The Bride is Always Late: Irish Wedding Blog from WeddingDates.ie » Wedding Dresses

re-wedding: glass houses, milk bottles & biscuits

ClaireB — Wed, 02 May 2012 19:51:41 +0000

i have a genuinely soft spot for anything cow but i have an especially soft spot for anything that makes it’s way out of her beautiful udders. i have a complete crush on milk in other words. i drink it daily, by the glass full and believe you me, when i get the chance: i drink it straight from those warm udders too.

so here i am sitting dreaming about my re-wedding again. the hubby and i have been at odds with each other this week. not quite getting where the other is at, just totally going against each other’s grain. i think we need a holiday: some quite time, some cookies-and-milk-time to be kids again.

so why not just invent our re-wedding day around my favourite things: milk bottles, biscuits and all things cafe style. i am a food photographer after all.

i think a spacious, wide open glass house will work well for this one. there needs to be an assortment of chairs and tables, all different. should i ask my guests to bring their tables and chairs with? yes, i think i might just do that.

i will serve them cookies and milk: not just glasses of milk but full cream milk served out of glass bottles with straws.

kat forsyth will be my photographer. she does know how to capture the quirky factor so well. my wedding dress will be a gentle affair: a design by The English Dept.

oh and don’t forget the music. i will walk all over dublin town to find the best buskers and street musicians this lyrical city has to offer and they will serenade my night away.

i can see him twirling me around and around all evening long.

you’re invited. r.s.v.p essential.

much love,
claire

we hope this re-wedding posts are inspiring you to get creative about your own wedding. if you want to connect with the artist’s mentioned, just click on their links below:
photographer: kat forsyth
wedding dress: the english dept
food: monika’s biscuits

{all images by suppliers mentioned, the accompanying gallery on flickr provides direct credits.}

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THE Dress

guest — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 11:16:29 +0000

That dress: the one that you have dreamed about your entire life…

wedding dress shopping is fun. All of those road trips with your “girlies” trying on beautiful dresses, while sipping champagne. Heaven!

Unfortunately finding the perfect wedding dress can be very stressful for some brides.

When I found my wedding dress I was very happy with it and felt great in it. Did I cry? No.
I met somebody who was also getting married, and when she found her dress she said, “I cried and Mum cried”. I felt like starting the search all over again, there was obviously something wrong with me, because I didn’t share that experience. No!
Everybody is different and it is a different experience for everybody!

Here are some tips on finding your wedding dress :

• Allow as much time as you can ahead of the wedding – brides often don’t find “the” dress in the first few trips and can get tired of looking. Park it for a little while and then go back to it.
• Do not bring all 4 bridesmaids, your mum, his mum, his gran, your gran, your favourite aunt, your mum’s best friend when wedding dress shopping! More people = more opinions=more stress = less fun!
• The sales assistants in the bridal boutiques spend every day with brides. If they suggest a dress you hadn’t picked – give it a go – you never know!
• Visit Joan Cashman at the Colour and Image Academy;Joan offers Bridal Consultations where she will guide you through the decision process and show you how to select styles that suit your body shape and personality from the cuts, styles and fabrics for your wedding dress to the honeymoon wardrobe.
• You have to be comfortable on your wedding day. You have to be able to move freely, pose for photos and dance all night – so choose a dress that you see yourself doing this in.
• Say I Do Bridal Boutique has a stunning collection of Lizzie Agnew dresses. Lizzie is an Irish designer and makes beautiful vintage and antique style gowns. Definitely worth a look. Say I Do also stock Pronovias, and will have their preview collection in store this autumn!
• Get the undies right! Peaches and Cream
in Dublin have a wonderful selection of bridal underwear and are worth visiting.
• Trust you instincts – if you have to be convinced that the dress looks great on you, it may not be the one for you.
• HAVE FUN!

