Bridal Guide 021513 Web

Top spring 2013 wedding gown trends nds page

Special Supplement of the

February 15, 2013

2 • Community Advocate • Brides & Bouquets • Friday, February 15, 2013

The top

wedding colors for spring

T

he new wedding color palette has been announced i n t h e Pa nt on e Fashion Color Report Spring 2013, a comprehensive overview of fashion designers’ use of color in their upcoming collections.

The palette’s mix of vibrant brights and soothing neutrals work together to create what the company calls “a harmonious balance.”

Among the brights are the following colors: Poppy red. A deeper, richer red brings a radiant bold burst of color to wedding style, whether for fashion or

decor color palettes, and lets the bride make a statement in spring. Pantone calls this shade “seductive, sensual and celebratory.”

Green. A jewel-toned shade of green has taken over for past seasons’ preferences for soft, pale sage greens. Deeper greens provide a vivid backdrop to other bridal colors, and evoke a sense of spring - yet in an eye-catching way.

Color expert Leatrice Eiseman, spokeswoman for Pantone, said, “The big look for spring weddings will be in the interesting pastels, like the lightly minted greens.”

Greens are especially popular, she added, “Because, just as in nature, green goes with everything!”

Wedding bloggers and journalists are raving about mint shades on the bridal fashion runways, giving you a slightly different shade of blue-green to consider.

Continued on following page

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Community Advocate • Brides & Bouquets • Friday, February 15, 2013 • 3

The palette’s mix of

vibrant brights and soothing neutrals work

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Wedding colors Continued from previous page

Lemon zest. Yellow is one of the leading colors this season, with a stronger, more vibrant shade than last spring’s softer buttercup yellows.

Monaco blue. More of a sapphire blue in a deep shade, blue is being shown on the fashion runways as the new black.

Nectarine. Oranges remain hot this spring, with last season’s “in” color, tangerine tango, softening a bit for a bright orange with more coral undertones.

Among the pastels are the following colors: Dusk blue. A softer shade of blue that some designers refer to as “beach glass,” this soft shade paired with Monaco blue and lighter neutrals, such as ivory or linen shades, creates one of the most popular palettes today. It’s a deeper blush blue, departing from sunnier Caribbean blues, for more romantic appeal.

Tender shoots. This yellow-green shade coordinates with emerald and again pairs with other hot spring colors.

African violet. A softer

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purple, this shade is either mixed with soft neutrals or boldly paired with a bright.

Pantone calls this shade an “exotic statement color.”

Grayed jade. A subtle green with gray undertones, this shade plays a part in green’s position as a top color for spring weddings.

Linen. A light and lovely neutral, linen will play a part in wedding palettes as the shade that allows other shades to pop or blend together more beautifully.

Pantone calls this color “airy” and offers a pairing of this shade with grayed jade or dusk blue as a possibility for a softer color blend.

How the top spring colors are being used These colors are not just being utilized in florals and décor; more brides are considering them for their wedding dress shades. The nontraditional trends are leading brides to perhaps, as an example, a dress in tender shoots as a romantic, feminine alternative to traditional bridal white.

These colors also factor heavily into shades worn by bridesmaids, mothers

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and flower girls. Colors like Monaco blue and dusk blue often factor into the groom’s choice of wardrobe and accessories, such as ties or even trendy pinstripes in a navy suit.

These colors may enter into a bride’s planning for her flowers, with the pop of poppy red, nectarine, lemon zest and other shades in her bouquet creating a stunning and on-trend look. Even the bride’s jewelry may bring the top Pantone shades into play, whether vividly or in pastel form.

Invitations certainly will bring in the top shades of the season, in sensational shades of brights or mixes of the top pastels and neutrals.

Many invitation designers note that vivid is the current top trend in invitations and print items.

There is not a place in weddings where color is not a factor, even if it is that skin tone of linen. The bride is the “artist” of her day, using color to “paint” her personalized vision in so many aspects of her wedding day details, as well as her dream wedding gown.

