It’s the moment of truth. In the days leading up to your wedding, all of the dieting and exercising you’ve done to prepare for your big day can’t really help you anymore. Here are some last-minute tips for looking thinner on your wedding day:

~ Have the dress fitted. You should go for your final fitting in the week or two before your wedding. Make sure it fits your body like a dream. A well-fitting dress will instantly make you look thinner.

~ Stand up straight. Good posture will make you seem thinner, even if you never lost those last five pounds. It’s an instant way to lose that belly!

~ Choose the right bra. When your ladies are lifted, you’ll instantly look thinner. You put a lot of money into your dress; your undergarments are just as important.

~ Go tanning. When you have that perfectly tanned look, you’ll instantly lose a few pounds visually. If you can’t get a little sun naturally, consider a fake tan. Spray tanning is a health-friendly option. Just make sure you test out the procedure a month or two before your wedding day so you don’t choose a product that leaves you orange!

~ Pick a great hairstyle. Lastly, you’ll look thinner on  your wedding day if you have a hairstyle that emphasizes the length of your face and neck, rather than making your cheeks look chubby. Side parts, highlights, subtle layers, large curls, soft bangs, and high updos can all help you look slimmer.

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After your wedding, you might want to preserve your wedding dress. You could also choose to sell the gown to make make some of the money you’ve spent. In either case, you could have a problem if the gown is stained. Of course, food and wine are common causes of wedding dress stains, but you also need to beware of the following two ways your dress could be stained. Most brides don’t realize they have to be careful until it’s too late.

Make-Up: If you put on your make-up before you put on the gown, you could get make-up on the collar as you slip it over your head. On the other hand, if you put on your make-up after you put on the dress, powers could spill on your dress and dropping a brush could be a huge problem. Also, someone is helping you get ready, they could have makeup residue on their fingers from applying their own makeup, so spots could get on your dress as they button or zip your dress.

Flowers: The color from your bouquet could easily rub off on your dress if you aren’t careful. In fact, many dyes are actually made using plant products. If one of your bridesmaids rubs against you accidentally, this could leave a mark, and petals sprinkled on the ground could leave marks as your dress trails over them. Flowers are most likely to leave marks if they are wet.

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Although white wedding gowns are the norm these days, it wasn’t always the case. In the 1840’s Queen Victoria got married in a white dress and a photo was taken that was widely publicized. This created a kind of fad that all the other brides wanted to follow, and today, white wedding dresses are considered the main tradition.

Before the tradition turned to white, all colors were used for bridal gowns, but blue was especially considered to stand for purity and faithfulness. It was even believed that wearing a blue wedding dress would make your husband faithful.  That might even be where the term “true blue” came to be.

If you want to use a blue wedding gown for your wedding, we have found some beautiful ones from East Bridal. These range from ice blue and light blue all the way to a more royal color. If you don’t want to go all blue, try having just some blue highlights to your dress.

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Today in the Western world, the most traditional color for a gown is white, or a variation of white. However, in China and India, red is considered a great wedding color to sybolize good luck.  Apparently, prior to the 19th century, dresses of any color were accepted as a great bridal color.  Blue was considered the symbol for purity, and many thought it would ensure a faithful husband. In 1840, Queen Victoria got married in a white lace dress that was very widely published. This is what started the tradition for so many brides to emulate the Queen and wear white. Now white is considered the symbol of wedding purity.

Finland, was a completely different story, however. The traditional color for wedding dresses there is actually black. Historically, in the 19th century the Finnish chose darker wedding dres colors, including black.

Nowadays, many brides are leaving tradition and wearing dresses that they just look great in, andt hese dresses from Eastern Bridal are sure bets for that.

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Making a habit of working out is a healthy lifestyle choice. Brides preparing for their wedding day, can especially benefit from a good fitness regime. Not only is this a great way to live, but it also will ensure that your gown fits perfectly. There are a number of great fitness activities, and products on the market.

Few of them work as effectively as the Reebok Easy Tone sneaker. This shoe works the body out, no matter what fitness routine you’re doing. Even if you are simply walking, this shoe provides a routine of its own. Women all over the country are raving about the results they are seeing from wearing the Reebok Easy Tone shoe.

This sneaker is designed with balance pods. The inclusion of this feature in the Reebok Easy Tone shoe creates a natural instability benefit for the body. It simulates the feel of walking along a sandy beach, providing resistance. The feature itself encourages your body to tone in ways other shoes do not.

Wearers soon notice their muscles, particularly their glutes, begin to tone. There are two other areas targeted by this shoe. The calves and hamstrings get a productive workout as well. Brides who use Reebok Easy Tone sneakers can actively work toward their big day.

Wearing these shoes, even leisurely, can sculpt and tone the body. Every bride will be happy with the results they present. There will be absolutely no worries about fitting into your wedding gown, or with looking fabulous.

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When planning the wardrobe for your wedding, the flower girl dress might be the last thing on your mind. This dress, however, is important, especially for the girl’s parents. Here are three tips you should keep in mind when choosing a flower girl dress:

1. Be willing to pay for some or all of the dress. Dresses can be hundreds of dollars, depending on the style you choose. While it is traditional for the parents to purchase the dress, keep in mind that their budget might not allow for extravagant tastes. If your flower girl’s parents have a modest bank account, you might want to buy the dress yourself.

