(Image by Steve Jurvetson)

Short notice, off the cuff weddings can be very romantic. You can't wait a moment longer - you want to get hitched IMMEDIATELY (or as least as soon as possible).

Ignore the pessimists

Now, you don't need to worry about all the pessimists who'll tell you that you'll never find a wedding venue that's free, that you haven't a hope of finding a bridal hairdresser to sort out your crowning glory, that every single florist and matrimonially expert photographer in a 100 mile radius is booked.

You see what you do is get married midweek -  which can avoid all the problems of eleventh hour marriage planning.

It can also make the whole ceremony much less expensive and there are some great last minute wedding deals to be had. Many hotels, car hire companies, caterers, bands and DJs offer considerable discounts for weekday weddings. Brides can benefit from a much less hurried service from hairdressers and make-up artists (who will probably be stacking up the bridal clients on a summer Saturday.) 

 

A post shared by Prasha_S (@prasha15) on Apr 1, 2018 at 7:42am PDT

Here's your 12-point checklist for planning a last minute wedding 

We've covered the bases, so you don't need to worry about forgetting anything.  

1. Check potential dates with principal guests
2. Ascertain the availability of a registrar or priest
3. Book the venue
4. Draw up a guest list and send invitations
5. Brief your wedding co-ordinator or planner. They should be able to recommend key suppliers such as photographers, dressmakers, formal hire, florists, cake makers and local bands. They should also be able to advise on local hotels, B&Bs and taxi firms.
6. Make a gift list
7. Book your hairdresser and make-up artist
8. Buy the rings
9. Book the wedding night accommodation
10. Plan menus and running orders with timings with your co-ordinator
11. Choose a honeymoon
12. Enjoy your batchelor/batchelorette parties, relax and revel in the day!

We girls come in all shapes and sizes. Some of us are tall and some are small. Some are curvy and some skinny. And many of us are between.

So when you're choosing your maids you're almost certainly going to find that different girls suit different dresses. Which we understand completely at Dessy.

That's why we've designed a range of gowns to suit every girl (and even bridesmaid dresses for pregnant ladies).

Above I've picked one of the Dessy colors - blush - and picked out four completely different dresses to show you what I mean.

For girls with curves

All of our bridesmaid dresses are available in sizes 00-30W, plus extra length for those of you who are 5'7" and taller. 

So you can browse through all our styles and know that whatever size or height you are, you're going to be able to find your dream bridesmaid dress. 

Above we have style 6706 from the Dessy Collection.

This style suits curvy girls beautifully, making the most of their figures so they look and feel fantastic. We've shown it in blush but remember with all our styles available, you can choose from an almost limitless selection of fabrics and colors. 

And your flowergirls

Being a flowergirl is an exciting moment in a little girl's life and having a pretty new dress to wear is all part of it. Our flower girl dresses range from traditional to a little more contemporary - you could even have a white or cream frock and add a colored sash if you like. We've created a range so the little ones fit in perfectly with the big girls ... and feel like a princess.

Shown above is Dessy Flowergirl style 4021 in blush.

That in-between age

Some girls are too old to be dressed as flowergirls, but too young to fit adult bridesmaid dresses - so that's why we designed our Junior Bridesmaid range. There's nothing childish about the styles or over sophisticated - we've created a flattering and pretty range so that the pre-teens feel grown up and confident.

Junior Bridesmaid dress style JR545 is shown above. How pretty is this ...

Finally, your bridesmaid friends

You want your besties to feel amazing in their bridesmaid dresses - not as though they are swamped in ruffles and frills. So our bridesmaid dresses are elegant and classic, whether you go for cocktail or full length. And we can safely say that many Dessy bridesmaids wear their dresses over and over again at posh events - they're too pretty to be left in the closet.

Above is Jenny Packham Style JP1007.

We also have some fabulous maternity bridesmaid dresses for your friends who are on the way to becoming moms. 

Have a look around our website and you'll be dazzled by the colors and choices. And check out the accessories too. You could share images with your friends on Pinterest and set up your own moodboard for your wedding. Enjoy.

As part of your wedding planning, I think you really should take time out to watch that classic old movie 'My Fair Lady' with Audrey Hepburn. It's beautifully photographed (by Cecil Beaton), romantic and funny and the most beautiful scene shows the ever-elegant Miss Hepburn dressed in black and white at Ascot.

Her outfit is the most perfect blend of sophistication and beauty and when it was last sold, in 2011, it set the new owner back $3.7 million dollars - thank goodness they threw in the hat too!

Black and white dresses are so chic

If you like the idea of dressing your bridesmaids in black and white you'll discover some fabulous two tone bridesmaid dresses at Dessy. Here are a few ideas ... 

