Your Best Face On Wedding Day

Brides are so focused on the wedding gown, that they tend to leave out other factors in creating their wedding day look.  The one I want to address in this blog post is wedding day make-up and prepping your skin.

• If you have skin issues, reach out to a dermatologist 5-6 months before the wedding to start a skincare regime.
• If you don't already...make sure to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water
• Always have a make-up trial with the artist 3-4 months before your wedding, even if there is a fee involved involved.  You do not want to be shocked by your "look" on one of the most important days of your life.
• Speak with your make-up artist at least a month before the wedding to confirm date, time and location.
• Ask your make-up artist about the brand of lipstick you will be wearing on wedding day and purchase a tube for touch-ups.
• Never get a facial the day before or on your wedding day in case of breakouts or skin irritation.
• Have you wedding make-up applied at least one-hour before you are to put on your wedding gown.

Also check out our blog - Budgeting Beyond The Wedding Gown.

Until next time...WEDologize!

(photo credit: Rush Photography and Videography)

The Language of Tuxedos

No matter how good the tuxedo looks on a hanger, just like the bride and bridesmaids, the groom and his attendants should select their formalwear based on style and comfort.  There also 6 keys points I'd like to bring to your attention about tuxedos and how "sexy" they can look on a man:

1. When you are getting fitted for your tux, it should fit comfortably at the neck and shoulders.  So make sure to sit and stand at the fitting as well as button and unbutton the jacket.
2. About 1/4 to 1/2 of the shirt's cuff should show below the jacket sleeve.
3. Same as the jacket, the pants should fit comfortably and button easily.  Make sure to sit in the pants during your fitting.
4. If wearing a vest, the buttons should line up with your jacket front and should button comfortably across the chest.
5. Consider renting shoes from the formalwear location, make sure to try the shoes on later in the day, like after work in case your feet have a tendency to swell.  It's better to have loose shoes than tight-fitting shoes.
6. Don't use clip-on ties!  If you are purchasing or renting a tie, make sure to try it on so that it fits sung around the collar.

Until next time...WEDologize!

(photo credit: gray tuxedo - www.ruffledblog.com; black tuxedo - www.weddingwire.com; tuxedo w/ purple tie - www.colincowieweddings.com; taupe tuxedo - www.weddingish.com)

The Cost of Being a Bridesmaid

Brides have so much fun with the creation of ideas on how to ask their family and friends, "Will You Be My Bridesmaid"?  But I'm suggestion you also go a step further and give the ladies an approximate budget.  This kind gesture will alleviate you from hearing later on down the line..."I didn't know I had to pay for all this!"  Although being selected to be apart of your friends big day is truly an honor, you don't want to ask your bridesmaids to tap into their 401k if you don't have to :)

Bridesmaid Budgeter
(from www.The Knot.com/Chicago)

Average Costs

Engagement Gift - $25-$75

Bridal Shower - $100-$500

Shower Gift (if you are not contributing to the shower) - $25-$75

Bachelorette Party - $50-$500

Dress and Alterations - $200-$400

Shoes and Jewelry - $75-$200

Hair - $50-$200

Make-up - $50-$150

Wedding Gift - $50-$150...
...although I feel that being apart of the wedding party is gift enough!

Travel Expenses - $200-$1,000

Of course, not all of these costs will apply for each bridesmaid because every bride's request is different.  But if for nothing else, you will still need to pay for your attire, alterations, shoes and accessories and possibly make-up.

Until next time...WEDologize!

(photo credit: www.vsphoto.com)

Beautiful Bride Countdown

 

As you move forward with planning your wedding, don't forget about your wedding day look.  I'm not speaking of your gown and accessories, but about your hair and make-up for the big day.  Even for the most beautiful bride, and you all will be on your BIG day, the regime should begin months in advance to avoid the horrified scream in the mirror when your eye shadow is blue and your hair looks like it did in the 80's :)  Consider the timeline below when scheduling your beauty appointments:

8-12 months before the BIG Day
Consult a trainer or create a workout plan
Discuss skin concerns w/ doctor or dermatologist
Going for a new cut or color, this is the perfect time to try it out

5-7 months before the BIG day
Begin skincare regime
Play around with veils and headpieces


3-4 months before the BIG Day
Book your initial hair trial appointment
Book your make-up trial appointment
Begin maintenance on your hands and feet

1-2 months before the BIG Day
Have your hair appointment with your headpiece and jewelery
Get teeth cleaned and start whitening treatment
Select your wedding day nail color
Increase your workout regime
Finalize your make-up look 


1-2 weeks before the BIG Day
Schedule final hair maintenance appointments (relaxer, color touch-up, and/or trim)
Have a hydrating facial
Schedule a full body massage
Pack your wedding day beauty bag
Confirm location times with hair stylist and make-up artist for wedding day

Day before the BIG day
Have a manicure and pedicure
RELAX!!!


