for the first time in history.

Add that to the fact that the latest Centers for Disease Control survey puts the national percentage of overweight adults at 32.2 percent (in New Jersey it’s 20 to 24 percent), and you’ve got a market segment ripe for development.

“With more and more designers realizing that the majority of American women are plus size, the fashions have gotten hipper, cooler and much more accessible,” said Alt.

Bigger sizes online
Because they are able to ship products from warehouses for online sales, mainstream retail companies also are widening their range. The youth apparel store American Eagle, for example, sells XXL and sizes 16 and 18 only on its Web site, ae.com. Ann Taylor Loft goes up to size 18 online at anntaylorloft.com.

Alpern-Cucinotta added that plus-size women can do a lot better at a mall nowadays than five years ago. “There is a current trend in body consciousness, in more form-fitting clothing,” she said.

Teens are still out of luck, she said, but new lines like Fashion Overdose (fashionoverdose.com) are starting to fulfill their needs online.

It’s just in time, apparently, since the next segment of the population that increasingly needs plus-size apparel may be juniors and children. The CDC reports 17.4 percent of Americans ages 12 to 19 are overweight; so are 18.8 percent of those ages 6 to 11 and 13.9 percent of children ages 2 to 5.

“Every third dress we make is for a plus-sized child,” said Marge Hyland, formerly of Morris County. Hyland’s company, Pegeen .com, tailors formalwear for children. Now based in Florida, she creates perfect fits for young girls by sending out a bodice pattern to the customer for a trial fitting before making the dress.

“A girl might feel like she can’t be in a wedding party because she’s too big,” said Hyland. “It’s horrible. … All little girls want to feel like a princess.”

An additional problem for girls now is early development, she added. Girls who develop adult-sized bosoms at 9 or 10 have a difficult time finding a good fit, especially when they are only about 4 feet tall.

Plus sizes for kids, too
While Hyland provides a tailoring service, children’s clothing company Gymboree has online-only slim and plus sizes for everyday clothing. JC Penney offers “junior pluses,” and Limited Too has “half sizes” in stores. The trend has pushed up to teen brands like Aeropostale and American Eagle — but in both cases, extended sizes are only online.

The mainstream stores, especially the savvy ones, are learning what their customers want — and for now, the Internet offers a cost-effective solution. But shopping for plus sizes is still a pain.

While shopping recently at a plus-size boutique in Brooklyn, Lee Lee’s Valise (leeleesvalise.com), Alpern-Cucinotta had an illuminating experience. She noticed that thin women who were attracted by the window display were walking into the store — only to be disappointed when they discovered there was nothing in their size.

“It’s usually the other way around,” she said with a chuckle.

Plus sizes online

Here are some online options for plus-size apparel.

• Alight.com: The online boutique now has a brick-and-mortar presence in Long Island (998B Old Country Road, Plainview).

• Alloy.com: The Web store serves up extended sizes in jeans, with inseams up to 37 inches.

• Beautypluspower.com: This site links to trendy items that are hard to find, like wide boots. Also see the blog at beautypluspower.blogspot.com.

• Fashionoverdose.com: With an icon featuring a crowned skull and rose garlands, this is not your mother’s plus-size clothing line. The fashions skew young and fun.

• Kiyonna.com: The closest stores that carry Kiyonna brand clothing are Herban Legend in Hammonton (Atlantic County) and Lee Lee’s Valise in Brooklyn.

• SizeAppeal.com: “Be Bold and Sexy Because You Can” is the motto of this line for plus-size women. The collection specializes in party wear.

Source: NorthJersey.com

The whole idea of a “fairy tale wedding” may have lost its luster after the demise of Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s marriage. Still, Disney isn’t deterred. Earlier this year, the media company devised a line of wedding gowns designed by Kirstie Kelly, based on its “Disney Princess” franchise.

No, the Cinderella gown doesn’t come with glass slippers. In fact, the dresses look like typical wedding dresses (complete with typical “mid-tier” prices, ranging from $1,100 to $3,500).

But Disney won’t stop there; oh, no. It also plans Princess-branded housewares and sleepwear. Disney’s had great success with Disney Princess merchandise for little girls; according to Newsweek, the Princess brand is already a $4 billion business.

The House of Mouse has its eyes on more than just brides. Several days ago, The Wall Street Journal reported that Disney is also including the motif on infant goods like cribs and diaper-changing mats. Perhaps that’s all part of its long-term strategy — little girls who dream of Disney Princess weddings may grow up to demand Disney Princess weddings one day.

I got burned poking fun at this sort of thing in 2004, when Mattel first announced a line of Barbie-inspired clothing for grown women. Although I had a hard time believing there was a market for childhood-inspired accoutrements, that article ranked among my top generators of soul-wilting hate mail. Obviously, some women really adored the idea.

“Barbie Luxe” hasn’t died on the vine, either. In 2005, the high-priced line had a launch party during L.A. Fashion Week at the Fred Segal Flair boutique; this month’s BrandWeek covered the addition of a new designer, for the “Barbie by Patricia Field” collection of clothing and accessories, available in two separate lines for Macy’s East and Hot Topic, of all places.

Women have come a long way, even since I was a teenager; our opportunities now in society are pretty amazing by comparison. Given all that progress, news like this makes me wonder when things took a sharp turn toward Crazyville. Could you imagine Marvel licensing a line of Spider-Man or Hulk-inspired formalwear for men? I won’t be holding my breath.

Sure, some women aspire to beautiful, wealthy princesshood. But these icons aren’t always healthy, what with the accompanying unrealistic body image, the need to be rescued, and of course, the tiaras. Fairy-tale weddings may be big business, as Disney definitely knows, but I have to wonder whether Americans’ appetite for fantasy isn’t getting out of hand. Perhaps some people simply need to grow up.

Source: The Motley Fool

Titanium-Jewelry.com, a leading online retailer of black titanium rings, tungsten rings and unique black titanium with black diamonds for men and women, today announced that many of their black diamond jewelry pieces and black titanium anniversary rings have experienced increased interest and inquisitions as black on black heats up retail stores.

Black has been used frequently in designs for the fashion world from everything from cell phones to black satin trench coats, boots and black on black attire. In a November 9, 2007 article on fashion trends in Japan, “black is fashionably back” The website, web-japan.org commented on the rise in black fashions among today’s fashion savvy stating that many are “creating an effect not with colors but with subtly different materials and textures is a key to the fashion scene this autumn”

This latest trend doesn’t just touch clothing and apparel, but has seen its course in jewelry as well. With the new craze of black being the color of choice among many people, jewelry designers have been featuring black diamonds and black titanium more often in recent design. David Yurman & Tiffany are now selling black titanium jewelry. Edward Mirell, well known for his collection of titanium jewelry, has designs featuring black titanium with black diamonds.

“We’ve seen a huge increase in interest from customers about black diamonds, especially black titanium with black diamond wedding bands” stated Ron Yates, founder of Titanium-Jewelry.com and owner of Yates & Co Jewelers in Modesto, CA. “We’ve added many black titanium anniversary rings, and black diamond wedding bands for couples looking for unique and fashionable wedding jewelry” Yates concluded.

Black diamonds became popular in the early 1990’s with renewed interest from celebrities and fashion enthusiasts alike. Black diamonds, named “carbonados”, were first discovered back in 1840 in Brazil and are primarily found in Brazil and the Central African Republic. The revived trend for black jewelry parallels the season’s hottest fashions detailing cool, sleek and sophisticated. For more information on black diamond jewelry, please visit http://www.titanium-jewelry.com/black-diamonds.html

About Titanium-Jewelry.com
Titanium-Jewelry.com provides a wide selection of tungsten rings, titanium rings and black titanium jewelry uniquely styled for men and women. Experts in modern mens wedding bands, and modern metals jewelry, Titanium-Jewelry.com leads the industry in contemporary jewelry fashions. For more information, please visit www.Titanium-Jewelry.com.

Weddings involve a tremendous amount of planning. It may take months to find the dress you want to wear down the aisle. You have to decide whether you want the bridesmaids to wear dresses you find ready made, or dresses you have sewn specially to fit them. Colors and styles are difficult to choose, too. Then, there are details like the kind of cake you want and who you will trust to bake and decorate it. Along with all these decisions is the choice of wedding shoes.

You will be busy the whole day of your wedding. There is no reason to make yourself uncomfortable unless you are certain you want to wear dressy shoes. Women’s dress shoes can be beautiful, certainly. If you are wearing a wedding dress that is not full length, you will probably want to wear elegant high heeled shoes in a white or candlelight color, or any shade that matches your dress. You will want to look your best, but keeping the heels in the lower height range of high heeled shoes is a good idea. You will be walking too much to be comfortable in stiletto heels. With a lower heel, you can look graceful and be comfortable at the same time.

If you are wearing a full length dress, you have the opportunity to take comfort to the next level. No one will likely notice your shoes under a long dress, especially if it has a train. Your feet will be securely hidden from view. Many brides take advantage of this fact by wearing alternative wedding shoes that may seem unusual if you have not been around brides lately.

Ballet shoes can be worn as bridal shoes. Ballet shoes are some of the most comfortable wedding shoes, yet they look dainty if your feet ever do show. Brides can wear ballet shoes and never fear getting a blister or twisted ankle from wearing tight or high heeled shoes. Ballet shoes often come in white and pink, but other colors are sometimes available.

Comfort can be very important to brides. Many brides now wear simple white tennis shoes as wedding shoes for the comfort they provide. Tennis shoes could even be seen as appropriate, considering all the running a bride will have to do to coordinate every little detail on her wedding day. Some brides even wear house slippers as wedding shoes. Whether standing at the altar or gliding across the dance floor, there is no reason a bride should be in misery because of her shoes.

Alternative shoes are also advantageous because they are not expensive. Weddings can cost a small fortune, but that does not mean your shoes have to be costly as well. If you want to buy cheap shoes for your wedding, you are much better off buying comfortable footwear at a low price than cheap knock-offs of expensive brand name wedding shoes. These cheap imitations do not look as good as the wedding shoes they imitate. They do not hold up as well, and may even come apart on the day of the wedding. That is the last thing a bride needs to worry about. Besides that, the cheaper the dress shoe, the more uncomfortable it usually is. It is much better in every way to find the most comfortable bridal shoes that are appropriate to go with your wedding dress.

Source: http://www.classicarticles.com/Article/How-To-Find-Sensible-Bridal-Shoes-For-Your-Wedding/27785

Okay, it’s that time of the year again, when starry-eyed young ones tie the nuptial knot.

And for that once-in- a-lifetime occasion, brides and grooms take utmost care in ensuring, they’ve got the look right. More disposable income and awareness about global fashion trends have been instrumental in the way the to-be-married choose to dress up. Money’s not important, looking good and stealing the show matters more.

From the traditional to the trendy, getting the perfect trousseau is no longer a quick shopping affair, but involves meticulous planning and many trips to trousseau studios and shops.

Leading fashion designer Ashish Parikh feels, colours like red, maroon, pastels, pistachio, mustard, rust, emerald green, bottle green and grey should rule this wedding season besides “off-white.” Add-ons like dull embroidery, cut work, crystals, Swarovski and silver glitter are just the right embellishments that a bridal outfit requires. “Though people are experimenting a lot, they are also fussy about the look and the fit,” adds Ashish.

