When it comes to sticking to a wedding day budget, you'd probably assume that means giving up on your fantasy of walking down the aisle in a couture or designer gown. After all, the average designer dress starts at $3,000. But with the growing number of brides choosing to put their gowns up for sale instead of preserving them, there are plenty of designer duds just waiting to be snatched up at consignment and vintage shops, thrift stores, and online sites such as Ebay, Craig's List, PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com, SellMyWeddingDress.com and RecycledBride.com. The best part: you can save as much as 50 percent off the original price tag! Here are some tips for shopping secondhand: Give yourself time. Since you won't be going to the typical bridal salon that has dozens of dresses on display, you'll want to start your gown search as soon as possible. It might take you a bit longer than usual to find the perfect gown-and this isn't a purchase you want to make in a rush.
When it comes to sticking to a wedding day budget, you'd probably assume that means giving up on your fantasy of walking down the aisle in a couture or designer gown. After all, the average designer dress starts at $3,000. But with the growing number of brides choosing to put their gowns up for sale instead of preserving them, there are plenty of designer duds just waiting to be snatched up at consignment and vintage shops, thrift stores, and online sites such as Ebay, Craig's List, PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com, SellMyWeddingDress.com and RecycledBride.com. The best part: you can save as much as 50 percent off the original price tag! Here are some tips for shopping secondhand: Give yourself time. Since you won't be going to the typical bridal salon that has dozens of dresses on display, you'll want to start your gown search as soon as possible. It might take you a bit longer than usual to find the perfect gown-and this isn't a purchase you want to make in a rush. See the dress in person. If you can, go to stores in your area that sell pre-owned dresses so you can look at the gown. "It's important not only to see what kind of condition the dress is in, but also to feel the fabric and see how the dress looks on you," says Dolly Savage, owner of Consigned Couture in Greenwich, Connecticut. If you're buying online, be sure to ask the seller to send plenty of photos of the dress from various angles so you can assess any damage. Ask questions. When making an online purchase, you want to make sure the dress that arrives at your house is the one you were expecting. Some important questions to ask include: How much/long the dress was worn, what kind of alternations were done, and did it get damaged on the day. Be sure to keep a record of this correspondence in case you need to make a return. Be prepared to clean. Keep in mind that most stains can easily be removed or minimized by a dependable dry cleaner. But anything that's yellowed can be tough-and there's no guarantee they'll be able to get it out at all. To save time, you might want to limit your search to high-end secondhand shops, which often only accept dresses in tip-top shape. "The gowns in my store are in near-perfect condition," says Savage.
In a world where design is often sacrificed on the altar of mass-market production, Charles W. Bunstine II is heretical. The CEO and head designer of the esteemed bridal house Anna Maier - Ulla-Maija prides himself on upholding the true meaning of couture in an age of irreverent usage. Having a dress made to match your measurements, proportions and body lines, well, that, according to Bunstine, is couture. And couture is the very heart of Bunstine's business.
A native of Columbus, Ohio, Bunstine began his meteoric rise to the apex of the fashion world during his college years. Taking a second job at The Limited to help pay bills, Bunstine's accidental fall into fashion soon turned into more than just a part-time gig. The future business mogul and couturier spent ten years at The Limited, getting to know all areas of the business, from product development and design to European sourcing. Having honed both his business acumen and creative juices at Limited, Inc., Bunstine moved on to lead, direct or advise several of the nation's most prominent retail and fashion companies. From becoming the President of Barney's New York, to writing the business plan for Vera Wang's ready-to-wear business, Bunstine's resume, prior to arriving at Ulla-Maija, was littered with career milestones the likes of which most of us mortals can only fabricate.
The embellished neckline is the important runway news in bridal wear right now, as seen in the spring 2010 and fall 2010 collections. Designers are taking advantage of elaborate details to trim the bodice of simple sheaths and draped silhouettes, billowing skirts and even ball gowns. Creatively used trims include hand embroidery, rhinestones, crystals and pearls. These and other effects like ruffles, pleats, rosettes and lace represent a refreshing update.
Uncharacteristically, the shapes of classic necklines have undergone a bit of revamping too...halters, v-necks, scoops and sweethearts are plunging, the one shoulder and off-the-shoulder are even more alluring, and even the demure and sophisticated high collars and bateaus have more sex appeal. There are so many reasons to choose a particular dress, and the neckline is a consideration. Here, a rundown on popular wedding gown necklines, plus the coveted looks to consider.
