I loved my wedding dress — but GEEZ! Look at these new floral wedding dresses from Monique Lhuillier.  If I had to do it all over again, I may have to change to a spring wedding so that I could flaunt one of these beauties! 

I mean, just look at that dress!  I am IN LOVE!!!!!!!!!!

I saw the photos from this shoot on GreenWeddingShoes and had to share it with you all! Love Love Love the soft colors mixed with romantic pops of color.

Just admit it. Half the reason you attend weddings in the first place is for the delicious wedding food and consequently, the wedding cake. Or maybe that’s just us.

But wedding-goers be warned. You may soon experience a new nuptial tradition in the form of wedding pie.

The Chicago Sun-Times reports that more and more people are requesting pie as a supplement to their wedding cake, or else are asking to have pie as the main dessert.

And as noted by Vincent Rossmeier, an avid pie lover, there are plenty of reasons to choose this delicacy over the common cake.

First, it’s cheaper, with wedding pies going for about $15 for the entire shebang, the same price for one piece of cake. Pies can also feature seasonal fruits such as strawberry and apple. And with pie, it’s the filling that counts, not the frosting.

Pie is moist where cake is too often arid; it’s complex where cake is too often banal.  Pie offers me lasting contentment, whereas all cake can tender is a cloying sugar rush.

It’s not just the traditional dessert that’s changing this wedding season. Other trends include having flower girls dress up as fairies, wings and wands in tow.

First looks … to see each other on this momentous day, before that walk down the aisle …

Now, you know that one of the questions you too will face when planning your wedding photography is whether you do (or don’t) want to have that first look alone. Seeing each other before the wedding is a hot topic. Some couples are vehemently opposed to it while others have now started thinking, hmmmm, well, maybe…?

Before you decide, talk to your photographer and really listen to the pros and cons. Talk to other couples who have taken the high road and decided to experience this moment privately. I seriously doubt that you will find many, if any, who wish they hadn’t.

 Below are a few of my favorite first look moments captured on film.

As I was browsing Facebook recently, I noticed my friend L had posted some great photos of herself doing some modeling work!  I immediately asked if I could share on the blog, as some of her modeling photos were ‘rustic bridal’ as I like to say.  These photos are taken my two local photographers that are friends with L –> so check out Jason Hatcher &  Josh Beeman.

LOVE this one!!  Photo by Jason Hatcher.

Photo by Jason Hatcher.  This is actually her real-life groom, J!

Photo by Jason Hatcher.

The two photos above are by Josh Beeman.  L did the make up herself — talk about talent!

If you know me, you know that I’m obsessed with wedding photography.  I love how photographers can capture every aspect of the day, every mood, every emotion, and the pure sexiness that exudes from brides on their wedding day.  A friend of mine who models wedding gowns suggested I check out local Cincinnati photographer Neysa Ruhl, and I can safely say that I am so glad I did.  Below are some of my favorite shots from this photographer!

I can hardly think of anything more fun that browsing through all the dress designs that were showcased at Bridal Fashion Week.   Based on everything I’ve seen, here’s my top 6 trends in Wedding Gowns.

Trend 1: Pops of Color

General wedding tradition dictates that the wedding gown will be all white.  Well, not so, says one of the top trends of 2010.  This is not to say that the dress has little to no white, but it’s totally hot to have a hint of color in your wedding dress!  This could be a beautiful colored flower or bow, it could also be a colored streak or ribbon around your waist.

Trend 2:  Bows

NOT the super poofy kind that adorned the worst bridesmaids dresses of the 80’s… but rather more beautiful satin creations as small accents.

Trend 3:  Metallics

When I first heard that some bridal designers had metallics in their dresses, I was a bit worried.  Gawdy, anyone?  However, these designs give you a bit of shine & glamour, without feeling the least bit “over the top.”  This fashion can be built into the details of your dress, be added on with a shiny gold/silver sash, or hinted at with glitzy shoes.  Beware of too much.  This trend can go wrong quickly in bad hands.

Trend 4:  50’s Flair

Is everyone obsessed with Mad Men?  By looking at the runway, one might think so!  Plenty of classy tea-length styles and tulle skirts were found.  And it’s oh so cute!  Especially for an outdoor summer wedding, or a rustic fall wedding.

Trend 5:  One Shoulder Dresses

This trend has been huge in Hollywood during 2009 and now it’s carrying over to wedding gowns.  And I love it!  One of my favorite designers is Maggie Sottero and she’s all over this!  So, say “so long” to strapless, and welcome the asymmetry!

