Happy New Year

Happy New Year.............
Congratulations to all you newly engaged couples........
I would just like to remind all you brides to be that, gowns including bridesmaids dresses can take up to 6 months to arrive at a  store..
Many bridal stores will not sell their stock gowns.So make sure your order well in advance.
Have a great year and thanks for your support of this blog so far.....

Coloured Bridal Gowns

Today bridal gowns are available in many colours you can have burgundy, blue, purple, black and of course ivory or white, you name it you can have it.

The burgundy wedding dress below shimmers black and has black flowers on it but you could have it in any colour combination you wish what about bright pink with lime green  flowers. Alternatively a coloured cloak can add a splash of drama.

So come on girls be adventurous choose your favorite colours and stand out from the crowd.....

Photo Credit:
Image: Dynamite Imagery / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Burgundy Wedding Dress

 Burgundy Wedding Dress with Cloak

Wedding dress colours - luck and unlucky colours

Royal Wedding Rings

The Queen Mother back in 1923 began a tradition regarding royal wedding rings.  Clogau St David's mine in Bontddu in North Wales supplied the nugget of gold, from which the royal wedding ring is made.

 
To date the wedding rings of the Queen, Elizabeth II, Princess Margaret, The Princess Royal, Diana the Princess of Wales all had the gold for their rings supplied by the mine, it will be interesting to see whether Kate Middleton also has her Royal Wedding ring made from this rare Welsh gold.

Photo Credit:
Image: Paul Martin Eldridge / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Make your own Wedding Invitations

Well girls
Wanting to make your own invitations why not try Ideas In Paper
for all your paper needs............

The Little Black Dress

Originally attributed to Coco Chanel in the 1920's this dress is an essential item for every women.

The classic little black dress is simple but well tailored.  Because it is easily accessorized, the dress can be dressed up or down as the occassion dictates.  By not following current trends ( not a mini, midi or flamboyant) the dress maintains it's timeless quality.  The cut and fabric are important factors.

Black was always worn to represent mourning. The introduction of color to the movies helped to increase the popularity of black  -  It was easier to color match.  World War II saw a resurgence of black dresses due partly to the number of fallen soldiers and the lack of coloured fabric.

Audrey Hepburn made the little black dress famous with her role as Holly Golightly
 in Breakfast At Tiffanys.

 

Which month is best to be a bride

According to this traditonal rhyme some months are better to be a bride than others:

A January bride will be a prudent housekeeper and very good tempered. 
A February bride will be an affectionate wife and a tender mother.

A March bride will be a frivolous chatterbox, somewhat given to quarreling. 

An April bride will be inconsistent, or forceful but well-meaning.

A May bride will be handsome, agreeable and practical.
A June bride will be impetuous and generous.
A July bride will be handsome, but a trifle quick-tempered. 
An August bride will be agreeable and practical as well. 
A September bride will be discreet, affable and much liked. 
An October bride will be pretty, coquettish, loving but jealous. 
A November bride will be liberal and kind but sometimes cold. 
A December bride will be fond of novelty, entertaining but extravagant. 

See which the best month to get married also


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Brides on a budget part 2.......

If you still don't believe that the cheap imitations are rubbish (and that is putting it politely) check out this web site with clips of fake v original

www.bridestv.co.uk

Buy from a bridal store to avoid dissappointment.

Brides on a budget...............

For all you brides on a budget please don't fall for the cheap internet sellers that will get you that 'Perfect Gown'
There are too many brides disaster stories out there .. Before you get your bargain dress from the internet check out this web site. www.bridesaware.co.uk

The above website was created to warn ‘Brides to be’ of the disasters that could happen when a Wedding Dress is purchased from an unauthorised Internet Wedding Dress seller. Many Brides' dreams have been turned into nightmares after a Wedding Dress or Bridesmaids' Dresses have been purchased from unauthorised sellers on the Internet and the Dress has arrived damaged, 2nd hand, faulty, the wrong colour or size and not even the correct Dress! Some sellers don’t have a refund or replacement policy, therefore the Bride is left with a Dress she can not wear for her big day.

