Does Your Wedding Need a Makeover?

If you love wedding shows like I do, you have probably seen "My Fair Wedding", the one where a famous wedding planner comes in and totally remakes weddings at the last second. The results are crystal clear: the "afters" are always way more fabulous, elegant, and chic than the "befores". Now, most brides are not going to get any last minute guidance from a celebrity wedding designer, but every bride can make her own wedding more beautiful with the right tools. Read this article to figure out if your wedding needs a makeover.

Your wedding might need a makeover if...fake flowers are the main form of decoration. In fact, this has been a common theme on the episodes of "My Fair Wedding" that I have seen: rather than investing in fresh flowers, brides hope to get by with the fake ones. Most of the fakes are not at all natural looking, either, generally coming in too-bright colors or not resembling the shape of genuine flowers at all.

Just don't do it! It is far better to create smaller floral displays using gorgeous real flowers than massive centerpieces and bouquets made from the not-so-fabulous fakes. One very chic idea that actually requires a minimal number of flowers is to create submerged flower centerpieces. One or two long stems of an orchid or berries are placed into tall clear vessels filled to the top with water. Submerged flower centerpieces will give you maximum style and effect with a minimal flower budget. Another option is to decorate the wedding reception tables with fresh fruit like limes, green apples, or oranges displayed in pretty footed vases. Surround with a few votive candles, and you will have table arrangements that are fresh, modern, and affordable. Definitely a wedding "do"!

Your wedding might need a makeover if...you spend most of your waking hours with a hot glue gun in hand. While there are certainly any number of lovely diy wedding projects which a crafty bride can undertake, it is also all too easy to go way over the top with the homemade decorations. Here is the key: if your efforts look like you made them at home with a hot glue gun, they are not elegant enough for a wedding. One of the worst examples I saw of this on television was a bride who hot glued fake flowers (two strikes!) to everything in sight, including the bridal hair jewelry for her bridesmaids. Flowers can be a pretty theme for bridal jewelry to wear in the hair, but only if they are delicately handcrafted - never humongous and stuck to a stretchy headband. Remember that your bridesmaids are supposed to be your closest friends and relations. If they all cringe or hide their faces in embarrassment every time that they put on their bridesmaid dresses and accessories, it is probably time to rethink that selection!

Your wedding might need a makeover if...you do not have a good plan for the flow of the reception, including the cocktail hour, dinner, and dancing. Is it ever okay to rent a tent which will accommodate only some of your guests for dinner and ask the rest to picnic on the ground outside of the main tent? Uh, no - think about how insulting that could be to those who did not make the cut to get a seat at a table for dinner. You also want to make sure that you have a good way to separate the cocktail and dinner areas, especially if the ceremony seating will be removed and changed over into the dinner table arrangement.

A wedding should always feel magical, which means that your guests never see the behind-the-scenes stuff taking place. The good news is that it is never too late to make the small changes which will yield big improvements in the style and beauty of your wedding day. From decorations, to attire, to the reception, you have the power to make everything absolutely gorgeous so that you will be able to enjoy the dream wedding you deserve.

Ask Bridget for advice in areas of jewelry or weddings. She writes numerous articles providing information for the customers of Silverland Jewelry. Visit us at http://silverlandjewelry.com/ and receive free shipping on jewelry orders over $99! We are here to help you find the perfect bridal jewelry for your wedding.

Wedding Hairdos

The day a woman gets engaged she enters a new world of dreams. She starts dreaming of her wedding ceremony, wedding attire, and wedding hairdos. To fulfill the dream of looking beautiful and unique on the wedding day various factors should be taken into consideration.

First most important thin is which stylist to choose. Brides should discus their likes and dislikes with all the possible stylists or hairdressers. After discussing with all the stylists select the best stylist for the wedding day. She can browse the bridal magazines, catalogues, Internet, etc. for various hairstyles for brides.

