Planning your wedding shouldn’t be the horror-filled stress fest that a lot of brides make it to be. Find a friend or a sister to help you and your fiancé to plan your big day. It also helps to have a to-do list that is organized into a timeline so you’ll know how much needs to be done and exactly when it should have been done. That way you won’t encounter last-minute problems. The list looks long, but keep in mind that these activities are over a 9-12 month period.

A sample wedding to do list/timeline checklist:

Upon Engagement:

• Decide on a budget
• Establish the wedding’s basic details: formal or informal? Indoors or outdoors? Beach or garden? Which town are you going to have your wedding?

9-12 Months Before:

• Set a date
• Check legal requirements (i.e. marriage license requirements, passport applications if planning a destination wedding, etc.)
• Choose your wedding entourage
• Draft a guest list. Start with the ones you absolutely want to be there.
• Book the ceremony and reception locations, as well as photographers and videographers (particularly if you’re booking hard-to-get ones)
• Start discussing honeymoon plans
• Set up a bridal registry

6-9 Months Before:

• Finalize guest list. Upon finalizing you may also choose to send out save the date cards if desired which will be sent prior to the formal invitations
• Order invitations
• Book hair and makeup appointments for the big day. You may also want to book several trial sessions before choosing one that you feel is best for your wedding
• Order your gown, or at least start shopping for it. If having a gown made, meet up with the designer. Also start discussing your attendants’ outfits
• Choose shoes and accessories
• File time off from work for your honeymoon
• Book honeymoon flights and accommodations
• Discuss wedding cake details with baker and order your cake

4-6 Months Before:

• Choose menu for your reception
• Start sending out invitations (hire a calligrapher to address the envelopes or do it yourself), not forgetting to insert directions to the ceremony and reception
• If planning a destination wedding, ensure that you and your fiancé as well as your entourage has secured passports and visas

2-4 Months Before:

• Meet your attorneys for any legal changes to your name, policies, bank accounts, etc. Discuss pre-nuptial agreements if desired
• Order wedding bands and engravings for them
• Order wedding favors
• Choose gifts for your entourage
• Finalize the groom’s attire, as well as for his groomsmen

2 Months Before:

• Mail invitations
• Have programs, menus, and place cards printed
• Check with your entourage if they have their outfits and shoes in order
• Update your wedding registry
• Schedule a tasting with your caterer and finalize the menu

1 Month Before:

• Write your vows
• Attend final dress fitting and bring your shoes and accessories with you to see if everything fits together
• Call vendors and confirm wedding day details

2 Weeks Before:

• Create a seating chart for your reception and fill out place cards
• Confirm honeymoon reservations; make a deposit
• Contact guests who have not RSVP’d yet

1 Week Before:

• Provide guests with contact details and complete directions to venues
• Have your dress delivered or arrange for pick up
• Break in your shoes (very important!)
• Organize vendor payments in envelopes
• Pack for your honeymoon (if leaving immediately after the ceremony)
• Get a facial and confirm hair and makeup appointments

1 Day Before:

• Hand rings to the best man
• Get a manicure

Day of the Wedding:

• Eat (do not forget this. You don’t want to be a hungry bride)
• Have hair and makeup done
• Get dressed

Picking out stuff for your bridal registry should be started soon, like a month after getting engaged. And don’t register for just one. Signing up for multiple bridal registries are the trend among couples, probably because it allows them to choose exactly what they want as well as giving their guests options with regards to items and price ranges. It’s nice that everything from Target to Macy’s to Neiman Marcus has bridal registries, so you really have a choice.

Before signing up for any bridal registry, you and your fiancé need to do an inventory of what you need or what you would like to upgrade amongst your stuff. Basic items to register for include dinnerware, flatware, and linens. Be sure to visit stores in person so you can check out the merchandise yourself. You always have to check if they are value for your money. You can take note of which items you like and then register online later.

There’s also a trend for less traditional bridal registries, ones that provide other gift options. There are online bridal registries that allow guests to donate to your honeymoon fund, or donate to a charity in your name. That’s certainly a very nice twist to the usual bridal registries.

The thing to remember is to not stress yourself out picking out items here and there. This is a fun activity and always remember that your loved ones are only too happy to give you the things you pick.

