Finding the wedding dress that’s perfect for you, while fun, can seem a daunting task. This is largely due to three things: First, you’ve been dreaming about wedding dresses and your big day since you first knew what it meant to have a wedding. In other words, the expectation is high. Second, this is probably one of the most important days of your life and something you plan on happening only once, making what you wear to the occasion of the utmost importance. In other words, the expectation is high. Third, the bride is the centerpiece of the whole production of a wedding. All eyes are on you. In other words, the expectation is high. Just in case you didn’t get it, I’ll say it again. The expectation is high.

Ideally, the wedding dress you choose should be an expression of your personal style on a larger scale. So, if, for instance, you are not one for girly frills and other such details, don’t feel it’s necessary to choose a dress with any of those elements either. Basically, it should be the best version of you, not you trying to be the best version of someone else. Also, it is vital to keep your venue in mind when choosing a wedding dress or any other bridal dresses for that matter. For example, if you are having your wedding in a grand ballroom and it is going to be a formal affair, that will inform your choice of dress. Conversely, if you are having a beach wedding, that will also inform your choice of dress, albeit in a drastically different way.

All women need to take note of their body types as well when searching for their perfect dress. (This is an important section to read for your bridesmaid dresses as well.) Brides, like all women, come in all different shapes and sizes. For every body type, there is a dress out there to flatter it. It’s simply a matter of knowing which ones flatter you specifically. If you have an hourglass figure, an A-line style would be great on you but you should avoid ball gown or empire waist silhouettes. If you are petite, empire cuts and certain A-line styles work best, but you should avoid heavy detailing and fabrics or any kind of dress with too much poof as it will drown and overwhelm you. If you are pear shaped, choose a bodice that slopes down to a V to accentuate your waist and a full skirt to hide your hips. If you are tall and slender, you can either play it up with a long dress that skims your body, or choose a full-skirted dress that will help create the illusion of curves. If you are full figured, it’s best to choose a dress that helps create the illusion of a small waist to give you more of an hourglass look. Also, it’s good to invest in a bodice that will help that illusion as well.

Last, but not least, pick a dress you are comfortable in! You will be doing a lot of posing and mingling for your wedding. It’s important that you feel comfortable or it will be a very long night!

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Most brides-to-be forget about the mother of the bride dress until her mother reminds her, of course. We’re too busy concerning ourselves with the wedding dress and bridesmaid dresses. Fact of the matter is, though, that the mother of the bride dress is just as important as the other bridal dresses. After all, just because your mother isn’t standing up with you along with the rest of your bridal party doesn’t mean she does not stand out among your guests. The mother of the bride is usually the last to be escorted down the aisle to her seat by one of the groomsmen before the bridal party starts the procession. Also, she will be announced and have to make an entrance at your reception. And even if you plan on skipping all of that, she will be featured prominently in all your pictures I’m sure. So, it’s very important that you communicate with your mother while she is choosing her dress.

It is imperative that your mother starts shopping as soon as possible, but not until you’ve chosen your bridal gown and the bridesmaid dresses. A great resource is the Internet. There are many great websites that sell wedding dresses and other bridal dresses at great prices you can’t find anywhere else. Many brides wonder how much they can dictate when it comes to their mother’s dress. Ideally you should dictate color, which should complement the bridesmaid dresses and flower girl dresses, as well as formality. If, for instance, your own wedding dress is less formal than wedding dresses traditionally are, your mother should not wear an evening gown type of dress. It will look out of place. Also, it is customary for the mother of the bride to wear a corsage that matches the bridal bouquet so she should keep that in mind as well. You may be asking, what about the mother of the groom? Customarily, the mother of the bride chooses her dress first and then the mother of the groom picks a dress that is complementary, but again not matching, to the mother of the bride and the rest of the bridal party.

In the end, it is a lot of dresses to coordinate. That’s why getting the pecking order down is so important. First, your dress and flowers. Second, the bridesmaid dresses and flower girl dresses. Third, the mother of the bride dress. And last, the mother of the groom dress.

