Wedding Tactics

So far, being a pregnant bridesmaid is just a bit scary. I am nervous about how I will feel and how my dress will fit and how I will look among non-pregnant people. I suppose, only time will tell.

The best part is that I have a great seamstress and luckily, a dress that was able to be ordered many many sizes too big so that it would fit my stomach. I’m still going to be very nervous about it fitting until the day of the wedding, which is just less than one month away.

Many dressmakers make maternity dresses which are two pieces, made to stretch and hang loosely. If the bride has choosen a dress with an empire waist line, you really can just order a dress four to five sizes larger to accomodate any growth you might have, and then the dress can be taken in along the empire seam. The drawback is that the bust area will be way too large for someone who has just gained weight in the baby carrying area. However, a good seamstress can work with anything.

Eden Bridals makes a maternity line that is very simple and flatters all figures. These dresses are more suitable for an evening or formal wedding. They are long and simple.

Watters bridal makes maternity bridesmaid dresses that are better suited for an outdoor, afternoon or tea-party style wedding. They are shorter and little more sporty. Again, they flatter all figures.

pregnant, bridesmaid, maternity dress, Eden, Watters

This is NOT me and NOT my dress. But, you know, it could be this bad

I am a bridesmaid in a wedding on October 14th. Four weeks from today, exactly.

I am 25 weeks pregnant and will be 30 weeks pregnant at that wedding.

For those of ya’ll who don’t know, that’s grossly and obscenely pregnant. Most pregnancies are about 40 weeks long but 37 weeks is totally full term and ready to pop.

I’m wearing a real dress too. Or at least, that is the plan. I will definitely post pictures and explain in detail what my seamstress did once I get my dress back. I can’t get my final alterations until just at the last minute, for obvious reasons.

But, the bride is being very considerate and giving me a chair to sit in during the ceremony. I should only have to wear my heels for pictures and for walking down the aisle.

I am a little uneasy about posing for photos with three other women who are a combined total of a size ten. I mean, they are size 0, 4, and 6 respectively and I will be a shadow-casting whale in my pregnant glory. Oy.

It is very much possible to incorporate pregnant friends into a wedding. Try to be as understanding as possible, especially if you haven’t experienced pregnancy yourself. You have no idea how much her back is hurting or how swollen her feet really are. Offer to have chairs nearby and if all of that is too much for you to worry about, have a heart to heart conversation about with your bridesmaid about how she feels about possibly NOT being in the wedding party but rather just helping out in different ways. You might be very surprised at how happy she is to relinquish her duties.

pregnancy, pregnant, bridesmaid, dress, wedding

I just read an article this weekend about a local wedding that topped $800,000. It was held at the Mayflower Hotel and the bride wore a handmade oriental silk gown.

In case you didn’t see that correctly and I didn’t the first time I glanced at it, a wedding that pushed eight hundred thousand dollars. And these people were not celebrities or politicians or anyone worth knowing really.

In fact, the newlyweds are under FBI investigation for running a fraudulent mortgage-foreclosure business that stripped people of their entire home equity and not assisting them as promised to get a lower mortgage rate as promised.

They gave their attendants ridiculously lavish gifts, including a home, a Porsche and ten thousand dollars in cash. (And I thought an engraved paperweight was sufficient!)

I particularly like that her 42-foot train was “adorned with bling”. Because, what’s a forty-two foot train without bling? And by “bling” I totally mean, Swarovski crystals, not crap from Claire’s.

DISCLAIMER:
I feature this wedding for the sole purpose of making fun of their lavish choices. I do not in any way condone spending this much on a wedding nor do I feel it is even remotely necessary to have a satisfying wedding and a happy and productive marriage. Quite the contrary. And lastly, due to the questionably nature of the couple’s “business” I think it is a real shame that innocent people were possibly scammed out of their home equity and this is how the money was spent.

Oh, and 42 feet! Deep-sea fishing boats are shorter!!!

