Building the Wedding Around the Dress

^Sarah in a Monique Lhuillier “Vivienne” gown (2009) (Chuck)

SARAH: Hey. So what’s the “wedding epiphany”?
ELLIE: I just realized we have been going about this wedding planning all wrong.
SARAH: We have?
ELLIE: Yes! You don’t build a wedding around flowers or the cake or the food. What do you build the wedding around?
SARAH: Um… The weather?
ELLIE: The dress, Sarah. You build the wedding around the dress.

   

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Weddings are made to be the bride’s show. Building the wedding around the dress is something that goes without saying. Every bride has the perfect wedding dress in mind and everything else about the wedding should follow the same style and theme. The stationery, the decor, the reception motif, and the entourage dresses should be complementary to the bride’s wedding dress. Although white, and other close shades, have been the norm in most wedding dresses, there are some brides who opt for other out-of-the-box bridal dress color as black and red.

Whatever the choice of bridal dress color and style, the rest of the wedding details should be planned according to the same theme without overshadowing the gown. Some general themes that brides can opt for include:

· Old Romance

This theme takes the entire bridal party to another era that oozes with romance. Lacy and intricate patterns in a full-gown perhaps with a fitted bodice and a bouffant skirt are some of the dress details that could be found in an old romantic wedding dress. Invitations can take a more formal tone and be written in old English typography. An added touch could be a wax seal in the bride and groom’s monogram on the envelope. The reception motif, on the other hand, should take on a palatial feel with gold-gilded plates and heavy silverware set against the crisp white table linen.

· Timeless Elegance

Clean and sleek lines characterize bridal dresses of this theme. Although devoid of grandeur, this theme evokes elegance in hushed tones and simple cuts that stays in fashion through the passing years. Elaborate scripting framed by simple embossed borders in the color motif can be used in the invitations, place cards and thank you notes. The elegance extends to the reception with fine china and silverware still set in the formal theme.

· Contemporary Chic

This is a much broader theme that brides who would like a more modern feel to their weddings could opt for. The contemporary chic theme translates current fashion into the wedding fashion. The choice of colors are more varied and diverse shifting from the traditional wedding whites to other shades still in soft tones like roses, peaches, and yellows. Colorful floral arrangements in more playful varieties may be used in decors both at the site of the wedding ceremony and at the reception.

· Modern Edge

Building the wedding around the wedding dress is more exciting with the Modern Edge theme. Deeper color options and more experimental dress styles are chosen by the bride. Multi-colored dresses for the bridal entourage is also common with this theme. Brides often choose color themes of black and deeper shades as burgundy, navy, and crimson in their bridal dresses and decor.

Deciding on the wedding dress is a crucial choice that a bride should make. Once she makes her choice, the seamless execution of a wedding built around the dress will definitely make brides shine brighter.