Invitations: Let your guests know that the wedding they’re about to attend is all about enjoying the peaceful outdoors. Your creations should revolve around a palette of earthy tones such as yellows and golds, tans and ambers, sage russet and cinnamon. Then, try building the theme around your favourite rustic flower like sunflowers, black-eyed susans or daisies, or a carefree member of the insect world, such as butterflies or dragonflies. Seal your invitations with a twig, a sprig of lavender or wheat, or place an opaque leaf on the envelope for that touch of Mother Nature.

Attire: For the bride, lace is soft and charming enough to fit with the country theme. You can choose from a wedding dress that is made up of all lace fabric, or one that has accents of lace throughout the dress like a lace top that goes into a chiffon bottom. Cotton is also an accepted and wise fabric choice. The groom can either dress up like a rich horse rider in coattails or casual in a pair of beige chinos and white cotton, buttoned up shirt. Your wedding party can be dressed in shades of lavender, fresh green,  or Autumn shades of orange, browns or red.

Décor: This dreamy aesthetic can be as romantic as it is refined if you achieve the key to this ethereal look by keeping everything soft, rustic and reflecting tranquillity. Dress up the focal spots of your wedding like the arch or rafters with branches, country flowers, sheaves of wheat or individual stalks or grapevine wreaths.
Dress up your chair backs with dramatic sheaves of wheat tied off with ribbons or roses in your wedding colours. For more homey touches, place things like planks or hay bales in places where your guests won’t trip over them.
Galvanized washtubs look gorgeous filled with ice and drinks in vintage-style bottles.
Warm up those dark corners by making your lighting interesting. Use hanging lanterns and fairy lights and play them off against glass mason jars with chunky candles. Decorate the jars by tying a sprig of lavender to the neck of the jar with some raffia.
Centrepieces can rest in pots, branches, small hay bails or in woven baskets.

Flowers: Casual flowers make a big, joyous statement and at a reasonable price. You can mass cheerful sunflowers in galvanized pails or watering cans. Or instead of Sunflowers, try sprays of Shasta or Barberton daisies, lupine and viburnum mixed in with small green apples wired to birch branches. Another popular choice is to group differently colour Gerber Daisies together and tie them with raffia or ribbon. You can offset the bold blooms with delicate baby’s breath.

Favours: A packet of seeds of daisies, cosmos or poppies placed in mini plant pots will match your soft country theme perfectly. Your guests will enjoy watching these flowers bloom and be reminded of the beauty of your wedding day. If your budget allows it, you can give your guests picnic baskets with a mini, personalised bottle of wine to enjoy on their return to the serene countryside. For an edible gift, let your friends and family go home with a jar of homemade jam or honey. The label can have either your names or a photograph of the couple on it. If you opt for jam, attach the recipe with some raffia.

Be unique: Want some drama? Then allow your wedding party to create an arch of pitchforks as you walk back down the aisle as husband and wife. Don’t forget the oversized jars filled with fresh iced tea and cold apple cider to add a something different to your usual table settings. If you really want to be authentically country, forget about formal seating and set up a picnic with check, gingham or eyelet linens. Each table’s centrepiece can be a beautifully laid out picnic basket filled with delicious finger foods. For the ceremony itself, why not use a smiling sunflower’s face as your ring cushion?

Tips: Ensure that the countryside that you choose has accommodation for your guests. Make a list of these places along with their contact details and include it in your invitations so your guests can book in time.

Where do I begin?
Every decent treasure needs a map. So draw up a plan to find your jewel. In every choice you make, be certain that everything reflects your personality. Be true to yourself, have fun and you WILL find the dress has your name written all over it.

Finding your style

Entering a room lined with wall-to-wall wedding dresses can be overwhelming. Just breathe. Once your pulse has returned to normal, think about two things – What is your style? And what kind of wedding do you want?

Are you a dramatic, leading lady?
You need an exquisite ensemble that matches your lashings of confidence.  Picture yourself in a glamorous 40’s Hollywood diva dress with feathers, fur and sequins twinkling out your allure. Choose shimmering, luxurious fabrics that can carry dramatic silhouettes.

Are you a romantic dreamer?
If you’ve always pictured yourself walking toward your prince charming in a dress that would make Cinderella’s eyes water, then tulle, layers of lace, Edwardian necklines and embellishments of beads and crystals will achieve the ultimate princess look.

Are you classic and elegant?
When choosing your dress think of clean lines and a design that’s as timeless as your traditions. Go for an understated look of polished and graceful elegance.