Prince George’s Fairy Tale Unravels For Woman at Center of Fraud Probe, jackson, fordham, 42 foot train, mayflower hotel, 0, 000, wedding, metropolitan money store, lanham, maryland

Dear Stacy, How do you deal with bridesmaids that are all very different sizes? I’ll have one at my wedding who is very tall (over 6 feet) and skinny, and another that is about 5′1 and more stocky. Then I’ll have three that fall somewhere in the middle! Their jeans sizes range from 6 to 18 and their cup sizes range from A to D. Sigh. I do want to get something that they can feel happy wearing!

I totally feel your pain! I’m actually going to be a bridesmaid later this year and at that time, I’ll be 30 weeks pregnant. I will be standing next to several other bridesmaids who range from size 0-6!! I’m tellin’ ya… I have some perspective here, and some ideas that I think might help you.

I have seen pictures from weddings where the bridesmaids are all across the board in terms in sizes. Sometimes it is just sad for the girls to have to sqeeze into or be swallowed by an unflatteringly fitting dress.

Several dress makers have recently created some new options to make dressing a variety of sized women much easier.

David’s Bridal has a large line of separates for the entire bridal party. The inspiration line is pictured here. This dress option allows you to choose different tops with a varying amount of coverage and fits. Somewhere in here is a dress that is cut for every body.

The Create Your Look line allows you to choose both top and bottom. A bride chooses the color of the gowns and then the bridesmaids can purchase whichever top and skirt they prefer. There are a limited number of choices, but a larger figured woman with a a D-cup might prefer a gown with straps and a longer skirt, while a short and slender woman might want a strapless top with a shorter skirt.

David’s Bridal is also a nationwide chain allowing your bridesmaids to go in at their leisure, wherever they live and order their gown. They are also much more affordable than some of the designer dresses you will find in boutique stores.

Alfred Angelo also carries a bridesmaid dress line called Separates. These dresses can be made in different colors! I really like this dressmaker. I think they have nice gowns, bridal and bridesmaid that are attractive, well-priced and made for REAL bodies.

The main thing to look for in a bridesmaid line is SEPARATES. This allows people to choose from a variety of tops and bottoms. If your bridesmaids are more confident and comfortable on your wedding day they will most likely enjoy the day more and be smiling in your photos.

Eden Bridal has a Mix & Match line accomodating a variety of tastes and sizes.

You can also find separates for Bridesmaid gowns with Mori Lee, Alfred Sung, and Essence of Australia.

And that is only naming a few of them!

seaparates, bridesmaids, gown, wedding, bride

Brides magazine is teaming up with the Making Memories Breast Cancer Foundation to host a three-day wedding gown event to benefit terminally ill women.

The event is taking place in New York City on October 4th, 5th and 6th. There is a preview sale on Friday and general sale Saturday and Sunday. Complimentary cocktails too!

If you are already married or are unable to attend but really want to support Brides Against Breast Cancer, you can donate a gown to be sold. Proceeds will benefit BABC.

Click here for information and tickets to Something Pink.

breast cancer, brides, wedding gown, new york, sale

Dear Stacy,

I am trying to work out the colors for my wedding and bridesmaids. We are planning a garden by the sea ceremony and a beachside reception following. The groom wants to wear a variation of beige. I am not sure what color to dress the bridesmaids in. My gown is ivory. I have light olive skin and the bridesmaids are of a asian darker skin color, quite tanned.

I have always liked outdoor events because you can use so many of the colors already provided in nature. Just build off of the palate already provided to you.

You didn’t specify whether or not the groom wants to wear a beige tuxedo, or a suit or just a beige top. I will try to provide some options regardless of what you were thinking. When you don’t know where to begin or how to mix certain colors, consider looking at a picture of flowers or a centerpiece. Examine the colors given to you by nature.

In this photograph, the florals show a palm frawn in a light green, a blue hydrangea, some green leaves and a soft ivory flower. The stems are most likely brown too. If you were to use this palate to build a bridal party wardrobe, it might include some of the following dresses.

With this brown bridesmaid gown, I would have them carry a small bouquet of blue hydrangea, to match the pictures above. Or, alternatively, pull a color from your bouquet and set a soft floral against the brown. The flowers will really stand out and the look is quite elegant and breathtaking.

