Hire a Professional Make Up Artist

If you have scheduled an appointment with a professional makeup artist the day of the wedding, the following tips may help you get a look that you will be most happy with:

• Cut out pictures from fashion magazines such as Flare or Glow to show to the makeup artist. It is important to show photos of makeup that you like and don’t like so that the professional has a good idea of your style and taste.
• Schedule a complete makeup application prior to the big day to make sure that everything is perfect. This can be before the rehearsal dinner, your bridal shower or a romantic evening alone with your future husband.
• Bring along a photo of your wedding dress so that the artist knows exactly what style to aim for. The cut and design of your dress will tell them how elegant, romantic and formal your wedding will be.
• Bring along your favorite lipstick and foundation. These are tried and true and work for you, so why bother changing them? Unlike choosing wedding party supplies or a veil, deciding on how you apply your makeup is something that you should be very familiar with.

Are You Your Own Best Maekup Expert?

On the other hand, you may prefer to do your makeup by yourself on the morning of the big day. In this case, the following tips should be helpful.

• Your foundation should blend into your skin within 2 or 3 strokes. If it doesn’t, you are using the wrong shade or have applied too much.
• To lighten up those under eye circles, apply an opposing color of eye shadow before putting on the foundation. For example, soft pink should be applied to grey coloring.
• To ensure that your foundation stays on all day, take a folded tissue and gently pat it onto your skin, removing any excess oils contained within the makeup.
• Don’t use a powder puff. Instead, lightly brush on any powder with a soft brush as this will give you shiny skin a lot faster.
• For the blush, use a brush that is about the same size as your cheeks. Brush the color on from the apples of your cheeks up towards your temples.
• To ensure that your lipstick lasts throughout the ceremony, put some powder on your lips before applying. Afterwards, blot, powder and then apply again.

By following all of these techniques, you will end up looking absolutely radiant on your big day. The average bride spends hours going over custom wedding favors, decorations and the like, and once those are perfect it will be time for her to focus on herself instead.

The Classic Tuxedo

For over a century now, this style of tux has been there at formal occasions of all types. Essentially a suit with a few modifications – such as woolen woven fabric and lapels (with notches or peaks) that contrast with this material – this is the easiest option for anyone looking for the perfect wedding day outfit. This style is traditionally black, although you can also find other colors out there on the market.

The Shawl Tuxedo

The main difference between the shawl and the classic tuxedo is that the collar has no notches or peaks. It is a simpler design that is now being seen at formal occasions around the world. As well as this, the smooth lapel is very slimming, perfect for those men with larger body shapes searching for the right outfit to get married in.

The Midnight Tuxedo

To stand out from the crowd, this tuxedo is certainly a good choice. Its midnight blue fabric is certainly elegant and will be a great fashion statement for the future husband. It can actually look blacker than some traditional black tuxedos in certain lighting, meaning that the overall surroundings, such as wedding decor and location, will complement the groom’s outfit, making him the center of attention.

The Gray Tuxedo

If you want something more unusual, this is your choice. While black and the darker shades are certainly more traditional, they are not the only options out there. Many English weddings feature a groom in gray ‘morning suits’.  If you do choose to wear a gray tuxedo, then make sure that everything else is in the classic style. Retain the notched or peaked lapels and the covered buttons, and the groom will stand out without looking out of style.

The Evening Suit

For those looking for a more risqué option, there are several non-tuxedo suits that are still highly suitable to be worn at your wedding day. With a silk-patterned suit, the soon-to-be husband will be the talk of the reception for all sorts of positive reasons. Break with tradition and show the world how much of an individual you can be in one of the most romantic settings on Earth.

Of course, if you have any styling tips or wedding ideas for the Canadian groom, please leave them in the comments below. The world of tuxedos is constantly growing and evolving and we are looking for any tips and advice that you can give. This is an important moment for the groom and they should be given the best when it comes to looking stylish and manly on their wedding day.

1. NEVER ORDER A DRESS THAT IS A SIZE OR TWO TOO SMALL in the hopes that you will lose weight before the big day. To avoid having to undergo costly adjustments closer to your wedding, simply arrange for the final wedding dress fitting one month prior to the marriage instead. This will ensure that your dress is designed to be suitable for your current body shape, and also to give you the chance to lose as much weight as possible beforehand, gaining the perfect physique.

 

2. DON’T WAIT UNTIL THE DAY OF THE WEDDING TO WEAR YOUR DRESS WITH ALL THE ACCESSORIES. Having a bridal reveal with your bridesmaids can be a fun way to test out how your full outfit feels in a relaxing setting. This will also relieve most of the pressure that you may have felt on the big day by letting you see exactly how the dress looks and feels in low stress, comfortable surroundings. Of course, the groom doesn’t have to see, if you wish to follow tradition!