Are you modern and trendy?
It’s your big day so who says that you can’t be fashion forward? If you’re an unconventional trend setter then take your sass along to the dress fitting. Don’t be afraid to experiment with traditionally structured silhouettes and mix them up with your flair. Add colour, maybe some pattern and dare to be bold.

Are you an earthy, free spirit?
Your style is authentically yours and your look is a harmonious combination of cultures. Your wedding dress needs to be wispy and whimsical to match your carefree spirit. Avoid structure and leap into a pool of light colours, flowing fabrics and delicate detail.

Are you a go-with-the-flow soul?
If your ideal wedding location is the beach, steer clear of heavy fabrics and toward a slinky slip dress to match your sun-kissed tan.  Choose cotton, linen, chiffon, crepe, georgette or light weight silk to achieve this relaxed outdoor look.

Once you’ve decided what style best portrays your personality, every bride must bear in mind that the dress needs to be complimentary to your shape and work with your overall theme. Whether you are buying and altering, hiring or having it made by a designer, remember that the fabric and construction is as important as the design.  You don’t want an improperly fitted gown to steal your shine.

Bridal Budget
Now that you know what type of wedding dress you want, you need to decide how much you’re willing to spend on it. Although you can’t always put a price tag on quality, designer labels can sometimes stretch far beyond your means. Judge the dress, not the label, because you can always mimic a designer style on a smaller budget.

Ensure that you have enough time to shop around. Find out when bridal shops are having clearance or seasonal sales, you are bound to pick up a bargain. Don’t worry about feeling that sale dresses are cheap, you want people to say ‘look at that beautiful woman’ before they say ‘look at that beautiful dress’.

When making your purchase, take into consideration the cost of accessories, alterations, the veil and undergarments. Does your already costly wedding dress need all these extras just to get it right? If so, you may want to re-consider – or find someone who wouldn’t mind footing the bill, a mother-in-law perhaps?

Once you’ve decided on a dress don’t try on out-of-budget dresses “just for fun”, they will either break your budget or break your heart.

Dress fittings

Find out if the bridal boutique requires you to make an appointment for dress fittings. If so then set aside a time when you don’t have too many things on your plate.  Take a friend with you who you trust to tell you what’s working and what needs to go back on the rail. Don’t take a whole committee with you; it’s easier to listen to your heart when it’s not overpowered by a crowd. Another thing to take along is a camera. You will be trying on many dresses and may not make an immediate decision. Having the image available will help you remember what you liked and what you didn’t.

Feel your best
Looking and feeling good during your dress fittings will ensure that each wedding dress gets a fair judgment. You don’t want ‘the’ dress to be outshone by a bad hair day.
Be careful about wearing makeup to your fitting. It could spoil the colour palette or worse, change the colour palette of the dress with your smudged mascara.
Don’t wear hanging jewelry either, it could snag on the fabric and you’ll end up being forced to leave with a dress meant for someone else.

Colour choices
Don’t be afraid of colour, it could help set the tone of your big day. A springtime affair or summer occasion could have either light floral hues or shocking neons – all depending on your bravery. Winter and autumn deserve more subdued tones. Although the season does not rule the colour palette, it could be a helpful guide.

Shoes that are the perfect accompaniment to your dress are important, so make sure they are available. Also ensure that the injection of colour you choose compliments your skin tone.

So Glamour Bride to be, congratulations and happy shopping for your wedding dress.

Habit 1: drink enough water

What do you drink most throughout the day? Tea, coffee, soft drinks? While these beverages are fine in moderation, your drink of choice should be water. Six to eight glasses of water a day gives your body the water it needs to get rid of lurking toxins and function optimally.

Drinking plenty of water will:

• Help to clear and revive your skin
• Keep you fuller for longer (so you won’t eat unless you’re actually hungry)

Alcohol

The odd cocktail or glass of wine is no problem. Just remember that alcohol tends to be high in kilojoules, so regular drinking (like a unit of alcohol every day) will sabotage your efforts to lose weight.

Habit 2: watch what you eat

Keep a daily food diary for a week or two, and write down everything you eat. Don’t be tempted to miss anything out!  After a week, evaluate what your average daily food intake looks like. You might be surprised to learn that you don’t eat quite as well as you thought you did.

Here are a few tips to help you use what you eat as a tool for better health and weight loss:

• Eat at least five fruit and veg a day. This is vital for all-round health.
• Eat five or six smaller meals a day rather than three large ones. This will help to keep you satisfied and also keep your energy levels up, avoiding the afternoon slump and urge to binge.
• When eating out, try to choose lower-fat meals without creamy dressings and sauces.
• Watch portion sizes. Eat what you need, not what you want.

