Sash it up!

Let's face it ladies, even the prettiest wedding gowns sometimes need a little help to make a girl in a great gown look like a bride.  Accessories are crucial to your wedding day look.  And sometimes the most jaw dropping, show stopping accessory of all can be easily overlooked.
On the popular television show Say Yes to the Dress Atlanta, Monte says that "Jacking up" or accessorizing your gown is a very important part of shopping for a wedding gown.  When the accessorize the women on their program, they do their hair, fit them with jewelry and a veil, and often add a belt or sash to the gown.

A belt can take a gown that is pretty and turn it into something extraordinary.  Take this gown by Alvina Valenta.  Alone it is a beautiful mermaid style gown with lace detail along the bodice and hem, and a flare of lace along the sweetheart neckline that adds a touch of playful.  But in the nest photo after they have added a very simple belt with rhinestone accents the gown takes on a different feel for a different style wedding.

This belt is much less dramatic than many that are out there to choose from.  Swap out that simple sash for something more elaborate like those below, and think of how different it would be.

    

This example is from a real bride.  Chelsea Clinton added a gorgeous belt to her Vera Wang wedding gown.  It completely transformed her gown from nice to stunning.

So brides don't forget to accessorize when trying on your wedding gowns.  It could make all the difference between a dress you like and a dress you love.

Links to all of the belts above can be found on our Pinterest page.

Falling in love with...

Each month we write a piece we like to call falling in love with...  It always features a different topic or focus, but the theme is always the same LOVE.  Nutty, head-over-heels, just gotta blurt it out LOVE.

April 2013-  I am in LOVE with pearls.  They seem to be popping up in every aspect of wedding fashion and decor and I couldn't be happier.  Pearls are a traditional wedding gift dating back to ancient times.  They are the world's oldest gems, and have been collected for more than 4,000 years.

Ancient cultures saw the pearl as a symbol of prestige and wealth.  It became known as a symbol of purity which led to its association with weddings.  It is still common for a pearl necklace to be passed down to a bride for her wedding day.

Not only are they symbolic, but pearls carry an unwavering elegance about them that other gems try to live up to.  Pearls, even freshwater with their imperfect shapes and colors, instantly bring class and sophistication to any young woman.

Here are some of the Pearl pleasures we LOVE this month.

Original sources for all of these items can be found on our Pinterest page.