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Summer Beauty Tips For Brides

wedding dress

Getting married in the hot summer months may require some special beauty tips and tricks – staying fresh and beautiful in your bridal  gown will be easier when you use the right makeup and hair products.

When temperatures climb, it can be difficult to control the effects of humidity – and humidity is known to wreak havoc by melting makeup and creating frizz that ruins wedding hairstyles. However, there’s no need to panic – there are plenty of clever ways to avoid the detrimental effects of summer heat and humidity. Here are some practical ideas to try:

Makeup Tips For Hot Weather

Use A Primer

Adding another layer to your basic foundation may sound counterproductive, but a great primer can smooth your skin and keep your makeup looking great when the temperature climbs. Makeup primers are designed to extend the life of your foundation by giving your complexion a matte, oil-free finish. One of the most popular makeup primers is Smashbox Photo Finish.  These sorts of primers can make your skin look better in your wedding videos and photos – pores will look smaller, and makeup will adhere to the primer, giving your whole look better staying power.

You may also want to look into grabbing some Stila eyeshadow primer designed for the eyelids – if you’re planning on wearing eyeshadow, this product can keep it from smudging.

Go Waterproof

Waterproof mascara is a no-brainer with a pristine white wedding dress and wedding veil – after all, many brides tear up as they say their vows. However, there is more to waterproof makeup than simply a coat of long-lasting mascara. You can also find waterproof (or water-resistant) eye shadows, eyeliners, and lipsticks.

Long-wearing cosmetics, such as Cover Girl’s affordable Outlast lipcolor (it comes with a glossy sealant to combat dryness) will require less touch-ups. One perfect wedding shade of Outlast lipstick is Moonlit Mauve, a cool, rosy pinkish-purple…

Gel blush or powder blush will also be better choices than cream blushes, which tend to smear in the heat. A light dusting of bronzer or peachy blush will warm the skin and add a little glow, without being too heavy or chalky for summertime.

Keep It Minimalist

If you use primer properly, you can do a light, natural makeup that flatters your wedding dress, without worrying about makeup meltdown. In general, you can’t go wrong with gently flushed cheeks, rosy lips, and lightly defined eyes.

Classic wedding makeup shouldn’t be too glittery or shimmery – sparkly makeup can actually make you look older, as it calls attention to fine lines. Keep it classic and don’t overdo it – take some test shots with your camera (in different types of lighting) to gauge your results.

Don’t load on translucent powder – instead, use blotting papers to kill shine – Sephora Collection Matte Blotting Film will work well.

Haircare Tips

Battling humidity can be an issue for many women as they deal with their hair in the hot summer months. When it comes to wedding blowouts or up-dos, humidity can spoil the entire effect. If you want a perfect result, you may need the help of a professional stylist.In general, they will give you the sort of blowout that looks smooth and shiny for hours. However, getting the same results on your own is possible.

If you’re doing your own hair, it may be easier to work with your hair’s own natural texture. Highlight your look with beach-y waves or tousled, romantic curls. Naturally straight hair can get a boost with a little light teasing at the crown. Here are a couple of products that work wonders:

  • Joico Humidity Blocker – This moisture-rich finishing spray acts as a barrier between your hair and the environment. This hairspray can be ideal last touch as you prepare to put on your white wedding dress, veil, or tiara.
  • Fekkai Advanced Brilliant Glossing Conditioner – Encapsulated olive oil is the secret of this conditioner’s humidity-fighting power. Designed to give you a sleek, shiny look that is soft to the touch, this conditioner will help you fight the effects of drying summer sun and frizz-creating humidity.

If you’re still searching for wedding dresses and wedding accessories at a bridal shop, consider your hot-weather makeup and hair as part of your overall look. Plan out some potential hair and makeup looks that will work with a variety of bridal gowns. Also, think about just how hot it’s going to be on your wedding day – will you be inside or outside (or both) ? Choose a wedding dress that offers comfort, as well as style. If you’re looking for wedding dresses in Toronto, you’re in luck – Best For Bride is right there to help you coordinate a stunning summer look for your wedding day.

