Wedding Do or Don't: White by Vera Wang

This is a post that I was very torn about writing, in fear that I may offend a few people, but in the end I've decided to post it to find out what everyone else thinks about this collection. Vera Wang is known as bridal royalty. When a girl gets engaged, the first thing she thinks about is her dress, and the two most common names that I hear thrown around are Monique Lhuillier and Vera Wang. Vera has designed the wedding gowns for some of the most well-known celebrities in the world (Jennifer Aniston, Victoria Beckham, Heidi Klum, Jennifer Lopez, and Jessica Simpson, just to name a few), which is why I was pretty surprised when I found out that she had designed a collection for David's Bridal. *gasp* 

This can be looked at in a few different ways:

1. For the bride on a budget, this is an amazing chance for her to wear Vera Wang on her wedding day without breaking her budget. 

2. For the bride not on a budget, this could be seen as a "faux" Vera Wang dress. ("My real Vera dress is way better.")

3. For private bridal boutique owners, this is not good news. (I'm losing customers to David's Bridal?! Damn you, Vera!)

I still have mixed feelings about this. On one hand, Vera can appeal to the masses by making her beautiful creations more affordable for women who don't have $6,000 to spend on a wedding dress. On the other hand, by making her designs available to more people, she's sort of "watering down" her amazingness. The moment you go from couture to ready-to-wear, you cheapen yourself. 

The big difference between Vera Wang and White by Vera Wang is not in the design and aesthetics, but in the material, beading, and construction of the gowns. We're talking silk and satin vs. polyester, hand beaded vs. machine beading, built-in corsets boning, lining, and covered buttons vs. zippers, standard fits, and little to no lining. 

Let's look at a few comparisons:

Vera Wang on the left. White by Vera Wang on the right for $1200.

Vera Wang on the left. White by Vera Wang on the right for $1000.

Vera Wang on the left. White by Vera Wang on the right for $1200.

At the end of the day, it really doesn't matter who or what you wear. If you're married to the one you love, then your wedding was a success. People will think you look beautiful in your gown regardless of who designed it, or how much you paid for it (which is nobody's business anyway). I leave you with a few more dresses from White by Vera Wang and these questions: Do you notice a difference? Which do you prefer? 

Wedding Do or Don't: Bridal Headpieces

For the bride who wants to add a little something extra to her wedding day look, headpieces are an interesting way to stand out. You can opt for a headpiece instead of a veil to add a personal twist, however, brides should make sure to keep a balance between the headpiece and the dress. You don't want the two battling each other for the spotlight. For a simpler dress, you can get away with a more extravagant headpiece. For a more stylized dress, a simple headpiece would be a good idea. 

This was what you don't want to look like:

Now, I'm the first person to support (most of) Carrie Bradshaw's fashion choices, but this monstrosity is just too offensive for my eyes. The huge Vivenne Westwood dress completely overwhelms her tiny frame and that turquoise feather/bird thing on her head is hideous.

Check out these examples of headpieces that I found on Pinterest and decide if a headpiece is a do or don't for your wedding day.

Style icon Audrey Hepburn

1930's style headpiece

Wedding Do or Don't: Grooms Cake

Before I started this blog I had never even heard of a groom's cake. After a little digging, I've found out that a groom's cake is a tradition that originated from the southern part of the country. It's usually served as dessert at the rehearsal dinner, or on a separate table from the wedding cake at the reception. The groom's cake is served as a gift from the bride to the groom, and is usually designed to reflect some of the groom's hobbies or interests. 

As nice as the gesture may seem, sometimes a couple's budget doesn't allow for another expense like this. Danny isn't a huge fan of dessert, so I feel like a groom's cake would be a waste on him. I would feel better spending the money on a gift like a watch or cufflinks; something that I know he'd get more use out of. However, I've found a bunch of groom's cakes that may make me reconsider.

What do you think? Is a grooms cake a wedding do or don't?

For the groom who enjoys the finer things in life 

For the movie buff

For the comic book lover

For the board game player

For the soccer star

For the music lover

For the photographer

Wedding Do or Don't: Mismatched Bridesmaid Dresses

I love this trend. Gone are the days where all of your bridesmaids have to wear the same dress, color, cut, shoes, jewelry, and hairstyle. Bridesmaids have the freedom to accessorize their dresses to show off their own personal style (with the approval of the bride, obviously). 

