(Veils above by The Wedding Veil Shop)
Choosing the perfect wedding veil veil can be a complicated task for many brides. One-tier or two-tier? White or ivory? Tulle or lace? This bridal task becomes one you'll relish with these goof-proof tips.
via GIPHY
- Choose your bridal gown BEFORE you decide on a veil (unless of course you're wearing a family heirloom)
- Expect your mom, sister or friend to cry when they first see you in a wedding veil
- Think carefully about your hairstyle if you're wearing a veil
- Take the veil to the hairdresser to experiment
- Practice taking it off for the reception with your chief bridesmaid
- Wear a birdcage veil if your dress is short or retro. You can keep it on for the reception too
- A blush veil is one which folds over the face when you're walking down the aisle, then lifted when you reach the altar
- For a bit more coverage, choose an elbow-length veil. Particularly if your dress has an ornate bodice you want to show off
- Fingertip veils are good for full-length gowns, particularly if the bride is tall. But it won't look good if your wedding dress has a train
- A cathedral veil is floor length and dramatic. It looks wonderful with a formal gown (think of Kate Middleton on her wedding day) and falls six inches past the train
- A white veil suits a classic white wedding dress. Or choose 'antique white' if you're wearing an off-white dress. If your dress is ivory, choose a champagne colored veil
- Try on several different veils when you're choosing your wedding dress and listen to what the salesperson suggests. Although you may have always had your heart set on a particular type of veil, you could surprise yourself
Finally, if you want your wedding photographs to remain classic, then try not to choose a wedding veil that's too on-trend as it will look seriously dated in a short while.
(Bridesmaid dresses by Dessy)
Most girls suit blue. And it's a wedding color that works for bridesmaids at spring, summer and winter weddings. (Fall has different hues to offer of course and we'd go for oranges, browns and reds at that time of year).
It's like that old wedding rhyme:
"Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue..." Which just shows that weddings and blue should go together ...
What does blue say?
The thing about light blue as a color is that it really does whisper elegance and glamor whilst eschewing overt prettiness. And it tends to suit all complexions, which is always a consideration when choosing bridesmaid dresses.
Take a look at these one-shouldered bridesmaid gowns we've picked out. They're all beautiful - and because they're by Dessy they come in a variety of shades of blue - from delicate pastels through to sophisticated midnight blues.
(All frocks above from the Jenny Yoo collection at Dessy).
Different blues for different venues
If you've having a destination wedding or you're getting married under hot sunshine, then you can choose bright blues - turquoises, azures and a jade blue. Bright colors can stand up to bright light without looking faded, although they'd look more out of place if you're having a country garden style wedding.
Then again, you could have chosen to have a more rustic theme; so choose more delicate shades of blue like cornflower - which will look beautiful with wild flowers and less formality.
Maybe you're having a city wedding or a wedding that's being held in the early evening. Then your choices might veer towards elegant deep blues with a touch of shimmer - maybe like these gowns from Dessy below.
Choose the right shade of blue for your maids too. Don't feel that you have to dress them all in one color - you can graduate the shades of blues to get an ombre effect as below. (Check out Dessy's Instagram feed for images of real girls wearing Dessy at real weddings.)
(Breathtaking Dessy bridesmaids in our Dessy Collection dress style 2918)
My best friend always looks well-dressed and stylish. She hasn't got a big clothes budget either - she's just clever in the way she puts her outfits together. For example, she'll buy a chain store dress but swap the belt for something different or change the buttons. And so she's instantly created a look that nobody else will have - a look that's her own.
The same applies when dressing your bridesmaids.
I got to thinking about the way she accessorises and realised that the same applies with wedding accessories, especially when you're dressing your bridesmaids.
Wedding Sashes by Dessy
You could buy a dress off the peg and then embellish it with a sash. Maybe in a different colour, to contrast the whole effect. Think about the wedding accessories that will make a difference.
A georgette stole could also look very elegant - as a cover up for the religious ceremony and then to give the outfit a whole new look at the reception. (The stoles above from Dessy.)
Avoiding matchy-matchy for bridesmaids is very on trend right now. You can dress your maids in different shades, in rainbow colors or in variations on a shade (for example every color pink from the palest rose to the deepest magenta).
They'll love you for that because it means that every girl will be able to dress in a color that suits her complexion and flatters her figure. Some girls look fantastic in pastels - others look 'washed-out' and will be happier in a stronger color.
Dessy also does a tempting selection of glittery shoe clips to dress up plain ballet flats. There are mini handbags too.
The key to personalising your wedding and making it look original (and not off the peg) is to use accessories to alter an outfit. No two brides will do this in the same way. A good way to start is by looking at Pinterest and starting up your own board with accessory ideas.