{Karen Buchanan is a regular blogger for Wedding Dates. She is awesome to work with and we are not biased in any way. Find her on Facebook and Twitter. Image supplied by Claire Burge.}

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Royal Wedding Gowns – The Ones We Love

guest — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 08:00:30 +0000

Every girl wants to feel like a princess on her wedding day; but some of them are already royalty when they walk down the aisle! The most renowned royal wedding gowns have grabbed the attention of the world for years and young girls want wedding gowns just like the ones worn on royal weddings across the world.

Princess Diana

Any list of royal wedding gowns will undoubtedly feature Princess Diana’s wedding dress. Her marriage to Prince Charles was the biggest royal wedding ever and the dress that Diana wore for the wedding was just as “big”. The gown featured a delicate bodice and a ruffled collar complete with a 25 foot train. It had long puffed sleeves and crinoline tulle just under the skirt. Diana’s wedding gown created a furor in the fashion world in 1980′s but this gown could not stand the test of time some would say.

Duchess of Cambridge Kate

When Catherine Middleton was about to get out of the Rolls Royce Phantom along with her father Michael Middleton just outside the Westminster Abbey, the world waited with bated breath. And when she emerged out of the car, she immediately made way into history with one of the best royal gowns ever. Kate’s wedding gown was a classic, designed by Steve McQueen. The haute couture wedding gown reflected the personal style of Kate. The bodice and skirt had lace appliqué and hand cut French Chantilly lace and English lace was used all over the gown. The gown was made with white satin gazar and ivory and the train was 2 meters 70 centimeters.

Princess Grace Kelly

American actress Grace Kelly’s wedding to Price Rainier of Monaco in Monte Carlo in the year 1956 was an affair that dreams are made of. Grace Kelly’s wedding gown was designed by Helen Rose, the designer who dressed her in The Swan and High Society. Grace Kelly’s wedding gown was made with antique Valenciennes rose point lace, tulle and silk taffeta. The veil was made up with appliquéd lace and numerous seed pearls. The gown itself was a gift to her from the MGM wardrobe department with whom she had a contract.

Princess Victoria

Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden exchanged vows with personal trainer Daniel Westling in the biggest royal wedding since Charles wed Diana and her wedding gown was simply stunning. Princess Victoria wore an off shoulder satin gown which is likely to stand the test of time. The wedding gown was made with cream-colored duchess silk satin and had a turned out collar, short sleeves and rounded neckline. There was a sash at the waist which was buttoned at the back and had a bordered train which was nearly five meters long.

Princess Mary

Crown Princess Mary of Denmark looked beautiful in her amazing ivory gown designed by Danish designer Uffe Frank. The wedding gown was classy and the simple scoop neckline stole the show. Another attraction of the wedding gown was the beautiful pleats at the bottom of the dress.

Other royal wedding gowns that wowed the world were the wedding gowns of Crown Princess Masako of Japan, Princess Maxima of Netherlands, Princess Letizia of Asturias, Queen Elizabeth and the Princess Sophie Rhys-Jones.

For all those about to walk down the isle, these wedding gowns can serve as inspiration and make you feel like royalty on your big day!

{Alyssa Clarke is a blogger who enjoys writing on wedding and fashion the most. She also happens to be an insatiable traveler who is always on the look out for a different destination to explore.}

{Images source via; bridalexpochicago.com, onsugar.com, fashion-era.com, sheknows.com, 1.bp.blogspot.com}

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Defy Convention: Wear A Black Wedding Dress!

guest — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 07:00:58 +0000

The fall 2012 wedding collection by Vera Wang highlighted some of the most amazing black-nude gowns and some all-black numbers that are a way off from the traditional white wedding dress. Are you bold enough to walk down the aisle in a black number? Here are a few considerations:

1. Wearing the Black Wedding Dresses

You can go for a black dress if you have a Beach Themed Wedding or maybe a medieval themed Wedding. The dress compliments well with the Gothic look and is excellent for an ethereal theme. You can wear black at your wedding and incorporate it with hints of red, silver and white. The trend right now is lace and black lace is simply beautiful!

