The rise of the Hollywood fashion icons have seen an onslaught of gorgeous, must-have evening dresses like no other. Evening dresses of various designs, styles, shades could drive evening dress aficionados crazy.

Armed with their magazine cutouts and pen, these aficionados rush to their favorite couturier and ask for a copy of these Hollywood starlet’s evening dresses, at a much lesser cost.

There are others, however, who prefer to design their own evening gowns. With a vision and a sketch book, these mavens draw all original evening dresses, with just a touch or an obvious inspiration of Hollywood. So here are some tips on how to design you own evening dresses, Hollywood style.

1. Watch Hollywood Entertainment News

Watching Hollywood lifestyle channels or entertainment news exposes you to a variety of Hollywood evening dresses. You can check out some lifestyle channel’s best and worst dressed. These are legit – they are sorted out by legitimate fashion critics, after all. These best dressed and worst dressed lists will give you a very useful cue on what dress designs to go for and what to stay away from.

2. Leaf through Fashion Magazines

Fashion magazines feature the latest evening dresses worn by these Hollywood stars. Fashion magazines are actually way better than watching television. Instead of encrypting the dress designs in your head, fashion magazines give you the luxury of merely showing it to your dress designer or dress maker and highlighting areas which you want altered.

3. One and One Makes One

Take an evening dress design worn by one Hollywood actress, and another worn by another Hollywood icon and mold them together to form a uniquely gorgeous evening dress. Other than being a “half-original”, you will have the privilege of choosing which designs to pick out and which to leave out.

4. Elegance Minus the Frills

A lot of the most gorgeous evening dresses actually have one or more of the following: frills, laces, feathers, sequins, crystals, diamonds, trains, corsets and double sided tapes. These are indeed lovely addition to their evening dresses. However, it does not necessarily mean it could work well for a mere mortal such as you. Have the dress made in a way that does not alter its elegance, yet takes away the frills, laces, feathers, sequins, crystals, diamonds, trains or the corsets – as well as the need for double sided tapes. Note: trains and frills are for wedding dresses. Laces and corsets are more fitting for a bridesmaid dress.

5. The color and the cut

The color may look perfect for the Hollywood star that you copied the evening dress design from, but that does not necessarily mean it will look great on your skin tone. The cut may suit her to a tee, but that does not mean it will have the same effect on you. Get inspiration from that Hollywood evening dress, but alter it to make it truly yours. Choose the right shade for your skin tone and choose the right cut for your body type.

Whether you’re looking for wedding dresses or a bridesmaid dress, BestForBride.com has it all.Evening dresses are also available.

Your wedding day is coming up in a few months. You’re tired and frustrated and on the verge of becoming a bridezilla. Your fiancé, your mom, your relatives wonder why. Your simple answer: You are so stressed in hopping from one bridal shop to another, to look for you dream plus size wedding dress, wedding favours, wedding flowers, bridesmaids dresses and all that.

Stress, that is definitely the biggest trade-off in being utterly close-minded in your vision of the perfect wedding goodies. You shop from one bridal shop to the next, in hopes of building together the necessary material components of your wedding. Indeed, you found what you wanted… after shopping from one town to the next!

Here is the thing: These bridal shop owners know what they are doing. They have been in the business for quite some time. They can offer you suggestions and alternatives that you might even find a lot more interesting that your dream plus size wedding dress, your ideal wedding favours, and the like. They can gauge what wedding favours go with what theme. What plus size wedding dress goes well with your venue. What bridesmaid dresses to go with your plus size wedding dress. All it takes is this: An open mind. Be open to ideas and suggestions.

Choose a specific bridal shop. However, you ought to be very careful in choosing. Choose the bridal shop which has established a good reputation, a bridal shop which has been in business for a long time, one that is recommended by friends, family and relatives. Choose a bridal shop whose owner and sales staff you have a great rapport with, someone who is friendly, accommodating and definitely creative. Sort through that bridal shop’s collection of goods. Are the bridal shop’s plus size wedding dresses to your liking? If so, then start from there.

Ask your bridal shop attendant what would be the best wedding favour to go with your chosen plus size wedding dress. Welcome her ideas, albeit, remaining critical. Do not accept everything she suggests, though. It is your wedding, after all. Find a middle ground. For instance, choose a wedding favour that will still incorporate your ideas. The trick is: Keep an open mind. Together with the bridal shop attendant, leaf through magazines and sort through their shelves of wedding goodies until you find the one with the right feel.