I did not realize that there are just so many types of wedding toppers in existence when I started researching about them.  I’m impressed by the variety and by the creativity of people that make these wedding cake toppers.  Among the toppers I saw:

Custom Toppers – do you want your cake toppers to be in the form of birds painted in the colors of your theme, and one has glasses?  Or perhaps you want them sock monkey style, dressed in Star Trek costumes?  Or perhaps you don’t want the usual couple wedding cake topper, but rather want a replica of the iconic Love Statue in Pennsylvania.  You can request that too.  Custom wedding cake toppers are limited only by your imagination.  Depending on the artist, they are made from different materials.  A lot were from wood and polymer clay.

Personalized Toppers – personalized wedding cake toppers are a bit like custom cake toppers, except that these usually have a pre-set form or face, and the artist personalizes it with different hair colors or adding the colors of your entourage to the topper.  Some may even personalize it to look similar to your gown.  The most adorable ones I saw are made from wood, but some are also made from polymer clay, ceramic, and I even saw some incorporating crochet and knitting into the figurines.

Funny Toppers – by far my favorite toppers of the bunch, and I couldn’t help laughing at the ones I saw.  At the onset they look like traditional ceramic cake toppers but if you investigate further, you’d see that they’re naughtier and funnier than their traditional cousins.  My favorites were the ones that have the bride pinching the groom’s backside and the one were the bride is pulling the groom by the leg.  These funny wedding cake toppers will surely make a humorous statement at your wedding.

Whether you pick out a custom wedding cake topper, a personalized one, a funny one, or perhaps find a way to combine all three in one cake topper, it can be rest assured that it won’t be ignored come the day of your wedding.  In fact it may even be one of the highlights.

You should know by now that wedding invitations are one of the most important parts of any wedding.  It tells people the details of your wedding and at the same time sets the mood for how the day of your wedding is going to be like.  Modern invitations can range from the very simple to the grand.  They can be custom or ready-made; they can be traditional or highly unusual.  Whatever type of wedding invitations you send out, it’s your choice.

Popular options for couples include letterpress invitations and digitally printed wedding invitations.  Letterpress invitations have that old-world appeal and still prove to charm everyone, while digital wedding invitations have a modern uniqueness about them.  Both options are equally popular among couples and are proving to be inexpensive options as more and more vendors (like Etsy, for example) are keen on providing the service.  Custom wedding invitations are made by either of these two methods, and it takes a lot of discussion between the artist and the couples before the rest are made.  Some custom ones end up to be highly unusual wedding invitations that surprise and delight the recipients.

Even more budget-conscious couples can still have wonderful invitations with ready-made affordable wedding invitations available from bookstores and stationery shops.  You may print the details on them using your home printer or you may want to brush up on your calligraphy skills and embellish the invitations yourself.

Save the Date Cards

Save the date cards are also becoming more and more common.  For some couples, they want to make sure that their loved ones are able to attend their big day, so prior to sending an actual invitation they send out a save the date card that announces that they are going to get married at a particular date with a note that an actual wedding invitation will follow.  These are sent very early on, sometimes as early as a year before the ceremony.

Some wedding invitation packages include the save the date cards to be sent prior to the invitations themselves.  Usually they look similar to the actual invitation so as to tie together a theme and have only the name of the couple and the date.

A wedding gown holds beautiful memories in all its folds. For most brides, it is a thing to be preserved and possibly even shown to their own children when they grow up, recounting all those beautiful moments which it witnessed on that special day.

Much time is spent in selecting the perfect and affordable wedding dress for the big day in your life. Hence, it makes sense to keep the wedding dress that added so much color to your wedding in proper condition.

A wedding dress, preserved in good condition, can be passed on to the coming generations as a family heirloom. This is why you must know how to take care for your beautiful wedding dress – both before and after the wedding.

1. Buy a clean, undersized, unbleached and non-dyed cotton sheet. This type of cotton sheet is easily available in the market. However, while buying make sure the cotton sheet has very little synthetic fiber.

2. Before using it, wash the cotton sheet in hot water so that any extra dirt gets vanished. Never use any type of detergent.

3. After the wedding ceremony is over, the gown should be wrapped in this cotton sheet. Avoid using a plastic gown to store your wedding dress as plastic can cause rapid oxidation of the fabric which might lead to accumulation of acid residues on your dress causing serious damage to it.

4. Store the gown in a flat position and it must be protected from direct sunlight and damp areas.

5. Within two weeks of the wedding, the wedding gown needs to be dry cleaned. If there is some sort of stain on your dress and you know about how you got it, be sure to alert your dry cleaner.

