Please No Pictures!!

You may have been in a Bridal Boutique and seen a sign stating no cameras.  I know this can leave you puzzled as you stand there asking yourself why not?  It makes common sense to be able to try own wedding gowns, and take pictures to either show someone who was not bale to attend and you value their opinion, to be able to do a comparison of yourself in other dresses but having pictures side by side, having it to show your florist, hairdresser, or make-up artist. all of these reasons and more are valid and sincere reasons.  The reason for no cameras is to avoid copyright issues. You may tryon this fabolus designer gown that cost, $5,000 and can take a picture of that same gown to a talented and gifted seamstress, who can re-create the gown for almost 75% less. Where is the first place a bride usually see the gown of her dreams?...... "In a magazine" which is a picture (Duh) and the magazine pictures have more of a close-up, detailed, different angle, perfect lighting of the gown, than you ever would have taken with your Kodak. If you wanted to have the dress recreated, and nI am not promoting this.

Wedding Planner or Wedding Director? (what's the difference)

There is a big difference between a Wedding Director and a Wedding Planner. A Wedding Director is usually the church lady (smile), a close friend or a family member who orchestrates your wedding rehearsal and ceremony only. Some churches will allow you to use only their Director for your ceremony. The Director key job is to make sure that everyone knows when and how to walk down the aisle, nothing more and nothing less. It is not a very hard task and this is why a lot of people, or so quick to raise their hands and say that they are a Wedding Planner, when in reality they are not! A Wedding Planner does the job of a Director and a lot more. A Wedding Planner is there at the very begining of the entire process. A Planner key jobs are being creative, providing you with vendors, decorating ideas and suggestions, knowledge of the wedding lingo and trends, relieve you of stress, spearheading meetings and events, keeping you on budget, problem solving, being dependable, and just putting your dreams into a reality.

A Wedding Director will usually cost you nothing, because it's a friend or family member, a Wedding Planner will cost you a fee, but you know what they say "you pay for what you get" so if you pay nothing you just might get nothing!  Hopefully this information should help guide you in the right direction.

Sincerely

Savonia R. Adams (Wedding Planner)

Oh My Wal-Mart!!!

I just thought I would share this with you, so just in case you find yourself on a rainy, boring, cold, night as myself on many occasion and tonight being one of them....now you don't have to go to your local Wal-Mart anymore to be amused, shocked and gasping for air, by some of the weird, wild, obscence things that you see people, wearing, saying or even doing inside of your local Wal-Mart. Now you can just sit back and realax in the comfort of your own home and watch these folks online at http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/ I am going to start upoading my own Hot Mess that I have witnessed in Wal-Mart. Enjoy!!

Top of Wedding Cake!

The questions is do you serve it to your guest, or keep it for your first anniversary? Preserving your top layer for your first anniversary is a deep rooted tradition, and is considered as good luck, this tradition will continue until the end of time. Some couples now are opting for serving their top layer of the wedding cake to their guest, or at the next day farewell brunc, and just order a fresh relica from the same cake decorater for their first anniverary. If you do decide to keep the top layer, here is how you preserve it to make sure that it stays fresh, and just as tasty as the day it was baked...

Ask a responsible person to take the top layer home, who will be able to complete these task immediately.  First the layer should be placed into the freezer immediately to harden the icing for one to two hours, then the cake should be frozen. The cake should then be loosely wrapped in plastic several times and then wrapped in aluminum foil, if you like you can place it into a cake box, but then wrap even the box in plastic, or just wrap the outside of the aluminum foil again in plastic. This protection will preserve the taste and texture of the cake. **never keep the cake in a frost-free freezer, because the constant defrosting will draw the moisture out of the cake. A deep freezer is the best. If you are moving within the year, leave the cake with a family member or friends freezer after the wedding to avoid moving the cake before your anniversary.

When you are prepared to eat your cake on your anniversary, remove the cake from the freezer and thaw in the refrigerator for 48 hours, then place at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours. Your cake will be as beautiful (and tasty) as the day of your wedding!

