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As a wedding photographer in new England that shoots around the country I often get many questions about other parts of the wedding day and needs. I refer to many great sites for answers if I don’t know them and below you’ll find one. So from a wedding photographer in Ct. you get some wedding gown tips…
PERFECT WEDDING DRESSES
Choosing wedding dresses is one of life’s most pleasurable dilemmas. Getting it right, however, takes some planning – and a little expert advice. Here’s a crash course in bridal wear.
Your wedding dresses provides a chance to dress completely different than you do on any other day in your life, so feel free to pursue your bridal fantasies when you start shopping. Experiment with different styles to see what suits your figure, and don’t rule anything out based on how it looks on a hanger — many wedding dresses look odd without a figure filling them out.
How formal is your wedding? Generally, the more formal the wedding, the more formal the bride’s wedding dresses. Also, keep the season of your wedding in mind, since some wedding dress fabrics might be too heavy or light for certain times of the year.
Consider your comfort, both physical and emotional. All eyes will be on you throughout your big day, so this might not be the best occasion to wear your first strapless wedding dresses. And a body-skimming sheath won’t let you kick up your heels on the dance floor as freely as you might like. In each wedding dress you try on (and later at the actual fittings), try sitting, dancing, and hugging. Wave your arms around to make sure the shoulders and sleeves aren’t binding. Pay attention to weight — will wearing pounds of beading leave you exhausted? Will a full skirt present a tripping hazard? Does the wedding dresses shape cry out for a higher heel than you care to wear? In general, try to visualize yourself wearing the wedding dress throughout your ceremony and reception. When the picture is right, you’ll know it.
Have the Wedding Dress Flatter Your Figure
Wearing the right cut for your body type can highlight your best features and downplay those you’re concerned about.
The Triangle (small on top, heavier on the bottom)
The key here is to have the wedding dresses balance your proportions. Broaden and emphasize your top half with full sleeve treatments, padded shoulders, or pouf sleeves that extend your shoulder line, and a textured bodice accented with lace overlays, appliqués, and beadwork. Elongated bodices and skirts with controlled fullness will emphasize your waist and de-emphasize your hip area. Avoid set-in sleeves and narrow shoulders, skirts with side panels or excess fullness, and body-hugging sheaths — they’ll make you look disproportioned.
The Inverted Triangle (fuller on top, narrow hips)
In order to de-emphasize your shoulder area and give more width to your lower body, look for wedding gown with minimal shoulder details, simple sleeves, moderate padding, and natural shoulder lines. Simple bodices, with accents kept to a minimum, will draw less attention to your top. For better overall proportion, wear a full skirt or a style with skirt details such as peplums, bustles, sashes, and bows. Avoid wedding dresses with full sleeves, slim, straight skirts, empire waistlines, and plunging necklines.
The Rectangle (nearly equal bust and hips, minimal waist definition)
To create the illusion of curves, look for full, voluminous skirts with jewel or bateau necklines. Horizontal detailing will draw the eye across the body and combat vertical body lines, and oversized shoulders and sleeves will add width to your top and shape to your overall appearance. Avoid slim silhouettes or wedding dresses in soft, clingy fabrics that will only make you appear too thin and narrow.
The Hourglass (small waist, full hips and bust)
To maximize your curves and maintain balance, look for wedding dresses with simple, classic lines like sheaths and mermaid styles — too much detailing can make you look heavier than you really are. Show off your shoulders with off-the-shoulder sleeves, v-necklines, and strapless wedding dresses. Avoid wedding dresses with very full or ruffled skirts, pouf sleeves, highly detailed bodices, and high necklines that cover the shoulder area and minimize the bust.
Camouflaging Concerns
Petite figures are lengthened in controlled-but-full skirts with minimal details. Basque waistlines, simple sleeves, modestly detailed shoulders, vertical pleating, and a-line or princess silhouettes elongate the torso and add height. For slim petites, the sheath or mermaid style is ideal.
Full figures look best in fitted v-neck bodices and dropped v-waistlines. Full skirts camouflage hips and thighs and shoulder pads make waists look smaller. Styling details around the neckline draw the eye up. Long sleeves tapering toward the wrist slenderize arms; avoid strapless or sleeveless wedding dresses which only emphasize fullness. Opt for wedding dresses where the fabric drapes gracefully to the floor instead of ones that are form-fitting, body-hugging.
