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Bride’s wish list (part 1)

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 By Jaclyn Ianetti

 

“Honor, riches, marriage-blessing
Long continuance, and increasing,
Hourly joys be still upon you!”
– William Shakespeare

 

You found the man of your dreams…the dress of your dreams…had the wedding of your dreams.  Now what about the future of your dreams?

Before you start dreaming up future plans, first give out gratitude to the universe for bringing you the things that bring you love & happiness, right here in the “here and now.”  There is a measurable benefit to counting your blessings and looking on the bright side.  Doing this will be sure to bring you more of your wishes, hopes and dreams to be realized soon in the future! Studies have been done to prove that people are genuinely happier when showing gratitude.  So remember that a happy energy and positive outlook attracts positive outcomes!

Wedding day planning has brought you much stress, I’m sure, but give thanks for how wonderful it all turned out to be.  “Thank you power” can actually undo the effects of stress that has took its’ toll on you.  And aren’t you thankful for all the beauty the wedding day and the days that led up to it, like the first time you ever met your husband, has brought into your life?

Write down the moments that are good in your life and the ones you have recently experienced leading up to your wedding so that you can go back and reflect on them.  This can be your little treasure book that holds your happiness…something that you can stare dreamily at each time you visit.  It’s a golden repository of all the good stuff from your past that gives you the ability to recognize the small, everyday things that make you happy.  Happiness and “thank you power” aren’t about material objects, but rather the moments in your life that have made you feel that life is good.

 

Whispers of your Heart

Give thanks… to God, your angels, and the universe…for coming together to bring you love in the form of human love.  Whether you endured struggles and hardships along the way, a romantic relationship is what satisfies your heart.  Your heart received the affection of another person, and your heart is now complete.

Give thanks…for Free will.  Free will is the key ingredient to true love.  True love cannot exist without a choice: If you were forced to love a person, then love would disappear, and you would be under manipulation.  Your free will matched up perfectly with somebody else’s free will.  You & your husband have a will that crossed paths and shared its’ desires freely, locking at a center point of reciprocating love.

 Give thanks…for an intimate relationship that developed because of your choice and free will, in spite of all the other opportunities that you could have chosen that would have misled you down the wrong path to love.

 Give thanks…for a passionate romance… Your channels are unblocked to allow love to flow freely in to enhance your life.  Your earthly relationship with your husband is the avenue of expressing and receiving love

 Give thanks…for the life of promise you are now living.  A promise of unconditional love and acceptance that you and your spouse share together, which is the ultimate treasure above all other things in life.

 “Grace and remembrance be to you both.”
– William Shakespeare

Continue… please read Part 2

This article brought to you by Aleana’s Bridal.

Journey of wedding day preparation (Part 3)

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by Jaclyn Ianetti

Read Part 1 and Part 2 first

 

BODY, SKIN, MAKEUP, HAIR

*Take care of your teeth by brushing and flossing each night so that your smile will look its’ best the day of.

*If you’re going to be strict with anything, be strict with your skin!  Take care of it, go for facials, and use products that don’t irritate it.  Control your stress (by exercising, eating right and relaxing!) to minimize breakouts.

*Try different makeup lines to see what works best on your skin.  Purchase your own cosmetics if you’re having your makeup done professionally and so that you will have them on hand for any touch-ups on wedding day.  Choose waterproof mascara if possible!

*Go for trims to keep your hair healthy and be sure the hairstyle you choose for your wedding (whether you wear it up or down) doesn’t hide your face.  You will be taking lots of photos, kissing, and eating and you don’t want hair in the way!

*Go for trial run appointments with your hair stylist and makeup artist, so that your not freaked out on your special day if something doesn’t look the way its’ supposed to!

*Go for final bridal fittings to make sure fittings/measurements are ok.  On the day of, dress carefully and patiently to avoid a rip in your dress.

*SPEAK UP! If something isn’t the way you want (from your hair, makeup, spa treatments, bridal dress fittings, flowers, etc.)  YOU ARE THE BRIDE.  This day IS about YOU.  Speak your visions!

