The Classic Bride

By Laura Firenze

What makes something a classic? It is its timeless style, easy grace, and above all, impeccable good taste. Classic is a word that gets thrown around a lot in the bridal world (second only to "casual elegance", perhaps), but it is an idea that can never be overused and can never appear dated or out of style. Here then, is your guide to the classic bride.

One of the hallmarks of a classic bride is that the gown she wears today will look just as stylish when she looks back at her wedding album in twenty years. Classic styles are meant to last; they are never faddish, trendy, or avant garde. A classic wedding gown may never be the height of fashion at any given moment, but nor will it suddenly be out of style the following year. Classic style is enduring, and not subject to the whims of current trends.

So, what exactly does a classic wedding gown look like? It is white or ivory, created from a fine fabric like pure silk, is very well-crafted, and has a cut that is appropriately demure for a bride, but not necessarily completely covered up. This style of gown may have some subtle embellishments, like a pearl border at the waist or some exquisite lace appliques, but it is not going to be covered with lots of glitz or heavy adornments. The classic bride prefers a fresher and cleaner gown, such as a simple white silk mikado strapless gown with an A-line skirt and a satin band at the top of the bodice.

If there is one thing that absolutely screams "classic bride", it has got to be pearl bridal jewelry. From the traditional strand of pearls, to the cultured pearl bridal earrings, to a simple pearl bracelet, the timeless elegance of pearls is always classic and utterly timeless. The wonderful thing about these special pieces is that their beauty and style will stand the test of time. The pearl bridal earrings that you wear for your own wedding will look just as lovely when your own daughter gets married in thirty years. That is a great reason to invest in quality pieces, because you will find them to have lasting value.

Once a classic bride has found her perfect gown and jewelry, it is time to address some of the other details that make up a wedding. The bridal bouquet is really another accessory, and so it should be designed to complement the rest of the wedding ensemble. Classic wedding flowers include roses, tulips, peonies, ranunculus, and hydrangea. The exotic nature of orchids or the super casual look of wildflowers would make them the wrong choice for a traditional bridal bouquet.

Of course, white is the most traditional color of all for wedding flowers, but a bride need not limit herself quite so strictly. Almost any color of the above flowers would make a perfect bouquet when they are arranged into a round nosegay consisting of a single type of flower. Pink is the most popular color after white, but you could also consider choices like yellow tulips, blue hydrangea, or rich red peonies (so much less cliched than red roses).

The classic bride can finish off her look with a simple veil and a fantastic pair of bridal shoes. Being a young woman with classic taste, you will find it fairly easy to winnow through the accessories that are too gaudy, or that just don't feel quite right. With your beautiful gown, lovely flowers, and perfect accessories, you will look like the picture of timeless elegance on your wedding day.

Laura is interested in wedding planning and wedding trends including jewelry,receptions and gifts. Treat yourself and your bridesmaids to classic pearl bridal earrings.

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The Beauty of Renaissance Wedding Gowns

By Scott Nichols

A wedding day is always special especially for those who are getting married and for their family and friends. For the bride and groom, this will be the happiest and most memorable day of their life. That is why preparing for the wedding is quite a hard task because they have to make sure that everything is perfect from cakes, flowers, reception, food, decorations, entourage and of course, the bride's wedding dress. Despite the many fads in wedding gowns, some brides still choose the renaissance wedding gowns because of its beauty and classic style. Although renaissance wedding gowns are hard to find, all it takes is determination to find the perfect wedding dress.

What sets the renaissance wedding gown apart from other wedding gown styles is its distinctive look. To give you an idea, these gowns look like the one women wore on King Arthur's court or even Juliet on Romeo and Juliet. But since times have changed, designers have also added some styles in the renaissance wedding gowns but the elements still stay the same. The gowns are mostly made in white or cream white. They are made with an under dress and an over-drape. The dress is tight when it gets closer to the hips and the bodice is also beaded with very detailed designed. The sleeves are free-flowing. It will surely give a princess feel to any bride who wears it.

Obtaining Renaissance Wedding Gowns

Many retailers will make a wide selection of renaissance wedding gowns for brides to choose from. Some large retailers offer many wedding supplies, bridesmaid dresses, wedding gowns but only a few selection of renaissance wedding gowns. Online retailers also have a small selection of renaissance wedding gowns, and they can only show three to four dresses in their catalog online. This is why brides who really like the renaissance clothing will find other means to get their renaissance wedding gown.