This first one is Social Bridesmaid 8162 , a full-length, strapless dress (although spaghetti straps are optional) with a pretty marquis lace bodice and a sweetheart neckline. The scallop-edge detail at the empire waist sets off the trumpet skirt wonderfully creating a stylish hourglass shape that is SO elegant. But the dress doesn't stop there! There is a fabulous cutout detail at the back too.

Dessy Collection 2956 shown above is a striking two tone gown which you could have predominantly in black (left) or white (right). Or perhaps you'd have your bridesmaids in a combo of them both! The full-length, strapless lux chiffon dress has a sweetheart neckline and draped bodice and skirt, providing a very relaxed, easy style to wear.

For a similarly bold but totally different look, check out the sateen twill Alfred Sung D724P with its slightly shirred black and white chevron skirt (below left). Again, this full length strapless dress has optional spaghetti straps included.


I think that possibly my favourite of all has got to be the dress on the right above, Dessy Collection 8163. This full-length, nu-georgette dress has a graceful halter neckline with a framed trim at the bodice and inset waistband. And the back view? Just check this out!

How beautiful is this bow at the neck closure and gorgeous pleated detail on the back skirt?

This is one very dramatic dress that a confident bridesmaid would love to wear. 

There's no doubt about it, these two tone bridesmaid dresses from Dessy are giving Cecil Beaton's original a run for his money! I wonder which one Audrey would have chosen?

If you've been asked to host a bridal shower or bachelorette party, scenes from the movie Bridesmaids or Batchelorette may be playing in an endless loop in your head (and maybe even giving you nightmares). 

Stop it. You aren't required to throw a hugely expensive party. Nor are you required to throw an all out debauched Vegas vacation. So breathe ....

A bridal shower is really quite low-key

In terms of entertainment, a bridal shower is actually a pretty low-key party to throw. The main entertainment is the opening of presents and you don't need, or want, to plan too much that will overshadow the gifts.

That being said, plenty of entertainers can complement a traditional shower, while giving it a modern, fun vibe. If your bride has a favorite singer, actor or politician then inviting a celebrity impersonator as a “guest” can really make the shower personal and fun for her. A caricature artist or silhouette artist can create portraits as party favors while the bride is opening presents. This gives those guests who are tired of oohing and ahhing over toasters something to do, without distracting from the bride.

If your shower needs an ice breaker activity consider an astrologer, fortune teller, or tarot card reader to do horoscopes or readings, as opposed to the traditional round of bridal bingo.

If you're planning a bachelorette party and want to save money by having the first few rounds of drinks at home, consider a karaoke machine to loosen up the guests, or a henna artist to explain some of the henna wedding rituals and decorate the guests in a way sure to get attention when you go out. However - henna is probably best avoided if the bachelorette party is close to the wedding, as it take a long time to fade and you probably don't want it noticeable in pictures!

Whatever you do for your bride, make sure to keep it within your budget and your bride's style. No one said being a bridesmaid meant going broke!

Takeaways from this

• Hire a celebrity impersonator to mingle as a "guest"
• A caricature artist would be fun and the drawings would work as favors
• Maybe have an astrologer, fortune teller or tarot card reader
• Karaoke machines are real ice breakers

Top: Bridal shower photo prop via Etsy

Middle: Bridal shower cookies via Etsy

Bottom: Bridal shower ideas via Pinterest 

You can't have a wedding day without flowers. And florals are having a real moment right now. 

And there are some really, really pretty bridesmaids dresses around in florals for you to be thinking about. 

You can go for a bold splash floral or something a little more subtle in a faded chintz. 

Mix block shades with florals

The key is not to overdo it. In fact, some of your maids may rather not wear a floral inspired gown. In which case, dress them in a block color that complements the floral fabrics (as we've shown here). On the floral gowns you can pick out greens, blues, purples, yellows or even whites or ivory for your other maid's dress. 

Mix it up a little bit as well with different necklines. However, we suggest that you keep the base fabric similar - so the weights are the same. Also the style of gown. Florals tend to suit something more flowing than fitted, so choose block colors that echo the design.

The strapless Dessy gown on the left also comes with detachable spaghetti straps, whereas the gown on the right has a flattering off the shoulder ruffled neckline, that will be perfect for girls with smaller busts. 

Here we show you how to work color play. The chiffon gown on the left in a soft green works beautifully with the subtle florals on the right. We've chosen green but you could match with deep pinks, greens or even a gentle apricot shade. 

For a rather more dramatic effect, mix up a dark blue gown with big splashy florals. Or you could use charcoal shades here to match the flowers.

Blues are a perennial wedding favourite. This color combo would suit a romantic wedding perfectly. The dress on the left is so pretty, we're sure it won't be left languishing in the cupboard after the bridesmaid has done her duty. The windsor blue gown on the right has flattering pleating and sets off the floral fabric to perfection. 