There are many cute hairstyles that may look elegant on some but not on all. It's always advisable to try the hairstyles in advance and see to it that it suits the bride's facial shape. Other factors that are taken into consideration are the length and texture of the hairs, wedding dress, and wedding accessories like footwear's, jewellery, etc. Look around for antique stores for various other accessories as well. Many brides also try to compliment the groom's outfit. There are so many options with her and she has to choose a style that appeals her, complements her face and make her appearance light up on her special day. Her style should also complement the mood of the wedding.

From simple updos to elegant and romantic curls there is a range of hairstyles for long hairs, short hairs and medium length hairs. There are basically five popular hairstyles for wedding day.

The first popular hairstyle is the classic and sophisticated updos. Updos is simply curving the hair upwards towards the crown of the head and arranging in a mass. This style can be highlighted using a tiara or a floral headband.

Another style is to leave the hair lose with curly tresses or waves. Veil or beads can be used to add elegance to the curls.

Not only long hairs but also short hairs can also be beautifully styles up. One of the most common bridal hairstyles for short hair is a soft bob. It can be accentuated with a tiara or jeweled barrette. For short hairs small strands of hairpieces can also be added to bring graceful curls.

Many brides with shoulder length hair are seen with spiral curls. These curls are obtained using tools-curling irons, hot rollers, rag rollers, and Velcro rollers.

An intricate yet simple style is the crown design that is a unique choice for curly hairs. Arrange few strands of the hair on the crown of the head and let the other strands fall down gracefully to the shoulder. Clip sets and beads add to the elegance.

Planning a Backyard Wedding - An Elegant & Affordable Beginning

A backyard wedding is so much fun and great to plan. You can really be creative when planning your backyard wedding. You need to make sure you are careful when you plan so that you don't run into problems.

If you don't want to plan the backyard wedding yourself, you can always hire a wedding planner. Wedding planners plan backyard weddings all the time so they know what to be careful with and what you need to have so your wedding will be perfect.

If you plan to prepare your backyard wedding yourself, here are some tips you can use.

You will want to be careful of the date you choose when you plan to have a backyard wedding. Rain and wind can cause problems, so you will want to plan your wedding accordingly. Of course, the weather is unpredictable so you will need to make sure you have a back up plan just in case.

The first thing you need to be very clear about when you are planning your backyard wedding is the number of people you invite. You are limited on the space and the number of chairs you can have, so you don't want to invite too many guests and not have enough chairs. The worst thing you can do is have your guests stand during the ceremony.

When you are planning your backyard wedding, you will want to rent a tent so your guests will have shade. In the summer, it can be very hot and the clothes you and your guests will be wearing can make it even hotter. So the tent will help shade them from the sun and get some relief as well.

Decorating is minimal when you have a backyard wedding. You will have chairs for your guests so you won't have pews to decorate. You may not be able to have a candelabra so that will be another expense you won't have. Flowers are another thing you won't have too many of since you will be outside.

The dresses your bridesmaids wear will also need to go with the atmosphere. You may consider spaghetti strap or strapless dresses to help keep them cooler with the warm temps. It's a little more difficult with the men since they will need to wear a tux. You can help by eliminating the vest that goes under the jacket and have them wear short sleeve shirts rather than long sleeve ones.

You will also need to be careful with your cake, drinks, and food for your reception. Most brides who plan backyard weddings plan for the reception at the same location. This will save you money because you won't have the rental expense of a reception hall, but you have to be careful with the food. You don't want it to go bad before your guests get a chance to eat it. You will want to keep it refrigerated for as long as possible.

Planning backyard weddings can be so much fun. They are so beautiful and you have many more options that you may not be able to do in a church. There are things you have to be careful with, but in the long run you will be so happy that you chose to have your wedding outside. Backyard weddings can also save you money because you won't have too much decorating to do, you won't have the cost of renting a hall for the reception, and you won't have the cost of the church. Planning a backyard wedding is the way to go!

