Swinging Bride

Photo courtesy of Down Home Country Tumbler

 

Anyone who has been reading my blogs knows I love photos of brides or flower girls on swings. Somehow it seems the perfect combination of little girl to grown woman.

 

You don't have to be wearing cowgirl boots to carry this photo off, but having great legs sure helps. Love her bouquet made with brightly colored flowers.

Blue and Pink Wedding Bouquets

Photo courtesy of Bouquet Wedding Flower

 

Love the colors in this brides bouquet. The blue and white Singapore Orchids and Pink Lilies give the bouquet a boost of color against the brides white gown. The colors give the wedding additional color and really pop in photos. For more photos check Queensland Brides.

 

Photo courtesy of Queensland Brides, see link above for website, but photo has been removed, other great photos are available.

 

Oscar de la Renta Shows Blue Wedding Gowns for 2013

Photo courtesy of Oscar de la Renta and MSW

 

This spring wedding gowns in pale colors are all the rage. No longer are white or cream the only colors for wedding gowns. Pale colors have come into vogue this year. Here are a few for you to enjoy and consider when planning your wedding. 

 

 

 

Even if you can't afford designer duds, there are sure to be knock offs out there at affordable prices. The white with blue overskirt dress shown above is my favorite. Classicly chic. You're sure to have your own favorites, let me know which you like best.

 

 

This dress is not my favorite, but it offers a combination of blues and beige over white--something for everyone. Personally I'd lose the wrap and choose a different headpiece, but to each their own.

 

Are You A Breastfeeding Bride?

I know, the traditional way to have a family is to get married first, have babies second, but today many women find they are having their wedding post pregnancy. This means we have breastfeeding brides. Unfortunately as you flip through wedding magazines you don't find dresses that are designed for moms who are breastfeeding. Instead you find all these narrow sheaths with little support for breasts that are filled with breast milk and need some additional support as well as some easy access for feeding baby.

You can always hit the maternity stores and hope to score a dress in white that will let you breastfeed but for most brides they want a more traditional looking wedding gown for their big day. So what to do? Here's some suggestions:

Try purchasing a dress that has a sweetheart neckline or that has a generous V-neckline allowing easy access for baby. A strapless gown usually won't have enough support for a breastfeeding mom so keep in mind you'll want a gown that gives you some support. I suggest one with some straps or sleeves.

 

Photo courtesy of Elegant Gowns

 

You might also want to consider a simple gown with an empire waist with straps that will support your breasts that have increased in size due to breastfeeding.  

 

And it's not just brides who might need to consider ease for breastfeeding when choosing a dress. If any of your attendants will be breastfeeding, choose their gowns carefully to accommodate ease of breastfeeding.

 

If you don't want to feel too 'bare' while breastfeeding in your gown, consider picking up a shawl that matches your gown, it makes a pretty drape that will allow you to feed your baby at your wedding reception. Nothing worse than having to use the ladies room to breastfeed. Not all reception halls have a comfortable place for you to feed your new baby.

 

So don't let the fact that you are breastfeeding keep you from buying a wedding gown that has all the traditional bells and whistles, just choose the style with care and you'll look and feel bridal on your wedding day (but still be able to feed your baby.)

 

Unusual Bouquets for Flower Girls

Photo courtesy of Smitten Kitten on Etsy (no longer available for purchase at this time, contact vendor if interested in purchasing)

 

Sometimes the simple look works best for weddings. This pussy willow bouquet was designed for a flower girl to carry but you could use pussy willows in a bouquet for both brides and bridesmaids alike. If you are DIY'er this shouldn't be too hard to pull off on your own, especially if you have a couple of pussy willow bushes in your backyard! Economical and simple.

 

Other great natural looks for bouquets include the photos below:

 

Photo courtesy of The Brass Paperclip Project

 

Wheat is particularly appropriate since some sources suggest flower girls made their first appearances at weddings in ancient Rome where they carried sheaves of wheat and herbs to ensure blessings of prosperity and fertility.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wedding Cakes Go Gold or Silver

Photo courtesy of My Big Fat Wedding Kitsch

 

Wedding cakes are no longer white with pastel flowers. Today's cakes often have metallic accents or jewel like accents. Here are just a few examples of metallic/jewel-like wedding cakes.

Photo courtesy of Sweet Tiers

 

Whether it's silver or gold metallic, or even copper, wedding cakes with metallic accents are sure to catch the eye of your guests. Sometimes gilt is difficult to work with so this is definitely a professional job, not a diy cake, even though the barrel shape makes it look deceptively easy.

 

Photo courtesy of One Fab Day on Pinterest

 

This gold on gold relief cake topped with a flower is elegant and sure to catch the eye of all of your guests, not to mention make a great photo op. Unfortunately there isn't a link other than to Pinterest, if anyone knows where the original came from please let me know so I can credit them (and so brides can order cakes from them!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rustic Centerpiece You Can Make Yourself

 

Photo courtesy of Lark and Potter

 

Looking for an unusual rustic centerpiece you can make yourself? Why not try this rustic twig surrounded bottle, tied with twine and filled with you favorite flowers? Easy, inexpensive and unforgettable! What more could you ask for?

 

Since repurposing is all the rage, reusing the bottle makes eco-sense and eco-cents too. Twigs can be gathered from your backyard and even if you have to purchase the flowers you'll come out way ahead of the cost of centerpieces made by your florist. Have fun with this rustic look at your wedding.

Budgets! Easy Aids You Can Take With You

Having a hard time saving for your wedding or honeymoon? Here are a couple of web sites to help you out.



Video courtesy of Mint.com and YouTube

Mint.com from Intuit Inc helps you track every penny you spend (as well as every penny coming in.) It will let you track if it's a check, cash or credit card purchase. Overspending because you are using you credit card too much? Learn to leave the card at home. Awareness of your spending habits (especially the bad ones) can help you save as much money as a weekly savings plan.

Mint.com lets you set up the app on your smart phone and track your cash flow. But the key to any of these apps is the data is only helpful if you are dedicated to entering each expense (including that burger at McD's or that latte that you swore to give up!) The tablet version of the app has graphs to show you where you've been spending your cash.

Intuit's Mint.com can also alert you by email or text (your choice) to remind you when bills are due or when your bank balance is low. Best of all, because the app is owned by the same folks who own TurboTax, the app is set up to integrate your info with their tax program come tax season.


EEBA Budget Aid from YouTube

If you grew up with parents who set aside cash in separate envelopes for each expense as a way to budget Easy Envelope Budget Aid from Dayspring Technologies may be for you. Like your mom's or grandmom's way of budgeting, Easy Envelope Budget Aid lets you separate money to help control your spending as a way to help discipline your spending habits. The app lets you set up envelopes for each bill or expense and each expense gets tagged as a withdrawal from it's envelope. Couples can register together and sync transactions between two mobile devices and a website as a way to budget together.

Hope these help you budget for your wedding! Everyone has their own system that works best for them.

From Italy With Love -- Black and White Pumps

Black and White Pumps from Ali Express

 

Having a black and white wedding? Why not wear these sexy black and white high heel pumps straight from Italy. Feminine, delicate and perfect for your very special day. Heels will lengthen you legs and give you the opportunity to strut down that aisle like a model on a runway. Not only that, they are great for dancing. Show off your pretty shoes on the dance floor as you dance that first dance with your new husband.

 

Visit the rest of Ali Express to find other great shoes that are must haves for the shoe-a-holics closet. (Yes, that would be me!) Even though I can't wear heels this high anymore, I am sorely tempted to buy them! Me and Imelda Marcos!

 

**Note, these are not Christian Louboutin's even though they have his signature red bottoms.