Some unauthorised Internet sellers don’t explain to the Bride that she is also responsible for the Duty and VAT charge on the Dress when it arrives in to the country. The Dress will arrive COD (cash on delivery) and will not be passed over by the courier until the charge has been paid. COD charges can be up to £80 for one Dress. If the Bride has ordered Bridesmaids Dresses too then she can expect a very high COD charge.

By ordering a Dress from an authorized Bridal store.  The Bride and even her Bridesmaids can receive the personal attention that she deserves and reassurance that if a situation arises, the store will take full responsibility to correct matters without the Bride worrying.

When a Dress is purchased from a store any alterations that have to be made will normally be carried out by the stores Seamstress. Most Bridal stores will not alter a Dress if not purchased from their store. This will cause a problem for the Bride if she bought the Dress from the Internet as it will then be worthless and not wearable for her Wedding. A Bridal store will also be pleased to press and box a Dress after the Wedding but won’t if not bought from their store. The after sales service is just as important to a Bridal store as selling the Dress to the bride.

We welcome and encourage comments from Manufactures and Bridal Stores who have any disaster stories about Internet Wedding Dress buying that they would like to leave on this website for Brides to read. If you are a Bride with a disaster story to tell then you are welcome to leave a message on here too.

Your new home!!!!!!!

CROSSING THE THRESHOLD

After the wedding the bride must enter the new marital home through the main entrance. It is traditional for the groom to carry the bride over the threshold when they enter for the first time. The reason for this is uncertain. One explanation is that the bride will be visited by bad luck if she falls when entering. An alternative is that the bride will be unlucky if she steps into the new home with the left foot first. The bride can avoid both mishaps by being carried. A third explanation is that it symbolises the old Anglo-Saxon custom of the groom stealing his bride and carrying her off. Hindu's have a similar tradition. The bride is carried by her new husband so that she does not touch the threshold when entering her new home.

Bouquet.

Bouquet - an arrangement of flowers carried at a ceremony.

After the reception the bride throws her bouquet back over her shoulder where the unmarried female guests and bridesmaids group together. Tradition holds that the one who catches the bouquet will be the next one of those present to marry.
A parallel custom is for the groom to remove the garter worn by the bride and throw it back over his shoulder toward the unmarried male guests. Again the one who catches it will be the next to marry.

Photo Credit:
Image: Sharron Goodyear / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Shoes

SHOES

In the past there have been a number of customs involving shoes which were thought to bring good luck. The best known, which is still upheld, is to tie shoes to the back of the newlyweds' car. This has evolved from the Tudor custom where guests would throw shoes at the newlywed couple. It was considered lucky if they or their carriage were hit. (I wouldn't call it lucky if I was hit would you.)

Less well known is for the bride's father to give the groom a pair of the bride's shoes to symbolise the passing of responsibility for the daughter to her new husband. A variation of the custom is for the groom to tap the bride on the forehead with one of the shoes to assert his dominance. (oh really!!!!).

The custom of the bride throwing her bouquet over her shoulder, was originally performed by her throwing one of her shoes over her shoulder.

Wedding Cake...very nice...........

Wedding Cake or Cupcakes ?