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4 • Community Advocate • Brides & Bouquets • Friday, February 15, 2013

Trends

TOP WEDDING GOWN

D

u r i ng Br i d a l Fashion Week in Ne w York City, a number of the top bridal gown designers, inc lu d i ng Mo nique L’Huillier, Anne Barge, Ramona Keveza and many other revered trendsetters created runway displays of their top wedding gown looks for spring 2013. The overarching trend is soft, romantic and more demure than sexy. To help you find your dream dress, here are the top five trends for spring wedding gowns:

1. Kate LaceMiddleton, now the

Duchess of Cambridge, is still the reigning influence on wedding gowns, with her iconic lace wedding dress that she wore to her April 2011 wedding to Prince William ushering in a variety of lace uses. Kate opted to cover her arms and shoulders with lace, and the look continues with a variety of lace styles used for sleeves, for the entire length of the skirt, and for coverage of the chest and shoulders alone in sleeveless dress styles.

Bridal gown designers have innovated a look called “nouveau lace,” in which the art

is in the patterns of the lace, from delicate, small patterning to larger, more graphic florals that often cover the bride’s shoulder blades in the back, or festoon the dress itself.

Conservative brides who wish to cover up, or whose houses of worship do not allow bare arms and shoulders, adore the lace-covering look, which ties into the spring 2013 trend of romantic, feminine, and with an “Old World” feel.

2. Color Coloron the bridal gown runways is bold and chic, with the Vera Wang red wedding dresses that received so much

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angles during her wedding day, especially during the ceremony when she is walking down the aisle as well as during her first dance. As a result, the design of the dress’s back has become just as important as the front.

Top styles in designer dresses include backs entirely covered in lace, which is a more subtle and romantic look than the sexier all bare backs of last season’s dresses. To add just a flash of skin, the lace back may incorporate a “keyhole” effect Continued on following page

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attention during fall’s runway shows still a top trend with brides. Blue is the vibrant color of choice this spring, in a range of hues from sapphire to Caribbean blue. Blushcolored pinks and greens are also top choices. Maggie Sottero is one designer showing an eye-catching blush pink dress made even more special with the addition of a rhinestone belt for sparkle and a pink ruffled mermaid skirt.

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Top spring 2013 wedding gown trends with long skirts that can be unfastened at the waist and removed to reveal a chic shorter skirt underneath that allows for more comfortable movement and dancing, yet is still in high-fashion style.

Also in the “second look” category is the addition of a sparkly, rhinestone belt, such as the one Duchess Kate wore

Bridal gown designers have innovated a look called “nouveau lace,” in which the art is in the patterns of the lace.

for her post-ceremony celebration. The bride simply affixes it for an easy and inexpensive second look and thus is in top trend with her new, sparkly accessory. Or the bride can put on a cashmere jacket that coordinates with her dress for a comfortable outfit at an outdoor wedding held in the cooler evening hours. And brides also

may slip into more colorful, sparkling shoes to add a dash of color to even the most traditional, white wedding dress.

For more information on spring 2013 bridal gown trends, visit the top bridal magazine websites to view their image galleries from the October Bridal Fashion Week runway shows.

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Continued from previous page

exposing just a small section of the bride’s back. The cut of the dress back may also create a lace frame effect.

4.IfPeplums you’re not familiar with this term, a peplum is a skirt effect beginning at the waist and extended out over the hips, defining the waist and creating a couture, sculptured effect. The peplum may extend down for a draped effect, and may be a softer fall or a more structured, stand-up effect.

5.With2-in-1 celebrity brides wearing one dazzling designer dress for their ceremonies and another (or two or three) for their receptions, some brides have become interested in having a “second look” for their own receptions. This trend has given rise to a new world of dress designs with removable elements, such as a lace jacket that can be “peeled off ” to create a second, sophisticated look for the celebration. Designers have turned their dresses into “Transformer-like” creations,

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6 • Community Advocate • Brides & Bouquets • Friday, February 15, 2013

Smile Time The importance of shooting engagement photos

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ost couples h i re a we d ding photographer to shoot their wedding, but not every couple hires a profe s s i on a l photographer to shoot engagement photos. If that describes you, you might want to reconsider your decision.

“For couples who care about photography and want to look natural on their wedding day, the engagement session is the best way to get eased into being photographed and to establish a connection with the photographer,” photographer Mike Peyzner of Choco Studio, said. “It’s a chance for

us to get to know the couple and the dynamics between them and capture their special bond and unique characters with more ease.”