Some brides will try going through a costume store and look for a renaissance dress then find a skilled seamstress to transform the costume in to a wedding gown. But the bride has to make sure that the seamstress is very good since one wrong alteration can remove the classic style of the wedding gown. If the alterations are not made right, the renaissance look might not be there anymore. If this is the case, the bride will be disappointed and will not be happy with her wedding gown.

Another good option to go to is find a highly skilled seamstress to do the renaissance wedding gown for you. You can try looking for a renaissance wedding gown picture and show it to the seamstress to give her the look you want. She can transform the dress and add lace and beads as accents. Surely, this option will cost you more money since it is quite an effort for the seamstress. But if the bride really wants this, then it shouldn't be a problem. After all, a wedding day happens almost once in a lifetime.

CLICK HERE: Renaissance Wedding Gowns A Site Full Of Wedding Gowns & Dress Sales Wedding Gown Sales

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Scott_Nichols

A Guide to Finding Vintage Wedding Gowns

By Scott Nichols

Looking for a wedding dress is no longer a problem now, the only problem you'll encounter is what of wedding gown you like. Vintage wedding gowns are also gaining popularity over the years. Vintage wedding gowns are popular for its style and elegance. These gowns are also known to compliment almost every women. If you are a bride to be and is looking for a vintage wedding gown, you must think of some things first before purchasing any gown.

The Rules

Before buying any vintage wedding gown, you must follow some rules first. First is to make sure that you check carefully that there are no stains or rips on the wedding gown. When a wedding gown fabric has been stained, it is really hard to get it out especially if the stain has been there for years. This is also the case for rips or holes. Fabric and material of wedding gowns today are very different from before. And once there is a rip on your vintage wedding gown, it might be impossible to fix it especially finding a fabric that it almost the same as the fabric from the gown you bought.

The next rule is size. Your regular size for a wedding dress is different with your size on a vintage wedding dress so you will definitely look different in it. The general population has been growing taller and thicker while the clothing industry has been adjusting their sizes downward. That is why when looking for a vintage wedding dress, you need to look for a couple of sizes up so that the dress can fit you properly.

Another rule is keeping away from dresses that are too old because the fabric wears out through time. It is always a must that you take a lot of time when looking for a vintage wedding dress. You can also try stretching it out to see if the fabric is still in good condition. Keep in mind that any dress made before the 1900's is quite risky to buy and use on your wedding day.

One of the benefits of buying is the money you can save. That is why it is always good to have a budget when you shop for a vintage wedding dress compared to shopping for a regular wedding gown. But before you buy a vintage wedding dress make sure it fits your budget and you will not go overboard. With your budget, you will have an idea of which gowns are at your price range or not. This will also help you with the options you can choose from.

The last rule you should keep in mind is to have fun when choosing for you vintage wedding dress. Do not feel pressured and don't hurry in choosing the right gown. There are many gowns that are classic and elegant and one of them is just perfect for you.

CLICK HERE: Vintage Wedding Gowns Find Top Designer Wedding Gown SALES Today!

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When Shopping For Vintage Wedding Dresses

By Sarrah Beaumont

There is something good to be said about wearing vintage wedding dresses. They are exquisitely made and amazingly designed considering their age, not to mention that you can actually wear your "something old" and show it off!

Still, shopping for vintage wedding dresses can be easier said than done since you have to contend with various issues like stains, rust and missing parts. Not to worry though if you have your heart set on a vintage wedding dress with these tips.

Check Your Measurements
Vintage dresses are often sized differently than the more modern clothes you shop for. As such, you should be armed with a full set of body measurements, your measurements of course, from your arms to your shoulders.

Better yet, buy a corset or a girdle and put it on before fitting on the dresses. This is because most women for whom the dresses were made often wore corsets and girdles to achieve a sculpted look. Besides, it will look good to have curves on your wedding day!

Check for Stains
Some stains are harder to remove than others. If you think that a stain will not come off and it shows in a very visible area, then you probably should just walk away and look for other vintage wedding dresses.

Some tips to help you remove stubborn stains from your dream vintage wedding dresses, which is assuming that it can be removed without going to a dress restoration expert of course.

* Place your dress in a bathtub filled with either lukewarm or cold water mixed with a gentle liquid detergent. Be sure to remove metal and plastic accessories first as these can add to your restoration problems. Soak it for at least 24 hours to loosen stubborn stains and lessen yellowish discolorations.
* Remove stains with a sudsy spray solution and then gently brushing them with a toothbrush. Just don't apply a club soda solution as it will worsen the stains, even make them settle more into the dress.