Minimize a thick waist with an empire waistline. Princess-style wedding dresses elongate a short waist and lengthen the torso. Long waists look shorter when the waistline is cut above the torso, as in a basque-waist wedding gown. To slim heavy hips, try a full-but-controlled skirt without bows, flounces, or ruffles.
A full bust is flattered in an off-the-shoulder portrait or v-neckline with minimal detailing. Small busts look larger when accentuated with intricate details and on-the-shoulder necklines.
Finishing Touches
Once you’ve chosen a wedding gown, the salon will order it and then custom-fit it to your body once it arrives. Typically, you’ll require three fittings before your wedding gown is ready. It’s best to bring the lingerie and shoes you’ll wear with your wedding dress to your fittings so that you can see how the entire ensemble looks together. (If you’re not sure what kind of undergarments your wedding dress requires, ask your fitter for advice.) It’s also a good idea to bring your mother or maid of honor to your second or final dress fitting so she can learn how to help you get into your wedding gown and how to bustle your train, if necessary.
Even if your wedding dress is ready well in advance, resist the urge to pick it up until the week of your wedding. Your bridal salon is better equipped to store your wedding dress properly than you are, and you wouldn’t want it to get wrinkled or crushed in your closet.
No Regrets: Finding The Perfect Wedding Dress
Don’t make up your mind for or against any wedding dress without trying it on. Hangers just don’t do justice to some wedding dresses, and others may not flatter your figure as you’d hoped.
It’s nice to bring your mother or maid of honor along for a second opinion (and some major bonding) while wedding gown shopping, but make sure you stay true to your own style and aren’t swayed by their comments, or by those of the salespeople. Do not allow yourself to be talked into anything — if you’re not positive about a wedding dress, keep looking.
Don’t worry if you feel a touch of buyer’s remorse after you choose your wedding dress — it’s a big commitment and it’s natural to wonder if you made the right choice. Focus on how you felt when the wedding dress was on and you realized it was the one, and the doubts will fade away.
Top trends:
- Bare arms. The look of the moment is sleeveless, with a tank bodice or narrow straps, regardless of the season. Strapless wedding dresses are also popular, often paired with a wrap made of a length of sheer fabric.
- A-line, sheath and bias-cut shapes. Cinderella is dead, done in by simpler, sleeker columns and more natural silhouettes.
- High-quality fabrics. Simpler styles demand finer fabrics. High-quality silk satins, peau de soie and crepe have the necessary substance to fall gracefully.
Sweeping veils, headpieces. A long trail of tulle makes the ideal counterpoint to today’s smoother wedding dresses. The same goes for headpieces, now available in an array of lustrous, contemporary designs.
Wise brides have budgets
Often brides end up spending more for their wedding dress than they intended. The industry is geared to make it happen. In a shop filled with wedding dresses between $800 and $5,000, a $2,000 price tag can look like a bargain. Determine your budget before you set foot in a bridal shop and stick to it. What to expect in your range:
$500 and under. Brides with small budgets have more options than you might imagine. Outlets and discount houses are obvious sources of low-budget bridal wear. Brides low on funds but high on ingenuity troll vintage shops and online mail-order sources for bridal bargains. And non-traditionalists often find that a few hundred dollars buys a knockout evening gown that’s better made than bridal wear at twice the price (see Anything goes).
$500 to $1,500. The zone where what you get for your dollar varies most, depending on where you buy. At mainstream retail shops, brides will find many designer labels for under $800, usually in good-quality synthetics. Above that threshold, most wedding dresses are made of silk. Popular heavy silk satins commonly command $1,000. Discount outlets and mail-order houses frequently sell the same styles for 20 to 30 percent less. Another excellent option: custom-made bridal wear. Most brides don’t realize that independent couturiers can design a one-of-a-kind, made-to-measure wedding dress for less than designer gowns of similar or inferior fabrics and quality. Why? No advertising, no middleman.
$1,500 and up. Wedding dresses this costly should be made of excellent fabrics, drape beautifully and exhibit carefully finished seams and handwork. Retail shops offer countless designer gowns in this range, but unless you crave labels, it makes more sense to have a dress custom made for you. You’ll get more for your money. Full service bridal shops usually offer custom gown design. Independent couturiers – often artists of supreme skill – are an even better bet.