In fact, thanks to the elaborate nature of Indian weddings, the entire ceremony involves many outfits, for mehndi and sangeet ceremony. So you can wear an outfit according to your mood, a mix of traditional, Western and Indo-Western for the various ceremonies. Bride-to-be Gunjan Agrawal says, “My wedding dress is in deep red with lots of peta and crystal work. The dupatta has heavy embroidery.”

Vadodara-based designer Chandrakant Golani says, “Heavy dupattas are in,” and soon-to-be married women seem to be deriving plenty of inspiration from reel life. “Brides are comfortable wearing halters and spaghetti blouses for their reception, while for the wedding outfit they want the Saawariya look — full-sleeved blouses with plunging necklines and flared ghagras,” he adds.

Purva P, a fashion designer of a leading store, says, “Brides want the ghagra, blouse and dupatta in different shades. Sometimes brides even use dupattas with complimenting colours. This year, princess-cut ghagras with long corset blouses are in.”

Even bridegrooms seem to be experimenting with colours and fabrics. Sherwanis, dhotis and kurta pyjamas with elaborate and intricate designs are trendy. “Knee-length sherwanis with trousers are cool,” says Bhavin Trivedi, a fashion designer of a leading menswear store.

When it comes to colours, purples, peach and pink are haute. High collared, embroidered sherwanis teamed with jackets complete the groom’s outfit, chips in Ashish. Men are also wearing scarves with sherwanis . Of course formalwear continues to be in fashion. If you were to believe Bhavin, young bridegrooms are flaunting “tuxedos with two-piece suits in more flamboyant colours and fabrics.” For those who prefer a ‘dressy’ look, long suits with heavily embroidered jacket completes the look.

Go, get that perfect trousseau!

Source: The Times of India

Designer previews exclusive Lakme Fashion Week Grand Finale collection along with new bridal collection.

Manish Malhotra, India’s leading celebrity fashion designer and style icon, unveiled his Winter Couture 2007 collection yesterday (November 18, 2007) at the Manish Malhotra Store in Jumeirah, Dubai. The designer also previewed his Lakme Fashion Week Grand Finale collection along with a new set of bridal creations and a line inspired from the 70’s retro look, which he created specifically for the recently released Bollywood film ‘Om Shanti Om’. The launch in Dubai follows Manish’s successful outing at the annual Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) Spring/Summer 2008, which was held at the National Center of Performing Arts (NCPA) in Mumbai, India from October 13 to 17, 2007. Present at the launch were senior executives from the Saif Belhasa Group of Companies, celebrity guests and select customers.

In celebration of the theme, ‘La Belle Epoche’, Manish’s line features creations that incorporate both heavy prints and embroidery on exquisitely quilted full-length jackets and shararas with stiff, high collars. The collection draws inspiration from the Art Nouveau era, with designs incorporating French touches of the time dominating the fashion pieces. The famed designer has used luxurious zardozi and resham embroidery to richly colored jackets, coats, skirts, dresses, blouses and tunics, which are sketched to appeal to his customers’ fashion style preferences ranging from vintage, contemporary chic, minimalist and eccentric.

“Designing this collection has been an exciting experience for me, as the season allows me to experiment with various texture and color combinations for my clients who will do a lot of layering to keep comfortable and counter the winter chill. Taking inspiration from the beauty of Parisian art, which I have incorporated in my newest collection, my main focus is to transcend drab winter garments and provide wearable fashion that is both modern and luxurious. It has always been a tremendous pleasure to offer visitors a peek at my latest apparels here in Dubai, which I consider to be the home of my most sophisticated and fashion-forward clients,” said Manish Malhotra.

Manish Malhotra’s collection was featured as the finale at the recently concluded Lakme Fashion Week, the premier fashion event in India. In addition to his success on the ramp, the designer’s collections are also being showcased in popular Indian films currently showing at theaters in India and the Middle East. A-listed Bollywood celebrities such as Kareena Kapoor, who starred in ‘Jab We Met’; Deepika Padukone, who played the lead role in ‘Om Shanti Om’; and Madhuri Dixit, who is set to feature in the new film ‘Aaja Nach Le’, share a particular fondness for Manish Malhotra’s distinct designs. Garnering the appreciation of trendy actors in Bollywood, the famed fashion icon has decided to launch his newest collection in Dubai.

In addition to the Lakme Fashion Week Grand Finale collection, Manish also showcased his new bridal collection, which features avant-garde wedding dresses designed with rich embroidery and ornamentations but keeping the traditional flair that suits the taste of the contemporary bride. Manish had earlier participated at The Bride Show Dubai 2007, during which Bollywood stars Urmila Matondkar and Arjun Rampal led models on the ramp to showcase his collection. The launch of his new bridal collection is expected to create a stir within the fashion community, with the wedding season soon to hit the region.

Manish Malhotra has been dubbed the Badshah (King) of Bollywood Couture and has designed costumes for some of the biggest Bollywood movies, including most recently for ‘Om Shanti Om’, a film that many critics expect to be the mega-hit of 2008. The film features Manish’ creations, which cross from the intricately designed costumes based on the 70’s retro look and the modern and sleek apparels, which the characters of the present day wore. With the projected blockbuster success of the film, the massive exposure the movie has generated is expected to attract the attention of fashion conscious youth in Dubai.

“The name Manish Malhotra has been a brand that is tantamount to luxurious apparels incorporating the best of traditional Indian, Arabian and contemporary style. His seasonal collections have caught the attention of the fashion world, with his flair to combine ethnic chic, sensual elegance and relaxed glamour within all his signature pieces. Customers from across the UAE and other GCC countries has developed a fondness for his designs, making his boutique one of the most visited fashion houses in Dubai,” said Sarah Saif Belhasa, Vice Chairman, Saif Belhasa Group.

With over 16 years in the industry, Manish Malhotra has received 22 prestigious awards and has a clientele that includes leading stars in India and Hollywood such as Reese Witherspoon, who has worn Manish’s creations in the film Vanity Fair; Michael Jackson, Jean Claude Van Damme and Naomi Campbell. The Manish Malhotra Store is located in Jumeirah and was launched in 2006 by the designer and Saif Belhasa Group of Companies. Featuring luxurious garments and accessories for Indian, Arabic and Western clients, the upscale boutique also carries the trademark Manish Malhotra skirts, tunics, corsets, kurtas, sarees and dresses in bright colors and prints along with a range of designer shelas, abhayas and jalabiyas.

Source: Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)

A ring of dirt around the edge of a wedding dress tells of a fun-filled reception. Still, most brides protect their gowns for posterity or, at the very least, for reminiscing later.

Others, like Jennifer Costa, roll around in the dirt.

Costa is part of a small but growing number of brides across the country who decide to trade the perfectly preserved dress for gritty, unconventional but often stunning pictures with a high-fashion bent — a trend known as “trashing the dress.”

After Costa, 29, and her husband, Anthony, 32, of Grapevine, said their vows on a beach in Anguilla, Jennifer picked up the hem of her gown and walked to the edge of the water so her photographer, Kevin Jairaj of Keller, could snap pictures of the waves lapping at her feet.

She ended up lying on her back with sand grinding into her dress and hair, and with the surf washing over her. She was filthy, but the picture was artistic and striking and certainly worthy of hanging on a wall.

She and her husband wandered along a half-mile stretch of beach while Jairaj called out directions for a photo reminiscent of the movie From Here to Eternity.

“I literally got into the shower with my dress when I was done to wash it off,” she says.

How it all started

The idea of “trashing the dress” started in February 2006 when Las Vegas photographer John Michael Cooper created a photo illustration of a bride with her arms open wide and her dress on fire, and posted it on a photo blog with an article urging photographers to keep an eye out for creative brides willing to take risks in wedding photos.

In May 2006, Louisiana-based photographer Mark Eric took the concept to New York to photograph a bride playing in a fountain and her husband carrying her, sopping wet, across the threshold of the Ritz-Carlton.

After the wedding, he registered the domain name www.trashthedress.com to post the slide show.

“At that point, it was more of a concept than a trend,” he says, “and other photographers picked up on it.”

By September he had turned it into a blog. Traffic grew steadily, reaching about 100,000 visitors by last June.

The New York Times wrote a story and “it just exploded,” he said. The site has had more than 1 million visitors.

What constitutes ‘trashing’?

“The main gist,” Eric says, “is to have fun and get creative pictures that are different from everyone else’s. Wedding photos don’t have to be stiff.”

Trashing the dress often positions the bride in an unexpected location, such as a fire escape, pond or farm. Sometimes the dress is ruined; sometimes a professional cleaning can undo most, if not all, of the damage.

The portraits can be decidedly seductive, even slightly risque.

So why on earth would a bride want to ruin her gown?

Eric says, in his experience, the bride wants to a) showcase her personality and b) cut loose.

“Before the ceremony, they’re so terrified of getting the dress dirty. This is a way to say, ‘Let’s have some fun, and if you get a little grass stain, it doesn’t really matter.’”

Maggie Gallant, a trend expert who specializes in pop culture, fashion and celebrity, says that’s not the only reason these types of pictures draw in women.

“There’s varying thoughts on the psychology behind it, but it has to do with the idea that the dress just sits there in your closet gathering dust. Why not … take a photo that will last much longer?” she says.

The trend locally

Jairaj says the practice has started catching on locally in the past year and that 10-15 percent of the brides who hire him include a “dress-trashing” photo in their portfolios.

Those who go the route of dirt — or grease from train tracks or rust from the hood of a car or mud kicked up by a horse — are looking for more than just a pretty picture.

Indeed Costa, who is pretty but conservative in person, positively smolders in her pictures.

“I didn’t think they were going to be so sexy,” she says, opening her eyes wide and pulling her shoulders up towards her ears. “I don’t know if we’ll be able to show all of them to the kids.”

Gallant says she’s not surprised to see women throwing caution to the wind — or the water — in terms of their weddings dresses.

“This is a visual representation of women wanting to laugh at tradition,” she says.

Like so many trends, “trash the dress” has gotten popular enough to spawn a backlash. Ariel Meadow Stallings, author of the book Offbeat Bride: Taffeta-Free Alternatives for Independent Brides (Seal Press, $15.95) and the Web site by the same name, wrote a detailed rant as to why she’s not into trashing the dress. Namely, she says, because it’s “grossly wasteful.”

Eric disagrees. “Most of the time, the dresses are salvageable. You can put it in it a box or donate it to a charity, like Brides Against Breast Cancer, which we support,” he says.

And Costa says it’s easy to get around ruining an expensive gown.

“Just buy a bridesmaid dress like I did. I only spent $200, so I didn’t feel too badly when it got dirty.”

Source: Star-Telegram.com

01.HANGING THE DRESS
We recommend that you remove the gown from the bag and that you hang it in a high place so that it hangs straight down. Extend the train. It is not necessary to iron it; the wrinkles usually come out once it is hung up. When getting dressed, put the gown on from bottom to top so that you don’t ruin the dress or your makeup. Then put your petticoat on under the gown.

