by Daisy May

Eat your heart out Cinderella because the true belle of the ball is about to make her presence known to all who gathered here today. No midnight strike to say that her choice of wedding gown was to give her the fairytale wedding she had always dreamed of.

Cinderella, a fairytale wedding come true.

The bride`s dress will always highlight the occasion. If your wedding plans were carefully thought through then dreams can come true where the perfect wedding will now take place.

Marriage is a one time happy and glorious occasion where the wedding service will stay in the married couples mind from this day forward. When planning your wedding always make sure to outline every little detail you require for this special day to run smooth. Most future brides have an image of the wedding gown they would love to wear at their wedding but you need to remember at this point not all images conjured up in the mind is a guarantee that the vision you see is the style for you. Do not despair because fairy godmothers do exist in the form of a seamstress. The style you have pictured in your head can be altered to look similar to that of your imaginery mirage.

Cinderella Deluxe Child Costume

Aside the groom the wedding gown will come first and foremost in the bride`s thoughts. If you are to have a theme based ceremony then your dress can be designed and tailor made to compliment the topic.

Problems that may arise when choosing the perfect wedding gown is deciding which one it is to be. It can be time consuming and stressful trying on dresses due indecisive moments and the endless stunning designs that make your task even harder. This is why the importance of planning your wedding well in advance is vital. Ask a friend to accompany you to the bridal shop. Make a day of it and have a meal together and by doing this you can both discuss what other wedding plans you have. Bridal shop staff are there to assist with your needs. When choosing the bridal outfit eliminate the wedding gowns you wouldn`t be seen dead in this will lesson the number for you try on.

Remember if there was no decision made on that day then return for a repeat performance till you find the perfect wedding gown. Bessie bunter plump and rounded women should stay clear of figure hugging wedding dresses, comfort is a main factor for looking beautiful on the day. If you are of the olive oil frame then add extra layers of the material in your gown.

Adult Super Deluxe Enchanting Princess Cinderella Costume - Cinderella Costumes

If you are adamant on having the wedding gown of your dreams then have your fairy godmother wave her needle and cotton to make the dress. If he/she is notably known then you can benefit from his or her experience on any advice given related to materials designs and styles.

Now that we have the perfect wedding perfected by the careful wedding planning tactics let us make this duo a match made in heaven. Cinderella and her Prince Charming.

by Karen Vander

New year was 26 days ago was it not? If you did not know, today is Chinese New Year. Happy new year to you for those that are of Asian heritage that does celebrate this holiday. The Chinese calendar follows the moon and divides the years into groups of twelve. Each year is named for an animal.

2009 is the Year of the Ox. Did you know that Chinese people are very selective of their wedding date?

A model presents wedding dress newly designed by Yumi Katsura

Chinese believe wedding should be held on a good day in the calendar. The marriage life of the couple will be perfect if they can have the wedding on a lucky wedding day.

Here’s are the lucky auspicious wedding dates for 2009 to be married in:

Jan - 30
Feb - 6, 7, 21, 27
Mar - 8, 20, 22, 27
Apr - 17, 19
May - 10, 15, 16, 17, 29, 31
Jun - 7, 19
Jul - 25, 26
Aug - 2, 16, 21, 28
Sept - 4, 12, 20, 26
Oct - 3, 16, 18, 25, 30
Nov - 15, 21, 27
Dec - 4, 13, 19, 25

Chinese Wedding Tea Ceremony

For the past year 2008, the most auspicious wedding date is said to have been on August 8, 2008 or 8-8-88. The number 8 is a symbol of eternity and infinity, thus getting married during this time should bring you lots of love and luck. If you have noticed, the number 8 interlocks just like two people in love.

An astrologer, a fortune teller, or a monk should be able to help you pick the most auspicious date for your wedding. Make your marriage last by paying attention to your wedding date picked. There may be some truths in this old custom.

Related articles
Grab the Chinese Lucky Charm of Red Wedding Gowns

The Red Hot Talisman for Brides-To-Be from the Mystical Land of the Dragons

by Karen Vander

Find the style of bridesmaid dresses that will be a beautiful match with your wedding gown. The dresses need to match and the bridesmaids themeselves need to match.