Trend 6:  Tiers & Raw Edges

Whether it’s chiffon, organza, tulle, or even feathers (my personal fave), designers are layering tons of fabric to create dramatic dresses.   When I think of this, I immediately think of Monique Lhuillier, and her designs worn by Heidi Pratt and most recently Molly (as in Jason & Molly from The Bachelor).  They are stunning… soft, yet dramatic.  I’m using the same Vera Wang dress I used earlier as an example.  This dress is lovely and shows how the trends can easily be combined, and still be classy.

Bridal Fashion by Vera Wang, Sottero & Midgley, Amsale, Alan Hannah, Justin Alexander, Maggie Sottero, Reem Acra, Monique Lhuillier

One of the things I’m loving about weddings this year is the combination of things that previously would never go together.

Look at these amazing images from Jenny Packham and see what I mean.  Modern gowns look right at home in a old world setting.  These goddess worthy sheaths somehow manage to fit right into the time worn textures of the room, while creating a vintage yet modern feel to die for.  

Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but there’s no steadfast rule that says an engagement ring has to be a diamond.  It’s only since the 1930s that the diamond has become so dominant.   Don’t get me wrong.  There is no doubt that a well-cut, clear diamond is a stunning thing to behold.  But there are other options, especially for those who care to express their own individual style. 

Here are a couple examples from Hollywood:

Actress Debra Messing (long live Will & Grace) wears a ruby eternity band.               

Princess Di wore an engagement ring comprising of an 18-carat sapphire surrounded by diamonds. 

Emerald Engagement Rings are another great choice.

This growing popularity of colored gemstones allows today’s couples stylish, creative alternatives to the traditional diamond.  So think about the two of you and who you are, what are your likes/dislikes, and decide for yourself what is most appropriate!

Ruby Eternity band seen at Polyvore,  Replica of Princess Di’s engagement ring seen at the Art Jewelry Collective, Emerald ring seen at Jewels for Me

After dating my boyfriend (now husband) for 3 months or so, I went with him to his cousin’s wedding, and of course met the ENTIRE family. While waiting for the bride to make her way to the aisle, my future mother-in-law said, “I don’t even know why girls wear white these days. It means nothing.” I had no idea what to say. I think I laughed it off. A plethora of thoughts crossed my mind: is she serious? does she think this bride is unpure? Is she hinting that she thinks I am unpure? I then sat, watching a beautiful couple tie their vows, while I silently wondered what the heck does this mean?!? That got me thinking of wedding superstitions and their genesis. If the white dress traditionally is meant to symbolize purity, where do all of the other wedding traditions get their roots? I did a little digging, and here’s what I found out {my real-life items listed after the description}.

• Something Old: The bride is supposed to wear something old as a sign that even though the wedding symbolizes a new beginning, the couple is not forsaking their friends and family even as they step into a new life together {my deceased paternal grandmother’s pearls were draped on my wedding bouquet}.
• Something New: The bride should wear/have something new to show a symbolic reference to the new life she is embarking upon, which will bring her health, happiness, and success {practically everything I was wearing was new}.
• Something Borrowed: The bride and her family reaffirm their love & affection with each other with this tradition. By borrowing from her family (or close friends), the bride shows she is close to them, and by returning what she borrowed, she wishes them luck {my maternal grandmother’s rose pin tucked into my bouquet}.
• Something Blue: Wearing something blue is meant to be a throwback to ancient times when the color represented fidelity and consistency. The bride is thus reinforcing her commitment, symbolically, to the groom {Blue Sapphire ring — lucky me, my hubby gave it to me as a wedding gift}.
• The groom’s bout matches the bridal bouquet: By the groom wearing a flower from the bridal bouquet, he is showing that his bride is his lady and declaring his love for her. This is from an old custom when knights roamed England and wore their ladies’ colors to show their love for them {my groom wore a burgandy callalily which matched my bouquet}.

and finally…. the white wedding gown has 2 stories of its creation

• White wedding gowns: 1) White is the color that represents purity, to show that the bride is a virgin. A bride is never supposed to wear green since that is the color that shows “loose morals” — women who rolled around in the grass with various men would get green grass stains on her dress. 2) In the olden days, white linens were very costly. Women didn’t tend to wear white dresses because they would often get ruined very quickly and thus would have to be thrown away, resulting in a waste of money. So, by wearing a white gown, the bride’s family was declaring that they come from high society and can afford a dress to only be worn once {ivory is also an accepted color and much more common these days — and was worn by yours truly}.

Any other traditions I left out? Feel free to let me know!