02.ADVICE FOR THE ACCESSORIES
We recommend that you take the veil out of the bag and that you hang it on its hanger in a high place so that it doesn’t get wrinkled. Try your bridal shoes on a few days before the ceremony to break them in. It is also advisable to have a spare pair of stockings for the wedding day.

03.IN THE CAR
Back yourself into the car and sit on the side where you’ll be getting out. Spread the train out on the other side, so that when you get out it will be you first and then the train. Have someone help you lift the train.

04.DURING THE CEREMONY
You need someone to help you lift and spread the train out when you sit down. If the bench has a back, the train should be spread out to the side opposite the groom.

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, LA made its mark in the territory usually left to those you may find in the produce aisle at Wholefoods or wearing Birkenstock’s, but if you’ve been into a Wholefoods as of late, you will notice a new breed of organic junky including the fashionista and business person alike. Speaking of Wholefoods, they also just happened to be one of the sponsors for The Gallery LA’s Green Initiative Humanitarian fashion show on October 17th at Smashbox Studios for Fashion Week. Among the designers in the show, Rene Geneva Design stood out with unique textiles, innovative designs, and an approach to luxury fashion that both an eco-enthusiast and a fashion diva can equally appreciate. “I am absolutely honored and appreciative of the opportunity that The Gallery LA offered us and was really impressed with the production that they put together.” says Geneva.

Ms. Geneva took to the road after Fashion Week to speak with new accounts in Los Angeles, Sonoma County, Ca, and even Flagstaff, Az, which led to the sell-out of fall immediates and several color schemes in her Spring/Summer ‘08 line. “Fashion Week really helped us get noticed,” says an enthusiastic Geneva. “Before we would get compliments, where now we get accounts.” Don’t worry, however, Rene´Geneva Design still has room left in her Spring/Summer line to fill last minute orders of eco-chic eveningwear, flirty yet utilitarian sundresses and separates, and fine-crafted corsets.

Coming home, Geneva was ecstatic to find several write ups, including two in California Apparel News and a full page article about her experiences as a designer and as a woman who works with indigenous cultures and fair trade factories in Rare Magazine’s Fashion Issue, which states, “Geneva’s designs are chic and utilitarian, with the “Austin gal” very much in mind.” Finding a niche for her eco-friendly, sophisticated clothing designs has been exciting since few “green” designers can meet the expectations of the modern-contemporary, fashion-forward, and now, eco-aware woman. Green bridal remaining a specialty of Geneva, she has continued to allow herself time to give personal attention to each bridal order that comes through the door.

With the recent walk down the runway of the highly-regarded Fashion Week, Ms. Geneva has successfully entered a market eager to receive eco chic apparel. Their designs encompass women’s contemporary apparel, eveningwear, exotic corsets (under the Faernyn’s Grove brand name), and bridal made exclusively from organic and eco friendly materials and are offered to an international customer base. Each garment is either made in the USA or with Fair Trade Labor. Textiles this season include Sustainable Biodegradable Product™ rated hemp blends, Tencel, “peace” silk, SKAL certified organic cotton, and bamboo. More exclusive designs use rare fabrics made from tree bark, and hand woven silk. Most designs from this season carry a “carbon neutral” certification that offsets the carbon necessary to bring a garment to life through their “Fashionably Neutral Carbon Program™”, which is the first of its kind in the luxury apparel industry. Company efforts help higher causes, including the “Scraps for Schools” program, which recycles fabric scraps for children’s art projects, and the “Sun Power Project,” which will implement the installation of solar electricity into a needy community in Central America.

While Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week has certainly helped spotlight Rene´Geneva Design, it won’t slow down their momentum working with fair trade causes or other environmental and social efforts. “If anything, it fuels our passion and validates our mission, and goes to prove that you can build a successful business while still maintaining your ideals.” says Geneva.

On Tuesday, November 20th, Rene´Geneva Design is hosting a Fashion Week Afterparty in Austin, Texas to celebrate all of the hard work and effort that she, her staff, and friends have endured through this past well-received year. It will be an Austin-style event with live music, models, video from the show, catering, and giveaways, with sponsors including Rare Magazine and EcoClean Drycleaners.

Weekend events beginning January 5th & Main Booth Showcase on January 6th, 2008 - La Bella Bride Magazine, the signature northeast regional wedding publication, is producing a unique and inspiring wedding event in a premiere destination wedding location, partnering with two distinguished properties - Belle Mer and Hotel Viking. First 100 brides to buy tickets have a chance to win a “Spa & Stay ” Weekend Package at The Hotel Viking. Other amazing prizes included a 7 day stay on FT. Myers Beach, Florida, minutes from where The World Series Champion Boston Red Sox Spring train.

“We have gathered an amazing group of vendors to showcase their profession, and we are offering a select series of informative and creative seminars for couples to gather important information to plan their wedding event, and a fabulous “Fashion Soiree” on Sunday, January 6th” states Robin Watterson, Event Director. “We are also offering Saturday events - Spa & Stay Packages, Newport Mansion Tours, Professional Seminars, i.e. Charles & Jennifer Maring-Photographers of the Stars; Donald & Melania Trumps Wedding, Dr. Bill Doherty & Elizabeth Thomas, Co-Authors of The First Dance as seen on Oprah, 20/20 and The Today Show, Bloomingdales’ Gift Registry. Brides staying for the weekend will also be invited to the Saturday “Welcome Cocktail Gala”, and more. Our goal is to provide a truly spectacular event and give our guests a sophisticated, enriching and entertaining weekend in a truly beautiful setting. This is how wedding planning should be done…With knowledge, integrity, and elegance.”

Katina LaFazia, Editor of La Bella Bride Magazine has taken her twenty five years of professional experience marketing, media and publishing and has produced a bridal magazine whose philosophy of providing intelligent choices, honoring individual styles, offering exquisite images, and real “Love Stories” has captured the interest of couples and professionals alike throughout the northeast and beyond. Robin Watterson, Executive Editor of La Bella Bride Magazine and Event Director of The Newport Wedding Showcase has combined her marketing and professional writing skills, as well as her event planning expertise to design a wedding event which will compliment the magazine, honor the vendors participating in the event, and the brides, grooms, couples, family and friends who wish to attend this very special wedding showcase.

Visit http://www.labellabride.com for details & tickets or call 401.946.0009 today.

A total of 170 exhibitors will be serenading couples at the Weddings Fair this weekend in a bid to facilitate preparations for their big day.

The fair, opened last night by Family Minister Dolores Cristina at the Malta Fairs and Convention Centre in Ta’ Qali, is a one-stop-shop for weddings.

The hundreds of products and services showcased include wedding dresses, reception halls, caterers, musicians, beauticians, hairdressers, florists, jewellers, photographers and videos, cars, souvenirs, wines and spirits, fashion wear for guests and travel agents. A fashion show will be held tomorrow at 8 p.m.

A topic related to the wedding day will be tackled daily during a seminar.

Prizes to be won include a honeymoon, cultured pearls and a bridal gown, among others.

The fair runs until Sunday. Tonight and tomorrow it will open from 6 to 11.30 p.m. and on Sunday from 2.30 to 9.30 p.m.

Sale of European-style dresses is banned in Chechnya. The announcement was made by the president of the republic, Ramzan Kadyrov on air of a local TV-channel.

Kadyrov did not specify how maintenance of the ban would be observed, but said he gave an order to take away all low-cut dresses from wedding shops and ateliers. Ramzan Kadyrov noted that his task was to bring lost cultural and moral values to the youth. He said he would not grudge inviting well-known designers to the republic to make them invent a “Chechen fashion,” which suits the best the national mentality.

The Chechen president emphasized that he would toughen measures regarding firing from arms during wedding ceremonies. “Of course, I will not manage to prohibit it completely, because a Chechen without a rifle is not a true Chechen, but I will not allow turning a celebration into a shooting-range,” the president said.

Several months ago, under an instruction of the Chechen president, female employees of governmental institutions were prohibited from going to work without a headscarf. The same innovation was spread to female TV-presenters and singers.

Source: Regnum

According to National Statistics, the number of weddings in England and Wales decreased by 10.4% in 2005, to 244,710. Furthermore, government data show that the number of weddings in the UK fell by 9.5% in the same period, to 283,731. This trend looks likely to continue: according to several designers we spoke to during the compilation of this report, orders placed for dresses 2 years in advance are down.

While declines in the market would have a serious effect on multimillion, multinational organisations, the UK bridalwear market operates on a much smaller scale. It is very much a niche market, especially at the couture end of the market, in which most UK designers operate. As a result of this, designers are able to withstand seasonal fluctuations. However, to counteract any fall in the bridalwear market itself, some are emphasising the occasionwear side of their businesses, with the `prom’ dress coming to the fore.

The biggest threat to the UK bridalwear market is in the mid-market, where any downturn in the number of weddings is most likely to be felt. However, this sector is already highly competitive and fragmented, with most dresses being mass produced in the People’s Republic of China and imported either through US-owned designer labels that operate on a global scale or through smaller UK importers.

Despite curbs put in place by the EU after the People’s Republic of China’s textile import quotas were lifted at the beginning of 2005 as a result of the nation joining the World Trade Organization (WTO) there has been no shortage in the UK of the availability of wedding dresses originating in the People’s Republic of China. Perhaps worrying for UK importers is that Chinese manufacturers and designers are beginning to approach UK retailers directly, and there is a strong possibility that some well-known importing brands could disappear in the next decade.

The availability of cheap copies and counterfeits over the Internet is perceived by the industry as being more of a nuisance than a real threat. Brides take a big risk when ordering copies of designer gowns in this way, as there is no guarantee that they will arrive on time and it is highly likely that, while the designs may be exact copies, the fabric will be of much lower quality.

The bridalwear market has seen new players entering in the form of the high-street multiples ASDA and Marks and Spencer, both offering gowns at very low prices. This is at the budget end of the market, where competition tends to be among high-street fashion stores and second-hand resellers. There are a number of websites offering a marketplace for brides to sell their dresses and, to bring in an ethical element, Oxfam has also opened a number of bridal outlets at some stores. However, it is too early to predict whether bridalwear has proved profitable for the multiples.

Source: Research and Markets http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c74202

All prepared to say, “I do”? Congratulations. All preparations done? Well, planning the wedding day is not an easy task. Since, wedding day is the biggest day of your life; it has to be very special. Therefore, everything is special for the bride ad the groom. Especially, the brides have to start planning before hand about everything, starting from the wedding dress to the wedding accessories that she will be carrying on the big day.

A bride looks her best on the wedding day and what enhances her beauty, is the wedding jewelry. Wedding jewelry plays a major role at any wedding ceremony. Wedding jewelry helps to make the bride look glamorous and more gorgeous. Therefore, it is very necessary to choose the perfect wedding jewelry, that goes along well with the bride’s entire dressing theme and also, that defines her personality.