Ideally you should have people who are within +/- 2.25″ in height and +/- 6 lbs in weight. Definitely almost identical proportions is strongly recommended. They must have matching hair. The ones who are different must dye their hair. Its a requirement their hair MUST match YOURS.

They must have identical eye color.

Kidding aside (and in case you did not catch it, that was humor and sarcasm). Putting the bridesmaids in different style dresses that suit the bridesmaids is perfectly fine. They do not have to match precisely. Most brides simply match the color or as close as possible in shades of color in the entourage.

There are no rules on bridesmaids dresses. You can pick your bridesmaids dresses or let them pick it themselves. Go with what works best for you and your bridesmaids.

by David Beart

What’s your wedding theme/motif?

For every season, for every motif, for every person and for every color symbolism, there will always be the right wedding dress. Choosing what to wear in your wedding is as critical as choosing the the man you will be spending your sunset days with.


There’s a multitude of wedding dress styles to choose from – in some countries that have veered away from much of wedding rituals and traditions, dress styles number in the thousands. With this dizzying array, how do you choose yours? How do you make sure that your dress will be a reflection of the real YOU, not the fashion model on the glossy cover of magazines that grace bridal boutiques and corner stalls in the metropolis?


Buying a Wedding Dress: Style

The style of your wedding dress will depend on about four factors. There may be more but these are the most common ones we can think of:


• Type of wedding
• Your personality

• Your budget
• Your culture and that of your future husband


If you write down your thoughts about these four factors including any other detail you can think of, you’d have a good starting point for discussions with the boutique consultant. By rattling off your preferences, she can already come up with a short list and show you the styles immediately. This will save you time from browsing through voluminous catalogues and the sometimes crowded store racks.


Type of wedding: are you going to be married in a church and will the reception be inside a hall, OR are you going to be married in the beach, garden or in some enchanted island where guests will be free to roam around and then gather in an outdoor tent to offer their best wishes and congratulations?


An outdoor wedding would narrow your choices. You will certainly want to consider not wearing a gown that would require you to wear high heels, unless you want to leave permanent marks on that beautifully manicured lawn. Wear a gown that looks right with a pair of sensible but stylish flats to keep you from boring holes on the ground. For practical reasons, you may want to seriously not wear a long, down to the ankles type of dress. This will spare you from having to deal with a muddy hem. Make sure the hem is heavy enough not to fly up at the first sign of a sudden gust of wind.


For the same reasons, a train is not ideal for an outdoor wedding. You will likely find it covered in mud and grass stains by the end of the reception. If your dress comes with a veil, keep it weighted to keep it from blowing around too much, unless again you’d want your groom and pastor to chew on the lace by the end of the service, or risk the veil pin landing on someone’s cake.

Lady in red

Your personality: “tell me what you wear to your wedding and I’ll tell you what kind of person you are” may ring true, but remember that you need not be forced into wearing anything because it’s tradition or your rich mother-in-law has done the cherry picking in some designer’s rack. Your dress is you, inside and outside. Let it bring out the message on this special day.


Also, you’ll have to take your body type into account. If you have a good figure, show it off within the limits of decency, of course, especially if you’re getting married in church. Not that the pastor’s opinion should carry weight in the choice of your dress, but it is his church nevertheless, so be respectful of the place where your marriage will be solemnized.


A sleeve dress (one that clings to your body from neck to ankle) looks best on someone with a slim figure and curves to show off. If you’ve always been proud of your hips, look for a dress that flairs out a bit at the waist. If you want an overall slimming effect, do not invest in fluffed up sleeves and huge skirts, or you will look bigger than you really are. A skirt with lots of fabric so that it drapes and folds would be ideal. Do not add puff to the lower portion by adding a hoop or other fabric.


Your budget: who says you need a designer dress? One does get “suffocated” by the usual styles out there. You could spend thousands of dollars on a wedding dress that will end up in an attic somewhere, only to be looked at when nostalgia strikes. Many brides think of their future daughters when they buy their wedding dress, but remember that your daughter could end up saying, “how could you wear a thing like that to your wedding, mum?”


If you have other wedding expenses and don’t want your wedding dress to take up the lion’s share, you can ask a sister or close friend to help you design a wedding dress. We know of a few friends who asked a private seamstress to do their dress, and they charge considerably less than boutiques and designer outlets.


