Steel blue bridesmaid dresses are elegant, chic and work beautifully from day to night. What's more, steel blue is an ideal color to choose for your wedding day for all sorts of reasons.

• It blends beautifully with white flowers or contrasting vibrant shades.
• It works through spring, summer and looks dazzling in winter

Above from left to right: Style After Six Bridesmaid Dress 1516, After Six Bridesmaid Dress 6794

What about the style?

Don't feel either that you have to put your girls in the same style dress. Look at the photographs above and think about who would suit a halter neck, who'd look good in something strapless and who would look best in sleeves. If your girls are curvaceous, Dessy styles are all available in plus sizes. If you have young, pre-teen bridesmaids who are too old to be flowergirls but won't fit an adult style, then check out our Junior Bridesmaid dresses. For more inspiration read our previous advice on necklines to suit your bridesmaids and dresses for different types of girls.

Your color reference at Dessy for this steel blue shade shown above is Windsor Blue. Use our Pantone tool and fabric swatches to get your exact color match.

Above from left to right: After Six Bridesmaid Dress 1514, Dessy Bridesmaid Dress 3025

Above from left to right: After Six Bridesmaid Dress 6728, Studio Design Collection Style 4525

A Final Touch

For your wedding bouquet, you could choose the blue shades that your bridesmaids are wearing. And then get the counter-contrast by having all-white bouquets made for your maids, to tie in with your wedding dress.

Now that would be super-stylish.

Sadly, some brides make classic beauty mistakes before their wedding day and have to live with them long afterwards. Every time they look at their wedding photographs. Not something YOU want to be doing.

So here are five key bridal beauty errors to avoid ...

1) Getting tan and having strap marks which show at the neckline of your wedding dress. This is an easy one to forget about until it's too late. I've seen several photographs of brides with visible white strapmarks showing above their dress - and that goes for the bridesmaids too. So if you're trying to get a bit of a glow before your wedding day, watch what you're wearing and make sure your tan isn't going to leave visible marks - you need to have even skin color at the neckline of your wedding dress and you don't want to be trying to patch things up last minute with fake tan. Far better to be careful in the weeks before your wedding when you go out in the sun.

2) Completely changing your make-up. You may lack the confidence to do your own make-up on your wedding day and decide to use the services of a professional make-up artist. In that case, give her plenty of photographs of you so that she can see what your normal look is. You don't want to walk down the aisle looking nothing like your normal self - your bridegroom will get a shock and he fell in love with the way you look - not somebody who looks like a stranger. Oh, and ditch the lip gloss on your wedding day - it's likely to stick to your veil.

3) Overplucking/waxing your eyebrows before your wedding. Again, this comes under the advice given above - don't make drastic changes to your look. If you've never waxed your brows you might have a reaction to the procedure so you don't want to do it just before your wedding anyway. Your eyebrows frame your eyes and are a key part of your face - so don't change them dramatically in the build-up to your wedding. Get them professionally shaped by all means - but don't do anything too much.

4) Having a facial in the week before your wedding. Facials are supposed to wake up your skin, brighten and get rid of toxins. Which means that you're stirring everything up and those toxins are likely to come out in the form of spots and blemishes. (Ewww - not a good look for those all-important wedding photographs.) So have a facial a few weeks before so that your complexion has time to calm down.

5) Dyeing your hair a completely different color, having extensions for the first time, having a drastic hair cut. Again - you really don't want to have something done that you can't change before your wedding day and which doesn't suit you. Certainly, you should have your hair trimmed and deep conditioned so it looks its glossy best but don't become a platinum blonde if you're a brunette (or the other way around). If you must, save hair style explorations for after your big day when the photographs are safely taken.

Have you ever been to a wedding where you a) Didn't recognise the bride because her look had completely changed? b) Heard of pre-wedding beauty disasters? Let us know on our Facebook page to warn other brides to be!

Velvet has a wonderful sheen, depth of color and drapes beautifully. And if you're planning a winter wedding or a wedding during the cooler months, it's the perfect fabric. Dessy has created a number of bridesmaid dresses in velvet, in different styles, to suit different girls and different wedding moods.

All velvet

For a formal wedding and top notch glamor, choose Style 2998 which has a diamante belt feature. Add some chandelier earrings and diamante detail on the shoes and you're dressed to perfection. Of if you want to mix it up a bit, try Dessy's velvet skirt matched with a silk, strapless fitted camisole.

The Studio Design Collection Style 4506 featured above has a black velvet bodice with a flattering sweetheart neckline, which is matched with a floaty tulle skirt available in a variety of different colors from blush to burgundy.

Or what about separates? Choose the velvet top shown above, style Dessy T3032 and match with one of Dessy's other skirts. Choose a matte finish for the skirt in a heavier fabric or a lighter tulle for a summer wedding. Or maybe T3031, which has a halter neckline.