One assured place where you can find the best of wedding jewelry, is the “wedding-veil.com”. Here, the bridal jewelry collection available is sure to redefine your fashion statement. The wedding jewelry mostly comprises of earring, necklaces, and bracelets, just to name a few. The adornment of these jewelries can vary in diamonds, pearls and also crystals. One can choose from these wide vibrant varieties of sets that suits her best. The wedding jewelries, varies in their style from simple, elegant to glittering whose every piece is sure to look splendid. Selecting the right wedding jewelry that goes along well with your bridal dress and other accessories is a must. A wedding jewelry is the perfect asset, with which you can whole-heartedly say, “I do”.

Source: http://www.wedding-veil.com/blog/2007/11/12/wedding-jewelry/

Brides wear specially designed gowns or dresses during their wedding ceremony. These are known as bridal dress and play a very important role in a wedding. It is important for the bride to select a wedding dress of a precise color, fashion and traditional importance often based on the religion and cultural background of the bride.

White has come to be known as the customary color of a wedding dress, but this was not the case in earlier times. This trend was started with the marriage of Queen Victoria to her cousin, Albert of SaxeCoburg in 1840. Her marriage is said to have had more influence on weddings than any other.

Bridal dresses are incomplete without a headpiece. A bride could choose to wear a tiara, a short headpiece, a veil covering her face or a flowing headpiece. The bridal dress may also have a train, a part of the wedding dress that trails behind the bride. This practice came into being from parallel trains worn by kings and queens. It is advisable to order a bridal dress well in advance. Once a wedding dress is selected, one must allow extra time for modifications or unexpected delays.

The range of bridal dress color choices may be perplexing. For example, eggshell, ecru, ivory, diamond white, candlelight and champagne are just a few common shades of white one can select. The cost of a wedding gown can be exorbitant, as well, and is something brides should take into account when choosing their dresses.

One of the most important purchases for a bride is her wedding attire. The gown and headpiece should match the occasion and her personality perfectly. It is important to shop for a gown that is stylish and just right for the bride. A wedding is a social event and many brides choose to take advice from a friend or family member who has previous experience with bridal dresses.

Bridal Dresses provides detailed information on Bridal Dresses, Bridal Shops, Bridal Bouquets, Bridal Registry and more. Bridal Dresses is affiliated with Discount Bridal Gowns.

Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Max_Bellamy

White silk, lace, embroidery, petticoats… what does your dream wedding gown look like? Have you found the person who will make it for you?

When you ask around the first name that usually comes up is Vera Wang. This creative and talented artist often went with her mother to fashion shows in Paris. She got frustrated with the lack of fashion in bridal wear and decided to create her own shop. Today she is the hottest name in this industry, dressing such glamorous ladies for their nuptials as Jessica Simpson, Mariah Carey, Vanessa Williams and Sharon Stone.

Another name to watch out for in bridal fashion is Monique Lhuillier. This lady always wanted to be a fashion designer. She attended the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising but didn’t go into designing wedding gowns until after she designed her own wedding dress and then she decided to get into this business. Today she designs gowns for such celebrities as Britney Spears, Christine Baumgartner (wife of Kevin Costner), Natalie Imbruglia and Charlotte Ross.

Now, you may be saying to yourself that you can’t afford the price tag of these designers. You may be surprised. While it’s true that to ask these designers to make a gown specifically for you would be expensive, you can get their designs off the rack, so to speak in places like Saks Fifth Avenue and Nieman Marcus. You can also check out the online stores for wedding gowns made by these wonderful designers.

Quite a number of brides don’t wish to waste their gowns, sitting in their closets, just mouldering. That would be a shame. Their generosity, your find, an absolute treasure. Check out the bargains to be had from purchasing used wedding gowns created by these very same designers. They are absolutely beautiful and can make you feel absolutely glamorous on your wedding day without breaking your bank.

Lesley-Ann Graham runs WeddingTrix.com - a valuable wedding planning resource with articles, tips and advice to help you plan your perfect wedding. Visit Lesley-Ann’s wedding blog for more free wedding planning help and advice.

Are you getting married and you do not have a wedding dress? Maybe you do not have the money to afford buying a new expensive dress that you have dreamed about all your life. But you know you in the back of your mind you should look for a cheaper inexpensive dress to fit your budget, but this does not seem to appealing to you. There are many ways to find a dress to fit your needs of being a beautiful bride.

A cheap wedding dress may not be romantic but a thrifty bride can really harvest the benefits of smart bridal dress shopping. There are many affordable options for bridal dresses that a little searching can uncover. Some of the options are very obvious; wear an ancestor’s bridal gown, or a hand me down dress this would save money.

The quality older dresses can be cleaned and restored with little money. The white simpler gowns are of timeless appeal, and fashion. If there are no dresses available in you family, you can still purchase a wedding dress from a consignment shop. With a few little stitches you can have a bridal gown for a lower investment.

The idea of wearing an used gown is not appealing too many new brides. You can find cheap wedding dresses in the newspaper and thrifty newspapers, you can also shop online. Cheap wedding dresses do not have to look inexpensive at all. In fact, you can find designer bridal dresses for a fraction of the retail price if you do a little homework.

Brian Ward author of information articles on wedding topics, and helpful articles for all people. Visit his website http://www.weddingdressmart.com

Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brian_Ward

A wedding dress or wedding gown is clothing worn by a bride during a wedding ceremony. Color, style and ceremonial importance of the gown depends on the religion and culture of the participants.

In modern tradition, the color of western-culture wedding dresses is white. Used in this sense, ‘white’ or ‘wedding white’ includes creamy shades such as eggshell, ecru and ivory. The popularity of this color can be traced back to 1840 and the marriage of Queen Victoria to Albert of Saxe-Coburg. The Queen chose to wear a white gown for the event. The official wedding portrait photograph was widely published and many brides opted for a similar dress in honor of that choice. The tradition continues today.

Prior to the Victorian era a bride was married in any color except black (the color of mourning) or red (which was connected with prostitutes). The white dress came to symbolize purity of heart and the innocence of childhood. Later attribution suggested that the color white symbolized virginity which is false. However it was originally the color blue that was connected to purity.

The term “bridal gown” originates from the word al which means party combined with bride is Bridal i.e. “Bride’s Party Gown”. In the middle Ages wedding parties were simply called Bride-al’s. A bridal train is the part of the wedding dress that trails behind the bride, the term is derived from similar train worn by Kings & Queens, which themselves are derived from seeing a Peacock, which were used as royal birds.

Many wedding dresses in China are colored red, the traditional color of good luck. In modern Chinese weddings, particularly in Western countries, the bride usually goes for the white Western dress or changes from a red gown to a white gown later in the day.

Also in northern parts of India, the traditional color of female wedding garments is red. South Indian weddings traditionally use white or cream colored saris. With Indians in Western countries, the bride often wears the sari at the wedding ceremony and change into traditional Indian wear afterwards (like lehnga, choli, et cetera).

Current fashion was followed in the dropped waist and generally unshaped bodice, and in the way the headdress was worn low over the brow, clasping the veil to the bride’s head in a way that echoed the cloche hat every woman was wearing.

We have now reached a new century, and no doubt the wedding gown will carry on changing in fabric and altering in form. But there is equally no doubt that it will remain with us. Since the civil wedding laws were relaxed in the 1990s, allowing marriages to be conducted almost anywhere; even those with no religious convictions can have a beautiful setting for a full-rig “do”.

As wedding fashion continues to evolve separately from the general vogue, people have felt freer to allow full rein for their imaginations, and some wedding parties are not so much in “best” dress as fancy dress, as themed and fantasy costumes are the order of the day. Which all goes to prove that everyone likes to dress up now and again, and every girl wants her day in the sun?

Victor Epand is an expert fashion consultant at http://www.LingerieDress.com/.

Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Victor_Epand

Growth in sales of pashminas for weddings and bridesmaid gifts has increased by at least 40% a year for the last 3 years. Spring 2008 is expected to be the biggest and most colorful yet.

The Pashmina Store, a Texas-based online retailer known for its selection of luxurious two and three-ply wraps, shawls and scarves made from the finest quality Pashmina from Nepal, has set a new trend in bridal fashion with their increasingly popular line of Pashminas. The Pashmina Store line is quickly becoming the trend for keeping the bride warm on her big day, as well as a perfect bridesmaid gift and fashion accessory for the bridesmaids and the mother of the bride and groom.

“Pashminas are definitely growing in popularity for use in weddings and as bridesmaid gifts,” said Nattakitta Rhodes, Vice President of Design for The Pashmina Store. “Our wedding sales have increased by at least 40% a year for the last 3 years running. They are such thoughtful gifts that will be worn and enjoyed for years to come while also reminding everyone of the special day.”

The top selling colors for weddings and bridesmaid gifts tends to be seasonal. The top-selling 2007 Fall colors include the traditional black and natural off-white along with dark chocolate brown, silver gray, cranberry and midnight blue. The Pashmina Store offers over 40 colors and a variety of animal print designs to go with any dress color.

“For weddings and bridesmaid gifts, silver and gold are certainly a popular trend right now,” said Rhodes. “Spring of 2008 is expected to be a colorful season with bright and cheerful tones such as reds, oranges, blues and greens leading the way with silver continuing to grow in popularity.”

Since The Pashmina Store was founded in 2000, it has sold more than 125,000 Pashmina products, including thousands for bridal party gifts and wedding day fashion accessories. The Pashmina Store offers a discount on its products for bridal parties of five or more.

Prices start as low as $29.99 for pashmina silk blend scarves and go to $79.99 for a large, 3 ply, pure pashmina shawl.

About The Pashmina Store
Established in 2003 by Blair Rhodes, The Pashmina Store website was born with the idea of going direct to the consumer to keep prices low and reach as wide an audience as possible. In early 2000, the family visited Nepal, and developed a great appreciation for Pashminas. Seeing firsthand the care and tradition that goes into the making of Pashmina goods, they developed a desire to share them with as many people as possible. Blair’s mother, Charlene, started out doing “Pashmina Parties.” The Pashmina Store offers affordable prices on top quality pashmina and cashmere goods and free standard shipping in the United States.

He wanted to be able to offer a wide variety of handbag designs as he believes that most bridal handbags out there lack of originality. Olivier’s goal in supplying a collection of bridal handbags and other bridal accessories is to accentuate and enhance the beauty of the wedding dress.

Due to the success of his beautifully handmade and personalised ring cushions, Olivier Laudus decided he wanted to be able to offer a unique collection of wedding accessories (wedding ring cushions, bridal jewellery, bridal handbags and tiaras) of the finest quality while still being outstanding value for money.

Olivier introduced a new exclusive collection of bridal handbags early October 2007. He wanted to be able to offer a wide variety of handbag designs as he believes that most bridal handbags out there lack of originality. Olivier’s goal in supplying a collection of bridal handbags and other bridal accessories is to accentuate and enhance the beauty of the wedding dress.

