feature image credits: Gown, sundress

feature photo: offbeat bride

Real men wear pink:

jose villa, ep love via green wedding shoes

They also like orange:

epblog, leonce photography

And if they must wear a black tux, a bit of red makes it stand out:

They also wear shorts and bow ties:

jose villa, james christianson via green wedding shoes

They even look dapper in checks (the more contrasting colors the better)!

Tec Petaja

They love hats of all shapes and sizes:

tec petaja via green wedding shoes, offbeat bride, the knot

… And printed shirts:

epblog, offbeat bride

And they sizzles in black leather (that’s a kilt!) and boots:

offbeat bride

And speaking of kilts, of course, cultural costumes are always hot!

epblog, the knot, the knot

Franklin + Gower is based in my hometown of L.A. (the label takes its name from the notable intersection with a prime view of the Hollywood sign) but you can call for an appointment, or visit them on the web, where ordering is easy.  You can go with something ready-made, or customize to suite your superior style.  Furthermore, as StyleMePretty reports, “Franklin + Gower can create all the pieces you need to perfectly complement your entire bridal party. You name it, blazers, pants, shorts, ties and accessories… trust us your guy is going to enjoy the attention.”

Well Offbeat Bride has a great commentary on how to avoid being tacky when planning your wedding. Basically, um, don’t even try.  Because someone, somewhere, is bound to think something about your wedding is tacky:

People are worried their centerpieces will look tacky. People decree honeymoon registries tacky. There’s muttering over etiquette: “I want to do things this way … but is that tacky?” brides whisper in terror. Tacky: the dark evil that sneaks into your bedroom and eats your face at night.

I’m here to tell you that, YES: everything you want to do for your wedding is tacky. All of it. The red dress is tacky. The handmade paper flowers are tacky. Your custom-designed invitations? TACKY.

Because you see, “tacky” is in the eye of the beholder and there is always, always going to be someone who sees things differently than you. (Read the rest here!)

You’ve got to focus on pleasing yourself. As Offbeat Bride defines it, “tacky is the manifestation of your fears that people won’t approve of your wedding.”

Nevertheless, I’m going to go ahead and state that some things are pretty much universally agreed on as being tacky. That’s why there are websites out there like Tacky Weddings, where you can stare, horrified, at brides in thongs, bridesmaids in neon pink bras, wedding logo overload (“If you’re looking for wedding logos stamped all over everything like Chinese water torture thumped into your head over and over, you’ve come to the right place.”), sex on the beach cake toppers, and the ultimate slutty bridal gown.

Despite all this, Tacky Weddings does share the viewpoint that  “Your wedding is your day, do what you want, do what makes you happy and to hell with what anyone else thinks.   Be proud of your day, shout it from the mountaintops!!  What one person thinks is tacky another person may see as fun and innovative.   My opinion is no better (and no worse) than anyone else’s. It’s not the end all be all, me liking or not liking a perfect stranger’s wedding does not change a thing. The moral of this story?  Who cares what I think about your wedding Yanna, I am nobody.  Rock what you’re gonna rock, and flip everyone the bird.” (Who is Yanna? Check it out!)

But I’m going to go ahead and give you a few pointers on avoiding tacky, in light of what is generally considered to be tasteful and appropriate for a wedding. This is only my opinion, so feel free to add something in the comment section!

Wearing Slutty outfits: Even if it’s part of a theme–especially if it’s part of your theme… (Join us at our Stripper Extravaganza!) The bride and bridal party can be beautiful and sexy while still leaving something to the imagination. Skin-tight spandex, overflowing bosoms, bare midriffs… well, unless you plan to wed in a nightclub, it’s just not appropriate wedding attire.

Asking for Money. You gotta know your audience, but generally making people pay for their wedding meal or having a dollar dance (where guests are supposed to line up to dance with the bride and stuff money into her apron) should be avoided (unless, of course, this is some kind of family tradition?).

Playing Crude Music: Dedicating a song to the bride is sweet… but not when it’s “Crazy B—”.  Giving Grandma a heart attack over desert is not the best way to end off your big day. Getting blasted with “It’s Getting Hot in Here, So Take Off All Your Clothes” is a bit shocking too, especially when you’re in middle of a conversation with the Rebbetzin (that happened to me at a wedding.)

