Congratulations on your engagement! This is a really exciting time in your life. It’s also probably going to be a bit stressful.
During this next year, I want to walk through this process with you. I’ll give you a 12 Month Guide to planning your wedding and explain things along the way. You can start from the beginning here (click). Come back to this blog each week for the next installment.
Week 44 – Bridal Accessories
Hope that your catering and menu decisions are working out! This week we’re going to talk about bridal accessories.
The wedding dress is what most little girls dream about. But there are other items that help complete your wedding look. Here is a list of items to look at to complement your beautiful dress:
1. Undergarments. Each dress fits differently and you may not be able to wear normal underwear with it. Try on the dress with a few different bras and see if you need to purchase a different one. Similarly, some dresses need help filling out the skirt. You can purchase an underskirt, crinoline or petticoat that will add volume under the skirt to help it stand out away from the body. This is especially helpful if the dress is dragging on the ground a bit.
2. Shoes. Think through what size heel you want and how long your wedding dress is. The dress can be hemmed a bit, if needed. Shoes are often a way to show personality. Many brides choose something elegant that they wouldn’t normally wear (it is a special occasion after all). Some brides decide to add a little spunk and wear something like boots or converse. I’ve even seen brides do both. They wear the nice shoes for the ceremony and change into comfortable, funky shoes for the reception.3. Jewelry. This is a great opportunity to invoke some of the the “old, new, borrowed, blue” tradition. You can even borrow your grandmother’s blue sapphire necklace to wear with your new wedding dress and knock all of them out with two items.
4. Veil and hair accessories. Not everyone wants something in their hair, but if you do it’s important to consider how it will look with your dress. You don’t want to wear a long veil if you are wearing a tea-length dress. Veils vary in length. From long to short to you have a bird-cage (covers part of forehead), shoulder (19-22″), elbow (24-30″), hip (33-36″), finger-tip (38-45″), waltz (54-75″), chapel (90-108″), cathedral (108-120″) and royal (120+”) length veils. They come in varying colors and can be as simple or elaborate as your wedding dress.
5. Garter. This is another optional item. No, not all brides want to wear a garter and have a garter toss. Take it or leave it. But if you do wear one, have fun with it. Make it super pretty or really personalized to you and your groom.
Hope this helps you finalize your attire. Next week we’ll talk about ordering your photos to display at the wedding.
Katelyn is a certified wedding planner. She is available for consultations.
She will even meet with you on Skype to help you work through part of your wedding planning.
Click here for more information.