T.U. Dawood

It’s summer and wedding season!  If you are a bride-to-be, this article is meant to be a summary of all the latest trends and must-haves with plenty of tips thrown in to make your special day spectacular and fun!

The Organized Bride:

For the woman who wants to plan each detail of her wedding, there is no bigger must-have than a wedding planner.  There are some fantastic ones out there like The Knot Book of Wedding Lists: The Ultimate Guide to the Perfect Day, Down to the Smallest Detail by Carley Roney and the editors of TheKnot.com (Clarkson Potter/Publishers), Blushing Bride Wedding Planner (C. R. Gibson) and Martha Stewart’s Keepsake Wedding Planner from the editors of Martha Stewart Weddings (Clarkson Potter/Publishers). What I like about the first book is that it is a workbook with checklists for even the minute details like fruit and cheese for the bridal suite.  The Blushing Bride wedding planner is very pretty to look at and has great details like a place to record reference numbers.  The Martha Stewart planner is very special because it in itself becomes a keepsake.  Not only do these books serve a crucial role in the planning of the wedding but they are ideal gifts to give an engaged friend who is finding it a stressful and overwhelming time, because these planner do most of the thinking as well as help ensure the little details are not forgotten.  If you prefer to plan your wedding without any checklists or guides, the Blushing Bride Bride’s Journal (C. R. Gibson) is a gorgeous keepsake.  With gilded edges, it’s a very pretty place to record your wedding plans or simply your thoughts and experiences during this special time.

Also, do check out one of the super-cute Bride tees like Classy Bride’s Edwardian Script Bride Boyfriend Tank which is the perfect thing to wear when doing your bridal planning.

The Inviting Bride:

If you are planning a small, intimate wedding, consider hand-making your wedding invitations.  Instead of getting a traditional wedding book, consider picking up Origami Card Craft: 30 Clever Cards and Envelopes to Fold (Potter Craft) – for a small enough wedding you can fold and twist the paper in such a manner that your cards will not only be elegant, they will be unforgettable. Variations of these ideas can also be used to make table number cards, place settings and a whole host of little touches.

The Prepped Bride:

While waiting to make your entrance, every bride should have a soothing atmosphere surrounding her.  Burn a diffuser such as a Body Shop Oil Burner or if you really want to pamper yourself, Crabtree & Evelyn’s India Hicks Island Living Casuarina Fragrance Diffuser is so calming with its scent of orange blossoms and sea air.  Also, keep a wedding survival kit and some deodorant handy. Body Shop has a new range of 24 hour protection deodorant that can be a lifesaver to a bride.  Crabtree & Evelyn also has a soothing Rosewater Hand Care caddy set that is ideal to keep in your waiting area.

For emergencies, also keep Kiss My Face’s Potent and Pure Break Out Botanical Acne Gel  handy.

The Photographic Bride:

There are some fabulous trends in wedding videos and photography including some charming flashback videos.  Check out One World Productions for some great ideas.

If you are interested in whitening your teeth before your big day, Kiss My Face has an organic Whitening Aloe Vera Toothpaste  that works wonders and the results look fabulous in pictures.

The Romantic Bride:

Feeling whimsical, Classy Bride has the cutest I Do rhinestone appliqué for the bottom of your bridal shoes. Not only is this detail add some sparkle to your special day, but it is in blue … the perfect answer to your “Something Blue” requirement. 

Another romantic accessory is the Blushing Bride chocolate brown and pink Mr. & Mrs. Luggage tag set by C. R. Gibson.

 

 

The Carefree Bride:

There is nothing more lovely to see than a bride who is enjoying her own wedding.  Bunk tradition once the formalities of the event are over and it’s time to boogie.  Change your beautiful bridal shoes into some super comfy flip-flops so you can blissfully dance the night away without going barefoot or worrying about blisters and sore feet on your honeymoon.  Check out Classy Bride’s wedge flip-flops which have the cutest wedding dress picture on them or even put on Tevas Ventura Cork 2, which actually feel like you are wearing a special cushion under your feet and are so thin you can pack them in your bridal shoe bag and an added benefit is that they are not visible under the hemlines of most long wedding dresses.  Best of all, this is one bridal shoe you can reuse … even on the honeymoon.  A must have for smooth feet on your wedding night (even if you have been dancing up a storm) is L’Occitane’s Shea Butter Foot Cream that is instantly absorbed as it softens your feet.

 

The Decadent Bride:

Did you dream since you were a little girl of a gorgeous wedding cake with two doves or a bride and groom on top of it?  Well, this is a new millennium and the hottest thing in the wedding cake industry these days is cupcakes.  Yes, remember those gooey treats you had as a kid, well now they are ideal for big grown-up sophisticated events like weddings.  Lots of key bakeries in town prefer custom-made treats (do check out The Red Velvet variety for something uber tasty), but if you want to make dessert yourself Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes: 175 Inspired Ideas for Everyone’s Favorite Treat (Clarkson Potter/Publishers) is probably an ideal way to start. Some ideal options include “Piped-Buttercream Rose cupcakes,” “Meringue Bouquet Cupcakes” and a popular favourite “Monogram Heart Cupcakes.” Or, if you want the wedding of tomorrow today, serve wedding French macarons instead. I Love Macarons (Chronicle Books) by Hisako Ogita is a very detailed, step-by-step guide to making gourmet, delicate French macaroons that will simply wow your guests.

