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Digital Dress Dreams: Expert Tips for Successfully Buying Your Wedding Gown Online!

via Best for BrideOne of the biggest events in your wedding plans is buying your wedding dress. While nothing beats the experience of visiting a bridal boutique and being enraptured at the sight of yourself in “the dress,” there are situations when this may not be the best choice.

Fortunately, you can still have fun shopping for your dress online, and do it right too! You may even find more options than you can find at your local store, which can be enticing. If online dress shopping is the way for you, let us find out what you need to know to do it properly.

Choose the silhouette and neckline

Since you won’t have a bridal consultant to help choose the right silhouette for your body type, you must do this yourself. Identify the type of wedding dresses that are suitable for your body shape and shortlist the ones that seem right. A good idea is to head to a nearby clothes shop, try on few gowns and see your transformation in them. Notice the silhouettes and necklines that flatter your figure, and base your search on gowns in similar patterns.

Choosing “the dress” from a vast collection

You will quickly realize that online shopping throws open an ocean of choices, and you can feel overwhelmed and confused. So, don’t start looking at pictures right away. First, list the various things in a dress that would look good on you. This would include the neckline, silhouette, type of sleeves and fabric. Also make a second list of the features that don’t flatter you in a dress.

Once this is done, begin your search. First choose by price. Find gowns that fall within budget. The next step is to pick out a certain number of gowns with features in the first list you prepared. Now, eliminate any of these dresses with features on the second list. Continue this way, till you have a small list of just a handful of dresses.

Pay attention to these chosen dresses in closer detail. Look at the fabric, the construction and how it drapes on the model. Get help from your friends to decide which of these would be the best choice. Take time to finalize it; meanwhile, look on the web for pictures of real brides wearing the dress you chose. Once you have decided, check the measurement charts for this particular dress and determine the optimal size. Place your order.

Work with a good tailor

Once you receive your gown, you will likely have to make alterations so it fits perfectly. Find a good tailor who can do this for you. Choose someone who has experience working with complicated garments and gowns so he/she can handle the job properly. Leave plenty of time for more than one fitting session so your dress looks perfect in time for your wedding.

To enjoy your online shopping experience, choose from a variety of designer gowns, and avail excellent offers, visit the wedding collection at Best for Bride.

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Rules for Wedding Tipping and Gratuity

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There will be many vendors that you deal with on a regular basis throughout the planning of your wedding. While you will be paying each of these a certain amount of money, it is always best to consider offering them a gratuity for their services as well.

While most are not required, others are built into the contract and some people who are planning a wedding find it helpful to know what is customarily given to these vendors. Below you will find the gratuity amounts that you should expect to pay so that you can add them into your overall wedding budget.

Caterers – Wait Staff – Bartenders

This is one area that the gratuity is typically included in the contract when you first sign it; normally around 15% – 20%. However, some feel as though their caterer did an outstanding job in regards to handling their guests and offer an additional dollar or two per guest for this reason.

An additional 15 to 20% is also typically included in the contract, but if it is not you should offer the additional gratuity to the maître d’ with an additional 1% to 2%. Bartenders are also typically given 15 to 20% gratuity, but if they are not also accepting tips from your guests, it is best to add an additional 10% on top of this amount.

DJs – Bands

Neither of these vendors require a tip, but many people offer one if they have provided an exceptionally nice experience for the bride and groom or the guests. For DJs, the standard is to offer a 15% to 20% gratuity. For bands, the standard is $25 per band member.

Limo Drivers

Many couples choose to have a limo driver to transport them to the wedding venue, to the airport or other locations before and after the wedding. It is standard to offer this driver 15% to 20% after they have completed their services.

Other Vendors

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Other vendors that you may conduct business with throughout the wedding planning process are photographers, videographers, florists, and bakers. Each of these provide something special to your wedding and it is usually typical to provide them each with a 15% to 20% gratuity.

While this is not required, nor will it be added into the contract, some feel as though these vendors have done an amazing job and wish to reward them for their hard work.

Wedding Planners

This is one of the main vendors that typically receive a gratuity after the wedding. They are usually in charge of many aspects of the wedding planning process and help make sure that everything comes together as planned. The customary gratuity for the wedding planner is 10% to 20%, but an additional 10% to 20% is sometimes offered for an exceptionally good job.

Conclusion

Gratuity may be one area of your budget that gets overlooked when you are setting up funds for your wedding. While most of these areas are not required, it is still standard to offer a gratuity to the vendors after the wedding.

In order to make sure you have the funds available, you should make sure that you add the proper amounts to your budget so that you can properly thank your staff for their hard work.

Best For Bride

Best for Bride can help you plan your perfect day from start to finish. They specialize in the perfect gown, décor, and accessories that any bride will need to feel beautiful on her big day.

