It’s easy to tell the difference between a look that’s trendy and a more classic style. Think of the bell bottoms and love beads from the ‘70s and big hair and “Dynasty”-style gowns of the ‘80s — looks that were “hot” at one time, but that years later elicit an eye-roll and a “what was I thinking” attitude from women who wore them.

Now consider the elegance, grace and demure femininity of icons like Grace Kelly, Ingrid Bergman and Audrey Hepburn. Their style was classic and timeless — and one that today’s smart bride mimics to ensure she’ll love the look of her wedding as much in 20 years as she does the day she walks down the aisle.

Today’s bride knows that choosing fabrics, silhouettes and accessories borrowed from the classic era — the 1940s through the 1960s — will give her wedding and gown timeless appeal. No dated looks from easy-to-identify fashion fads for her. The classic look also plays well with the growing trend to achieve less with more by accenting the basics with luxurious finishing touches.

Here’s how to achieve that classic look for your spring wedding:

The Dress

Avoid large, modern swags of fabrics in favor of silhouettes that emphasize an hourglass figure. Nipped-in waists, or waistlines defined with belts and sashes, often in a color that slightly contrasts with the dress, create an elegant, eternal style. You can draw your classic style from the ‘40s, ‘50s and even ‘60s.

Designers offer charming gowns that evoke the look of 1950s prom dresses with fitted bodices and full skirts in tulle, lace and appliqué. For a 1960s look, a shorter, sophisticated frock with a gathered waist and narrow skirt will be reminiscent of the classic ‘60s cocktail dress.

The Accessories

A veil is essential for classic bridal style, and birdcage veils with large netting that falls at cheekbone length epitomize the look. These simple veils frame the bride’s glowing face and highlight special jewelry. Ladylike wrist-length gloves are the perfect complement to vintage bridal looks.

The classic bridal look is a perfect match with a simple and elegant pair of pearl stud earrings and a lustrous 16-inch strand of cultured pearls around the bride’s neck. Pearls have long been associated with the essence of sophisticated womanhood in American pop culture.

“The Hindu Lord Krishna is said to have offered pearls to his daughter as a wedding gift, which is where pearls and weddings were first married,” says Jeremy Shepherd of PearlParadise.com, the world’s largest online pearl company. “Pearls are considered a symbol of purity, making them the perfect fit with a bride’s white dress.”

Shepherd recommends white akoya pearls, a saltwater pearl that grows primarily in the coastal areas of Japan and China. Considered to be the classic pearls for jewelry, akoya pearls are prized for their perfect round shape, mirror-like luster and soft, neutral colors.

Visit www.PearlParadise.com for more ideas and classic bridal pearls.

The Look

Tie a classic dress and accessories together with a polished hairstyle such as a bun or chignon and keep makeup understated. Dark brown or black eyeliner extended slightly past the end of the eyelid, a touch of black mascara and a shade of red lipstick perfectly matched to the bride’s complexion are all that’s necessary to complete the perfect, classic Hollywood face.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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If the thought of the bridal shower creates more stress than satisfaction, there’s help. Culinary expert and newlywed, Kendall McFarland, research and development manager at Simply Organic, suggests cutting down on hassles with these five timesaving tips for simple but sensational shower refreshments.

Dishes like this Fruit Chutney are special without requiring hours in the kitchen.

* Take smart shortcuts. For enticing flavor without fuss, keep a supply of natural dressing and dip mixes on hand for fresh, homemade appetizers and snacks. Add a dip or dressing mix, such as creamy dill, French onion, guacamole, or ranch to equal parts of low-fat cottage cheese and non-fat plain yogurt and mix in a blender or food processor until smooth. Serve with fresh veggies you can buy already cleaned and cut up at the store.

* Dress up everyday favorites. Special dishes don’t require hours in the kitchen. Make your easy-to-prepare favorites and dress them up with special, wedding seasonings. Try distinctive seasoning blends like red pepper and curry, apple and basil, pineapple and cilantro, or orange and ginger for a gourmet touch. For example, simply add a liberal dose of a spice (like oregano, basil, or cayenne) or seasoning blend along with some garlic and Parmesan cheese to your usual mashed potatoes, and you’ll instantly serve something outside everyday fare.

* Plan and shop wisely. Forget about shopping ’til you drop. Develop your menu, including impromptu snacks, ahead of time. Then pick up everything non-perishable at the same time, eliminating those last-minute treks to the grocery store. To save even more time, order ingredients online. For example, Simply Organic carries culinary items like organic spices, seasoning blends, baking extracts and flavors, gluten-free baking mixes and other cooking ingredients and supplies which they will ship to you within a few days of your order.