6. Select a dry cleaner that specializes in preservations of wedding gowns.

After your wedding dress has been dry cleaned, special care should be taken to ensure flawless preservation.

1. First of all buy a vacuum-sealed storage box along with archival-quality, acid-free tissue paper.

2. Use buffered archival paper for preserving a synthetic fiber gown, and for natural fiber gown, non-buffered archival paper will do.

3. Store the fabric-covered metal buttons, pins and sponge padding of the wedding gown separately as after some time metal can get oxidized and leave stains on the fabric.

4. Fold the wedding gown by putting top-quality tissue papers in between the folds to prevent it from getting permanent wrinkles.

5. And finally store the wedding dress in the vacuum-sealed storage box and make sure that it is kept in a cool dry closet, away from impurities and smoke.

6. Inspect the gown from time to time by taking it out from the box.

In today’s Internet savvy world it is not difficult to find an affordable wedding gown online but keeping it in mint fresh condition is tough. Follow the above tips and you will be able to keep your beautiful wedding dress full of memories intact for years.

SampleGowns carries a varied selection of Designer Bridal Gowns that will suit any bride’s dream for her special day. For those brides looking for affordable bridal gowns and/or informal wedding gowns, SampleGowns is the place to shop. SampleGowns also has an impressive selection of exquisite but inexpensive mother-of-the-bride and mother-of-the-groom dresses, as well as, the availability of a selection of very pretty yet inexpensive flower girl dresses. Be sure to check out SampleGowns where those in need of formalwear will find many different designers, fabrics, and colors to choose from at a fraction of the cost!

The availability of sample bridesmaid dresses, prom dresses, and evening gowns may also be found at SampleGowns at great savings. Women will look like they spent a fortune on their dress for any special event, when in fact they didn’t!

The superb aspect of SampleGowns is that all gowns are in stock and are available for immediate shipment! If you have an immediate need for a wedding dress, or an evening gown for a special occasion, or for a mother of the bride or groom, or a flower girl, take a look at our inventory.

Another aspect of SampleGowns is a complete listing of stores near the consumer where the customer will also find wedding gowns, formal dresses, flower girl dresses, and mother’s dresses at super savings. These stores have a unique tag attached to the gown which indicates the gown is drastically reduced so customers will spot them immediately. For those gals worried about internet buying of a gown sight-unseen, this method is a perfect alternative.

We have listed here a variety of dress styles to compliment any figure to help you with your shopping experience at SampleGowns.

A-Line – The classic A-line style will flatter and slender almost any figure and is characterized by the fitted bodice with no waist but gently flares at or near the natural waistline.

Ball Gown – This classic and elegant style has a fitted bodice with the traditional full skirt.

Mermaid – Not for every shape, but beautiful on the not-so-hippy girls. Fitted tightly through the bodice, hips, and legs and flares at the bottom.

Sheath – These gowns are very fitted and almost tube-like in appearance.

Basque Waist – Waistline dips below natural waist forming a ‘V’ in the center Dropped – Waistline dips below natural waistline and sits more on hips Empire – High waistline just under bust Princess Cut – Many wedding gowns, especially A-lines, have no defined waist Natural – Waistline sits between the empire and dropped waistlines.

Empire – A flattering bodice that ends just below the bust, this style looks great on pregnant brides and petite women alike.

Jewelry is a part of the bridal ensemble that should be chosen very thoroughly. The day after the wedding you put your gown and veil into a box, but jewelry is to be enjoyed over the years.

Many would-be brides are at a great loss when choosing jewelry pieces for their big day. Finding something beautiful, matching and becoming is never easy.

It’s not as difficult to choose the bridal jewelry as it may seem at first. The second thing is to decide whether you want to wear your bridal jewelry after the wedding day. If so, opt for something neutral, the jewelry you can combine with your evening gowns or office clothes if work takes most of your time.

In case you really want to have a big day where you play the part of the queen and are ready to pay for that, don’t agree for less than jewelry masterpieces, better if they are made exclusively for you by jewelry designers.

Remember that balance is the key. Don’t make your image too heavy by wearing too sparkling dress if your jewelry is a statement in its own. Don’t afraid to seem plain. A seemingly simple wedding gown is not a faux paus. On the contrary, skill to combine and compliment clothes, jewelry and accessories is one of the most essential laws of style.