Until next time...WEDologize!


(photo credit: www.wedding-beauty.com)

...I Found It, You Pin It...Friday!

If you follow my Facebook or Twitter posts, you know I'm 100% addicted to Pinterest. I still can't believe it took less than 4 months for me to pin almost 2400 inspiring photographs! With that said, I've decided to induce some type of Pinterest therapy into my life and share my pick of the week every Friday. That way...I'm not pinning alone :)

January 27th Pinterest pick of the week comes from JLM Couture. This Lazaro wedding gown is GOR.GE.OUS!

Until next time...Pin and WEDogize!

(photo credit: www.jlmcouture.com)

Accessorizing Your Boo!

On Day #28 of the 31 Days of December, we talked about the Boys and patterned socks to give their attire a bit more personality.  Now let's dive a little deeper into accessorizing the boys with neckties, bow ties, pocket squares and belts.  Any of the mentioned items would also make wonderful groomsmen gifts since I'm always questioned as to what to get the boys as a wedding attendant present :)

Go above and beyond the plain, non-descript tie for some prints and color

 Loving a printed, whimsical bow-tie for the most fashion-forward bridal party

Even for the most casual wedding party, a bow tie can be so jazzy

Colored, patterned or textured pocket squares will complete a suit jacket

Consider a nice belt to keep those trousers up :)

Until next time...WEDologize!

(photo credits: www.brides.com; www.americanapparel.net; www.bubblybride.com; www.marthastewartweddings.com; www.the-perfect-necktie.com)

Budgeting Beyond The Wedding Gown

I know the defining moment for a bride...when it really hits home that she's going from a Miss to a Mrs is when she says YES TO THE DRESS!  It's a physical reaction unlike any other, at least that's what I've been told :)  But please don't get caught up into thinking that the wedding gown + tax is it for your journey when making selections about what to wear and how to look on wedding day.  There are plenty other components that must be added to the portion of your budget called...WEDDING ATTIRE.

For those of you reading the magazines and surfing the Internet, it's said that the 10-15% of the entire wedding budget should go towards wedding attire.  Please understand, that this figure includes both you and your groom, although the biggest bulk of the monies does go towards the bride and her look of the day.  Consider the WEDDING ATTIRE checklist below when making budget decisions:

Bridal gown

Alterations

Headpiece or veil

Jewelry (not your wedding bands)

Undergarments

Shoes

Hair Stylist

Make-up Artist

Manicure/Pedicure

Spa Treatments

Groom's Formal Wear, including shoes and undergarments

Until next time...WEDologize!


(photo credit - www.vsphoto.com)

Hanging Up The Gown

The bridal gown is the most photographed garment in the pre-ceremony/detail shots. You'll see photos all over the Internet of the wedding gown positioned over a bed, in a doorway, hanging in a closet, and from a chandelier. You'll see the bridal shoes and accessories in accompanying photos, but have you ever noticed the hanger from which the bridal gown hangs? I mean think about it, doesn't it show up in all of the shots. Don't allow it to be a non-noticeable...allow it to stand out!

Get matching personalized hangers for both the bride and groom

This hanger speaks volumes

What's more perfect than a hanger noting your new name!

What a GREAT gift for you bridesmaids and a perfect keepsake to remember the day

Until next time...WEDologize!

(photo credit - www.bridefinds.com; www.flourisheventdesign.com; www.weddingobsession.com; www.getmarried.com)

For The Boys (Day#28)

I know the WEDology Blog is pretty much geared towards women planning a wedding or event. But today I wanted to focus on an idea of jazzing the men up on wedding day.  When considering the options for the groom and groomsmen, there isn't a whole bunch you can do with a rented tuxedo outside of a distinctive boutonniere, vest, bow tie and/or tie.  But let me retract that statement and say...there is one more fun thing the groom can do to stand out on his wedding day.

Socks play an important roll for the groom and his men on wedding day.  In order to wear those shiny shoes, or whichever style is selected, it's imperative that men wear socks!  Now consider spicing them up  with prints, words or a distinctive color for this once in a lifetime day!