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Wedding Dress Trends

As with any area of fashion, wedding dress designs are always evolving. Designers have unveiled their newest wedding dresses. There are some interesting trends among the new designs. Nowadays wedding dress trends include romantic, flowing fabric and two-piece wedding dresses. Which of the following trends is your favorite?

Sleek Modernism

Some fashion-forward wedding dresses emphasize a minimalistic approach to fashion. The sleek, no-frills wedding dress may be the perfect choice for the modern bride. If you wince at layers of lace and ruffles, you may want to take a look at the simple and elegant sheath designs among today’s hot trends.

Poufy, Flowing Skirts

Contrasting with the sleek modernism trend is the flowing layers of poufy ball gown wedding dresses. The newest designs involve layers of light fabric that create a flowing fullness to the wedding dresses.

Two-Piece Wedding Dresses

A daring new look is the crop top wedding dress. Some of these two-piece wedding dresses show the bride’s abdomen. Other two-piece wedding dress designs are more subtle with the top ending close or over the waist of the skirt. If you are looking for shock value or something unconventional, consider this exciting new trend in wedding dresses.

Color

Many brides are opting for light colors, and designers are answering the call. Silvery colors like a smoky gray, light blue, and lilacs are a favorite. Some designers are including some bolder colors as well.

Wedding Dress Necklines

It seems as though some designers have grown tired of the classic necklines of wedding dresses. Dramatic necklines are the hot wedding dress trend. Unique cuts, bustier styles, and plunging v-necks are becoming more popular.

Wedding Dress Sweaters?

Yes! Some designers have created wedding dresses with sweaters. The top may be a sweater or the gown may come with a sweater that is open in the front. This unusual style has a element of feeling cozy and down to earth while being stylish and bold.

Shoulder Embellishments

There are three hot wedding dress trends that are focused on the shoulders. Capelets, shoulder streamers, and draped shoulder beading are new styles that many designers are embracing. A capelet is a very short cape. Some new capelet designs only cover the shoulders. The capelet does not reach the neckline. In other designs, the capelet covers part of the bodice or the entire bodice. Shoulder streamers are strips of flowing, light fabric attached to the shoulder of the wedding dress. The popular draped beading designs are strings of beads of varying lengths that lay on the shoulder and upper arm.

Even brides who are not concerned with being on the cutting edge of fashion often like to know the current trends. If you are looking for something uniquely new or just don’t want to have an outdated dress, wedding dress trends can help you get ideas for your perfect wedding gown. Brides can find more great tips for finding the perfect wedding dress at Best for Bride.

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Complete your Bridal Look Perfectly with a Beautiful Headpiece

Once you have set your mind on the dress you will be wearing on your big day, it is time to look at the rest of the accessories that will pull your wedding day look together. Hair accessories add the perfect finishing touches to your look, and there is a huge variety to choose from.

Whether your long locks tumble down your shoulders or you have a short hairstyle, a good hairpiece can add a touch of sophistication to your total look. Here are some tips to help you select a headpiece that will add extra glamor to your bridal look.

Buy your headpiece only after you have zeroed in on your wedding dress

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Wait till you have finalized your wedding dress to look around for any accessories, including your headpiece. This is to make sure that the designs don’t clash when put together. Silver is the most popular color for hair accessories, as it goes with most wedding dresses. Gold headpieces complement champagne or gold-colored wedding gowns. Headpieces are also available in white or with crystals and embellishments in various colors.

Decide on the TYPE of headpiece that you would like to wear

Headpieces are available in the form of headbands, tiaras, combs or hairpins. While the first three form prominent displays, hairpins are subtle adornments that accent your hairdo with a touch of sparkle. Your wedding day hairstyle should determine your choice.

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Hair combs are the ideal choice if you put your hair up in a bun or chignon. Tiaras and headbands are versatile, and you can add them to almost any hairstyle. Experiment with placing them flat, or lifting them up against your crown, to find the look that you like.

Hair pins are ideal if you are already wearing other noticeable pieces of jewelry. These add the finishing touches to your hairdo, without going overboard with details. It is a good idea to try on your headpieces with the hairstyle that you intend to wear for your wedding, so you can choose well.

Make sure all your accessories are well coordinated

The various elements of your wedding attire—your dress, veil, headpiece and jewelry, should all come together harmoniously. For this you should envision your wedding day look, before you go shopping. This will allow you to mix and match appropriately.

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If your dress is rich in details, choose simple accessories that do not shift focus from your splendid wedding dress. If your dress is relatively simple, you can enhance your look with ornate jewelry and elaborate headpieces.

Your headpiece and the rest of your accessories should help create a look that matches your personality. You can choose to look beautiful and sophisticated in a single statement piece, or spectacular and bold in a collection of pieces. Either way, remember that it is not everyday that you can walk around in public wearing a tiara; so make the most of your wedding day when you can be the princess you always longed to be.

At Best for Bride, we have a beautiful collection of headpieces. Make your pick today.