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| Intimate Weddings |
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Photo by
The Henry Studio |
| By Christina
Friedrichsen, Author of Intimate Weddings: Planning
a Small Wedding that Fits Your Budget and Style,
www.intimate-weddings.com |
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The
garb: For some couples it's the top priority; for others,
it's just another item on the wedding checklist. Regardless
of your perspective, there are a few things to keep
in mind before you start shopping for duds. |
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| Budget: How much do you want to spend on your
attire? Generally, wedding planners say you should allot
about 11 percent of your budget for attire, but not
everyone follows this estimate. Plenty of brides have
found wedding dresses off the rack at department stores
or online at eBay (www.ebay.com) for less than two hundred
bucks. (See page 35 for more information on saving money
on attire.) |
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| Style:
What type of wedding are you planning? For a formal church
wedding, an elegant full-length satin bridal gown - complete
with sequins and a train and a tuxedo with tails might be
appropriate. However, for a casual candlelit ceremony at a
bed-and-breakfast, a more simple bride's dress and khakis
paired with a white dress shirt might be better. |
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| Self-Expression:
Who says brides
have to wear white? If you're the unconventional type, you
might choose clothing that expresses your free spirit maybe
a red dress, a lush purple velvet gown, or a sundress. Grooms
can be a bit daring, too, perhaps with a pink shirt or a funky
tie. |
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| Time
Frame: If
your wedding attire is important to you, start shopping early.
Give yourself a chance to try on lots of clothes. If you have
to order a wedding dress or tuxedo, you won't be in a time
crunch. |
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Place:
The most obvious
place to shop for a wedding dress is at a local bridal store. A
more adventurous option is to shop online.
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Accessories:
Accessories can be a downright crucial component to your
wedding ensemble. If you are looking for variety or you just
want to save money try shopping online. |
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| Attendants:
Thankfully, couples now have plenty of options these days
when it comes to dressing their attendants. Gone are the days
when it was absolutely necessary for the bridesmaids to wear
identical dresses and matching dyed shoes. Now, the rules
are more flexible. You can have the bridesmaids do the following:
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-
wear identical
dresses
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wear dresses
in the same color and fabric, but let each bridesmaid
choose the style of dress that suits her best
-
wear dresses
in the same color, but in the fabrics and styles they
individually choose
-
wear whatever
they want - they will love you more than they already
do
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