Until next time...WEDologize!

(photo credits: www.mibrideandgroom.com; www.brianharte.co.uk)

Shoes Have Personality, Too (Day#17)

I love those small touches that an excited bride makes to her attire to show off her personality!  From the gown, to the veil, to the accessories, to her hair and make-up, everything for her "perfect" day must be flawless. Now being the shoe woman that I am, there is one tiny detail that I'm seeing regularly from these fashionistas - shoe language.  I've coined the term simply because brides are adding sayings and phrases to the soles of their wedding shoes. From hand written words with a Sharpie marker to decals purchased from a store or online...I'm simply loving this personal statement!  Check out some of the shoe language below:

One of our May 2011 brides could not have said it better

How about the day you were "established" as husband and wife

How fun is it to add your new last name to your new shoes

Until next time...WEDologize!

(Photo credits:  www.vsphoto.com; www.weddingbee.com; www.etsy.com)

Just A Little Lace (Day#12)

What do you think of when I mention the words "Romance", "Old World", "Glamorous", Vintage", "Traditional", and "Timeless"?  Well I'm hoping the word LACE, but if that didn't happen for you...go along with this post anyway.

As a bride, you'll find lace on wedding gowns, veils, shoes and accessories, but what about your wedding cake?  Consider taking a scrap piece of lace from your altered wedding gown and have them replicate the design onto your reception confection. Check out these cake beauties:

Until next time...WEDologize!

(photo credits - www.jaytsayphotography.com; www.theknot.com; www.thecakelist.com)

What's In Her Bridal Bag

Sometime during wedding day, I'm possession of the bride's clutch or purse. This dainty bag holds the personals of the bride for her very special day...but she must select carefully as these "purses" are typically small and held easily in the hand. Below I've made some suggestions on what to include:

A bride MUST have her favorite lipstick or lip gloss on hand to keep her lips lush. I'm a lover of Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush lip gloss. The shines lasts for hours and so does the yummy flavor.

Keep a few blotting sheets like these you can purchase at Sephora to remove the shine from your face and give you that matte complexion for photographs.



A bride should carry a trial or travel size of the perfume they are wearing on wedding day. With all the hugs, her wonderful fragrance is bound to wear off.



Along with your lip gloss, put a mirrored make-up compact in your clutch to re-touch your make-up after all the hugs and kisses.

And to wipe away those tears of joy and affection, a handkerchief looks much better than a ball of tissue.

Until next time...WEDologize!

(photo credits: http://www.weddingbycolor.com/; http://www.victoriassecret.com/; http://www.sephora.com/; http://www.clinique.com/; http://www.dejanaeevents.cceasy.com/)

Wedding Gown Varieties

Some of my favorite department stores have stepped into the bridal attire game. I simply love that idea because in some cases the gowns are more affordable, but still offer the style and elegance of boutique-purchased wedding gown.

Ann Taylor, one of my favorite stores for business and cocktail attire, offers a variety of simple, yet elegant gowns that would be great for a church ceremony of destination wedding.

http://www.anntaylor.com/

J Crew, one of the stores of love for my casual and sports attire, offers a wide range of wedding gowns for the traditional, sophisticated or fun & flirty bride.

http://www.jcrew.com/wedding/Wedding_Bride/gowns.jsp

Today...Valentine's Day...Anthropologie will be launching a line of GORGEOUS wedding gowns they have called BHLDN.

http://www.bhldn.com/

And now the Queen of Wedding Gowns is offering an afford line at David's Bridal!!! White by Vera Wang has created some of the loveliest gowns for the budget-chic bride and the dress below just happens to be my fav!

http://www.davidsbridal.com/Browse_Bridal-Gowns-Shop-By-Designer-White-by-Vera-Wang

Until next time...WEDologize

It's In The Clutch

Now that your wedding gown is ordered, you are on the hunt for those fab accessories to accent your dream dress. Of course your first thoughts are the veil, shoes, jewelry and undergarments, but what about the bag you will carry your personal items like lip gloss, breath mints, etc. Instead of the satin money bag, who's usefulness is for collecting cards, what about a glamorous, but dainty clutch.

Clutches also make awesome attendants gifts. And for the more contemporary bride, consider adding a fresh flower to the clutch and have your bridesmaids carry the that instead of a bouquet.

Until next time...WEDologize!

(Photo credits - Melissa Wedding Art, www.weddingobsession.com; www.thebridalwishlist.com; www.orangeandblossom.com; www.xomba.com)