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Just the other week I read this article that featured a bride’s worst nightmare: A bridal salon that totally messes up your dress order. This particular bridal salon in Newburgh, NY seemed to have done just that to countless brides. One bride’s dress came in so late, she had to have it altered by someone else and it wasn’t finished until 10 PM the night before. Apparently, the bride and her mother called the salon numerous times but their phone calls were never returned. Their bridesmaid dresses were also delayed and the whole debacle cost them more than $1000 in alterations alone. Also, the bride was missing her wedding veil that never came in at all. Totally crazy! Another poor bride had ordered all her bridal dresses through this salon a full year in advance. Plenty of time, right? Unfortunately, no. After repeatedly calling the salon when the dresses were due in with no return phone call, the mother of the bride demanded a refund and ordered all her dresses elsewhere, which cost her a bundle of money; much more than she was originally planning to spend. Still another bride, with a wedding just weeks away, was found in the corner of the store sobbing by a fellow bride, who was also there that day in search of her MIA wedding dresses. The poor girl was so upset because none of her bridesmaid dresses had come in yet and her wedding was only a few weeks away.

These are the horror stories every bride has nightmares about starting from the moment she puts that deposit down. Sometimes, it’s really hard to tell what you’re walking into with those mom and pop stores. That’s why I used an online bridal shop for my bridal dresses. First, the prices were better. I could get the same dress I saw in my local wedding shop for hundreds less online. But also, I was able to do a thorough background check on the online resource before utilizing it. I checked to see if they were registered with the Better Business Bureau online. I checked if they were listed on the designer’s authorized dealers list if it was a designer whose line they offered. I also searched for any other third party online chatter about the company as well as thoroughly looked into the testimonials they had posted on their site. The site I ended up using had extensive testimonials complete with wedding albums of the girls showing off their wedding dresses and bridesmaid dresses.

Bottom line, when it comes to your wedding, it’s better to be safe than sorry. The last thing you want is to be sobbing in the corner of a store just a few weeks before your big day.

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So many women mistakenly think that if your budget is bigger, then your wedding is automatically going to be better. Conversely, they mistakenly think that if you have a small budget to work with it means your wedding isn’t going to be as nice. I was recently at two weddings where it was exactly the opposite case. For the sake of non-disclosure, we’ll cal the big budget wedding “Wedding A” and the small budget one “Wedding B.”

First, let’s talk about the wedding dresses. Both brides looked absolutely beautiful in their wedding dress. Bride A’s wedding dress cost her a couple grand, while Bride B’s cost only a few hundred. However, they were equally beautiful. (Bride B was smart and got all her bridal dresses from an online bridal shop. She saved a ton of money that way. She was able to get a dress she normally wouldn’t have been able to afford for much less.) Next, the bridesmaid dresses. Bride A’s bridesmaid dresses were not so cute unfortunately. They were expensive but they did not work well with the bridal gown, nor did they flatter her bridesmaids that well. Bride B also got her bridesmaid dresses from the online source, so she not only saved her bridal party money but she also managed to choose dresses that both complemented her and looked fabulous on them.

As for the food, Bride A did the traditional sit down dinner, which was very good by the way. But Bride B had greater success with her passed trays and her two food stations because it kept people mingling and dancing. Bride A had a better bar, I’ll admit, because she had every liquor you could possibly imagine as a selection. However, I did not hear a single complaint about the bar at Bride B’s wedding. As long as you have the standards, you’re golden really. As far as the music, Bride A hired a DJ for her wedding, but to be honest, he was rather obnoxious. Mostly, he just got on everyone’s nerves. Bride B developed a variety of play lists through her ipod and commissioned one of her bridesmaids’ fiancé to be in charge of the music. She had a ceremony play list, a cocktail hour play list, etc. The music was awesome and there was no annoying DJ shouting at you on his mic every two seconds because he was in love with the sound of his own voice. For the flowers, Bride A had these beautiful, enormous and elaborate centerpieces. They were perfect and fit the size and style of her venue well. Bride B was able to choose much simpler floral arrangements because she smartly chose a venue that helped her make those kind of budgetary choices naturally. Her flowers didn’t look “cheap;”they just looked like they fit, if you know what I mean.