Photographer Ben Evans of Photo Images by Ben agreed, and added, “When I photograph a wedding, I tell a complete story, and without engagement photos, a chapter in their story is missing.”

Shooting engagement photos is also an opportunity for you to get to know how your photographer works.

“Getting to work with them before the big day builds confidence and releases a lot of pressure,” Sofia Negron of Sofia Negron Photography,

Shooting engagement photos is an opportunity for you to get to know how your photographer works.

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For couples who care about photography and want to look natural on their wedding day, the engagement session is the best way to get eased into being photographed and to establish a connection with the photographer.

Smile Time Continued from previous page

who finds that couples wonder how they will look in photos, said.

“This way, all those anxieties are swept away, because if your engagement photos look good, then your wedding photos will. It also allows everyone else to relax,” she added.

Getting comfortable Did you ever pose for a photo and feel stiff? That’s because you’re not comfortable in the moment.

“Portraits look much better when we feel at ease,” Peyzner said. “The engagement session helps change the relationship between the engaged couple and the photographer from that of strangers and turns it into a friendly rapport where everyone feels more comfortable to express themselves.”

The e-session, as it’s known in the wedding world, can also be an advantage for the photographer.

“The engagement session is also a way for the photographer to know what to expect,” Negron explained. She noted the photographer can figure out the couple’s best angles, photo preferences and personalities during the engagement shoot.

It’s important to be happy at the end of the e-session.

“If you feel like you have just spent the whole day with your BFF, then the wedding day will be perfect,” Negron said.

Ideal locations You probably know where you want to shoot your wedding photos, but what about your engagement photos?

Evans prefers outdoor settings with natural lighting.

“Great locations for these types of photos are a local park, near a lake, tree, water fountain, monument, historic house or one’s very own backyard,” he said. “The possibilities are endless.”

While nature settings are popular, so are urban shoots, such as those in the middle of the city.

“Urban settings can be really fun to work with because the shoots tend to be more spontaneous and offer more diversity in terms of settings, but the photography will be less emotional and more editorial,” Peyzner said.

You can also shoot your e-session images at various locations.

“The engagement session is also a great way to capture things that are special to you as a couple but that you may not have time for on the wedding day,” Negron said. She said she has often shot at two or three locations that are

meaningful to the bride and groom.

One thing to avoid? Experts recommend not shooting engagement photos in front of a landmark, such as the Golden Gate Bridge.

“The point is to capture the connection you have with each other,” Peyzner said.

When to shoot engagement photos If you decide to shoot engagement photos, do not wait too long.

“Typically, most couples I have photographed schedule their engagement photo session six months before their wedding day, and consideration should always be given to the weather,” Evans said.

When you shoot engagement images earlier, rather than later, you can then also use the photos for weddingrelated items such as “savethe-dates,” on your wedding website, and for engagement notices in your local newspaper.

You can dress and look any way you want for your engagement photos. Some couples like dressing up, while others keep things casual. You can even get professional hairstyling and makeup. Whatever you choose, just be comfortable in front of the camera and have fun!

Community Advocate • Brides & Bouquets • Friday, February 15, 2013 • 7

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8 • Community Advocate • Brides & Bouquets • Friday, February 15, 2013

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“People are going to buy you a gift,” Lee said. “You may as well make sure they buy you something you need.”

Making a list According to a 2011 Brides magazine American Wedding Survey, 93 percent of couples register for wedding and shower gifts, with 82 percent registering with in-store and online retailers.

The same study found the average couple joins about two registries and start registering about seven months before the wedding.

Continued on following page

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Wedding Registries Continued from previous page

“Registering far enough in advance allows family and friends to consult your registry for other milestones in the months leading up to your wedding, including wedding showers, birthdays and holidays,” Vicki Shamion of Kohl’s, which offers a “Wedding Wishes” gift registry, said.

Be sure to register for a variety of gifts, available in a range of price points, experts recommend.

“Give people a lot of choices,” Lee said.

“Have things in every price.

Make it somet h i n g guests a r e comfortable giving you.”

Shamion agreed, adding, “It is important to give guests options on a registry to allow them the opportunity to pick out something special regardless of their budget.”

Where are you registered?

It’s a popular question every bride and groom is asked: Where are you registered?