Women love handbags and nowadays they are not just used to carry around items like make up, mobile phones, tissues, hand cream, purses’but have become real fashion statements on which a lot of money can be spent. Handbags come in a variety of colours, shapes and sizes to fit different occasions and with this in mind Olivier‘s bridal handbag collection offers a wide choice of bridal handbag styles. www.olivierlaudus.com

Olivier’s bridal handbags are made of the best quality satin and embellished with diamante, sequins and beautiful pearls. His handbags come in a variety of sizes and shapes but are always an elegant addition to the bridal dress and other accessories. His philosophy is to supply brides with impeccably designed bridal accessories at very reasonable prices and he definitely succeeded in doing this with his new collection of bridal handbags with prices starting at just £29. His ‘Margot- bridal handbag which features diamante flowers on a silver metal frame with an egg shaped diamante studded clasp (which allows easy closure) which will no doubt be featured in many bridal magazines, retails at just £39. A silver snake chain is tucked inside most of his handbags should the bride wish to wear it as a shoulder handbag instead.

The new range of satin bridal handbags and wedding purses is available via Olivier Laudus‘website ( www.olivierlaudus.com ). All items are available from stock and come with a free 7 days return service (Terms and conditions apply).

Brides-to-be nationwide can now have a front row seat for the latest runway looks from top designers in wedding fashion by visiting http://www.brides.com/videos. Over 20 shows from New York City’s Bridal Market, Fall 2008 will be available online beginning today, giving brides-to-be unprecedented access via one-on-one interviews and cutting-edge video from Reem Acra, Amsale, Badgely Mischka, Simone Carvalli, Priscilla of Boston, Monique Lhuillier, Melissa Sweet and more.

Brides.com editor in chief Theresa DiMasi has chosen the following trends as the top five trends in bridal fashion, hot off the runway:

1. A Lighter Touch
lots of free-flowing, ethereal fabrics including chiffon and organza with less embellishment, beading or other adornments as in season’s past.
2. Color, Color, Color!
beyond the traditional white dress, color is not just seen in bursts but in wonderful patterns, rich jewel tones or new shades of pastels.
3. Jackets/Sleeves
brides who want options beyond the traditional strapless gown are thinking more fashion-forward with gowns that offer more coverage.
4. Emphasis of the Waist
honoring the female form, there were lots of large flower corsages positioned right at the hip to draw attention to an hourglass figure.
5. New Lengths in Gowns
tea length to above-the-knee, there was a larger variety in gown lengths than ever before.

To carve out the best-of-the-best from all of the images of gorgeous gowns on http://www.brides.com/ from the Fall 2008 shows, Brides.com will feature a special section on runway via Editor’s Picks. The gowns shown in Fall 2008 will begin to be available in stores in the coming months.

Brides.com, “Your #1 Source for Weddings,” is the premier destination website within Conde Nast Bridal Media and has over 20,000 dress images throughout the site. Brides.com’s dedicated editorial team creates original content, develops interactive tools, cultivates an engaged community and provides an array of beautiful imagery and videos to inspire the bride throughout her wedding planning process. Content is also aggregated from the three national magazines-Brides, Modern Bride, Elegant Bride-and 16 local bridal magazines.

A one of a kind unique African inspired style and information wedding book for the entire wedding party by renowned Maryland-USA based, Nigerian born fashion designer Thony C Anyiam. Styles includes; Asia, Europe, Caribbean, Arab, and Latino and more.

Maryland, USA-based fame Nigerian born fashion designer Thony Chukwuemezie Anyiam’s long awaited new book titled “Jumping the broom in style” published by Author House went “live” on October 28 2007, and is now available everywhere books are sold!

Jumping the broom in style is an African inspired style and information book for the entire wedding party. Besides African, and African American (Afrocentric) styles, there are styles inspired by Asia, (Afro-Asian), Caribbean, (Afro-Caribbean), Europe, (Afro-European), Arab / Middle East, (Afro-Arabia/Middle Eastern, and Span/Latino, (Afro-Spanish/Latino)
In addition, a preview of his Avant-garde bridal line, you have to see to believe.

For the first time in a bridal publication a comprehensive collection for men (groom and the father of the bride/groom). Important and useful information for couple planning their ethnic inspired wedding; who wears what, what to wear to your wedding, step-by-step guide, money saving tips, and much more.

Designer Thony C. Anyiam is known in the bridal fashion industry for his trend setting, and innovative designs. He is consider the pioneer of modern Afrocentric bridal wear designs. He merges different ethnic influences to create unique one of a kind designs.

He is one of Africa’s most creative and influential fashion designer of our time, and one to watch in the industry. He is the designer and owner of Anyiams Creations International His fashion have been featured in prints and broadcast media world wide, and on his highly successful website.

Source: Newswire

Driven by the rise of the Millennials in the population mix, and backed by strong economic growth, rising standards of living, affluence, and sophistication of brides, the world bridalwear market is projected to reach US$53 billion by the year 2010. Higher purchasing power, a keener sense of personal style, and the tendency to marry later in life, when older, mature and financially stable, are all factors which are leading to a rise in wedding spends, especially for bridalwear.

World bridalwear market stands enthused by the coming of age of the “Millennials”, who are children of the aging baby boomers. In the United States alone, the number of Millennials aggregate to over 80 million as against the 45 million baby boomers of the yesteryears. Exposed to money, pomp, glamour, and cutting edge technology, the Millennials is a lucrative demographic group expected to drive growth in the market. The implications boded by this demographic trend for the bridal jewelry category is huge and comes in the form of a 25% growth compounding through the years to 2015. Fashion trends in bridalwear are fairly stable with styles and color fads always reverting back to simplicity. The unchanging popularity of white, flowing, Cinderella styled princess gowns complete with veils, and high-heeled shoes, continues even to the present day, notwithstanding the modern day brides initial desire to look, fashion-forward, unconventional, and radical in bold colors. The fashion fantasy revolving around the bridal gown often crumbles, and the final purchase decision almost always culminates to the traditional, practically styled dress with a ‘barely there’ color change that offer sobriety, elegance, color, and tradition. Subtle contemporary trends are nevertheless evolving to become part of the timeless mainstay in bridal fashion Ultrafeminine gowns with stylish cuts, bare backs and plunging necklines, yards of elegant fabric, including tutle, satin, lace and organza, laced with shimmering with beads, crystals, rhinestones and handmade silver embellishments, are rising in popularity. Popular choice of colors includes white, oak, crème and champagne.

Innovation in merchandizing bridal products is helping drive demand. Retailing practices today, revolve around building vibrant customer relationships through offering customer-oriented services and value added products that guarantee customer satisfaction. Manufacturers and retailers are beginning to harness the power of internet wedding directories in an attempt to penetrate deeper into the industry. Internet marketing, therefore, is beginning to make its presence felt in the bridal marketplace with both online, and traditional vendors polishing up their websites with easily navigable search engines, and loads of new product related information.

Bridalwear: A Global Strategic Business Report
As stated by the recent report published by Global Industry Analysts, Inc., world bridalwear market is dominated by the United States, Europe, and Japan, with a combined share of over 88.42% estimated in the year 2007. Growth is expected to stem from the United States, with a projected CAGR in excess of 12% over the period 2000 through 2010. Bridalwear market in Japan and Australia, together, is expected to rise by US$2.9 billion between the period 2007 through 2010. In Europe, Germany, United Kingdom, and France, together, collar over 63% of the market, with Italy, a noteworthy market, poised to grow by US$468 million between the period 2007 to 2010. Revenues in the Scandinavian bridalwear market are expected to rise by 29.6% between the period 2007 to 2010. By the year 2015, the Australian market is projected to reach US$840 million. By the same year, Latin America is portended to corner over 6.71% of the world market.

Leading players operating in the industry include Alfred Angelo Inc, Macy’s Inc., Creations Bridal & Fabric Boutique, David’s Bridal Inc., Harrods Ltd, Helen Rodrigues Bridalwear, Justin Alexander Limited, JLM Couture Inc, Paloma Blanca, and Pronuptia de Paris SA.

The report titled “Bridalwear: A Global Strategic Business Report” published by Global Industry Analysts, Inc., provides a comprehensive review of the market trends, drivers, issues, challenges, fashions trends, consumers, their tastes, preferences, purchasing patterns, and couture design trends. Richly annotated with authoritative, and unbiased commentaries, and hard-to-find statistical facts, the report provides unequivocal views on future potential while throwing light on the prevailing climate in key regional markets. Latent demand patterns for bridalwear are quantified across major geographic market verticals including the United States, Canada, Japan, France, Germany, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Scandinavia, Australia, and Latin America. Also provided in the report is an enumeration of recent mergers, acquisitions, and other strategic industry activities.

For more details about this research report, please visit www.strategyr.com/MCP-1033.asp.

About Global Industry Analysts, Inc.
Global Industry Analysts, Inc., (GIA) is a reputed publisher of off-the-shelf market research. Founded in 1987, the company is globally recognized as one of the world’s largest market research publishers. The company employs more than 700 people worldwide and publishes more than 880 full-scale research reports each year. Additionally, the company also offers a range of more than 60,000 smaller research products including company reports, market trend reports and industry reports encompassing all major industries worldwide.

Global Industry Analysts, Inc.
Telephone 408-528-9966
Fax 408-528-9977
Email press @ StrategyR.com
Web Site www.StrategyR.com

Weddings are all about personal style. Reflecting the overall trend of breaking away from tradition and steadfast rules, modern brides are choosing wedding gowns that reflect their personality and vision—not necessarily their grandmother’s. The only rule for wedding dress style these days is to choose a style that suits you. Whether that means wearing a gold wedding dress, trouser suit or sundress, go with it! And even if you are more traditional and have always envisioned yourself as the fairy princess in the white satin ballgown, you needn’t worry about being perceived as old fashioned or “not with the times.” The modern “rule” for wedding dress style is to choose something that makes you feel comfortable and beautiful on your most special day.

The 21st Century Bride -

That said, although certain traditional dress styles are always popular, bridal fashion does follow mainstream fashion to some extent. So if you are looking for something a little more contemporary or “now,” consider turning to the catwalks for inspiration.

The currently popular 20s–and floral–style dresses can be easily incorporated into a wedding dress. Accessories, such as chandelier earrings, can also transfer from the catwalks to comprise your wedding look. Try to avoid fashion that will date quickly, however, as you will want to display your wedding photographs for a long time. As a general rule, keep your wedding ensemble fashionably forward, not overly trendy.

Today’s Hot Wedding Dress Trends:

Add Some Color -

Using a wedding dress to bring out a colorful personality, modern brides are not afraid to add a splash of color to the traditional white gown. Whether that means adding a colored ribbon or piece of jewelry or foregoing the white wedding dress all together, today’s brides find inventive ways to incorporate color into their wedding attire. Particularly popular shades are blue, pink, cappuccino and champagne.

Lace Up -

Lace has made a recent comeback, exuding a look vintage romance that is feminine, yet not overdone. Many brides are enchanted by lace, envisioning a majestic day in a lush green garden.

Magnificent Embroidery -

For an ultra elegant, opulent feel, glamour girls savor wedding gowns adorned with intricate hand-embroidered details. This look warrants grand chandeliers, candlelight and an isle of red roses.

Ultra-Feminine -

As seen on the runway, feminine details are making a big impact. Ribbons, ruffles, flowers and bows are finding their way back onto wedding dresses and taking femininity to a new level. Brides who envision themselves floating along the cobblestones of a historic mansion will love this look.

For a complete guide to keeping your sanity while creating an elegant and memorable wedding celebration, visit http://www.elegala.com, your ultimate wedding planning resource.