Habit 3: do exercise you love

Do you exercise? If so, why? Exercise is fundamental to good health and weight loss. However, it’s no use forcing yourself to do exercise that you hate. You’ll become demotivated and give up. Rather find a sport or form of exercise, team or solo, that you absolutely love and get excited about doing. You need to be doing exercise for the right reason in order to be able to stick with it.

Some ideas to help:

• Exercise with friends. Going for a walk or doing a class together is generally far more enjoyable than going it alone.
• Be active at a time in the day when you feel most positive. For example, don’t force yourself to go for an early morning run if you’re not a morning person.

Slimming down for your wedding is a great way to start a new, healthy, sustainable lifestyle. Grab a glass of water and toast the beginning of a healthy you and the extra-beautiful bride you’re going to be!

The questions behind wedding dress hire

If oceans were made of ink, the world should use the seven seas to write and describe the beauty of your big day. The moment you step into a wedding dress and hear a choir of angels sing the Hallelujah chorus, you know you’ve found ‘the one’. But who says you have to fork out a fortune to look like a million bucks?

You have options

Wearing a dress that has already seen its way down an aisle can be off-putting to some glamorous brides. If it is, take a moment to think of the costs you would be saving by hiring a dress. Then take another moment to think how you could spend the extra cash on your honeymoon. Once you’ve whipped yourself out of destination dreamland, consider the perks of wedding dress hire.

Benefits for the bride

The chances of you ever wearing your wedding dress again are slimmer than runway models. Just face it. And if yourre afraid that you won’t get a quality dress by hiring, you are mistaken. Most hiring boutiques stock designer bridal labels that you would not ordinarily be able to afford.

Wedding gowns also sell out with the seasons. Hiring stores always rotate their collections. So, if you prefer a certain style but it’s the wrong time of year, you’re bound to find a beautiful gown to match your taste for hire.

Hiring a dress means you get to avoid the stress of maintenance and storage.  All you have to do is choose it, wear it and return it.

If you are worried about sentimental value, you can always buy a tiara or veil that can be used as an heirloom.

The not-so-nice side of hiring

You are not always guaranteed to find exactly what you are looking for, or in the right size. Although hired dresses can be altered, the adjustments and customising have to kept to a minimum.

Hiring also leaves you with less of a choice. This means that you may have to shop around a bit more before you find your dream dress. But which woman has ever had a problem with lots of shopping?

Always check the dress thoroughly before you pay though. You wouldn’t want to be billed for another bride’s red wine stain slip.

Questions to ask before you decide

If you do prefer to hire a dress, there are important questions to ask your suppliers.

1. Brides-to-be need to find out all the costs involved. Will you have to pay for dry cleaning either before or after use?
2. Do you need to pay for additional insurance of the dress?
3. Then you need to find out how many alterations you can make.
4. Next, you need to know how long before the wedding you can collect the dress.
5. And of course, you need to ask when the garment must be returned.

Happy hiring glamour bride!

Ceremony…

If you are planning to have a garden ceremony, having it out in the open is lovely and because a ceremony lasts about half an hour, the chances of the weather turning during your ceremony is minimal.

Tricky weather.
However, if it is a scorcher of a day, you may want to consider something to avoid you and your guests being in the sun for half an hour. Hire a draped gazebo for you, your groom and the minister to stand under, and scatter garden umbrella’s in-between the seats. This way you won’t have guests fainting at your wedding… least of all you.

Rainy day back up – If you have a marquee in a garden for your reception and the weather does not permit you to your outdoors ceremony, why not have your guests seated in the marquee at their tables, and get married under the marquee, maybe at the centre of the dance floor.

Reception…

It would be wise to hire a marquee if you are planning a garden wedding reception. A  marquee, when beautifully draped adds such elegance to a garden wedding. If it is a beautiful day, you can take the sides off the marquee (or have them taken off for you, you should not be doing manual labour on your wedding day!) This allows you and your guests to enjoy the full enchantment of a garden wedding reception, as well as be protected from light rain, or falling leaves etc. However if the weather takes a turn for the worse, you could leave the sides up and everyone will be kept warm and protected from the elements.

If you don’t have a marquee and want to get married in the garden, please make sure your venue has an indoor option should the weather turn unpleasant.