As you can see, money does not guarantee a great wedding nor does lack of money necessarily mean a bad wedding. Sometimes strict budgets lead to great creativity.

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Weddings are normally associated with the spring and summer seasons; a spring bride is the more traditional bride as the weather is nice and accommodating for such an event. But there are those who prefer - or choose because of scheduling - a winter wedding which can be just as lovely. I, for one, was a winter bride; I got married against a backdrop of twinkling holiday lights and the decor of the season. The reception was warm and personal; as if I had gathered my family and friends around a crackling winter fire which ushered in the spirit of the season.

No matter when you choose to get married, however, wedding dresses should be first on the list of priorities. Of course, bridal dresses are styled to fit the season and so winter brides should look for wedding dresses that align with the winter months. Expect heavier fabrics, more ornate detail, and muted ivories. The season opens up many new options in terms of bridesmaid dresses as well. Winter brides may choose to outfit their bridesmaids in holiday colors, crushed velvet fabrics, and include accessories such as shawls or gloves.

Being a winter brides does not mean that you have to give up your dreams of traditional wedding dresses. Ultimately you should chose those bridal dresses that speak to you in terms of style and that - most importantly - accentuate your body type and make you feel absolutely beautiful. Do be sure to try on as many wedding dresses as you can and do not skimp when it comes to finding exactly what you want. With the Internet at our disposal, there are more options than ever!

A winter wedding can be magical and something your guests will remember for years to come. After all, it is a time when you can welcome the coming holidays and incorporate the magic of the season into the details of your wedding day.

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In the past two years, seven of my friends have gotten married. I’ve hit that age where it seems like your single girlfriends are dropping like flies. It’s been a whirlwind of a couple of years, let me tell you. I still find myself dreaming about weddings, even though it’s been a couple of weeks since the last one. Images of wedding dresses, boutonnières, hairpieces, flowers, and bouquets flood my mind as if from an automatic faucet running its course. I’ve experienced the easy, laid back bride as well as my very own bridezilla. I’ve been to a Caribbean wedding as well as a very formal wedding where the reception was held at an old castle (or at least it looked like a castle). And now, at the end of it all, I am left with a lot of pictures and seven bridesmaid dresses.

Weddings are expensive, especially when you’re in the bridal party. There’s a lot that goes into a wedding beyond the bridal dresses we purchase. We bridesmaids also have to pay for/plan both the bridal shower and the bachelorette party. Then, there are shoes, alterations, and accessories, plus the usual gifts your give to the bride/groom. And, of course, there’s the expense of the bridesmaid dresses. Listen, I knew going into each and every wedding I was in that it was going to be a financial commitment, so as much as it was an effort to budget my income to sufficiently save for all these wedding expenses, I do not begrudge any of my brides for my empty wallet. I was honored to be asked and happy to be a part of their big day. All the brides are good friends of mine and near and dear to my heart.

Bridesmaid dresses are hard to buy and expensive. They are difficult to buy because it isn’t easy trying to fit and flatter six girls in the same dress. However, it can be done. Five of the seven weddings I was in, it was done. I have five great dresses that were actually pretty reasonably priced - all of which I can wear again at a different occasion. The other two dresses that I had to wear, however, were actually the most expensive of the bunch and really ugly/unflattering and they are a waste. So here’s my plea to all brides. I know you have a lot on your plate. I know how stressful it can all get – believe me, I know. But your bridesmaids are your good friends who do a lot to help and support you, so please, pick a dress that works well for all. For my own wedding, I will have no problem forking out a ton of money for a dress I’ll only wear once. For someone else’s wedding, that’s a lot harder to swallow.

