Did you know that nobody has their bridesmaids wear matching dresses these days? You don’t want to be surrounded by identically dressed bridal bodyguards; you want to be with bridesmaids. There are two reasons why brides are dropping the identical look on bridesmaids these days: one is aesthetics, the other is practicality. Not all girls look good in strapless dresses or A-line skirts. Your bridesmaids dresses have to match, but only so that they complement your wedding colors; otherwise, they should be tailor-made to your bridesmaid’s body type so she can wear the dress for other occasions.
Mixing and matching with dress styles is easy and simple; all you need is to choose a color, the dress length, and it’s done. Not all girls want to be covered up or feel comfortable baring their shoulders, cleavage, or legs; by choosing different dress styles, your bridesmaids’ individual tastes can be easily accommodated. The trick to achieving a unified look among your bridesmaids despite the different dress styles is to have two matching dresses for every two different ones.
For a more interesting look, choose different shades for the one color you picked out for your wedding. This is a lot easier said than done, though! If you don’t choose carefully your bridesmaids might end up looking like they couldn’t agree on a matching shade for their dresses. The key to pulling off separate shades is that they should complement each other and stand out at the same time. Choose shades that have a unifying theme like warm colors (neutral tones or deep reds) or cool shades (pastels).
When you offer color or style options to your bridesmaids, remember that they need to coordinate with you and each other - otherwise, everyone will look horribly mismatched. Make a date to go shopping or consult your couturier together and have each girl choose her shade or dress style. If this isn’t possible, bring a digital camera when you see your couturier, show them their options through e-mail, and have them pick out a choice soon.
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Long hair is thought to be the best length because of its versatility - you can do so many wedding hairstyles with it. Brides with long hair have the option of wearing them in an updo, letting their hair loose, or a combination of both. But just because you have short hair, doesn’t mean that you can’t have fun styling yours for your wedding! The best thing about having short hair is that it won’t take too long to fix up and it’s easy to maintain throughout the ceremony and the reception. No need to worry about having stray hairs tucked back in or about uncoiling curls. You can still look very glamorous and feminine during your special day.
The trick to having a gorgeous hairstyle on your wedding day is to have fun with accessories. You can push back your hair with a glittery headband or tie a sheer sash from the crown of your hair to your nape, then lend the ends dangle on your shoulders. You can also part your hair to one side and make it stay there with an old-fashioned looking hairpiece. If your hair is long enough, you can curl it to soft ways and put jeweled pins for a glittering ‘do. Tiaras also look great no matter what your hair length is.
Finally, you can also get hair extensions and lengthen all or part of your locks. They’re generally expensive, but Tokyo Posh Hair Extensions at Eastwood offers snap-on hair extensions that are extremely affordable and easy to apply.
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Long hair is the best kind of hair a bride can have during her wedding because there’s so much you can do with it! Here are some wedding hairstyle ideas for lucky brides with naturally long tresses.
Braids
Braids are no longer considered schoolgirlish or old-fashioned today; in fact, they’re making a big comeback in catwalks. Crown braids create a regal, elegant, and romantic look by making a natural tiara out of your hair. Strands of hair from the front is plaited around your head like a circular French braid, and will require an expert if you want it to look perfect.
A more softer option would be a cascade braid. Instead of including all of your hair in a braid, the cascade hairstyle only incorporates some of your hair into the crown, leaving the rest of your hair to ripple down your back. Think a medieval princess. This look is perfect for informal weddings or for flower girls.
Both hairstyles can incorporate fresh flowers, jewels, a tiara, or a veil.
Wear it Loose!
If your hair is thick and has great body, you might want to consider showing off your mane and hanging it loose. Brides who choose not to do an updo usually opt against the veil since it distracts from your hair. Your wedding dress style should also be taken into account before you decide to let your hair loose; for instance, the back of your dress and your hair should not be competing for attention.
You can put some small accent braids in front to give your face a little shape. Wear a tiara or a wreath of flowers to add some interest. If you’d like a little more structure to your hair, you can wear it in a loose ponytail tied with an antique or old-fashioned clasp.
Half Up-Dos
Half up-dos are the happy medium between an up-do and loose hair. It’s more formal-looking than loose hair and shows off the length while giving room for a unique look. Half-do hairstyles for short hair also look great on long hair, so you don’t have to worry about running out of styles to choose from. Make sure that you test it out first so you can get the end result you want.
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It would be a total waste of money and good cloth if you chose a dress style your bridesmaids wouldn’t be caught dead in outside your wedding. When deciding what kind of dress your bridesmaids should wear, just remember that the best bridesmaid dress is something simple and elegant - a dress that they’d be more than happy to wear at other formal occasions.
One bridesmaid dress style that’s very popular at weddings is the slip dress. A fun dress that comes in either silk or layers of sheer chiffon, this style flatters all sorts of body types and can easily be re-used as cocktail dresses. Another bridesmaid classic is the A-line dress. Like the slip dress, the A-line dress is an enduring style that looks great on most women, especially those who are a little bottom-heavy. Add variety to the look by using two-tone cloth, adding a full length skirt, or tying a sash or thin belt with a bow around the waist. Other bridesmaid dress styles you can consider are column dresses, floor-length dresses, and halter tops.
As for the color - generally speaking, your bridesmaids’ dresses should complement the wedding’s color scheme. This year, the color scheme for most weddings are soft, ethereal, and feminine. Pastel colors like pale yellow, lavender, soft pink, pale green, peach, and powder blue are popular choices, as well as sorbet-type shades like coral, tangerine, sea green, and lime. If your wedding’s color scheme is already quite muted, do something different and have your bridesmaids wear flourescent colors like electric blue, purple, and fuschia so they will really pop out. Those who are a little more conservative might prefer pale colors like sand, grey, and taupe.
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If you’re a rebellious bride who’d like to go against tradition and walk down the aisle in a colorful wedding gown, you might want to get wedding gown ideas from Maggie Sottero’s bold new collection. Featuring chic looks that include ballgown styles with balloon hemlines, ribbons, ruffles, trumpet skirts, her wedding gowns still exude romance while taking a drastic departure from the typical virginal bride look.
Silver is a dazzling color for a glamorous bride who wants to do nothing less than glow on her wedding day.
A red wedding gown makes a very bold statement like no other wedding gown. Though red is the traditional color for Chinese brides, red should only be worn in Western-style weddings by brides who truly dare to be different regardless of social conventions. (Can you seriously imagine your grandmother saying yes to a vampy red wedding gown?)
This ruffly, lacy pink wedding gown is perfect for true romantics who want an edgier look. The satin ball-gown skirt shimmers in the light and will make you feel like a fairy tale princess, but the embellished corset top will flatter your figure and give your bust a sexy boost.
To see more colorful wedding gowns and other more traditional styles, visit Maggie Sottero’s website.