Cutting the wedding cake is now part of the ritual celebrations at the reception. The couple make the first cut together to symbolise their shared future. Cakes have been associated with weddings throughout history. The Romans shared a cake during the wedding ceremony itself. This was not the rich fruit-cake we enjoy today. It was a plain confection made from wheat flour, salt and water. The Fijians and Some Native American tribes still incorporate cake in the wedding ceremonies. In Britain early cakes were flat and round and contained fruit and nuts which symbolise fertility. In the past the custom was to throw many small cakes over the bride in a similar way in which we throw confetti today.(Think of the dress!!!) A modification of this custom was to crumble cake over the brides head and in some versions to break the cake over the Bride's head.(You could knock her out, poor girl) In Scotland Oat Cakes were used for this purpose. This was done to promote fertility. In Yorkshire a plate holding wedding cake was thrown out of the window as the bride returned to her parental home after the wedding. If the plate broke she would enjoy a happy future with her husband but if the plate remained intact her future would be grim. (I never did this!!!) Another old English custom was to place a ring in the wedding cake. The guest who found the ring in their  piece of cake would be ensured happiness for the next year. The shape of the modern three tiered iced cake is believed to have been inspired by the spire of Saint Bride's Church in the City of London. It is said that unmarried guests who place a piece of wedding cake under their pillow before sleeping will increase there prospects of finding a partner and bridesmaids who do likewise will dream of their future husbands. The top tier of the cake is often kept by couples for the christening of their first child. (Not if it's a sponge cake I hope!!!) Photo Credit: Image: Rosen Georgiev / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Confetti or sweets.....I know which I would rather have...

Confetti, Candy, Cakes and Sweets

Confetti is Italian for sweets which in Italy are thrown over the couple as they emerge from the Church in that same way we use paper confetti. Raisins and nuts may also be used.

Before the use of paper confetti the married couple were showered with flowers, petals, rice or grains. This was to bestow prosperity and fertility on the couple.

Bridesmaids and More Maids

Bridesmaids were dressed in a similar way to the bride for the same reason as the origin of veil. The bridesmaids were considered lucky, as it was thought that they would act as decoys, to confuse evil spirits and thus protect the bride. So the more bridesmaids you had the more favourable the wedding omens.

Snow is good - Let it snow on your wedding day

ON THE WAY TO THE WEDDING

When the bride is ready to leave the house for the wedding ceremony a last look in the mirror will bring her good luck. However returning to the mirror once she has began her journey will result in bad luck.
Seeing a chimney sweep on the way to a wedding is thought to bring good luck and it is still possible to hire one to attend wedding ceremonies. Other good luck omens when seen on the way to the ceremony include lambs, toads, spiders, black cats and rainbows.

Seeing an open grave, a pig, a lizard, or hearing a cockerel crow after dawn are all thought to be omens of bad luck. Monks and nuns are also a bad omen. This may be because the are associated with poverty and chastity. They are also thought to signal a dependence on charity by the newlyweds.
Bad weather on the way to the wedding is thought to be an omen of an unhappy marriage, although in some cultures rain is considered a good omen. Cloudy skies and wind are believed to cause stormy marriages. Snow on the other hand is associated with fertility and wealth.

Veil or not................

The Veil :

Traditionally, brides have been thought to be particularly vulnerable to evil spirits and many of the customs and traditions associated with weddings are to provide protection. The veil was originally worn by Roman brides. It was thought that it would disguise the bride and therefore outwit malevolent spirits. The veil became popular in Britain in the eighteen hundreds. In this country it is associated with modesty and chastity. In some Eastern ceremonies the bride is veiled and the groom is not allowed to see the bride's face until after the wedding ceremony. In some Jewish weddings there is a ritual where the groom ensures that the bride is his intended before placing the veil over her face. The choice is yours as to whether you wear a veil or not...

There are many different lengths and styles now that will match your wedding dress and your venue.

Winter wedding flowers

It is traditional in winter for the brides bouquet to consist of evergreens and berries. But many bridal flowers are available year round - but some are even winter blooms, but which are suitable winter wedding flowers ?

Flowers for a Winter Wedding

There are some great tips and help with winter wedding flowers in this article.  Their advice about the bouquet, buttonholes and even the wedding reception venue is very welcome .  I really liked that they also list what flowers should be available for November to February brides.  Much nicer than looking in a book only to find that the florist can't get them.  However, your flowers should keep better, in the cold.

Thanks to Arena Flowers who are based in London, W3
for guiding us in the right direction.

Best Month to get Married ?