Christmas Humor

Don't know if any of you got a chance to see the man who decorated his house for Christmas along with a sense of humor, in which cause so much of an uproar that the police made him remove it. In the picture he had a "dummy" hanging from the second story of his house, as if he fell off the ladder with Christmas lights hanging, and the ladder lying in the bushes, in which people thought someone was in need of help, here is the man statement....

"Good news is that I truly out did myself this year with my Christmas decorations. The bad news is that I had to take him down after 2 days. I had more people come screaming up to my house than ever. But two things made me take it down. First, the cops advised me that it would cause traffic accidents as people almost wrecked when they drove by.

Second, a 55 year old lady grabbed the 75 pound ladder almost killed herself putting it against my house and didn't realize it was fake until she climbed to the top (she was not happy). By the way, she was one of many people who attempted to do that. My yard couldn't take it either. I have more than a few tire tracks where people literally drove up my yard."

Bridal Shower or Bachelorette Party

A Bridal Shower is a party where you invite female friends, grandma and other family (that are invited to the wedding) to an afternoon party, sometimes it has a unique theme, like a monogram shower in which guest bring items with the couple's monogram, a tea party that all the ladies show off their best hats and white gloves, "what's for dinner" theme in which guest bring their favorite recipes for a meal and the ingredients in a gift basket, and the list goes on. Normally the bridesmaids and possibly the mother of the bride and or the mother of the groom pays for the shower. This event is rated PG

A Bachelorette Party is where you invite female friends and family out to a wild evening of  fun , drinking, games, bar hopping, naughty gag gifts and oh yes strippers!! Normally you don't invite your Grandma or Mom, although I've seen both of them attend. Everyone usually pays for themselves and chip in for the stripper at a bachelortette party, although the bride really shouldn't have to buy her own drinks or anything! This event is rated XXX

Color Combo for December

My color combo pick for this month is yellow, and purple. Both colors seperate has a diffrent meaning in my eyes. Of course yellow express, happy, joyful, carefree, fun and free spirit. The purple execute the boldnees of royal elegance, and more so an auora of mystery. When these two combined together they fuse into a firm sense of calmness, as a combo the purple stands firm and bold, and which it then brings peaceful calmness to the yellow.

What is a Trunk Show?

A Trunk Show is a  a special event at which a wedding dress designer (or representative from the company) visits a bridal boutique on a set day with his or her entire line of new dresses. Brides schedule appointments to try on the dresses and meet with the designer.

Since most bridal salons often only carry a few dresses from a select group of designers, trunk shows allow customers the opportunity to see and try on dresses that they wouldn't ordinarily see at that store. If you find a dress you like during a designer trunk show.

The bride benefits because she has the opportunity to talk to the actual designer, to discuss the gowns and any changes she may want to make to the one she's considering for herself. Designers benefit because they get to watch brides try on their gowns and listen to their comments. It's a great opportunity for them to learn directly from the consumer what they're doing right -- and wrong!

Call local bridal boutiques and department store bridal salons to see when and if there are trunk shows scheduled, and with which designers. Trunk shows are planned well in advance, so stores should be able to give you a list of dates. The shows last from one to three days, and appointments book up quickly. Call early!

Understand that a trunk show is not technically a sale. The dresses are not marked as discounted. But, most trunk shows do offer a discount for placing your order on the spot, sometimes up to 20%, so don't be shy about asking. Even if the salon doesn't offer a discount, the designer may throw in a few extras (buttons down the back, additional length on the sleeves or the train) without charging you more. This relatively small savings could make a big difference if you're working with a tight budget.

WHO is the Wedding Party??

Maid of Honor is single and the Matron of Honor is married or a widow, she is the bride's right-hand for the duration of the planning process -- she's there to supply a second pair of eyes and provide emotional support as needed. They head up the bridal shower and handles numerous wedding day details, which might include toasting the bride and groom, signing the marriage license, adjusting the bride's train at the altar, holding her bouquet during vows. She also should help the bride get dressed, and learn how to bustle the wedding gown.

