This soft chiffon gown features a sweetheart surplice neckline that is slimming & flattering on several body types. Beaded lace applique adorns the front of the lightly draped bodice. Side draped floor length tiered skirt. Fully lined. Invisible back zip. Imported polyester. Spot clean only. Wedding Dresses, Bridal Gowns, Bridal Dresses, Wedding Gowns. In Ivory or White. Retail Price: $499.00. Your price: $249.99

David’s Bridal Wedding Dress: Chiffon Gown with Beaded Lace Applique Style 230M14920

Check for availability of this dress and browse the entire David’s Bridal Wedding Dress assortment

Advice on Marriage, Brides, Diamonds and Weddings. Copyright 2009. All Rights Reserved.

The Royal Wedding Bouquet

Kate’s bridal bouquet of wedding flowers is a shield-shaped wired bouquet of myrtle, lily-of-the-valley, sweet William and hyacinth.   This lovely bouquet draws upon the traditions of flowers of significance for the British Royal Family, the Middleton family and on the Language of Flowers.

Meaning of the Flowers in the Royal Wedding Bouquet   Lily-of-the-valley – Return of happiness Sweet William – Gallantry Hyacinth – Constancy of love Ivy: Fidelity; marriage; wedded love; friendship; affection Myrtle: the emblem of marriage; love.

Personal touches in the Wedding Bouquet

• The bouquet contains stems from a myrtle planted at Osborne House, Isle of Wight, by Queen Victoria in 1845, and a sprig from a plant grown from the myrtle used in The Queen’s wedding bouquet of 1947.
• The tradition of carrying myrtle begun after Queen Victoria was given a nosegay containing myrtle by Prince Albert’s grandmother during a visit to Gotha in Germany.  In the same year, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert bought Osborne House as a family retreat, and a sprig from the posy was planted against the terrace walls, where it continues to thrive today.
• The myrtle was first carried by Queen Victoria eldest daughter, Princess Victoria, when she married in 1858, and was used to signify the traditional innocence of a bride.

This lovely, classic and modest bouquet was designed by Shane Connolly.

Also see: Kate Middleton’s Royal Wedding Dress Design

Source: Royal site of Prince William and Kate’s wedding, officialroyalwedding2011.org

Advice on Marriage, Brides, Diamonds and Weddings. Copyright 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Kate Middleton’s Royal Wedding Dress

Kate Middleton’s absolutely stunning ivory white wedding dress as a lace workers’ dream.  French Chantilly lace was combined with English Cluny lace and hand-worked in the Irish Carrickmacross needlework tradition. The wedding dress was designed by Sarah Burton of fashion design house Alexander McQueen.

Wedding Dress

Design & Craftsmanship

The lace appliqué was actually hand-made by the Royal School of Needlework, based at Hampton Court Palace. 

They worked with the Alexander McQueen wedding dress team in accurately cutting out the delicate motifs from the lace fabrics and positioning the lace motifs with precision into the new design.  The lace motifs were pinned, ‘framed up’ and applied with stab stitching about every 1/10 of an inch around each lace motif.

The lace design was hand-appliquéd using the Carrickmacross lace-making technique, which originated in Ireland in the 1820s. 

This gorgeous handmade needlework was used mainly for the train and skirt of the Bride’s dress, the bodice and sleeves, the underskirt trim, the veil and even the Bridal shoes. These hand-cut & hand-appliquéd flowers onto ivory silk tulle created a unique, organic design.

As the laces came from different sources, it is important to make sure that each flower was the same color. The whole process was managed by Ms Burton.

This hand-cut English and French Chantilly lace handwork included the rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock ~ royal flowers.

Wedding Dress Form

The flower motif was continued in the actual dress form.  The wedding dress skirt resembled an opening flower, and its train was 2.7 m (about 3 yards long) complemented the skirt shape.