* Accept help. When the bride’s mother or other guests ask if they can bring anything, say yes! Ask them to bring something you don’t especially enjoy preparing or something you know is that person’s specialty which the bride really loves. Or have each guest bring a dessert or appetizer, so you can focus solely on the rest of the party and fun. Offers to help are gifts, so allow other bridesmaids or friends to assist if they offer. Working together can add to the shower fun, and give you stories to share as you continue down the wedding planning road.

* Make it healthy – the bride, her bridesmaids and the mother of the bride all want to fit into their dresses when the big day finally arrives. The best meal you can offer your guests is a delicious and healthful one. Provide great-tasting, nutritious snacks that go easy on salt, fat, sugar, and other potentially unhealthy ingredients and your guests will fondly remember your hospitality.

Here are two great examples of healthy bridal shower dishes from the Simply Organic recipe Web site that are easy to prepare:

Fruit Chutney
Serves 8

Ingredients:
1 cup peeled and diced mixed fruit
1 package Apple Basil Dressing Mix
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Directions:
In a medium bowl, mash fruit or use a food processor and blend. Add Apple Basil Dressing Mix and vinegar and mix. Chill and serve as a relish.

Take smart shortcuts. A natural dressing mix gives this Italian Egg Bake enticing flavor without fuss.

Italian Egg Bake
Serves 6

Ingredients:
8 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 package Italian Dressing Mix
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup diced vegetables (tomatoes and mushrooms are good choices)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add milk and Italian Dressing Mix and whisk well. Add cheese and vegetables. Pour into a greased 9-inch pie pan. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until center is firm. Top with diced tomatoes and shredded Parmesan cheese for an extra special flavor.

For more delicious, healthy and easy recipes, visit www.simplyorganicfoods.com and click on the recipe drop-down menu.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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In most weddings, speeches are given to share personal stories between the bride or groom and the person giving the speech. Often there is a humorous element in the speech, but the overall message is to offer sincere wishes to the couple for their future life together. It does not always end up that way however, as many times the wedding speeches seem more like a comedy roast than a serious time in the couples’ life.

While some people can stand up in front of a crowd and relate anecdotes about their personal history with the groom or bride, others are not as comfortable speaking in public and will generally write wedding speeches ahead of time and simply read them during the reception.

Need For Speeches Sparks New Industry

Whether a person is not capable of writing their own wedding speeches or do not have the time, the business of writing speeches for various occasions is a growing business. Companies are available online where a person can view numerous wedding speeches already written and choose one that most closely relates to the upcoming wedding. With most of the pre-written speeches, since the names need to be changed to make it seem as though it was written specifically for the individuals involved.

With a little notice, as well as more money, the company will rewrite the speech to include specific information and anyone who would happen upon the wedding speeches would think the person offering the toast had actually composed the entire talk. Pre-written wedding speeches are available for nearly every occasion and to and from just about anyone who may be mentioned in the ceremony.

It is easy however, to figure out if the person is delivering wedding speeches they labored over for hours or one that was purchased from a speech writer. Typically, original wedding speeches will have much more personal information and will be given with much more emotion than a speech that was purchased.

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Possibly one of the most troubling of the wedding ideas to come to terms with is the location. A majority of couples will choose a traditional church wedding, complete with the church denomination’s ceremony included as part of the ceremony. However, there are those that choose to wed in smaller churches or outside of the church. When it comes to wedding ideas about location, there seemingly is nothing that is off limits.

Couples of exchanged vows under water or on the water, depending on their shared love of a sport and airplane, blimps and hot air balloons have been used for some of the less traditional wedding ideas. Couples have been married at sporting venues as well as in the sand by the ocean, but for more traditionalists, these may be too far out of the ordinary to even be considered.

Modern Couples Creating New Traditions

Perhaps not comfortable with many of the traditional wedding ideas they have experienced, some couples are constantly looking for new ways to express their individualism and unique styles into their weddings. Even if friends and family do not agree with some of the more elaborate wedding ideas they go along with them if that is what the bride and groom want to do.

When looking at non-traditional wedding ideas, consider that for many people the wedding is only one day in their life and is not likely to be repeated. With that in mind, having a different type of wedding may appeal to some while others think about how it will appear 10 or 20 years later. They may think it is a great idea at the time and later in life regret their decision.

Additionally, when planning what might be considered as off-beat wedding ideas that it may limit the number of people that can share in the ceremony. Skydiving weddings are not considered a new idea, but many couple may later regret the decision due to the limited number of guests that can personally witness the exchange of vows.