Do not forget one other important thing, though. Consult with your husband-to-be. Wedding planning may not be the male species’ cup of tea, but give your husband his respects due by seeking his opinions as well. You never know, maybe your fiancé can come up with something a whole lot better than your concept.

Despite your wedding goodies, the fact remains that all those things that you bought from the bridal shop — they are not the true determinants of your wedding. The true determining factor of the turnout of your wedding is YOU. Only you can ruin your wedding day, and only you can make it a success

Personalized. That is the trend for wedding favors nowadays. Brides and grooms want to share with their guests something memorable, something that would remind them of that one special day each time they look at that wedding favor.

However, personalized wedding favors do not come cheap. Brides who spent a large chunk of their wedding dresses can no longer afford the luxury of exquisite, personalized wedding favors. So the big question is, how do we go about giving away lovely personalized wedding favors without overspending?

Well, if you are creative and resourceful, there are a lot of ways that you can give attain that intimate feel for your wedding favors without splurging. In this article, we will give you a few ideas for your personalized wedding favors. Unlike your wedding dresses, however, not much detail needs to be put into each wedding favor for your guests.

1. Be artistic. Pick up a couple boxes of beads and strings and make your very own bead bracelet, anklet or necklace. This will be lovely wedding favors for your lady guests.

2. You can also order a few of those corporate giveaways and add a touch of personal feel as you go along. The most common corporate giveaways are mini magnetic calculators — extremely useful, I must say — engraved pens, stationeries, paperweight and mini flashlights. All these items are not quite the wedding favors most guests would expect. That is exactly why these stuffs would be memorable for most your wedding guests.

3. Scented soaps. Yes, scented soaps have long been a staple in bridal shops and wedding favors store. Yet, yours does not have to be so generic. How? Well, for one, you can always play around with its design. You can have your scented soap shaped like a heart, a guitar, a personal computer, or a ball. You can also have your names especially engraved on the scented soaps. Or, if your vanity plays up, you can have both you and your fiancé’s faces engraved on that soaps! See, how cool is that? There are so many ways you can play up your scented soaps.

4. Scented candles. Scented candles have not gained a foothold in the wedding favors industry until recently. However, these tiny scented candles have become quite popular over the last couple of years that they have become pretty ordinary. To play up your scented candles, you can have them shaped in various silhouettes. You can also have your names or faces engraved on those scented candles. Certainly, they would make great wedding favors.

5. Now here is a trickier, albeit less expensive idea for your wedding favors. You can buy those little tequila shot glasses, a few decorative pebbles, and you can printout a tiny copy of you and your fiancé’s snapshot. Put the decorative pebbles and the mini picture inside the shot glass, and there… your personalized wedding favour.

Can you see the savings now? With that extra budget, you can buy your mom that plus size wedding attire she wants!

Christmas is a very special time to propose to your loved one. They might be hoping for an exciting present, but chances are that they won´t be expecting to unwrap a piece of wedding jewellery. It´s the perfect opportunity to produce that ring by sneaking it into their gift pile – just imagine the look on their face when they openjew the package!

Of course, you will need to be fairly confident that they won´t react with horror at the thought of uniting with you in holy matrimony, and that instead they will fling their arms around you with a joyful shout of ´Yes! Of course I´ll marry you, darling! ´, especially if the proposal is to be made in front of an audience. The humiliation of seeing the look of joy on your prospective mother-in-law´s face as her daughter snorts ´You must be joking! I´m dating you because it might be good for my career´, or ´Oh, did I forget to tell you? I´m immigrating to Outer Mongolia and marrying a Himalayan goat herder´ would crush any man´s interest in marriage forever.

The proposal will be most effective if the recipient has absolutely no idea of what is to come. It would be best not to share the plan with other family members, as they might get so excited that they unwittingly give some indication of what is to come. The prospective bride or groom should also be careful to avoid giving any hints themselves, and would be wise to avoid jewellery shops altogether when in the company of their better half (just in case the latter decides to drop some heavy hints, which would rather ruin the surprise element).