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Charm of the South: Infusing Southern Belle Romance into Your Wedding Day Elegance!

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Romantic period films, such as Gone With The Wind, celebrate the femininity of full, frothy ball gowns. Scarlett O’Hara’s dresses (as worn by the stunning Vivien Leigh) have gone down in history… from the green-and-white muslin “afternoon” dress she wore to entice Ashley Wilkes at a county barbecue, to the scarlet creation Rhett forced her to wear when she was caught hugging Ashley at her saw mill. Today, these classic gowns even appear on a collection of Gone With The Wind Barbie dolls designed to look just like Scarlett.

If you’re a fan of the film – and Margaret Mitchell’s classic novel – you may be interested in capturing the spirit of Southern-style romance on your own wedding day. Luckily, this is easily achieved with stunning, princess-line bridal gowns that features crinolines, fitted bodices, and lots of embellishments. Here are some easy ways to feel like a true Southern Belle as you walk down the aisle:

Flaunt Your Curves

 

plus-size wedding dress

 

Scarlett wasn’t known for her subtlety – she believed in making the most of her figure by accenting her tiny waistline. However, you don’t need a 17-inch waist to show off a big, beautiful bridal gown. All you really need is confidence. This sort of style is quite flattering to almost any body type – the full skirt balances the shoulders, giving the whole body a desirable hourglass silhouette. If you’re looking for plus size wedding dresses, you may find this style exceptionally flattering – the classic femininity of the dress shown above is a perfect example…

Accessorize

wedding accessories

Adding a faux-fur shawl (such as the one pictured above) or a lacy jacket to your outfit can be a great way to give modern wedding dresses a vintage feel. If you don’t have antique lace or similar items, you can fake it with new designs that have a timeless quality. This sort of fashionable cover-up will be perfect for an outdoor wedding since weather can change at a moment’s notice. If you want to add style and uniqueness to your wedding photos, this sort of detail can become a memorable one…

Embrace Romance

bridal gowns

Wedding romance is about embracing your womanliness with a wedding dress that pulls out all the stops. Scarlett would be proud to wear the filmy, frothy confection shown above. Designed to create a stunning, curvy effect, while also casting a creamy glow over the skin, this bridal gown and over-jacket can be the ideal choice for a Southern-inspired wedding outfit. When you go for this classic and glamorous wedding dress, you won’t need a lot of other accessories. A tiny cluster of flowers in your hair will highlight your beauty.

Makeup And Hair Tips

Since you’re unlikely to wear a bonnet or picture hat, as Scarlett did, you’ll need to consider your hairstyle and the right makeup look for these bridal dresses. Silky hair in tidy, controlled waves or braids will give you the right effect. Back in Scarlett’s day, hair wasn’t flat ironed or moussed – it was dried naturally and then pinned into place with hairpins. Choose a jewelled barrette or comb with jet, pearl, or garnet adornments for a decorative effect. Keep the volume low at the crown – below the ears, you can experiment with finger curls or other creative extras.

Vivien Leigh’s look was all about reddened lips, sultry eyes, and clean, well-tended skin. Any woman can mimic this effect – you don’t need to be ivory-pale. Simply find a good matte foundation that matches your skin, and apply it only where needed. Dust with a matching powder to remove shine. Some gel blush on the cheeks will give you a glow and resemble the “rouge” of yesteryear. Make sure your eyebrows are expertly groomed, with a nice arch, to get an actual Old Hollywood effect. Coat your lips in a layer of rich, ruby red (such as Revlon’s Cherries In The Snow), and then blot with a tissue to remove excess.

Don’t go too crazy with shimmer powders and lip glosses – these modern products won’t work with Southern-style wedding dresses; a fake tan will clash with the overall look.