Three low-budget tips:
1. Embellish an off-the-rack dress. Hire a seamstress to add trimmings, or do it yourself.
2. Wear something borrowed. Have your mother’s, grandma’s, sister’s or aunt’s dress fitted to you.
3. Order a designer bridesmaid gown in ivory or white.
The above article is from www.mrsparty.com
Some may wonder, you’re wedding photographer in Ct. or a destination wedding photographer. What do you know about having, of all things, a bachelorette party. Well ya see, as a wedding photographer I do a ton of research non-stop about weddings, tips for weddings, ideas for weddings, wedding themes and more. See, being a wedding photographer doesn’t mean my job stops there because I believe in helping across the board. And recently, one of my brides, who I must say just got a stunning wedding dress from J. Crew, asking me about her bachelorette party. At first I wasn’t sure what to think, then it hit me… Tell her what you know and what you don’t, go find the answers.
SO… A Bachelorette Party, I mean come on, you’re probably going to hear about things that happened at the bachelor party so why not have your own. And I’m not talking about a diamond crusted Tiara with an oiled up stripper… (unless that’s what you want)… I’m talking some other great options. So here we go. From your wedding photographer to you…
First off, when does it take place. Really anytime through your engagement. But you should be sure to keep it clear from the last week of hectic planning. So it just comes down to when all the girls can get together. Which may not be easy with bridesmaides generally spread across the country. And with them, one has to wonder who’s in charge. Really anyone that wants to grab the reins can go for it! And anyone who wants to help can jump right in…
Who comes, anyone you’re close to. They don’t have to be on the wedding list but should be close pals and no more than about 20. And that may even be over kill…
It seems like they don’t really stand still. The bachelorette party seems to always be on the move. From bars to clubs to movies and more. But don’t forget about other ways of celebrating that may be just as much and at times more fun!!!
Kayaking trip, resorts, spas, beaches!!! All make for great times!
Some ideas and trends:
OK – so you’re not the table dancing, inflatable phallus type of bachelorette. Relax – there are plenty of other ways to celebrate your final send-off. Here are some g-rated bachelorette party alternatives:
Adventure Bachelorette – go hiking, rafting, horseback riding, or camping.
Spa Party – gather the girls for some serious pampering
Fondue Party – or any other style of intimate dinner party (fondue just seems to make things more fun!)
Beach Weekend – enjoy some sun, sand – plenty of tropical beverages.
Casino Night – all bets are on! Set up game tables, break out the decks, and test your luck with a roll of the dice.
Wine Tasting – hit up Napa Valley (or the nearest winery) for a day – or weekend – filled with good wine, good conversation, and good friends
So you’re ready. You’ve enjoyed the first couple weeks of your newly engaged status and you’re ready to tackle your dream day. Just remember through all of this that it’s your dream day and you shouldn’t let anyone or anything take that away from you. Take on what you can when you can and know that it will all fall into place as it should…
However, in order for everything to fall in place, you need to know what that everything is. And you can’t really determine that everything before setting up a budget. Believe me, as one of many wedding photographers across the US, we hear of budgets and try to work with budgets the best we can.
First things first, is the word around the country. And that word is about the average wedding. Maybe you’ll want to sit down for this, but the average wedding at this time is around $29,000.00. Typing that tells me why the budget is the most stressful part of the entire set, so hopefully I can share some words of advice with you to help assist your day.
First things first is setting the budget and to do so you need to sit down with everyone involved. It’s the oldschool way to say that one certain family covers the cost for everything. With the cost of weddings rising, the amount of people helping on the financial side has also gone up… (thankfully)…
Now that you have come up with a realistic budget that works for everyone involved, it’s time to determine where that money is going and to allocate it to the correct pieces and parts of your day. Sit down and come up with a list of items and details that you will need for your day and how much, roughly, you’ll have to allocate to each one. (I have a great spreadsheet that I share with my brides that I would be more than happy to e-mail you. Just shoot me an e-mail and I’ll get it out your way) From there, really look at your list with your fiance and determine what the most important parts of your day would be. Much like I do as a wedding photographer with all of my brides. I don’t believe in packages A, B, or C because I don’t believe each individual couple has the same thoughts and or needs for their wedding photography.
