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How to shop for a wedding dress (Part 2)

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Read Part 1 first

This article brought to you by Aleana’s Bridal shop, Paramus, NJ

*Bring some friends along with you… but a small group of 2-3 people to avoid an overwhelming number of differing opinions.  Plus, some bridal stores may not even have the room capacity to fit your whole posse…so keep it small to keep it comfortable for everybody.  Your bridesmaids would be best for some moral support.  If not, just bring your favorite female family member…mom, grandma, godmother, aunt, etc.  It’s important to pick a person, or people, whose advice you appreciate and style you admire most.  You want somebody who truly supports, knows, and loves you, so their honest opinion of what you look best in is what you will trust most.

– TIP! : Make first time ventures to the bridal stores fun & free from expectations by bring a really great girlfriend with you.  If you take the pressure off, you can enjoy it as an adventure as you begin to see what is out there.  The “real” visits should be saved with your mom or whoever you plan to involve in the final decision making process.  Do the groundwork, narrow down your preferences, and then proceed with a more defined idea of what you’re looking for…with giving yourself plenty of time to explore.

*Bring your flexibility along…your highest form of open-mindedness!  Listen to your loved ones’ advice and be open to the possibilities that the store offers you.  Most people who work in bridal shops are experts on their stock and what styles suit which body types, so stay open to what they have to offer you!

 

You may a have a certain style in mind…like a sultry fish tail gown, but maybe that silk & simple princess cut dress that the sales assistant suggests looks ten times better on you.  Maybe you’re trying to find a dress to “conceal” certain parts of your body, but you find a gown that celebrates your curves instead of downplaying them.  The best looking gown will be one that accentuates your best assets.

Continue with Part 3 and Part 4

 

How to shop for a wedding dress (Part 3)

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This article brought to you by Aleana’s Bridal shop, Bergen County NJ

Read Part 1 and Part 2 first

You should be clear from the start about what you know for sure you do not want.  But the whole point of the matter is to not be afraid to try on styles you might not have previously considered to be one of your options.

You may just surprise yourself about what you like and what your taste is…so if something catches your eye, or somebody surrounding you strongly suggests something, just try it on.  It can’t hurt…and it can help a whole lot!  And some of the most amazing dresses can even look awful on the hanger, but once you try it on your actual body…it can be a whole new story.

Make sure you really get what you want, but you have to try on different styles to get to this point so that by the time you try on “The One,” you will truly know for sure.

 

*Don’t deny your dignity….ever.  If you ever feel uncomfortable or like your feelings are being ignored, then you owe it to yourself to say no and leave the appointment.  Don’t ever let others’ stressful statements or energy affect you and escalate to an intensely stressful level.  To avoid stress, listen to the advice of the shop assistant and use their expertise and knowledge to the extent you wish to use it, and never take it further than what you feel comfortable with.

Be clear and honest about who you are, and what you want and what you don’t want.

 

*Look back and keep track….let your camera (or camera phone) tag along into the dressing room with you.  Having pictures of different dresses can help you remember all of what you tried on….and you could post some of your faves on your vision bridal board I referred to in the previous article.  It will enable you to keep record on your bridal soul search journey towards your perfect gown.

(Do make sure with the shop that you are allowed to do this beforehand, as some stores may simply refuse to let you and restrict this in their policy for further reasons).

 

*Another “techie tip”: Utilize technology by incorporating video calling apps on your phone or iPad, such as FaceTime or Skype, into your dress shopping experience…especially to send and show to family members or friends who are not present at the time so you can receive instant feedback from them.

Read Part 4 next

 

How to choose your wedding menu (Part 4)

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This article brought to you by Aleana’s Bridal.

Read Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 first

Menu Muse

Try to reflect the mood of your day in your choice of food to give a sense of continuity.  Delicate foods such as olives, cheeses, & tarts would suit a sophisticated wedding well, whereas comfort foods and doughnuts would fit more appropriately for a more casual, relaxed wedding.

Your food, or some of your food at least, should co-exist with your theme of the wedding.  Mermaid summer theme?  Seashell shaped cookies on the dessert table.  Disney princess wedding? Pick something creative to do with apples (Snow White)…just nothing poisonous!

Is your Wedding on Valentines Day?  Heart shaped cut out cupcakes.  You get the picture…. Check out Pinterest’s platform to serve as your Menu Muse.

