by Mike Peck via Flickr

1. The hair doesn’t stay where it’s supposed to. One of the reasons so many brides are going with a more natural hairstyle these days is because the days of teasing and fitting hair into a certain mold created a lot of hair fails during the day of a wedding. Sometimes there was too much hair for either a comb or hair spray to contain. Sometimes the hair would get blown all over the place by a fan and there was no getting it back into place. It’s always smart to keep your hair style simple, especially if you’re doing something with your hair that’s not your norm.

2. Too much rouge. There’s something about trying to get one’s cheeks to a proper color and not knowing when to stop. Sure, not all brides feel they have enough color in their cheeks, and they might worry about going pale during the ceremony if they get nervous, but too much rouge won’t end up being a flattering look.

3. Too much fake tan. Since cosmetic companies discovered both tan sprays and applications, many brides have gone this route in trying to look like they’ve been getting enough sun, especially when they don’t have enough time to get a real tan. The problem is that sometimes these tanning solutions will make a bride look orange rather than healthy, and it shows.

4. Wrong lipstick color. We understand that not everyone likes red lipstick, but going with colors that clash with the wedding ensemble isn’t a change for the better. Going with funky colors like purple or black will make a bride look washed out, and even some shades of red or pink can be overwhelming. Shooting for a more natural look will work much better.

5. Too much perfume. We get it; it’s going to be hot and you don’t want to smell bad. The problem is that too much perfume and heat can be just as bad, to the point that even the groom’s eyes will start to burn. If you’re worried about sweat and scent applying powder, even scented powder, is a much better option, as it won’t be overpowering.

Recently there was the story of a couple that decided to plan a flash mob wedding ceremony at the Prudential Center in Boston. They and approximately 60 guests learned a quick routine, then went out and did the routine, which included the wedding ceremony. It only took a few minutes for them to get married, but it was done in front of hundreds of people, and of course it was videotaped and has gone viral.

All sorts of ceremonies related to weddings have gone viral due to flash mob scenes, from engagements to weddings to receptions. Below are some of the more popular flash mobs that have graced the internet that we hope you’ll enjoy.

by Vandh Collection via Flickr

It’s probably a good thing that there are still some couples spending extravagantly for their weddings so that businesses counting on them won’t go broke, but for everyone else, shifting priorities have made it more difficult to keep up. Let’s take a look at what’s going on.

1. More couples are shopping for items on the internet. It’s too bad that the costs of having a brick and mortar store means that those costs are passed on to consumers. More couples are finding deals online, especially when it comes to travel and products, and will forgo the convenience of sitting with someone to select the perfect item to save some serious dollars on the back end.

2. More couples are shopping for wedding rings together and coming to more fiscally responsible choices. While the tradition used to be brides wanting to show as much bling as possible, these days they know that they’re going to start life together with their grooms at a financial disadvantage and are deciding that other things are more important.

3. More brides are shopping for less expensive gowns, which is leading more designers to create collections that are more affordable. Brides aren’t as concerned anymore with making sure their gowns are brand spanking new, figuring that probably no one will notice anyway. So shopping at discount stores or online discount wedding gown suppliers has become a great option. Wedding gown designers have taken heed and are creating collections where prices are barely skimming $1,000, which still gives brides many options for finding not only what they like but what they can afford.

4. More couples are cutting back on the extras that are more extravagant than necessary. Not as many limos, not as many decorations, yet still making sure that they keep some of the glamour and sense of style in both their weddings and receptions. There are plenty of TV shows now showing wedding couples how to save money by doing things for themselves, which helps add a personal style to their wedding day.

1. Put it in a zippered plastic case. This is a very easy way of storing your wedding dress so you know what it is just by looking at it. These zippered cases come in multiple sizes and if your silhouette didn’t have a bustle sewn into it your dress should easily fold up to fit. There are some outlets where you can get the type of bag that allows you to suck as much air out as possible, which not only protects the dress better but makes the case smaller and thus easier to fit wherever you want to put it.

2. Put it in a suitcase. Since suitcases come in multiple sizes it should be easy enough to find a suitcase to fit your needs. Since it’s for storage you don’t have to spend an extravagant amount of money on it and you can lock it up if you want the feeling of more security.

3. Lock it up in a trunk. A trunk is a nice place to not only keep your wedding dress but your other wedding keepsakes as well. Like the first two items, trunks come in multiple sizes and with the wedding dress as the main occupant, it won’t be all that heavy if you need to move it around. You can also lock up your trunk.

