Something Old, Something Shiny, Something Short
By Emily Kopec

Let’s face it, it really IS all about the dress, and now there are more options than ever. I mean, you didn’t settle for just any fiancée, any venue, any honeymoon, right, so you’re not going to want to settle for a run-of-the-mill dress, either! Here are three blazin’ hot trends that you just might want to consider.

VINTAGE

Which do you love more: shopping for a jaw-dropping vintage dress or wearing it? Tough question, both frickin’ rock! Vintage wedding dresses can be hiding anywhere from secondhand stores to upscale boutiques to…hell, even flea markets. If you have the stamina and the time, taking this route can pay off big-time because if ~ or I should say WHEN ~ you find your dress you’ll feel like you just won the shopping lottery! (I’m not going to lie, finding the perfect vintage wedding can feel like finding a needle in a haystack…total triumph!) Look for details like antique lace overlay, gorgeous bustiers and fabric-covered buttons. Wear your hair and makeup in a style that compliments the dress’s particular style ~ soft and easy generally works well, or you can rock a Christina-style red lip if you want to be extra girly. A pearl necklace will look romantic, as will other antique pieces. Shoestically speaking, why not try a stiletto heel to mix it up a bit. Today’s vintage isn’t about staying in one exact look from head to toe; it’s about mixing and matching to create your own one-of-a-kind look. Fabulous! FYI: A vintage dress doesn’t have to necessarily be a wedding dress to be worn as one.

METALLIC

Metallics aren’t just for nightclubs anymore, no Siree. These days you can absolutely incorporate some shininess into your wedding dress regardless of whether your wedding is a daytime or nighttime affair. Possibilities include the entire dress being a pale metallic shade of platinum or bronze, or metallic embroidery creating a glimmering effect throughout an otherwise white dress. If your dress is relatively simple, you can wear a chunky, mirrored, shiny Egyptian-style necklace. But if your dress is glitzy, let the dress be the main focus and don’t choose overtly bold jewelry … The earrings or the necklace can be bold, but never both. Also, don’t overdo it by wearing a tiara (unless you’re Cinderella). Consider wearing your hair up in a big, soft bun, sans decorations. Your feet will be practically begging to teeter around in sizzling metallic heels, and smoky eyes and nude lips sound delish. Metallic rocks ~ it’s a personal fave of mine ~ you’ll look sophisticated while pumping up the glam factor.

TEA LENGTH

If you’re a spring or summer bride-to-be and you’re just not feeling the whole formal wedding thing (nothin’ wrong with that), consider checking out dresses that hit just below the knees. This style shows you’re carefree and not a wedding-obsessed freak (hey, nothin’ wrong with that either). This look works particularly well for a daytime outdoor wedding under the hot sun ~ You can be fully mobile without being preoccupied with continuously pulling up the bottom of a long dress to prevent grass stains, rips, etc, and you’re not sweating up a storm from a heavier dress. There’s something instantly cheerful and ladylike about a bride in a tea length wedding dress. Since your shoes will be on full display, don’t choose anything too bold or it will be distracting and draw the eye down. You can, on the other hand, do something more daring with your hair and makeup. And let’s not forget you’ll be showing a little leg due to the shorter length. Your femininity will shine through.

_____________________________

Wedding Dress Budget Tips

Scope out online listings on sites such as Craigslist and e-bay. You can score a once-worn, beautiful dress and save hundreds of dollars. Sure, you’ll likely need to get it altered, but you’re still saving dough you can put toward you are your sweetie’s tropical paradise honeymoon.

Wedding dress alterations can cost $100 or more. Not good news for the budget-conscious bride. Solution: instead of having the bridal store do the alterations, check with your local seamstress. She may be able to do the same alterations for a lot less.