Being Pissed… and Showing it:  As much as you planned and prepared, something is bound to be less than perfect. You gotta be prepared to roll with the punches, not like one bride who was “cursing and complaining as she stomped around” lighting tea lights that the staff forgot to turn on.  I bet no one thought she looked particularly attractive. Remember, handsome is as handsome does.

Formal

Shirt: A formal button-front shirt should be white or cream. No ruffles!

Jacket: Single-breasted, single-button jackets are timeless for a good reason—they’ll make his his waist look trim and his shoulders broad.

Pants: Make sure they are properly tailored; then there’s no need for suspenders or a cummerbund.

Bow tie: A bow tie is essential—a real one, not a clip-on.

Traditional

Planning your Engagement Session

You want to show off your relationship and also your personality, so it’s a good idea to put some thought & planning into your engagement session. One of the best ways to do that is through your clothing and accessories. Here are some tips for adding a little flair!

• Scarves, belts, hats, shoes, jewelry, etc all add to your look & will help create some amazing images for you. Bringing in some of your personal style helps the photographer to be a lot more creatively inspired!
• Think about having a couple of outfits to change into. Stick with clothing that you are comfortable in.
• Schedule your hair & makeup trial on the same day as the engagement session, if possible, to ensure you’ll look your very best in the engagement photos.
• Coordinate his & her outfits together. When choosing clothing for the two of you, think of the different pieces of each outfit, so that everything works well together.
• Location, location, location! Whether in your home or a nearby park, the key is to be creative and have fun. The you can incorporate your surroundings and each other, the better your pictures will be.
• Albright creative Imagery.com suggests that you take 30 minutes before the shoot to just focus on each other. You want the focus your attention on just the two of you so that during the shoot your connection to each other will be strong. These sparks will be permanently recorded in your pictures.

Check out the accessories in the following photos, such as the hot red shoes, guy’s hat, and flower in the girl’s hair. If you consider what type of vibe you want in your photos, whether it’s romantic, sensual, sweet, or fiery, your choice of color and accessories will make a big impact.

Flirt with the camera

Most couples feel a little nervous and shy when they start their session, and it often take at least 20 minutes to warm up to the camera. But a big way to get the most out of your session is to play up your relationship to the camera. The idea is to capture the real relationship between the two of you, and the best way to do that is to act naturally with each other, relax, and have fun. “If you are typically goofy with each other, then show that to the camera,” Geoff advises. “If the two of you tend to be more intimate, then go ahead and snuggle up, hold hands, embrace, look into each other’s eyes. If you are very romantic and tend to be more on the sensual side, then don’t be afraid to show it! I’m a big fan of making out on camera!”

Props can add a unique touch to your photos, so consider using something that’s meaningful to both of you, or whatever catches your fancy during the photo shoot. A car, a tree, or even a pet…

Images from Geoff White and albrightcreativeimagery.com

Poses

There are many ways to pose for engagement photos, so you should consider your own preferences, as well as how you’d like to present the photos to family and friends. You can have your photographer take some formal poses of you as well as some that are more causual or dramatic.

Formal:

Fun:

Dramatic:

We all know that what you are wearing looks only as good as what’s underneath it, and that’s especially true with a wedding gown or other formal wear! So, if you need some body shapers, supportive bras, stockings, or other slimming apparel, Spanx will keep you sizzling hot even when it’s co-o-o-old outside!

Thanks to the Relentless Bride for the head’s up on free shipping! We like free stuff!

With 50,000 members of the American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR), nude weddings are a natural extension of these people’s way of life. Like Pamela and Lee, who wedded in the nude while 600 guests (only 12 of which were fully clothed) watched. “It’s so natural, it’s so unpretentious.” Can’t argue with that.

Lest you think a nudist life is sexually-oriented, let’s set the record straight. “Couples who get married in the nude are closer to God, the universe, divine energy,” said Rev. Jo Ann Pessagno, a minister who has presided over 80 nude weddings, including Pamela and Lee’s.

Mark and Cindy, also had a nude wedding and regret that their families did not attend. “My mom is just too old fashioned to understand,” said Mark. Apparently, for some people being naked is more important than their family.

For those who believe that “it’s not a sexual thing, it’s a spiritual thing,” nothing could be more “honest” and “transparent” than being wed in the nude. And according to Lee, that’s the right way to do it. “God keeps sending us naked people, but we keep sending him people that are all dressed. One of these days we’ll get it.”