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“Buff Brides” is this great, inspirational reality show on Fit TV. Basically, it follows brides-to-be as they try to get in better shape for their wedding. I think all of us brides-to-be can relate to this and it’s something we all go through to a certain extent. Actually, come to think of it, all women in the entire bridal party can relate to it. For instance, I am sure at least half of your bridesmaids will diet and exercise to look better in their bridesmaid dresses. Fact of the matter is, you and the women in your life will all be on display on the day of your wedding, so naturally we all want to put our best foot forward.

Thankfully, bridal dresses lend themselves to making this process possible, whether they are wedding dresses or bridesmaid dresses or mother of the bride/groom dresses, because they are designed to be altered. The rule of thumb when ordering any of these bridal dresses is to order them at least one size larger than you actually are so that the seamstress will have enough fabric to work with as they are fitting the dress to your body. If you schedule your last fitting a couple of days before your wedding, you can be losing weight and inches all the way up to that point without fear of not fitting in your dress day of.

Please note, ladies, do not – I repeat do not – order your dress at the exact size you are, banking on losing enough weight to go down at least a whole size. This is not because I don’t think you can do it, or that I want you to go into it thinking you won’t be able to do it, or even that I want you to take a “better safe than sorry” approach to losing the inches you desire. Fact of the matter is, if you follow the guidelines set forth in health magazines and shows like “Buff Brides” you will lose the weight and inches you set out to, no doubt. It’s just that weddings are stressful, particularly the planning of it, and there is no need to add extra stress to your life (which is actually proven to hinder weight loss) by putting that type of pressure on yourself. It’s no harder for a seamstress to take a dress in two sizes than it is to take in a dress one size.

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Seriously, ladies, this is an actual event. I just read about it and let me tell you, the dress that won was very ugly indeed. Hand-made by the bride’s sister-in-law, it was a hideous pastel blue dress featuring white chiffon sleeves, pearl buttons running up the back, and a lot of lace. I wonder if the in-law was upset at not having been a bridesmaid? I can’t think of any other reason to produce one of the ugliest bridesmaid dresses I’ve ever laid eyes on.

It is a common myth that bridesmaid dresses are so ugly because brides do not want any of their bridesmaids to outshine them. I think this is a misconception, fortified by the occasional bride who is operating under that unfortunate logic. First, no bridesmaid (not even if she’s Heidi Klum) can outshine the bride. It’s just not possible and most brides recognize that. Second, brides usually choose people they like for their bridesmaids and girls aren’t mean to their friends. Lastly, most brides recognize that their pictures will be ruined if they are surrounded by the ugly dress parade. After having spent months searching for wedding dresses, plunking down their hard-earned money for the dress they chose, and making it through the expensive alteration process, the majority of brides are far too practical to risk bad pictures that will last a lifetime and that cost a good bit of money to produce.

I think the reason we see so many ugly bridesmaid dresses is because the dress picked was more than likely a last resort. Bridesmaid dresses are the worst of all bridal dresses to shop for. Trying to find one single dress that fits and flatters all your bridesmaids is a very difficult task. Oftentimes, lack of selection and frustration are what cause a bride to “compromise” on a dress that ends up in the ugly pile. Thankfully, in this modern day and age, there is a solution. Welcome to the world of Internet wedding shops where you can peruse hundreds of bridesmaid dresses (and wedding dresses too!). Best yet, these dresses are usually priced at discount so not only will you be able to outfit your entire bridal party with dresses they will all look fabulous in, but you’ll save them money too! You’ll be the most popular bride ever! (And your pictures will look great.)

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Bridesmaid dresses are a pain to find. Actually, scratch that. Finding them is easy enough; shopping for them is what is hard. There are plenty of them out there after all. I was recently on a website that had hundreds upon hundreds of bridesmaid dresses to choose from. (By the way, if you haven’t looked into it already, the Internet is a great resource for purchasing all types of bridal dresses, including wedding dresses. And the prices are hugely competitive – much better than you would find at your local wedding shop.)