This light blue dress matches the blue hygrangea flower above quite well. To keep the image soft and outdoorsy, have the ‘maids carry a small bouquet of ivory flowers such as peonies, roses, hydrangeas, or even callas.

I really love this mossey green dress. Something about the naturalness of the color just speaks to me. Ivory looks stuning next to this color, a plus since your gown is ivory. You have a lot of options with florals because green is visible in most bouquet arrangments. I would have these bridesmaids carry a smaller and simplier version of the bouquet you choose to carry.

Groom in beige Number 1.

As you can see, I based all of these off of the bridal couple in ivory and beige. This beige tuxedo for rent only from Afterhours is very formal and looks great on most men. However, this beige suit below is pictured from a beach front wedding, and while very sharp, is a slightly more casual look.

Groom in Beige Number Two.

bridesmaid dress, beige tuxedo, beige suit, wedding, beach, green, blue, brown, ivory,

I think this dress is great for a fall wedding.

Gown by Bonny.

Bonny Wedding Gown, Fall Wedding Gown

My thoughts on weddings have changed so much over the recent months, especially since I had one for myself.

I used to see weddings happening on weekends and think, oh, that’s nice. I never went out of my way to see the bride or look at the wedding party, or judge their color choices.

This past weekend I was in Pittsburgh for some family fun and baseball. While driving around Mt. Washington on Saturday afternoon I say no less than four weddings! Most were just posing for pictures or going through the obligatory receiving line outside the church. I did not have a receiving line, they are a little outdated and you can make other time for visiting with your guests.

Apparently a lot of people like to take their portrait pictures on Mt. Washington because there are sweeping overlooks of the entire city. I saw a few very nice looking, small wedding parties. One bride was even losing her dress - it was sagging a bit in the front. NEWS LADIES: If you have a strapless dress, make sure it fits well, you don’t want to be showing unecessary cleavage on your wedding day. It just isn’t cool.

Later, when we got to our hotel, the Marriott Renaissance Pittsburgh there were two other wedding happening there. They both used the main staircase to take pictures. This is a great hotel for weddings - they have a ballroom on the second floor that overlooks the city with glass windows.

I saw brides who looked pretty and brides who did not. I saw large wedding parties and ones with a maid of honor and a best man. I saw large brides and small brides and pretty dresses and drapery-like dresses. The variety is overwhelming!

The Wedding Day, located in Fountain Valley, California is having a huge sale right now! Today through the end of June, sample dresses are up to 75% off and 15% off on accessories, shoes and bridesmaids attire.

california wedding dress sale, LA wedding gown sale

Here are some images of very useful bridesmaid dresses. Most of these dresses are inexpensive and can be worn again for a holiday party or to another wedding.

Bridesmaid Dresses

Flower Girl Dresses

wedding, bride, bridesmaid dresses, flower girl dresses

Today I met with my coordinator at the country club where my wedding will be held this Sunday. I gave her total attendee numbers and total meal choice numbers.

Somehow, somewhere, someone cannot add, and it is NOT me. It is actually Microsoft’s Excel. It is Bill Gates’ fault. Alas, one guest asked to have fish instead of vegetarian. That means, PLUS one fish. MINUS one vegetarian. RIGHT!? But for now, we are definitely good enough for government,

I came home and told my mother-in-law asked me how things were going. Our conversation went like this:

MIL: How did it go?

ME: *smiles*

There comes a point in your planning when it is totally time to let go. It is not easy. Dear sweet lord, it is NOT easy. But, I know things will go fine, and if not, they will go fine enough.

Also? I picked up my dress tonight. It is hanging about ten feet away from me. It is pretty. It is FINAL. No more alterations. It is READY. I guess I AM really getting married in three days.

Brides have, out of tradition and habit mostly worn shoes like these for many years:

However! I am very humbled and quite relieved actually to see that flats and ballet-slippers have made a serious come back on the matrimonial aisle.

A bride may chose to wear a flat slipper simply to be more comfortable, to avoid the backache of wearing a heel and especially when the height difference with the groom isn’t too noticable.