2. The Best Cuts And Accessories For Black Wedding Dresses

Choose a tight fitting gown since they tend to compliment any body shape. You can also opt for a full flowing skirt with a tight fitting bodice. Always avoid long and solid sleeves, either opt for something sheer or choose the sleeveless option. Black wedding dresses look fantastic with pearls because they make you look elegant, and do not scream for attention.

3. The ‘what-will-others-think’ Factor

Wearing a black gown at your own wedding might leave you with a few very worried glances. Make sure that you consider your partner’s preferences and the preferences of your family. Most couples these days are non-conventional and love to make their wedding a unique affair to remember: the black dress could be the bold statement.

4. Buying the Black Wedding Dresses

Once you have decided on a black wedding dress your shopping becomes so much easier. However, make sure to go through prom dresses and even the bridesmaid’s dresses to find one you will love. You can also consider your shopping online and do not forget to search for most expensive wedding dress to get the best designs available across the globe.

Thanks to upcoming designers and non-conventional brides, black can be worn at a wedding. So if black is your color of choice, then there is no reason for you not to wear it on your wedding day.

{Alyssa Clarke is a blogger who enjoys writing on wedding and fashion the most. She also happens to be an insatiable traveler who is always on a look out for a different destination to explore.Images sourced via Celebrity Bride Guide.}

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re-wedding: lace, guitars and a game of hide ‘n seek

ClaireB — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 07:00:40 +0000

nostalgic
fragile
young
tender
hungry…

hungry for love. i want to get married again. to my husband with his head of curls and guitar playing hands. to the one who has been mine for 5 years, the one who sang to me on that very first day and who still sings me to sleep at night.

this re-wedding will be a spring one: dappled filtering light, yellows and fresh greens and all things lace. i want yards and yards of lace.

when i was four i would twirl around in the sun under the big avocado pear tree; my gran had made me a lace dress and i couldn’t stop staring at the patterns in the fabric. they twirled and spun like sugar, fine and brittle like bone. it is this magic that i want to recreate on this big girl day of dreams.

imagine haybales, guitars, rolled up trousers, letters and poetry spun through trees.

i want to write each guest a letter. the letter will hold my heart, my reasons for why they were chosen to share the day. it will be intimate, maybe 40 people, just my favourites, the ones who make me laugh and cry and jump. because they love me so much, we might even play a game of hide ‘n seek.

i went meandering through etsy to see if my dream could be made real and sure enough, it is all there: the yellow, the lace, the gifts.

if you like these ideas and want to use them for your own wedding take a stroll through etsy. you might just love what you find:

lace arm gloves by inbal at my secret face
lace pendant by dianne from gifts for all occasions
wedding dress and head piece by alisa benay at alisa benay bridal
paper lace garland by elizabeth smillie at the road less traveled
lace pegs by alisa at blue pearls
lace earrings by tina eva renee
spring garlands by violeta at hello violeta

{All images sourced from the featured artists and on Flickr via Creative Commons. Credits can be found in the accompanying gallery.}

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Wedding Dresses, Budgets and Nosy Parkers

ClaireB — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 16:09:03 +0000

What is it with weddings that they are able to create such an absolute frenzy?

I remember with much trepidation that my own wedding involved a few, or rather one too many, nosy parkers.

I grew up in a tight knit community in South Africa: one of those communities where everyone knows everyone’s business and where people really do care about one another. These communities are wonderful until secrets need to be kept or until you really do not want people to know something.

My wedding budget was one such instance. I saw no reason for everyone to know what I would be spending on my dress but for some reason this became a matter of great interest to this lovely tight knit community. It all started with a dear old lady in the church who thought it was her full right to know exactly what I was spending and who my designer was.

My mom and I tried various tactics to fob the dear woman off but none deemed successful. One cheerful spring morning she came straight out and asked my mom what the budget was.

What do you say to that? After a shocked few minutes of silence, my mom responded that we needed to get the dress custom made due to my height as we were not able to source a suitable dress and that meant spending a bit extra than buying the dress off the shelf. This was not a lie as I am 6″1 and every dress I tried on sort of touched my ankles, leaving me feeling somewhat un-sexy.