Magazines, cookbooks, and even restaurant menus can provide additional ideas.  Write it all down or tear out pages to save for future reference.  If you choose a caterer, they will also offer suggestions and their professional opinion of what flavors compliment each other and what will subtly go well together for your overall food choices.

 

between courses…especially if your wedding is in the summer months because this will help really cool people off…and believe me, the dancers will appreciate!

 

You could also have your choice of mini sweets or candies to be passed out at the last minutes of the night before it comes to a close.

 

End the night on a sweet note to really enchant your audience of guests.

 Sense the Taste

Smooth & Scrumptious….Taste is one of five (or six, for the more intuitively gifted!) of our very strong senses of which we use to relate to the world and to others.  We all bond over food, as food is a common thread that has the power to connect, as well as heal us.

 

Let whatever inspires you, guide you.  Work closely with a chef to compose a menu that will be realistic and memorably exceptional to creating your wedding day dream menu.  The goal is to diversify the menu to provide your guests with a wide array of choices.   You want them to leave comfortably satisfied and…ful filled.

Reflect yourselves in the food by picking your favorite flavors from your culture or favorite country to be incorporated so that your wedding guests will think of you and remember these tastes you created in one of their distinctive senses long after your wedding.

 

How to choose your wedding menu (Part 1)

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By Jaclyn Ianetti

How do you choose the right meal menu for your guests to enjoy at your wedding?  Some of your guests may not be picky at all, while others may be vegetarians; your cousin is a vegan, your friend a diabetic, and so on.  It would be completely overwhelming trying to please everybody 100%, but you can get creative and choose a sensible menu made for all to avoid any complaints amongst guests.

 

This table guide from HubPages can prove to be very helpful, as it’s an excellent starting point for brainstorming possible considerations:

 

“Considerations for Planning a Wedding Reception”

  1. Buffet or sit-down dinner
  2. Finger foods or hearty fare
  3. Catered or cooked by relatives or friends
  4. Indoors or outdoors
  5. Any appropriate themes for cuisine, i.e. Polynesian, Southern BBQ, Coastal seafood, etc.
  6. Dietary restrictions (OR ANY FOOD ALLERGIES OF GUESTS)
  7. Mobility of your guests (elderly people may have a harder time at a buffet)
  8. Cultural traditions
  9. Cost
  10. Number of guests
  11. Time of day
  12. Decor (flowers, candles, ice sculptures, or whatever you fancy)
  13. Logistics of serving and/or buffet lines
  14. Beverage options
  15. Wedding cake and/or other dessert

(Found on: http://hubpages.com/hub/Wedding-Food)

 

A Memorable Mix-up

Between you and your beloved groom, you’ll want to incorporate your favorite dishes that hold a special significance, yet ones that also cater to the diverse appetites of your treasured guests.

Select comfort foods from your own “streams of consciousness” that take you on a stroll down memory lane: tastes that remind you of your most cherished, past dining experiences together.  Think of your favorite vacation spot restaurant, your favorite all-time restaurant in general, or a home-cooked meal that you two make together or one that symbolizes your grandmother’s traditional touches, etc.  Use these as a sentimental nod to some of your top-of-the-list foods.

Personal touches such as keeping these things in mind may go unnoticed by your guests, but at least you two will know where the inspiration came from…and their taste buds alone will celebrate along with you, since this is an opportunity to share something intimate with all of your guests.  Combine your culinary heritage, such as having an Indian-Irish buffet, or a full blown Italian wedding.

Read Part 2,  Part 3, and Part 4

 

Bridal shoe statement

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This article brought to you by Aleana’s Bridal store, Bergen County, NJ.

Ever since Carrie Bradshaw slipped on her blue Manolo Blahnik pumps in the first Sex and the City movie, the wedding shoe craze erupted and hasn’t died down. Women have been spending almost as much on their wedding shoes as they’ve spent on their dress! Designers such as Christian Louboutin, Jimmy Choo, and Manolo Blahnik are all paving the way for the wedding shoe extravaganza. No longer are brides settling for simple nude or white heels. Instead, many are choosing to add pops of color either matching their bridal party or satisfying the “something blue” tradition. In addition to colors, floral, geometric patterns, stones and feathers are all being used. As brides typically wear long gowns, the shoes are rarely shown. However, having a statement pair allows you to express your personality.