From there, you’ll need to set up a reliable way to to account for each and every part of your wedding day and the budget. There is software out there to help with that or just a simple spreadsheet will do. But something that will keep it all under control is a must!!!
If the money is something that is already there, put it in the bank! And not in one of your pre-existing accounts but an account for your big day. That’s the only reason that account will exist. Don’t use money out of it for gas, food, or anything else. Let it accrue intrest and stay safe.
If you’re starting with nothing and need to work it up, plan on putting a piece of every paycheck into the account. And think about paying for as much as possible with a credit card that will supply frequent flier miles, cash back or another useful bonus. But what ever you do… TRACK IT ALL!!!!
Shine on,
~Tim
NEXT Wedding tip coming up – Saving $$$ tips
So I’ve decided that among the wedding tips and what not, I’m also going to throw in some photos from weddings and engagement sessions here and there. Not nearly as much as I do at my other blog located at http://tabphotographicishere.blogspot.com but I’m still going to insert some. I mean, after all, as a Wedding Photographer in Central Ct. and Southern New England I may as well insert some pictures. Not only that but today I had to turn down a wedding. Something I hate to do, but also as a destination wedding photographer serving the entire country, well, it’s something I have to do because I really don’t want to over book myself. As it is right now I seem to really be a New England Wedding Photographer or maybe East Coast Photographer more than a Ct. wedding Photographer.
Anyway… Some pictures…. Enjoy!
I can’t say as it’s an easy thing, choosing a wedding florist and all… Let’s face it though, you want flowers, you almost need flowers. So what do you do? Where do you start? What kind of flowers, what florist??? First things first, you obviously have a theme you want to go with. Colours you want to use and an over all appearance that you’re trying to make work. So go with it. But if you really want to make your day something else, ask florists about flowers you may not see every day or at every wedding. Sure, late summer into early fall you have sunflowers that are beautiful. But the rest of the year, put the work into their hands. Have things ordered. But do so in time that the flowers will actually be there. But the other key, is the florist themselves. Look at many, DO NOT CHOOSE the first one. You may see the flowers and they may look beautiful, but STOP, you’ll think that about all florists. Look at the bouquets they’ve created in the past. Look at the details of how they wrapped the stems. That’s one thing I’ve seen as a wedding photographer is the bouquets not really holding together through the night. Where at other weddings they’re as this as a brick! Ask them how long they will have the flowers before your wedding. That last thing you want is flowers that are already wilted. Ask them how they will transport them. Many florists just lay the flowers in boxes and drop them off. The flowers sit for a few hours in these dry boxes and start to wilt right then and there. My mother has done flowers for many weddings. It’s not her career, she does it out of her garage but you know what, never is a flower delivered that isn’t in water. From the bouquets to the center pieces. They’re in water until the last minute. PERIOD! I can’t say as if this was the most informative, but the point I’m trying to get across is simple. ASK QUESTIONS. A flower is not a flower is a flower… Ask where the flowers come from, how long they’ll have them pre-wedding, how they will be transported, what kind of fillers are going to be used, what is a back up plan if special order flowers don’t come through??? ASK ASK ASK…
Excerpt
I’m just a photographer that happens to love being a wedding photographer to be exact! And as a wedding photographer in Ct. I’m able to see couples from across the country wed, and not only see them, but be part of their day. And now I come across an article that was just written about the “perfect age” to get married. And I must say, after reading it and looking back on the weddings of this year that I shot, I almost agree 100%. Check out the article here and let me know what your thoughts are… http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-11-09-delayed-marriage_N.htm?se=yahoorefer
Okay, so maybe I’m not just a Wedding Photographer in MA. as a matter of fact I’m located and generally work as a Ct. Wedding photographer, HOWEVER, that has not stopped me from my “worldly” travels. At least around this part of the world! From Portland Oregon to Portland Maine weddings, I’ve been there and done them.
How does any of this possibly revolve around wedding tips? I can’t say as if it does. I just really wanted to share two things, ONE! Some pics from the Sturbridge MA. Wedding that I shot last weekend, and the second, is how I just booked a St. Augustine FL. wedding for 2009! Let alone another for 2010!!! Seriously, how I took my dream of being a photographer, let alone wedding photographer, following in my fathers footsteps with the camera, just rocks! It all just rocks! Anyway, a couple pictures from the Sturbridge MA. wedding that was held at the Publick House!
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