Hair and makeup tips for all you Vera Wang brides

 Vera Wang brides must have pre-wedding hair trials

Vera Wang brides everywhere have been raving about Vera Wang’s new line and have found their dream dress.  Now that they have the perfect dress for their summer weddings the next item to consider is hair and makeup! Many brides choose to wed during this season the summer especially in June because of its long sunny days and soft evenings.

Summer is about to start, and for those of you online brides who plan on getting married next summer the web has thousands of ideas for color trends and combinations.  Planning a wedding is without a doubt a long, hard process, but one of the easier and fun things to do when planning your wedding is choosing your wedding theme colors! Now that you are engaged one of the first questions your girlfriends will ask you is “What are your colors?”  Today we will talk about the different shades you will see this summer and the unique colors that are making their way into the wedding scene.

For all you online brides who spend hours and days researching different theme colors and combinations you know it can get difficult because of the variety of choices.  Your colors are one of the more important aspects of how you plan your whole wedding day because they will be used in your invitations, linens, flowers, bridesmaid dresses, etc. The colors you choose will set the tone for your entire wedding.  This may seem like a lot of pressure in choosing the perfect color but luckily summer is an easy season for colors. The reason for this is because almost any color you choose will look fantastic for a summer wedding and it is easier to get flowers in any color. The first color combination that will hit the wedding aisle this summer is pink and green.  

Next we have light gray and pink. Today, gray is actually considered the new black! Wedding designers love this color scheme because they are very elegant colors and give a more modern feel on the classic wedding. The best thing about gray is that it is so versatile and goes well with almost every color.  Designers are even using grey sashes and bows on many gowns like this Monique Lhuillier gown. Online brides can cool down a hot day by using pink and gray for their summer wedding.

The next color combination which is one of my favorites, features coral and gray. The reason I love these color combinations is because it goes well with a beach wedding and is both feminine and masculine. With coral and gray you can bring the beauty of a tropical coral reef to your wedding while not having too much color. As I mentioned earlier, gray is a very popular color and goes great with any bright colors such as coral. If online brides don’t like coral, choose another bright color that will brighten up your wedding and combine it with gray so you don’t go overboard with bright colors.

Definitely take time when choosing your colors b/c you don’t want them to overpower your wedding but enhance it.  If you are having 6 or more bridesmaids a more subtle color may be better b/c that many girls wearing a really bright color will be distracting.  Have fun with it and make sure it fits your personality!

Image sources: A perfect celebration.com, The sweet Occasion.com, My Stunning wedding.com, Wedding bee.com, Before the big day.com

I have always wondered why us women are more excited about our big wedding day than our men. We have dreamed about this day since we were kids and now it’s happening! However, not every bride goes crazy over their upcoming wedding day, and to make matters worse, neither do their grooms. If this sounds like you then we have some great tips for the off-beat bride and her groom. It is a lot more encouraging and exciting when your fiancé wants to get involved and participate in all the action and preparation that is needed before the wedding.  In reality, most men don’t really seem to care as much as the women do which leaves them with more work to do. I know I got a lot of “whatever you want honey” from my husband when all I really wanted was his input. Today, we will talk about different ways to get your groom involved in your wedding.

First, the offbeat bride must talk with her groom.  As I mentioned earlier, most brides end up doing most of the work and the role of the groom is to simply show up wearing a suit.  This common misconception actually leaves the groom feeling like he is not needed or even not allowed to help out! So, the first step to involve your groom on your big day is to come right out and say you would like some help.  No matter how much we wish it, they cannot read our minds.  Hopefully this is all you have to say for him to climb aboard the crazy wedding planning extravaganza! It is all about communication and the clearer and upfront you are with what you want or expect the more help and understanding you shall receive.  If this doesn’t work, don’t sweat it, there is much more you can do, keep reading. 

The next thing the off-beat bride must do is encourage and support his ideas. Nothing is more discouraging then to ask someone for help and then shoot down all of his or her ideas. If you only want to use your ideas and creativity then don’t expect anyone to voluntarily help you out. With that said, your groom will get frustrated if your not allowing any of his input or ideas and you will only lose your planning partner in the end. Instead, when your fiancé comes to you with an idea make sure you show enthusiasm and insist you will try it.  Even if their ideas seem crazy and are in no way shape or form related to your wedding theme, go for it! Lastly, the off beat bride should give her fiancé special projects that cater to his interests.  Some may think men are incapable of anything that has to do with decorating or planning. However, I have seen grooms actually put together a color scheme and even bake their own wedding cakes.