As for accessories, if you're dressing your bridesmaids in floral gowns, then don't overdo the flower motifs on shoes, earrings, bags. Best to keep things plain and simple. However, for your maids in block colours, you can include the floral theme, maybe with some floral necklaces, drop earrings and a corsage? 

Have fun planning your floral wedding theme. 

All bridesmaid dresses featured here by Dessy. 

You have the bachelorette party, the bridal shower and several appointments to the dress shop for the bridesmaid dresses with your girls, but have you and your bridesmaids spent a day or a even just a few hours doing something not necessarily wedding related?

Here are some ideas that may be a good way to not only say thank you to your bridesmaids, but also give you guys a chance to have some fun! 

 

A post shared by A. (@lonelytslover) on Feb 26, 2018 at 12:58pm PST

1. Book some concert tickets: What kind of music do all you girls love? Do you fancy seeing Taylor Swift strutting her stuff or Justin Bieber? Book some tickets for you and the girls to see somebody live. 

 

A post shared by Tennis (@tenn1stv) on Apr 2, 2018 at 4:33am PDT

2. Watch some live sport: Of course, this depends on the season in which you're marrying. You could go to a ball game, watch some basketball, or head for the sun to watch some golf. It's a great way to bond and you'll enjoy seeing your heroes and heroines up close. 

3. A Day of Pampering: While this can easily be a good bachelorette party idea, this is also a good plan for few hours of relaxing bliss. Treat your girls to get their nails done the day before the wedding, or maybe a few hours at a spa for massages and facials. This is a memorable and peaceful way to spend time with your bridesmaids.

 

A post shared by Keep It Wild Co. (@letskeepitwild) on Apr 5, 2018 at 2:00pm PDT

4. Go camping and hiking; Are you and all your girls a bunch that doesn't mind spending a couple days with Mother Nature? Go camping! And really go camping, disconnect from the world and really enjoy each other's company. Toasted marshmallows round the firepit, late night discussions by firelight. Perfection! 

 

A post shared by Katarina Broadribb (@lemon_and_soul) on Apr 7, 2018 at 8:03am PDT

5. Learn to do something new; Book a group lesson for you all. There are some great private group cookery lessons - you could learn to cook vegetarian, Italian, Vietnamese, some new dishes for a barbecue, or how to bake different types of bread. Or you could book a wine tasting event or maybe a crafting event - or flower arranging. 

Any of these ideas are good for bachelorette parties, so if you're the maid of honor trying to figure out what you should do with the bride for her bachelorette party, consider some of these suggestions!

(All bridesmaid dresses shown above by Dessy)

Green is the color of growth, balance, harmony, health and nurture. 

All words that have a wonderful association with relationships and, of course, weddings. 

In fact some may even go as far as to say that the color green creates equilibrium between the head and the heart. No surprise then that it is seen to be an emotionally positive color, enabling us to love and nurture ourselves and others unconditionally." Hmm,' I hear you ponder, 'perhaps I should give it a go for my wedding!"

Real life wedding days in dark green 

In which case Dessy offers you some beautiful dark green bridesmaid dresses to choose, which look wonderful at weddings, as you can see from the real life wedding days shown above. 

There are some great choices going on here. We love the way some of the brides have chosen different styles of Dessy bridesmaid frocks for their maids but in the same color. Different necklines held together by a common shade. 

Colors to take a look at include; Hunter, Hampton and Emerald. You can see the full range of dark green bridesmaid dresses here. Getting some different color swatches in different fabrics might be an idea too. 

If you're having a winter wedding, then dark green can work particularly well. Contrast it against rich dark reds and berry shades. Make sure that your bridesmaids are wrapped against the cold in shrugs and pashminas. 

In spring and summer, dark greens work beautifully against spring flowers such as daffodils and narcissi. And in summer, dark green and white are a dazzling combination. 

Just remember to take note of the season in which you're marrying when choosing your bridesmaid's dresses. In summer, lighter fabrics will work best, such as chiffons. In winter you can choose heavier satins. 

A perfect tool for choosing both your fabrics and colors is with our fabric swatch selector, which allows you to buy swatches in your chosen shade (so dark green for example) so you can make an informed decision. 

via GIPHY

The James Bond look is certainly iconic. From his classic DB5 Aston Martin to today's digital gadgets. Who's been your favorite Bond? Sean Connery, Pierce Brosnan , Daniel Craig? Or one of the others?

It's also a glamorous look that lends itself to a wedding reception theme. 

via GIPHY

If you're looking to theme your wedding, then James Bond style has a lot to offer

You could offer a roulette table at your wedding reception for your guests to toy with. As for music - well there are some classic soundtracks to the James Bond films.