According to an old English rhyme :

Married when the year is new, he'll be loving, kind and true.
When February birds do mate, you wed nor dread your fate.
If you wed when March winds blow, joy and sorrow both you'll know.
Marry in April when you can, joy for Maiden and for Man.
Marry in the month of May, and you'll surely rue the day.
Marry when June roses grow, over land and sea you will go.
Those who in July do wed, must labor for their daily bread.
Whoever wed in August be, many a change is sure to see.
Marry in September's shrine, your living will be rich and fine.
If in October you do marry, love will come but riches tarry.
If you wed in bleak November, only joys will come, remember.
When December snows fall fast, marry and true love will last.

With a special mention  for Lent - Marry in Lent, live to Repent.

The rhyme suggests there is more than one best month to get married. I'm sure each culture has their own wedding omens, lucky months, days and wedding dress colours.  I'd love to hear what's lucky for you.

273 Brides - Set the Guinness World Record

Pleased to say that the  Guinness World Record  for most people, dressed as brides in one location is now held by the Windfall World Record Brides.  How many brides were there - 273 brides - what a sight that must have been.  Congratulations to everyone concerned - you  made the event a great success.


I can't help wondering, however, just how big would a Wedding Cake for all those brides need to be ....

Windfall Brides World Record

This Sunday, 24th October, at the Sheraton Centre, Toronto brides -  from all nationalities  - will attempt to break the Guinness World Record  for most people, dressed as brides  - yes even the men, in one location.

A $20 registration / participation fee applies.

As well as being part of a unique gathering, registrants will have the opportunity to buy a wedding gown at the amazing price of $20  or  $30 for two - what's not to like about that.

Full event details can be found here - Windfall World Record Brides.  The day is also to promote awareness of Windfall Basic's anti-poverty programs. A great cause and a fun filled day for all involved.

We hope they break the world record for brides and that their fundraising is as successful as our recent Brides At Work day, in support of Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

Wedding Dress Colours

Most brides today marry in ivory. Wedding dress colours have changed over time. 

Although the tradition was to marry in white which was started  by the rich in the sixteenth century. The tradition was given a boost by Queen Victoria who chose to marry in white instead of silver which was the traditional colour of Royal brides. Before the white dress brides wore their best dress, often incorporating their lucky colours. The colour was a matter of preference. The following is a traditional rhyme offering advice on dress colour:

Married in White, you have chosen right,
Married in Blue, your love will always be true,
Married in Pearl, you will live in a whirl,
Married in Brown, you will live in town,
Married in Red, you will wish yourself dead,
Married in Yellow, ashamed of your fellow,
Married in Green, ashamed to be seen,
Married in Pink, your spirit will sink,
Married in Grey, you will go far away,
Married in Black, you will wish yourself back.

A green dress is thought to be unlucky unless the bride is Irish. The old expression that a woman has a 'green gown' was used to imply promiscuity, the green staining being due to rolling in grassy fields. 

Just remember it is entirely up to yourself as to the colour of your gown............

Bad Luck - Wedding Dresses

To avoid bad luck take note of these superstitions:
It is thought unlucky for the bride to make her own wedding dress.(I made mine and have been happily married for 27years)
It has long been held that green is unlucky for a wedding dress or any of the bridal party.
It is also unlucky for the groom to see the bride in her wedding dress before she arrives at the ceremony.
The bride should not wear her entire outfit before the wedding day. Some brides leave a final stitch on the dress undone until it is time to leave for the ceremony when the outfit is completed.

Payment Plan

We know a wedding gown, bridesmaids dresses and accessories count for a considerable amount of your wedding expense.

Love the dress, but can't find all the money in one go.  Take advantage of a payment plan, spread the load.

New Location

Everything is really hectic.  We have just moved to our new premises
so we're taking the opportunity to do a full inventory. Oh joy, even though we imagined a hundred time where everything was going to go, it's still taking ages to achieve everything.

Oh well at least the signs up.