 

3. NEVER FOCUS SOLELY ON THE CHEAPEST OR MOST EXPENSIVE DRESSES AVAILABLE. Sometimes it is worth paying a bit extra for your dress when you are tempted to ”cheap out”. Consider that your wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime event. Similarly to when you are out choosing wedding ceremony decorations, floral bouquets and invitations, you should be willing to pay a bit more for a quality wedding dress. Of course, there are still plenty of great deals available out there, and you should be able to find a stunning dress that doesn’t cost you a fortune.  Inversely, just because you have a big wedding budget spending less than you thought you would on your bridal gown should be a bonus. Here, you have the luxury of having found that perfect gown and have money left for other things on your wedding shopping list.

 

4. DON’T PLAY “PLAY IT BY EAR” WHEN WEDDING DRESS SHOPPING. Schedule appointments, phone up multiple bridal shops and make sure that you note everything down. Planning a wedding can be a hectic time and it is important to arrange your dress fittings and the like from the word go. This will ensure that you have the perfect outfit for the big day without having to run around frantically in the weeks leading up to the wedding.

When shopping for a dress, it is typical to have a family member or someone in the bridal party come along. Make sure that you choose someone who will be honest and direct when giving their opinion. After all, it is better to be told that a particular style looks unattractive within the bridal shop than finding out later on at the wedding reception. Even more than wedding accessories, the dress that you wear will be a highly personal item, and it will help to get an unbiased opinion from a third party to ensure that it is more than suitable for the big occasion.

Bridesmaid Dress Styles

In the Canadian wedding fashion industry, a move has been made towards shorter, more casual dresses for bridesmaids. The days of the elegant prom look are now over and the dresses are becoming more fluid and summery. A-line, tea length dresses are generally the big favorite now as they fit a variety of body shapes and also show off a little bit of leg. As well as looking outstanding on your bridesmaids, they can be worn out to numerous occasions afterwards, making them a more worthwhile purchase than the typical one-use bridesmaids’ dresses that were traditionally used previously.

Let Bridesmaids Individualize – Comfort Means Beauty!

One helpful technique that is becoming more and more common is that bridesmaids are being given the freedom to choose their own dresses. Not only does this allow them to find a style and cut that they are completely happy with, but it also gives the brides more free time to focus on other aspects such as wedding party gifts and the like. Once you have selected a particular color theme for your wedding, you can then let your bridal party go out and choose an outfit that they are comfortable wearing on the big day.

Accessorize Your Bridesmaids!

Bouquets are rapidly becoming a popular wedding accessories accessory given to bridesmaids across Canada as they serve two purposes. First, the right blooms can coordinate with the color theme for the wedding and will enhance the outfits of each member of the bridal party. Second, they will make the whole procession much more romantic by imbuing the surroundings with a soft, fragrant aroma. For a method of enhancing your bridesmaids’ appearance and creating the perfect wedding atmosphere, give a few floral bouquets to your bridal party.

As for other, more traditional accessories such as shoes and bags, again it can be smart to let the bridal party choose exactly which items will complement their chosen dress. This can be a great way to keep even the pickiest bridesmaid happy and free up some time to focus on organizing other matters, such as wedding reception supplies, musicians, caterers and anything else that needs to be done before the big day. This is especially handy if you are already allowing your bridal party to choose their own style of dress as it means that everything (except for the color scheme) is thus handled by the bridesmaids themselves.

If you have any more advice for our future Canadian brides, please leave a comment below. We would love to hear from you about anything from future fads that you think may occur to any bridesmaid techniques that you have found effective in the past.

The first step is to develop an efficient exercise regime so that you can lose any excess fat, firm up your muscles and keep your energy levels high. Fortunately, there are plenty of routines available online that will help you physically progress for up to six months before the wedding day actually arrives. The best of these will consist of the following types of workouts:

• Aerobic Activities: Including walking, jogging and running, these will stimulate your heart and muscles, helping you to build up stamina. The day of your marriage will be a long and happy one, and so these types of exercises are essential to make sure that you can go the distance without feeling exhausted after it all.
• Flexibility Exercises: Aimed at reducing muscle stiffness and joint pain, these types of activities are great for making you feel young again and giving you the ability to do more when it comes to searching for the myriad of tasks on your list, such as finding a venue, choosing a wedding theme, picking wedding favors and other important items for the big day.