Culture: The factor of culture plays a dominant role in weddings and when one wears a wedding dress that is typical of one’s culture, then the conversation gets livelier. For example, if you’ve been to a Scottish wedding, you’ll know that tartans and Highland kilts will be the dominant features of the wedding attire. Tartans are colorful fabrics that are also known as plaid. Scottish people also put accents to make the dress more attractive – like a Celtic knot that stands out.


Or you’ve seen the traditional Chinese attire. Brides will usually wear a red Chinese dress because red symbolizes love. If you’ve been to a Greek wedding, you’ll notice that both bride and groom wear flowers on their head instead of a veil.

Peachy pink gown

Buying a Wedding Dress - Color
The color white, traditional for wedding dresses, was originally used to signify the bride’s virginity to the gathered witnesses. This virginity was likewise attested to by the hanging of a blood-soaked sheet the next morning. Though the custom of the bridal sheet has died, the customary bridal color still seems to be alive and well for the most part. Widows or divorcees might choose an ivory color to keep from claiming the white, but if tradition prevails, brides stick with what is expected in this sense.


The color white is not mandatory though. A differently colored dress would make a wonderful splash on your wedding day. The color red, for example, means joy, love, and fertility and is traditional for brides in China. No rules exist saying brides cannot wear purple or sage; indeed, an outdoor wedding might look even lovelier with a deviation from strict tradition. Always check with your pastor to see if you and your entourage can wear different colors, and ask him which colors are strictly forbidden.


Buying a Wedding Dress - Stories for You

If you’re feeling a tad overwhelmed by wedding preparations and agonizing over your wedding dress, you may want to take a break, sit and lounge on your favorite armchair, and curl up with a good book. We’d like to suggest My Wedding Dress: True-Life Tales of Lace, Laughter and Tulle published last month (January 2007) by Random House (ISBN: 978-0-676-97846-9; 0-676-97846-0). It’s an anthology of thoughtful essays that cover the full range of bridal sentiments, before and after the wedding. One of the contributors said that “the most important thing about the dress was that it wasn’t white, it wasn’t long and it had not a whisper of tradition clinging to it.”


There are about 26 essays from different women who talked about their wedding dresses and some of them, already divorced, described how their dress “felt all wrong” or “didn’t fit” or “it just wasn’t me.”


By taking time off from wedding preparations, you can re-charge yourself by reading about weddings. Wedding stories never fail to bring a warm glow to heart or trigger your love for laughter. For example, we looked for a story about wedding dresses and we found a funny one online from the Canadian Press (May 2005). It tells the story about a couple, Christopher Cummings and Charity O’Brien, both from Missouri, who got married on the Mendenhall Glacier in Alaska. The title of the news story caught our attention: Weddings on Ice. Exchanging Vows on Alaskan Glaciers.


Guess what the bride wore to her glacier wedding?


The usual, white traditional – complete with sequins. But what else did she wear with it? We’ve chosen this paragraph and want to share it with you:


“The bride wore a curvy, strapless white satin gown sprinkled with sequins. She also had on tights, sweat pants, rain pants and a pair of hefty hiking boots fitted with spikes.”


“The groom was charmed. ‘That’s the way she is…’ ‘although the dress was a surprise.’


Don’t forget. YOU get to choose, not anyone else. It’s personal, it’s special, and it’s an occasion that may happen only once in your life.


About the Author: David Beart is the owner of www.professorshouse.com. Our site covers relationship topics such as weddings, dating, marriage and divorce.

Save Money On Your Wedding Dress in 2009

By Samantha Taylor

Your wedding is quite possibly the most important day of your life and you’ve probably been dreaming about it since you were about 12 years old. The dress you choose is ultimately going to be what people look at and remember about your wedding. That being said, you want to find the perfect dress that will make your guest’s and husband’s jaws hit the floor when you walk down the aisle. Are you thinking that may be unrealistic with your wedding budget? Think again! We have some of the best shopping tips in order to help you save money on your wedding dress. This way you can enjoy your wedding while maintaining a reasonable wedding budget.

Brides by Mancini - Eve (http://www.bridesbymancini.com.au/)

1. Shop Around – Don’t assume the first dress you try on is going to be the best deal or look the best on you. There are many dresses to try.