Just sometimes, you get to craft something and it's great. By which you mean you can follow the instructions and the finished result looks fantastic. Professional and something to be proud of (rather than a bit of a disaster).
Which is what we think you'll find when you follow this easy tutorial for making paper chrysanthemums. The ones here have been made in a soft pink but actually chrysanthemums come in many different colors - whites, yellows, creams, golds, rich deep purples and hot pinks - so you pick out the colour that's going to suit your theme (or maybe even more then one color.)
You will need:
- Paper of 180 gsm or a thin cardboard (in a colour of your choice)
- Craft knife
- Sharp scissors
- Florists wire
- Florists ribbon
- Masking tape
- Watercolor paints
- Paintbrush
- Cork
Method
- Paint the paper horizontally with watercolor and dilute the brush in water to layer the color. (You don't need to do this if you've bought paper in a color you already like).
- Cut the paper into strips of less than 1cm. It can be cut with scissors. Don't worry if the strips aren't exactly the same width.
- Wind the scissors round the tips of the petals and curl with the edge.
- Cut the leaves from green paper.
- Fasten them to the flower with masking tape.
- Cut a piece of cork, pass through the wire and turn it.
- Push it gently through the middle of the flower.
- With masking tape secure the flower to the wire and just cover it to give body to the stem.
- In the middle of the stem add a leaf.
- Make the flowers in different sizes to add variety and realism
- You can also create flowers that look like buds or some with fully open petals.
Using Flowers For Decoration
So where to feature your flowers once you've made them? Well, you could use them to decorate chair backs at your wedding venue. Tie them onto napkins to decorate place settings. You could make a bouquet out of them for the bridesmaids.
Doorways always look good decorated with flowers, so if you've the inclination, why not make enough to create a garland to go around the entrance to your reception.
Original blog by DRI
Choosing your wedding colors or theme actually shows a lot about you and the person you are. It makes you take a good look at yourself. What is it about your personality that you want to be reflected in your wedding? Is it how you perceive yourself or how you want to be perceived? Red bridesmaid gowns are a confident choice and suggest that you might be an extrovert (or would like to be).
Extrovert or introvert?
If you are an extrovert, you'll love the fact that you are bubbly and gregarious. So if you've got an energetic, vivacious personality, you will probably choose warm, bold colors for your flowers or for your bridesmaid to wear or both!
The photograph above is taken from Joielle.com, with a piece on a blissed-out Australian bride and her equally happy girls dressed in their vibrant red bridesmaid dresses.
And what fabulous flowers - a cascade of deep reds, purple reds, pink reds all interspersed with delicate, bridal-white roses. As the bride said, it was particularly helpful choosing her bridesmaid dresses from Joielle as her four bridesmaids had differing body shapes so although she wanted all the bridesmaid dresses to be the same bold red color, she knew that she needed a variety of styles. And that's exactly what Joielle's supplier Dessy offers.
They can even supply ties (and waistcoats too) for the groom and usher in the same rich color - Claret - for a really co-ordinated look:
From the left we have the beautiful bridesmaids dressed in chiffon gowns in Dessy Style 2894, 2886, 2905, 2907.
If you have a younger bridesmaid, then Dessy also offers a selection of vibrant red bridesmaid dresses that are specifically designed to suit teenagers, like this stylish Junior Bridesmaid dress JR530. And how lovely to give your bridesmaids a matching friendship bracelet as a reminder of your special day?
And don't leave the boys out: Dessy has men's accessories that color co-ordinate perfectly with the girls. You can even give the ushers cufflinks and studs to match!
You'll find more red wedding theme inspiration at Dessy here.
If you're not a pink kind of a bride but you want a classic, delicate shade then you might like to investigate the possibilities of a Tiffany blue wedding theme.
It's an iconic colour and the beauty is that you'll find plenty of options in this shade - whether it's Tiffany blue bridesmaid dresses, shoes, accessories or even a Tiffany blue wedding cake!
Let's talk bridesmaid frocks first
Dessy's nearest shade to Tiffany blue is 'Spa', which you can see here (and here's a link to the dress).
Now, of course, the same dress probably won't suit each one of your maids. They'll be different heights and have different figures. So this might be a real opportunity mix up the bridesmaid dress styles, but have the same shade. Here's another gown in Tiffany blue (Dessy's Spa shade) that's different again.
Not forgetting the flower girls
You'll find this flowergirl design here.
What about you, the bride?
There's no rule that says you have to have white or ivory shoes peeping out from underneath your wedding gown and in fact, coloured or silver or bronze heels can give you a new look (not to mention the fact that those shades are colours that you're likely to wear again after your wedding day).
