Don’t let that be you!

Be prepared for any wardrobe disaster! Keep the bride and bridal party elegantly-dressed with everything properly in place! Take perfectly arranged wedding pictures!. Along with bobby pins, tissues, and touch-up makeup, your bag of wedding essentials should definitely include the Hollywood Fashion Tape Wedding Gown Assortment Pack.

Use this double-sided tape to hide bra and slip straps, secure strapless gowns and off shoulder tops, and to keep blouses and wrap style tops from gaping. You can also use it to keep the bride’s wedding veils and garters in place, keep a scarf from slipping, and fix a hem that’s coming undone. It even works to keeps the men’s cummerbunds and bow ties in place.

This assorted pack has 30 clear double stick hypoallergenic strips that come in a variety of different shapes. They’re fabric friendly and easy to use and remove. “Hollywood” Fashion Tape Assorted pack includes:

Now here’s another great wardrobe accessory: Hollywood No Shows Disposable Nipple Concealers! When the wedding gown is strapless, backless…and totally un-bra-able, these nipple concealers will keep you covered and confident. These adhesive bras offer invisible discretion in dresses, tops (and even swimsuits), all while protecting sensitive skin with soft, non-stick centers.  Tucking them inside your bridesmaids’ gift baskets will make you a hero on your big day, too!

Each box contains five pairs of Hollywood No Shows Disposable Nipple Concealers. These stick-on bras are perfect for all types of gowns, destination weddings, breezy summer dresses, and pre-wedding girls’ night out!

Feature image from morilee.com

There’s nothing like an impending deadline—and a formfitting gown—to inspire someone to take her diet seriously. But too many women try to shed the pounds by starving themselves or by trying fad diets. So wouldn’t it be great if you could actually EAT your way slim? By concentrating on the right foods, you can reduce your calorie intake while inspiring your body to burn only fat, not muscle. The result: a lean wedding-day physique that can look as toned and fine on your 5th, 10th, or even 20th anniversary as it does on your honeymoon.

Brides.com offers advice from David Zinczenko, author of The Abs Diet For Women, with top 10 eat-your-way-slender solutions.

1. Focus on the good, not the bad. One of the problems with traditional diets is that they are all about deprivation. You can’t stick to them for very long because they make you feel bad—it’s all about “can’t, can’t, can’t.” A smart nutrition plan is about finding more foods that you can and should eat, and eating as many of them as possible every day.

2. Never let yourself get hungry. Two bad things happen when you get hungry. First, you start craving fast, easy energy—and the fastest, easiest energy comes from junk like chips, cookies, and candy. Second, when you’re hungry, your body starts breaking down muscle (not fat)—leading to the rebound weight gain so common with fad diets. Try to eat six times a day. Huh? Really? Yes! Three square meals and three smart, nutritious snacks will keep your body constantly fueled and constantly burning fat. And the real bonus: Since you’re not depriving yourself, there’s no temptation to ever go “off your diet.”

3. Pay attention to the 12 food groups. In researching The Abs Diet for Women, I discovered that healthy eating can be as simple as remembering this phrase: ABS DIET POWER. The letters represent the 12 foods that should be the staples of your daily eating plan. Every meal and every snack should have at least two of the following: Almonds and other nuts; Beans and legumes; Spinach and other green veggies; Dairy; Instant oatmeal; Eggs; Turkey and other lean meats; Peanut butter; Olive oil; Whole grain breads and cereals; Extra protein (whey) powder; Raspberries and other berries.

4. Cut back the baddies. In a dramatic rush to slim down? Cut them out entirely. Just looking to maintain your figure for a lifetime of lean living? Then give them the hairy eyeball as much as possible, but don’t worry about the occasional incursion into your diet. Here are the baddies:

TRANS FATS: Some fats, like those found in nuts, avocados, and other natural sources, are good for your heart and actually help you burn away flab. But there’s nothing natural about trans fats, which your body uses to build its spare tire factory—and which will gum up your arteries down the road. On ingredient lists they are called “partially hydrogenated oil” and can be found in packaged baked goods like cookies and cakes, as well as fried and battered foods.