Best Man is the groom right and left hand through all stages of wedding planning. He's a bachelor-party master of ceremonies, and commander-in-chief of the groomsmen brigade. His duties include getting the groom to the ceremony on time; signing the couple's marriage license; and holding the bride's wedding ring at the altar. He also is famous for his toasting skills.

Bridesmaids are gal pals and female family members who form the bride's entourage. They are a support team for the maid of honor, helping with pre-wedding tasks when asked (addressing invites, making bridal shower favors, planning the bachelorette party, and more).

Groomsmen a group of male family and friends who assist the groom in planning and preparing for the big day. Help the best man plan and pay for the bachelor party and to support the groom. It's also common to have groomsmen do double duty as ushers, leaving their posts in time to process with the rest of the bridal party. They also get to decorate the getaway car.

Flower Girls aged three through eight who walk down the aisle before the bride, scattering flower petals from a basket (or carrying a pomander). Most flower children sit with their parents after completing their stroll.
 
Ring Bearer a young boy (or girl) aged four through eight, who walks down the aisle just before the flower girl (if there is one), carrying a small decorative pillow with two wedding bands tied to it (usually fakes, in case they are lost

Input on Wedding Party!!

The wedding party consist of many people, with many titles, and many roles. The average wedding party is usually made up of Maid/Matron of Honor, Bridesmaids, Flower Girl(s), Best Man/Men, Groomsmen, and Ring Bearer. That is your normal line-up. Now sometimes you may include, Junior Bridesmaid and Junior Groomsmen, Bible Bearer, Mini Bride and Mini Groom. I could be here all day listing the titles of different wedding party roles. The question that I get asked often is "who should I have in my wedding party?" my answer to that is always, "whoever you would like to have stand in the presence of your exchange of vows that bring nothing but positive energy. Everyone should know by now, that I am truly outside of the box, and there are no rules and regulations, when it comes to things of this nature here is examples to what I mean....Do the amount of the ladies, have to equal to the amount of the men NO....the worst thing is to ask someone to be in your wedding party only because you need to even out a number....Do I have to even have a wedding party at all NO... wheter you have two people standing at the alter with you, or twenty people standing at the alter, it will not make or break the significance of  your wedding vows.....Do I have to include all titles in my wedding party, like do I have to find a flower girl, a junior bridesmaid and etc. NO....when it comes to selecting a bridal party, in which is suppose to be a joyus occasion, not a nail bitter because you do not want to offend or hurt anyone's feelings. At the end of the day, if their true reason is to be able to witness the union between two people in love, they would just even be honored to be invited.  (HINT) Be very cautious and do not feel pressured, when persons just put themselves in your wedding party! HHHMMM

Groom's Cake

I wanted to elaborate on "The Groom's Cake" due to the fact that over the past couple of months I have been ask time and again exactly what is it. A groom’s cake started out as a down South. Some people use to see it as an unnecessary expense,  so people start shying away from having a groom's cake and leaving this just for the elite southerners to partake in. Well now this down South tradition has expanded, to the North, East, and West. It is considered as a gift from the bride to the groom and 95% of the time is a big surprise to him. Now traditionally it was usually dark, made of all chocolate, and sometimes soak in liquor to symbolize, that it was masculine, which was totally opposite of the pure white flower adorn wedding cake. Not anymore, now the groom's cake is made to represent his favorite football team, hobby, job, candy, cigars, just about anything and usually comical.

You can showcase it at the wedding or dessert at the rehearsal dinner or later cut and put into boxes for guests to take home. Now there is suppose to be an old folktale  that years ago single women are supposed to sleep with a slice under their pillow the same night they receive it -- and if they do, they'll dream of their future husband, and in my opinion you will be dreaming about that mess up under your pillow.