*SLEEP and RELAX:  Getting your sleep and enough time each day for your self to devote to relaxation is the key to looking and feeling good.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

This whole wedding idea…the one magical day…the fairytale…creates so much pressure that you’re bound to lose your temper at a few points along the way!  Stop beating yourselves up about your weight or your looks along the journey:  Step back, re-evaluate the situation, and start celebrating who you are in the present moment and for all of the things you have already accomplished!   You will look beautiful on your wedding day, no matter how much you weigh or how good your hair or skin looks.  Just be yourself.  When you are your true self, confidence illuminates and beauty shines from the internal part of who you are to the external.

Enjoy your journey and enjoy the destination.  If you’re not where you want to be at?  No big deal!  For instance, being heavier than you’d like to be on your wedding day will not, in the least, distract from the impact of the huge commitment you’re about to make to your partner or the love and joy you’ll share with your family and friends.

Let your new regimen be to just relax and go along with the journey, without forcing or resisting anything.  Relax as you are whisked off to the bliss of your wedding!  Enjoy being a model for the photographer.  You want to enjoy this moment of being photographed, not feel like a stiff model fearing that your hair and makeup isn’t in place!

Let these suggestions pop the question in your head of “what is the most important thing about your wedding day?” To marry your love in a beautiful dress and to be surrounded by the ones you love most is the true gift of a wedding.  Celebrate love and all gifts life has to offer on your special day.

A PROPOSAL TO YOU:  Drop the pressure and enjoy yourself!

“We understand what you feel”

This article brought to you by www.aleanasbridal.com.

Journey of wedding day preparation (Part 2)

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Read part #1 first

Passion -> Pressure -> Preparation -> Perfection 

DROP THE PRESSURE out of this formula!

Ok, it might be unrealistic to “drop the pressure”…Easier said than done, I know!  But how do you at least ease the pressure on your journey to perfection?  Unrealistic expectations of everything that has to do with the wedding date will bring you down once your day arrives.  So first start off by acknowledging this and slowly try to rid yourself of all expectations and just go with the flow of doing the best that you can.  Once you feel stressed out, you are pushing yourself too hard.  Be gentle with yourself and the goals you wish to reach before your wedding.

The biggest pressure for brides is to lose weight, and how you will look, from head to toe, on your big day.  Altering yourself to fitting the dress you want shouldn’t be #1 on your to-do list.  Find a dress that fits you, one you’re comfortable in right now as you try it on!  This will alleviate the pressure to drop the weight in an unrealistic amount if time, which just adds more pressure for you soon-to-be-brides to resort to drastic measures of losing weight in unhealthy ways. Don’t be this desperate bride!  Set healthy goals and stick to a healthy meal plan if you wish to lose weight or maintain the weight you already are.  Remember, slow and steady steps will get you to your destination without feeling exhausted once you arrive.

There’s no doubt that every bride wants to look and feel her best on the big day, but the constant pressure of it all could be too much.  During your bridal journey, you might become someone you’re not…someone who worries constantly about their looks and beats herself up internally for not sticking to a certain diet and indulging too much at dinner one night.  How many calories are in that?  Don’t let your thoughts consume you and gain your healthy perspective back by taking excellent care of yourself so you’re feeling wonderful by the time your day arrives.

 ***Wedding planning for self-care

You want to look like yourself on the day of your wedding but at your best…your best self.  Your perfect day is quickly approaching, and the main goal of every bride in the world is to have the perfect day of beauty.  Don’t go for a dramatic change in your look, just take care of yourself, and prepare ahead by making appointments for your hair, makeup, manicure & pedicure, etc.

 *Outer beauty is a reflection of inner beauty.  Choose good food choices and quality exercise.  Eating right and exercising will help you drop those last few pounds without you thinking about it all the time.  It will just happen when you practice a healthy lifestyle.  This not only will physically benefit you, but will help with your mental and emotional stress.

*Try yoga and meditation!  This is a relaxing outlet that will keep you centered.  A centered, grounded feeling inside of you will help you focus on what is important.

Read part 3

This article brought to you by www.aleanasbridal.com.

Bride’s wish list (part 2)

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Read first : Part 1

 

What do you love about your spouse?
Create love notes together or alone, as reminders & keepsakes of what has made you fall in love with the man you chose to be your husband.

Store these love notes in your treasure chest: notes compiled in a book, photo/note album, wooden box, a spot on the table each morning to show your husband your love for him each day or on special occasions, or simply inside your heart. Your treasure chest, whether tangible or intangible, is your heart’s realizations, unlocked.