It might, in fact, be best to make the proposal in a quiet moment at some point over the Christmas holiday, not necessarily on the day itself. Maybe the smartest move would be to take your partner away for a romantic Christmas break, the great advantage being the absence of her fearsome mother (assuming her mother isn´t a charming lady who thinks she couldn´t possibly do better than you for a son-in-law). In the setting of a posh country hotel, or the azure Caribbean seas, many women would be lulled into such a happy mood that they would be more receptive to a proposal than if it took place in front of their drunken Uncle Bob. Why take the chance …

You hear talk of weddings costing on average £16,000 but not everyone can afford that and there is no need to spend so much, especially in these credit crunch times.  You can get everything from the dress to the jewellery cheaper if you organise in advance and look around.  As far as jewellery is concerned, there are wedding and engagement rings to suit every pocket.

The internet should be your first port of call – check out wedding dresses, photographers and jewellers.  Don’t forget eBay – you can pick up a gorgeous wedding dress or bridesmaid’s dress there for very little money.  There are lots of jewellers on line too with very reasonable prices – most will supply you with a ring gauge, so you can work out your exact size.  Check out the high street stores too – they often have sales, especially in mid-summer and just after Christmas.  You could bag yourself a bargain if you time it right.

 Remember local knowledge is good.  Ask around for the best florists and photographers and try if possible to speak to anyone who has recently been involved in a wedding.  Also ask about prices.  Don’t be frightened to negotiate.  In these credit crunch times, the professionals are just pleased to have your business and will probably bend over backwards to help.  Tell them how much you’re willing to pay.

Look around at all the local hotels.  Compare their prices and ask about any deals.  If possible, don’t be rushed into a decision.  Take time to consider all the possibilities.  As for the wedding cake, ask around too.  Maybe someone you know is a fantastic baker.  Or you can sometimes order cakes from High Street stores – they will make it to order for you.  Don’t feel you always have to go to a specialist.

On the internet, there are websites devoted to weddings on the cheap.  Visit all these.  Arm yourself with as much information as possible before making any decisions.

A source of family arguments can be the guest list and here you have to take control.  Inform your family that the numbers have to be limited.  Don’t be bullied into inviting everyone vaguely related to you or everyone your mother has ever known.  It’s your wedding after all.  If you wish a small wedding with only close family and a few friends, then draw up a list and stick to it.  Remind everyone politely that it’s your wedding.

After all, wouldn’t you rather have more money to spend on a honeymoon or on your house, rather than a wedding with guests whom you only ever see every 10 years or so ….. And may never see again?

Have fun and enjoy that credit crunch wedding!  The rest of your life as a couple lies ahead of you.

It’s a fact; pieces of fine jewellery often get passed down through families.  In fact I myself am lucky enough to have my great, great grandmother’s wedding ring.  My sister owns a gold and emerald dress ring given to my grandmother by my grandfather, and my mother has a beautiful brooch that belonged to her grandmother.  I certainly intend to pass the ring I own down to my children when they are older, along with any other fine jewellery I inherit or acquire.

It’s not just the jewellery that’s important to be passed down in my opinion.  Actually, the jewellery is in fact secondary to something far more important: the story behind a piece.  My grandmother wrote me a letter when she left me the ring explaining when and where the wedding took place, the dates of birth of my great, great grandmother and grandfather, and more information about the history behind the ring.  I intend to keep that history alive and known in the family by passing it down, along with the piece of jewellery, to my own daughter one day in the hope that she too will do the same after I’m gone. This way the important family history and knowledge doesn’t die with the original owners of a piece of jewellery but lives on and is remembered through that piece.

The very fact that a lot of fine jewellery is passed down through generations is testament to the fact that it can last a lifetime and in fact much longer.  In order to keep fine jewellery looking its best and also to help it last it’s important to care for and clean it regularly.  Some items should be taken to a professional as they may not be easy to clean at home, and you should certainly seek advice from a professional before cleaning an old item of jewellery for the first time.

If you are fortunate enough to inherit a piece of fine jewellery the most important advice I can give you is to find out any story you can behind it, for example who was the first person in your family to own it, what did they do and how did they come to own it.  This information should be kept with the jewellery and passed down to your next of kin if you intend to keep the jewellery in the family so that they know a little bit of history about it.  I would also recommend you get the item valued, particularly if it is very old, by a professional and get it insured if it is very valuable.  As explained, keep it clean and in a safe and secure place but above all treasure it, as that is why it was given to you.