Did You Know? (Bread)

Everyday when I learn something new I want to pass it along to others. I grew up testing a loaf of bread by pressing down on top of it and if it felt soft and was slow at springing back up, then this was a fresh loaf, but if I press on the top of it and the bread was firm and did not move, then this was considered as stale.  I found out that all along, my mom, grandma, and all of us have been wasting our time, because bread has a code to let you know when it was baked, and the code is the colorful twist ties on the bread. Bread is delivered fresh to the stores five days a week, which are  Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. And each day has a different color twist tie. They are...........................

Monday - Blue

Tuesday - Green

Thursday - Red

Friday - White

Saturday - Yellow

I went to the grocery store and the bread wrappers do have different colored twist ties, and even the ones with the plastic clips have different colors. 

So today being Tuesday, I want a green twist tie (fresh delivered this morning) - not red which is Thursday (almost a week old)

The colors go alphabetically Blue - Green - Red - White -Yellow,  which match towards the day of the week, Monday thru Saturday. Very easy to remember. Post a note in your wallet so you will not forget.

Cosmetics for $1.00

Some of you may already be aware of this, and then I thought some may not, but there is a website that you can get quality cosmetics for just $1.00. the company is called E.L.F. which stand for Eyes, Lips, and Face. This website offer a large variety of products like lipstick, gloss, concealers, foundation, eyeshadow, brushes, and even mineral makeup. Some items like the gift sets are more than a $1.00 but not expensive at all. The website is http://www.eyeslipsface.com/

Cell Chargers / Car

Of course if you have a Soc. Sec. # more than likely you have a cellphone. One bit of advice that I want to pass on to you, is that please invest in a cellphone charger for your car. The week of your wedding you will be on your cellphone pertaining to the wedding , more than you would have in one month. Wheter it is calls from friends and familes who have last minute, questions, concerns, or congrats. You will also be very mobile for some reason that week, going from point A to B and back to Z. The one good charge that you put on your phone that morning, that usually lasts you about 2 days, you will notice will last you barely until mid-afternoon. I have seen it so many times, that clients want to contact me, their mom, a friend, or vendor, then they cell phone dies, and they are hours from being back home, but it never register in their mind to stop at a Wal-Mart, Target, or even Gas station to buy a car phone charger, so that way they want feel so detached from the rest of society for those few hours. It is a good investment, because, you will still use it after the wedding. *Hint* If you have have a GPS system, especially by Garmin, and a Blackberry, check the charging section of the cord, because they will charge the GPS and your Blackberry. Test it out first and see if it works for you.

SKYPE

There are so many new high tech ways of keeping in touch, with family and friends....you got Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and the list goes on. Another form of communicating that I really like is thru SKYPE. You have probably have seen SKYPE used on various shows like Oprah, Today, 20/20, MTV, and a lot of reality televison shows. SKYPE is more so a visual form of communication. It is so easy, all you need is a webcam, and go to the website http://www.skype.com/ and register, and that's it! The best part is that it is FREE! I think it is very reliable way of communicating with family, friends, co-workers, and even vendors, especially if you are not able to make a meeting or a consult, and you would like to have more so of that face to face conversation, when it comes to expressing your concerns or ideas. So I challenge you to try it and pass the word along to others. If you do sign up for SKYPE, my screen name is...... msrocky4u  so put me on your list and we can connect.  

Dinner Napkins

A very easy and affordable way to add decor and elegance to a table, is with dinner napkins.  Dinner napkins can be folded and shaped in so many different styles and designs. When getting away from the traditonal white and ivory and using colorful napkins to match your decor, this really pops out on a table setting. There isn't really one napkin fold that out ranks the other, because each fold need to reflect your style and theme.  My favorites are the Opera Fan in which from an aerial point of view can be seen on each table as hint of decor and the French Pleat which is good to slide your menu cards in, or even a single rose.

Happy Birthday

I just wanted to take time today on November 3 and wish a Happy Birthday to ME!

Color Combo for November

My color combo pick for this month is orange, yellow, and pink.  This combo of colors are very bright, vibrant and fun, in order to use these colors I feel you must have the personality to match! These three colors can be used in so many creative ways, when it comes to decor, you can use fruit in your centerpieces, (oranges and lemons) or serve sorbets in these colors for dessert, and there are so many cost efficient flowers that share these colors. The colors can all be used equally far as which one will be the dominate color, or you can choose to make one a little more dominating than the others.  Have fun with this combo, you have no other choice!