Randy Fenoli has been designing and sewing gowns since he was a nine-year-old living in Mt. Vernon, Illinois. A fierce passion for design and fashion led Randy to design his own bridal line for many years - he's since developed a fine and perfected eye for embroideries, laces, beading and bustles. And it's his impeccable fashion sense that enables Randy to honestly advise brides when they're making their wedding gown decisions. He says that a bride's wedding gown is the most important dress she will ever wear. Now a star in his own right, Randy can be frequently seen on the hit TLC show, "Say Yes to the Dress," airing Fridays at 9 pm. Here, Randy's tips for finding the perfect wedding dress.
Say Yes To Your Dress
Randy Fenoli has been designing and sewing gowns since he was a nine-year-old living in Mt. Vernon, Illinois. A fierce passion for design and fashion led Randy to design his own bridal line for many years - he's since developed a fine and perfected eye for embroideries, laces, beading and bustles. And it's his impeccable fashion sense that enables Randy to honestly advise brides when they're making their wedding gown decisions. He says that a bride's wedding gown is the most important dress she will ever wear. Now a star in his own right, Randy can be frequently seen on the hit TLC show, "Say Yes to the Dress," airing Fridays at 9 pm. Here, Randy's tips for finding the perfect wedding dress.
Wedding planning is an important step in organizing your wedding ceremony. A well plan and executed wedding plan will ensure a smooth running wedding ceremony throughout the entire process.
A wedding planning is necessary because there is a lot of stuff and details need to be handling on that particular day or throughout the entire wedding process. From the day you propose until the day both of you walking into the church and fly into a honeymoon trip, everything single little thing need planning.
The planning process can be done by your own if you have the extra time and effort and can bear with the headache problem you will be facing later on. Or you can hire a wedding planner which is very popular nowadays to take care of your wedding party.
From the selection of wedding flowers, venue to the song for your wedding party, a well professional planner will have you in no hassle and you can enjoy your very own party with pleasure. These professional planners will require information, ideas and theme from you before they execute the plan or idea so that you can have your dream wedding in order.
Of course you can always take this thing into your own hands if you do not feel like to let other people to organize this important party for you. But most of the people will leave this details to the expert and skip the hassle of trouble organising because they want to enjoy their very big day instead of working hard to it.
Every part of the long journey to the altar should be memorable and fun, but it doesn't have to break the bank.
Take, for instance, the bridal shower. With gas prices the way they are, just getting friends and family to drive to the location is an expensive proposition. If you've been charged with arranging the shower, it is easier than you might think to have a grand time without a grand budget. As with everything, a little elbow grease and creativity will go a long way to helping you organize a special event with a minimum of cost.
Alicia on "Togetherness":
This is, at its heart, a more intimate version of the bride's reception, with only her closest friends and family invited. You will celebrate her upcoming union with stories, laughter and presents. That embrace of friendship is really important, not the presents. So, if you know that some of your friends are doing better than others, set a price limit on gifts or skip store-bought gifts altogether and ask your friends to make something, whether baked goods, a photo album or poem.
Sarah on "Time is on Your Side":
The trade-off is always the same: The more you do yourself, the less it will cost. But for most of us, free time is not abundant. So, lean on others for a little help. Include your friends and/or family members in the party-planning process. They can be particularly helpful when it comes to gathering multiple bids from vendors such as florists or restaurants, comparing different costs and availabilities and making important trade-offs. Don't be shy. Everyone will enjoy the shower more knowing they played a part in making it a success.
Restaurants, arboretums and hotel banquet rooms are not the only places to hold a shower. In fact, they generally pale in comparison to the warmth of someone's living room or kitchen. So host it at home - inside or, if weather permits, outside. If you really want to create an intimate celebration, ask each person to bring a dessert. Then the entire event is really just about the people who have gathered. If you're not comfortable hosting it at someone's home, try getting space at a tea room. You can get a lovely assortment of sandwiches and baked goods without needing a platinum card.
#2: Fun and Fancy Free:
Play games that are more about fun than finances. One classic is to break the group into teams and have each team create a wedding dress out of toilet paper. The guests get to be active participants as well as creative. The prize can be that the winner gets to pick the next game or perhaps gets to choose a cleanup duty. And at the end of the day, how many smiles were out determines the success of the shower, not how much was spent.
#3: A Little Hard Work:
Think more about the help the bride-to-be will need over the coming months than about gifts. Since the bride will likely receive all the useful items she will need at the wedding, create a "Little Help-her" bowl. Write down chores she might need help with over the coming months and put them in a fish bowl - things such as help with the invitations; picking up wedding guests at the airport; and pet-sitting during the honeymoon. When someone wins a game, the winner gets to draw from the bowl.
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