If you do decide to have a traditional wedding cake, check out the white satin ribbon accented Cake Cutting Set by C. R. Gibson which is ideal for the cake cutting ceremony.

The Floral Bride:

If you are struggling with deciding on your bouquet, do check out Bouquet Chic: Wedding Flowers by Kimberly Aurora (Watson-Guptill). Whether you make your bouquet yourself or simply take the picture to your favourite florist, this book is a gem.  The range of creations is vast and runs the gambit from classical glittered white roses to contemporary orchid-base eucalyptus armature to the statement-making ivy-trailing Japanese anemone masterpiece.

The Happy Bride:

So many women look for their wedding and marriage to be the milestone to finally make them happy.  However, happiness is actually a state of mind that you can only sustain yourself.  Instead of expecting happiness in marriage, bring happiness to your marriage and this happiness should grow.  Read Marci Sminoff’s fabulous new best-seller Happy for No Reason or do the accompanying 8-week audio course before your wedding date to put you in a happy state of mind and to remind yourself that you really don’t need a reason to be happy.  Check out K.C. Jones’s Fortune-Telling Book for Brides (Chronicle Books) which reveals how to bring good fortune to any wedding celebration. Another great option is The Happiness Project’s Robert Holden’s 6-CD set Be Happy: Release the Power of Happiness in YOU. Pop it in your car or download onto your IPod for an easy way to put you in a joyous, appreciative state of mind, especially if you are having a Bridezilla moment or cold feet. 

The Beautiful Bride:

There are plenty of fabulous make-up options available to make you glow on your wedding day. Handy to keep in your bridal pouch is L’Occitane’s Peony Illuminating Powder and Body Shop’s Brilliance powder, both of which will add subtle sparkle to your special day (Edward Cullen doesn’t have to be the only one with diamond dust).  Cargo’s EyeLighter™ is a great highlighter and their entire blu-ray make-up collection is very special because it self-adjusts to the lightening, which is very handy to help you look even better in photographs.  Similarly, Body Shop’s Body & Leg Shine is a must-have for a glossy bronzed look.  For lips, check out Kiss My Face S.O.S Dazzling Duo – Opal  which are sheer organic shines and shimmers for that added finesse.

If you are going to choose one nail polish for your wedding day, consider OPI’s Isn’t it Romantic? This soft pink will highlight your femininity and make you feel all bridal. If you want a fresh manicure yet very modern look, pair it with “Catch Ya Later!” Nic’s Stick by Nicole nail paint just on the tips.  To better prep for your big day, start using OPI Dry & Brittle Nail Envy nail strengthener for about two weeks before your wedding. 

For gorgeous hair at optimal health with no frizzies, try the ingenious Moroccanoil. All the products in the range (original oil, Dry No-More Professional Scalp Treatment, Luminous Hairspray, Hydrating Styling Cream and Curl Control Cream) are top quality and transformative.  A great anti-frizz serum is REcenter, part of the organic range Orgnx by LaCoupe.

If you want to lose those last couple of inches in time for your big day, check out the “Ultimate Body Applicator™” (www.theultimatebodyapp.com), a naturally based product that helps detoxify, tighten, tone and firm your body without water loss.  Featured in Emmy and Oscar gift bags, this Hollywood secret weapon can work miracles.

The Relaxed Bride:

Whether it’s going for a run, reading a book or enjoying a nice bubble bath, take time out to relax … even if you have a multitude of things to get done.  One funky way you might want to consider is video games.  Nintendo has a brilliant new light portable gadget called DS Lite that you can just pop a game into – like its puzzle-solving PICROSS DS  - and mindlessly spend your time when you need a break from wedding planning.

The Pampered Bride:

To truly pamper yourself before your wedding, check out Philosophy’s Falling in Love perfumed shampoo, shower gel and bubble bath (the scent is to-die-for), Lush Cosmetics’ Turkish Delight body polish and Lush Cosmetics’ Crème Anglaise decadent hand and body cream, all of which will truly make you feel like a Princess.

The Beloved Bride:                                                                                                                                                         

Although a wedding is definitely the bride’s day, spread the love around with some fabulous gifts for bridesmaids.  Cargo has a must-have 7IN7: 7 Products in 7 Minutes boxed gift set or if you want to keep things simpler, their Lip Gloss Quad makes a great bridesmaid gift. Philosophy’s Bridal Party is another great boxed gift, and Juicy Couture has the cutest mini Couture Couture rollerballs.  For a slightly more romantic scent, Alfred Sung has Always Eau de Parfum Rollerballs that are also lovely tokens of appreciation. If you want to be green giver, LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics has come up with the brilliant idea of know-wrapping their gift-sets in reusable scarves with a Furoshiki-inspired technique, made of either recyclable materials or vintage fabrics.  You can put any LUSH product in this scarf packaging and some ideal ones for bridesmaids include Godiva Solid Shampoo, Flying Fox Shower Gel or Too Drunk To … Emotibomb.  If you are really a luxury-loving bride, you can have LUSH wrap these goodies in an Hermes scarf for your bridal party.  Or, my favourite packaging of all, a Classy Bride Bridesmaid tote.