REFINED CARBOHYDRATES: Refined sugar and refined flour give you an instant energy high, followed by an energy drop—and cravings for more refined carbs. Focus on whole-grain breads and cereals, and snack on nuts and fruit instead of cookies and candies.

HIGH-FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP (HFCS): Your body loves to turn this supers-weet sugar substitute into fat. HFCS is found in soda, cookies, and candy. It also lurks in processed pasta sauce, ketchup, even bread. The average American consumed about 62 pounds of it in the last year—an average of 228 additional calories every single day. Open the door to your fridge or pantry, take a look at the ingredients of the food inside, and you’ll be shocked. You can’t avoid HFCS entirely unless you move to Alaska and start hunting moose, but you can cut down on it significantly by reading the labels before you buy and limiting your intake.

5. Do the 20-second abs workout. Your abdominals are designed to stabilize your core; the more stable your core, the tighter your tummy. Think of it as creating a natural corset that helps keep your belly flat. Your secret weapon: an exercise called the plank. To do it, get into push-up position, but bend your elbows and rest your weight on your forearms instead of your hands. Your body should be in a straight line from your ankles to your neck. Now brace your abdominals as if you’re about to be punched in the stomach, and hold them that way for 30 seconds (work up to a minute) while breathing normally. Do two sets, three times a week.

6. Have a smoothie (or two) every day. This drink is a great way to ensure that you’re getting more of the power foods into your diet. Use plain or vanilla yogurt as a base; add fruit, some whey powder for extra protein, and ice. Toss it all into a blender and press “start.” Now you’ve got a delicious, nutritious substitute for ice cream. A University of Tennessee study found that people who added three servings of yogurt a day to their diets lost 61 percent more body fat and 81 percent more stomach fat over 12 weeks than those who didn’t eat yogurt.

7. Build more muscle. It’s depressing to spend an hour on the treadmill sweating away like a guest on The O’Reilly Factor, only to discover you’ve burned a measly 300 calories—that’s about two Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. But you can boost your burn after your workout by bringing some resistance exercise into your plan. Unlike aerobic workouts, lifting weights has been shown to raise your metabolism for up to 39 hours after your last repetition. So you burn more calories even while you’re lying on the couch. And if you can’t get to the gym, exercise such as climbing stairs, hiking, or even just walking uphill will firm and tone the legs and butt—where the majority of your body’s muscle already resides.

8. Skip the liquid sugar. You may think a glass of OJ is just the thing to start off your day, but, in fact, most juices are packed with calories and often include added sugars. And don’t get me started on soda. People who drink sweetened beverages (including iced tea and lemonade) consume an average of 330 calories a day more than those who don’t. That’s enough to add a pound of flab to your body every 11 days.

9. Beware of booze. I like beer, wine, and the occasional gin and tonic on a hot summer day. But alcohol and weight loss don’t mix. Your body sees alcohol as a poison, and as soon as you have a glass of wine, your digestive system becomes all about getting rid of the booze—which means it takes everything else you’ve eaten and stores it to the side of your stomach. Booze distracts your body from the task at hand—burning off fat and building a leaner, sleeker physique.

10. Cheat once a week. Not a great prescription for marriage, but a terrific remedy for weight loss. By giving yourself one meal a week where you can have whatever you want, you reward yourself for being a conscientious eater.

Image from beauty news nyc

When the big day arrives, you’ll feel great and look gorgeous! Reward yourself and treat your guests to some wedding favors that are just as delicious as they are pretty. Visit American Bridal for edible wedding favors, including cookies, candies, chocolates, mints, Jordan almonds, coffees, teas, and more!

How I wish I’d know about I Do Now I Don’t when I got engaged! I have never asked my husband how much my diamond ring cost, partly because I really don’t want to know, but I’m sure he paid TOO MUCH for it, no matter how beautiful it is! I’ve never been comfortable with the thought of spending that much money on one, small piece of jewelry.