South Carolina Marriage License

Here is some information pertaining to applying for your marriage license in the state of South Carolina....
To get married in the state of South Carolina, you need to obtain a marriage license. The following requirements apply to both residents and non-residents:

The bride and groom must appear together at the office of a South Carolina county probate judge and file a written application. This application asks for the full name, social security number, age, and place of residence of the bride and the groom. It is a sworn statement that must be signed by the bride and the groom and then notarized in the office of the probate judge. Some probate judges require both the bride and groom to show their social security cards. There is a waiting period after the application is filed before the license can be picked up and the marriage can take place. This waiting period varies from county to county, so please contact the appropriate county probate judge at least a week before you plan to get married.
If you are 18 years old or older, you do not need parental consent. But you must provide proof of your age (or simply identification if you're over age 25) by presenting one of the following:
Valid driver's license
Original birth certificate or a certified copy of your birth certificate
Current military identification card
Current passport
No blood test or physical exam is required.  South Carolina residency is not required. No proof of divorce is required.  The fee for a marriage license varies from county to county.
A South Carolina marriage license is valid only for marriages performed in South Carolina.
There is no expiration date for a South Carolina marriage license.

Jumping the Broom

Jumping the broom is one of the most popular older  traditions, that is used here in America very often, at wedding cermonies.  A lot of us have seen it at weddings, but really did not know the meaning or history behind it. During the years of slavery, marriages between slaves were not recognized as legal or binding. The broom jumping ritual was a symbolic act within slave communities for marriage. One misconception is that this ritual was and only done by slaves, but a very small percentage of poor whites in the South and in New England, as well as Gypsies also used this marriage ritual. Today the jumping of the broom is done in respect and in honor of our ancestors who were slaves. The jumping of the broom is a leap of faith into marriage. In some parts of Africa, ceremonial brooms are used to sweep away evil.

The broom jumping typically takes place after the rest of the wedding ceremony, before the bride and groom walk down the aisle. 

Wedding Websites

When it comes to wedding websites, I am the number 1 fan of them. They are really the best. Your friends and family will love reading your stories, leaving you guest book messages, viewing your pictures, and participating and following your wedding planning process through your website! You will also love the time saved by not having to answer the same informative questions pertaining to the planning of your wedding, your guest can just go to your website to find out directions, order of events, your theme, wedding colors, and even how you met.  This also will give them the opportunity to learn about the bride and groom on a personal note. There are a lot of free wedding websites, and some that have a monthly fee. Here are the links to some free websites...

http://www.theknot.com/       www.ewedding.com     http://www.momentville.com/     http://www.weddingwire.com/

or when all else fails just google free wedding websites, there are so many different ones out there.  so I highly reccomend you getting one, and you can update it after your honeymoon also.

Invitations

There is always a toss up between having invitations done professionally or going the DIY route. If you plan on making your own invitations, programs, Save-the-Dates, and place cards, then you need to ask yourself a few questions...1.Do you have enough time to complete the project by yourself ( do not bet on others who said they would help) 2. Do you have the knowledge, resources and experience to make sure it is not a DIY disaster. 3. Can you cover all of the expenses that may occur for extra ink, correct envelopes, extra cardstock which is  for major errors, and cutting fees (scissors will not do the trick) 4. Do you know the proper etiquette, layout, and appropriate fonts. Organization and preparations are the key role in DIY projects.

Now this is not to scare you but to prepare you. I have seen some successful DIY projects, so yes it can be done, but at least you know beforehand if this is something that you want to challenge yourself with.