The ivory satin bodice, which is narrowed at the waist and padded at the hips, draws on the Victorian tradition of corsetry and is a hallmark of Alexander McQueen’s designs.  The back is finished with 58 gazar and organza covered buttons fastened by Rouleau loops.  The underskirt is made of silk tulle trimmed with Cluny lace.

In short, a wedding dress with amazing shapes, forms and exquisite details.

Bridal Veil and Jewelry

The veil is made of layers of soft, ivory silk tulle with a trim of hand-embroidered flowers, which was embroidered by the Royal School of Needlework.  The veil is held in place by a Cartier ‘halo’ tiara, lent to Miss Middleton by The Queen. 

Tiara, something ‘borrowed’

The ‘halo’ tiara was made by Cartier in 1936 and was purchased by The Duke of York (later King George VI) for his Duchess (later Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother) three weeks before he succeeded his brother as King.  The tiara was presented to Princess Elizabeth (now The Queen) by her mother on the occasion of her 18th birthday.

Earrings

The Bride’s earrings, by Robinson Pelham, are diamond-set stylised oak leaves with a pear shaped diamond set drop and a pavé set diamond acorn suspended in the centre.  Inspiration for the design comes from the Middleton family’s new coat of arms, which includes acorns and oak leaves.  The earrings were made to echo the tiara.  The earrings were a personal gift to the Bride from her parents for her Wedding Day.

Jewelry for others in the Bridal Party

Robinson Pelham have also designed and made a pair of diamond earrings for Miss Philippa Middleton.  These earrings are more floral in nature to compliment the headpiece worn by Miss Philippa Middleton during the Service.

A tourmaline and diamond pendant and matching earrings have been designed and made for Mrs. Carole Middleton.  Two gold stick pins, one with a single gold acorn at the head and the other with an oak leaf, are also worn respectively by the Father of the Bride, Mr. Michael Middleton, and the Bride’s brother, Mr. James Middleton.

Also see: Kate Middleton’s royal wedding bouquet

source: Royal site of Prince William and Kate’s wedding, officialroyalwedding2011.org

Advice on Marriage, Brides, Diamonds and Weddings. Copyright 2009. All Rights Reserved.

The wedding gown is not just a mere dress that is worn by the bride. It is the substantial emblem of purity, love, and happiness that awaits the bride in her future with her groom. That is why finding the right wedding gown is as important as preparing the wedding celebration itself.

Therefore, for people who do not know how to choose the perfect wedding gown, here are some pointers that could help you out.

1. Use all the resources available in choosing ideas and design on your wedding gown.

Before, wedding magazines are the only resources where the bride-to-be can get some useful ideas on her wedding gown. However, with the advent of the Internet, she can now browse for more ideas and concepts of wedding gowns online.

There are web sites that will provide you with full details regarding a particular wedding gown, complete with prices, different styles, and fashion sense.

2. Make a budget and strictly conform to it.

Budget will never be absent in any wedding plans. However, the most common problem that arises concerning budgeting is the fact that people do not stick to it.

Hence, if you have a budget for your wedding gown, it would be better to stick to it and not be enticed with all the promotions of whoever will make your wedding gown. Otherwise, you will fall short on the other aspects of your wedding plans.

3. Be sure to have your wedding gown looking good in all angles.

Usually, the most neglected part of the wedding gown is the back. So, when ordering a wedding gown, be sure that you will also look good from behind. Most of the time, the guests will have a look at your back so you definitely have to look good from behind.

4. Be practical with the designs that you want to use.

Like any traditional wedding gowns, large skirts and long gowns are the typical styles of yesteryears. But in today’s modern world, there are cases wherein wedding gowns like these are not at all practical especially if the venue is just small.

Moreover, it can be burdensome for the bride to carry such a heavy dress throughout the wedding celebration. What matters most is to make the bride comfortable to what she is wearing.

