The Saga And Love Of The Bridal Chorus Lohengrin By Wagner

March 9th, 2010

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Bride Walking Down the AisleThere is not a more famous song in America when it comes to weddings than the song most people know as “Here Comes the Bride“. Most people know it as a relatively simple tune that is easy for most musicians to play during a wedding, while the bride in her beautiful wedding gown.walks down the aisle escorted usually by her father.  However, the song itself has kind of an interesting and controversial history that most people don’t know about.

The first thing is that it’s a song from an opera, Lohengrin by Richard Wagner. It is actually a part of an 8 1/2 minute sequence that follows the bride and groom in the opera from the wedding to the bridal chamber. In the olden days, brides and grooms were accompanied to the bridal chamber after the wedding where they would consummate the marriage. At the point of the music where the bridal chorus starts to sing the song in the opera, the wedding has already taken place, and all the ladies are accompanying the bride to the chamber. So, it seems that Americans have placed the song at the wrong part of the wedding.

Second, outside of the opera, there are no official lyrics to the song. If you you do a simple search online, you will find all sorts of lyrics from emotional to parody. If you looked at the lyrics that Wagner created, you will see that they’re not lyrics of love between the bride and groom, but instead are lyrics wishing good fortune for the bride and groom to successfully consummate the marriage by creating a child.

And third, although the music is beautiful, it is also controversial. Many Catholic churches will not allow it to be played during their wedding ceremonies because it is not sacred music. Many Jewish ceremonies will not allow it to be played because Wagner was known to be anti-semitic. Some Lutheran churches won’t allow it to be played because of the pagan aspects of the opera. So, even though it’s a very popular piece that seems like it’s everywhere, there are some factions that have disputes with the song.

Still, it’s a very popular piece that most people enjoy and want to have as a part of their wedding, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

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Matching The Wedding Dress Fabric To Your Style

March 3rd, 2010

Strapless Wedding DressJust as there are a lot of different fabrics that can be used for wedding dresses, there are a lot of different styles that women have that they should consider in determining what kind of fabric they want their wedding dress to be made out of. While no one fabric is the epitome of a particular style, there are probably preferences based on style that some fabrics will fit much better than others.

For instance, let’s take a look at satin as a traditional wedding fabric. You probably would not expect someone with a very flamboyant personality to want to have a satin wedding gown. You use satin when you want to have a very defined and rigid style of wedding dress. If a bride wanted to have a ball gown style wedding dress, satin is a great fabric for that because it can retain that shape very well. What it doesn’t offer is a lot of freedom of movement, which someone who likes to move around a lot and socialize would appreciate better.

However, if your personality is a bit more muted, and you treasure some of the traditional standards, satin is definitely the fabric for you. It’s shiny, and therefore enhances your presence if you feel you need that type of boost. It works well with sleeves, and it also works well if you have a sense that you wish to protect your modesty a bit more. One doesn’t necessarily equally “sexy” with satin, but that’s probably not what you’re going for anyway.

For those who are ready to show off just a little bit more, silk is a very good fabric for you. Silk can be flowing, but it can also be wrapped around a bride to show off her body if she feels comfortable enough to do that. Silk doesn’t shine as much a satin does, but that doesn’t matter as much to these brides. You can add more flash to silk, such as adding crystals and beads, and those things stand out more against silk than they do with satin. But you would be hard-pressed to look as good in a mermaid silhouette in satin than you would in silk, because satin doesn’t give as easily, and because it wrinkles too much.

Price should always be a consideration when a bride is choosing a wedding gown she might like, but having an idea of what may fit her style is equally important for her comfort and enjoyment on her wedding day.

Cotton Wedding Dresses

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Planning An Outside Wedding

February 26th, 2010

Outside Wedding SpotTo save expenses, or because you believe the weather will be great at the time you’re getting married, you might decide to have your wedding outdoors. This is a very viable thing to do, and many people enjoy it. But sometimes things can go wrong. Here are five things to think about when planning your outdoor wedding.

1. Have a contingency plan in case the weather doesn’t cooperate. This should be foremost on your mind, because weddings are planned way in advance and you never know what the weather will be like on the actual day you get married. So either plan on a wedding that is close to shelter or have a backup plan for tents of some kind to help protect people against the elements.