Of course, any sort of exercise regime has to start minimally and work its way up in terms of difficulty. The best will start you off with workout sessions of 20 minutes or so and increase the length of time as your wedding day approaches. In this way, you will build up your strength, endurance and power until you are physically fit to enjoy the special day with your partner.

Any sort of exercise regime has to be matched with a balanced diet though. In the months before you get married, if you wish to attain a slimmer figure to fit into that wedding dress, you will need to eat the right combination of carbohydrates, protein, vitamins and minerals. Resorting to a crash diet is a fast-track solution, but by sticking to a good selection of healthy food each day you will be able to maintain a better body shape for the wedding and for much further beyond that. Fortunately, the web is full of good tips on how to eat before a wedding, and it will simply take a bit of motivation in order to stick to the recommended dining schedule.

If you have any advice for our readers about how to boost your fitness and stay healthy for your wedding day, please let us know by leaving a comment in the box below. We would love to hear about any techniques that have been effective in boosting energy and fitness levels for your wedding.

Not to worry though, as there are some easy ways to shed that excess weight so that you can slip into your wedding dress no problem and look your best.

The following tips can be used to get you back on track for the big day.

1. Cut down on your salt intake. Too much sodium can actually make you retain water and bloat up. By lowering the amount of salt that you eat per day, you can lose up to 3 lb in the process.
2. Consume fruit and vegetables five times a day. This will increase your intake of potassium which can help to flush out any excess salt that is in your body. They are also full to the brim with valuable vitamins which can make your hair and skin look absolutely stunning when the big day finally arrives.
3. Eat lots of protein. As an appetite suppressant, this compound is vital to keeping you going for longer without feeling the need to eat more. It can be found in dairy products, fish and meat, though some care must be taken to avoid any fatty foods here as this can negate any positive results that you gain from your crash diet.
4. Avoid carbohydrates. Foods such as bread, pasta and potatoes can cause you to put on a lot of weight if eaten in excess. To drop those pounds, you can either cut down on these foods or eliminate them altogether.
5. Drink Green Tea.  Green tea is full of anti-oxidants, low in caffeine and curbs your appetite.  Replacing some of your daily tea or coffee intake with green tea can help to flush out toxins as well as burn fat without any side effects.

Always remember to give yourself time to eat three healthy meals a day. By skipping breakfast, lunch or dinner, you may be tempted to eat more later on, which can disturb the balance within your body and cause you to gain weight.

Like most Western countries, Canada has a bad track record for our habit of over-eating and this is especially tempting when dealing with the stresses of that pre-wedding time period. Follow a set eating routine and you will maintain a stable weight while running around searching for things such as wedding reception decorations, bridesmaids’ dresses and classy invitations.  Keep healthy snacks such as fruit, unsalted nuts and health bars in your purse for anytime you do find yourself past mealtime.

Be true to yourself and think about how you want to look when you finally walk down the aisle. If you feel that you need to lose some excess weight, remember that you have it within you to lose those pounds and gain a figure that you are truly happy with.

If you have tried any crash diets in the past, please let us know by leaving a comment below. We would love to hear from you about which methods are effective at helping you shed those pounds and which ones didn’t give you the result that you originally wanted.

Fortunately, choosing fashionable accessories is a bit simpler than going out and shopping for unique wedding favors to give to your guests. Look to your sense of style, and you will be able to purchase a selection of the following items to create an absolutely stunning outfit for your big day.

• Bridal tiaras and veils: As the centerpiece for your wedding outfit, these accessories should complement your hairstyle and dress. From simple to fancy, you can find tiaras made with just about any precious metals and gemstones. The veil will be a necessary addition and is a traditional piece required at most kinds of wedding.
• Bridal gloves:A bride doesn’t only wear gloves to hide her hands. She will also don these attractive accessories as a way to show off her inner style and also to complement her gown. The right gloves can be both elegant and sexy and are a great addition to any wedding outfit.
• Handbags and purses: Choose something small and stylish for the big day. This will ensure that you can carry important items like emergency cosmetics or tissues, while still being able to move about without being encumbered by a large handbag.
• Bridal garters: Simple, elegant and stylish, these bridal accessories are almost compulsory for any formal wedding. They are typically made from satin or lace and can come adorned with anything from pearls to crystals.
• Bridal shoes: One of the cornerstones to any outfit, the shoes you choose will ultimately depend on the length of your wedding dress. A longer gown will hide your feet, allowing you to opt for a simpler style of footwear. On the other hand, if you decide on a shorter wedding dress, you will need to place more thought into your choice of shoes for the occasion.