To choose the right bouquet and wedding flowers for your white wedding dress, use magnolias or pink rosebuds…

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How To Save Money While Planning Your Wedding

wedding dresses

Most brides and grooms-to-be must consider their wedding budgets when they plan their nuptials. Weddings can get very expensive, and it’s a rare couple that doesn’t have to worry about the cost of catering, alcohol, music, renting a venue, etc. For many brides, one of the most important parts of wedding planning is choosing the right bridal gown. In most cases, this white wedding dress is incredibly meaningful for the bride-to-be – therefore, it should probably not be a budget item.

In fact, brides-to-be tend to regret buying cheap wedding dresses after the ceremony and reception are finished. Of course, there are exceptions, but quality does show in wedding photos and videos. So, in general, it’s smart to save on other aspects of the wedding, so that you can enjoy getting the dress you really want. It still doesn’t have to cost a fortune, but it should fulfill your fairytale dreams for your special day – you deserve to feel like a queen when you walk down the aisle.

Luckily, there are lots of ways to economize if you’re smart and organized. Planning well in advance can be key – give yourself time to comparison shop on everything from catering to wedding flowers to wedding favors – if you’re rushed and under pressure, you’ll end up buying overpriced items out of desperation. Instead, use the months before your wedding to research deals and plan your strategy.

You’ll be glad you didn’t move too fast when you consider the overall cost of your ceremony and reception. By putting some energy into finding lower-priced items and services, you’ll be able to enjoy your wedding more – after all, no one wants to return from the honeymoon to be confronted with a mountain of debt. Debt creates stress, and it take a lot of romance out of the blissful newlywed state.

Here are some practical tips on saving money at your wedding:

 

Rent His Tux – Unless you have a lot to spend, you should consider tuxedo rental for your groom-to-be. Most men don’t really care too much about whether or not they actually own their tuxedo. If he’s not particularly obsessed with fashion, he’ll probably be glad to rent something nice and return it afterwards. You can outfit him in style when you choose to rent instead of buying. Good tuxedos are actually incredibly expensive.

Make Your Own Invitations And Wedding Favours – Many women enjoy making crafts – they watch Martha Stewart and other skilled crafters and feel inspired. Today, there are ways to get a completely charming and polished result when you make wedding invites, place cards, menus, and wedding favours yourself.

Scrap booking stores will usually have everything you need to do the job yourself. You can use stencils, pretty colored card paper, and stick-on embellishments, such as tiny “crystals”, to make your work look really special. If you’re seriously into crafting, consider investing in a die cast personal cutting machine, such as a Cricut. This type of computerized device can be loaded with cartridges that include pretty borders, letters, hearts, flowers, or whatever you can dream up! Then, you just feed in the paper and the machine creates perfect cutouts.

Choosing a cartridge with a wedding theme can be a great way to make your own decorations, wedding invitations and wedding favours, If you really like making crafts, a machine like this will pay for itself in terms of the pleasure it brings you through the years. It can definitely save you money as you prepare for your wedding.

Keep Things A Little Less Formal –

in general, the more formal and elaborate a wedding is, the more it will cost to plan it and to carry out that plan. By loosening up your wedding ceremony (or perhaps your reception) and keeping it more casual, you can be more creative with cost-saving techniques.

Food will be a huge expense at your wedding, so consider sharing some of the work with your caterer – perhaps the caterer could provide entrees, and you could prepare side dishes, salads, and other foodstuffs yourself. If you’re planning something fun like a beach wedding, consider outdoor grilling and buy great cuts of meat wholesale. Then, hire a cook or chef to take care of things while you celebrate. Look for recipes that are glamorous and high-impact, but don’t contain pricey ingredients. Be a frugal gourmet to save money as you feed your guests.

 

Brides-to-be who follow these smart tips and use their ingenuity to plan a cheaper wedding can reward themselves by choosing the wedding dresses they’ve always dreamed of wearing.