She was hoping that this response would suffice but sadly it didn’t. The dear old lady pressed on and said, “So, how much are you spending?” I was standing at a distance at the time and I saw my mom’s body language change. She blurted out an exhorbatant amount and looked the lady squarely in the eyes and said: “So, what are you going to do with that piece of information Aunty Agnes?”

Aunty Agnes clucked her tongue, turned in disgust and muttered something about ridiculous spending from young people nowadays. My mom turned my way and winked. We were both thinking the same thing: a wildfire of gossip was just about to start.

Sure enough it did: To this day I still get asked whether I really spent that much on a wedding dress.

My response is mostly a deep belly laugh. Small communities certainly have entertainment worth!

What funny stories do you have to tell about your own wedding or weddings that you have been involved in?

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Add your personal touch to your wedding

guest — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:30:57 +0000

Here is a lovely post from our intern Cassie who joined us in the office last week!

Weddings are your own personal event between you, your partner and your close family and friends but why not make it that bit more personal? We have some tips for you!

1.Special wedding dress Details
Have that family member who you love to bits but who has passed away and you would love for them to be at your wedding? Try this. Get a piece of clothing belonging to that person, (preferably similar to the colour of your dress, maybe even a bit of their dress. Don’t use something that you can’t cut up!! Make sure the family are okay with it. You want everyone to be happy with this.) Cut a bit off it, just something small that you can stitch into your own dress. Despite the fact they’re not there to wish you luck you still have a part of them with you and on your wedding dress, something you will keep forever.

2.Story of the program.
Use your program / Mass Booklet to tell people about you and your soon to be spouse. On the first few pages tell the story of how you first met, the story full of love and romance. Carry on then with the stories of your first Valentines together, first Christmas, meeting the parents and other special moments together. If there’s a child or children involved tell stories about your relationship with them. When it comes to the wedding party then have little notes about how you know each other. If the officiant would read out a few of the different stories it would add a really personal touch to the whole ceremony. If not sure there’s always a chance at the reception. (Somewhere in between all the embarrassing ones!) This also gives the guests a deeper understanding of you as a couple and your relationship.

3.Picture Perfect Reception
Pictures can play a huge part in the reception. There’s plenty ideas to make it extra special and personal.
When the guests arrive you could have a photographer there to take pictures of them. Instead of sending out a thank you card you could send them the picture with a signed note from the couple on the back. Much more heartfelt than a thank you card I feel.
When you come in the door you could have a collage type collection of photographs of the wedding party. When they were younger, with the bride, with the groom, even with the couple. Don’t let them know your doing this and surprise them. They’ll probably be embarrassed at the start but they’ll realize then that your just showing them how much their participation in the event means to you.

By the guest book you could have a photo frame of the happy couple as children and through their relationship and if it’s possible maybe even a photo of the married couple! If you feel there’s too many photo’s why not have a photo wall? Maybe hang a bit of chicken wire up on a wall, (securely with no bits hanging out. You don’t want anybody getting hurt!) and get nice pegs and hang them up that way. Around them you could put pictures of the family members that are married on their wedding day. Have a Mr side and a Mr’s side where they meet in the middle. Very personal touch that makes every family member feel involved. If you don’t want those pictures up all night you could do a slideshow instead. Maybe even involve some videos if there are any. You could play it before the speeches.

4.Shine a Light
Want to honor someone close who you lost? Why not do it though sky lanterns? Now with their Eco-friendliness, they’re the perfect way to remember a loved one. (Make sure to tell the local fire brigade that your releasing them. Safety first! They can be on the lookout for them on the day.) They’re cheap and very touching.

These are just some of the many personal touches you can add to your wedding.

[Image by Stephen Brace. Sourced via Flickr Creative Commons Images]

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Project 51 – Irish Designers Wedding Showcase

Ciara Crossan — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:21:34 +0000

I’m always happy to support Irish designers so I’m thrilled to share with you the first ever wedding showcase event at Project 51! Located in an 19th Century Georgian building, Project 51 is a modern style store stocking the very best in high-end Irish design including fashion, jewellery, millinery, and accessories.