Cori Locklin is editor-in-chief for http://www.elegala.com/ and Elegala Magazine. Elegala is a new wedding wedding planning resource offering the most comprehensive portfolio of superior wedding reception sites and wedding vendors, with the planning tips to keep brides in the know on today’s planning trends and styles.

Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cori_Locklin

Moments that highlight many a wedding day is to suffer from nerves. This is not unusual due to the fact that this is the one day in your life when all eyes are upon you. It is the bride that will always will be the centre of attention at the wedding and why not with all the effort put into looking fabulous. Nerves affect many brides mainly due to worry of everything going according to plan. Well if you have planned your wedding day with careful thought then you need not worry.

Before the mention of accessories lets talk on the item we would like to accessorize and that is the wedding gown. Choosing your wedding dress without doubt has to be wonderful experience with so many stunning designs and styles to choose from. We now need to highlight areas that need to be considered when selecting what is going to be the perfect wedding dress.

What you have to keep in mind when choosing your gown, wrong choice - wrong image - wrong you. Different gown styles are not particularly designed with you in mind so all that glitters is not gold meaning, no matter how glamorous some of the gowns are does not mean it is going to be the ideal wedding dress for you. Your shape figure height are important issues that need to be looked into before committing to buy. Take along a member of family or friend to help you pick the dress that will give you the perfect look.

If the wedding dress you see adorned on the mannequin/dummy standing in the bridal shop window catches your eye do not act on impulse. Just because it looks great on the dummy does not necessarily mean it will on you. We can not have you looking like a clown in your gown.

Can dreams come true, yes. You will go to the ball Cinderella. Fairy godmothers do exist armed with needle and cotton to conjure up the dress you may have always dreamed of wearing? All you have to do is to provide the details of the fabric colour and style you would like and with her magic needle you get to walk down the aisle where your prince charming awaits in the gown of your dreams. A good thing by having your wedding dress tailor made is because any alterations to meet the requirements of your comfort level can be done at your own leisure. The seamstress can advise you on certain materials and fabric for your wedding gown.

White/ivory/ beige are favoured colours for a wedding dress. Accessories protrude an air of elegance when worn up against these shades. Neutral/pastel colours are so easy to coordinate with the bridesmaids attire.

Looking through magazines to gather ideas will keep you updated with all the wedding fashion gossip.

No bridal gown on a dummy will ever look as good as the real thing nor do the get to walk down the aisle. So there you have it, choosing the ideal dress you have perfection. Now go knock them dead because today the worlds your (oyster) another lovely shade for the gown.

After hours of research I found this fabulous site and hey what do you know everything you could possibly need is all here to make your wedding day special..Well worth a visit dont just take my word for it http://www.your-wedding-planning-help.com.

Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kacy_Carr

When the bride walks down the aisle, most people focus on the bride–not the dress designer. But the designer’s the one who put in the hard work. In fact, the designer has the big responsibility of making dream dresses for real people. “The biggest compliment I can hear is ‘that’s flattering,’” says successful gown designer Judd Waddell. And the second-biggest is: “simple elegance.”

Despite the relative anonymity, Waddell knows he’s designing what’s probably the most watched dress of a woman’s life. Waddell grew up in Illinois, far from New York’s fashion center, where he now lives. Though his mother read many fashion magazines and was always interested in clothes, Waddell’s life of building fantasy really got started in a college library.

“I was an architecture student at Washington University in St. Louis, and I was often in the art, architecture, and design library,” since those subjects were lumped together, he says. “I’d be doing architecture projects and I’d start glancing at the design books.”

Waddell’s eyes couldn’t stay away from the section–”just a shelf, actually”–of fashion-design books. He kept coming back to that shelf, checking out those books and reading them, mesmerized.

He’s still mesmerized. He designed the gowns for the 20th Century Fox production of The Object of My Affection, and he’s appeared twice on Lifetime to discuss his designs. He believes a woman “should indulge the fantasy” when it comes to gowns, and he absolutely loves weddings.

“What’s not to love?” he says. “Most of the time, these people are really right for each other.”

Waddell is a real student of wedding gowns, a guy who thinks about fabric and shape and how they can help make fantasies come true. What’s exciting about wedding dresses” is the scale of them–they’re big dresses. I really like the architectural aspect of wedding dresses. They’re usually quite ‘built’ from the inside out.”

“It’s more about listening to the fabric,” he says, when asked what’s flattering. “You also listen to people and what they have to say about the dresses.”

Often, less is more, says Waddell. “I like to think the best designs are done with an eraser,” he says. “I try to take away as much as I can, so there’s a perfect balance of the elements.”

In any dress, “proportion of any kind is key,” he says. He tries to get women to try dresses they might not consider, just in case something surprising will look great.

“People need to try on dresses, and sometimes, the rules don’t apply. People should look at themselves, but they should also look past their pre-conceptions,” Waddell says. “Sometimes I say, ‘I have a look that might be good for you’” in order to get someone to be more open.

Still, there are general guidelines. “I think people need to be really careful about their arms, ” he says. “One of the most common mistakes is to have your arms covered. A lot of times it’s more flattering to have strapless or one thin strap.” Men often wear tight shirts to make their arms look bigger, and women also make their arms look bigger by covering them in tight fabric, he said.

And then there’s what most people should show off. “Very few people have unattractive shoulders or clavicles,” he says. It’s also important to think movement. Brides tend to be “really sensible about getting dresses they can dance wildly in,” he says.

But everyone’s interested in looking good. Often, that’s a matter of the right shape and style.

“Princess-line dresses are always the easiest to wear, because there’s no horizontal line,” he says. “However, there are some people who look great in a drop waist.”

“A lot of times brides say “I don’t want a full skirt because it will make my hips look big,” Waddell says. “Well, actually, the opposite is true.”

When pressed for more specifics, he said that “slim, A-line is for everyone, but sheaths are more limited.” Interestingly, “the sheath is exactly the dress that will show that you have big hips if you have hig hips. There’s no fooling.”

“Sheaths tend to be my least favorite kind of dress,” he says. “A woman has the whole rest of her life to wear a dress like that. When she gets married, she should indulge the fantasy.”

And Waddell is still reading, and still immersing himself in the fantasy of fashion. “Three years ago, I found the book from college again–”Inventive Paris Clothes, 1909-1939″, with Irving Penn photos. The photographs were beautiful, and the clothes are photographed in such a way that they speak for themselves.”

Sometimes, of course, clothes speak too much. As a wedding guest, Waddell often has to “resist the urge to go flip the train,” since usually, he’s the one who’s designed the dress.

“My best friend got married last September, and she actually made me the best man so I could do that,” he said, referring to last-minute train adjustments.

“Thank God, I love going to weddings. They’re so sentimental,” he says. “I’m crazy about them.”

Source: United Jewish Communities

BizWoman: Kristin Davis is the “hemp queen” using hemp and recycled fabric in her clothing business

Kristin Davis’ green lifestyle has its roots back in high school. She could no longer eat the juicy pot roasts her mother had prepared. She called the sight of chicken veins and fatty meat “unbearable,” and decided to be vegetarian. “I’m a strict vegetarian and lazy vegan,” she laughed.

Growing up in the farmlands of Maple Grove, she naturally transitioned into a “green” way of living, and as a fashion designer, her clothes prove it. Davis is hip on hemp, and recently started working full time in her home-based clothing business, Hemp Queen. Davis designs all of the apparel she sells on the Hemp Queen website, at events and in a few boutiques and co-ops.

Designs come easily for her. When she’s exercising on the treadmill, her brain is flooded with ideas. “If I just had time to bust out half the stuff I’m thinking,” she said. Davis wants to design more, so her next step is finding people to help her sew.

Quality fabrics with older qualities appeal to her, and Davis hates good cloth to be wasted. She “treasure hunts” through thrift stores, yard sales and secondhand shops. “I’m a thrifter,” she said. “I call myself the bottom feeder. I like to go and dig.” “Treasure hunting” is just one way Davis finds fabrics. Friends donate jeans, drapes and anything interesting and recyclable. She cuts up old clothing and reuses pockets and zippers. Hemp she buys from a dealer.

Davis dislikes mass consumerism, another reason why her business is focused on recycling. “There are too many products, and things just get left by the wayside,” she said. “Americans have so much, and so many things go unappreciated.”

Davis attended the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, but her major of fashion and apparel came from sister college the College of St. Catherine. Davis then attended the Fashion Institute of Technology and received her associate’s degree in fashion merchandising management, and completed the apparel design program at the Minneapolis Community and Technical College.

For the first five years, Davis operated her business part-time as a hobby. She now lives in Becker, Minn., and sells her wares at music festivals and art shows.

Dresses were her specialty this summer, but she makes a wide variety of clothing, as well as accessories and bags. Hemp wedding dresses are on her to-do list, and she said they are becoming more popular. “Because of the green boom, a lot of people are doing their weddings green,” she said. Davis added that hemp has beautiful sheen and drape when processed correctly.

Locating in an area with more opportunity for her business to expand has also been on her mind lately. Oregon, maybe. But for now, she’s focused on her philosophy: Work smarter, not harder. Balancing time and money to make her business profitable has been a challenge and priority. Nothing will happen overnight, she admits, but her passion for design and a green life allow her to joyfully give 100 percent to her work.

“Now that I’m sewing for myself, it’s around the clock and I don’t mind,” she said. “It’s different when your goals are your own.”

Source: Minnesota’s Women’s Press

The little black dress has long been a staple of women’s fashion, as black is slenderizing, versatile, and chic — but is it okay to wear your black dress to attend a wedding? There is some controversy over this. I’m fairly certain my mother would disown me if I ever showed up at a wedding in black, but I’m also fairly certain that none of my friends would care if I came to their wedding sporting the color.

The no black camp argues that you only wear black to a wedding if you disapprove of the union (but then why are you attending in the first place?), and therefore wearing black to a wedding is an insult to the couple. On the other side, the pro black camp says that the rules about black dresses are old fashioned, out dated, and no longer apply.

So which is it?I fall somewhere in the middle. If it were my wedding, I’d tell you to wear all the black you want. The problem is that some people still hold onto the old rules, and even if your updated etiquette says it’s allowed, these folks will still be offended if you show up in the controversial color. To be on the safe side, just pick another color. There are plenty of flattering and fashionable non-black dresses out there.

If you are really attached to your black dress, though, at least run it by the bride and groom first, or check with someone in their bridal party for the thumbs up or thumbs down. And remember, just because the bride and groom are cool with it, that doesn’t mean their grandparents will understand your fashion choice. Add a touch of color to your outfit to lighten them up, like a colorful scarf, shoes, or jewelry. It is a celebration, after all.

What do you think? Is it time to toss out the old rule about wearing black to a wedding, or is this still a definite no-no?

Fashion Trends and Popular Styles and Colors

The Wedding Dress – How did it all begin?

Did you ever wonder how the tradition of wearing a wedding dress came about? Wedding dresses have been worn by brides young and old alike for centuries. In modern times almost anything passes for a wedding dress however, in times of old, traditional wedding dresses were flowing gowns usually white in color.