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Style Tips For The Modern Bride

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If you’re not the old-fashioned type who wants a traditional wedding dress and veil, you’re not alone. Many fashion-conscious brides feel uncomfortable with puffy princess gowns and sparkling tiaras.

If you’re the modern type, you may prefer to wear clean lines or riskier, couture-inspired styles on your special wedding day. These sleek, cutting-edge designs can look wonderful, since they are generally quite body-conscious – without being tight or tacky. Any women can look beautiful in modern designs – they streamline a voluptuous figure with careful tailoring, and they also give a leaner build a runway-ready silhouette…

When you’re at the bridal boutique, look for straighter styles, such as sheath dresses. Experiment with shorter gowns – they can be quite chic and they always send a modern message…

Modern style is about looking fresh and polished. You should not appear to be trying too hard to be feminine or sexy…it’s about easy elegance and confidence! To get the perfect effect, you need to find the ultimate white wedding dress, bridal rings, and other important wedding accessories.

With a modern aesthetic, nothing should be overdone…beading and embellishments are generally scaled-down and subtle…if not absent altogether. For the modern bride-to-be, minimalism and spare, arty design elements can be very appealing..and flattering. Here are some tips on creating a chic, modern vibe at your wedding:

Focus On One Detail – You can still have drama while embracing the modern aesthetic…simply choose one detail of your wedding outfit, and go for stand-out style. A simple hairband with an outsize flower attached (such as the one worn by the model at the top of the page) can add charm and whimsy to a sleek, tea-length bridal dress.

When doing your makeup and hair, it’s also good to focus on one special detail for each. For example, consider a sleek modern up-do, with some interesting style details in the back. Tiny braids woven into the bun or chignon, or a hair-wrapped low ponytail can be lovely. Your creative hair elements should not detract from your overall modern look – they should always be subtle and low-key.

When you do your makeup, focus on eyes or lips, but not both. Modern makeup artists only highlight one feature when they do realistic, wearable makeup for magazines and the runway. A wash of sheer color on the eyes, a faint flush on the cheekbones, and a soft, velvety matte-finish lipstick in a fresh color can be great ways to keep things modern.

If you want to highlight your eyes, consider a thin line of silver-blue eyeliner along the top and bottom lashes. Gwenyth Paltrow, known for her modern style, often pairs this eyeliner look with a sleek dress, flat-ironed hair, and wild shoes (her one bold detail). She generally keeps her lip color soft, using a pale pink lipstick or soft, cool pink gloss (try Chanel Glossimer in Charming). Now and then, she will take the focus off of her eyes and do a vibrant, matte red lip with a neutral eye (shadows in taupe and icy champagne work well for this).

Modern colors are often cool in tone – silver, blue-gray, white and black are always chic and minimalist. Using these colors in your eye makeup can give you a modern effect, as long as the finishes are sheer and eyeliner, mascara, etc. is expertly applied. However, so much depends on your natural coloring…for example, a redhead with a peaches-and-cream complexion will look more modern in warm tones that blend with the tones of her skin and hair…

Diamond Luxury Can Be Also Be Modern And Wearable

bridal rings

Your bridal rings should be chosen with care – you will be wearing them every day! Some women are very active, and they prefer a sleeker, flatter engagement ring/wedding band set that won’t catch on things and get in the way. The stunning piece featured above is a stellar example of a modern wedding band that still offers total luxury. Sleek links, crafted from glam 21k white gold, offer a touch of cool, industrial style, while diamond accents provide subtle, elegant shimmer.

This wearable design is meant to be treasured for a lifetime, and it will go with everything in the modern bride’s wardrobe. In general, white gold and silver are more modern than yellow gold. However, you should feel free to break the fashion rules whenever you like – it’s your wedding and you should always make choices that feel right to you!

Adding modern elements to your reception’s table settings, your wedding invitations and wedding flowers, and even your menu (think fresh and local) will be great ways to reinforce your theme on the big day. Guests will love the chic, fresh vibe!