2. Make sure the girl is comfortable. This isn’t just a matter of the dress being the right size. Some girls are extremely uncomfortable with their bodies, especially if your flower girl is on the older side. Make sure the dress makes her look like a princess so that she’s not nervous walking out in front of people. You may want to take her shopping with you so that she has a say in the final dress you choose.

3. Consider a simple dress that can be reused. Children grow quickly, but if you choose a simple white sundress, your flower girl might be able to also wear the dress to church or at a future holiday. Her parents will be thankful that the dress can serve more than one purpose!

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You wedding gown is one of the most important parts of the big day. Along with your cake, it is the one feature that guests are typically curious to see. Of course, you can make more of a statement with a bigger dress budget, but exactly how much you can spend depends on who will be paying for the gown. So who should foot the bill?

Traditionally, the bride’s family pays for the dress, as well as the accessories that go with it, such as the jewelry and veil. However, it’s poor etiquette to just expect your parents (and/or grandparents) to pay for the gown you want.

The most polite way to approach the money issue when it comes to choosing a gown is to ask your parents how much they’re willing to put toward your entire wedding, or whether or not they’d be willing to pay for certain parts. If they are going to pay for the dress, ask for a budget before you start shopping, and if you want a dress that is more expensive, be prepared to put the rest of the money toward the dress yourself.

Remember, your mom may have not been wedding dress shopping since she was married, unless you have siblings who also recently got married. She may be totally unaware of the cost of dresses today, so do some dress browsing online together to get her used to the price of dresses that you both like. Respect her budget, and consider some money-saving options, such as buying a used dress, shopping at a dress sale, or having a simple dress made.

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It’s you’re big day, but that doesn’t mean you have to be Bridezilla. Although some smaller bridal salons allow you to simply walk in and try on dresses, many prefer that you make an appointment and work with one of their consultants to find the right dress. Treat this person and the shop with respect, even if you start to get frustrated with not finding the perfect gown. Here are three etiquette tips you should always keep in mind:

~ Be respectful of time. Show up about ten minutes before your appointment, and realize that most salons don’t set aside the entire day just for you to try on dresses. You’re not going to get to try on every dress in the shop. You’ll likely be given a time slot of one to two hours before another bride will be scheduled, so use that time wisely.

~ Bring no more than three people. There’s no reason to bring your entire wedding party when you try on dresses. I recommend that you bring fewer than four people, and definitely no more than five. Not only can it be difficult to accommodate so many bystanders, but too many opinions can make it impossible to find a dress that you love, which is frustrating to your consultant.

~ Do a little research first. Before you head into your appointment, do a little research online or in bridal catalogs to at least know what is out there and what you do and do not like. When you walk into a salon and have no idea what you want in terms of length, silhouette, neckline, etc., you’re basically wasting time. You don’t have to be set in stone with the style you want, but it at least helps to know what you don’t want. That way, it is much easier for your consultant to pull dresses that you actually might buy.

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Short wedding dresses work well for brides who want a less traditional wedding, but less traditional doesn’t necessarily have to make “casual.” Some brides avoid even trying on shorter wedding gowns, since they think that this style won’t look formal. You certainly don’t want any of your guests to show you up, so here are some ways you can make a short dress look more formal:

~ Dazzle with your jewelry. Many short dresses are rather simple, which opens the door for you to wear really special jewelry. Purchase pieces that really make a statement or raid your mother’s jewelry box for vintage pieces that really shine. If you don’t have the budget for lots of jewelry, consider renting some for the day. For less than $100, you can get a necklace, earrings, and a bracelet that are worth thousands of dollars.

~ Wear formal shoes. If you wear white flip flops, you’ll be ready for a beach wedding, but if you want to make a short dress look less casual, this is probably not the best choice of shoe. Try higher books, peep-toes with ankle straps, or sandals covered in embellishments.

~ Keep things formal with your hairstyle. Some hairstyles simply look more formal than others. If you wear your hair in an elaborate updo complete with a beautiful tiara, flowers in your hair, or a spectacular veil.

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The color you choose for your fingernails on your wedding day should compliment the rest of your ensemble. Finding a color that matches your gown or bridesmaid dresses is important. Some brides prefer to choose nail polish based upon the flowers in their bouquet.

Today, brides have a wide variety of polish colors to choose from. There are many that are vibrant and gorgeously designed. Typically the color used on the bride’s hands, will be repeated on her toes. Color choice is not the only important consideration when deciding on nail polish. The type of polish matters as well.

All brands are not created equally. Some of them scratch and peel quite easily. This is why many women use OPI Matte Nail Lacquer. The best benefit of this brand is its use of matte. Matte is the component that actually causes the dried polish to exhibit a glossy finish. Dull nails are hard to impress anyone. But vibrant glossy nails, will capture your attention.

Many manicurists use that brand for for their businesses. This is done because this polish tends to make manicures last a long time. Customers especially love the appearance this product provides for their nails, and brides will too.

There are a few important things to avoid when trying to make the look last. Hand lotions and nail oils can take away from the glossy appearance the polish. You should also avoid base or top coats, which are not necessary when this product is applied to the nails.

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