5. Take into account the environmental condition of the venue of the wedding.

When choosing a wedding gown, it is best to consider the weather and the venue. This will have a great effect on the kind of material that should be worn by the bride.

For example, if the wedding will take place during summer, then, it is best to choose the materials for the wedding gown that will not make the bride sweat and perspire throughout the celebration.

Indeed, deliberating on the details of the wedding gown can be a daunting task. That is why it is important to provide a hefty amount of time in preparing, designing, and ordering the wedding gown. In this manner, there will be plenty of time for any changes and modifications without the tendency to come up with a rushed work.

More importantly, the bride should always consider her comfort when choosing a wedding gown. Looks and designs will only be put to waste if the bride is not comfortable wearing it.

As the old cliché goes, you are what you wear. Therefore, it would be better to wear a wedding gown that would reflect the happiness and love that is within the bride. In turn, the wedding gown will appear before the audience as the most beautiful centerpiece of the ceremony.

Mark Flavin is the creator of the popular wedding website http://markflavin.com/wedding

Advice on Marriage, Brides, Diamonds and Weddings. Copyright 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Well, consider a TOILET PAPER WEDDING DRESS!

Before you burst out laughing about getting yourself an artsy, alternative wedding dress, really, check out the link here. Wow wow wow.

I can barely believe this is made with toilet paper. It is simply gorgeous! What an inspiration and a great dress to see for perspective on how large that wedding dress budget really must be….

Another confirmation that ‘Haute Couture’ is all about excellent design…, and yes, you can create great design with toilet paper, obviously!

I am so tempted to give you a picture of it here, but I want you to see the front AND back of the wedding dress, AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS TREND.

Let us know what you think!

Advice on Marriage, Brides, Diamonds and Weddings. Copyright 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Have a fairy-tale wedding in a Disney dress
You’d think any bride-to-be would not want to be accused of staging a Mickey Mouse wedding, but apparently Disney disagrees, as the family entertainment giant has unveiled a line of cartoon-character inspired bridal gowns . The fashion line …

The Bride Show draws in exclusive names
Ronicka Kandhari and Vickrant Mahajan’s beautiful photographic services will only be launched at The Bride Show Dubai. The husband and wife team will be available exclusively to talk to visitors at the four day bridal and fashion event. Among them …

Wedding Ceremonies & Receptions

20 Expert Wedding Planning Tips
When planning your wedding, there are things that are nice to know, like that trumpet skirts are all the rage or nosegays are making a comeback. Then, there are things you need to know — advice so essential that any bride who’s lucky enough to hear …

When to splurge and when to save on your wedding
NEW YORK – Khris Cochran splurged for her wedding seven years ago. The ceremony was in a rose garden overlooking San Francisco Bay. The cake was made by a star baker featured on the Food Network. The honeymoon was in French Polynesia. Then came the …

The right food and wine make for a memorable reception …
Your reception will most likely be the most expensive part of your wedding, especially if you opt for a sit-down dinner and an open bar. But there are other alternatives. Here are some tips to help you get the most bang for your buck. …

Groom Care

Inside the Groom’s Mind
We’re not selling grooms short: There are a lot of guys who count “expressing my feelings” as a forte, and who are engaged in the drama of a seating chart. Communication is a cornerstone of any good relationship, but the high tension, strange customs …

Wedding Showers for Men Rain Tools on the Groom
When Jonathan Morris’ daughter was planning her wedding, he thought the groom was getting overlooked. So he planned a guys-only “man shower” to welcome Brian Wigand into the family. The party included manly snacks, games and gifts. “It seemed like …

Wedding Trends: What’s Hot Now

I Do, I Hue
Blame Martha Stewart, bridezillas or whoever it was who begot the idea of The Perfect Wedding. Choosing a color scheme for the big day has become a very big deal. A bride is now invited to contemplate the question of color coordination across a wide …