A few of my favorites:

These shoes cost more than my wedding dress, but if they are exactly what you are searching for, then, it might be worth the investment.

Another pair I like, mainly for its superior affordability at $19.99 from Payless, these sparkly silver flats really go with many dresses.

If you are unsure about what shoes want to wear or, perhaps you want some height for your pictures but some comfort for your reception? Consider wearing a pair of heels and changing just after your ceremony to give your feet some easy for the rest of the evening.

Over the past few months, I have tried to profile some wedding traditions from around the world. I have included some that are just really bizarre and some that I hoped would be useful and idea-inspiring.

Today, I profile Argentinean wedding customs.

Weddings held in Argentina don’t typically have much of a role for the Best Man, Maid of Honor and Bridesmaids. The families are much for visible than the wedding party. Specifically, the mother of the groom and the father of the bride escourt the engaged couple down the church aisle and stand behind them throughout the ceremony.

It is also custom that the couple exchanges rings at their engagement, not during their ceremony.

The bride typically wears a white dress with a blue petticoat underneath as her “something blue”.

Argentineans like weddings. They are considered happy and fun events where there is much dancing, including the TANGO. The meal usually consists of beef and dessert typically features ice cream, or helado.

Dear Stacy, I just found out that one of my bridesmaids is pregnant. My wedding isn’t until October but I’m really worried about her being able to fit into a dress and being able to stand and participate. Should I tell her she doesn’t have to do it? How can I find a dress that will fit my size 2 sister and my 7-month pregnant, size-8 bridesmaid? Any suggestions?

Ah yes. This is a classic and rest assured, you are not the only bride who has had to deal with this issue. Just like being in your twenties is a death ritualistic sentence to attend more weddings in one decade than people you will ever know in your lifetime, it is also a time when your friends begin to start having babies and growing their families.

First off, I assume your bridesmaid is a close friend, no? Talk to her. She is most likely feeling guilt and concerned about being able to there for you, so, be sure to be understanding of her situation. She most likely wants to still participate, but is also concerned about the same things you are worrying about. Will her dress fit? How will her dress fit? Will she be able to actually see her shoes?

The Dress. Once you choose your dress, talk to the seamstress at the store and find out what can be done to accommodate a growing belly. Be sure to have your bridesmaid measured and with any luck, she can order a larger dress that will have room for a belly and the rest can be altered to fit her chest and arms. In the unlikely situation that a dress can’t be made for her, consider having her wear the same color, but a different style dress. Many dress stores and designers now make dresses as separates so that people can buy a different size top and bottom. If you are really set on all your bridesmaids wearing the SAME dress, consider having her as a bridesmaid, but not walking down the aisle, that way, she can wear an alternative dress, but still participate. She could hand out programs and assist you in other ways, and not have to be so visible to all the guests.

Just be honest with your friend so that she will be honest with you about her limitations and capabilities.

I spent some time this weekend looking around the Internet for women’s wedding attire. Women GUESTS, that is.

I know that some of my guests are fretting over what they will wear to my wedding next month. Which, by the way, is Florida/Country Club/Evening. I am guessing it falls into the Country Club/Urban Evening Chic. And I actually get a little lost in that description!

While, at times, when I have been overly stressed I may have publically but, without mentioning names reminded guests that everyone will be looking at me, and it matters not what they wear. Alas! I am not in that mood today! And I am here to give some assvice and recommend some options to consider if you are frantically shopping for wedding attire. The Spiegel Website has an entire category of wedding-ready clothing options.

With the outfit choices broken down by wedding locale, Urban Afternoon, West Coast, East Coast, Country Afternoon, Country Evening, City Club and Country Club, you cannot go wrong with these options! Each outfit is shown with accompanying accessories, handbag and shoes. The ideas are endless!

This is really a great site to visit if you are attending any weddings this spring and summer. Even if you don’t want to buy these outfits, the ideas are really useful.

The Romantic Country Club look:

The City Club look:

The Country Afternoon look:

Spiegel Catalog, Women’s Wedding Attire, Country Club Wedding, Country afternoon wedding, Urban City Wedding, mother of the bride dress, mother of the groom dress