That little bit of white ribbon
Of course, to get your look to perfect, you should add a white ribbon to your splash of blue. That's easily done on wedding invitations, flower girl frocks (think of the sash), and of course around your wedding cake. We had a browse through Instagram and found some inspiration.
I know that black is perfect for winter, but don't be put off having short black bridesmaid dresses for a Spring or Summer wedding. The trick is in the accessories:
Take the girls above; strappy heels or colourful/metallic courts are the order of the day. And the flowers? Bold, breezy, voluptuous creations with spirals of foxgloves and fronds of ferns. Inspirationally oozing joy and fun rather than the more usual slick sophistication of a black-themed wedding.
You'll see more what I mean below. The flowers at this wedding were by Cornwall's Amanda Taffinder and they absolutely capture the vibe of the Very Happy Couple:
And I love the rustic touch of the wicker basket holding the cards (what a clever idea) and the outrageously vibrant table settting:
And they lived happily ever after.
With a million thanks to Amanda Taffinder for her amazing floral creations and to Shanna Jones Photography for capturing them on film.
If you'd like short black bridesmaid dresses for your girls, shop the look at Dessy.com. The first one I'd recommend is Alfred Sung D701 in Peau de Soie (below left). Its bateau neckline and scoop back are extremely flattering and the cut-a-way tulip sit with is neat bow detail at the natural waist is delightful.
Another pretty option is Dessy Collection Style 2939 (above right) which is a sleepless marquis lace dress with a jewel neckline and a fully shirred skirt. Its scalloped edge is a charming detail.
For a short black bridesmaid dress with a halter neck style front, look no further than Alfred Sung D492; the bared shoulder and low back make for a particularly becoming style.
You might have seen the divine artificial cherry blossom trees that you can hire for your wedding reception from Crescent Moon; so I thought I'd better show you some of the heavenly blossom pink bridesmaid dresses that you could have as well! Blossom pink is such a gorgeous colour; darker than blush and yet as easy on the eye and eternally pretty, it is sits well by itself or can be combined with other colours for an equally as lovely effect.
In the photo above, the lovely bride has chosen to keep it simple and elegant by choosing gorgeous white and blossom-pink bouquets with just a touch of blush and ivory for added interest from Holly's Wedding Flowers. The soft grey of the groom's suit adds to the overall effect of easy, delicate beauty.
I love the way that Holly has incorporated some of the other natural colours from the blossom trees into the bridal flowers and it's something that you might want to do with the bridesmaid dresses themselves. Some of the fabulous Alfred Sung gowns from Dessy allow you to do just that as you can see from the image above. From the left I have selected Blossom pink bridesmaid dresses in style D699 with Ivory bodice, style D678 all in Blossom and style D723 with Mojito bodice. I think that the latter is particularly eye-catching.
As the bride, you could also think about including some blossom into your headpiece, as Holly has done here with these fabulous silk flowers:
Doesn't that look beautiful?
And of course, the joy of using silk flowers to recreate something as fragile as cherry blossom is that you aren't beholden to the vagaries of the seasons or the winds; just as well given the continuous storms hitting the UK this year so far! Happy planning.
The yellow flowers of Springtime are so beautiful; yes, you get the brasher yellow of daffodils dancing gaudily in the breeze, to paraphrase Wordsworth rather harshly, but you also get more delicate yellow blooms with other narcissi, fragrant freesias and tuberose. But for me its the woodland primrose that encompasses the most delightful of yellow hues - pale, fragile and charming. Yet like most wild flowers, primroses don't make for the most robust of cut flowers, so if you want a primrose yellow Spring wedding then have your bridesmaids dresses in that colour and choose other flowers for the posies and bouquets.
As ever, take your lead from what's growing in the garden and woodlands in Spring and consider pairing the yellow with its complementary colour, purple, like the pretty maids all in a row at the top in their gowns from Tulle and Chantilly. Alternatively, the peach, pink and orange roses above look absolutely wonderful against the yellow dresses (also from Tulle and Chantilly) and I love the palest of pale pink roses held by the bride.
For a similar look, consider Alfred Sung D650 in Maize or Social Bridesmaid 8136 in Buttercup:
Alternatively, this predominately white bouquet below from Helen Jane Floristry looks so fresh and delightful with its touches of primrose yellow within the narcissi, that it would be perfect for a primrose yellow Spring wedding, and would smell diving too.
For a really delicate look, I'd be tempted to choose a Lela Rose dress, style LR204, from Dessy in Buttercup which is such a charming shade of yellow. The bridesmaids below have partnered their dresses with tiny hints of blush pink in their parasols and posies which gives such a pretty effect:
And the best thing about choosing this soft yellow for your bridesmaids is that it goes beautifully with all types of hair and skin colouring so everyone will be happy, even the teenagers!
Junior Bridesmaid JR534 in Maize