Blogs - WedSpace's blog / WedSpace Tips & Advice - PostsI LOVE Rent the Runway for your bachelorette, rehearsal dinner, honeymoon (they do 8-day rentals too!), or any wedding you’re attending as a guest. Get two sizes, wear the heck out of it, and drop it in the mail when you’re done. Couture without the commitment! Sign up girlies!
 The light … the dress … the hammock …
Gorgeous … {by Punam Bean} {by Punam Bean}  Here’s a real wedding story all brides and grooms should go check out. Lara Casey is a little wedding wunderkind. She’s the owner of Bliss Event Groups, one of the most sought-after wedding planning companies in the South, the publisher of Southern Weddings Magazine, and more recently, she launched Lara Casey Reps, a wedding consulting firm. And yet, Lara had one of the most low-key weddings I can imagine. No flowers, no bridesmaids, no photographer (a friend took pictures with a regular old digital camera). Lara and her husband got married in Vegas (no Elvis, though) with little to-do, just a few friends, some cheap bubbly, and tons of love and excitement.
It’s amazing to think someone so ingrained in the industry, someone who lives and breathes weddings, would have that kind of wedding. At first I thought, didn’t she miss out? But in truth, as the couple celebrates their 4th anniversary, it’s a fabulous reminder of what a wedding really represents.
I have seen brides get so wrapped up in the wedding that I wondered if they had forgotten about the marriage. Your wedding is one day, but your marriage is the next day and the day after and every day of your life after that. It’s so much bigger than the right flowers or the best photographer. Lara & Ari’s wedding just reminded me that you don’t need all the fanfare, you just need a lot of love.
 Biggest Bridal Gown Mistakes Brides Make
One of the top expenses in planning a wedding is buying the bridal gown. However, this isn’t like shopping for any regular dress. There are several mistakes brides make when choosing a gown, says Alex Lluch, author of 30 top-selling wedding planners in North America and creator of WedSpace.com, a social networking and wedding planning site for brides, their guests and wedding professionals. Lluch, who is one of the foremost wedding experts in the nation, shares his insights about purchasing a wedding gown:
1. Being stubborn about trying on all different styles. Brides generally have one or two styles in mind. But if you get your heart set on a mermaid gown with a sweetheart neckline, you may be missing other styles that are actually more flattering and comfortable. Try on gowns you never considered, even ones you may not love on the hanger. They will look different on and you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Brides tell us all the time that the dress they fell in love with wasn’t the type or style they originally thought they wanted! 2. Buying a dress you can’t dance, eat, or breathe in. Not all dresses are comfortable and some are downright torturous. Corseted styles, styles that lace up the back, or a dress with boning may be uncomfortable, especially with dancing and eating. When you try on gowns, be sure to dance around, sit, hug, jump -- whatever you will be doing during the wedding, to be sure you can move and breathe in the gown and that it doesn’t pinch or pucker. Same goes for the shoes! 3. Bringing too many people to the fitting. You will probably want your mom, mother-in-law, sister and/or Maid of Honor with you when you try on gowns. However, brides make the mistake of inviting too many people with too many opinions. You’ve probably heard the expression "too many cooks in the kitchen." Everyone will love a different dress and you will find it impossible to choose with 10 people offering their two cents. Bring your closest females and include the person who is buying the dress (grandma or dad, for instance); and leave everyone else at home. 4. Losing weight before the wedding and not having a final fitting. I hear this all the time -- the bride went on a serious diet before her big day and when she tried on the dress the day of the wedding, it was too big. Brides should have a first fitting about 6 months before the wedding, a second fitting a month or so out, and the third fitting 1 to 3 weeks before the wedding. However, if you plan to lose a few pounds immediately before the wedding, you’ll need a follow-up fitting closer to the actual day. 5. Biting your tongue if something isn’t perfect. Your wedding gown is a major expense and it’s at the forefront of the most important day of your life. It will star in your photos and you may even pass it down to a daughter or family member. You want to love it and how it fits. Too many brides bite their tongues at the fitting when something doesn’t feel or look right. There shouldn’t be uneven seams, bulging, puckering, gapping or pinching. If you don’t love an alteration, speak up! Have the seamstress or bridal shop get it right.
Link to The Examiner story: http://tinyurl.com/ygayxeb
 As if you didn’t have enough things to consider for your wedding day, here’s another one: What to wear when getting ready.
This (gorgeous, glowing) bride has the right idea! Wear something cute that you can pull up and down or zip off so it doesn’t interfere with your hair and makeup. White is classic bridal of course, but be careful because your clothes may end up covered in shimmer and bronzer after the makeup artist is finished.
And REMEMBER, you’re going to be photographed in it, so don’t just throw on any old thing, and make sure it’s not see-through (this just happened at a wedding I attended and you can see the bride’s boobies in all her getting-ready photos, I swear).
