PRESENTED BY BERKSCOUNTYWEDDINGS.COM • VOLUME 2 • Issue 2

The Berks Bouquet

The Best of Berks County for Your Special Day...

Planning a wedding can be one of the most challenging tasks anyone can experience. The Berks Bouquet is a collection of articles and information to help you plan a fantastic wedding and reception! Enjoy...

ALL DRESSED UP
Accessories can give a gown several different looks

By Sharon Mosley

Take one bridal gown and you've got not just one look but endless possibilities. It all depends on the woman behind the veil - or tiara, or crown, antique hair clip. It's the accessories you choose for the big day that give your dress a more personal touch.

"When I listen to brides in focus groups," says Caroline Flagler, senior vice president of accessories for David's Bridal, "I do find that their own unique style really shines through. The girls who are all about the bags and the shoes are still all about the bags and the shoes on their wedding day. The ones who are simply no-fuss, no-muss types still prefer the simple approach to their wedding attire."

The ultimate accessory for the bride?

"It's got to be a headpiece," says Flagler. "Many times we see brides who say, 'I'm not a headpiece girl,' but when they try on their dress with either a veil or a tiara, they light up. It makes them feel like a princess. I mean, really, when do we get to wear tiaras? This is our chance. We really do encourage brides to experiment."

Here are four ways to accessorize one dress. We've chosen the two-piece corset style from Oleg Cassini to illustrate four personal styles of brides:

- The classic bride. She likes traditional accessories with a contemporary twist and will probably go with a cathedral-length veil, says Flagler. A cathedral veil is one of the most formal veils and can be as long as 10 feet. Pearls would most likely be her jewelry of choice - perhaps pearl stud earrings, a single strand around the neck and a demure bracelet. A classic satin clutch in ivory is a must-have and satin bridal pumps or dress sandals are de rigueur.

- The romantic bride. This bride enjoys dressing up for her wedding and might choose to wear a blusher veil that covers the face during the ceremony to provide a little bit more mystery. For the more adventurous, a veil might include colorful embroidered accents that complement the rest of the bridal party's attire. Think "Pride and Prejudice" and a crystal-encrusted headband. Crystal drop earrings and a choker-style necklace would appeal to this bride. A beaded evening bag and satin ribbon-tied heels complete this romantic ensemble.

- The princess bride. She's the queen for the day and will wear her sparkling crystal tiara with regal pride. It might be attached to fresh flowers or glisten on its own in a crown style studded with freshwater pearls. For even more options, some bridal companies like David's offer tiaras that can be detached from their frames and used as bracelets. This bride enjoys wearing pearl-and-rhinestone tiered earrings and a sterling silver locket necklace with a photograph of her new husband. A silk charmeuse drawstring pouch purse adds a charming touch. Sabrina heels or flat ballet-style shoes are this bride's choice of footwear.

- The dramatic bride. A snowy white fur wrap may be this bride's answer to the headpiece dilemma. Or she may prefer a show-stopping, large-brimmed hat. Or an antique hair clip in her hair to complement an elegant up do. Or she's the one who would wear the swirl of tulle around her face instead of a veil, or a bevy of organza flowers pinned into her hair. If she wears bold, chandelier earrings in the Art Deco style, a chunky rhinestone bracelet will be all the other jewelry she'll need unless she dons long elbow-length gloves, which always make an elegant entrance with strapless gowns. A stunning crystal-embellished handbag gives her even more sparkle and flash. Embroidered slippers or mules add an air of vintage flair. And if there's any room left for more drama - she'll consider a few feathers or angel wings to take flight down the aisle.

Visit Copley News Service at www.copleynews.com

← BCW.com Home Page | Top of Page ↑ | Related Page →

Personalize Your Wedding from Start to Finish

(ARA) - Your wedding should be a reflection of you and your spouse-to-be, and for many modern brides, the perfect wedding means one that is personalized and unique. There are many ways to customize your wedding, but it is especially meaningful if you craft some of these special touches yourself. From the invitations to your wedding gown, opportunities abound for adding individual touches to the event. Here are some ways that you can make your wedding one-of-a-kind, and create memories that will last a lifetime.

Before the Wedding

Invitations - Tradition still has its place, but brides have more options than ever before. You can personalize the invitations by choosing an image and wording that have special meaning, such as a photo of the garden where your fiance proposed. You can match your invitations to the color scheme of your ceremony. If your wedding is small, you may even consider crafting the invitations yourself. Take a cue from scrapbookers and add stitching to your invitations that echoes the embellishments on your dress. Theme weddings are once again gaining in popularity. If your wedding will have a specific theme, make sure your invitations reflect that.
Rehearsal Dinner -- It's customary to give gifts to your bridal party at the rehearsal dinner. You can make any gift more meaningful by adding a personal touch. If you are giving your bridesmaids jewelry, present it to them in lovely drawstring bags that you sew yourself in fabric that matches their dresses.

At the Wedding

Program - This is a great place to include a special touch. You can add poems that are meaningful to you, or that you and your spouse wrote for each other. You can thank friends and family for their support and help in organizing the wedding and being present to celebrate with you. You may wish to repeat some of the motifs from the invitations for continuity, or pick up decorative elements from your wedding gown.
Dress - Your wedding dress is the center of attention at the ceremony. Express yourself by choosing a style that fits your personality as well as your body. If you or someone you know is an accomplished sewer, you can custom-make your dress. Even if you buy off the rack, there are many ways to customize the dress by adding beading, appliques or embroidery. Just be sure to give yourself enough time to finish this project without creating extra stress leading up to the wedding.

"Today's computerized sewing and embroidery systems make even a project like a wedding dress much easier than it used to be," says Gayle Hillert, vice president of education at Bernina of America, a premiere sewing machine company. Bernina accessory feet make sewing fine fabrics like satins or velvets easy and there are a variety available like hemming, pintucking and edgestitching feet that enable one to add couture elements quickly and successfully. The Bernina artista 730E sewing and embroidery system helps with embellishments. Microsoft Windows powered, it allows the user to create their own designs, and easily edit the designs on screen using the artista 730E's built-in capabilities.

One trend that is gaining popularity is to embroider the wedding date or a special message around the hem of dress, or on the slip. Hillert tells of one mother who made her daughter's wedding dress and added special message to her daughter in embroidery on the slip. Tone-on-tone embroidery is popular for embroidering on the dress itself; color stitching can be used on the slip.

At the Reception

Food and Drink - Whether you're having a sit-down dinner, offering a buffet or passing hors d'oeuvres, what you serve is important. If you have a theme, try to work the food around that. For example, if you love gardening, incorporate edible flowers into some dishes or on the cake. Or feature ethnic food that reflects the ancestry of you or your spouse. Many companies offer wine with personalized labels. Provide each table with a specially labeled bottle of red and white wine.
Decorations - The decorations you choose set the tone for the day. You'll want to incorporate your wedding colors and, if you have one, your theme. If you add appliques or beading on your dress, you can echo that design on table runners, or have the applique motif printed on your napkins.
Favors - Send your guests home with a special memento. If you've featured ethnic food, prepare a special jar of spices for each guest, along with a treasured family recipe. Or if you have an outdoor wedding, present each guest with a sapling tree to plant in memory of your wedding.

For sewing and embellishing tips and techniques, visit www.berninausa.com.

Courtesy of ARA Content

← BCW.com Home Page | Top of Page ↑ | Previous eNewsletters ↑ | Related Page →

Events & Info | Web Resources | Contact Us |

BerksCountyWeddings.com - Berks County Pa resource for wedding planning.