These heartfelt quotes can be apart of your love note collection if you choose:

“Whatever souls are made of, his and mine are the same.”
– Emily Bronte

“There are three things that last: faith, hope and love, and the greatest of these is love” – I Corinthians 13:13

“Two human loves make one divine.”
– ***Elizabeth Barrett Browning

“I have spread my dreams beneath your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.”
– ***W.B. Yeats

“He is blessed in love alone,
Who loves for years and loves but one.”
– Sir A. Hunt

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
A Wish for the future with the man you chose

Your very own… “Wish Tree of Love”
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
“Hope” is the thing with feathers –
That perches in the soul –”
– Emily Dickinson

“Sit by me, my beloved, and listen to my heart; smile, for your happiness is a symbol of our future.”
– Kahlil Gibran
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
You made many commitments so far, now what about one towards the ambitions, hopes & dreams of your future? Do you and your husband want the same things? How much do you know about your partner’s vision of the future? Are you able to chat openly about where you see yourselves in five years, ten years time? You should be able to talk openly and freely about this with him. Issues should not be overlooked as couples embark on their new life together. Talk about what matters to you both!

Below are some starting points, whether you know the answers to them right now or not, it’s ok…what matters is your honesty.

Children: Many people assume that getting married means having children sometime in the future, while others see having a family as only a possible consequence. If having a child is a given for you make sure that your partner is aware of how much this matters to you. Research shows it is really important for couples to share views on having children. What are your memories of childhood? Thoughts around having one child or a big family? If either of you have children from previous relationships what issues does this raise for both of you?

Extended family: How involved would you want them to be? Things you would like to replicate from your own upbringing and things you would want to avoid?

A Home : What did home mean to you growing up? How important is it to be near family and friends? Do you see yourself settling in one area or moving around? How important is a nice home to you? Where do you want to live?

Career: ? Your job and home coincide, and the location of one will absolutely influence the other! What work do you do and why? Self-employed? Employed? Balancing work with home life? Ideal job and why? Which matters most – pay or doing a job you love? How ambitious are you? What motivates you?

Life together and apart: The importance of your social life; how much time will you spend together as a couple, how much time apart? Quality of time spent together? Shared activities and separate hobbies? What certain interests and hobbies signify for you? Travel plans and dreams?

Write down and share with your partner or save for a later time some practical goals as well as your big dreams and fantasies…these show you your passions. Your dreams are real…and your hopes are just your heart speaking its’ honesty. . .

 

This article is brought to you by Aleana’s Bridal Shop located in the town of Paramus, NJ – Bergen County.

Photo credit to Ritarosephotography.com

Wedding gown for Capricorn (Dec 23– Jan 20) The Classic Charm

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Personality:  Hello, Ms. Independent!  Capricorns are always steadfast and surefooted and prefer to “go it alone” because they rarely trust others to finish the project.  You really don’t wait around for anyone else to get the job done.  Capricorns live a driven and structured life, taking all responsibilities seriously.  Your sign rules the 10th house of authority and leadership, making you the zodiac’s very own first lady.  Everybody knows they can count on a Capricorn, as you earthy beings are great friends and business partners.

Style: Timeless Classic…Blazing Business Woman.  As corporate climbers, Capricorns have some serious style.  You’re drawn to gray and blacks, blazers and button downs.  A Capricorn talent is mixing business attire with unexpected items – plaid scarves, interesting necklaces, even a fedora, because you have the skill to turn the most basic staple (White House/Black Market/ J. Crew) into an American classic.  You stun in quality pieces that stand the test of time, so it’s better for you to avoid the latest fads.  Your only style alert? With your workaholic nature, it’s easy to label fashion as a luxury or indulgence.  Well, Ms. Ambitious, statistics show that it takes only three seconds for people to form a first impression of you.  Make your mark in stylish, simple clothes that can outlast a long workday but still take you behind the velvet ropes at a glamorous VIP event.