The great thing about investing in an expensive pair of statement shoes is that, unlike your gown, you can wear them over and over again. Use this as an excuse to treat yourself to those designer shoes you always dreamed of owning or even create your own. Custom made shoes have been just as demanded these days as designer pieces. This is the time for you to let your imagination run wild and create something that is uniquely you for your special day. Adding the wedding date and [future] husband’s name to the sole of the shoes has been trending lately for the silly, yet creative purpose of honoring your “sole-mate.” Brides have also been customizing the color of the bottom sole to match their wedding colors. The options are endless and creativity is definitely being promoted in weddings now days.

If heels are not your style, many brides have been seen sporting creative, custom made sneakers. This is your time to have fun. There are no rules saying you have to wear traditional bridal shoes. Have fun and go crazy!

Aleana’s Bridal, Paramus, NJ

How to Sabotage your Marriage… …Before it Begins (Part 2)

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Read Part 1 first

 Arguing can stem from many roots to your own habitual patterns…one being having to be perpetually right all the time and coming out as the final winner.  If you want to be right just to be right, you’re going to create problems and pain in your marriage so pick and choose your battles wisely, or you’ll find yourself permanently on the battlefield.  And if something is really bothering you, ask yourself how important it really is.  Are there rational reasons why it’s so crucial?

If you know you must hash out an issue, bring it up as soon as possible to avoid built-up resentment.  And learn how to fight fairly.  Arguing to solve an issue isn’t necessarily the bad habit, as differences are bound to surface at any given moment, but the way you settle those differences can be destructive.  If you wonder why you’re unsuccessful in solving your problems, it could be because you’re not going about it with good intentions.  If and when you have a disagreement, once again, don’t try to be right…focus instead on trying to solve the problem and consider your partner’s point of view.  Don’t ever use power struggle tactics like guilt, threats, and emotional blackmail.  Get it through it together as peaceful warriors…calm, yet assertive.

Are you criticizing and nagging endlessly?  You might think you’re offering gentle reminders or simply being justifiably critical as you fault-find your way to your ideal of perfection, but the more you nag, the more he’ll tune you out.  And that just makes you angrier.  On the opposing side of the spectrum, by allowing oneself to be subject to constant criticism from a spouse, your well-being and confidence will suffer.  Once again, stop sweating the small stuff and losing sight of what’s truly important…in life…and in love.

Continue reading …. Part 3

 

How to Sabotage your Marriage… …Before it Begins (Part 1)

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By Jaclyn Ianetti

Once upon a time…and that was all.  Most people usually don’t get married planning to divorce soon after, but much research suggests so much of what people do before they wed sadly leads them to the destructive place of divorce.

 

How to avoid a miserable marriage before it begins?  Gee, what an uplifting topic huh?!  But it sure is realistic, and can happen to you if you don’t think things through and integrate the right attitude adjustments and mental/emotional shifts into your days leading up to your BIG one.

 

The timeframe before the wedding can be a crucial turning point, as the whole wedding planning process can be rather stressful.  Part of the reason might be that, as a culture, women are often more captivated and infatuated with the wedding than the actual marriage!  So this means an excess amount of energy, time, and resources get poured into a wedding, ensuring the best possible outcome for a Wedding Day.  Get with the program ladies…a magical day is something we all dream of…but let’s not overdo anything or overcompensate for something we’re not receiving in the relationship itself perhaps?  A magical relationship over an over-the-top wedding is much more preferable and soulful.

 

Instead of revving up your bank account and drowning resources out just to make funds for your elaborate wedding expenses, really think about what is most important and what you can do without.  You don’t want money problems resulting from an extravagant wedding to be the reason you‘re relationship is failing…and the resulting woes that come from it all can make a marriage miserable (especially if you’re one of those couples that places such value on finances and/or known to rack up credit card expenses!).   This can probably be the most disgraceful way to end a relationship based on these causes.  Know who you are, who you are marrying, and find a balance in between to avoid debt…and more importantly, disappointments.

Sweating the small stuff?  So he forgot to fix the broken faucet while you were at your bridal gown consultation….Big deal?!   It doesn’t mean anything more than what it does at face value…he forgot.  Cut him some slack.  Step back from your stressed out, overwhelmed state and think of the important things in life…love being # 1.  Do you really want to pick a fight over something so trivial…and not to mention, so mundane?

Continue reading …… Part 2 and Part 3

Aleana’s Bridal, Paramus, NJ

How to plan your wedding day hair (Part 2)

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This Article brought to you by Aleana’s Bridal store Bergen County NJ.