Choose a velvet dress for your girls and they'll certainly want to wear it over and over again. A velvet dress is a timeless classic that every girl should have in her closet.

If you're holding your bachelorette party in Fall, then you need to make the most of the season. It may be a little cooler than in summer - so no beach parties - and it may not be cold enough for skiing - but in fact it's a perfect season for being out and about and going places. 

The weather is crisp and clear, probably not too wet so it's ideal for hiking or exploring a city. Here's some ideas for a bachelorette party in Fall to enjoy with your squad.

1. Apple Picking: It's a Fall tradition so why not spend the day in the orchards? This is also a great idea if the bride and groom are doing a combined bachelor and bachelorette party. You can follow the apple picking extravaganza with with a late lunch or early dinner at a nice restaurant nearby.

How wonderfully relaxing does this look? The bride and her bridesmaids will have a fabulous day spent in bliss. Photo by LipstickandLuxury.com

2. Spa Day Pampering: While this can be done in any season, this is always a fun bachelorette party idea. Especially if your bride isn't into going to a club or bar hopping for her bachelorette party. This makes for great bridesmaid bonding and always needed relaxation. My friends and I did this for a close friend of ours for her bachelorette party and it was a total hit. We topped the day with dinner and drinks which made for a wonderful bachelorette party day.

3. A Spot of Tea: This is also a great idea for the bride who isn't into going to clubs or bars for her bachelorette party. Enjoy delicious pastries, scones, sandwiches and variety of teas. You can find various tea themed restaurants in most major cities or you can host one at home with the bride and her maids.

4. An Old Fashioned Sleepover: I don't care what anyone says, girls are never too old for a sleepover. Take everyone back to your middle school and high school days and do each other's nails, watch a scary or chick-flick movie (chick-flicks are my favorite, personally), make delicious but so bad for you food and let the bride enjoy one of the last nights as a single girl.

5. A Night Out with the Girls: If the bride is the type who wants to party, take her to a major city like New York City and rent a hotel room, go to dinner and club or clubs. You can also do a pub crawl and enjoy the night with some great music. You can also take your bride to a Broadway show or comedy show, that will be both entertaining and promise a lot of laughs.

Enjoy a night in a major city like New York City! Eat, drink and be merry with bridesmaids and friends. Photo by Vivienne Gucwa.

6. Toast the Bride at a Winery: Every fall I tell myself I will do more visits to wineries, but I never do. But what a fabulous idea for the bride and her maids! Travel to one winery and have a private party with assorted cheeses, wonderful wines. Or go to multiple wineries and have a variety of tastings and pick your favorite one! (I would recommend getting a party bus or limo with this as well.)

7. A Night at the Casino: Take your bride to the casino where the evening can begin with a delicious dinner and drinks and slot machines. This is always a bachelorette party favorite, many casinos also have clubs and bars in them that will surely complete the evening.

So here's the thing. You're having an evening 'do' and you want your bridesmaids to look chic and elegant. 

But you don't want them to wear black. (The bride above chose midnight blue for her girls and don't they look classy)

 

A post shared by The Dessy Group (@dessygroup) on Aug 8, 2018 at 8:26am PDT

Magic in midnight. Dessy style 6767

 

A post shared by The Dessy Group (@dessygroup) on Jul 14, 2018 at 3:49pm PDT

You want them to look classy, sophisticated and stylish during evening dinner and for the dancing.

But black bridesmaid dresses? Not really. Maybe you're a little superstitious about the color. Maybe you find it a little draining on some skin tones. Maybe ... you just don't want to. 

Well, there are other colors than black which offer evening elegance and style. 

 

A post shared by The Dessy Group (@dessygroup) on Jul 4, 2018 at 8:26am PDT

Dessy style 8183

Think about some different shades of drama

If you want to go for the drama of dark shades then are plenty of hues to consider. Midnight blue - the new black. A deep aubergine. Burgundy. The darkest of dark green. Perhaps an eyecatching dark ruby red. 

You could also opt for sequins, which would work dazzlingly from day through to night. Your maids would just love wearing one of these bridesmaids dresses to channel their inner diva! 

  Left After Six Bridesmaid Dress 6786, right   After Six Bridesmaids Style 6784

A dress your maids will want to wear again and again.

One of the advantages of choosing a long bridesmaid dress in a dark color that's suitable for an evening wedding is that your maids will probably want to wear it again to another smart event because it doesn't scream 'bridesmaid'. Like a school prom if they're teenagers.

These dresses aren't going to linger in the closet unworn. They're much too glamorous. 

Left After Six Bridesmaid Dress 6794, right Jenny Packham Bridesmaid Dress JP1011

Left Studio Design Collection Style 4538, Jenny Packham Bridesmaid Style JP1005 

Think about the shades and colors that are found in the natural world and you'll realise that Nature doesn't get it wrong when it comes to blending hues.