Even if it is just getting an idea of what style they like without seeing the actual gown.  Guys can get into the spirit of wedding planning especially if it is in their interests.Is your groom a graphic designer? Allow him to make the wedding invitations. Is your groom good with words? Allow him to write his own vows!  Helping pick out the music, DJ, or band is something most guys really get into.  Simply allow your fiancé to do things that involve his own interests which will leave the off-beat bride and everyone else happy in the end.   And you may even learn something new about your husband-to-be.

Summer is the most popular season to get married for many reasons.  If you’re a couture bride and want to know the summer wedding trends then keep reading.   The most obvious reason summer weddings are so popular is b/c of the weather.  Although it can be very hot in certain places it is generally better than rain and snow in other months.  Not only that, but summer time is vacation time so couples can expect greater availability for their friends and family to participate on their big day. Summer weddings allow you to have a wider range of options in choosing your wedding venue, flowers and wedding dress options.

Summer wedding venues for the couture bride

What kind of flowers do you want at your wedding? Summer weddings allow brides to have more variety for their flower choices.  The choices can range from roses, lilies, carnations, daisies and much more. The bride will have a much wider selection to choose from since most flowers are in season in the spring and summer.  This will also make is much cheaper as opposed to trying to get flowers in the off season.  Also, think of all the choices you have for your bouquet! Even better, you can accessorize your bridesmaids with the bright vibrant colors you have chosen for your wedding. If you’re not into the whole flowers and bouquet idea then break tradition by simply holding a single large flower like a sunflower or daisy which goes perfect with a summer wedding.

Not only does the couture bride have more options for her venue and flowers but she also has more wedding dresses to choose from.  Brides don’t have to go the traditional route and can avoid wearing the heavy layered skirts and those large trains that constantly need assistance.  Of course if you still want to wear a silk satin ball gown for your summer wedding you can.  But you do have more options in the summer especially if you want to get married outside.  Gowns made of lace, organza, and chiffon are great summer fabrics.  Summer is a time for love and growth so it is an ideal time to get married and the couture bride will have limitless choices on how they want their big day to look.

Wedding Cake Trends For The Bride-To-Be

What are the different wedding cake trends for 2012 for the bride to be?

The bride to be must be aware that the wedding cake is not just a yummy dessert but a decoration that everyone looks forward to seeing.  There are so many styles to choose from but here are some of the trends for 2012.  First, taller cakes seem to be making a big come-back. It’s now more common to see taller cakes that average up to 8 feet which was something of the past but is now coming back.

Next on the list are painted cakes.  You can paint anything you want on your cake whether it is lovely tropical flowers, photos of the bride and groom, and even an image of your tattoos!  Although the bride’s cake tends to be a little more traditional the groom’s cake is usually more of a theme cake ranging from sports teams to hobbies.

Then we have cakes with ruffles.  Designer Maggie Austin is known for her expertise in ruffles and many of her cakes are inspired by her life as a ballerina. So if the bride to be loves the dainty, girly look then definitely look her up.

The next trends we will see in lieu of the traditional wedding cakes are cake balls and other desserts. You do not necessarily have to have a large, tall standing cake to amaze and please your guests. Instead, cake balls, cupcakes, pies and miniature pastries can be your cake! Even better, these desserts can be placed in a decorated box for your guests to take home after the after party as souvenirs.

In order for your cake to look and taste great at your wedding there are some “do’s and don’ts” you should take note of.  First, make sure to do your research on what type of cake you want so you can get a good visual on how you expect your cake to look like.  Take the bakery/cake designer a picture of what you want so there are no miscommunications. And make sure you do a tasting so you know exactly what it will taste like.  Second, be creative and make your wedding cake your own by adding personality to it.  Choosing a unique cake topper is a great way to personalize your cake.  You are the artist and the cake is your masterpiece.

Third, make sure you know how your cake will be displayed at the reception and where.  Many brides like to get a cake stand or decorate the cake table so make sure that is communicated to both the baker and the reception hall.  And most importantly, figure out how your cake will be arriving. The transportation of the cake from the baker to the reception can make a big difference. Leave this up to the bakers because they know how to transport a cake without ruining it and can handle any last minute repairs. At first the cake may seem like an afterthought since it is just going to get eaten but trust me, it is something everyone will take notice of both on looks and taste.  There is nothing like a stunning wedding cake that tastes divine!