Read Part 1 first

Just like at your bridal gown appointments, you don’t want to bring a large group with you. Although opinions are great and rules at the hair salon are less strict, space is usually limited and you don’t need anyone’s negative opinions killing your mood. You can easily send pictures of yourself to all of your friends for their feedback. Your Maids Of Honor is enough, but if you need another opinion, bring your mama along. The most important, bring a picture of you in your wedding dress. Believe it or not, the style of your bridal gown plays a vital role in the way your hair should look the wedding day. Is your bridal dress backless or strapless, how high is the neckline, is it a ballgown or trumpet? All of those details will dictate your hair style.  Also, if you plan to put anything into your hair (veil, comb, tiara, headband, etc.) bring that along as well. This is very important as it has the potential to change the style completely.

Lastly, don’t forget to bring your voice and speak up! Some hair stylists get a little carried away and may go off in their own direction and change your style completely. If you don’t like it, don’t be afraid to say so. The last thing you want is to be miserable during your wedding day because your hair didn’t come out the way you wanted it to. You will have to look at these photos for the rest of your life. Don’t let your timid attitude be the reason you cringe every time you pass your wedding photo. Never forget that this is all about you and what you want. If you are not happy just book another appointment or change a stylist.

How to plan your wedding day hair (Part 1)

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This article brought to you by Aleana’s Bridal store in Paramus, Northern New Jersey.

You’ve finally found your bridal gown. What a relief! Now it is time to complete a few more steps so that you can have an idea of what you will look like on your special day. A hair and makeup trial is strongly recommended. The last thing you want is to end up with a super hard, messy 90’s prom looking hair-do the day of your wedding. Unless you have a hair dresser you usually go to, scope out the salons in your area. Ask to see a portfolio of makeup and hair they’ve done in the past. This will help you decide where to have your trial.

Once you select a salon, schedule your trial. This should not be any longer than three months before the wedding. Too much time between your trial and your wedding might result in your changing your mind which would defeat the purpose of the trial. After your trial, you want to leave with the style you love to have for the big day. This is your day. By now you’ve probably browsed hundreds of magazines, websites, blogs and pictures for wedding inspiration. Hopefully you’ve been able to figure out what type of hair style you plan to go for. If you have an image, or even if it isn’t exactly what you want, bring the picture along so that your stylist can get the idea.

On the day of your trial, make sure that you have enough time to enjoy the experience; your actual hairdo could take hours. Some salons also offer make up trials at the same time. If you choose a salon that offers this, and you will be getting your make up done, perfect! If not, be sure to put on makeup and look your best. It is strongly recommended to plan a night out after your trial. Your wedding is going to be full of dancing, running around and will be quite long. The last thing you want is to end up with a hair style that taps out after the ceremony. Plan a night out with the girls and let loose. See if your hair can keep up.

 

Read Part 2 next

 

Wedding “Wow“ Him (Part 1)

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By Jaclyn Ianetti

How to “wow” your man on your wedding day.

 

Apart from being the most beautiful he has ever possibly seen you before, there are actions you can do to WOW him.  And you want to WOW him, because you want this day to be just as memorable for him as it will be for you.

So if you’re wondering how you can sweeten the day of your wedding the way he sweetens yours everyday, keep on reading…

 Captive Changes

Nothing says “WOW” more than a surprise. When people are caught off guard with something they weren‘t expecting, and it’s something on a more positive note that rise above normal assumptions, that’s what really sends those “wow” signals shocking through their systems.

 Create a Captive Audience.   The most important member of the audience?  Him.  So, you will want to focus on him, and to intrigue him by sending his emotional system into a shockwave rush of spiked endorphins.

Remember, men are more so into actions than words and are very visual creatures.

Here are a few tips to try:

 *EXPLORE A DIFFERENT SIDE TO YOU. 

Instead of sticking to the same hairstyle you wear everyday, do something different on your wedding day.

 Change is good.   And a good change is even better. 

It doesn’t necessarily mean go drastic or dramatic (unless that’s what you want).  Just a simple change in your looks will do the trick.  This rule applies for hair, makeup, accessories etc.  Play around with your personality and incorporate styles into your wedding day look that you may have always wanted to wear or a look that you always wanted to try, but just simply couldn’t or wouldn’t work for a typical day.

Read Part 2 and Part 3

This article brought to you by Aleana’s Bridal Shop, Bergen County NJ.