Veil-Less Looks

Maybe your wedding is more casual, maybe your bridal up-do is going to be a hair masterpiece, maybe the idea of a piece of gausy fabric hanging off your hair weirds you out. Regardless of your reasoning, here are some hairstyles that would look great - and still bridal - without a veil.

Headbands:
Great for short hair especially! Since brides-to-be sometimes have trouble being creative with their cropped locks, a headband is an excellent solution. And of course, you can use a headband to dress up just about any hairstyle.

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Cute!

Flowers:
Adorning your 'do with fresh flowers is oh-so-chic, don't you think? I just love the relaxed, beach-y look below.

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A gardenia is also a classic, gorgeous flower many brides use. This bride's style is gorgeous, especially with her blue-hued dress.

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Plus, gardenias are so fragrant that your groom will always remember the way you smelled when he kissed you on your wedding day. Now is that romantic or what?

Tiaras:
Want to guarantee that you'll feel like a princess on your wedding day? Wear a tiara!

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Like the headband, this can be integrated into practically any hair style, and can be worn alone or in addition to a veil.

Also, be sure to check out another Bustle Event blog post on hair accessories for more ideas.

Bustle Wedding - The Meyers

Who: Emily Reid & Jack Meyer

What: Month-of Coordination by Bustle Event Design

Where: St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church & Oak Hill Mansion

When: Saturday, August 21, 2010

Overview:
Emily and Jack met in high school - my high school, to be exact! Emily and I were in the same graduating class at Cathedral High School (Indianapolis, Indiana), while Jack was one grade above us. I was extremely honored when Emily hired me as her month-of wedding coordinator. Emily was the perfect bride. Laid-back and caring... she focused on what was really important: marrying her sweetheart (and not freaking out over tulle and place cards). Emily's family was amazing to work with, as well. Correction: Emily's family was INCREDIBLE to work with! The Reid family is so kind and supportive. The Meyer family is just as great. Emily & Jack are so lucky!

Some pics (by SB Childs Photography - lovelovelove their style):



















































































Can I just say - What a crazy bridal party!!! These ladies and gents were the life of the party. Not a dull moment to be had. :)

[All photos credited to SB Childs Photography]

Vendors:
Ceremony - St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church
Photographers - SB Childs Photography
Reception & Catering - Oak Hill Mansion
Wedding coordination - Lindsey & Emily, Bustle Event Design
Shuttle bus transportation - Carey Limousine
Wedding cake - Classic Cakes
Floral - Posh Petals
DJ - Event1 DJs

To-Die-For Frocks

As an unmarried person who adores weddings and all that comes with getting married, the idea of wedding dress shopping both intrigues me and freaks me out.... a lot. Sure, I've had many friends find The Perfect Dress. I've watched Say Yes To The Dress plenty of times, and have yelled at the bride on TV because why can't she understand that the first dress she tried on was THE ONE!?! ...or, you know, whatever.

But then I saw these awe-inspiring dresses from Quail Bridal. How cool is this Parisian Gown?


The peony chiffon skirt detaches! I have only one word for my feelings about this: Love.

Quail also has some stellar bridesmaid dresses. And I'm not talking about the kind you can shorten and wear again. I'm talking about the kind you can just wear.

What about you readers, any wedding dress shopping secrets you want to share?

Let's Talk Veils

Hello, readers! It's been a while since my last post - almost a month! Now that I'm back from my summer blogging vacation, I'm getting down to business. Time to talk about veil trends for 2010-2011! There are so many styles out there and I love how each one can really set off whatever particular look you want to achieve.

Let's start off with my personal favorite, the birdcage veil.

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This veil can be worn with practically any dress style, from vintage to modern. It's best to wear your birdcage veil with a low up-do, but as long as you have a talented hair stylist anything is possible. I love this look anchored with a jeweled hair clip or dramatic feathered hair accessory. You could even wear it with a vintage-inspired hat! I'm in love.

If you want to go for a traditional mid-length veil, you should look for a veil between 20 and 30 inches in length... in other words, anywhere from your shoulders to your fingertips. What length you choose can depend on anything from your height to your dress style. Since these veils can be worn in a variety of ways (high on the head, low on the head, over the shoulders, etc.), many veils come with embroidered edges. So pretty!

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Next let's discuss long veils. There are two main types: Cathedral length veils are are typically floor length, and Regal length veils are around 10-12 feet, or even longer. (Note: I've found some variation on the names of these veils, but you get the idea.) This style veil is oh-so-elegant and great if you want to heighten the romantic look of your dress.


As you can see from this image, courtesy of Scarlett Lillian Photography, a these looong veils can really add some drama to your wedding day - in a good way! They are best worn with a dress that has a train, and make sure you have a plan for how you want to look at your wedding reception, since long veils can get in the way of dancing and all the other wedding activities you'll be doing.

Short, architectural veils are an interesting trend and the styling is across the board from traditional like this:


...to an Avant-garde look, like this:


Often called "bubble veils," this style isn't for the faint of heart, but I love how even a small bubble veil adds some oomph to any look.

What about you, readers? Did I leave out your favorite veil style? Let us know in the comments, and stay tuned for a future post on veil-less bridal looks.