8 Hot Summer Wedding Trends
Summer is a popular time for weddings, but that doesn’t mean you have to stick with the summer wedding tradition standbys. Read on for eight new ideas for your summer celebration. Trend: Dynamic Colors Bright hues are popular for summer weddings. But …

With Gay Marriage Could Come the Trophy Spouse
“Gay celebrities are probably just as likely to follow that trend — or not — as their straight counterparts,” said David Hauslaib, editorial director of the Web site Queerty.com. “I don’t find it unique to the gay community that people who are …

Big Spender story gallery – Los Angeles
Money can’t buy love, but it can buy a really, really extravagant wedding. Say goodbye to the one-night shindig that has guests leaving before midnight after a champagne toast and a few spins across the dance floor. The trend today? Weddings with …

Advice on Marriage, Brides, Diamonds and Weddings. Copyright 2009. All Rights Reserved.

To help maintain healthy hair: Get a good nights sleep and eat a balanced diet.

Backcombing: Work in small sections, holding the hair ends at a 90 degree angle to the head. Run comb through hair from ends to root in smooth, gentle strokes for maximum effect;

Fine tooth rattail: Precise teasing or backcombing;

Dip pik: Great detangler for wet hair;

Create curls on a flat iron: Place the hair section between the plates as normal. with the plates closed, rotate the iron 2 complete revolutions and then slide to the end of the hair section as normal;

Add volume on a flat iron: Flips or curves hold hair between plates and wrap around outside of top plate;

Straightening with comb: Helps guide hair and eliminates tangles for smoother and faster straightening. comb your hair under the flat iron while straightening to prevent fuzz;

Create an alluring up do: After removing the iron from the hair, re-roll each curl and pin up randomly. leave a few trailing tendrils. for sexy, tousled curls make small vertical curls in hair. separate curls with fingers. for tighter curls, use a small barrel. for loose curls, use larger barrel. section hair evenly and comb each section before winding. place curling iron midway up hair section; spread hair evenly between spoon and barrel. ro avoid crimped ends, securely wind hair under spoon in direction of desired curl;

Sexy and tousled curls: Make small vertical curls in hair. separate curls with fingers. for tighter curls use a small 3/4″ barrel, for loose curls use a larger barrel. section hair evenly, and comb each section before winding. place curling iron midway up hair section; spread hair evenly between spoon and barrel. to avoid crimped ends, securely wind hair under the spoon in the direction of desired curl;

Curling iron: Use low heat settings for curling extra fine, damaged, or dry hair;

Total styling: Begins with hair that is clean and dry;

Hair dryer: Select lower heats and speed for finishing hairstyle or for drying permed, color-treated, or fragile hair;

Hair dryer: Use higher heat for initial drying, lowering the heat as you finish styling. Use Cool Shot to set curls or style in place;

Hair dryer: Initially when hair is wet, use dryer on high speed without the concentrator nozzle. dry hair until it is slightly damp. attach concentrator, using medium to high speed to style and/or straighten hair. always blow dry hair starting from root down to ends. use cool shotbutton to lock in style;

Hair dryer: Use medium to high speed to style or straighten hair. blow dry hair starting from the root down to ends to seal the cuticles. result use slim concentrator nozzle for detailed styling;

Lint filter: Take off the dryers rear cap and clean any lint or hair caught in screen. it improves dryers airflow and takes strain off motor, improving life of dryer.

Always treat hair right with superior quality shampoos and conditioners prior to styling.

By Endy Wong

We offer the best hair dryers source and reviews, please check the products and read the reviews, then choose the best hair dryer for you and your hair. All about hair dryers on http://www.hdryers.com

Advice on Marriage, Brides, Diamonds and Weddings. Copyright 2009. All Rights Reserved.