The good news is that YOU don’t have to pay inflated prices for your engagement ring! You can buy and sell on I Do Now I Don’t with complete confidence. Their gemologist is trained by the world’s leading authority on gemology, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), and she certifies that each diamond and gemstone jewelry is exactly as described in the seller’s listing. I Do Now I Don’t also GUARANTEES each buyer that your purchase payment will not be released to the seller until our gemologist has given her expert’s seal of approval.

Many of the engagement rings come with a story thrown in for free! Joshua Opperman I Do Now I Don’t‘s founder, shares his story too. After being engaged for three months, he was devastated to find that his fiance had packed up and left her engagement ring on the on the coffee table looking up at him as if to say “So, what’s next?” What came next is that Josh tried to sell the ring back to the retailer and received a pitifully low price. So he launched I Do Now I Don’t and began searching for love anew… and succeeded in both respects: I Do Now I Don’t is flourishing, and Josh married “the real love of his life” this past August!

So I Do Now I Don’t doesn’t just let you buy and sell jewelry, it also gives hope that what may seem like the end of the world may very well be the start of something very wonderful.

Buyers can bid on jewelry much like the way it’s done on eBay. Bidding for this stunning princess-cut ring, for example, begins at $2,000. Or you can buy it now for $2,400.

This item’s story: “Young couple rushed to get engaged before baby was born. Decided to hold off and get married once financial priorities were met! Just need to pay some bills, there is absolutely no ill feelings or bad karma associated with ring!! ”

More good news for bargain shoppers: You can even buy loose diamonds, wedding dresses, watches, bridal jewelry and accessories at I Do Now I Don’t !

This dress, a beautiful one-of-a-kind Reem Acra dress, has been never been worn. It has a retail value of $6,000 but you can buy it now for only $2,500.

This item’s story: “Gorgeous bride to be, gorgeous dream dress….wedding canceled!”  One person’s misfortune can be another’s good luck…. and we hope the seller’s luck improves from now on!

How can I SELL something on I Do Now I Don’t?

I Do Now I Don’t reports that sellers of fine jewelry have realized from 40 to 75% of the retail value of their jewelry. Rings have sold on I Do Now I Don’t in as little as 72 hours at prices that make sellers on auction sites green with envy. It’s easy to do and absolutely free:

1. Start with a FREE listing. It takes less than 60 seconds to complete.
2. Compare buyer offers and accept the best one. Or, if you prefer, try an auction. The buyer’s cash is held in escrow pending our gemologist’s authentication.
3. Send your ring to I Do for our gemologist’s authentication. It passes! Cash is released into your PayPal account immediately. No waiting, no hassles. No risk. All reward.

]]> http://www.bride.net/2009/i-do-now-i-dont-buy-and-sell-engagement-rings-and-more-at-great-prices/feed/ 5 http://www.bride.net/2009/2009-wedding-trends-from-the-knot/ http://www.bride.net/2009/2009-wedding-trends-from-the-knot/#comments Tue, 13 Jan 2009 23:42:48 +0000 dena http://www.bride.net/?p=756 2009 brings with it many things, including economic distress. But planning a wedding on a budget doesn’t mean you have to skimp on style. Being creative and innovative will get you far in planning a wedding everyone will remember, and The Knot has a few tips on what’s hot for 2009 Weddings!

Rustic homespun details

Outdoor weddings — on a farm, in a vineyard, or even in the backyard — are huge right now, and t’s really no wonder: An outdoor setting makes for a fun, laid-back vibe and the decor options are limitless. So what kinds of details are in store? Vintage vases filled with fresh-from-the-garden flowers, mismatched china in bright colors, and homemade wooden signs to direct guests. Even catering is in on the action with in-season ingredients paired with local wine.

• See photos from at-home real weddings
• Get hundreds of reception ideas

Jewel tones

Say good-bye to pale pastels and bright poppies. Rich gem colors like navy, plum, and amber are going to be hot. And instead of chocolate brown, look to a soft creme brulee hue, bronzes, coppers, and black. Yes, that’s right — black is back too. Yay!