Not all of your bridesmaids are going to have the same body type, so why assume that one style is going to look good on all of them? A flat-chested girl is going to feel more comfortable in one style, while a girl with a larger chest will feel more comfortable in a different one. To me, a bride should want her bridesmaids to feel as comfortable in their dresses as possible. A comfy bridesmaid = a happy, confident bridesmaid.

Of course there are guidelines that a bride can follow to ensure that her bridesmaids look coordinated, without looking too random:

1. Same color, different styles

This is good for a bride who wants to embrace the trend, without straying too far from tradition. 

2. Same color, different shades

This is a great way to showcase the trend. 

You can go from each end of the color spectrum, or stick to a few key shades.

3. Same dress, mismatched accessories

This is a good way to let your bridesmaids express their individual styles, while still looking uniform.

4. Complementary color palette

Whether it's jewel tones or pastels, make sure the colors really complement each other, or else you run the risk of looking like your bridesmaids picked random colors.

 

The rules are pretty limitless when it comes to your bridesmaids. It's really just up to the bride to keep communicating with her girls to make sure that they like their dresses. Whether you choose to keep them in the same dress or mismatched, the most important thing is that they're happy. The last thing you want is for your bridesmaids to be trash talking the color or style choice to anyone who will listen (and trust me, they will).

(images from Belle the Magazine)

Themed Tuesdays

Tuesdays are going to be all about themed wedding ideas. Before getting engaged, anytime I heard about a themed wedding, I pictured a corny Under the Sea theme with hors d'oeuvres being served off of seashell shaped plates and awful sea green mermaid-cut bridesmaid dresses. After a little bit of reading and researching, I've found that themed weddings aren't nearly that terrible. 

This week's post looks at vintage weddings. There's a fine line between a great touch of vintage and a 20's-themed halloween party. I've found some gorgeous weddings on Style Me Pretty that had the perfect hint of nostalgia, without compromising the couples' own individual styles. 

While a vintage wedding may not be for me, I definitely have a great appreciation for a well done themed wedding. I don't find them any less beautiful than a non-themed wedding or any other wedding, for that matter. What's most important is the bride and groom sharing their love for one another with their family and friends. Ew, that was too corny for me. I shouldn't write these posts before I've had my morning coffee. Enjoy your vintage inspiration below.

Peacock feathers, hydrangeas, and old postcards give this program table a great vintage feel.

The pearls and fishnet veil are the perfect touch of old glamour
without looking too kitschy.

Vintage-style stemware, cutlery, and plates with simple vases to display the flowers.

I love the peacock feather and vintage font on this drink menu. 

(Images from Style Me Pretty)

Wedding Do or Don't: Colored Wedding Dress

I'm saving the big "dress" post for later because it is far too early for me to begin thinking about the most important dress I'll ever wear, and it will most likely be more than one entry anyway. Even though 99% of all brides won't consider wearing anything but white on their wedding day, I explored the idea of wearing something other than the traditional color. Brides initially wore white to signify their purity and virginity, but let's face it, my fiancé and I have been living together for 2 years. Draw whatever conclusions you want.

How important is it to me to wear white on my wedding day? Most likely I'll end up wearing white, but I decided to take a look and see what a colored wedding dress would look like. Forget the fact that most of the dresses I found looked like cupcakes, colored wedding dresses quite honestly, don't look like wedding dresses. To me, they look a lot like what you see a 17-year-old girl wearing to her prom. However, I managed to find a couple of exceptions that made me think twice. (See Gwen Stefani and the last picture in the set below) So I ask this: Are colored wedding dresses a do or a don't?

These colors aren't terrible. For wall paint.

I don't mind the color as much as I mind the swirled yogurt design of the dress.

Gwen Stefani took the traditional white gown, and put her own ombré spin on it.
I love this dress on her.

This dress reminds me of a dead crow I saw on the side of the road one day.
I would wear this dress to Elton John's funeral.

Marchesa 2012. I'm torn on this. I like the dress, but not for a wedding.

I love the touch of color this bride put under the sheer layer in her skirt.
I'm not a big fan of the cut of the dress, but she looks fabulous.