Don’t forget the second style basics. Less is really more!! If you’ve decided on long dangling earrings don’t put a necklace on, otherwise it will look too heavy. Vice versa, in case you have a statement-like necklace, opt for small stud earrings. Your hair style is to take into consideration as well. First, make an appointment with your hairstylist and discuss what you want for the wedding day, and only then shop for your bridal jewelry.

Make the most of what you have!

Bridal gowns may also be worn during a “white marriage” or most popularly known in France as “mariage blanc” which is a marriage of convenience. This marriage is commonly done in order to support or salvage one of the primary people of the marriage from harm and/or prosecution. Mariage blanc is rarely consummated and most often is annulled especially when the specific danger to the primary has already passed. Also, this should not be confounded with a “lavender marriage” or marriage made for financial reasons. A bride in this marriage also wear a bridal gown but the wedding is usually done to hide the homosexuality of at least one partner thus it is also called the mixed-orientation marriage. If one of the party is straight or not a homosexual, that person is either referred to as the “beard” which is a female term or “merkin” as the male term depending of the gender. Lavender marriages are also commonly called marriages of convenience.

Another type of marriage where the bride wears Brooklyn bridal gown is the Hollywood marriage which originally meant a marriage between Hollywood celebrities but then grew to also have strong implications of short lived marriages that usually end up in divorce or separation.

I have managed to list some of the beach side issues that should be taken care off so as not to get surprised unpleasantly on your special day. Just think about these issues and plan for them a few days ahead of your wedding date.

1.The first thing to take care off while planning your beach wedding is the time of the year you are deciding to have your beach wedding in. Remember that beach weddings are absolutely beautiful but nature does provide an element of uncertainty. Depending upon the season of the year it can be grateful to brighten your day or can rain on your parade. Thus make sure that you also decide an alternate location if any such unexpected conditions arises on your wedding day on the beach.

2.It is better to visit and check out your beach location specifically during the time you have planned to have your wedding. You may want to try and guess when sunset will hit, or decide if a morning ceremony is more your style.

3.If you are planning your wedding on a public beach location, check with local town authorities for any rules or regulations that may be in place. Secure any needed permits before trying to use a public beach for your beach wedding ceremony.

4.Be very particular about the wedding day dresses and attires that the bride and the groom are going to wear on their wedding occasion. Adoring the simplest wedding apparels and beach wedding gowns with inherent elegance can be the best option to keep you cool and comfortable under the hot beach sun. Some of the common materials that make great beach dresses and attires are organza, linen, cotton, chiffon, georgette and crepe.

5.Beaches are usually hot during the day and cold during the nights. Thus make sure that you have enough arrangement for yourself and your guests to protect them from hot sun during the day and cool breezes during the night.

Beach weddings are quite cheaper as compared to the costs incurred while arranging a traditional wedding occasion. Thus if you do not wish to face unnecessary financial burden you can wonderfully arrange a beach side wedding and enjoy more than you could have enjoyed in your traditional formal wedding.

Wedding veils were used before the traditional wedding gown and was included in the standard wedding attire in the 1900s. No one seems to have a definitive answer as to exactly when wedding veils came about though. There also is a great deal of mystique and lore surrounding the origins of the veil and the different Christian and secular meanings behind it.

There are religious faiths that require the wearing of wedding veils. This practice follows traditions practiced in biblical times, but not all religions have this requirement and not everyone has the same viewpoints on how religion plays into the wearing of wedding veils.

Many people choose to mix religion, traditions, and new concepts into their weddings. There is a trend towards giving the bride greater liberty to express herself and her personality during the process of choosing wedding invitations, decorations, and food selections. Picking out a style of wedding dress and choosing the apparel that the bridal party wears also falls under this current trend.

Many women choose to wear wedding veils because there is a long held belief that it is bad luck for the groom to see his bride before the exchanging of vows. Another thought process surrounding wedding veils is that concealing a bride behind a veil is for hiding her exquisite beauty from her man until he has earned the right to bask in her beauty by marrying her. Brides have traditionally worn white to symbolize virginity and other virtuous traits a woman possesses. The rules have been relaxed on this over the years; however, brides today wear gowns and veils in a variety of colors from lively to more subdued styles.

It is traditional for a groom to lift his bride’s veil after exchanging vows with one another. This is to symbolize a man taking possession of his bride although most people in modern societies do not think of it in that way anymore. Instead, it is thought of as the bride and groom becoming one union, rather than a woman becoming her husband’s property. However, some people persist in believing the roots of these older traditions.