4. Store it in a cardboard box. This is probably the most expedient thing to do but probably the worst choice of all the options. While cardboard boxes can serve a lot of functions they’re not all that secure, can be damaged very easily by the elements, are somewhat porous which means dust and scents can invade it, and boxes can degrade over time, sometimes quickly depending on the environment around where you’re storing the dress. Still, they’re easy to find and if you pop the dress in a plastic bag it’ll offer at least some bit of protection.

by Jonathan Day via Flickr

Even so, there’s no reason to do what everyone else does when it comes to your reception. After all, having a flair of something different helps it stand out in the memories of your guests and helps to make your wedding day just that much more special. So, here are 4 new ideas for spicing things up for your reception.

1. Do something different with a dessert table. Sure, there’s cake on the way, but having a dessert table can really make things special. I hear someone saying “dessert tables aren’t new”, and they’re not. However, the idea is to change up what’s on the dessert table so that it’s not what someone else might add. For instance, have you ever thought about an ice cream sundae table? What about a doughnuts table? An interesting idea would be a “throwback” candy bar dessert table, with the types of things you remember from childhood.

2. Hang things from the ceiling. Most receptions you go to have things on the walls and of course the centerpiece. Why not think about hanging some things from the ceiling? Nothing overly fancy, but flowers or plants, streamers, even tied up pictures in frames would be something different. As long as it’s not something heavy almost anything can be used to change things up.

3. Change up the wedding favors. You’ve seen the candy favors and you’ve seen the centerpieces. Every once in awhile someone will give you a CD of wedding music. What about something a little different, such as glassware with your wedding dates on them? A wild idea would be to give everyone t-shirts with your name and wedding date on them. True, some of these things could end up getting a bit pricey, but they’d certainly be different.

4. Change up the food. Sure, we’ve talked about food at one’s wedding before, but there are still many other ideas one can find when it comes to wedding food. Why not have barbecued food, or go with Chinese or Mexican? Family specialties could always add a nice twist if a family member wanted to do something like that as their wedding gift, and it would be something that not everyone else could have at their weddings.

One of the questions Zaslow gets answered in the book is why women are willing to spend so much money in getting a wedding gown that they may only wear once in their lives, even to the point of possibly never having a daughter they can pass their dresses on to. The response is that wedding dresses offer “The power of memory, and of hope. When a bride steps into the Magic Room, she thinks of all the moments that led her there. And she hopes for everything that’s to come.”

The main room of Becker’s Bridal Shop is called the “magic room”, the room where all dreams come together, where all brides that enter become one with each other and those that have come before them. It’s actually the final room where brides that have made their selection of the gown they want go to see how it looks on them, the centerpiece of a much larger space where the bride gets personal time with her choice.

The room is bathed in a soft light with lots of mirrors, and offers the choice of more than 2,500 wedding gowns that potential brides can shift through, way more than the population of the city, which is around 1,100. And it’s estimated that more than 100,000 brides have crossed their doors throughout history.

The reason this book would be a great read for all brides is that it has a way of capturing the feeling that many brides have as they sift through many choices of wedding gowns, trying to find the one that they hope will capture all their dreams and aspirations of what getting married is all about. It’s more a book of a sisterhood than a profile of a store in Michigan. It’ll touch your heart with a sense of camaraderie; go ahead, give it a shot.

Hello Kitty Wedding Dress by Sanrio

Enter pink. Pink is a favorite color overall by many women, and thus there’s a large consumer market for pink wedding dresses. Many of the top wedding gown designers will add at least one pink wedding dress to their ensemble whenever they have wedding shows or wedding gown collections, and they always seem to be a hit. Even that Hello Kitty wedding dress above has become a major sensation in Japan; sorry ladies, but it’s not being sold in the U.S. just yet.

via Wedding Inspirasi

In general pink, for wedding purposes, stands for romance and sweetness, and one couldn’t deny that seems to be evidenced by these couple of pink wedding dresses. While most brides wearing pink probably wouldn’t have a pink rose bouquet, which signifies happiness, white would work well, as it signifies beauty innocence and charm. Such a wonderful combination to be sure.

Pink offers a wonderful choice for a wedding gown, especially in today’s age. It doesn’t need a lot of bling to bring it all together, and let’s face it, if it’s good enough for Reese Witherspoon, it’s a nice choice for everyone.

by Valerie Everett via Flickr

Of course without being there it’s hard to determine what the real truth is, but it prompted us to think about other things that could be done with used wedding dresses, whether it’s corporations or individuals that have decided they won’t want or need their wedding dresses anymore. Here are some ideas better than spray painting them:

1. Donate them to a good cause. There are lots of good causes out there; military brides, brides without money, the Salvation Army, an auction for charity, etc. Everyone’s looking for quality items that could help them raise money, and most of the time all it takes is looking in the newspaper to see what’s going on around your own town where someone’s trying to raise funds.