A few extra tips:

1. Have a red carpet down your aisle at your ceremony, this enables you to glide gracefully down the aisle.
2. Heels are possible for garden weddings, but it may be a better idea to go with pumps or wedge heels.
3. Hire a dancefloor, it’s not quite the same dancing on grass or a tennis court.

The main thing to remember is to be flexible, no one can control the weather, so have a back up plan ready and don’t stress!

For a bit of inspiration we have included this wedding video by Still Moving Images of a garden wedding they filmed.

About the Author

Elizabeth Saunders is a wedding dress designer based in Natal. She has a passion to design the perfect wedding dress for her brides to be.

In previous articles we have looked at creative ideas to spice up your traditional wedding dress an how to bring a strong african ambience into your dress design. Today we want to focus in a little more and bring a few ideas to bring out the proud South African in you.

Many South Africans are incredibly proud of this beautiful nation and often want to incorporate the spirit of our beautiful land into their wedding. Our advice would be to pin point one particular aspect of South Africa that you find completely unique and then to creatively splash it into your wedding day.

Here are a few ideas:

Go Wild!
Incorporate, porcupine quills, Guinea fowl feathers, leopard skin print, traditional fabrics, zebra print or peacock feathers into your wedding dress. You’d do well to avoid the emulating the Marabou stalk though.

Flora and Fauna
Depending on the colour, the bride can also compliment her wedding dress with bouquets made of exquisite local flora: King Proteas, Pin Cushion Proteas, Fynbos, Agapanthus, Indigenous grasses, Clivia, Jasmine, Gerbera and Arum lilies.

The people of South Africa
If you are a people person and would like to capture some of the magical personalities of South Africa then we would suggest something bold. Go to the people you love and have your photo’s taken with them. If you are a community worker, celebrate your wedding day with your community or township that you work with and get a photographer to capture it all for you. Make sure that your photographer has the skill to capture the emotion of the people in the shot though.

The Flag
The South African flag is one of the most recognisable flags in the world. Why not bring the colours into your dress. If your dress has a ‘tie-up’ at the back then maybe choose to colour the ties in the green and red of the SA Flag. Another option could be to trim the bottom of the dress with the flag colours given that ‘South African Princess’ feel.

Whatever you incorporate into your design make sure it accentuates you and your passions. See it as a way to visibly portray who your are.

Basic wedding etiquette

It’s a real honour to be invited to a wedding. Weddings cost a bomb and most about-to-be-weds can only invite a limited number of people, so appreciate the gesture by being a good wedding guest. When it comes to dressing, that means:

1. Don’t wear white. Ever. White is the bride’s colour. (Unless you know she’s going for a non-traditional, colourful dress).
2. Dress tastefully and appropriately. Don’t dress sexy or show unnecessary skin. It’s easy to dress attractively without dressing to attract.
3. Along with dressing respectfully, make an effort to look nice.

Here your checklist for knowing what to wear to a wedding:

Wedding invite: Read the wedding invitation properly and check for a dress code.

Impression of the invite: If the dress code is not stated on the invitation, study it for ideas. Is it formal? Casual? The theme of the invitation will carry through to the theme of the wedding.

Still clueless?

If you’re still clueless after investigating the invite, call a bridesmaid or the rsvp contact person for details.

Helpful hints

Consider the season

This is quite simple. What colours and characteristics do you associate with seasons of the year?

Spring is traditionally a time of new life, reminiscent of soft, light colours and fresh blooms. For your dress, think delicate, flowing fabrics in sweet sorbet colours and prints.

Summer is bright and bold! However, it probably isn’t the best idea to attend a wedding wearing fire-engine red, so choose warm, muted brights for your dress. Go for fun and cheerful without being distracting.

Autumn brings with it a brisk coolness. Dress up in rich colours and add a little length to your dress. Include a sheer sleeve (you can choose the length) and a wrap for the chill factor.

Winter can be downright chilly! Plan to be both warm and elegant. Wear a long dress in deep jewel shades like amethyst or sapphire. Choose a matching jacket with long sleeves.

Inside or outside?

Weather will affect your outfit and your comfort-plan ahead and be prepared!

Indoor: The most important thing to remember here is to dress appropriately for your surroundings. For example, if the ceremony is in a Catholic Church, don’t wear a strapless minidress. Cover your shoulders with a wrap and keep your hemline below your knees.

Outdoor: Choosing dresses to wear to an outdoor wedding can be tricky. You need to withstand the elements and be comfortable. Avoid flouncy skirts for outside weddings-you don’t want a gust of wind to compromise your modesty! Take along a pretty parasol in case the weather rains (or shines extra brightly) on your parade. If you use it, sit near the back or you’ll obscure other guests’ views of the ceremony. Don’t forget sunscreen for skin exposed at outdoor summer weddings.