2. Don’t plan your ceremony close to a lot of trees. There are all sorts of things crawling and flying around most trees in good weather, and the last thing you want to deal with are either small animals that come running by often during a ceremony, or hordes of flying insects such as mosquitoes buzzing around your face.

Couple Getting Married Outside3. Think hard before picking a place where a lot of people will be congregating. You might think it would be great to have your wedding at the local public park. But that could also be the day when the area is holding a special function you didn’t know about beforehand, and suddenly there’s a lot of other noise and activity going on while you’re trying to have your wedding ceremony. A lot of distractions can take away the attention that should be focused on you.

4. Make sure all food and drink is protected well. There are a lot of pests outside and you are going to want to make sure that any food or drink you’re going to have outside is well covered. Even if you plan a picnic style assortment, you want to make sure that all the food is well protected. You also might want to think about making sure there are a lot of coolers to help keep things from getting spoiled if there’s too much heat.

5. Dress accordingly. It won’t do you a lot of good to have a bride wearing a hot satin wedding dress with a headpiece if the temperature turns out to be in the 90s or hotter. If you’re getting married outside, you’re going to want to make sure you wear material that’s porous so that the bride will not overheat. Enough brides faint inside churches even if they have fans blowing on them, so don’t be led into thinking that even a slight cool breeze will help to keep a bride comfortable in her Pronovias wedding gown.

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Let Bridesmaids Help In Selecting Their Dresses

February 24th, 2010

5 bridesmaids wearing pink dressesEverybody knows that the wedding day is supposed to be focused on the bride and groom. That doesn’t mean that the other members of the wedding party aren’t allowed to look good as well.

Bridesmaids are often put into wedding dresses that look almost like prom dresses, only without a lot of style. Quite often they’re functional but not very flattering. And the cost of having to pay for something like that can seem outrageous when compared with how it looks and how it feels on the bridesmaids throughout the day.

So why not think about adding a little bit of glamour for bridesmaids on your wedding day? Nobody has to go to the extreme and make the bridesmaids dresses sexy, but there’s nothing wrong with adding a little bit of style and a little bit of comfort to their day.

beautiful wedding dressFor instance, there is no rule saying that a bridesmaids dress has to be made out of the same material that a bride dress is made of. Just because a bride might decide she wants a traditional wedding dress made out of satin, that doesn’t mean she couldn’t have her bridesmaids wearing something like cotton, or any other number of materials that a bridesmaids dress can be made out of.

The thing is that, although the wedding day is usually mainly about the bride, bridesmaids often pay a lot of money for dresses that they can only wear once as well. And they often don’t have any say in what it is they’re wearing. So, a nice idea might be to go through a catalog with the bridesmaids and point out a few ideas, then let them get together to make a decision on the types of bridesmaids dress they’d like to order. They might want to get something that they can either wear again exactly as it is, or something they can modify on the backend for alternative uses.

If you have selected people to be in your wedding, that means there’s something about them that you like and trust. If your judgment is sound in picking your friends, then their judgment will be sound in picking something that’s appropriate for your wedding. By allowing them to select their own dresses for the day, you make them have a sense of ownership and participation in the planning of your wedding. They will appreciate that probably more than you will ever know.

 

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How Much Diamond Does Your Wedding Ring Need

February 19th, 2010

Channel SettingEvery bride dreams of the diamond ring she will get when she gets married. Wedding rings can cost a lot of money because of those diamonds. If the potential groom does not have a lot of money, choices can be limited as to as to the type of ring he might be able to afford. But even if he has a lot of money, it might be better not spending a ton of money and instead choosing to use that extra money saved towards other things wedding costs such as the wedding dress.

Something most men do not know is that a carat is actually a weight measurement, and has nothing to do with how pure a diamond is. There are charts for carats based on circumference size which will help a groom see the actual size of the diamond. There also needs to be an understanding that the bigger the individual diamond is, the more the ring is going to cost.

While a ring with a big diamond on it might look impressive to some people, there are plenty of options available that might actually bring more sparkle and style to a ring rather than one big diamond. For instance, you can buy a ring that has multiple small diamonds. This actually offers a couple of different benefits. For one, many of these rings are actually shinier than rings with one stone because they reflect the light off each other. Another benefit is that rings with multiple diamonds offer up the opportunities for more styles, such as what’s known as a “channel setting“. This means the diamonds are encased in the band rather than sitting on top. It not only makes it harder to loosen the diamonds, but it is easier to avoid being accidentally scratched by the diamond.

