Choosing a Mother of the Bride Dress For 2009

Image : http://www.flickr.com

This year turning Mom into the Mother of the Bride comes with one important prerequisite. Talk to the bride. She'll appreciate you listening to her input for years to come. Don't be afraid of this exercise - there are plenty of color and style options to accommodate not only your look but her preferences as well this year. You might even be pleasantly surprised with what you discover and relieved to have a place to start. But don't start shopping yet. Next consider the key attributes of color, length, style and body, which when combined successfully will ensure you and your dress are a spectacular hit on the bride's big day.

Color

The two aspects of color that you want to reconcile are simply 1) the color theme of the wedding and 2) the colors that looks good on you. En vogue dress colors especially for Mother of the Brides this year (and especially for outdoor weddings) include "apricot, peach, lemon and golden olive hues" reports Hanna of Here Comes the Guide. If the wedding is taking place later in the year, get more vivid with amethyst, mahogany, or rose. If none of these colors will do, then take your queue from the bride, who may elect to step into 2009's trend for lots of bold, saturated colors like green, lavender or blue, but especially blue, with all of its brilliant peacock splendor including deep violet blue, clear bright blue, green blue, cobalt blue, turquoise, and palace blue. If the bride's theme is blue, but blue doesn't work on you, trying choosing from among the many delightful accent colors you will see in a wedding regardless of its color theme, like champagne, cream, bone, taupe, tan, silver, shimmering light gold, or beige

Selecting colors around a wedding's theme is only the first step. Ask also what colors look good on you. If you are unsure, it's best to keep two or three neutral colors in mind while you decide what looks best against your natural coloring. As you shop, hold clothing items of differing colors up to your face and judge for yourself. You can even go so far as to invest in a professional style guide, like the ones available at istylista. When you look back on wedding photos years from now, you will not regret the investment!

In all cases, stay away from white, ivory, and black. And interestingly, even though blue is "in" this year, one of its shades definitely is not - navy. Don't be caught wearing it! Just remember to pick a color that coordinates well with the wedding theme or its bridal attendants - you don't have to match exactly! - and one which looks great on you at the same time.

Length

The Mother of the Bride's dress length should be similar to the bridesmaids' dresses, within Mom's comfort zone. Tea length (a gown hemmed to end at the shin) becomes an acceptable compromise when bridesmaids' dresses measure LA knee length or shorter.

Style

Continuing the trend from last year, stores are stocking Mother of the Bride dresses in youthful styles. No more stodgy lines and drab tones. This is Mom's year for satisfying a little chicly red carpet fantasy of her own! Take your queue from designing leaders like Karen Miller, Scala, Ursula and Cachet. Also look to bride styles for inspiration, who will be more angelic this year in soft fabrics like chiffons and drapings. But don't go overboard. You'll be safe in simple, graceful lines with little frill and appropriate accessories which compliment, rather than compete with, the bride's wedding dress. A perennial favorite for Mom, especially petite moms, is the two piece skirt suit. These separates are popular because each piece can be ordered in different sizes for a more tailored fit.

Your Body

Be comfortable in your own skin, and in your dress. This means understanding your body shape, your natural colors, owning your age, and putting a dash of your personality into your ensemble. iStylista has an excellent blog article on this topic which you don't want to miss.

The author is F Kapri of Venus Shoe, a unique online store specializing in sexy and exotic designer shoes and boots, and Fifi's Lingerie [http://www.fifislingerie.com], a sexy leather lingerie store for sexy men and women.

Choosing the Right Bridal Party

Image : http://www.flickr.com

Before the big day, the wedding, there are usually parties held in celebration of the bride. First, determine what type of party (or parties) you'd like to have and then, if necessary, plan a theme. Be sure to keep in mind that the bride and/or her bridesmaids may have financial or time constraints. Nothing is more stressful than worrying about whether or not you can afford all the festivities, or if your schedule can allow them.

Ideally, you should choose one or two and the planners should discuss them with the other parties involved. Whatever decisions are made, ensure that everyone feels comfortable with the arrangements and that nobody feels a sense of obligation to reciprocate. That is, if the bridesmaids hold a luncheon, the bride should not feel duty-bound to also hold a luncheon if her wedding budget won't allow it. Remember that this is a happy time, a celebratory time, and additional strain must be avoided.