Time of day

Daytime weddings are slightly less formal than evening weddings. On-the-knee dresses in pretty colours are suitable, along with a light wrap for summer or jacket for winter.

Evening weddings are more formal, so bring your A-game. Your dress should be below the knee and deep, vibrant colours.

Theme

If a wedding invite states a theme, dress up! This is not the time to bow out gracefully and arrive in normal regalia! This is the bride and groom’s big day, so behave like the honoured guest you are. If you don’t know what “fun and festive” or “black tie” means, phone a wedding attendant and find out.

Now that you’re armed with some serious info-ammo, get out there and start shopping!

The trick is to know what suits your figure. Here is a guide to choosing designs for your figure. Have a look at yourself in the mirror and see which shape best describes you and which features you like about yourself, is it your waist, your bust, your legs? Then look at how you could accentuate those features.

Pear Shaped Figure: If you are pear shaped and you are comfortable and confident with your booty then choose a dress that is form fitting, such as a fishtail wedding dress. If you want to look more balanced then go for full or a-line skirt, with a fitted bodice. Ball gowns are a great design that compliment a pear shaped figure.

Hourglass Figure: Corset dresses and two-piece dresses look gorgeous on an hourglass figure. Now that I think of it, you can’t really go wrong. An hourglass figure is well proportioned and just about any design of wedding dress should suite you.

Slender Figure: I’ve called this ‘slender’ with the thought of a ‘non-curvy’ figure. If you want to achieve a more curved look you might choose a dress that draws attention to your bust line. You can do this by choosing an empire design and enhance that line with something eye catching, for example, a beaded motif, or you might try a ‘belt’ of a different colour. There are many options.

Fuller Bust Figure: Dresses with scoop or square necklines enhance bust lines whereas widely spaced straps wane a busty figure. Strapless dresses are a possibility, but this depends on each bride. Remember that support will be an issue and you must make sure your dress has adequate support.

Apple figure: An apple figure is generally described as one with wide torso (full bust, waist and upper back).You may find, as an apple figured woman, you feel top heavy, dresses with an empire waist will help draw attention to your middle. V-necks will create a more slender frame and a full skirt helps to balance your figure.

Enhance features:

Legs: if your legs make you proud, then chose a dress with a slit to mid-thigh, this not only shows off these great features of yours, but will also help you to look a touch leaner.

Bust: As seen above, a dress with a scoop or square neckline enhances the bust line.

Waist: If you like to show off your waist, draw attention to it but adding a waistband of sorts, this could come in many forms, and all will draw attention to your waist.

Hips: If you have hips to boast of, there is nothing more attractive than a woman who is proud of who she is, and the design that encapsulates this is a fishtail style dress. This is a bold, but endearing move!

Origins of the white wedding dress

It’s well known that the white wedding dress was not invented as a symbol of purity and innocence. It was worn by Queen Victoria for her wedding and was more a representation of her affluence and style than anything else. White was then an extravagance; an impractical colour to wear because it would show dirt easily and was difficult to clean. It was a reminder of her wealth and status.

Since then, the white wedding dress has come to illustrate a number of other things…

The meaning of the colour white

White is a brilliant colour and represents purity, innocence and cleanliness. It’s thought of as wholesome and spotless.

Current day meaning of the traditional white wedding dress

Over time, white has found its place in the wedding day. A bride now traditionally wears white to signify purity of mind, heart, body

Some couples choose to both wear white, publicly acknowledging the purity of the marriage vows and the marriage itself.

Should I wear a white wedding dress?

Only you can decide this for yourself. “It takes all types to make the world”, as the old saying goes.

Every bride is one of a kind. Just as the shape, size and appearance of every bride is different; so is her character, personality, and the way she thinks. When you’re looking through magazines packed with elegant wedding dresses, remember that your wedding dress should reflect who you are.

• If you’re an outgoing, effervescent person who loves dramatic arts and is the life of the party, a shocking pink number would make you the centre of attention for sure!

• If you’re a tree-and-bunny-hugging outdoorsy girl who can’t get enough of being in nature, you might want a Berg wedding on a mountaintop featuring you in a spring-green dress.

• Glitzy, glamorous, diva types might go for a red carpet wedding starring themselves in glittering gold or shades of silver.

• Boland girls who grow up with the stunning autumn vineyards in their backyard may well go for a beautiful bronze or lively vermillion for a winery wedding.