• See hot color combos
• Search reception details by color

Patterns that pop

Gingham, checkered, polka-dotted, paisley, toile, damask — you name it, colorful patterns are in and in a big way. Add patterned overlays to your tables to instantly perk up the room… find an off-the-rack patterned dress for your bridesmaids… have your invitations and envelopes lined with colorful designs. The best part about this trend is that it lets you throw around a lot of different hues and still keep a cohesive look and feel.

• Get more decor ideas from our wedding style blog!

Ball gowns are back

The full A-line silhouette will make a huge resurgence down ceremony aisles this year. And you don’t have to have a ballroom wedding to pull it off either — the key is in the fabric. Find one with layers of airy tulle or even cotton for an outdoor spring or summer wedding; get a silk satin ball gown for a more formal wedding; or go for ultra-soft suede for a wintertime wedding.

• See hundreds of ball gowns
• Search 1,000+ dresses

Two-tiered wedding cakes

While cupcakes and dessert bars have been popular for the past few years, wedding cakes are making a comeback — but not in tall towers anymore. Now just two tiers is enough to make a statement! Order several small cakes and put them on each table as a centerpiece, or set up a table of tiny wedding cakes mixed with desserts, cookies, pies, and more. And vintage cake toppers are in too. Find one online at a site like Etsy.com, commission one from a local artist, or borrow your parents’ or grandparents’ to make your cake extra-memorable. And of course, you can always make your own!

• Search 1,500+ wedding cakes
• See 60+ dessert display photos

New centerpiece vessels

The classic floral vase has given way to mix-and-matched clusters of vintage pitchers, vases, jars, and galvanized buckets. Other ideas: apothecary jars with colorful rocks, sand, or even candy; uniquely shaped glass vases featuring fresh fruits like raspberries and blueberries; and mason jars loaded with fresh flowers like daisies and dahlias. To throw extra color or texture into the mix, line your flower-filled vases with patterned paper or even fabric. For a wintertime fete, get knit and sweater-like coverings to line your vases and complement a cozy decor.

• Get 800+ centerpiece ideas
• See our guide to wedding flowers

Chandeliers and creative lighting

Lighting designers are turning out impressive designs, projecting chandeliers, large trees, flowers, and even city skylines right onto the walls. When it comes to your space, hang chandeliers in different sizes, add colorful lamps and shades to the tables, line the room with strands of twinkling lights, and don’t skimp on the candles.

• Get lighting ideas from real weddings

The updated photo booth

Renting a photo booth has been growing in popularity over the past few years. The updated version? Entire photo sets with fabric backdrops and props. Set up a photo area at the reception that’s big enough for a group shot. Drape the background with fabric and add couches, chairs, and plenty of props (think easy-to-throw-on hats and scarves). You may be able to have your photographer or an assistant man the station, or ask a trusty friend to be on hand with a digital camera.

• See photo and video basics

US honeymoons

This year, newlyweds will prove that you don’t have to travel halfway around the world to find an amazing honeymoon spot. Many will be looking to book a honeymoon right here in the US. And there’s no shortage of domestic honeymoon-worthy options — from a romantic winery in Sonoma County, California, to a hot hotel in Miami, Florida, to a cozy lodge with a stunning view in Juneau, Alaska.

• See our top US honeymoon picks

Themed rehearsal dinners

Couples are getting more creative with their rehearsal dinners and making them extra-meaningful. Invite your guests to the local pizza and beer joint down the street where you shared your first date and rent out the back room. If he proposed over champagne and strawberries, serve them for dessert. Going to Mexico for your honeymoon? Have fajitas for dinner.

• Get rehearsal dinner basics

Tousled up-dos

Hairstyles will get a lift this year in the form of sweeping undone updos. Get a modern twist on a beehive hairstyle with a tousled look and added barrettes, or ask your hairstylist to give you a slightly undone, pulled-back chignon.

• See 150+ hairstyle photos

Navy is the new “something blue”

Light blue is cute, but the new sophisticated version of “something blue” is navy. Wear a pair of navy shoes for the reception, don a navy necklace or earrings, or wrap your bouquet in navy lace.

• See our navy accessories slideshow

Going-away dresses

The grand exit at the end of the night is coming back in style; more and more couples are skipping the post-wedding brunch and leaving straight for the honeymoon. An exit like this calls for a going-away outfit, like a blue dress and flats or another white dress with a higher hemline.