2. Discount Bridal Salons – Discount bridal salons often have sales of up to 75% off (especially on last year’s merchandise) which can save you a lot of money in the long run. If you hear of a discount sale, make sure you know what you are looking for since many women go crazy at these events and dresses are often gone in a matter of minutes.


3. Have Someone Make Your Dress – If you have a talented friend or family member who you trust to make your wedding dress for you, you can save an enormous amount of money and still have a great dress for your big day.


4. Look on the Internet – the Internet is a great place to search and explore the many options of styles for your dress and you are guaranteed to find dresses which do not cost a fortune.


5. Bridal Salons – normal bridal salons (as opposed to discount) sometimes have sales which offer around 30% off last years merchandise. The salons near where you live are definitely worth looking into.


6. Borrow or Rent – Some women cringe at the thought of borrowing or renting a wedding gown, but others may not take it as seriously. Wedding dresses are really only worn for one day and renting or borrowing can really save you a lot of money.


7. Seamstresses – Contact a seamstress and ask for a quote. It’s unlikely that a seamstress is going to charge you as much as a bridal salon. If you do this, make sure to ask about their experience in this area or past brides who you can contact. This will ensure they are reputable and there won’t be any “mishaps” with your dress.


Finding the perfect wedding dress is important, but paying a ridiculous amount for one dress can be a waste of your money. Finding the perfect wedding dress for the perfect price, now that’s a wedding dream come true!



About the Author: Samantha Taylor spent several years working in the weddings industry as a wedding planner. When she isn’t being a mom of two wonderful children, she works as a freelance writer for http://www.yourwedding101.com - a site that offers information about everything wedding related.

by Cindy English

Just as destination weddings are fast growing in popularity, so are destination wedding dresses.

What exactly is a destination wedding dress? It is a trendy, sensible, cost effective alternative to the traditional wedding gown.

Where’s your destination?

You don’t have to be leaving town to choose a destination wedding dress. The name lends itself to the fact that these bridal gowns are usually made of softer, lighter fabrics that pack easily and travel well.

However, these informal wedding gowns are nothing less than spectacular with sleek lines, and simple designs. Today, more and more brides-to-be are choosing to stray from the multi layers of frill and lace in favor of the simplistic beauty of a destination wedding dress.

Lightweight fabrics such as chiffon, organza, silk, rayon, crepe or crinkle cotton are extremely popular and practical. They are cool, elegant and comfortable. The lightweight, wrinkle resistant qualities of such fabrics make your precious wedding gown very “packable".

Styles range from truly elegant full length gowns to romantic tea length. Sexy slip dresses and halter styles are also very popular and beautiful. For a casual beach wedding dress, consider a sarong or a Hawaiian holoku.

The cost for such a dress itself warrants consideration, especially for the frugal bride on a tight budget. You can easily keep the cost of your beach wedding dress under $300.00 without sacrificing style at all!

Remember…

Dollars do NOT dictate beauty! Some of the prettiest wedding gowns I have seen, both casual and formal, have been right on eBay… at a fraction of the cost!

A bride and groom stand on a pier at the Barcelo Maya resort on their wedding day in the Mayan Riviera in Mexico at sunset as clouds move in to fill the sky. (Photo - Jordan Verlage)

It doesn’t matter whether you are looking for an informal beach wedding dress for your poolside ceremony, a sunrise or sunset ocean front ceremony, or if you are planning to wed onboard a luxury cruise liner…

The destination wedding dress is perfect for every wedding style!

One more thing…

When traveling to your wedding destination, do NOT entrust the safe keeping of your wedding gown to airline attendants. Not long ago, as I stood in the Jacksonville airport, I watched one young girl break down as a baggage handler, presented her with her wedding dress accompanied by an apology. The garment bag was torn open and there were black tire prints on her lovely silk gown. It had apparently slipped off the side of the baggage trolley and been driven over, then dragged back to the terminal from the plane.

Don’t let this happen to you!