Something else about rings with multiple diamonds is that they can end up costing way less than a ring with one prominent diamond, yet in total could still have as many, if not more carats. It takes a lot of craftsmanship to get a big diamond to look great on a ring, but ring makers have a lot more flexibility with smaller diamonds.

In the end, it obviously comes down to preference and costs, but I have found that many women end up happier with their wedding ring that has multiple diamonds as opposed to a ring that has one big diamond. It’s definitely an option that every bride and groom should consider.

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Wedding Dress Designer Ade Bakare

February 17th, 2010

Ade BakareThere is always something unique that comes from wedding dress designers who learn the art of integrating traditional wedding styles along with the traditions of their home countries. They learn the skills which allow them to create styles that might be exclusive to their region of the world as well as creating styles that the rest of the world will embrace as well.

Ade Bakare is one such wedding dress designer. Although he doesn’t only concentrate on wedding designs, they are a big part of his collection, and he is known as a wedding dress designer that very few can match.

Ade Bakare comes from Nigeria, not known as a hot spot for training wedding dress designers. He became interested in fashion around the age of eight, and he was lucky enough to have a mother who was accommodating and supportive of his hobby. After graduating from college with a degree in history, Bakare was able to relocate to Manchester England to study fashion and design at the University of Salford.

He won numerous design awards, but never even thought about getting into wedding gown design until a friend of his asked him to design her dress for her wedding. Her request was for a dress that would not only be glamorous on her wedding day, but a dress that she could wear to other functions as well. He ended up designing a sort of ball gown dress for her, which included a detachable part so that it would work well for other functions. Creating this multi-function dress got Bakare interested in wedding gown designs and he had his first showing in 1993.

Bakare opened his first boutique in 1997 catering to only exclusive clientele. It wasn’t until 2006 that he opened his second boutique, this time in Lagos Nigeria. Although it took them a while, he realized that there were a lot of people in his home country who wanted the exclusive wedding gown designs that only he could create.

In Nigeria, he not only caters to the wealthy but to the general public as well. In August 2009, he was the leading designer for both the bride and groom of billionaire families. The wedding ensembles he creates use traditional African fabric and colors, along with lots of embroidery.

Bakare is one of the most sought out designers in the world for both regular and wedding fashions. His designs price from very expensive to affordable. Every bride should make sure they check out his designs to see if there is something for them. Bakare’s wedding dresses start from around $1,500.

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Cotton Wedding Dresses

February 15th, 2010

Something you do not see much of are wedding dresses made out of cotton. Most people think of silk or satin fabrics and every once in awhile something a bit more exotic, but cotton isn’t talked about all that often. Yet, cotton is probably one of the most versatile fabrics in the world, and there are plenty of cotton wedding dresses on the market. Cotton wedding dresses as you know are actually be more cost effective.

The thing about cotton is that you can take a dress that was meant for something else and turned it into a wedding gown very easily. Cotton comes in an array of colors, which offers more opportunities to select something that stands out from the norm than many other fabrics. Cotton is also easy to manipulate and to keep clean, so you don’t have to worry about having to be too delicate while working with it.

Cotton is also a very comfortable fabric to wear. It’s a kind of fabric that breathes easily, which means it can help the bride to stay cool when it’s too hot, and yet it can also help a bride stay warm when it’s too cool. And because cotton can be woven into many different styles, the bride can pretty much decide on anything and probably have it easily made by a dress designer.

There are even some designers who are concentrating on cotton as the main fabric for many of their wedding dresses. Designer Chris Kole had a wedding exhibit back in 2008 that received rave reviews for his cotton styles, which looked exactly like traditional wedding dresses only fully made out of cotton. Another designer named Marilyn Pate considers herself a specialist in designing cotton wedding gowns, stating that she can design them anywhere from simplistic patterns to very intricate styles.

Probably the biggest misnomer about cotton wedding dresses is that most of them offer very simple designs with very little flash. However, cotton is so versatile that there is no style of dress that can’t be made by using cotton. There is also nothing saying that one couldn’t add touches of other fabrics to a cotton dress, such as lace or some kind of embroidery to really make the dress pop. Cotton is such a simple fabric to work with and it breaks up the traditional thought of what wedding gown fabric is supposed to be.