• See dramatic exit photos from real weddings

Bright eyes

Makeup artists say that more and more brides are asking to emphasize the eyes, keeping the look natural, dewy, and glowing. Try sheer pale eye shadows in peaches and gold, adding a few lash extensions to the middle of your lash line and using a little eyeliner in violet or dark gray.

• Get our top makeup tips

At-home workouts

Beyond the gym, brides are enhancing their workouts at home with yoga moves and virtual personal trainers, like Wii Fit and The 30-Day Shred by Jillian Michaels.

American Bridal has some lovely options, including the stunning vintage-inspired Retro Flower Brooch (on left; save 36% on the retail price too!). Take a look at their exquisite pearl pin and jeweled dragonfly brooch for some other pretty pieces.

If you want to add some color to your wedding ensemble, without doing anything drastic, don’t you think a broach with colored stones be magnificent? I am loving this silver and garnet broach and genuine 1950′s vintage emerald-colored brooch …

… and these amazing brooches from graceful touch made from original, antique buttons, coins, and watch parts:

Perfect Details has a number of bridal broaches, including this one in dusty rose and topaz crystals and round filigree brooch with Marquis stones:

Another good site to check out is Best Bridal Prices. They have a beautiful selection of pins at discount prices. A few of my favorites:

If you’re searching online but having a hard time finding the brooch you want, try searching for hair pins. You can always change the type of clasp on the back of your pin so you can clip it or sew it to your gown. Below is a piece from Headpiece Heaven and a couple vintage bobby pins from Perfect Details:

So… where to wear the brooch?

I like the way this winter bride used a pin to call attention to her elegant fur trim:

At the hip, like on this Maggie Sottero, gown where the skirt begins to cascade:

You can add it to your sash, at the center of your bow for example, or to spice up a simple ribbon:

A broach also adds flare at the center of a plunging (or even not so plunging!) neckline:

You can even place your brooch on your bouquet or wedding day purse:

And of course, you can also wear a broach as a hair accessory, by having your stylist pin it into your hair for you.

The NY Times also mentions a cool website called Bravo Brides. This is a fantastic forum for brides-to-be who want to save money by purchasing pre-owned stuff, and brides-who-were who want to get some money back on wedding items they no longer need. You can buy or sell anything wedding-related, from designer wedding gowns to groom’s attire, veils, shoes, jewelry, candles, isle runners, ring pillows, flower girl baskets, place card holders, cake toppers, centerpieces, wedding planning guides, party and shower items, and much more!

They also have listings for local vendors and wedding tips to help you save even more money on your wedding planning needs!

Why choose Bravo Brides? Here are their reasons!!

	We’re the premier one-stop resource for all your wedding needs
	You won’t find bicycles or fish tanks on BravoBride. Instead, we focus completely on pre-owned designer wedding dresses, jewelry, accessories, ceremony and reception items, wedding favors—everything you need for the perfect wedding. Here’s what some of our satisfied customers have to say about their experience with BravoBride.
	It’s easy to find exactly what you need on BravoBride
	With our advanced search features, you’ll find the items you need quickly so you can focus on more important things like deciding on the flavor for your wedding cake. Search for wedding dresses by style, size, designer, or price—to name just some of the options. If you see what you want but aren’t ready to buy, simply add the item to your ‘Favorites’ list to purchase later.
	BravoBride makes selling your items easy
	Listing items for sale and uploading your photos is very simple, there’s no technical knowledge required. We don’t charge any listing fees or commissions so you can sell your item at the best possible price. Your listing stays on the site for 18 months, giving your buyers plenty of time to find and purchase your items. You can upload up to eight images and make three image and text edits after your listing has been posted at no additional cost. It’s easy to track your sales and update your listings.
	We support the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women Campaign
	Did you know that heart disease affects more women than cancer? BravoBride is proud to donate a percentage of our proceeds to the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women Campaign to reduce cardiovascular disease and stroke among women. You can read more about the Go Red for Women Campaign here.
	BravoBride is good for your budget—and for the planet.
	When you shop on BravoBride, you’re not just getting the wedding items you need at a great price. You’re also making the Earth-friendly choice to re-use and pass along. Just a little something extra to be happy about when you walk down the aisle!
	BravoBride offers a range of features no free site or auction site can match. For example:
	Featured Item placement Advanced search capability Multiple photos My Favorite Items section Recommend items to a friend