Fine jewellery not only lasts a lifetime, but if cared for properly can last forever and be passed down through the generations, from mother to daughter to grand-daughter, without losing any of its original lustre and appeal. Family heirlooms often consist of jewellery that has been handed down over the years, and they are almost always loved by the new owner, as it signifies a part of their family’s history. Whether it’s an aunt’s pearl necklace, or a grandmother’s engagement ring, it provides a concrete connection to your ancestral past.

When buying fine jewellery, like an engagement ring or wedding jewellery, you do need to buy the best quality items if you want them to last forever that goes for quality of any gemstones, as well as the quality of the chosen metal such as platinum, gold or silver. It is probable better to buy your pieces from a reputable jeweller, rather than a high street store so that you can be sure of the quality and authenticity of your purchase. True fine jewellery pieces are crafted using only the best stones and metals, and have intricate designs and superior craftsmanship which virtually guarantees their longevity. Appropriately selected pieces are able to withstand the test of time, being of a classic design which allows them to be passed down through the generations, without becoming dated.

Fine jewellery need not be brand new straight from the store, there are antique jewellery items available that have already been treasured by their previous owners, and have already been handed down through many generations. Such pieces have a readymade history behind them, some items will have a colourful past which will make for an interesting story, and have proven craftsmanship via their durability. Also an antique jewellery piece is almost certainly unique, as it would have been handmade long before mass production jewellery existed, so there will not be another piece quite like it in the world.

The buying of fine jewellery as a gift is a sincere and often romantic gesture; you are buying a piece that will be cherished by its recipient, and one that will give joy for many years to come. You may wish to select a piece specifically as a family heirloom, to link yourself to the future generations of your family, if so remember to choose a classic and timeless item of fine jewellery with a solid structure. Another thing to remember is that the perfect family heirloom, will have a significant story behind it, such as the diamond ring that your grandfather bought for your grandmother, on the day your mother was born, a story that will be passed down through the generations along with the ring, which allows future generations an insight into their family history and a connection to their past.

I have a thing about fine jewellery, in fact I firmly believe that good quality contemporary jewellery should last you a lifetime. Costume jewellery strikes me as lasting a weekend on the town and if it gets lost then it’s really not much of an issue. I never scrimp on jewellery that I purchase for my wife, I would rather save a little longer and get her something as opposed to buying her something sub standard. I love surprises and she likes my taste, so it’s pretty safe for me to pick, but it all started with her engagement ring.

I spent considerable time, stress, money and effort in picking my wife’s engagement ring. I can remember it clearly: I was 23 at the time and had been considering asking her to marry me, we had already discussed it so I had a fair inclination that she would say yes. I remember that I trawled the shops for several weeks before finding “the” ring. Eventually, I found the one that I wanted but the jeweller was closed for the evening.

The following morning before work I queued at opening time and as the shutters went up, I was first in; the lady behind the counter didn’t know what to think. I asked her to bring out the tray with the piece that I had chosen and just as she did another customer walked into the shop. I picked up the one that I wanted, a simple gold ring, set with three stunning diamonds set across a twist. It sparked in the halogen lighting and gave off a rainbow of colours. Bizarrely, all I could think about was the Dark Side of The Moon cover, but that’s not really relevant just now.

The other customer burst my little daydream by announcing she wanted the ring that I was holding, “well tough, lady, I’m buying it”. She was a snobby type and there was me standing in a pair of old Levis with long hair and a faded shirt.  One swipe with the rubber credit card later, the ring was mine and firmly burning a hole in my jeans, leaving behind one disgruntled “hoorah, Henry”.

I went straight to work that day and in a panic told one of my work colleagues that I had made a terrible mistake. After a little short banter, details omitted for obscenities, he agreed that it was indeed a stunning ring but not to be silly and do not under any circumstances to get married (painful divorce for him). Just take it back, nobody will ever know.

Two weeks passed and I had planned an intimate dinner, but that night after doing the dishes, the ring was just driving me up the wall. I asked her to marry me, bent on one knee by the fridge and her very response was, “don’t be silly, you’ve not even got a ring.”  Oh, but yes, I have, my dear. One wedding and four kids later, we are still married, and she now has an eternity ring to compliment her diamond twist. I picked that too.

