Have your Mother and the Groom’s Mother Coordinate Their Dresses

In a perfect world, your mother and mother in law to be pick out dresses that are perfect for their respective roles and coordinate perfectly. However the reality of the situation is that one or both may need help in the coordination aspect. If you are lucky enough to get along well with your mother in law to be, then you may get to have a say in the dress that she wears on your special day. If you want to present this in a gentle way, then perhaps offer to go shopping with both of these lovely ladies and see if you can steer them in the direction that you so desire.

Traditionally the groom’s mother wears a more muted dress color, but in this day and age all bets are off. You certainly don’t want them to upstage your bridesmaids or of course you as the bride, so if a little direction is needed them perhaps steer them towards a complementary color to that of your selected scheme. As tradition goes, the mother of the bride often wears either a softer shade of white or a hue similar to that which your bridesmaids wear. However your mother may very well have her own opinions and it’s your job to simply offer constructive suggestions.

The best way to get the two women to coordinate is to be honest in your expectations and feedback if given the chance. Make it a girl’s day out and offer to go shopping with the two ladies so that you can offer recommendations and steer them in the right direction. Perhaps offer suggestions for each so that they can see where you’re headed with your thought process. Don’t be offended if they have ideas of their own, all you can do at this point is to offer ideas. If something really seems outlandish or you fear may clash with your color scheme, then be gentle in your approach to what could be a sensitive subject. People get a little funny when it comes to their choice in attire, so remember that in the end it’s only a dress and it’s clearly not worth an argument. You’ve clearly got bigger things on your plate and in times like this you must pick your battles! If it will help, take along a trusted friend or family member on your shopping trip that can echo your sentiment. Remember that above all, every pair of eyes at that wedding will be on you—the rest are just accessories!

Start Researching Wedding Gowns and Veils

10 Months Before Your Wedding

Every bride dreams of looking like a princess on her wedding day! For as long as you can remember, you’ve likely dressed up and envisioned yourself in the long flowing beautiful white gown as a bride. It’s every little girl’s fantasy and when it’s time for the big day, this can be the most exciting part of the wedding planning. Finding your wedding gown can be so thrilling, though it can also be a bit stressful as well. Perhaps you are lucky enough to have a vision of what style you want your wedding gown to be and that makes it a bit easier. However finding the perfect gown is a journey that every bride-to-be sets out on and it can be time consuming and challenging at times.

If you are lucky enough to be perfectly happy with your body, then you are quite fortunate. Most brides have certain problem areas that they want to cover, and it’s worth considering the style that will flatter your body type as you shop for dresses. Before you even hit one dress shop, it will help you to do a bit of research on the various styles out there. You can find out a lot by thumbing through magazines and visiting sites that can lay out the various styles and those that flatter various body types. You can learn a lot and going in well prepared can make the actual act of dress shopping much easier and certainly more enjoyable.

By performing some initial research, you may also find types of dresses that you hadn’t considered. If for example you are having a destination wedding, you could easily find some options that are more conducive to a wedding on the beach. If you are having a winter wedding, then you may find some dresses and even accessories that will work well in the colder months. Taking the time to do your research will make the act of trying on dresses and veils much more enjoyable.

Veils are usually a little easier to narrow in on then dresses, but you want to consider length as it will go along with your dress as well as where you want it to sit on your head. If you intend on wearing a veil for your ceremony only as opposed to throughout the entire reception, this will greatly influence the type of veil you end up with. It’s highly recommended to find the perfect dress first and then decide upon the type of veil so that they are sure to work well together. Understanding the various types out there however can help to educate you so that you make the very best choices for the full attire for your special day. If you do your research and narrow down your search criteria a bit for your dress, then you are more likely to find the perfect dress. It’s true that you just know when you’ve found it—it will be the one that makes you feel like a princess instantly!