To illustrate the point, we picked out two weddings featuring deep earth tones combined with neutrals - and we think you'll agree the color combo is perfection. 

Because there are so many shades of both, you can create a fabulous palette that will suit everyone's style and complexion.

Beach wedding

At this gorgeous beach wedding shown above, the groom and groomsmen are in cream and the bridesmaids in a rich brown - and set against that beautiful blue sky with the greenery waving in the summer breeze, the photograph taken by the talented Gia Canali makes you almost taste the salt in the air and feel the sand between your toes. Even the celebrants are working the colors.

The groom and the groomsmen are perfectly dressed for the beach in their neutral suits, color merging the two sides. (Check Dessy's similar men's classic summer suits in neutral here.)

The bride at the wedding below, photographed by the wonderful Tucker Images, chose a variety of earth tones and neutrals for her bridesmaids and just see how great they all look. She's chosen strapless gowns for all her girls - but you could mix and match the necklines as you wish. However, it's usually best to keep to one skirt length, whether you go for cocktail style or ground sweeping. 

If you're having a beach wedding, remember to choose dresses for your girls that won't float up too much (because you don't really want any of your girls having a Marilyn Monroe moment at your wedding ceremony, do you). 

All the ones we've picked out here by Dessy are suitably airy - but won't fly up in the breeze!  You're looking for a breezy, fluttery effect but with some structure. 

Left Alfred Sung Style D538, right After Six Bridesmaid style 1505

Left After Six Bridesmaid Dress 6786, right After Six Bridesmaid Dress 1515

(Image credit David Pascolla)

Want to make sure only crowd favorites are played at your wedding reception? Of course you do. Who wants songs playing that no one wants to hear?!

Who wants songs that make people leave the dance floor en masse? Thought not. 

We've picked out 20 tried and tested pieces of music that will get the party started ... and going on until the small hours. 

Music plays a huge role in any party - it's a real atmosphere and mood builder. 

This list below by no means includes all of the best wedding reception songs, but it certainly will help to get you started. It includes hits for all generations too. (We've ideas for great music to walk down the aisle to here.)

1. Macarena - Los Del Rio. Who can resist? 

2. Vogue - Madonna

3. Blurred Lines - Robin Thicke & Pharrell Williams 

4. Senorita - Justin Timberlake

5. Word Up - Cameo 

6. Uptown Funk - Mark Ronson with Bruno Mars

7. Shake It Off - Taylor Swift

8. Crazy in Love - Beyonce

9. Push it - Salt 'n' Pepa

10. I Feel Love - Donna Summer 

11. Hey Ya! - OutKast

12. Funkytown - Lipps Inc.

13. Stayin' Alive - The Bee Gees

14. September - Earth, Wind & Fire 

15. Blame it on the Boogie - Jacksons 

16. Brown Sugar - Rolling Stones

17. Think - Arethra Franklin

18. Happy - Pharrell Williams 

19. Estelle - American Boy 

20. My Sharona - The Knack 

(All bridesmaid dresses by Dessy)

Remember in the film 'Bridesmaids' when a group of girls meet together for the first time? All they have in common is knowing the bride - and the fact that they are all going to be her bridesmaids. Which makes for a little awkwardness. 

Unless your wedding day party is drawn entirely from friends you and your other half knew at kindergarten school (and have kept up with regularly ever since), it's likely that you're going to be bringing new faces together. And of course you want them to have fun on your big day. You want to break the ice beforehand. 

To help you along we've thought of a few ways to make those all-important introductions

 

A post shared by Emily 🧜🏻‍♀️🌸🌴 (@hey.its.emily.k) on Jul 28, 2018 at 2:10pm PDT

1. A field day

Host a field day (you know like the ones you used to have in elementary school). Have your bridal party take part in tug-of-war, a game of cornhole, three-legged races and pie eating contests. This is a great way to get creative and really allow your important friends a chance to get to know one another.

2. A meal

Breakfast, lunch, brunch or dinner – if a simple meal is all you really have time for, that's fine. Co-ordinate a few hours with your entire bridal party at your favorite restaurant or in your own home that will give them an opportunity to get acquainted.

Pictures like this (with the girls in Dessy's Twist Wrap Dress) are the more memorable when the bridal party has gotten better acquainted! Everybody will be more relaxed (which makes for better images).

3. A sporting event

A great idea for both the men of your bridal party and the women. Co-ordinate a day to see a sporting event like baseball or football or basketball. Sporting events in general bring the unlikeliest of people together in the spirit of the game, so this could be a great way for your bridal party to get to know each other.

