Pucker Up!

The kiss is the high point of most wedding ceremonies. It’s the moment where you start to celebrate the fact that the deal’s been sealed, and as such it’s both solemn and joyous.
Here are some hints to help you achieve the picture perfect wedding kiss:

1) Talk to your future spouse and decide what kind of kiss you want to do. Weddings are all about blending the personal and the public. No need to overthink, but you’ll want to make sure you’re both on the same page, especially if you’re going to do something like a dip.

2) Practice! This is one part of wedding prep everyone can get excited about. If you want to keep it classy, the kiss should not last too long, and there should be no tongue involved. Put some passion in there though- no pecks on the cheek or one second wonders! Also, decide who’ll put their hands where and which way to lean. Then you won’t have to worry on the big day.

3) Watch the lipstick- either wear something that won’t smudge or rub off, or else remember to have hankie handy!

4) Don’t just go for the gold- take a moment to look into each others’ eyes before the lip lock. Waiting a bit stretches out the moment so you can enjoy it and creates a little suspense for your audience as well!

A Lecture on Lacing

There are many bridal gowns, and even a few bridesmaids gowns, out there with lace up closure in the back. It’s a fabulous detail and can look old fashioned, sexy, or classic depending on how it’s done. Here are a few things to know when working with this type of back;

1) The way most are designed, if it fits properly the edges of the lacing should be about at your shoulder blades on top and then come all the way together or very close to it at the bottom. If you want the lacing to be wider then you can sometimes go with one size smaller, but if the lacing is too wide it can look like the gown is too small. Likewise, if you want the lacing to be narrower, you could get a gown that’s a size larger and lace it a little tighter.

2) Some people think that with a lace up back you will not need alterations, but even with the flexibility the lacing gives, most people will still need a little bit of tweaking for that perfect fit.

3) While the gown should come with a modesty panel, you can have a seamstress cut it down if you want to show some skin. You can also lace it every other loop if you want it to be more open- there are lots of little ways to play with the lacing and do something fun and unique.

Can Bridesmaids Wear White?

We’ve all seen it- we’ve either been there or seen pictures where some guest or sister or mother is wearing something that stands out just a little too much and looks like an attempt to upstage the bride. It’s not pretty. And I’ve never yet met a bride who wanted the attention to be on her bridesmaids and not on her. So this question seems almost like a no-brainer, right? Except, well… I think the answer is yes!

As always, the answer is really “Yes, if it’s done correctly.” For example, I saw the CUTEST picture in a recent magazine, I forget which one, where the bridesmaids were all in the same tea length ivory dress, and each had different accessories in shades of vibrant green: chunky necklaces and shoes. It was fresh and elegant and gorgeous. I’ve also seen pictures with floor length gowns, but they were very simple and the bride’s still stood out, no question. There’s something fun about the idea: bridesmaids were originally supposed to confuse potential evil spirits so in a way it’s really traditional if they’re in the same or a very similar color. Just make sure that if you’re doing ivory the two shades are complimentary.

Here's a link with a pretty picture:
http://www.rocknrollbride.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/bridesmaids.jpg

Hustle and Bustle

Have a gown with a train? Clueless about bustles? Here are some ideas and things to consider when talking to your seamstress. ( Most gowns do NOT come with a bustle in place, so you'll need to have one put in. A good seamstress will have ideas about the bustle too, but it’s nice to have thought through it a little before you go in.)

1) Security: Chances are, even with a bustle there may be just enough dress trailing behind that someone can step on it if they really want to, or catch a bit of the fabric, etc. So make sure that the bustle loops or hooks are reinforced as much as possible.
2) There are two main types of bustle: Standard and French. With a standard bustle, the train is fastened up to lay on top of the skirt. If you have a lot of detail on the train, this can be a good way to make sure that detail is still seen. The French Have bustle loops underneath the skirt. Sometimes one is clearly more appropriate than the other, in other cases it will be a matter of taste which type you prefer.
3) On gowns with a sheer or lacy overlay, it can work well to bustle the two layers separately. The underskirt can be pulled under in the French way, and then the overlay can be done in a standard bustle so that the fabric falls in soft folds. This can be a great way to show off the fabric and won’t look as bulky as it would if the both layers were done in the standard bustle.
4) If possible, bring whoever will be helping you with the train to a fitting so they can see how your bustle should work- they can get complicated! Practice before the big day so that you won’t waste any precious celebration time!