The problem with bridesmaid dresses comes when you try to get one style dress to fit and flatter all the bridesmaids in the wedding party. As the Maid of Honor, this fun task often falls to you, as you are the primary conduit between the bride and her bridesmaids. Trust me, the bride does not want to know about all the bickering and petty arguments often involved when it comes to choosing the dress. Weddings are stressful enough to plan without all that piled on top. Bridesmaids naturally don’t want to look ugly in their bridesmaid dresses. Quite frankly, the bride doesn’t want that either, contrary to popular belief. It’ll ruin her pictures.

So, what does all this mean for you, the Maid of Honor? Basically, if you’re smart, you’ll make it one of your primary jobs to find the perfect bridesmaid dresses for all. If you don’t “take the reins” you run the risk of your bride reaching her breaking point and giving up, which oftentimes is why bridesmaids end up in not-so-flattering attire. Being that you, also, have a vested interest in making sure this is a good dress for all involved, I would suggest first and foremost to do your research. There are great online resources that will help you determine the best type of dress for all your varying body types. (I found a wealth of information on the same site I purchased all my bridal dresses from.) Once you’ve figured that out, talk to your bride about which colors and fabrics she would most like to use for her bridesmaid dresses. Also, find out the length she desires as well as if she wants separates or one full dress for her bridesmaids.

Once you have all that information, go back to that fabulous website and find the dresses that best match her criteria as well as what you’ve discovered on your own. I recommend selecting five or six different dresses for the bride to choose from. Trust me, she will thank you profusely for taking care of this for her. So will the bridesmaids. Best of all, you’ll all look fabulous day of when you’re walking down the aisle.

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Bridesmaid dresses are probably the hardest out of all the bridal dresses to shop for. This is primarily because the dress is meant to fit more than one person. (Wedding dresses run a close second sometimes, though, primarily because it is such an important dress. The decision is so big that it breeds indecisiveness.) So, how do you pick a dress that looks good on all your bridesmaids? – From your stick of a friend who is no larger than a size two, to your voluptuous friend who is nothing but curves, to your friend who struggles with her weight. The task can seem overwhelming, especially if you have a large bridal party. Not only do you have to factor in the various sizes of your bridesmaids, you also have to consider the style of your wedding, i.e. your color scheme, time of year, and the style of your wedding dress. Bridesmaid dresses - as a rule -  should complement wedding dresses. Bare in mind, this doesn’t mean match exactly. It just means that if you have chosen a soft, romantic look for your dress, then your bridesmaid dresses should also be soft and romantic, not modern or high fashion. That will have a very jarring effect.

Of course, color is important as well. Color is oftentimes informed by the time of year you are getting married. For instance, most people who get married in the fall do not choose pastel colors for their wedding palette. Those are usually colors used in spring and summer weddings. Time of the year will also inform dress material. Some heavier materials and looks would not work well for a summer wedding, for instance, whereas some of the lighter materials would seem out of place at a winter wedding. Plus, your poor bridesmaids would either end up sweating to death or freezing to death!

Once you have established these elements, you can begin to narrow down your choices by how the dress will fit on your various bridesmaids. Will it flatter them all or only a select few while the rest are left looking horrid at your wedding? Now maybe you’re thinking, “I’m not going to worry myself over this. It’s my wedding and it really only matters if I look good,” or something to that effect.

Here’s the thing – First, it does matter to you because it will ruin your pictures if you have hideous bridesmaids. Second, have some compassion. I’m sure you’ve been a bridesmaid before. Didn’t you want to look good? I find most brides who think these kinds of thoughts do so out of frustration because they are having an extremely difficult time finding bridesmaid dresses that flatter everyone. If this is you, take a deep breath. You will find a dress. Just be patient and ask for help. Get those bridesmaids of yours working for you! It’s their job!

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