1. Who Wood have thought, that wood would be the top trend for spring 2008! Wood jewelry is all the rage for this season, which is perfect for all you wood smuggling boho-chic chicks out there. Whether you don wood in natural colors, vibrant hues, or a combination of both, wood is the element of the hour. Find wood in big, chunky necklaces and layer them together, or put on a couple wood bangles and gold hoop earrings with wood detailing.
2. You will Charm all those around you when you sport a long necklace with a drop pendant chock-full o’ charms! Half the fun is selecting a piece that matches your personality type. Whether you prefer to rock out the skull & crossbones, or a shark’s tooth and a four leaf clover, we’ll leave that up to you!

3. Cocktail Rings are not just for cocktail hour anymore! Big rings are popping up practically everywhere, and are a sure hit for this spring season. Find them in practically every shape and color and medium. From silver and amethyst, to plastic and rhinestone, cocktail rings can easily be suited to match every attire.
4. It’s no doubt that suddenly everyone is going for the Gold! Brazilian yellow-golds hit the red carpet at the Grammy’s and since the trend has sprung up everywhere like hotcakes. A particularly pertinent bauble is the gold cuff bracelet, which is a stunning addition to any ensemble. Pick up an all-necessary pair of big, gold hoop earrings too.
5. Natural gemstones like Coral and Turquoise are also high on the ladder of spring bling. Find them in chunky bracelets, or sterling silver rings. These orange and blue hues blend perfectly with spring air!

By Alexandra Zeb

Alexandra is the Head of Marketing and Sales for Mademoiselle Jewelry – a company that was founded on the principal that jewelry is art. Mademoiselle Jewelry specializes in unique jewelry, sterling silver jewelry, and designer jewelry. Each piece of jewelry is hand selected for quality, uniqueness, and creativity. Mademoiselle Jewelry also carries jewelry lines specifically designed for men and children.

Advice on Marriage, Brides, Diamonds and Weddings. Copyright 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Whether on the runway or on the red carpet, designer Narciso Rodriguez is in demand. He began is designer career in 1985 as a design assistant for fashion legend Anne Klein.

Narciso has a gift for fitting a dress so that it is flattering to the shape of the woman’s body. “It’s so fantastic,” Narciso says, “to create a frame for a woman’s personality and her true beauty.”

While working at Calvin Klein Narciso and Carolyn Bessette [later to become Carolyn Kennedy] became best friends. It was Carolyn Bessette Kennedy’s wedding dress design that brought Narciso front and center stage in the design world.

Narciso’s wedding dress design for Carolyn was the buzz around the world. On September 21, 1996, Carolyn Bessette Kennedy stepped out of church on the arm of John F. Kennedy Jr. Women went gaga, literally drooling over Carolyn Bessette Kennedy’s wedding dress.

Carolyn’s wedding dress was made from pure white silk. This simple dress was combined dress elegance, classiness, and sexiness into one knockout package. Woman began to realize a wedding dress could in fact look sexy.

This was a whole new concept, never heard of before. For years most women had landed up looking like an overstuffed pilsbury dough boy on their wedding day. Narciso had accomplished in Carolyn’s wedding gown what women thought to be impossible.

She had been transformed into this bewitching sexy princess. That look was created by one of her best friends, Narciso Rodriguez. It was Carolyn’s wedding dress that made Narciso’s a household name.

Once word got out who had designed the dress, Narciso was in demand by every major designer in the world. A dream came true when Narciso joined the house of LMVH. The draw back to this career move was that Narciso spent his life living out of a suitcase with very little time to spend with family and friends which he valued and missed dearly.

Narciso pressed on encouraged by the idea that he had finally “made it.” However, working for a large company can often stifle ones own independent design ideas, and it wasn’t long before Narciso discovered he no longer loved his work.

The turning point in his life was when Carolyn Bessette Kennedy was was killed in a plane accident. Narciso had lost one of his dearest and best friends and for him this was a reality check and a wake up call..

Life without friends, family and the love of his work didn’t seem like such a great opportunity anymore. Narciso left LVMH and came home realizing what he needed was the freedom of his own design collection.