Darlyn Burkle of http://www.I-Choose-Us.com, offers resources on how to plan a wedding. The six-month membership program helps brides-to-be organize and plan inexpensive weddings and unforgettable honeymoons. Members receive one new lesson every week for six months.

Dream Wedding Colours - Orange, Cerise & Black?

Rapidly becoming hot colours for weddings this season are shocking pinks, exotic oranges and Oriental blacks.

The biggest thing to come back into bridal fashion over the last couple of years is colour. Any bride who wants to keep up to date with current trends needs to get some exotic and show stopping colour into her wedding.

Your main inspiration for these ideas should be Hawaii and Morocco. Colour oozes out of flowers, clothes and even the people from these great places so take some ideas from them.

In terms of fancy floral arrangements, there are so many ways in which you add these key colours. For example, team tropical tiger lilies with pink stargazer lilies together in a bouquet and tie it with black satin ribbon. Floral centrepieces can then be produced in the same way but in a larger scale. Watch out for the stamens though as these stain anything they are near. Good florists will take the stamens out beforehand but ask those who are dressing your tables to double check before introducing them to white table linen!

Depending on the time of the year you are getting married, bright cerise tulips and orange tulips look fabulous when tied together with black and gold netting. The only caution with tulips is that they tend to wilt so keep stems short and keep them well watered for as long as possible. Tulips are pretty, gentle flowers that work really well in posies for little children too.

The popular tulip is hotly pursued by black blooms this season. Unusual is the name of the game with black orchids and black roses intermingled with lengths of bright pink and orange organza ribbon. Quite often you can buy bouquets containing ready preserved blooms and although these are more expensive, their longevity and freshness is significantly extended.

Draping Orchids and Gloriosa really set off wedding gowns that are made of silk and the overall feel created by these flowers is that of opulence. Even if you are not an Indian bride, the combination of rich silk and pretty flowers gives an eclectic feel to the occasion making it a perfect choice for a 'sense of adventure' bride. This type of bouquet is so different as it drapes across the palm and naturally elongates the body. When it comes to other wedding accessories, keep with the overall brightly coloured floral theme. Scatter tables with pink and orange flower heads, or even bowls of sweets in these stunning colours. Colourful glass candleholders and gold plates will give tables a sense of occasion by standing out from the white of the table linen. Gold accessories work really well with pinks, orange and black so go for gold colours in table scatters and place cards. The black works really well too, but keep this subtle by only introducing a splash of it here and there. If you are going for black netting or ribbon on your bouquet, then simple co-ordinating napkin ties in black will suffice.

As far as invitations are concerned, black works really well when teamed with bright colours, so consider having black cards with bright envelopes. This will give your guests an insight as to what is to come....

However you accessorize your wedding, the combination of pink, orange and black is a guaranteed talking point for your guests. Regardless of season and weather, these colours are sure to bring cheer and happiness to even the most miserable of wedding days. By using Orange, Cerise and Black you too can have the dream wedding you have always hoped for!

NOTE: Please republish this article on your website, magazine, newsletter or in any other publications provided that the article is in its entirety, including the author information and all live website links.

About the author: Emily Tanner is a writer for Chloe Beck Ltd - superior quality wedding favours and expert advice.

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2009 Wedding Updos - Choosing Your Hairstyle

The 2009 wedding season is here full of fresh ideas for wedding locations, dresses, cakes and hairstyles. Most brides look to create a wedding that follows a cohesive theme. That means the dress, the hair and the accessories all work together to create the most memorable of elements for the wedding - you!

Below is some advice for choosing the best wedding hairstyle this year.

STYLIST
There are many options for wedding hairstyles. The first step in creating a beautiful look is finding a hairstylist that you trust to do wonderful work. If you have a stylist in mind, talk to them about wedding hairstyles you have seen and liked. Your hairstylist will be able to explain what may or may not work best for you as well as let you in on some of the best 2009 wedding updos.