As for what factors to think of when browsing for bridal accessories, the Canadian bride will find this remarkably similar to shopping for wedding reception decor. Firstly, the type of wedding you will be having will directly affect what accessories you choose. After all, a formal church or hotel wedding will require more elegance, style and detail than a casual garden or beachside celebration. Secondly, your budget will also determine which accessories you can afford and thus use to create the perfect wedding outfit.

If you have any tips, advice or tales about shopping for bridal accessories, please let us know by leaving a comment below. In this way, you will do your part to make it easy for the Canadian bride to shop for her ultimate wedding outfit.

These are all valid and quite predictable challenges, but – HELLO! It’s 2010 and your choices are more varied than ever before. This is welcome news for brides who are tired of the “same, old” look and crave a more exciting unique look that is theirs alone. In 2010 you have the opportunity to think outside of the box, to make your wedding attire – and, indeed, your whole wedding event – one of a kind, perfect and personal.

Color variations have been creeping into dress designs for a few years now. A splash of your favorite color in beading, embroidery or a sash can be a beautiful addition, as long as it enhances rather than overpowers the integrity of the gown. Brides with Asian or Russian heritage may even be looking for traditional red gowns for their most important day. Why shouldn’t you have a color you love?

In addition to color considerations, there may be alternate touches that you want to incorporate, such as nautical or tropical highlights if your marriage will have a seaside ambiance. Think seashells, clam bakes, seafood buffets and unity sand ceremonies. Go barefoot if you marry on the sand and make sure everyone is cool and comfortable in causal attire and flip flop sandals. If you plan a destination wedding, take clues from the surroundings to complement your nuptials.

If you or your sweetie have rural roots, how about a country/western wedding in an updated barn or saloon atmosphere? Thematic touches on your gown will be fringe instead of lace, and a sweetheart or keyhole neckline. Guests and bridal party might wear denim, and of course, everyone wears boots! You’ll have a barn-dance reception, complete with barbequed steak or a pig roast, and then ride off into the sunset on your ribbon-adorned horses or a horse and buggy.

Theme weddings, such as a cowboy chic version are gaining in popularity because personalities can be celebrated. Redneck weddings will see touches of camouflage fabric, even on the bride, while “Celebrity” or “Movie Icon” celebrations will feature designer copies in the style of J-Lo or Madonna, Jackie O, “Gone with the Wind” or “Lord of the Rings”. Sequins and ostrich feathers, anyone?

Imagination and historical research come together for Vintage weddings. Styles from the “Roaring 20s”, the “Retro 50s” or any ‘Blast from the Past” will have you sighting not only Elvis, but also Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe. (Replica Las Vegas casino venue?)

If it’s the Roman times that fascinate you, your dress will be an embellished toga, or if you prefer medieval touches, you may feast on grapes and rotisserie meat in a tight corset bodice. Wreaths, garlands and candles will be everywhere.

Victorian-inspired gowns will have long sleeves, high necklines, large bustles and perhaps a coordinating wedding bonnet. Gloves and parasols will be abundant at the tea party! Yes, even guests may be asked on the invitation to dress in period attire.

What about a Gothic themed wedding? Or Enchanted Forest? Or African Safari? If these ideas are too “over the top” for you, light up your wedding with a fairytale look. I see lots of tulle draping, baby’s breath, moss, and even fairy wings on the tiny flower girls. Your dress will have a princess silhouette and a billowing ball gown skirt. Maybe it even lights up with LED battery twinkle lights! Think Camelot, Cinderella, Arabian Nights or Romeo and Juliet.

Champagne and a chocolate fountain effortlessly highlight a romantic celebration of love, along with roses and candlelight. Your dress will be champagne or pink in color with floral and lace accents. Your bridesmaids will wear brown and pink or brown and aquamarine.

A classic wedding featuring black and white is sophisticated and modern. For this wedding you would select a sleek sheath or a strapless trumpet dress. Perhaps a silky scarf drapes one shoulder or seed pearls follow the neckline. Black and white balloons, floating candles, white orchids or tulips and classic roses of any color would complete the look.

If the date of your wedding coincides with or is close to a holiday, you can borrow the colors and symbols of the season or holiday to enhance your day: poinsettias and fur for December weddings, hearts and lace in February, dragons for Chinese New Year and “anything goes” for Mardi Gras.

Some say you must select a theme first, then select attire, food and décor to match. Others say the bride’s dress comes first, from which the theme flows. Whatever your particular tastes and preferences, make sure the theme, and especially the dress will suit the uniqueness in you. Listen to your heart. You are the star of the show and must look and feel confident, comfortable and radiant.

Now, for headpieces……

By Carol Gartrell
Bridal Seamstress
ggartrel@mts.net

This post was submitted by Carol Gartrell.