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Venue

As soon as you think wedding bells are in the future for yourself or your loved one, set a venue as the good places are reserved months in advance and while you may feel there is time for a spring wedding, many others may have booked the location of your choice. So unless you are doing it in your parents’ expansive back yard, you should get a venue deiced upon as soon as possible.

Another advantage to booking a venue is that when you have a date in front of you, organizing becomes much simpler. You have a date in front of you so you can start booking the wedding band, the florist, the cake, the deejay or any other vendor you need. Just making castles in the air by saying that you might be getting married some time in the spring makes everything ambiguous and difficult to plan accurately.

Theme

If there is one thing everyone is doing these days is having a theme for their wedding. From Hawaiian weddings to a color theme to a motif like wedding bells, everyone is going with a theme so that their reception looks more coordinated and everything ties in tighter. If they choose to have wedding bells for a theme, for instance, then the cake can have wedding bell toppers, the centerpieces on the guest tables can have wedding bell flower arrangements and the invitation cards can have the same motif.

Calm Your Nerves

Whether you are the bride or someone close to her, being calm and confident about the wedding day is the most important element of organizing. Even the most professionally choreographed wedding can go disastrously wrong if the bride or groom has last minute jitters, if they are too laid back or if they are too much on top of things. Having a balanced approach and being involved but continuing with your life as well is the most important thing. Plan your wedding but do not let that take over your entire life.

For instance, have realistic expectations. Do not be so extravagant that your start out married life in huge credit card debt nor go on such extreme diets to fit in to a size 2 wedding dress that you have a host of medical issue to deal with soon after.

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Of course you cannot assume the degree of love just based on the wedding bands but that was the standard that was used.  The groom’s wedding band was akin to a small gold leash that was a simple gold ring that sometimes had an inscription on the inside that no one ever got to read because over time the ring stopped fitting so great and he cannot get it off his finger.

If the groom wanted elaborate wedding bands he had to have them specially made or pick from a set of some of the most horrendous looking wedding bands anyone has ever seen.  So the wife got the glamour and the husband got the mini handcuffs.  Over the years a lot about wedding bands has changed and that is a good thing for the husband.

When you used to buy wedding bands set the set part of it was the set for the bride and the groom got the aforementioned leash.  Now wedding band sets are a complete set including some very nice looking rings for the groom and also coming in a wide assortment of designs and elements as well.

So now the groom gets to use his imagination when it comes to choosing wedding bands and while with some grooms this is a wonderful thing with others it could be the biggest mistake they could ever make.  Face it guys, some of you just do not look right with a huge glittering piece of jewelry on your finger.

Make It Coordinate Well

Well coordinated wedding bands don’t just match each other but they match the bride and groom as well.  You can get wedding bands made of gold, silver, or platinum and the stones you can have put in the rings are also a wide variety.  Take your time and talk to your jeweler because chances are that the one set you see cast in gold is also available in platinum.

If you are more of a platinum couple than a gold couple then you will want to explore that option.  Make sure that the statements your rings make are statements you can live with.  It would be terrible to spend a lot of money on an elaborate groom’s ring only to find you can never wear it.  So be smart.

Your wedding is all your personality and your rings should reflect that.  But just remember that the glowing groom’s ring you buy now will be the same thing you have to wear to work when you get back from the honey moon.

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* Beauty: Inside and Out

While many brides want to look and feel beautiful on their wedding day, preparing your look can be expensive and take time. “For brides that don’t want to spend a lot of money but want to look radiant, there are some great cost-effective beauty products that will add a special glow and a sparkling smile for the pictures on your special day that will last a lifetime,” says Bethany Robertson, founder and president of the I Do Foundation.

With your wedding pictures being memories that will last forever, getting a gorgeous, glowing smile for your wedding photos is easier than ever with a product like Crest Whitestrips Premium Plus. In just 10 days, brides are ready for their close-ups with brighter, sparkling smiles.

Every bride wants to look great in her wedding dress and a healthy glow can add just the right touch. For a sun-kissed look, try Olay Touch of Sun Daily UV Facial Moisturizer with SPF 15. It gives brides a beautiful, healthy glow because it gradually builds color over seven days while protecting your skin from damage with SPF 15.

It used to be that brides “trained for their dress,” but now couples are “training” for a lifetime of good health together. Couples are finding that creating an exercise plan together in the months before their wedding is a great way to look your best, and it also helps relieve stress. Plus, couples are building healthy habits that will last long after they walk down the aisle.

* Love: Giving Back

One of the most personal elements couples are adding to their weddings is a focus on giving back. Together, couples are choosing charities that have special meaning for them, and then sharing a part of their wedding day with the organization of their choice.