Cindy English is the publisher of: http://www.All-Florida-Beach-Weddings.com Plan your wedding celebration in Paradise! http://www.Beach-Wedding-Themes.com Beach wedding themes full of fun, fantasy and romance

by Jessica Lang

It’s finally time to choose your wedding dress, for most of us this is something we have been dreaming of and planning out throughout our whole lives. What the overall end product is going to look like and the way it will make us feel come that big day. Choosing your wedding dress is perhaps the most important part of planning your wedding for the bride and definitely can be the most fun if you make it that way. After all, choosing a wedding dress can be as simple or complicated as you make it. Many people all over the world enjoy finding their wedding dresses; it tends to be the one part of the wedding that is definitely not considered stressful. Of course time crunches are always stressful, budgets can be limiting, and many other things can be considered stressful, but when you walk down the aisle on your wedding day in one of the best wedding dresses ever made, at least according to you, your dreams come true and none of it is as complicated as it seemed. Finally you feel amazing and reap the rewards of the endless searching you did for this one spectacular dress.

Where to start your wedding dress shopping?

So how do you get there? Most women haven’t a clue where to even start when it comes to finding the perfect wedding dress, which is why many people end up hiring a stylist or asking their wedding planner or even their family to help. However, the decision does not have to be the long confusing path that many women end up making it. Like we said previously, finding your perfect wedding dress is as simple or complicated as you make it, and as long as you work hard and keep your eyes and ears open you’re bound to find the perfect wedding dress for yourself in no time. Trying to review the many bridal shops and online wedding shops that offer spectacular wedding dresses can be tricky and confusing, but with a few simple guidelines your decision can go from near impossible to completely simple in no time. Read as many reviews as you can but do not focus all your research in one or two places. Visit message forums to read real customer testimonials and reviews on bridal shops. It’s just a matter of sitting down and thinking about what you want, as well as jotting it down so that you can keep the record of it while you do your shopping.

Allure wedding dress - Establish a budget for your wedding dress

First and most importantly to some women, establish a budget. Most people already have the budget for the entire wedding, so what you need to do is determine how much of that money you can afford to put towards a wedding dress. Keep in mind the alterations that may need to be made, the style and grade of wedding dresses you will be looking at, as well as shipping and handling if you are purchasing online. Keep your budget in mind the entire time you are shopping, it can be very easy to listen to the persistent sales people and the call of a gorgeous wedding gown, but you must not back down. Instead, stand your ground firmly and securely and explain you cannot review any dress over your budget. If you do find a dress that you are fond of that is out of your budget, simply keep it in mind and keep looking. If after all your searching is complete you cannot find a dress you like aside from the one you saw that was over budget, think it over as seriously as possible and take into consideration what you will have to sacrifice to get that dress itself. Always try and remain level headed and do not be easily persuaded, have what you want in your mind before your search begins as well as have a plan as to how to avoid splurges as well as accidental over spending.

The next thing you have to do in order to find the perfect wedding dress for you is figure out how formal your wedding is going to be. The formality of a wedding makes a great deal of difference when searching for the perfect wedding dress and has the potential to change everything from cost to style to online wedding store you look to buy from. For instance, if your wedding is a simple setting with few people and more romanticism than extravagance like a backyard wedding or a wedding on the beach, a long flowing dress with a long train and endless delicate beadwork should not be in your head, instead try going for something shorter and more practical. The setting and environment in which your wedding is going to be held will make a huge difference on what style your clothing and accessories should be, even your hair and makeup. If you have decided on having a traditional extravagant wedding in a grand ballroom or a vintage church that is perfectly detailed and heavenly, a short sundress may not do it justice. While what you wear is completely up to you, it’s important that you keep in mind the practicality of your dress as well as the comfort levels you will feel, it might not be the best idea to wear a cocktail dress to an extravagant ballroom wedding.

Perhaps the most important part for some brides when it comes to reviewing the perfect wedding dresses and making a selection on which wedding dress you will be wearing on your big day is the aspect of personal style. What kind of person are you? Which wedding dress just screams out who you are and what is something your friends and family will look at and say wow that fits her to the very last detail? This is so important when it comes to choosing your wedding dress, your dress should be personal and tailored to your every characteristic. When you buy and impersonal dress it takes away from your confidence as well as the uniqueness of your wedding. What is going to set you apart from everyone else at the end of the day? If you aren’t quite sure what the answer to these questions are, try on an array of various styles. Never stick to only one style, make sure you look through many different variations. Websites like House of Brides and other online bridal shops can help you to review all of the various styles and can help you to make a better overall decision on what is going to be best for you in the very end of it all.