1. Determine a Date

Choosing a wedding date can be tougher than you’d think. There are a few things to consider:

• How much time will you need to prepare for your wedding?
• Do any loved ones having a conflicting graduation, vacation, or pregnancy due date?
• Availability of a particular place, caterer, band, or photographer.If you have your heart set on any of these crucial vendors, that may also play a large part in your decision.
• Try to avoid dates of big conventions or other events that draw large crowds, since that might make it harder for out-of-town guests to get hotel rooms. Find out more wedding dates to avoid here

2. Set a Timetable

Consider is how long your engagement will be.  A typical engagement lasts anywhere from six months to a year and a half or more. If you got engaged during the holidays but always wanted a summer wedding, make sure you’ve got enough time to plan without making yourselves wedding-crazy, and keep in mind that many vendors and reception sites book a year or more in advance.

3. Envision the Style

Your wedding style will be reflected first and foremost in the location, whether it’s a luxe ballroom or an intimate backyard reception. Discuss with your fiance where your wedding will take place (in one of your hometowns or in the city where you currently live, for example), and then start scouting sites that can accommodate your wedding style.

4. Set Your Budget

In the end, dollars, not dreams, are a main determining factor for the size and style of your wedding. So, what affects the price tag?

• Formality: In general, the more formal the reception, the more expensive, considering you’ll have to match the site, food, and decor to the overall upscale tone.
• Date and time: Saturdays, summer months, and evenings tend to be the most costly times to have a reception.
• Location: In many cases, a wedding in a major metropolitan area is simply more expensive than in a smaller town.

5. Announce Your Engagement

Call your local newspaper, your alumni magazine, and anywhere else you want your engagement announcement to appear. Find out the name of the appropriate editor or department and ask for the writer’s guidelines or a standardized form, if available. Also, ask if there’s a fee for publication. You can also broadcast the news on your blog, by email, or by creating a wedding web page.

6. Choose Your Attendants

Although not mandatory, some like to honor their closest friends and family members by including them in the wedding parties. Remember, the earlier you ask, the sooner you can enlist their help.  Usually members of the wedding party are agreeing to spend their hard-earned money and donate their precious time, so be considerate and kind, keep them informed, and make sure they know how much you appreciate them.

7. Make a Guest List

Location and budget will have a big influence on the size of your guest list.  If you have a particular ceremony or reception site in mind, for instance, you’re going to be limited by how many people it can accommodate (you can’t squeeze 300 people into a lighthouse). And more guests you invite means a bigger bill, as catering costs are generally calculated on a per-head basis. So figure out how many people you can accommodate, and then work on filling it in with those nearest and dearest to you.

8. Consider a Consultant

If you’re a super-busy couple, hire a full-time wedding consultant to help you prepare your entire event, from the announcement to the honeymoon. You can also hire a part-time planner to devise a wedding blueprint — including budget, schedule, and lists of good vendor and site choices — before you launch solo into the preparations. Another option is a day-of coordinator, who will make sure everything goes as planned on your wedding day so you can relax and enjoy yourself.

9. Start Gown Shopping

It’s never too early to begin thinking about your wedding dress. Start by figuring out which style will look best on you. Learn the lingo by reading up on silhouettes, necklines, trains, and hues that might flatter you. Season will also affect your choice. Summer gowns are made with lightweight fabrics such as chiffon, linen, or organza. A winter wedding calls for brocade, faux fur, and velvet fabrics to keep you warm. Satin, shantung, silk, and tulle are perfect year-round.

Hopefully these tips will be helpful to you as you start planning for your big day! We wish you only happiness as you plan your wedding and prepare for the marriage that comes after it! Congratulations!