Family and friends want to get you a gift to celebrate your wedding, but what about etiquette? While you do not want to look like you are begging for gifts, fielding this question is pretty common.

Simply have your bridesmaids or family members spread the word about your registry.

For a bolder approach, some couples even post their registry information on their wedding website or on their social media pages, like Facebook and Twitter.

Amazon.com offers couples registry announcement cards to share the information, as well as the “Thank You List” feature, which allows you to match gifts you receive to their gift giver.

Cash, please!

Many couples want money so they can save for big-ticket items like a house or car, and others want to pay off loans and other debts.

Still, asking for cash can be a tough request. Sites such as MyRegistry.com help soften the request, however, by letting you to set up a “Cash Gift Service.” You can then label the fund in a way that will tell guests how the money will be used, such as “Honeymoon to Paris” or “First Home Fund.”

Community Advocate • Brides & Bouquets • Friday, February 15, 2013 • 9

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For example, with a Kohl’s registry, “from the day couples register until the day of their wedding, 10 percent rewards are earned on eligible gifts purchased from their r e g i s t r y,” Shamion said. “If guests purchase $2,000 in gifts off a registry, the couple automatically receives a certificate for $200 -- and as always, it’s good toward anything in the store.”

Couples also receive a 15 percent discount (for up to three months after the wedding) on items remaining on their Kohl’s registry.

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Returns MyRegistry.com’s Lee said most registry return rates are low -- about 1 percent.

That’s likely, she said, because the bride and groom have preselected the items they want to receive.

“Couples who return items purchased off of their Kohl’s wedding registry will benefit from our hassle-free return policy and can exchange anything they don’t want, anytime, no questions asked,” Shamion said.

Returns through Amazon. com are easy, too. A spokesman noted that couples are sent an Amazon.com gift card for the value of the product to be used on anything they would like. The gift giver will not be notified that the gift was returned.

Whether you register for kitchen towels, a new TV or camping gear, do not forget to send a handwritten thank-you note to all your guests showing your gratitude for their wedding gift.

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10 • Community Advocate • Brides & Bouquets • Friday, February 15, 2013

$imple $avings Easy ways to save - and make - extra money for the big day

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ccording to Brides magazine, the average American wedding costs close to $27,000.

That’s a hefty price tag when you are just starting out as a couple. You will most likely spend less on the down payment for your first home.

Even a small, simple ceremony can cost a few thousand dollars when you add up the dress, the reception hall and the food.

Going into debt for a wedding just does not make sense, so unless you are getting loads of help from Mom and Dad, it’s now time to start saving.

“After the wedding many life changes are right around the corner -- a new house, a mortgage, home improvements, moving, travel and often a new baby. Couples do not want to be saddled with debt for an event that is in the past,” wedding consultant

Emee Pumarega, an event planner and owner of EJP Events, said.

“The first year of marriage can be an adjustment all by itself, so the last thing you need is to stir in financial problems,” Betsy Pruitt, a social and corporate events planner who opted for a cashonly wedding, said.

“My husband and I planned our wedding for $8,000, which is well under half the national average. We cash-flowed the entire wedding by doing consulting work on the side and saving our tax returns that year. If we couldn’t pay for something in cash, it didn’t make it into the wedding ceremony,” Pruitt said.

Luckily, budget-minded brides and grooms can find plenty of small ways to save - and make - extra money in the months leading up to the nuptials. All those small savings can really add up in just

a few months.

Here are some ideas: 1) Entertain at home. Instead of expensive restaurants, new releases at the cinema and drinks at the club, opt to stay in for game nights with friends, BYOB wine tastings and Netflix movie marathons.

Then shift those savings into the wedding fund.

2) Sell your stuff. From clothing and home goods to furniture and sports equipment, the resale market is booming. Couples combining households are in the perfect position to make some extra cash. Do you really need two toasters, two couches and two copies of your favorite movies? Host a yard sale, post to Craigslist, auction it off on eBay or drop it off at your local consignment shop.

3) Make a donation. If tax time is near, consider donating duplicate household items to charity instead. There’s a good

chance that the tax write-off for your charitable donations will put more money in your pocket than parting with your items at a yard sale.

