Design and style tips offer a creative spin on an old wedding tradition

Creative Ideas for Old Traditions

Design and style tips offer a creative spin on an old wedding tradition

(ARA) – Something old, something new;

Something borrowed, something blue;

And a silver sixpence in her shoe.

An enduring Victorian tradition steeped in superstitious symbolism, the verse containing a series of old, new, borrowed and blue good luck tokens for the bride dates back centuries in England.

John C. Franke, style expert and faculty member at The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, offers a creative spin on the age-old tradition for the bride-to-be in 2010.

Something old: Continuity with the bride’s family and the past

According to Franke, trends suggest a rising popularity in vintage gowns. “A 1960s-era gown will not only allow a bride to check something “old” off her list, but may also offer affordability and superior workmanship,” says Franke who recommends vintage shops as well as eBay to begin the search. “To make her purchase even more meaningful, a bride might consider purchasing a dress from one of many organizations who recycle wedding gowns for charitable fundraising.”

For another possibility to represent something “old,” Franke suggests implementing a table of wedding photographs collected from family and friends attending the reception. The photos will honor the marriages of couples close to the bride and groom as well as provide a wonderful center for conversation.

Something new: Optimism and hope for the bride’s life ahead

“Renewable is the new ‘new,’” says Franke. For a fresh approach to something new, Franke suggests environmentally responsible decisions such as selecting potted perennials for centerpieces. “Potted wildflowers will create a vibrant setting for the reception and can later be planted in the garden at the newlywed’s home.”

Franke also suggests seed satchels as favors to serve as a long-living connection to the wedding.

Even guests can get into the game. “If you’re invited to a wedding this year, consider presenting the couple with a gift that offers a new spin on traditional gift options.” Franke suggests antiques carefully selected for the couple or aluminum serving pieces.

Something borrowed: A reminder that the bride can still depend on friends and family

Traditionally, a bride can borrow anything from her best friend’s punch bowl to her grandmother’s pearls, but Franke suggests fulfilling the adage by creating a buzz. “Why not borrow an antique car and create a dramatic exit from your wedding?” Franke asks.

Another emerging trend is the borrowing of the cake knife from one bride to another within a family. Starting a tradition now of passing along your cake knife or other wedding essentials is not only cost-saving, but also creates a legacy that future generations will treasure.

Something blue: A color suggesting purity and fidelity as evidenced in the 19th century phrase “Marry in blue, lover be true.”

Building blues into the wedding color scheme is an option for completing your old, new, borrowed and blue checklist, and at the same time, developing a color scheme for your reception.

“Think like a graphic designer,” says Franke. “Consider your wedding colors as a controlled palette.” Franke encourages the bride to visit a paint store or check a Pantone system and define a series of colors, never more than three.

Once selected, the bride can keep the color chips with her throughout the planning period so that the exact colors are always available when decisions are made about bridesmaids’ gowns, table linens, floral arrangements and other decorative elements.

According to Franke, blues are an elegant choice for any season. He suggests pairing royal blues with yellow for a classic summer wedding; blue and pink for spring; and icy blues with whites or silver for a winter wedding.

To learn more about The Art Institutes schools, visit www.artinstitutes.edu/nz.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Classic Style Trumps Trends for a Wedding You’ll Still Love in 20 Years

(ARA) – Wedding album, videos and a carefully preserved gown — your wedding mementoes are meant to be precious reminders of your special day. But you may find yourself cringing with shame when you look at your album years down the road if you choose trendy over traditional style for the look of your wedding.

It’s easy to tell the difference between a look that’s trendy and a more classic style. Think of the bell bottoms and love beads from the ’70s and big hair and “Dynasty”-style gowns of the ’80s — looks that were “hot” at one time, but that years later elicit an eye-roll and a “what was I thinking” attitude from women who wore them.

Now consider the elegance, grace and demure femininity of icons like Grace Kelly, Ingrid Bergman and Audrey Hepburn. Their style was classic and timeless — and one that today’s smart bride mimics to ensure she’ll love the look of her wedding as much in 20 years as she does the day she walks down the aisle.

Today’s bride knows that choosing fabrics, silhouettes and accessories borrowed from the classic era — the 1940s through the 1960s — will give her wedding and gown timeless appeal. No dated looks from easy-to-identify fashion fads for her. The classic look also plays well with the growing trend to achieve less with more by accenting the basics with luxurious finishing touches.

Here’s how to achieve that classic look for your spring wedding:

The Dress

Avoid large, modern swags of fabrics in favor of silhouettes that emphasize an hourglass figure. Nipped-in waists, or waistlines defined with belts and sashes, often in a color that slightly contrasts with the dress, create an elegant, eternal style. You can draw your classic style from the ’40s, ’50s and even ’60s.

Designers offer charming gowns that evoke the look of 1950s prom dresses with fitted bodices and full skirts in tulle, lace and appliqué. For a 1960s look, a shorter, sophisticated frock with a gathered waist and narrow skirt will be reminiscent of the classic ’60s cocktail dress.

The Accessories

A veil is essential for classic bridal style, and birdcage veils with large netting that falls at cheekbone length epitomize the look. These simple veils frame the bride’s glowing face and highlight special jewelry. Ladylike wrist-length gloves are the perfect complement to vintage bridal looks.

The classic bridal look is a perfect match with a simple and elegant pair of pearl stud earrings and a lustrous 16-inch strand of cultured pearls around the bride’s neck. Pearls have long been associated with the essence of sophisticated womanhood in American pop culture.

“The Hindu Lord Krishna is said to have offered pearls to his daughter as a wedding gift, which is where pearls and weddings were first married,” says Jeremy Shepherd of PearlParadise.com, the world’s largest online pearl company. “Pearls are considered a symbol of purity, making them the perfect fit with a bride’s white dress.”

Shepherd recommends white akoya pearls, a saltwater pearl that grows primarily in the coastal areas of Japan and China. Considered to be the classic pearls for jewelry, akoya pearls are prized for their perfect round shape, mirror-like luster and soft, neutral colors.

Visit www.PearlParadise.com for more ideas and classic bridal pearls.

The Look

Tie a classic dress and accessories together with a polished hairstyle such as a bun or chignon and keep makeup understated. Dark brown or black eyeliner extended slightly past the end of the eyelid, a touch of black mascara and a shade of red lipstick perfectly matched to the bride’s complexion are all that’s necessary to complete the perfect, classic Hollywood face.

Courtesy of ARAcontent