After you have narrowed your preferences by browsing online or looking in bridal magazines, you can start trying on gowns in a store.  Some wedding dress stores, such as David’s Bridal, can customize dresses in extra-long lengths.

A tall, slender bride can really show off her figure in a sheath gown, which is fitted from top to bottom. Tall, thin brides are usually the ones who can pull off this glamerous look best, in dresses such as these from David’s Bridal (left) and Pascua by La Sposa (right):

If you are a tall woman with an hourglass figure, an A-line gown with a dropped waist works will with your curves. It shows off the figure while accenting the your trim waist. Also, a sweetheart neckline will adds a touch of romance, if it covers enough of the full bustline. A-line dresses also look beautiful on the full figured bride.  Badgley Mischk gown on left, Jessica McClintock on right:

If you are statuesque with a pear shaped figure (smaller at the top and fuller at the bottom), a full ball gown is always a great choice. It draws attention to your bodice and waistline while minimizing the hips and rear. The gorgeous dress on the left is Sandie by Jane Wang and the beaded dress on the right is perfect for the Cinderella bride.

If you have broad shoulders, you may want to consider a gown that has straps or a scoop neckline which shortens the width of your shoulders. A dropped waist also elongates the bodice and narrows the shoulders. Less is more when it comes to accents such as off the shoulder sleeves, poofs or ruffles. Mona Lisa by Monique Lhuillier (right) and Raylia lace gown with deep v-neck and thick straps (left).

Another favorite eco-chic designer is Deborah Lindquist, who mixes “reincarnated” and earth-friendly fabrics to create beautiful gowns that are “unabashedly romantic, more old Hollywood siren than sixties flower child…”

Olivia Luca is a designer who creates custom-made gowns using high quality, environmentally responsible fabrics. These include silk, organic cotton and cotton prints, sustainable SBP® hemp/silk, bamboo and other environmentally responsible fabrics. (How does one make dresses out of bamboo? I have no idea, but it sounds good to me!)

Another wedding dress designer with a mission is Tara Lynn, who’s goal is to create fashionable, high quality, natural fiber clothing that, among other things:

• Enhances awareness of environmental issues
• Supports environmental organizations
• Maximizes resource efficiency
• Supports the local economy

Tara Lynn’s philosophy is that “natural clothing is sexier than lifeless textiles.” Her dresses are meant to make a woman feel “strong, smart and powerful” and, of course, stylish and beautiful:

It’s good to know where your dress comes from, according to Tree Huggers, so check out the “ethical wedding dressmaker” Wholly Jo’s based in London. Their gowns are made from organic, fair trade and cruelty-free products. Here are some samples:

Style Me Pretty points out that the greenest fashion choice for your wedding is to recycle a dress that’s been worn before. Consider having a seamstress update your mother’s gown, or check out everything from eBay to online vintage boutiques like The Frock. There’s something so romantic about wearing a dress with a history of its own!

Feature image: Designer 100% Pure Natural Silk Wedding Corset & Gown (buy it here: evening-dresses.eu)

• “We are humble people who do not live fancy schmancy lives…” For her, a shorter dress equals simplicity.
• “I also don’t fancy the idea of a dress dragging behind me like a dead fish. I want to be light on me feet…” (Well, when you put it that way!! You can always bustle it up after the ceremony!)

In any case, there’s nothing “dead fish” about these dresses. Here are the pictures from her “inspiration board:”

I’m definitely a long wedding dress type of gal, but here is one beauty that almost makes me change my mind. OK, I’ve already had my chance at wedding gowns, (and wore a lovely, long dress with a train!) so it’s not really up for discussion, but IF I was still looking for a dress, this would be up for serious consideration!! It’s a Stephanie Allin “modern vintage look” that I found at the bridal wish list blog:

Some other ideas for short wedding dresses, compliments of tickled pink brides (Top row by Rivini; Middle row by Anne Barge; Bottom row by Romona Keveza):

If I had to go with a short wedding dress, I’d chose one that swirls!! I love the one in the middle with the silver sash and the one right under it with the long sleeves. Gorgeous!

What’s your short wedding dress style?