The trend of making donations as wedding favors to guests continues to gain popularity in 2007. It’s an easy option for couples, and guests love the highly meaningful and personal gift. And charitable favors are a wonderful way to honor those loved ones who aren’t able to be a part of the couple’s special day.

Couples also are looking to create gift registries with retailers that have a positive impact on the world. In some cases, that means couples are registering with retailers like the I Do Foundation’s partners who make a donation with every purchase. Another great way couples are giving back is by coordinating with their caterer and food rescue programs to ensure that left-over food goes to a good cause.

* Green Weddings

Couples are incorporating elements of healthy, green living into every aspect of their wedding plans, creating fresh events with a social conscience. By being more thoughtful about the impact of their special day, couples are reducing consumption and wedding waste.

Flowers are an important tradition at weddings, but more and more couples are learning about the impact of traditional cut flowers and are opting for organically grown bouquets and potted plants as a decoration alternative. Potted plants can also be taken home by the bride and groom as a reminder of how their love has grown, or given as gifts to guests.

Many couples are opting for healthy food choices for themselves and their guests. Organic and natural foods are showing up on menus across the country as couples look to make their wedding meals as healthy as they are delicious.

With eco-travel being a popular trend, it’s no surprise that newlyweds are looking for green travel alternatives. From staying in “green” hotels to finding romantic eco-tourism getaways, couples are making their honeymoons as green as their weddings.

Start giving back and saving money as you embark on your new life together. And, make sure you glow from skin to smile on the big day by visiting www.whitestrips.com and www.olay.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Pick your palette — Say goodbye to muted tones and pastels, 2007 is all about bright colors making bold statements. For those planning to wed this summer, yellow and pinks are expected to be the hot colors of the season. Big, bold yellow sunflowers radiate warmth and tranquility and are the perfect addition to any garden wedding. Romantic roses tied with bold ribbons and pearls, are both sophisticated and timeless, and beautifully compliment any style of wedding gown.

Eco-conscious — It’s a nice day for a green wedding. If you and your partner are rigorous about recycling and want to plan a wedding that reflects your environmentally friendly lifestyle, there are a ton of options to choose from. Creating centerpieces with organically grown flowers or potted orchid plants add that extra “green” element to wedding receptions. Edible flowers on your wedding cake not only look beautiful; they also add an eco-friendly touch.

Brides on a budget — If you find yourself wilting from the stress of those ever-tightening purse strings and don’t want to spend a fortune on flowers, forget the personal florist. From wedding bouquets and boutonnieres to creative centerpieces, online flower companies like ProFlowers, offer a number of stylish selections for the budget-conscious bride. Choosing flowers that are in season are automatically cheaper than out of season or exotic flowers.

Wedding tails — Man’s best friend is enjoying a new high profile when it comes to exchanging vow-wows. Originally adopted as a west coast trend, more and more people are including their favorite four-legged friends in their wedding ceremony. Adorn your pooch with a pretty floral dog collar or boutonniere to really tie them into the theme of your wedding.

Whether your style is traditional or contemporary www.proflowers.com has a number of different arrangements to match your personality, dress style, wedding location and season.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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A medieval theme is a popular choice for couples who pine for the romance and tradition of earlier times.  You could incorporate this theme by making your reception a costume party and suggesting that your guests dress accordingly.  The couple could choose their attire to reflect the theme by wearing outfits that are indicative of the chosen time period.  They can do this by either renting costumes or searching far and wide for attire that suits their needs.  This theme can also be carried over into the food and entertainment choices.  A couple may opt to have a multi-course meal that includes traditional medieval fare.  They may also wish to provide entertainment such as musicians and troubadours to perform between each of the courses.  Using medieval language during the ceremony and in the vows is another way to incorporate a medieval theme. 

 A fairly tale wedding is another popular theme for many couples.  As many young girls are first exposed to the idea of a wedding in common fairy tales, it is understandable that many brides dream about a fairy tale wedding.  This simple theme translates well to wedding preparations and can be incorporated into the wedding in a variety of ways.  The couple’s attire is one of the easiest ways to incorporate a fairy tale theme.  A form fitting bodice with a tulle skirt is very reminiscent of fairy tale weddings.  Furthermore this style of dress is readily available in many bridal shops.  In many cases it is even referred to as a “Cinderella Gown”.  Simply letting the bridal shop attendants know that you are planning a fairy tale themed wedding will result in them producing a multitude of dresses for you to try on that will be very fitting for the theme.  The groom may wish to opt for attire reminiscent of Prince Charming such as a white tuxedo with tails.  The theme can be carried forward and included in the transportation that the couple chooses.  Arriving in a horse drawn carriage is a very elegant way to include the fairy tale theme.  The couple may also choose to perform their first dance together as husband and wife to a traditional ballroom medley.  A careful choreographed ballroom dance will look elegant and further convey the fairy tale theme.