 

A post shared by Alana Buchanan (@alanacbuchanan) on Jul 29, 2018 at 7:54am PDT

4. A cookery class

If there are no games on nearby, or the weather is unseasonal or you just want to do something different, then how about asking a professional chef to put on a cookery class for you all. This could be to make a signature dish - maybe homemade pasta - and a dessert. Don't be too ambitious with what is cooked - it's not competitive! You could host the event in your own home if you have room or ask a nearby friendly restaurant if they could help. Then finish off by eating what you've cooked (or have a restaurant meal.)

 

A post shared by Nicola Winfield (@nicola_winfield) on Jul 26, 2018 at 12:44pm PDT

Other ideas are booking a bar and having a cocktail making class. Don't forget to ask along the groom's party too, if appropriate. 

Whatever you decide, having an event to break the ice before the wedding day is almost always a good idea. People can swap numbers, work out their skill sets and get well acquainted before the wedding day itself. Who knows what new friendships will blossom as a result? 

Having an outdoor wedding is beautiful, I've been to plenty where they are just breathtaking. 

• You get wonderful outdoor light
• You can make the most of the scenery
• You can create different atmospheres - in the woods, by the beach, in an orchard

But I've gone to these weddings typically in the summer months when the weather is warm and being outside just makes more sense.

When it comes to having a wedding outdoors, I think it is still acceptable in September. You can even stretch it to October, (well, early October, depending on where you are marrying). Get married later on and you may have to consider a completely indoor wedding, if you live in an area where the seasons change drastically between the months.

Have a fall wedding in October and be aware that you may get the perfect day for an outdoor wedding or you may have to consider some practical alternatives.

Plan an outdoor wedding where guests will just fall in love with the memories you share on your wedding day. Photo by Studio Eleven Photography

Same goes for early spring. April and early May could still be iffy when it comes to an outdoor wedding. The winter season may still be rearing its head and the last thing you want your guests to remember about the wedding is how cold they were.

I don't recommend a beach wedding in April, because in some areas of the country, it is still very cold.  But, if you have your heart set on a certain month and certain kind of wedding there are ways to get what you want.

Making an outdoor wedding possible (when it's a little chilly)

You can rent outdoor heaters where you know your guests will congregate for most of the wedding.

You can also offer the women pashminas and wraps they can take home with them.  These are stylish and perfect for the cooler earlier months of spring and fall. This even works for weddings where the climates don't see a drastic change.

Guests are enjoying this lovely wedding outdoors. Photo by Pasha Belman Photography

I also recommend having the wedding ceremony outdoors and have the reception indoors. That way you get what you want and your guests are happy too.

If your heart is set on an outdoor wedding, take the time of the year into serious consideration. 

Heated tents outdoors will make it easier to have an outdoor wedding as well. Just to flip the thought for a bit, you may also want to consider an indoor wedding when it is just too hot as well. The last thing you want is to have your guests suffer heat stroke.

What a beautiful fall (not cold hopefully) wedding looks like. Photo by Jessica Fike Photography

Nowadays many brides choose to 'theme' their wedding days in a different ways. They might go for a rustic theme, a bohemian mood or even a Marvel-themed day.

But really one of the simplest ways of styling your wedding day is by color.

Easy

It certainly makes your choices easier. Choose a color you love and the rest will practically fall into place.

Here we've picked out some ideas for an apple green wedding theme. It's fresh, simple, classic and perfect for a spring or summer wedding day. There's also plenty of potential out there (you're not going to have trouble finding foliage for a start!)

Love this green apple-themed table centerpiece featured on Martha Stewart weddings.

Serve color co-ordinated cocktails to your guests on arrival. (Image via Martha Stewart weddings). Find some cocktail recipes for Garden Daiquiris and Rosemary Fizz here .

Use the same shade as much or as subtly as you want. For your invitations, bridesmaid dresses, wedding shoes, wedding cake... Buy ribbons to pretty up chair backs, make DIY wedding invitations and decorate your reception tables with bowls of green apples and pears yourself.

Bridesmaids' dresses in Apple Slice by Dessy. Shown on the left Style Social Bridesmaids Style 8159, on the right After Six Bridesmaid Dress 1512

Wedding cake via Pinterest

Your wedding cake is going to be an attention grabber at the reception - so make sure the color blends in beautifully with your scheme. You don't have to go for a cake in a block color - just some subtle detailing or maybe ombre will get the idea across.

Bridesmaids dresses by Dessy. On the left style Dessy Collection Bridesmaid Dress 3027, Flower Girl Dress FL4058

Dessy offers beautiful bridesmaid dresses in apple green in a variety of styles, so your bridesmaids can choose a neckline, length and design that really suits them.

When you're talking to caterers and suppliers about your chosen color, you'll find the Dessy Pantone tool really useful (basically it gives you a color reference number to share with wedding vendors). You can also ask for a free fabric swatch of a color and fabric you're interested in.