Whatever you do, avoid rubbing vigorously on the fabric. It can be fragile that any drastic wringing, rubbing, pressing and cleaning performed on it can make it fall apart. And then where would you be? Perhaps, you will be saying goodbye to anything vintage, wedding dresses or not, and that would be a shame.

Check for Missing Parts
Some vintage dresses may be older than your grandmother so checking for missing parts - buttons, embroidery, ribbons, and other stuff - is a must. If you can find a store that sells vintage accessories, it will be better for your restorative efforts.

If you don't have any knowledge of such a store, try looking for possible replacements. Some stores may even carry reproductions of vintage accessories that you can use to cover up the missing parts.

If you have your bridal heart set on vintage wedding dresses but can't find one that meets your requirements in terms of it being able to withstand wear for more than 8 hours, then you can always ask to have it reproduced. There is no shame in that and you can even pass it to your daughter!

OnlineBridalShop.ca sells bridesmaid dresses - mother of the bride dresses and wedding dresses in all colors. Visit them now!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sarrah_Beaumont

Walk Down The Aisle In A Vintage Wedding Dress

By Tania Penwell

You will rarely find a girl who doesn't grow up thinking about the big day when she would tie the knot with her prince charming! Every girl loves to imagine how stunning and ravishing she would look on her wedding day! And why not? It is you day and you have every right to outshine all others present in the wedding hall!

While every bride looks special in the night of wedding day, you can make it even more special with the touch of your unique sense of style. Let others swim through the stacks of wedding gowns in the designer stores and juggle between the budget and their choice - you take the easier route to the style statement; go for vintage wedding dress.

So what is a vintage wedding dress?

As with jewelry, in the world of dresses also you will find two terms 'vintage' and 'antique' used side by side creating a good deal of confusion.

There is a little difference between these two terms.

Antique dresses are those made in 1920 or earlier. "Vintage" is a term that is generally used to refer to the dresses that were made 25 or more years ago.

What is special about vintage wedding dresses? Why should you opt for one?

Just recall the scene from Sound of music where Julie Andrews set the screen on fire in her classical bridal get up! The satins, the laces, the flare, the feminine neckline-everything makes the bride look like a character from the pages of fairy tale!

This is precisely the essence of the vintage wedding dresses-they transport you back to a forgotten era!

The vintage wedding dress becomes a must, when your wedding ceremony is based on a historical theme. The bride and groom taking the vow dressed in vintage wedding gowns and suits add drama to the entire ceremony.

Then modern couples are increasingly choosing the castles or other historical palaces as their wedding venues and in that case, only a vintage wedding dress can do justice to the whole arrangement.

There is another case when, the bride and groom go for classic dressing style-when they are passionately in love with the Hollywood classics like "It Happened One Night." These are the likes of movies that inspire today's couples to dress like the stars of the yester years.

But most important reason why you should consider buying a vintage wedding dress is: they exemplify the extra ordinary craftsmanship and exquisite details for half or less prices that you are expected to pay for an off-the-rack dress with comparable detailing.

Things to keep in mind when you are buying your dream dress

Don't get swayed away by the magical old world charm of these elegant dresses-being old means they invariably carry some imperfections like odors, slight strains, missing buttons, torn up laces and so on. But don't get worked up-they are easy to repair. While bargaining, keep these hidden costs in mind.
One thing you must be very careful of and that is the size. Always check the exact measurement; this will help you get the perfect size for your body type.

If you are buying online, deal only with renowned sellers and also read descriptions of the dress carefully.

Looking for the best place to buy vintage wedding dress? Here are some great places to start with:

• Vintage store or antique stores. Thrift stores for the 70's and 80's fashion.
• Ebay makes a reliable source for vintage dresses.
• The Frock.com for higher end items.
• Vintagegown.com for high end, exclusive items.
• VintageVixen for budget conscious. One advantage of this shop is they sell deadstock dresses that have never been worn.
• Isadora's for excellent quality items, but the stock is not exactly large.

So you'll find that it's not too difficult to take your vows in a classic setting for a truly beautiful occasion!

Tania Penwell provides information on vintage wedding dresses and other kinds of wedding dresses & bridal gowns for The Wedding Blogger - your guide to weddings online.

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