Your Dream Dress/ Wedding Dress Horoscope:  Capricorns are typical Earth brides who are grounded in their roots.  They are perfectionists, who strive for a dignified, classic gown.  A structured bodice gown and perfectly cut silhouette will appeal to your elegant tastes and practical sensibilities.   A gown with three-fourth lace sleeves, a deep V-neck and full bottom are just a few of the aspects that make up the precious gown you aspire for.  Any additional pieces should be carefully considered.  Earth brides are very particular about what accents they choose to wear.  Pair your gown with a simple elbow or fingertip-length veil, a single strand of pearls, and some beautiful sling back shoes.  Or simply highlight your decolletage with an heirloom pendant and you’re ready to wed.  All Earth brides like a face that’s natural with a tiny touch of drama.  Splurge on a makeup artist and hair stylist to work your wishes for an authentic appeal that especially shows off your sound beauty of bone structure, skin, and teeth.

Style icon who shares your sign:  January Jones

Cappie seductresses: Kate Moss, Sienna Miller, Mary J. Blige, Michelle Obama

This article is brought to you by Aleana’s Bridal Shop located in the town of Paramus, NJ – Bergen County. We will help you design the dress of your dreams. Please schedule your first appointment at Aleana’s Bridal Shop in Paramus, NJ or call (201) 444-1500.

Photo credit to Mr. T in DC on Flickr.

Wedding gown for Libra (Sept 24– Oct 23) The Balanced Bombshell – Aleana’s Bridal Shop

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Personality:  People person…charmer…balanced.  You are a staunch defender of “what’s right.”  You’re cultured, worldly and feel the most comfortable at a cocktail party or at a theater event.  You domestic divas thrive off playing hostess in your home, setting up a fine assortment of food and drinks on a delectable dining room table decorated to the finest degree. Nobody can top you when it comes to etiquette…Miss sophisticato Libras know how to conduct real manners!  Libras are great artists and have a good eye for aesthetics.  As Libras are astute, effective communicators, the right thing to say is always on the tip of your tongue.  You speak the truth and have no problem telling it like it is to anybody.  Refined, classy, chic, honest…all of which gives the honorable title of holding the scales to a balanced persona.

Style:  Graceful Goddess…Fair and Foxy…As the aesthetic sign of the Scales, you’re all about balance and proportion…you love fine fabrics and tailoring.  You don’t get dressed — you put together “outfits.”  You know you’re better off weighing every choice carefully in a head-to-toe, coordinated ensemble than a mishmash of random separates.  Ruled by Venus, goddess of beauty and love, Libras can pull off romantic and über-feminine styles.  You’re drawn to vibrant jewel-tones, floral embroidery, and floor-length, flowing skirts.  A vast collection of chunky necklaces and handmade jewelry are what Libras are known for.  Everything you wear must be dramatic and beautiful: Every good outfit deserves an audience, and as a highly social sign, you’ll line up a date or a party to make sure your hard work at the mirror doesn’t go unnoticed.

Your Dream Dress/ Wedding Dress Horoscope: 

For you, a graceful gown is as important as the groom!  As a very romantic sign, Libra women usually always strive to look their best… can you imagine how you will feel on your wedding day?  Libras are exacting communicators: make a statement in a sweeping ball room gown with flower details and tiny jewels throughout.  Balanced fashion and beauty consciousness helps to make a Libra bride pretty.  Your most refined and expensive tastes could consider a strapless silhouette that highlights your great bod, beautiful brocade trim, an illusion fabric, even an elegant train to be quite revealing.  With delicate straps bejeweled with sequins, dainty stitching and an extensive train, it’s no wonder that you will have your very own bridal audience at the wedding who “oos and aahs” over such a gown.

Impeccable makeup and a dramatic eye add old school glamour to complete your look.  Heaven forbid someone should rush you when you’re getting dressed.  You need to take your time to create the right look, carefully applying the perfect shade of lipstick.

Style icon who shares your sign: Kate Winslet

Libra seductresses: Gwyneth Paltrow, Gwen Stefani

This article is brought to you by Aleana’s Bridal Shop located in the town of Paramus, NJ – Bergen County.

 

Wedding gown for Virgo (Aug 24– Sept 23) The Victorian Virgin

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Personality:   Sharp attention to detail, a discerning eye, and reliability epitomize the Virgo.  You’re down-to-earth and have a deep sense of commitment to friends, family, and the community.  Your home is sparse and tidy.  You’re fussy about what food and products you let into your carefully constructed world.  When shopping with your friends, you will be the one who leaves them behind in the clothing departments as you venture your way through the aisles filled with cleaning products and mops.  A listener who offers honest feedback, a silly partner-in-crime, a heart of pure gold…is what makes Virgos so special.