White is usually accepted as the “traditional” color of gowns, and many designer wedding gowns are still fashioned in this color, representing the “purity” and “innocence” of the bride to be. Many women opt for other colors, including blue, pink, cream, yellow and more.

Wedding dresses have changed with time much as everything in the world has. In times of old most women selected a gown based on her financial status. Women who were at an economic disadvantage usually did not have the luxury of selecting an extraordinary gown that would be worn only once. Rather, most selected something more “plain” that could be worn for church services and other occasions after their blessed day.

Wedding gowns of varying styles and colors were popular among the elite, and by and large represented the unique style and personality of the bride to be, as well as modern trends at the time.

Popular Colors
An old poem states about the color of a wedding dress that “Married in white, you will have chosen all right.” This is not to say that all brides historically have chosen white for their wedding gown. In fact, many brides chose colors including blue, pearl and even black. Many brides believed that if they wore blue their husbands would remain true to them (also a famous line in the wedding poem). Pink was even a popular wedding gown color for a time, though its darker variant, red was often considered taboo because it was associated with “scarlet women”.

Many women who did not have a large budget to spend on a wedding dress in times of old opted for fashions that could be worn any day, rather than solely on their wedding day. For their wedding day, they would dress up their gown with accessories and flowers, even bows that could be removed after the festivities.

Wedding Gown Fashion
In the United States for a short spell the color white fell out of favor, but around the time of the Industrial Revolution, when the department store made it possible for a bride with any budget to purchase the gown of her dreams, white once again became the fashion. The style worn by women has changed through time.

Wedding dresses fashioned during the Roaring twenties were very different from those that came about in the thirties. In the twenties, women sought out gowns that de-emphasized their shape, in line with the style of the flappers that was trendy at the time.

During the 30’s most women emphasized their shape and wore gowns that highlighted their waists and bosoms. Perhaps the most interesting period of time for the wedding gown was during the 1980s, when big puffy sleeves and extravagant skirts were worn by a majority of women. These gowns, while well suited for trim and petite women, often were not the most flattering choice for the average size woman. Despite this, gowns did not trim down again until the mid to late 1990s.

Wedding Gown Fashion Today
As mentioned at the start, almost anything passes for a wedding dress today. More and more women are buying a wedding dress online, because of the wide variety and selection of unique and custom made gowns available.

Informal wedding dresses, designer wedding dresses and even discount wedding dresses can all be found online thanks to modern technology. More popular than even designer wedding dresses are discount bridal gowns online. Most brides to be can purchase extravagant looking, custom made gowns for a fraction of the cost they would find them in a department store.

Another benefit of buying a wedding dress online is convenience. With so many things to plan for a wedding (location, cake, reception, flowers, invitations, rehearsal dinner etc.etc) most women appreciate having a handy resource for buying their wedding dress. Most women also find a wider selection of sizes and custom features available when they shop online vs. when they shop in a traditional store.

Trends
Trends have changed when it comes to modern wedding attire. No longer do all brides seek out a traditional white gown for their special occasion. In fact, there is a huge selection of vintage and informal wedding dresses available, many of which don’t even look like official wedding gowns.

Most dresses today focus on the unique personality of the bride rather than socially accepted “norms” when it comes to buying a wedding dress. In general many brides are looking for wedding gowns that are narrower than they have been in times of old, and those that offer clean silhouettes. These types of dresses usually lengthen the body and provide a slimming effect. Some more popular trends include the following:

* A-line dresses that are long and slimming
* Sheaths with trains built into the silhouette, so that it trails behind the bride
* Bias-cut wedding gowns that follow the natural curves of the body, ending in a small flare at the bottom
* Raised waistline ball-gown styles
* Square necklines that provide a fresh open look
* Off the shoulder dresses providing a full neckline
* Sleeveless or cap sleeve gowns which are especially popular for summer brides
* Empire waists which elongate the figure and shift the focus upward

Trends are also apparent with regard to fabrics. Satin and silk gowns have long been popular, though sheer fabrics are also becoming more trendy, including chiffon and organzas. Embroidery is also replacing lace for many modern gowns, and some brides are opting to accent their dresses with pearls and other quality beads.

No matter what style gown you choose, the most important thing is that you select one that makes you look good, feel good and happy on the most important day of your life. You’re sure to find a superb selection when shopping online.

About The Author:
Antigone Arthur is a successful freelance writer with 10 years of professional experience providing consumers with informative articles on such topics as wedding gowns and dresses, wedding dress shopping, and designer wedding dresses.

Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Antigone_Arthur

Many women think that the only way to go is high heeled when it comes to bridal shoes but should you always follow the crowd? Over 80% of the women asked the question, “Would you wear high heels or flats on your wedding day?” answered that they would choose high heeled bridal shoes. There are many cases when high heels are inappropriate and after all you not only want to be beautiful on your wedding day but comfortable as well.

Even those that said they would wear the flat bridal shoes stated that the only reason they would wear flats would be if the venue of the wedding dictated it. Some even said they would forego shoes totally if they were being married on the beach. I see this all the time where I live in Florida. Almost unanimously they agreed that there wasn’t a chance that they would wear flats if they were going to have a church wedding or if being married in a hotel or even a garden setting. Why are women so opposed to flat bridal shoes?

For most women their wedding day will probably be the single most stressful day in their lives even if it is the culmination of a lifetime of dreaming. With this in mind consideration also should be given to the possibility that high heels present a considerable risk of stumbling or falling due to them getting caught up in the wedding dress.

I believe that all the hoopla over the high heeled bridal shoes comes from the writers of fashion magazines and those on TV shows that feature celebrity weddings. They all espouse the supposed attributes of high heels with claims that they will make the bride’s walk look more lady like and sexy. I personally disagree with them and I don’t believe that high heels necessarily make a woman look sexier, with the right dress flats or even no shoes at all can look very hot.

Going back to comfort, you must consider that as a bride you will be on your feet for quite a long time. You don’t just wear the shoes for the wedding and then it’s all over. You will be visiting with guests, friends, and relatives, dancing, having pictures taken and more. Possibly the answer is to have two pairs in the same style and color scheme of your wedding theme. That way you can have a pair of higher heels for your wedding and then the flats for the rest of the day so you are more comfortable.

Source: http://www.articlestoreprint.com

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Beach, Florida. Find more about wedding shoes as well as designer shoes at www.designershoesplus.com

There are only three principal public occasions in a person’s life: baptismal, burial and marriage. Among the three, only marriage allows great honor for the principals. Throughout the tradition, marriages had been considered as the special day for a lady who is about to pledge her matrimonial vows towards the chosen one.

Marriage is Her Big Day more than that of the groom. This is why marriages have always been made special and bridal dresses created as such to fit the festive occasion. This practice of making the bride look magnificent in her bridal dress runs down throughout the history, with widespread influence dating back to medieval times.

Bridal dresses were not always white, in opposition for what have been usually perceived by most people. Bridal dresses before the Victorian era would normally adapt the color of what is trendy and what is available. Shades of lively colors were normally used and pastel colors were also popular. But by mid-1800s, white bridal dresses became the norm when Queen Victoria chose a white bridal dress for her wedding day. The same dress was worn over a black silk dress fifty years later. She also was responsible for setting the fashion of having her bridesmaids carry the train.

1920s
In his decade, revolutionary changes were done with fashion. Up well to 1920s, bridal dresses were created in accordance with what’s the norm. The hemlines rose from shoe to above the knee and became more curtailed. But later, many considered the length of the bridal dress inappropriate for church services, thus the replacement of full-length gowns. In this decade too was the dropped waist and shapeless bodice dresses reach its height of popularity.

1930s
The depression in thirties followed the roaring of the twenties. Women changed from the boyish look to the more profound expression of a woman’s body. Normally, the bridal dresses in this era hugged the body of the bride. To emphasize the shape of the body, bridal dresses were given boat-shaped collars.

1940s
Fashion in the 1940s almost died down, and the same was true for the white bridal dresses. Clothes rations started in 1941 and continued up to the end of the World War I. A number of brides struggled for silk dresses but most suited themselves for the uniform. Those who were not commissioned in the army wore the same costumes.

1950s
The padded shoulders of the last decade were superseded by the narrow shoulders in the 1950s. However, many brides wanted their dresses adopt the intermediate style. The bridal trains were fashioned after the trains of the Elizabethan era. But another fashion arrived- The New Look outfit. Simply put, the New Look outfit is tailored after the ballerina dresses in terms of length. The dress typically has a jacket bodice with tight sleeves.

1960s
There were not so much changes in the bridal fashion in the 1960s. Ladies still preferred wearing the circular dresses, short veils and tight sleeves only differing on the veils with more bouffant approach. Most women wore coronets and a single rose with the veil gathered together from the flower. In contrast with the extravagant and flowing bridal dresses, bouquets in the 1960s were made simpler. More often than not, tiny flowers in tight posies are used.

1970s
After two decades of tights sleeves, Tudor sleeves were introduced in the seventies. The high-waisted line of the 1960s gradually moved lower to a princess line. Trains diminished too and the cuts of the dresses were made far simpler.

1980s
By this era, the waistlines had returned to their normal position. The dresses were much fuller now and the big bouquets returned back to fashion. This period was marked with more extravagant sleeves, suited after the bridal dress of the Princess of Wales.

1990s
Wide skirts remained popular with the start of the 1990s. However, different fashion icons popularized varieties of skirts. But among the most popular are the super low waists with skirts flared down.

New Century
With the coming of the new century, the norms with wedding have changed too. Themed costumes were much more practiced today and so are the themed bridal dresses.

There is no doubt that bridal dresses remain to be the eternal testimony of a wedding. And the efforts of making the dresses extravagant and special are both to the benefit of the bride’s contentment and the ever-changing fashion trends.

Robert Thatcher is a freelance publisher based in Cupertino, California. He publishes articles and reports in various ezines and provides bridal dress resources on http://www.your-bridal-dress.info.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Thatcher

Weddings are all about personal style. Reflecting the overall trend of breaking away from tradition and steadfast rules, modern brides are choosing wedding gowns that reflect their personality and visionnot necessarily their grandmother’s.

The only rule for wedding dress style these days is to choose a style that suits you. Whether that means wearing a gold wedding dress, trouser suit or sundress, go with it! And even if you are more traditional and have always envisioned yourself as the fairy princess in the white satin ballgown, you needn’t worry about being perceived as old fashioned or “not with the times.” The modern “rule” for wedding dress style is to choose something that makes you feel comfortable and beautiful on your most special day.

The 21st Century Bride - That said, although certain traditional dress styles are always popular, bridal fashion does follow mainstream fashion to some extent. So if you are looking for something a little more contemporary or “now,” consider turning to the catwalks for inspiration. The currently popular 20sand floralstyle dresses can be easily incorporated into a wedding dress. Accessories, such as chandelier earrings, can also transfer from the catwalks to comprise your wedding look. Try to avoid fashion that will date quickly, however, as you will want to display your wedding photographs for a long time. As a general rule, keep your wedding ensemble fashionably forward, not overly trendy.