Make sure to work practice hairstyle sessions in as you lead up to your wedding day. This way you will have a chance to see a couple of updo and other options. You will also be able to test the hairstyle with your veil and be able to wear it for a day to make sure it will last through the ceremony and reception.

2009 STYLE OPTIONS
The best 2009 wedding updos are easy to find this time of year. Flip through a few of the latest hairstyle and bridal magazines. The latest runway and fashion show photographs will also give a little insight on what's hot for 2009. The hairstyle you choose doesn't have to be a traditional wedding updo if that is not what you are going for. It should reflect your taste and the style of the wedding.

UPDOS
Right now, 2009 wedding updos are utilizing beautiful hair accessories to add dimension and artistry to the hairstyle. 2009 trends are marked with intricate yet delicate hair accessories which combine metalwork, embroidery, and crystals shaped into flowers, hearts, as well as more modern designs. Take a look at Karl Lagerfeld's last runway show to see how these are being used with fabulous results.

For those brides with long hair, updos can be twisted around the head, with a slight messiness much like typical Grecian hairstyles. This is both sexy and romantic. Most 2009 wedding hair trends are foregoing the tighter, put together styles for more feminine and whimsical designs Think 'soft','pretty','romantic','tousled',and 'feminine' as you look for a wedding hairstyle this year.

SHORT HAIR
If you have short hair, don't worry about paying for extensions for your wedding. Maintain a real look and go for adding a hair accessory, tiara or a beautiful veil to make your hair look different for your wedding without being over the top.

DOWN DOS
Have long hair, but don't want to wear it in an updo? The hottest 2009 wedding hairstyles for the long-tressed are big volume, large barrel curls that have a very natural look. This can be done by a stylist with heated rollers or a large barrel curling iron. A good stylist will know what to put on the hair to ensure it maintains the curls and volume throughout the day.

The hair is a big part of the bride on their wedding day. Take some time to think about the style you want, that will look best on you and will make you feel like the beautiful woman you are.

Find beautiful 2009 wedding updo ideas at All Updos online, a wedding hairstyle resource site.

Top 10 Do's and Don'ts for a Summer Wedding

Summer weddings have of late become quite common and many people now deliberately plan a summer wedding. It can be fun and enjoyable if planned properly and with some precautions. Summers in several Indian cities can get quite hot and humid with day temperatures rising beyond 45 deg C at its peak.

However, here are 5 things that you should keep in mind for a summer wedding -
1. Outdoor Venue - If you have chosen an outdoor venue like a garden or a farmhouse, make sure there are several pedestal fans and greenery around so that the temperature remains cool.
2. Indoor Venue - If you have decided to book a wedding hall then make sure it is well ventilated and has proper air conditioning since having hundreds of guest in a single hall, how so very big, can make it quite stuffy and suffocating.
3. Size of the venue - Choose a big enough venue so that there is ample moving space and make sure that food is served somewhere away from the stage where the bride and the groom will be seated.
4. Decoration - Choose a floral decoration with lots of roses, marigolds, tuberose, orchids etc. Also make sure the colours used for decoration are not too dark and neither too bright. Soothing colours are preferred during summers. Make sure that the flowers are put up only after sunset and have been freshly purchased. In case they have been bought earlier, keep them wrapped in a moist cloth or ice box to prevent wilting.
5. Water and Drinks - Summers are that time of the year when anyone can get dehydrated quickly. Make sure there is ample water for all your guests in addition to other rehydrating fluids like juices, soft drinks etc.