Once you've decided a budget and taken dates and times into consideration, there are several parties to choose from:

Luncheon given by the bridesmaids to honor the bride

This party is usually brunch or a luncheon. The best day for it, is the day of shopping for bridesmaids dresses, though any day that suits everyone's schedule will work as well. No gifts are given but all the bridesmaids make toasts to wish the bride happiness in her new life. The mothers of the bride and groom are invited to this event, in which case, they will also make toasts to the bride.

Luncheon given by the bride to honor the bridesmaids

This is usually given the day of the final fitting, a few days before the wedding. While this may be breakfast, lunch or dinner, the latter may be the best choice so that nobody is worried of feeling overfull while being fitted. It is traditional for the bride to give each of her bridesmaids a small gift - a bracelet or earrings to wear on the wedding day - but if this isn't cost effective, then small handmade gifts are appropriate.

Luncheon given by the mother-in-law

This one is hosted by the groom's mother, in her home, and while the bride and her mother are both invited, the hostess has the option of inviting either the bridesmaids or matrons (grandmothers, great-grandmothers) of both families. Gifts are not given at this party.

The bridal shower

This is the party given to help a new bride establish her home. For younger women who may still be living with their parents, or who haven't been on their own very long, the gifts are usually geared toward setting up her household. Examples are kitchen utensils, linens, towels, etc. For older women, who perhaps don't need the same types of gifts, themed parties work best. For example, try holding a "Recipe Party" where each guest donates a favorite recipe and the ingredients necessary to make the dish. Or make it a "Pampered Princess Party" where all the gifts are "indulgent." Chocolates, bubble bath, and candles are good gifts, as are gift certificates for a massage or a manicure.

The bachelorette party

The maid of honor is responsible for organizing this party. Generally, this is a non-gift party, but has increasingly become a somewhat "raunchy" event in that the bride receives gifts of lingerie and other such "intimate" gifts and toys. It is usually held in a bar or series of bars or, if in someone's home, exotic dancers are hired. While this type of party seems to be quite popular, many brides would prefer not to have one. Although some will go along with it for the sake of their friends, most such women, deeply in love enough to marry their beloved, don't want or need "one last wild night." The bridesmaids who arrange these parties are likely to enjoy them far more than the bride, who is supposed to be the one being honored. Before planning such an event, make sure it's what the bride wants. If she says no to it, respect her decision and plan a luncheon instead.

The pajama party

These are gaining popularity with younger women, especially when conforming to traditional protocols seems too stuffy for the times, or they just don't suit the bride's personality. This party is given by either the bride or the maid of honor. It begins with "chick flicks" that have a love or wedding theme. Pajamas are worn and standard pajama party fare is served, i.e., potato chips, popcorn, and pizza; though wine or coolers usually replace the soda pop of childhood parties. Come prepared with curling irons, nail polish, makeup, CDs of good dance music, and fashion magazines. If the bride hosts the party, the maid of honor should stay behind to help with clean-up in the morning. Gifts aren't usually given, but if they will be at this party, the presents should be small, simple items, such as makeup or nail polish.

Any or all of these parties are open to modifications. For example, more and more couples are having shared parties: the bachelor/bachelorette party includes the bride and groom, and all their friends; and the bridal shower is now the "bride and groom shower." At this party, men and women attend, and the gifts are not only items for the house, but the garage and garden too.

Keep budgets, schedules, and the bride's personality (and groom's if applicable) in mind when planning any event, and feel free to be creative. Remember, this is a time of celebration and that above all, the bride should feel as stress-free as possible. If necessary, and if your budget allows it, hire caterers; or, if the best thing would be to forego all the pre-parties, then let go of the guilt and instead, prepare to have a great time at the wedding. After all, that's the one "party" the bride is most excited about anyway.

This article has been submitted in affiliation with http://www.Prye.Com/ which is a site for Wedding Invitations. Kim-Marie is a book editor and writer; stop by and visit her portfolio at: Kim-Marie on Writing.Com.