In some African countries, men wear veils all the time starting around the age of 25 to ward off evil spirits. In contrast, many African women do not typically wear veils for weddings. Muslim women wear headscarves. Japanese women wear headdresses, headscarves, or head wraps. Nuns wear head coverings called wimples.

There are many types of veils that all have different meanings. However, they are sometimes confused with the traditional wedding veil. A wedding veil is said to be a symbol of modesty and innocence, and veils worn by dancers are said to be symbolic of sexuality.

Shopping for bridal attire including wedding veils is made simpler thanks to the wide world web, which offers up a wide selection in styles, sizes, lengths, colors, and prices to fit every bride’s budget and tastes. You can get ideas from comparing different styles and prices without leaving your house. Browsing wedding veils online also allows you to experiment with color options. Ordering wedding apparel, accessories, gifts, invitations, and other wedding related items online can save a lot of time, emotional episodes, and money. It is recommended to check the internet because most online retailers also have a brick and mortal store, which has the same products. You can find the veils that you like online then purchase it at the store depending on when you need it.

It is not mandatory to wear a veil at your wedding, but many brides choose to because the veil is so ingrained into the traditional setting of a wedding. You can wear a veil even if your wedding is more modern than traditional. There is no rule against mixing some older traditions with the new ones you may create with your wedding. It might be interesting to know some of the meanings behind the wearing of the traditional wedding veil. However, your focus should be on savoring every possible moment of this glorious event in your life.

One advantage of using dyeable shoes for a summer wedding is that you will be able to shop for a shoe style that you like, without having to worry about the available colors.  As long as you shop for shoes in dyeable fabrics, you will be able to turn them into any color. In recent years, dyeable shoes have made strides toward more modern styles. Now, you can find unique and gorgeous dyeable shoes complete with accents such as rhinestones, sequins, and other decorations. These decorations will not be effected at all by the strong dye. However, if the dye does get on these parts of the shoe, it will be extremely easy to remove.  You will be able to have a wide variety of shoe designs available, even if you plan on incorporating the bright and bold colors of the summer months.

Dyeable wedding shoes generally feature a satin-like white finish before they are dyed. Therefore, even if you are looking for a basic white shoe, dyeable shoes can be a great choice as is.  Many summer brides worry that they will not be able to find the perfect shoe to accompany their shorter wedding gown. The texture of the white dyeable material will make for beautiful shoes in the style of your choosing that match any summer ensemble.

You can also use dyeable shoes to complete the perfect bridesmaid outfits as well.  By limiting the amount of time that the shoes are in contact with the dye, you can lighten the end result of the dyeing process. If you find that the color is not quite as dark or rich enough as you hoped, then you can always reapply the dye for just a few moments longer, in order to add a little bit more intensity to the hue that you have produced. Depending on the style of bridesmaid dresses that you have chosen, you can find any dyeable shoe style to match it perfectly. Styles such as flat sandals with a pearl cluster ornament, high heel crisscross peep toes, or closed toe low heel pumps with a rhinestone ornament can all be perfect accompaniments to that summer gown.

If you are searching for shoes for your outdoor wedding, you should strongly consider investing in dyeable shoes for you and your wedding party. If your wedding is going to take place in an area with tall grass, for example, it is very possible that undyed shoes may end up picking up a few grass stains during the course of the wedding.  While this is, not by any means, going to be noticed by most people, you want to be aware of the possibility. Instead of using dyeable shoes to achieve a white satin finish on your wedding footwear, consider dying them a pale color that hides unwanted stains more efficiently. Colors such as bisque, buttercup, or banana are all pale and beautiful colors associated with the summertime that can help to shield stains. If you are trying to achieve a bolder summer look, consider dying your shoes any color from watermelon to Palm Beach coral or cypress, depending on your wedding theme.

When dying your shoes for your summer wedding, it is very important that you rinse all of the dye out of the shoes before the actual wedding date arrives. If any of the dye remains in the shoes, then it is possible that excessive sweating from the increased heat of the summer could cause the dye to bleed, potentially dying your skin if the shoes you have chosen are open-toed.

Excessive dye can also result in staining parts of your wedding gown and other accessories.  A similar situation could occur if you are caught in a sudden summer rain shower with dye that has not been completely washed out of your shoes.  If you think you have gotten all of the dye out of your shoes, take an extra minute to rinse your shoes at least one more time.