2. Sell it at a consignment shop. Maybe you can get some money from your dress by going to a consignment shop and sharing in the profit from selling it. Consignment shops can be dicey because if an item doesn’t sell you don’t get anything for it, plus the owners of these shops get to set the price. Still, if it sells you could do well.

3. Sell it yourself. You could advertise in the newspaper or on a site like Craigslist and get to keep all the profits. Of course, this will involve your feeling comfortable enough for people to come to your home since it might be unrealistic carting a wedding dress all around town for people to see it.

4. Contact a wedding outlet store to see if they’d be interested. If you have a designer gown that looks pretty good, it’s possible that an outlet store would be interested and offer you a fair price, knowing that the resell value for such a gown would be high once they cleaned it up a bit.

Aren’t these options much better than spray painting?

Leslie DeAngelo, VOWS Bridal Boutique & Bridepower

1. We wish peace and mental comfort for everyone that will be or just got married. Many couples are passionate in the wrong way and thus aren’t as peace with each other. If you need help with this, there’s no shame in seeking independent outside assistance.
2. We wish prosperity and financial comfort for all couples. The biggest arguments between couples across the board is over money, and even couples that have money tend to have disagreements on how money should be spent. Budgeting can help alleviate many of these issues, but make sure you plan for your future as well as your present.
3. We wish family security for all couples. There are things none of us can control, but one thing we can control is how we interact with all of our family members. Let’s hope that you had full support of all family members when you got married, or will get married, and that they will be there to support you through your first year of marriage.
4. We wish for your own family to begin when you want it to begin, and that every child that comes is healthy and happy. Even if children are already a part of the family, their happiness needs to be tended to as much as your happiness, as children are the second biggest argument couples deal with.
5. We wish for faith in your marriage in the coming year. Faith is different than religion in the sense that faith is belief in something in a strong way, regardless of religion or not. We want you to have faith that you’ve done the right thing in marrying the person you’ve married, or will marry, and have faith that it will work out. Statistics might not share this faith, but believing can do a long way towards solving most problems that might come your way.
6. We wish for great conversations between the husband and wife, or bride and groom to be. Couples that can talk with each other fairly are the ones that survive the longest.
7. We wish for great judgment before you’ve gotten married. Before couples get married, both the bride and groom must recognize that they can never change anyone that doesn’t want to change themselves. If you’ve done your internal work correctly you know you’re marrying someone who’s already got all that you want in them.
8. We wish for sobriety and non-addictive personalities for all couples in the new year. When things get tough, sometimes people start to partake of substances and drink that enhances the wrong mood and thus starts a family towards deterioration. Nothing wrong with doing what you normally do on a casual basis but if you notice that stress brings more of it, please seek assistance to show you better ways to a peaceful mind.
9. We wish you great perspective in the new year. Perspective means that you’ll view everything that comes your way in a manner that will be beneficial to both of you instead of one or the other. Sometimes it’s hard to give up selfish things that you’ve always had for the greater good of others, which includes yourself. Don’t totally take your wishes out of the picture, but be ready to modify them if needed.
10. We wish you the greatest success in every endeavor you decide to take on in the new year. That just might be the day you get married and become one, in which case we hope it’s the happiest day in your life. Whatever it is, be happy and healthy, and believe that it will all work well.

via Destination360

1. You can choose to either get married on the ship or one of the ports of call during the trip. Most cruise ships not only have multiple rooms of various sizes for a reception that they will let you use for a minimal addition to the cost of your cruise ticket, but every port that cruise ships go to offers some kind of wedding package that also won’t cost much money. That could mean you can have an exotic wedding ceremony for your closest family and friends, or just for the bride and groom.

2. Ships captains are allowed to perform weddings, and some of them won’t even charge extra.

3. Since the food is free on a cruise anyway, sometimes all you have to pay is a minimal setup fee to have someone put food in a special room. You have a larger menu to choose from when it comes to selecting the food, and on some cruise ships they will even cater to every person’s individual needs almost as if you are at a restaurant instead of a reception hall.

4. If you have a lot of people going along on your cruise vacation, almost every cruise line offers some kind of discount based on the numbers. Some cruise lines are known to reduce the normal rate as low as 65%. Savings like that could make a cruise wedding look very attractive to a lot of people.

5. Your wedding day seems to go on forever and ever. If you selected a week long cruise vacation, you can get married on day two of the trip and it will feel as though your wedding is going on for week because all your friends and family are there with you. That makes it a wonderful experience for all.

The one thing you will need to verify if you decide to get married at one of the ports of call is that the wedding certificate you receive there is considered valid in the state you live in. Most of them are, but it’s always better to be sure just in case.