Pass on the hotel logo robe, and Juicy sweatsuits are so Britney Spears’ second wedding, so I vote for a sweet dress with an elastic top and maybe a ruffle, like this bride donned, or a simple cotton maxi dress in a jewel tone. Comfy and looks great in photos.
{photo by Simply Bloom} Readers have been sending me questions lately, which is wonderful! Message me a question and I may post it!
Erin Nicole asked: My bridesmaids are wearing purple, and I've seen a ton of other brides choosing shades of purple. What are "trendy" wedding colors now? Is there such a thing?
Depends on what season you’re getting married in. I like deep eggplant and black for a winter wedding that’s super sophisticated, or light purple with yellow or cream for spring/summer. I sort of love this Alice in Wonderland-esque purple wedding, too. It’s very moody and fun. I’m thinking purple with moss and artichokes and wood would be amazing and dramatic. I don’t believe anything to be "trendy" when it comes to weddings. I see one style one day and something completely opposite and equally cool the next day. Except mustaches on a stick. Those are trendy and I AM OVER IT.
 Many people want to include their furry best friends in their weddings in some way. Dogs often serve as a member of the wedding party, such as the ring bearer. You can even purchase little tuxedos, special collars, mini veils and ring pillows for your dog to wear in your wedding. However, much like small children, dogs can be very unpredictable on the Big Day. When we were creating OMG! Wedding Stories (on shelves Summer 2010), our new book of crazy, funny, bizarre and outrageous wedding stories, several of the funniest stories we chose were about pet mishaps at weddings, from a dog eating chocolate favors to another vomiting at the bride and groom’s feet at the altar. Clearly, having your dog in your wedding isn't a piece of cake.
Here are WedSpace.com's tips for including your pooches in your Big Day:
First and foremost, you must delegate a friend or family member to tend to the dog throughout the wedding. The dog will need water, treats and to relieve itself. This friend will need to keep an eye on the dog at all times to make sure it doesn’t go missing or get into any of the catering or gifts. Don’t ask your wedding planner to do this job! He or she will be extremely busy on your wedding day, dealing with vendors and making sure every detail runs smoothly and won’t have time to pet-sit your pooch. In OMG! Wedding Stories, one wedding planner shared with us how he nearly lost the bride's precious dog amidst the chaos of the day. That is one way to quickly ruin someone’s wedding day! Also, be sure to choose someone who is comfortable with dogs, in case the dog acts up. It is best to choose someone who isn’t a member of the wedding party; wedding party members have plenty of other responsibilities already and you want your closest friends to enjoy the wedding. Instead, ask an older teenager, neighbor or another guest who likes dogs to be in charge of your dog. If possible, you may want to include your dog in the ceremony, but then take the pet home for the reception so all your guests can enjoy themselves.
If your dog is going to serve as your ring bearer or walk down the aisle, you should practice in the same way you would with a small child or your wedding party. The dog should be comfortable stopping and sitting when you need it to. If you plan on dressing your dog in special wedding attire, try this on before the wedding day to be sure your pet is comfortable wearing the outfit or accessories you’ve chosen.
And you wouldn't come to your wedding without a trip to hair, makeup and the nail salon, right? Give your dog the same beauty treatment -- get him or her bathed and groomed so there's no smelly pups at the ceremony.
Also very important: Consider your dog’s temperament. Is your dog friendly with strangers? What about small children? Will the dog feel comfortable if people pet it at the wedding? These things are not true for all dogs. You may love your pooch, but you must consider your guests as well. Don’t include a dog in your wedding that isn’t friendly and well-behaved.
Your guests should also know the rules around your dog. For instance, if your dog will be present at the reception, you may want to include a small note or have someone spread the word not to feed your dog people food. Let parents with small children know the best way to approach your dog. Finally, many dogs, even normally sweet ones, become agitated and nervous in an unfamiliar setting and with a lot of strangers around, which is exactly the circumstance at a wedding. In addition, things like loud music, balloons, fireworks, or bad weather can greatly upset dogs. They may bark, howl, urinate or even get sick when they are agitated. Be prepared with treats to calm a dog, as well as a place to take the dog if it becomes upset around the guests. And one last note: If you include your dog in your wedding, be prepared for the unexpected. Dogs are unpredictable in an unfamiliar situation, with new people, sights and smells all around. If something funny or crazy happens with your pooch, keep calm and laugh it off as best you can. No wedding day is 100 percent perfect, but including your special pet will always mean lots of funny memories. Make sure your photographer captures these moments!
Check out these hilarious wedding guests!
What's with the guy in the tank top?
 {Photo by Angelica Glass}
Girls, this is the second time in the last few months I've heard this same tale of wedding disaster, so let WedSpace be the first to tell you the one thing you should NEVER do on your wedding day.