From now until February 28th 2012 Project 51 will showcase their stylish wedding collections from their coveted designers in a unique exhibition that will inspire brides and grooms alike.

The showcase is made up of designers from the Project 51 collaborative as well as unique wedding suppliers ranging from flowers to cakes and stationery to event planning and has something to suit every member of the wedding party and every type of wedding.

Project 51’s own fashion forward designers exhibiting include Caiomhe Keane (QUE-VA), Jennifer Rothwell and Clare O’Connor. The creations of these innovative fashion designers conjure up images of romance and lace, modern style with vintage flair and sparkling couture gowns. The collectives jewellery designers exhibiting engagement rings, wedding jewellery and commitment rings include Eoin McDonnell, Yvonne Ryan, Ruby Jewels and Eily O’ Connell.

Martha Lynn who is also a member of Project 51 will exhibit her stunning hats; perfect for those ever sought after statement pieces.

Collectively this stylish exhibition will inpire brides and grooms while giving them a chance to talk directly to the designers in a relaxed friendly atmosphere.

Price points:

Weddings dresses from €875
Mens suits from €550
Hats from €265
Jewellery from €45

Project 51’s Wedding Showcase runs from now until Feb 28th. Opening hours are Tuesday to Saturday 11am to 7pm.

Call 01- 679 5551 to book an appointment or email info@project51.ie Project 51, South William St. Dublin 1. http://www.project51.ie/

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10 Wedding Planning Apps To Make Your Day Awesome

ClaireB — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 14:31:40 +0000

It is engagement season! The rock lands on your finger and then, where to then?

We have done the research for you. Download these 10 applications today and start planning your big day. If you keep track of all your information from day one, the entire process can run smoothly!

1. The General Organiser Tool

iWedding Deluxe is an overall planner that will keep all your information in one central place. It is advisable to use this as your primary planning tool.

2. The Budget Tool

No good wedding can happen without a budget being set from day 1. Wedding Budget allows you to track every financial aspect of the wedding.

3. The Gift Registry Tool

You know what you want and need to set your home up. Wedding Scan allows you to scan any item’s barcode or take an image of it and then add a description so that your guests can easily get that perfect gift for you.

4. The Inspiration Tool

At the start of the process you will have hundreds of ideas running through your mind. It will take a while before things settle into place and you have a fixed idea of what you want and how everything comes together. Wedding Row gives you a central place to gather all your ideas so that you can visualise how everything is coming together.

5. The Celebrity Inspiration Tool

Mindy Weiss has planned some of the largest celebrity weddings out there. The feathers in her cap hold really spectacular names. The Mindy Weiss app will inspire and delight you with ideas as you plan your own big day.

6. The Dress Tool

iBridalGown has been designed by a bridal gown salon owner so you can be sure that it will lead you through every step of the process seamlessly (no pun intended).

7. The Music Planning Tool

Music can be tricky to plan for the big day because everyone has such varied taste. Get your friends and family involved: use The Fun Wedding app to keep track of all your songs and all the music from the ones you love who will be sharing your big day.

8. The Flower Tool

Wedding Flowers Moodboard allows you to match different styles and colours to create the perfect bouquets.

9. The Venue Tool

Wedding Dates have the best venue search tool. It is interactive and you will be able to see availability immediately. The venue is one of the most important factors in the day. It sets the tone, it creates the mood. It will form the foundation of all the memories you make that day! Choose well is what our team reckons.

10. The Google Tool

Who would know but Google is even part of the wedding movement! For those who prefer working on a computer or laptop for all your planning activities, check out Google’s tips on using their tools for wedding plans.

Do you use any other tools? Tell us about them in the comments.

{Image courtesy of William Marlow, sourced via Creative Commons within Flickr.}

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Trash The Dress: Some Inspiration For How To

ClaireB — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 07:00:36 +0000

Courtney over at Chronicles of Courtney shares a few images to get you started. And then, the tumblr blog: ‘Trash The Dress’ dedicated just to dress trashing shares a few more.

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