Wedding Cake or Cup Cakes

When it comes to this Dessert debate, a lot of brides, mothers, and vendors have there own stern opinion on this.  Besides the traditional and expected 3 tier, 4 tier wedding cake, that we all look forward to after dinner, in the past decade there has been a surge in the trend of having a cupcake wedding cake, which is usually a display that holds a 6 or 8 inch top layer for the couple to cut, and then a variety of cupcakes, so that guest can grab it and go.  I went to a seminar that Sylvia Weinstock celebrity cake decorater was giving a lecture, and she does not even make cupcakes for weddings she strongly feels that they are for birthday parties only.  A lot of couples go this route because they feel that it is cheaper than a wedding cake, or they do not want the hassle of cutting up a large wedding cake.  I feel there are so many alternatives that you can do, with your same cupcake image but just jazz it up a little, to make it look a litlle more elegant. For example, have your 6 to 8 inch top tier wedding cake, but have a display of mini cakes that looks like the duplicate of your top tier, or petit fours. Recently my couple Rebecca and Will had a neat concept but they had mini cakes, and cheese cakes that were designed like tuxedos, and small presents, and the cake display stand was made by Rebecca and her Dad, and it turned out too be so cute, and elegant. Check out Rebecca and Will wedding cake display...

Mouth Wash

There are so many different new products out on the market, and of course the commercials will pump it up and make it the best thing since slice bread. Well I have decided to try some of my new and favorites, and will give you the real scoop, and rate it, and let you know the pros and cons! The first thing I have noticed is this mouthwash that is called Smart Mouth. This product is suppose too keep your breath fresh for at least 12 hours.  I notice that when you get nervous or excited a lot of times that can work on your nerves and cause a dry mouth.  This product I feel is wonderful for brides, grooms, and anyone in the wedding party.  During weddings and parties you are greeting and hugging more people in one evening then you can count. The last thing you need is for your breath NOT be as fresh as it was hours ago when you initially brushed. The mouth wash comes in two separate bottles, the formulas can not be mixed until it is time to use it, because this is what activates the mouthwash.  I tried it, and I have to say it really does work, I put it to the test and drank, some cappucino, and ate some shrimp, and hours later there was no indication of what I ate.  I used it before I went to bed and woke up the next morning, and there was a big difference from the normal morning breath, now it was not Minty smelling, but I actually really notice the difference. It clearlly states if your are eating a lot of garlic and onions that you will need to rinse again. Out of a rating of 1 stars to 5 stars I will give it  5 Stars!!  The Cons are it is not inexpensive for the amount in the bottles, but  Wal-Mart has the cheapest price for $10.98 and there is a coupon on the website, it does not have to be your everyday mouthwash, but for days that you know you are really going to need it. Other than that check out the website http://www.smartmouth.com/ and send me an email and let me know what you think!

Congrats!

Congratulations to Rebecca and Will on their marriage that took place October 17, 2009. The entire event took place at The Beau Rivage Golf Course/Resort in Willmington, NC.   The weather was truly in their favor, due to the ceremony being outside on the golf course, and the reception was held in the clubhouse. The ceremony and reception was very intimate, and everything ran smooth. Wish you two the best!

Name Tags

I think it is a good idea to have name tags for everyone in your wedding party, and family for day of rehearsal. I have done so many rehearsals that have a large wedding party, and the only name I know is bridesmaid #1 or bridesmaid #6 and that is not a good thing. It is nothing personal, and I mean no harm but it's hard for me and others to remember about 25 people name in less than an hour whom I have never met in my life (smile) Sometimes the family is just meeting for the first time, and it is good to know grooms grandma, from brides grandma and the same with your bridal party, they have you in common as a mutual friend, but don't know each other. The name tags come in like a pack of adhesive labels, that you can write everyone's name, nick name, or if you want to give them a character name for that evening. The best thing, it's cost effective!!

Congrats !

Congratulations to Ryan and Matthew Johnson who were married on October 10, 2009. The wedding took place in Sumter, SC and the reception was in Manning, SC the couple are now on a realxing honeymoon in Miami, FL They were surrounded by an abundance of loving family and friends, again congrats to the new couple!!