An under the sea theme is another common wedding theme.  A couple choosing this type of theme may want to consider holding their ceremony and reception on a beach.  As always the attire can be incorporated into the theme.  If the wedding is held on a beach, the bride may choose to adorn herself in a simple white dress and may opt to be married without shoes.  The groom could choose a casual linen suit and may even consider shorts with a lightweight sports jacket.  He too could choose to not wear shoes.  The decoration possibilities are limitless with this theme.  One very popular and appropriate centerpiece idea is to fill glass bowls with sand and seashells.  This simple centerpiece is an excellent way to incorporate the theme into the decorations.  The couple could also cover the tables in a blue table cloth that is similar to the color of the ocean and layer fishing net over the table.  A simple favor idea is to present each guest with a collection of seashell shaped soaps.  These are relatively inexpensive and readily available.

While it’s not required for a wedding to have a theme, choosing one can be an excellent way to tie the different elements of the wedding together.  The attire, entertainment, decorations, favors and food are all elements that can be used to reflect the theme.  Subtle hints at your theme are nice touches but it is possible to go overboard with a theme and the results are often tacky. 

 

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A wedding with a light-hearted theme hosted by a fun loving couple might be a suitable opportunity to utilize candy to create festive centerpieces.  Clear glass bowls can be filled with colorful candies such as jelly beans or M & Ms to create a lovely and very inexpensive centerpiece that reflects the personalities of the bride and groom.  The candy and bowls can probably be purchased for a fraction of the price of floral centerpieces and create a lovely centerpiece that is easily assembled and can be enjoyed by all of the guests. 

The bride and groom can also opt for silk floral arrangements if they are intent on having flowers as their centerpiece.  Many hobby stores sell a wide variety of attractive artificial flowers that can be arranged by the bride and groom to create attractive centerpieces for the tables.  Using fake flowers gives the couple more of an opportunity to express their creativity.  The hobby store also likely sells inexpensive vases so the couple may be able to purchase everything they need for the centerpieces in one location.  Arranging the flowers in a vase is nice but long stemmed flowers such as calla lilies also look very attractive tied with twine or ribbon and simply laid in the center of the table.  The couple could either choose seasonal artificial flowers or artificial flowers that fit the theme of the wedding and arrange them in inexpensive vases or tie them with attractive ribbons to create inexpensive centerpieces for their wedding. 

Another inexpensive option for a couple wishing to utilize flowers for their centerpieces is to use potted plants.  You can find a multitude of inexpensive potted plants at home improvement stores, greenhouses, and even grocery stores.  The couple can choose plants that match the other decorations for the wedding or that will stand out amongst the other decorations.  These plants could be repotted into festive pots to create attractive centerpieces for a relatively low cost. 

Balloons can be another option for a couple looking to have fun yet inexpensive centerpieces.  Balloons are relatively inexpensive and can be easily found in a wide variety of colors and patterns.  The couple could choose solid or print patterns that match the colors of the table linens.  An extra tip for these centerpieces is to weigh down the balloons with a piece of candy.  This will encourage each guest at the table to take home a balloon as a souvenir.  With a typical centerpiece only one guest has the opportunity to take home the centerpiece but using balloons makes it possible for each guest to take home a part of the centerpiece.

Another inexpensive wedding table centerpiece is a picture frame in the shape of cube that allows the insertion of a photo into each side of the cube.  The couple may choose to include pictures of themselves during their courting or they may wish to include pictures of them with the guests who will be sitting at that table.  This is a great opportunity for the couple to express their individuality and share a little bit of themselves with their guests.  Artfully arranged photographs create fun centerpieces that are also very inexpensive. 

Candles also create a very attractive yet inexpensive centerpiece.  The couple may choose to purchase many of the same candle or candles of varying shapes, sizes and colors to arrange on the tables.  Candles of the same size, shape and color can be arranged in a uniform pattern to create a beautiful centerpiece.  Candles that vary in size, shape and color can be placed at random on the table to create an eclectic appeal. 

With a little bit of thought and creativity a couple can find centerpiece options that are affordable, attractive and well suited for the couple.  The traditional centerpieces of floral arrangements can be boring and also extremely expensive.  Utilizing creativity and ingenuity to create centerpieces that are an accurate representation of the taste of the couple often creates a more appealing centerpiece at a very affordable price. 

 

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