Finally, since cotton is a relatively common fabric that easy to get, the bride could literally save thousands of dollars by having her wedding dress designed and made with the fabric. Since it’s so easy to work with, it takes less time for a designer to put something together and do alterations. This makes cotton a valid choice for all brides to consider when trying to select their wedding dress.

See More:

What Do You Want In A Wedding Gown
Styles of Cotton Dresses

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Potential Wedding Day Drama and How to Avoid It

February 12th, 2010

wedding day drama fight Something many brides and grooms find out too late is that their wedding day isn’t always about them. In most cases, family members are anticipating the wedding day as much as the bride and groom; meeting everyone’s wants and needs can prove difficult.

In other cases, recent events within your circle of friends and/or family may make enjoying your wedding difficult. Keep in mind that sometimes doing what you feel is the right thing might not be, and it could cause you and others consternation. Here are some things to think about when planning your big day.

1. If a married couple you know split up through a very acrimonious divorce, or a non-married couple recently separated, you might have to make a difficult decision – invite one of them, both of them, or neither. Inviting both of them, especially if the break-up is recent, could end up becoming a huge mistake. Inviting one could prove to be problematic later on because that makes it look like you’re “picking favorites”, especially if both of them are friends of yours. The best course of action might be to leave them both off the guest list, but let them know why. It’s best to avoid any extra potential drama on your special day, it’s already a stressful event.

2. Separations happen with parents too – if there could be an argument, it’s best to completely avoid the situation all together. It sounds frightening to say that you might have to make a decision whether to not invite your mother or father to your wedding, but if you know that either of them could ruin the day, you may need to make that tough decision. It’s your wedding – your big day – an argument could ruin everything.

3. Once you’ve decided on your wedding vendors, you need to make a second call to verify that none of your vendors have a problem working with another vendor. I’ll admit that problems are rare, but it’s not unheard of, and making that extra phone call could ensure that your wedding goes exactly as planned. The last thing you need is an argument between two vendors during your reception.

4. Always have a contingency plan. For those things that you feel are important, always make sure you have an “option B” just in case the unexpected happens. For instance, if at the last minute your wedding photographer calls and says he or she can’t make it, you should have a back up plan, a second photographer or a camera ready friend. The pictures might not turn out as good, but at least you’ll have pictures of your wedding.

See More:
Staying Calm on Your Wedding Day
How to Keep a Wedding Drama Free

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Wedding Gowns Inspired by Nature

February 10th, 2010

Garden Party Elegance

Brilliant

a weekly blog by thestylistcloset

This year the wedding dress designers are looking to nature as their inspiration for 2010.

Each dress is more stunning than the next coming and going down the aisle. You can chose a subtle floral print fabric, artificial flowers sewn on the dress at the shoulder, waist, or skirt, floral embroidery, or huge fabric roses sewn on the dress by hand. These dresses are exquisite and perfection for an outside wedding. They require simple hair and make-up and very little jewelry.

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It’s a 2010 Wedding, Be Different, Be Unique

February 4th, 2010

Brilliant

a weekly trend blog by thestylistcloset

Something Borrowed, Something Blue………….

The 2010 Bride to Be wants something different, something unique, something that reflects her personality. It’s about individuality and color is the key to express yourself this season.

blue vintage wedding gownThis gown is perfect for the bride who likes vintage but in a more contemporary style……..this dress would look fabulous by adding feathers in your hair instead of a veil and a pair of vintage rhinestone earrings.

Or maybe you want true vintage items. I would grab these 1930’s satin shoes which are in great condition and the sweet 1950’s painted lovebird brooch both from FreudianSlipVintage.com and pair them with your wedding dress.

opened toed shoeI also adore these Manolo Blahnik open toe – corset style – lace up the front stilettos with satin ribbon and blue lace detail. I want them just because they are so BEAUTIFUL! They are on sale at Barney’s and won’t last long – run don’t walk!

So maybe you are a more traditional bride and a simple strapless gown with a mile long blue sash is more your style or a romantic bride dreaming of a princess style gown with blue corset and blue floral details.

Color is for the men too and this crisp periwinkle blue tux is right in style with 2010.

blue wedding gowns blue tuxedo

Image Credits:

FreudianSlipVintage.com

Barneys New York

See Also:

2010 Wedding Trends

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