Here are 5 things you should take special care of while hosting a summer wedding -
1. Clothes - Avoid wearing heavy clothing for a summer wedding, especially when it comes to bride's dress. A heavy 'lehenga' only adds to the discomfort which a hot and humid weather causes. Try finding a wedding dress which is made from fabrics like Chiffon or Georgette or something that's made from cotton. Same goes for the groom, avoid wearing heavy dresses and go for something light and not made out of synthetic fabrics.
2. Jewellery - Just like clothing, even jewellery can be quite a pain in the neck (pun intended) during a summer wedding. Wear something will not cause rashes if you start sweating due to the temperature.
3. Exertion - Avoid exertion during a summer wedding, this goes specially for the bride and the groom who will have to stay awake till late in the night during their wedding day to complete all the rituals and the 'pheras'.
4. Heavy Food - Summers are a time when people usually lose their appetite for heavy and oily foods. However, everyone enjoys lots of snacks and 'chaats', especially something like 'golgappas' or 'paani-puris' and 'dahi-bhalla' (curd based 'chaats'). Also, have ample cold juices, soft drinks etc. to help your guests beat the heat.
5. Wedding Invitations - Make sure you send out invitations well in advance since summers are usually the time when children have their holidays and families plan their vacations. Let people know of your wedding plans as early as possible so that they can plan accordingly and be there to bless the bride and the groom.

For wedding Planning, wedding decoration and wedding event planning, please check out http://www.mumbaiweddingplanners.com - The best website in world to find wedding tips, wedding information

The Latest Wedding Ring Trends

One of the most poignant moments of a wedding ceremony is when the bride and groom pledge themselves in marriage by exchanging wedding rings. "With this ring, I thee wed" is a very important customary part of the service. Such a special moment deserves to be represented by an equally special ring; these are some of the latest trends in wedding rings.

Gone are the days when most married couples wore matching gold bands. Newlyweds these days expect their rings to have personality and to showcase their individual taste. Wedding jewelry is a very personal choice, and no matter how much the bride and groom love each other, it does not have to mean choosing matchy-matchy sets of bands. While the notion of matching bands is very romantic, most couples will at the most choose wedding rings with a common element, such as the same color.

White metals like platinum and white gold remain very popular for wedding rings, especially for men. Even as people have been looking for ways to cut down on other wedding expenses, the average expenditure for wedding jewelry has remained steady. This is because brides and grooms realize that while the wedding may only be one day, the wedding jewelry they choose will last for a lifetime. It is a sound investment, and worth a bit of a splurge to get the perfect wedding bands.

In the rest of jewelry fashion, statement making pieces have become all the rage. Translated into wedding bands, this means pieces with distinctive details. The inspiration can come from tribal patterns, ancient Celtic motifs, nature, or abstract geometry. The plain gold bands that your parents wore are being replaced today by rings with intricate and eyecatching artistry. This makes for unique wedding bands that will be treasured for their beauty as much as for their symbolism.

For mens' wedding rings, high tech metals are another hot trend. Space-age materials such as titanium, tungsten, and palladium have broad appeal for tech-savvy guys. Men love the idea of having technologically advanced wedding rings. Frequently worked in two tone colors with brushed finishes, these modern bands are becoming more and more popular each year.

One trend that is still going strong is diamond or gemstone bands for ladies. Sparkle is something that never goes out of style! In addition to the classic diamond channel band, there are modern rings with inset square gems, whimsical scatter bands, and elegant bar set rings. Brides everywhere agree that there is no need to wait for an anniversary to get a diamond band! After diamonds, classic blue sapphires are the next most popular gemstone selected.

Another trend in wedding bands is "green" rings. Made from reclaimed metals and fair trade gemstones, these are a great complement to an eco-friendly wedding. It is wonderful to be able to wear wedding jewelry that fits not only your esthetics, but also your ethics.

The most important trend in wedding rings is for each couple to choose the bands that they love the best. Fashion and styles will come and go, but your wedding bands will be worn for a lifetime together, so you should really love the design you select, whether they are a hot style or just a personal favorite.

Read Guy's other articles on weddings,society and fashions and let us know what you think. Call us at SilverlandJewelry.com for help with your wedding jewelry or gift needs. Keep up on the latest trends on wedding jewelry with our helpful articles.