Trash the Dress

What is exactly "Trash the Dress" it is defined just how you see it. A lot of today's brides put days, months even years into finding that perfect dress, and paying a nice price tag to match. Then after the wedding they put this beautiful gown back on, and just let their alter ego bride come out, wheter it's taking a shot in the middle of the ocean, in a local junkyard, climbing a tree, or riding a horse on the beach. So it is still elegance but with an artistic edge. Me personally I love it! You have your wedding album with all these picture perfect shots of you in your gown, and then at the end of the album, there you are in a place that you would never imagine being in your weddin gown, and just carefree. If you dont want to ruin your gown, I suggest buying a nice wedding gown that you like, that is not costly and trash that gown instead. I have added some sample pictures

Bridesmaids Dress

Here is something I think some of you may like for your bridesmaids, or even yourself. Especially for different body types. It is called a Dessy Twist Dress here is the info about it....

The convertible dress! Change the wrap to change the look. The Twist wrap dress is a chance to design your own dress! Available in cocktail length or full length, your bridesmaid dresses can match or each can create her own style. Your bridesmaids could even change their style part way through the day.
 The website link is www.dessy.com/dresses/twist-long/ here are few of the 15 different looks that you can get form this one dress.

Types of Wedding Veils

You have the wedding dress of your deams now you need to have the right veil to seal the deal. A lot of times brides go into bridal shops and the sales person start speaking their own lingo far as dresses and veils and everything goes right over your head...so I want to give you examples of a few different types of veils out there, so you will have a general idea of what you like and what would compliment your wedding dress.

Blusher Veil

This is the short veil worn over the bride’s face. It usually falls just below the collarbone and above the bust and is worn alone or with other veils, in which is when a bride then have a double or two tier veil.  The blusher veil was designed to demonstrate a bride’s innocence and modesty, so it continues to be a popular choice. Because it hides the face, traditionally it was that the groom would lift the blusher veil to kiss the bride at the end of the ceremony. However, today many fathers choose to lift the blusher veil to kiss their daughters prior to “giving them away” to be married at the altar, and leaving it lifited.

Fly-Away Veil

The fly-away veil is multi-layered, and it just brushes the shoulders. It is a less formal bridal veil that is mainly worn with less formal gowns, or when couples have intimate ceremonies, and she is wearing just a casual white dress and not a gown, or when you are having a civil court house wedding, or at "The little Chapel in Vegas" but it can switch things up and be worn with a very formal wedding gown, but the gown has so much wonderful detailing on the back, or you may have a very low dramatic, sexy cutout in the back of your dress, and you did not want a veil to cover this detail , so this would be the veil for you.


Birdcage Veil

Let's see, the first thing pop into my head is Retro, but during the era, when being "cool" was cool. I can see the men in the Zoot Suits, and ladies wearing their birdcage veils with red lipstick, and a mahogny cigarette holder to accomodate the menthol, I think of Audrey Hepburn, and Lena Horne. This is a veil that will always be a classic and can actually dictate the theme of your entire wedding, it can be paired with a tea length gown, or even a cascading train gown, formal or informal. the only thing that I have notice is that when wearing a bird cage veil, you got to have the right atttitude to "work it" The birdcage veil extends to just over the chin. It usually is made a wide-open weave of netting, almost like fish netting, some have crystals or pearls on the netting, and can be worn adorned to a hat, comb, feathers, or flowers.

Elbow-Length Veil

Just as it sounds, this veil extends down to the elbow. It can be single or multi-layered, and with each layer being a different length. It is known as one of the most popular lengths, and usually when a bride is trying to decide between veils, this is usually the one that wins the debate, because there are no wrong or rights when it comes to this length.

Chapel or Cathedral Length Veil

Drama Drama and more Drama is the look that the Chapel length veil presents, I highly suggest that your gown has a long train also to really execute the drama. It seems like the bride is walking down the aisle you can see burst of romance and elegance within each step. This veil extends anywhere from 6 inches or 6 feet beyond the end of the gown ( Can we say Princess Diana) Since this veil make it difficult to move around it is best removed before the reception.