Shopping for your wedding dress is a significant part of your wedding journey. For some brides, this is the time when it all starts to feel real, so make sure your experience is as good as it can possibly get:
1. Take your time
Don’t rush the process. Book an appointment to go look at dresses and try them on, but don’t think of it as something you can do over lunch. You need at least two to three hours to try on as many dresses as you wish, to take your time to look at them properly and consider what they feel like. You’ll most probably be spending a large amount of money on your gown, so take your time to make a proper decision that you won’t regret.
2. Enjoy the attention
With everybody’s eyes fixed on you and all the ooh-ing and aah-ing, it can get a little overwhelming. Don’t see this as a time to feel pressured or under scrutiny, but rather as an opportunity to be spoiled and admired. And who doesn’t love that!
3. Wear the right underwear
Don’t make the mistake of wearing black underwear or a bra that doesn’t fit properly. You want to be able to see the complete look as it would be on your wedding day. Take a few options along – a strapless bra, something offering a little more support, stickies and seamless nude panties.
4. Do your homework
It’s important to know what you like, but more importantly, what you don’t like, before putting on a dress. Do some research on silhouettes, types of fabrics, lengths, colours and detail beforehand so that you don’t feel overwhelmed by all the options on the day of trying on. That said, be open to suggestions and trying on dresses you’re on the fence about. You might end up loving something you never thought you would.
5. Take your own shoes
You need to be able to walk comfortably while wearing your dress, so if you already have your wedding shoes, take them along. If not, take something with a similar heel and height of the shoe you’d probably go for to get the best idea of what’s going to work. This is also important for making sure the length of the dress is right for you.
6. Be realistic
A multi-layered dress with tons of hand-stitched jewels and paperthin straps might look beautiful on the hanger, but if you’re blessed in the bust department, you may need something with a little more support up top. Be realitic about what fits your body type and will flatter you the most instead of setting your sights on something that just won’t work.
7. Set a budget beforehand
You absolutely need to be clear about what you can afford before even setting foot in the shop. Tell your consultant before he/she makes any suggestions so that they can’t force any higher price on you. This might give you slightly less options, but will avoid you setting your heart on a dress that you just can’t afford. Also, don’t be afraid to negotiate – if you don’t ask, the answer will always be no.
8. Don’t bring a crowd
Your entire wedding party and their ancestors don’t have to be at your fitting. Everyone has an opinion, and this will just add fuel to your anxiety fire. Take along a bridesmaid, a family member or a friend who knows you and who’s opinion you trust. You want your confidant(s) to be honest with you, but also respect your wishes.
9. Don’t put pressure on yourself
If you’re wanting to lose weight before your wedding, good on you, but don’t let this drive you insane. Don’t put pressure on yourself to fit into a 6 if you’re normally a 10. You can always have a dress altered to make it smaller, but not vice versa. Also, don’t put pressure on yourself to find something immediately or at the first shop you set foot in. Give yourself ample time to shop around and try out as much as possible.
10. Timing is everything
If you’re getting married in a year, now is the time to start booking appointments. If you want to get a dress custom made, you need to give your designer enough time to make the dress, as well as do any alterations if necessary. If you’re buying off the rack, don’t rush it. Shop around and make sure you’re confident in your decision, but also make provision for any alterations, so that you know your dress will be completely ready a month in advance.
Image: Unsplash
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By Keenan Martin
Traditionally, wearing white to someone else’s wedding would be a definite no-no, but as weddings become more contemporary, modern brides will often not even always wear white themselves, and wearing white if you’re not the bride seems to be less of a taboo, too. With that said, it’s always a good idea to ask the bride for permission, but we know how stressful weddings can be and those daring enough to bother the bride days before her wedding are braver than the marines. So we’ve put together four ways to wear white to someone else’s wedding, tastefully.
Layering
If white is going to be your main colour for your ensemble, try and break it up with some colour-blocked layering. Opt for coloured jackets, coats or shoes so you have something that will draw attention away from the fact that you’re wearing white.
Prints
If a solid-white garment seems too inappropriate, why not opt for a white-based print instead. Bold prints with vivid colours help make the overall whiteness of your ensemble less apparent.
Silhouettes
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It’s slightly easier to get away with wearing white at someone else’s wedding if the silhouettes and fabric of your outfit steer clear of those of traditional dresses, or whatever the bride and bridesmaids might be wearing.
Accessories
Pile on the bold and colourful accessories – and watch your outfit transform as you make your white ensemble the canvas for the main attractions.
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Cody Williams, the youngest child of the late and great Robin Williams, honoured his father by getting married on Robin’s birthday, July 21. The beloved comedian and actor would have been 68. Cody married his long-time sweetheart Maria Flores at his childhood home.
Yellow roses were held before a lit candle in remembrance of Robin and other late loved ones.
Cody’s sister Zelda shared the news over Instagram in a post in which she explained why July 21 is such a meaningful date for her. She stated that this date was also the last time she saw her dad before his passing. It became a tough day to remember but with the nuptials of her younger brother, it has brought a new, joyous meaning.
Robin Williams took his own life on August 11, 2014. The actor was known for his roles in Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), Dead Poets Society (1989), Aladdin (1992), and Mrs Doubtfire (1993).
He is survived by his children Zachary Pym Williams, Zelda Rae Williams and Cody Alan Williams. Zachary and his fiancé Olivia June recently welcomed a baby boy and named him Mclaurin Clement Williams. Mclaurin was Robin’s second name.
Picture: Instagram/Zelda Williams
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It is a great honour to be asked to be a bridesmaid as it means the bride values you so much they want to include you in their celebrations. This role does, however, entail more than standing up for them on their special day.
Along with paying for a bridesmaid’s dress (hopefully the bride won’t ask you to get something too specific so that you can wear it again on another occasion) and your hair and make-up – you will also be responsible for planning the bachelorette party and in most cases paying for it too.
Bachelorette parties are tons of fun, but can also cost a bundle. It is important to make it memorable as this may be the last time the bride gets to spend time with her friends as a singleton.
It is customary for the bridal party and others attending the bachelorette party to cover the costs of the event for themselves and the bride. Whoever is planning the event should figure out the total cost of it, including the bride’s portion, and then divide it between the attendees. The reason for the bride not paying is because she is the guest of honour.
That being said, this is the general rule for local bachelorette parties.
Another big trend is destination bachelorette parties and that comes with a new set of rules. For a destination party, each person is expected to cover their own travel and accommodation costs, including the brides’ costs. If the bride wants a destination bachelorette party, she needs to understand that the cost is exponentially larger and it is unreasonable to ask guests to cover their own costs, as well as hers. Once at the destination, any events planned will be covered by guests.
Despite the fact that the bachelorette party is a special celebration, it is not worth going broke over, especially if you still need to organise yourself for the wedding. When planning the event be mindful of the costs and try to plan something that everyone can afford.
Picture: Pixabay