Do not -- I repeat, do NOT -- hang your wedding dress from the fire sprinkler in your hotel room!
I know your dress is too long and large to fit in the regular closet. I know you don't want it to get wrinkled. Hang it on the back of a door, over the top of the TV console -- anywhere but the fire sprinkler. This goes for bridesmaids' dresses and suits, too!
Pressure on the sprinkler releases it as if there were a real fire and, let me assure you, this isn't the light shower of water you're imagining -- one bride's room filled up with two feet of water in a matter of minutes. The other bride was literally knocked off her feet by the blast. Plus, the water is dirty and full of chemicals. Your dress, not to mention your hair, makeup, shoes, and your hotel room will be ruined. One bride I spoke to had to pay the hotel $8,000 after the water dripped down into the suites below hers and ruined plasma TVs, furniture and more. Eek.
I spent the weekend with a friend who was telling me about the wedding she is in and the crazy person the bride has become. The bride comes from a very well-to-do family and her mother is spending quite a bit of money to give her daughter the wedding of her dreams. All fine and well, expect that the bride expects her bridesmaids to shell out big bucks as well, for a $500 Amsale dress, an expensive beach house bachelorette party, and more. The bride's mother even suggested Jimmy Choo heels for the girls! My friend has been on a tight budget, like many of us, and is really struggling with the cost of this wedding. Although she was unable to afford to go to the bachelorette party, she was still expected to split the cost of the lavish weekend with the other bridesmaids, for instance.
In addition, the bride has been emailing the bridesmaids constantly, detailing things like that they need to buy special undergarments, such as a bustier. She even commented to my friend that two other 'maids were gaining weight and she wanted to know how to tell them to slim down for the wedding. How insulting! Another email explained in detail how the girls should break in their shoes up to three weeks for the wedding. No doubt the bride will have very specific requirements hair and makeup as well, which the girls will be paying for themselves. My friend is at the point that she almost dislikes this girl.
This story of the high-maintenance bride and my wedding-stressed friend made me think that some brides need a lesson in how to be a good friend. So here are my tips. Yes, it's your big day, but you should still remember your loved ones.
1. Consider your 'maids wallets. If you have friends who have been laid off or are just more strapped for cash this year, make your best effort to find a reasonably priced dress and shoes. I always like mismatched dresses for the wedding party -- consider letting the girls pick their own dresses in the color you choose. This lets them stay within their budgets. And if you must have THAT designer dress or THAT expensive shoe, offer to pay for part of the 'maids costs. This goes for the bachelorette party as well. Try manicures and mimosas or a fun day of wine tasting instead of a pricey cruise to Cabo San Lucas.
2. Consider your 'maids feelings! Don't ask your bridesmaids to lose weight, change or not change their hair, cover up tattooes, etc. I have heard brides griping that a girl's nose ring or hairstyle will "ruin" their photos. That is just terrible! Remember these girls are your friends, and they are going out of their way to be a part of your wedding. Respect them and be kind.
3. Don't bombard your bridesmaids with details. Your bridesmaids will start to resent you if their Blackberries are buzzing every hour with emails from you. As the wedding nears, you will need to be in touch, but try sending one email a week if you can.
4. Understand all the bridesmaids can't make it to every event. You may want your best girlfriends at every wedding event, but this can really add up. Not everyone has the funds or the time off work to attend the engagement parties, shower, brunches, bachelorette party, etc etc etc. Let them choose what is most doable and let them off the hook for missing the other parties.
5. Give every bridesmaid a Plus One. Wedding etiquette states that your wedding party are all allowed a guest, even if they aren't in a significant relationship. Offer each girl a Plus One.
6. Don't forget to take care of your girls on the wedding day. I just heard a horror story of a bridesmaid collapsing at the altar because the bride was running her wedding party from place to place in 4-inch heels, without providing them with something to eat and drink all day. There is a lot going on on the wedding day -- makeup and hair, nails, getting dressed, dressing the bride, photos, etc. -- but your 'maids still need nourishment, rest, and comfortable shoes!
 I saw this wedding last week and was so inspired by the perfectly mismatched dresses that Jessica picked out for her bridesmaids. She says she chose each one for each girls' personality -- and don't they all look radiant?! {Photo by Todd Pellowe}
 From 'maids to linens, flatware, bouquets and centerpieces, mismatched elements are going to be huge in 2010 weddings. For one, you can save money by scouring flea markets, eBay, and antique stores for things like flower pots, mason jars, and plates. In addition, when you don't insist on every detail being perfectly matched, you leave room for friends to pitch in and also for fun DIY projects. And, for your 'maids, allowing them to wear mismatched dresses lets them choose something in their budget.
If you want a perfectly un-put-together wedding party, you can:
The benefits? Your 'Maids get to:
And you get to:
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