Style: Fair Maiden…Natural Beauty…Victorian, Virginal Vixen… 

You’re the fresh-faced “virgin” of the zodiac, and simplicity is your secret style weapon.  In a sea of bright colors, synthetic fabrics and gaudy embellishments, you take fashion back to basics by making unfussy cuts and all-American fabrics look surprisingly fresh.  Your style is bohemian with a boyish twist.  Brainy Virgo can also rock “geek chic” — nobody makes glasses look sexy quite like you.  Pairing vintage frames with wild curls or flowing hair instantly makes you the hot librarian who’s got beauty and brains. What a package!  Cleanliness is next to godliness for you, so a clean signature scent is what you crave; all the better if it’s an essential oil or made from pure ingredients. You’re an earth sign, so go “green” with your style.  Organic materials like pure cotton, wool and even hemp are flattering and friendly to the planet…and to you.

Your Dream Dress/ Wedding Dress Horoscope: 

Your wedding gown will be a sophisticated eclipse of hippie flower child and Victorian purist.  Think a strapless sheath in Ivory Chantilly lace or a pastel pink dress with ribbon trim.  Virgos want a classic look.  When shopping for a dress, think understated elegance; rich, unadorned satin; an A-line cut; and a short simple sweep train.  You earth girls are dignified and want to mirror that attribute in the gown you choose.  The dress needs to look clean, neat and decidedly bridal.  No chic, cutting-edge designs, no splash of color, and definitely no abundance of tulle.  Think simple, classic elegance.  What would be more perfect then a drop dead gorgeous, dazzling satin gown with embellished belt and a sweeping train?  This marks sophistication while the sparkle from the belt adds character.  Tuck a rose behind one ear for a romantic – and decidedly Virgo finishing touch.

Style icon who shares your sign: Sophia Loren

Virgo seductresses: Stella McCartney, Salma Hayek, Beyoncé, Blake Lively

This article is brought to you by Aleana’s Bridal Shop located in the town of Paramus, NJ – Bergen County.

 

Aries (March 21 – April 20) The Bold Beauty – Aleana’s Bridal Shop

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Personality:  Aries are innovative leaders and pioneers.  Impulsive and exuberant, you’re always the first of your friends to try something new like getting a pixie haircut…or to be the daring one to dive into frigid waters or to approach a guy at a bar and make the first move.  You’re more certain of yourself when you’re strutting down the road less traveled.  If something doesn’t capture your attention instantly, you’ll move on.  You know what you want and how to get it.  A decisive, ballsy, blunt, beauty with brains makes everybody trust in your opinions and guided directions, using you as their prime role model.

Style: Innocent Vixen…As the zodiac’s trailblazer, you’ll try any trend.  You take risks: violet tresses, thigh-high boots, maybe a Mohawk (you’ll try it and handle the consequences later!).  You’re more frightened of being boring than appearing on the “worst dressed” list.  You’re a fearless fashionista who lives by her own courageous rules.  A mix of girlie-girl and warrior woman, you can get away with outfits that reflect both sides of your personality: pairing a flouncy skirt with a crisp, tailored blazer or a miniskirt with combat boots.  Bold colors, like red, are your colors, as well as neutrals like black.  The most important thing for you and your sense of fashion is to never blend into the crowd.  Aries girls want to see and be seen in originality.

Your Dream Dress/ Wedding Dress Horoscope: An Aries bride wants to stun the crowd.  Tradition is not on the guest list for your wedding.  You’ll be inexplicably drawn to trend-setting, strapless numbers with colored accents in the form of a sash or trim.  You are the queen of the ball…and you want your whole look to reflect that honor.  You have a taste for bold trends and sexy styles, so go for a grand gown that makes a bold, beautiful statement.  Wear a dress that commands attention with pretty detailing around a bodice or neckline, some pearls, sequins, or lace.  The gown you’re going for is one with a trendy design, yet still possesses classic elegance.   Flaunt your flawless facial features and hair…and even wear a classy feather headpiece to top off the whole bridal look, Aries style.

Style Icon who shares your sign: Victoria Beckham

Aries seductresses: Sarah Jessica Parker, Kate Hudson, Reese Witherspoon

This article is brought to you by Aleana’s Bridal Shop located in the town of Paramus, NJ – Bergen County. We will help you design the dress of your dreams.