Accessorize with Attitude.

Today’s brides have a multitude of veil choices, including the option to not wear a veil at all. Combinations of vintage and modern chic wedding accessories are making a statement in this season’s fashion trends. The infamous, vintage birdcage veil from the 1950s has been making an appearance to add a shabby chic flare to any bridal couture. While some brides prefer to accessorize with fresh flowers, feathers, or bold brooches to add a modern, clean look to a simple bun hairstyle. The decision to wear a veil or no veil must revolve around the dress because the accessory of your choice should complement the dress. For instance, if the dress is more intricate the bride should accessorize with a more traditional accessory such a finger-tip or cathedral veil. If the dress is simple the bride can really go all out and accessorize with more trendy accessories. So have fun with the wedding day accessories but like any accessory it must complement and accent your style.

Traditional Veils:

• Blusher: A short, single layer of veiling that is worn over the face before the ceremony. This style is extermely popular in many cultures because the veil is a symbol of possession.
• Flyaway: A multi-layered veil that hangs right above the shoulders. This veil is considered less formal so it is typically worn for destination or casual weddings.
• Finger Tip: Most popular length this day and age! And the name says it all-- the veil extends to the fingertips. Looks beautiful with long gowns!
• Cathedral: The veil of all veils! Perfect for the bride that wants to feel like royalty... for instance Priness Diana wore a cathedral veil in her wedding. This style falls 3 1/2 yards from the headpiece!

Non-Traditional Veils/ Accessories:

• Birdcage Veil: This style is coming back and it looks great! This is the perfect veil for a bride that wants to add some funk to her wardrobe.
• Freah Flower
• Bold Brooch or Pin
• Feathers: This accessory trend was displayed in “Sex and the City: The Movie” as a replacement of a veil

Katherine Heigl fashioned a vintage birdcage veil during her wedding nuptials to hubby, Josh Kelley.

As well as accessories, hairstyles can also add a fashion statement to a bride’s overall look. Wedding day hairstyles have been seen in a variety of ways over the past years revolving around the traditional half-up, half-down, up dos, or loose ringlets to straightened hair. But this season braids, coils, and messy tousled waves have been seen to add a trendy flare to the wedding day hairstyle.

Jenna Bush wore a braid updo during her wedding in May.

Party Time!

Now this week we are going to focus more on the “celebration” aspect of the big wedding weekend...The reception! We all know the ceremonies are very important and they can either be traditional or non-traditional but the reception is actually where a couple can add their personality into the decor and really represent what their relationship is all about. Being a Fort Worth native, born and raised, I have seen my fare share of prime locations for a reception or rehearsal dinner.

The first place that comes to mind is Joe T. Garcia’s Mexican Restaurant. It is located on the northside of Fort Worth, 2201 N. Commerce Street. Joe T. Garcia’s is extremely well-known for the amazing atmosphere and decor. The outside patio is beautifully landscaped with greenery, floral, and rustic mexican colors. Los Portales is the main outdoor patio which is where most of the spring and fall events take place It is the perfect reception location for spring or fall weddings. Joe T.’s can accommodate for 200-300 guests so it is great for larger wedding parties. They are famous for their margaritas and the two item menu of beef or chicken fajitas and the enchilada family-style dinner. The enchilada family-style dinner includes two cheese enchiladas, two beef tacos, two cheese nachos, guacamole, rice and beans for only $14.95. So if the couple is considering a festive, relaxed reception Joe T. Garcia’s Mexican Restaurant is the one for them!!

Here's a quick look at the beautiful landscape of Joe T. Garcia's outside patio, Los Portales:

For a more elegant and traditional reception I would consider The Fort Worth Club, The Ashton Depot, and The Botanical Gardens. All of these venues can be transformed with lavish decor such as floral, lighting, and linens. The Ashton Depot has been renovated over the past couple years and is located by the train stations in downtown Fort Worth. The Ashton Depot’s layout includes a large banquet room with chandelier lighting, and an outside patio decorated with romantic lighting that overlooks the railroad station. The atmosphere of this venue expresses a classic and romantic fairytale depiction of 1950s love. So if the couple wants a classic reception any of these locations are sure to satisfy the urge of sophistication.