Narciso was able to focus on his own line of clothing creating the perfect look for woman. Rather than designing dresses for matchsticks, Narciso’s designs accentuated the curves and bustline of the woman, creating what was called a real woman design.

Narciso Latin background came through in his designs with each having a hint of Latin flare. Narciso said Latino women had figures and were proud of that fact so they were perfect for where he wanted to go with his designs.

Narciso talents as a designer were so good, he was even able to make the petite woman look voluptuous. Sarah Jessica Parker, Sheryl Crow and Salma Hayek all wore exquisite gowns designed by Narciso. Not one of these celebs was 6 feet tall, yet the fit of these gowns was to die for.

In the spring of 1998 Narciso debuted his ready to wear signature collection in Milan. It made it into virtually every major fashion magazine. Rodriguez’s American experience and Latin roots, combined with his flair for European tradition of fine design, are all part of his great success.

In 1997 Narciso won Best New Designer from the VH1 Fashion Awards, and was awarded Hispanic Designer of the Year. In 1998 he won the CFDA Perry Ellis Award,

In the past these honors have gone to designers such as Oscar de la Renta and Carolina Herrera. In the past two years Rodriguez has been with the CFDA Awards: In both 2002 and 2003 he won the Womenswear Designer of the Year.

In a more recent issue of O Magazine Oprah Winfrey stands proudly wearing a golden dress designed by non other than Narciso. Now believe it or not this dress just isn’t gold in color, it is made of gold metal that has been pressed to make a dress fabric. The dress can be seein in O Magazine as well as at oprah.com.

Narciso is like a breath of fresh air when it comes to woman’s fashion. He designs for real woman. If you are interested in Narciso Rodrigues and his designs visit his web page at http://www.narcisorodriguez.com/narciso

By Sher Matsen

Sher from Estate Jewelry International has been serving customers for over 20 years, providing fashion, jewelry, and wedding help. Please visit us at http://www.estatejewelryinternational.com/

Advice on Marriage, Brides, Diamonds and Weddings. Copyright 2009. All Rights Reserved.

You might think that your goal of looking like a princess on your wedding day is not going to happen because you are a larger, curvier woman and think you cannot find a great dress in your size. You are wrong. You can have the dress that makes you look like and feel like a princess in one great place. This store has an entire line of plus size wedding dresses, dresses plus size for the bridal party and even plus size maternity dresses.

If you are looking to purchase a plus size wedding dress, then you need to know a few things. The first is that you absolutely must make an appointment for most bridal boutiques. It will save you a ton of hassle and you will be able to schedule a set time to have your bridal party meet with you so you can see how their bridesmaid dresses will look on them.

The second thing you should know is where to shop for some of the best deals on plus size dresses. David’s Bridal is an excellent source of dresses plus size and any other size you may need. They often run promotions where they will outfit your entire party should you enter their contest and win. It is certainly worth the time to fill out and submit the form. You will also have the opportunity to check out their entire coordinating lines for everyone in the bridal party from the groom to the mother of the bride. It may be the only place you need to shop, especially since they also offer tailoring, shoes and jewelry.

That special day is going to require some sheer lingerie, so you may want to consider hitting a store that specializes in sexy plus size lingerie. You may not be able to find what you are looking for at Victoria’s Secret but if you go online to Hips and Curves, www.hipsandcurves.com, then you may find some great deals on wedding lingerie for that special night.

Find your plus size wedding dress and feel like a princess on the day of your wedding. This is your special day and you deserve to be the center of attention. All eyes will be on you as you walk down the aisle towards your future mate. When the stress of the wedding starts to get to you just pull out your brand new dress and you will remember that it is all worth the effort.

Want to read more about plus size wedding dresses and bridesmaid dresses then check out our great article archive at Mybridesmaiddress

Advice on Marriage, Brides, Diamonds and Weddings. Copyright 2009. All Rights Reserved.