A huge smile will hit you when you find that dreamy dress.

When choosing a wedding dress that will work for you on your wedding day, make sure to choose something that suits exactly what you are going to need for the day. For instance, if you are wearing a beautiful necklace that you know of, steer clear of wedding dresses that may take away from it, same with earrings, if you have big plans for your jewelry, stay away from pieces that go too high on your neck. Not only is the jewelry important when choosing the style for your wedding dress, but your body shape. The most perfect of wedding dresses should flatter your figure and not take away from it or point out the flaws, for instance if you are petite and don’t have a very long neck, try to avoid wedding dresses that cover the neck. If you are extremely tall and thin, a long sleek dress may only attract unwanted attention to your height and may not work for you the way you want it to. Keep in mind you want to have a center and you need to be balanced, try and keep your top half balanced out with your bottom half and work with your body rather than against it.

The various things to consider when it comes to choosing the perfect wedding dress are quite honestly never ending, however you should use and consider the tips we have listed here as a start and guideline to finding the perfect dress. The customer service or sales representative should also have advice for what exactly you should wear to your wedding, keep in mind the detailing and if you want something more simplistic or something more extravagant. Lastly, try not to worry about size too much as most dresses will be altered anyways. Try to steer away from basing decisions only on length or snugness as those things can be changed when you alter your dress and try to go for bigger rather than smaller so that the alterations aren’t as difficult.

by Karen Vander

The traditional wedding is most often seen as a man in a black and white tuxedo and the woman in an all white or off-white dress. However times are changing, and the days when a bride was condemned to wear only white to her wedding are over. It has now become quite acceptable for there to be splashes of color on a bride’s wedding, and that has become a big preference among brides everywhere. While some brides may choose to wear white on their wedding day and keep their traditional wedding fantasy, others are choosing to go bold. With websites like House of Brides offering so many colors and styles, it’s no wonder people are tempted to change it up a little. Not only do these websites offer a ton of different styles and colors but by searching things such as House of Brides reviews you can find out what other people thought of their overall services. All throughout history brides have been wearing white, sometimes even to show their innocence and purity associated with being a virgin, but today even the purest of brides are choosing to spice up their dress a little.

Are you a traditional bride? (Bonny Style #8904)

See more Bonny dresses in our wedding dress gallery.
Some brides are not even going all out to do this, simply adding a bit of a color accent to their dress with things like red trim or blue beading, or for those who really want to keep it classic white with some sort of black accessory. This is completely fine, but similarly to the fact that it is acceptable to wear white, it is definitely both acceptable and trendy to go with another color scheme. Most often using a brighter colored wedding gown can even tie the color motif of your wedding together, and this is not something that should be taken lightly. Your wedding day is a day you should remember for the rest of your life, and by choosing a bright colored wedding dress brides everywhere are making their weddings more memorable not only for themselves, but for their guests as well. Their weddings become more than the simple traditional ceremony, they become bold and stand out amongst wedding memories everywhere.

What color you choose to accent your wedding dress with, or even to use as the base color is entirely up to you, and can be anything your heart desires. Many brides are even choosing to go with black; traditionally a color of mourning, black has become a new trend in saying classic and stylish, while also being incredibly slimming. While this may raise quite a commotion, to some brides it is more about what they feel like in the dress, and if a black dress is for you, then that is perfect for your wedding. However, if you want to incorporate black but not necessarily go all out, a great option is a black sash below the bust line or black embroidery, or even both if you are feeling up to it.

Maureen Myring Kesterton - Ribbons & Roses, Black Velvet

Black however is not your only bold colored option. Some people are choosing to go with a romantic and saucy red to raise eyebrows at their wedding day. Red wedding dresses scream passion and romanticism, and similarly to black, most reds look great as an accent color to the white and look wonderful if you are choosing to have red roses throughout your wedding. This is a classy and romantic way to promise yourself to another individual and should not go unheard of.

While black and red are the most popular bold colors, never be afraid to try something new like a blue or green, many brides are simply choosing to set the color off a little bit with light champagne colors and creams, what you do is your choice and as long as you feel great then that is all that matters.