Today’s Hot Wedding Dress Trends
Add Some Color - Using a wedding dress to bring out a colorful personality, modern brides are not afraid to add a splash of color to the traditional white gown. Whether that means adding a colored ribbon or piece of jewelry or foregoing the white wedding dress all together, today’s brides find inventive ways to incorporate color into their wedding attire. Particularly popular shades are blue, pink, cappuccino and champagne.

Lace Up - Lace has made a recent comeback, exuding a look vintage romance that is feminine, yet not overdone. Many brides are enchanted by lace, envisioning a majestic day in a lush green garden. Magnificent Embroidery - For an ultra elegant, opulent feel, glamour girls savor wedding gowns adorned with intricate hand-embroidered details. This look warrants grand chandeliers, candlelight and an isle of red roses. Ultra-Feminine - As seen on the runway, feminine details are making a big impact. Ribbons, ruffles, flowers and bows are finding their way back onto wedding dresses and taking femininity to a new level. Brides who envision themselves floating along the cobblestones of a historic mansion will love this look.

For a complete guide to keeping your sanity while creating an elegant and memorable wedding celebration, visit http://www.elegala.com, your ultimate wedding planning resource. Cori Locklin is editor-in-chief for http://www.elegala.com/ and Elegala Magazine. Elegala is a new wedding wedding planning resource offering the most comprehensive portfolio of superior wedding reception sites and wedding vendors, with the planning tips to keep brides in the know on today’s planning trends and styles.

Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cori_Locklin http://EzineArticles.com/?Wedding-Dress-Trends—Top-Wedding-Dress-Styles-for-the-Mode

Carolina Herrera & Vera Wang

Carolina Herrera’s Spring 2008 Bridal Collection was just what you would expect from the designer–elegant and feminine. Herrera’s gowns are for the classic bride who makes no apologies for wanting to look and feel like a princess on her wedding day. Ruffles, satin sashes, flowing fabrics, and trains that stopped traffic gave the collection an ethereal feel, while an element of suprise was found in black embellishments, which added an ironic touch to the white palette. Herrera paid homage to My Fair Lady with a strapless A-line gown with embroidered tulle layers and grosgrain details in black and beige. The intricate detail on a strapless floral embroidered organza ball gown with ruffles and ribbons was the perfect combination of sweetness and whimsy.

The Vera Wang Spring 2008 bridal collection was Vera at her finest, inspired by the genteel aesthetic of high society social register American debutantes of yesteryear, from Jackie Bouvier to Doris Duke. “It’s harking back to a time when women had their own definition of glamour, style, and chic,” said Wang. Gowns were super luxurious and refined, and the collection wasn’t limited to bridal white: dresses in jeweled tones of rich purple and iridescent pink walked alongside the pristine cream looks. An ivory silk organza gown with a lace and embroidered tulle overskirt and ivory faille bow sash at the waist was a standout. Satin cabbage rose embellishments in forest, amethyst, crimson, and magenta added a dash of color to simple, elegant silhouettes. Overall, the collection was the perfect blend of seductive beauty and old world elegance–with a hint of mystery. “Even the venue was meant to be fairly snotty,” said Wang of her show space–the Ukranian Institute on the Upper East Side.

Source: Fashion Week Daily

Maybe you can’t afford a castle extravaganza, like Eva Longoria’s wedding. But you can look like a princess without blowing your bridal budget on a gown — after all, you only wear your dress once. “We’re seeing very nice quality dresses at very affordable prices,” says Millie Martini Bratten, the editor in chief of Brides magazine.

Saying “I do” to cheap chic is easier since Isaac Mizrahi introduced eight gowns at Target.com in May, including an homage to Carolyn Bessette Kennedy’s cowl-neck silk charmeuse column ($129.99), as well as a silk faille trapunto gown ($159.99). Other bridal bargains are JCPenney’s triple-bustle strapless gown ($200), J.Crew’s halter-neck Caroline dress in ivory silk tricotine ($295) and Ann Taylor’s Elizabeth strapless silk duchesse satin gown with 36 back buttons ($600).

Admittedly, you forsake handmade lace, imported Italian faille and custom beading — sometimes for polyester. But these frugal yet fabulous dress options are even more valued now that today’s average wedding costs $27,852, and the average honeymoon is $5,111, according to Conde Nast Bridal Group.

“As long as it looks good and fits well, why not pay less?” says John Mincarelli, a fashion merchandising professor at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology. “You can spend the money on your honeymoon.” After all, happily ever after can’t be built on tulle — or debt.

Source: USAweekend.com

I have a few suggestions below. You may want to present these to your attendants and see which ones they like best. Any combination will work. You’ve chosen a monochromatic color scheme so any lightness or darkness of purple is acceptable.

Dress your bridesmaids in lavender and your Maid/Matron of honor in plum. I did this at my wedding. Our colors were silver and light blue. I wore a white dress with silver and light blue accents. My bridesmaids were in light blue while my Maid and Matron of honor were in a dark silver. You could also, conversely, put your bridesmaids in plum and the maid/matron in lavender. However, it is generally more popular to dress the maid/matron in a darker color so as to contrast the bride better.

Dress them all in lavender with plum sashes or accents. The accents may be shawls, wraps, or ribbons. Many brides who choose this route also have ribbons of the accents in their bouquets and the attendants’ bouquets.

Dress them in plum dresses with lavender bouquets. You may also want to include lavender accents. Since the lavender is on your dress, you definitely want it to be more of a secondary color than the plum. So if you do dress them all in plum, you need to make sure the lavender definitely stands out as well.

I advise against dressing them in patterned dresses or dual-tone dresses. This will make your wedding party look too busy since your dress already has a floral pattern. Stick with elegant but non-ornate dresses for your attendants. I personally would go with either the 1st or 2nd suggestion.

Taffeta is rarely found in bridesmaid dresses, this is because it’s a very luxurious fabric and to be honest, it’s likely to stand out more than the bride!

You’re looking more at high street retailers which only stock ‘fashion’ colors. You’ll be paying a little extra but it’s worth going to bridal stores as they will have the color selections all year round. They usually have all styles available in all colors too, so you should find something you like.

Mori Lee has a stunning chocolate brown which is available now, have a look on their website for the different styles. Forever yours & Romantic also have chocolate brown in their collection. Most designers have bridesmaid ranges these days.

All the designers have stockiest lists on their websites so you can find the nearest store to you. You’ll usually find galleries as well so you can have a browse at some of the different styles they have.

Plum & silver sounds lovely! Silver accents would be lovely on your plum dresses. If you go for another color, it can over-complicate the look. As silver is the ‘accessory’ color (this means its the color used to complement your main color, which is used in hints) then it would be very suitable.

What you have suggested sounds lovely! I can especially picture these dresses in chiffon. Organza can be quite stiff, the cheaper organza has a shimmer to it and it makes it look cheap!

Despite it being the evening, it’ll still be light so the tangerine sounds like s good compromise. Very zesty!

Do be warned - please try this color and T length style on your bridesmaids as it doesn’t suit everyone. Your bridesmaids would really need to be tall for the length as it can stunt shorter ladies.

Tangerine is a lovely color but can wash out some complexions - also if any of your bridesmaids are larger they may well end up looking literally like a tangerine!

If tangerine is too severe then try a more peachy orange instead. It’s softer and kinder to complexions and will look very elegant in chiffon. Lemon or sunshine yellow is a lovely color as well, believe it or not. Along with a golden tan (fake or otherwise!) it simply glows.

Long, flowing drapes and gentle scallop frills are very much in this year and will look super on your bridesmaids. If you have larger bridesmaids then the styles with the folds / roaches across the waist draw the waist in and make for a shapely figure. There is some lovely t-length styles lovely peachy color. This color is really lovely and is one of the colors I’d recommend as an alternative to tangerine.

I had my bridesmaids wear black floor length gowns for my wedding in the middle of May simply because I had my heart set on a very formal wedding!! Needless to say, it turned out looking beautiful. Whatever color of style of dresses you choose for your girls, the pictures will no doubt turn out great. Go with what you imagine being the perfect look or you may regret it down the line and wish you had gone with your tangerine dresses.

Victor Epand is an expert fashion consultant at www.LingerieDress.com/. Visit us when you want the best prices, styles, fashions, and fits of all types of lingerie. We carry a super selection of everyday, as well as bridal and specialty items.

Fall Bridal Spectacular is an event for fashion designers and manufacturers within the bridal and formal wear industry to learn and will throw up opportunities for designers & craftsmen to share ideas. Also to further develop possibilities of trade in the subcontinent.

The Fall Bridal Spectacular will consist of two runway shows featuring couture and full service bridal salons and local vendors.

Exhibitors in attendance will range from bridal, gowns, & accessories, henna dresses, evening wear, bridemaids, groom’s wear, jewelry, beauty / hair services & products, textiles, sound, light & entertainment, photography & video production, floral & stage design, wedding stationary, wedding cakes, confectionary, catering services, limousine services, financial services & banks, health care services, honeymoon & travel services, gifts & wedding favors, to home furnishings.

The next Fall Bridal Spectacular event will be on November 3-7, 2007 at the Washington State Convention & Trade Center.

Regan Schultz didn’t intend to go as far as dressing brides when she started Modern Pacific Weddings, but while helping brides coordinate and customize their weddings, she often heard them complain about being unable to find the right gowns.

“I kept hearing that they’re all the same, and I kept getting requests for Nicole Miller.”

Schultz listened and over the past few months started bringing in designer gowns by the likes of Miller, Jules Bly, Adele Wechsler, Maui’s Tamara Catz, and Kirstie Kelly for Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings, an instant hit for every “princess” of a bride. Select gowns will be featured during the “Muse” fashion event Saturday at thirtyninehotel.

The dresses are lighter and more fluid than traditional gowns, making them easier to wear.

“The Nicole Miller gowns have a silk lining underneath so they’re comfortable to wear on the big day,” said Schultz. “They’re more casual for those who really are not looking for the typical full wedding gown, and may be wanting something more suitable for beach weddings.”

The simple styling also makes the dresses easy to shorten and wear after the wedding. The same goes for Miller’s bridesmaid dresses, which can easily be re-purposed as cocktail dresses, while embellished and embroidered island styles by Catz can go anywhere.

Gowns generally range from $600 to $3,800; bridesmaids’ dresses, from $210 to $400.

“I don’t want it to seem stuffy or intimidating,” Schultz said. “I want everyone to feel they can come in, no matter what their price range, and try things on.”

It’s important to note that dresses on view are samples, so brides cannot expect to pick something off the rack days before their wedding. Schultz recommends coming in at least two months in advance to order a gown.

“Depending on the season, we can sometimes have a gown here in two weeks, but you don’t want to risk that.”

Schultz gravitated to wedding planning after helping her mother with corporate parties for the family business in Colorado. “My mom’s really into making every party totally spectacular, so I think I got that from her.”

Friends convinced her to start the business after she helped plan their weddings. “I find I love the beauty of all the elements — the stationery, the flowers, the table settings — and how it’s built around this special time.”

Although adding gowns to her repertoire adds another layer of difficulty to her work, Schultz says she’s glad to assist.

“I love it when a bride comes in and is so happy when she says, ‘I found my dress!’”

Source: Star Bulletin