4) If you receive an extralarge tax return this year, review the W-4 on file with your employer and adjust your withholding to put more cash in your paycheck - just be sure you have enough taken from your check to cover the balance due next year.

5) Redeem rewards points.

From banks and credit cards to supermarkets, gas stations and utility companies, loyalty rewards programs are everywhere you look. If you have not signed up at the places you frequent most, now is the time - and if you have signed up, now is the time to cash in.

Redeem your points for gift cards that you can use to help pay for the wedding or cash them in for savings on the items you buy most like gas

and groceries.

6) Cash in on unused gift cards. Whether you spend them on items for the wedding or trade them for cash on sites like PlasticJungle.com, those unused gift cards are like “money in the bank.”

7) Collect your change. A big coin jar on the counter can be a surprisingly simple and effective way to save for the big day. Leave the debit card at home and spend cash instead, but only bills. After each purchase, stash the change.

You will be surprised at how quickly it adds up. When it’s time to cash in, take it to the bank to avoid the fees at selfservice kiosks.

8) Stretch it out. When all else fails, extend the engagement. The longer the engagement the longer you have to save -- and the longer you have to find some great deals to make your savings go further.

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Community Advocate • Brides & Bouquets • Friday, February 15, 2013 • 11

Managing post-reception plans with your VIP guests

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fabulous bar or club to which they’ll lead their VIP guests.

Often, the hotel will allow use of the free shuttle bus to bring the group to the club and back at an appointed hour, which provides a safe ride for all.

- In a separate party space.

The hotel might also have a small party room that the bride and groom can decorate with table linens, candles and dimmed lighting. This style of party is popular with biggerbudget brides and grooms, who arrange for late-night cocktail-party fare; food stations, for instance, could offer sliders, waffle fries and other bar-type food.

It’s an open bar, of course, and some after-parties even have a DJ playing music from the couple’s pre-selected playlist. When you book a hotel’s party room, they do require you to order food and drinks, but the entertainment is up to you. Many couples simply hook up their iPods for their after-party music.

- In a hotel suite. Not the bride and groom’s suite, mind you, which they’ll want to keep private. Rather, consider a tidy friend’s suite. Party guests need to keep it down to prevent bothering other hotel guests, but it’s a comfy locale for a small after-party group to unwind, propose a toast and snack on room service foods or a few delivered pizzas.

- At home. An at-home party allows everyone plenty

veryone’s having too much fun to call it a day after the reception ends, which is why more wedding couples are planning afterparties to keep the celebration going. Smart wedding couples wait several hours after their receptions end and then embark upon their after-party plans. The delay is smart because the vast majority of wedding guests have left, and that helps to thin the herd.

“We made sure to tell our friends to meet in the hotel lobby three hours after the reception ended,” says recent bride Megan Stinson. “That not only prevented other guests from joining us, but it gave us time to go to our hotel room, change into more comfortable outfits, eat something -- since we didn’t get to eat much at the wedding -- have some time alone and then head out for the night.”

Brides and grooms who plan this delayed after-party are then joined by only their closest friends, which keeps expenses down, and they have something in their stomachs to help keep them from getting too tipsy as the celebration continues.

Types of After Parties

- Out on the town. The bride and groom pre-scout a

of space to relax, kick off their shoes and maybe even go for a swim or a hot-tub dip. Selfcatered menus often include easy-serve finger sandwiches and dips.

It might be the bride and groom’s house, the parents’ house or a friend’s house that plays host to this gathering; in fact, friends may host the get-together as their present to the bride and groom. Or, if the bride and groom have taken their friends out on the town, it’s often the parents who host their friends and close family in their home for a relaxed after party.

- Cocktail cruise. Again, on a bigger budget, the bride and groom might take their VIP guests on a midnight cruise around a harbor. These party cruises offer packages that include an open bar for two hours, an hors d’oeuvres

buffet an d a d e s s e r t , and on-board entertainment.

After-Party Planning Tips Some after parties form spontaneously, with guests winding up in the hotel lounge or getting invited during the reception.

That can be a smart strategy for limiting tagalongs as w e l l . If a couple were to send out invitations to the after party, others who didn’t make their VIP guest list might hear about the event and ask to join in. That sets up a

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12 • Community Advocate • Brides & Bouquets • Friday, February 15, 2013

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