Traditionally, an engagement ring, like a wedding ring is an item of fine jewellery that is going to be worn on a daily basis by the majority of their owners. For this reason it is vital that the ring is liked by the wearer, it is not an occasional piece of jewellery that can be hidden away when not in use, it is something she will have to look at everyday so needs to be the perfect choice.

Selecting the perfect engagement ring is not an easy task, there are so many different styles and settings available, and also you have to take personal taste into consideration, it needs to be something the woman will enjoy looking at forever, I think for a man this is extremely difficult, while they may share their lives together, they may not share the same taste. For a woman an engagement ring is something she wants to show off to everyone, it is a symbol of their love and ongoing commitment to each other, and no woman wants to show off something she absolutely hates the sight of!

For me the actual “event” of ring shopping together, was a very special and romantic experience and I think many women feel the same way, you have your partners undivided attention, and you can try on as many rings as you like in various shops until you find “THE” one, the one you will be happy to look at on your hand every day. I feel if I had been told to go and choose it myself, then it would not have had the same impact, I would have felt he was disinterested and couldn’t be bothered, it would have lost all the romance of the occasion. On the other hand if he had chosen it as a surprise, for a romantic proposal, I can almost guarantee it would not have been something I liked, and I would have again felt a little deflated as I would have been expected to wear it regardless, in order to not hurt his feelings at his heartfelt gesture.

One way round a surprise proposal, may be for the man to select an inexpensive ring for the event, but to tell his then fiancée that they can go ring shopping together for the real one. That way they both get what they want, he the magic of the surprise proposal and she get the ring of her choice. Or maybe to ask the advice of his girlfriend’s best friend or mother, somebody who knows her true likes and dislikes, so he does not show up with a white elephant. If the proposal is something that has already been discussed together, but not actually happened, then perhaps they could go window shopping together, the woman could point out a variety of styles and price ranges and the gentleman could return at a later date to make the actual selection, safe in the knowledge that it is an engagement ring she truly likes and that is is a fabulous prelude to the wedding day.

Ultimately, I do not feel either party should select an engagement ring without consulting their partner, it is definitely too risky for a man to choose a ring alone for the woman in his life. While he may be a romantic at heart, he does not want to saddle his bride to be, with a piece of fine jewellery that she dislikes but has to wear every day for the rest of her life. If on the other hand the woman is sent to select a ring alone, while it will be a ring she loves, there is no special occasion, and he is sending a message that she is not worth the effort of a romantic gesture.

Today’s brides demand far more from their wedding invitations than their grandmothers – or even their mothers, for that matter. Today’s bride is strong, independent and anxious to show off her individuality. For that reason, modern wedding invitations need to be able to reflect the modern bride. But, what exactly is the difference between traditional wedding invitations and modern wedding invitations?

It’s About Color

One of the biggest differences between traditional wedding invitations and modern wedding invitations is the use of color. In the past, brides really didn’t have any color options. As such, the only thing that really differentiated one wedding invitation from the next was the quality of the stationary and the style of the font used. Today’s brides can choose from a wide variety of different color options, which makes it possible to match the invitation to the bride’s wedding theme and color while also expressing her unique personality and style.

It’s About the Theme

Today’s modern wedding invitations are also available in designs to match a bride’s wedding theme. If the bride is having a spring wedding, for example, she might get a wedding invitation with flowers and other images related to the season. If she is having a beach wedding, on the other hand, she may choose a wedding invitation decorated with seashells or images of the waves crashing against the surf.

It’s About Lifestyle

Modern wedding invitations also make it possible for brides to select a design that suits her lifestyle. If she is a contemporary woman, for example, she may select a wedding invitation that reflects that style by implementing shapes and simplicity. A “girlie” bride, on the other hand, can select a card that oozes femininity while a traditional woman may still choose an invitation with a traditional design with a modern flair.

It’s About the Wedding

Another characteristic of modern wedding invitations is their ability to communicate the type of wedding the couple is having. For example, a couple that is having a casual wedding can still use modern wedding invitations to convey the casual atmosphere while still sending out high-quality cards. On the other hand, couples wishing to have a formal wedding event can start creating this atmosphere with the help of their invitations.

With so many benefits associated with modern wedding invitations, it is easy to see why so many brides have decided to express their individuality with the help of these designs.