Until next time!!!

Wedding Fashion ALERTS!

Say goodbye to the traditional full-length wedding gowns and say hello to short and sassy bridal couture. In up coming seasons short dresses will not only be seen as destination wedding dresses but brides will begin wearing this fashionable style for receptions and formal weddings. Almost every bridal designer has sent a short dress down the runway this season including Oscar de la Renta and Vera Wang.

Another trend that has been seen coming down the runways is colored wedding gowns. Designers are beginning to drift away from the traditional white, ivory, or crème gowns and adding a bold, sophistication of color such as green, red, gold, lilac, or pink wedding gowns. Designers feel that color gives each dress a sense of originality and glamour.

Over the past year, we have also seen many brides jazzing up their wedding day accessories with colorful heels. Many brides are incorporating their shoe color to compliment the colors of their wedding. This trend is becoming more and more popular, and is being featured with many dresses on the designer bridal runways. This trend began to become very popular after Sarah Jessica Parker wore blue Manolo Blahnik pumps during her wedding day bliss in “Sex and the City: The Movie.”

“Something Blue” Satin Pumps from “Sex and the City: The Movie” (www.manoloblahnik.com)

Coming back from the past, lace is making its way back into fashion. Everyone used to go for simple elegance with clean lines, but lace is being incorporated into multiple wedding accessories. We can see it on gowns, invitations, and even cakes! The sophistication of lace will be sure to make the bride feel like royalty. It has a unique texture which is another growing trend in the fashion world. Textures tend to add a lot of character to any type of couture. But the best thing about lace is that it's adaptable to both a traditional and modern feel - so it doesn't look like a 1950s wedding dress. If the theme seems too busy or overly feminine, add just a trim of lace to the decor. It's all about the details!

Here are a few ways to incorporate lace into the wedding:

• Cake--Line the cake with lace, instead of the usual satin ribbon.
• Veil
• Bouquet--Wrap lace ribbon or trimming around your bouquet.
• Table runners
• Invitations, save the dates, place cards
• Garter
• Decor: vases, candles

Colors, Colors, Colors

While contemplating what I was going to blog about over the next fifteen weeks, I came across a couple ideas such as my dogs... but then I thought I might come off as being that crazy dog lady and I did not want to be that! So I turned to my job, I am working for a wedding coordinator in Dallas, and who doesn’t love weddings! Weddings are not only the best day of most peoples’ lives but they can also be amazing parties...as everyone as seen in the hilarious comedy “The Wedding Crashers.” Over the next couple weeks I’ll discuss recent and past trends, fun locations, and anything and everything that is involved during the process of planning a wedding.

Over many, many years weddings have been the highlight of every girls’ dream. As everyone knows there is a lot of attention to detail when it comes to planning a wedding. Such as colors, floral arrangements, and cakes to name a few. The most important decision for a wedding is choosing the perfect color motif. Over past years there have been multiple trends. In 2009, the color trends included exotic and bright colors such as turquoise, bright orange, bright yellow and pinks are always in fashion when it comes to weddings. These colors can be incorporated into a wedding in a variety of ways whether it is a minor or major hint of color. Many people mix-and-match these color schemes, for instance, purple and pink, orange and yellow, or orange and pink. The color schemes do tend to change from session to session. Fall colors can be completely different than spring colors even if they are in the same year. But then the colors definitely change from year to year.

The expected color trends for 2010 will be monochromatic palettes, this doesn’t mean the colors will be boring, just that people will be using single color bunches instead of mixing-and-matching colors. Vibrant Colors such as orange, green, yellow, and pink will continue to be used in 2010. The only difference is that they will be incorporated with metal colors such as gold, silver, copper, and pewter. And surprisingly black will make its appearance as a hot color for fall and spring weddings so many people will break the “no black at weddings” rule and start showing off their darker side. So stay tuned because weddings can get stressful and who knows what’s going to come up next!!