• Surfer chicks who practically live in the water could happily wear a simple and stunning blue for their beach nuptials.

• Our warm, festive Christmas season would be a great backdrop for an emerald green or ruby red dress with silver or gold detailing.

• Are you a summer girl? Do you live for the beach and thrive on the warm, balmy nights? A summer wedding and a sunny yellow wedding gown will make for happy memories.

• Girly girls who live pink (pink clothes, pink cell phone, pink ipod, pink laptop), may be keen to extend that to their wedding by wearing a pretty, soft, pastel pink.

• Vintage girls might be charmed by a classic style in a pearly shade, or a lovely dusty rose customised with pearls or rhinestones.

• Spiritual brides have often committed themselves to a life of abstinence until marriage. A white wedding dress is a perfect choice as an expression of innocence and purity.

• And of course, if you’ve dreamed of your big white wedding since you were a little girl, a white dress is the way to go!

At the end of the day, it’s your wedding. You’ll likely look through plenty of elegant wedding dresses before you settle on what you want. Choose a dress that reflects who you are, something you will love to wear. And if purity is something you value; something you’ve worked hard to achieve, celebrate it in a beautiful white wedding dress if that’s what you want to do!

Some are very difficult to find and if you don’t start looking early, you may end up settling with whatever you can get your hands on. This day only comes around once and no bride should ever have to ‘settle’ for something.

Click to see more wedding shoes

First most important accessory: Wedding Shoes

This may seem simple enough, but trust me it isn’t. Speak to any bride about finding the right shoes. Some brides settle for cheaper shoes and end up suffering through the day and it’s impossible to hide the fact that your shoes are uncomfortable. So from the start keep a look out for the ideal shoes for you, and when you see them buy them!

What to consider when buying shoes:

• Comfort and heel height, make sure you are comfortable enough to spend the whole day in these shoes, and also keep in mind the height difference between you and your groom.
• Shoes with large diamante` detail on the front of the shoe can hook the dress, so be aware of that.
• Which style shoes suites you and your dress.
• The location of your wedding. Is it a garden wedding? Then wedge heels, or flat sandals are more suitable, heels sink into the ground and makes it difficult to walk. Beach wedding? DEFINITELY no heels. Stick to sandals or pretty flip flops.

Second: The Veil

Not every bride wears a veil, but they are still very popular. Here are a few thoughts to consider before buying a veil.

• What hair style are you having, is the veil going to be pinned in above or below you hair do?
• Think about how long you want your veil to be. There may be a lot of detail on the back of your wedding dress that you don’t want hidden.
• Veils come with various edgings, satin ribbon edge, plain edge, or a beaded edge to add some sparkle.
• Try the veil on with your dress so as to make sure the veil compliments your wedding dress.

Tip: After your ceremony when everyone is hugging and congratulating you, dip your head down before hugging. Nine times out of ten the person you’re hugging will hug in a way that it tugs on the veil and this may lead to a headache-not what any bride wants on her big day!

Third: Jewelry

The jewelry you choose should be in keeping with your theme and compliment the rest of your wedding ensemble. Again, try the jewelry on with the dress before purchasing the jewelry, if possible. If you have a wedding dress where the neckline has beading, lace, or both, it may be better to forgo the necklace, and just wear some beautiful drop or chandelier earrings, with a matching bracelet. If your neckline is plain, then a necklace is perfect to bring attention to your glowing face.

Fourth: Garter

The garter is fairly simple, it is easy to find and the design is pretty standard. Some brides like to have their garter made personally for them and other brides have two garters made, a simple one to throw and a more intricately detailed one for the bride to keep.

You do not need to wear the garter through the ceremony, during your creative photoshoot, throughout the reception until your beloved slides it down your leg. Doing this can cause a great deal of fidgeting, should the garter start to drop. Rather quickly slip the garter on in the bathroom before your husband takes it off and throws it. It will be one less thing to worry about.

Fifth: Perfume

Yes this may seem a bit strange, but perfume is an accessory that is quite important. Besides the fact that it makes you smell good, it can also create memories. Here are some ideas. Wear the perfume you wore on your first date, or when he proposed. Scents have a way of triggering special memories. On that note, maybe wear a completely new perfume, that still reflects you, but one that will always remind you of your special day. It may even be a nice idea to give each other a new fragrance as a gift for the wedding.

About the Author

Elizabeth Saunders is a wedding dress designer based in Natal. She has a passion to design the perfect wedding dress for her brides to be.