 Having a destination wedding, then James Bond style is easy - just watch some of the classic Bond movies like Doctor No that were filmed in tropical paradises. (You don't have to arrive for your wedding in a bikini, rising out of the sea, like Bond girls Halle Berry and Ursula Andress though!) You also don't have to have sharks swimming in a pool! 

Above from Dessy: Style 3016 in Platinum, Mystic Blue Lapel Suit, Style 6784 in Stardust. 

The men could dress in tuxedos - you can rent or buy tuxedos here at Dessy.  Or, the bridegroom and his groomsmen could dress in classic, lightweight summer suits from Dessy. 

As for women, think high octane glamour. Spaghetti strap dresses, one shouldered dresses, sequins, updos - this is not a time to dress down. Settle down with a DVD box set of Bond movies and enjoy planning ...

Ideas for a James Bond theme wedding

• Arrive in a classic Aston Martin DB5
• Spaghetti strap dresses for your bridesmaids or one shouldered dresses
• Or short sassy cocktail style dresses
• Have guest entertainment with blackjack and roulette tables
• Martini cocktails of course - shaken, not stirred
• Make the dress code tuxedos and glamor
• Plenty of James Bond theme music
• Call your wedding tables after James Bond Movies: Skyfall, Spectre, Goldfinger, Dr No, Diamonds are Forever, The Spy who Loved Me ...
• You could have gold and diamonds as a parallel theme - maybe an idea for your wedding tables and invitations? 
• On the walls of your reception have clips from the Bond movies playing on a big screen
• Maybe hire James Bond lookalikes to mingle with the guests as they arrive? 

It's a lot of fun this theme and one that your guests will instantly recognise!  

One of the ways we like to help brides-to-be is by suggesting different color combos for their bridesmaid dresses. In fact, ways of working color through all the aspects of a wedding party.

And today, because spring is most definitely on its way (and about time too) we're going to feature a periwinkle blue and pink color theme. 

It's a really romantic color mix. Delicate, classic, dreamy and really, really lovely. 

Mix the two together and your maids can choose the shade that suits them best. 

Talk to your florist about flower options. We're thinking pink peonies, blush pink roses, forget-me-nots, cornflowers, delphiniums. Don't feel you have to have exact color matches, it looks much better to mix it up a bit. 

(Bridesmaid dresses by Dessy)

Same applies with your bridesmaid frocks. Windsor blue, periwinkle and blush are some color options from Dessy, but all these shades can be mixed and matched together and will blend beautifully. (Think a sort of ombre effect). 

If you'd like some help choosing your colors and working out which combo you like best, then check Dessy's Pantone color tools, which give you the right shades so you can communicate them to your florist, bridal designer, venue, cake decorator - and whoever needs to know.

Bridesmaid dresses by Dessy 

Tie your wedding bouquet (and maybe the bridesmaid bouquets) with red and pink ribbons, in a soft gauze.

We love floaty chiffons and lighter fabrics with these colors, especially if you're having a rustic style wedding day and getting married in the afternoon. 

As the bride, you could give a nod to the theme with your bouquet of course - but also maybe with some delicate blush pink wedding shoes or blue, peeking out shyly from the hem of your wedding gown. 

Flower crowns are definitely having a moment right now, so consider them for your maids, or even yourself, if it's a boho sort of an event. They look super cute on flowergirls of course. 

As for your groom, take a look at the light, tan colored suits which would work so well with pale pinks and blues for bow ties, vests and maybe socks! 

Main images at top from: Wedding Chicks  

You don't get a second chance with your wedding photographs. It's a one-time only show. So getting the right individual to capture those precious images for all time is crucial. 

But how can you find the right photographer who's going to get it just right? We've asked around a few recently married brides who have come up with the following tips. 

1. If you are getting married at a hotel, don't feel pressured to use the in-house photographer. They are usually not the very best so you could end up disappointed.
2. Check the photographer's website, any blogs they may have, and any social media sites. Check their reviews.
3. Meet with the photographer in person. This is very important. You need to know that you can establish a rapport and communication with them. It will give you a chance to look at more of their work and see if working with them will be easy. 
4. Meet with more than one potential photographer, so you can compare styles, prices and packages. 
5. Make sure each potential photographer has your wedding date available before you commit to them.
6. Make sure the photographer you meet with will be the same person who will be shooting your wedding.  You don't want a different person turning up on your wedding day who has a completely different style.
7. When interviewing potential photographers, look to see if they actually can do what you want them to do in terms of style and the overall look of your wedding.
8. Look at a variety of images from the photographer. When one of my relatives got married, she saw only the photographer's best work and on her wedding day she received less than the best from the photographer she chose.
9.  Can you afford the photographer you have chosen? Be clear with what you can and cannot afford. Make sure you are clear about what you want and what you will be getting with the wedding budget you have.

Image credit: The Wedding Chicks