1.) Color and Prints! Oh be still my heart. As an avid lover of color (if it were up to me, the walls in my house would resemble an freestyle artist’s canvas, covered with splashed and drips of brightly colored paint), I am thrilled to see more of it in bridal wear. In recent years color has slowly begun to creep through (champagne, silver or gold) but the blush gowns of 2012 are absolutely gorgeous, and what’s more, some designers are even added delicate prints to their dresses!

2.) Lace Sleeves. Blame the princess (or thank her, more like it) for wearing this on her own wedding day. Instead of the incredibly tired ”more skin = more appeal” argument, wedding dresses are going the opposite route of “covered up = sexy and elegant”.

3.) Two-Tiered Skirts. Genius for camoflaging troublesome hip issues, two-tiered skirts have been popping up everywhere! From the flouncy and fun to the structured and futuristic, this trend might be settling in for a glorious year.

4.) Ruffles. Yes, you may be thinking, “But ruffles were huge in 2011, weren’t they?” And actually, you’re right. Thing is, the trend hasn’t shown much sign of dying down. As it turns out, women love the feminine frill and movement they provide, and when combined with some of the other upcoming trends already mentioned (color and lace?) they stand to make a fantastic addition to any dress.

5.) The “Illusion” Neckline. Sticking with the “covered up = sexy and elegant” theme, the illusion neckline is making it’s way into bridal. Though it’s been seen on clothing for quite some time now, the illusion neckline refers to the idea of creating a neckline but also covering up. Think of a sweethert neckline, then add a sleeveless sheer overlay that covers your shoulders. You still get the sweetheart affect, but you’re now wearing sleeves, in a way.

Remember though, trends are just that: trends. They’re for fun and inspiration. They aren’t guaranteed to look good on your particular body type and there’s nothing wrong with that. You will find something that will make you light up with happiness. And hey, If there’s a trend you happen to have your eye on (you better bet I’ll be wearing some sort of color someday when I walk down the aisle!) don’t worry that it will go out of style by the time your wedding roles around. There’s nothing quite as beautiful as a bride who knows she looks absolutely gorgeous.

Ask anyone what they enjoy most about attending weddings and you’ll find the answer is typically along the lines of “getting to see everyone” and “open bar”. Personally though, no matter which wedding I am attending, there is always one single part of the wedding that I look forward to most: the cake.

What can I say, I love cake! So much so that I feel no shame in taking two pieces; one for me and one for my husband, who I am fully aware has no intention of eating his. And if there’s someone else at the table that doesn’t want their piece? Slide it over. I cook healthy, vegetable laden meals, spend at least 10 hours a week at the gym and what for? So I can eat as many servings of wedding cake that I can realistically get my hands on.

However, if you want to get the most out of your wedding cake, there are a few things to consider:

1) What should it look like? In this day and age, the art of cake decorating has long surpassed how many people think a cake can feasibly look. Therefore, shop around! What is incredibly difficult (read: expensive) for one vendor might be another’s special skill. Want gorgeous, edible flowers on your cake? A baker unskilled in creating edible foliage may charge extra, while one who has it down to a fine art might not even blink when you inquire about it. If at all possible, let your cake be a reflection of your personalities and interests!

2) Presentation. Your cake is a vital part of your wedding, so treat it as such! Instead of hiding it back in the kitchen where no one can see, arrange for it to be on a table (or even a pedastal) of it’s own. A lot of work went into it, so show it off!

3) Size. It seems the most common approach to the size of your cake is to make sure it has as many servings as there will be guests. However, a more updated approach says otherwise. Chances are, not all of your guests are going to eat cake. Even your most drooling guests (myself included) are going to have their one piece and then not even consider going for seconds unless they know of someone at their table that isn’t going to eat their portion. Think of all the people who don’t have a sweet tooth, and all the children that will most likely just have a bite of their mother’s.

A much more budget friendly option is to have a regular cake made up in however servings you can reasonably afford, and then have a sheet cake made for the rest. The sheet cake can be kept in the back, and many bakeries offer the option of creating one in as little as two weeks notice if you have a nagging feeling that your original cake may be a bit small.

In addition, think of if you want leftovers or not. It may be more cost-efficient to order an amount of cake that will be fully devoured at the reception, or if you’re in love with it you might order enough to take home later; some cakes can be wrapped and frozen for up to three months. Keep in mind though that you can probably always go back to the bakery and get a basic sheet cake made up if you just can’t seem to get over the craving.

4) Taste. This is where you really get to show your true colors, no pun intended. Many couples opt to have a few different flavors to ensure members of their guest list won’t be left wanting. If you’re a sucker for red velvet than by all means arrange to have it, but you might consider having one of your tiers made of a simple chocolate or vanilla with buttercream icing. A sheet cake can even be a combination of two different flavors, meaning there’s vanilla on side and chocolate on the other. It’s your wedding though, if you want carrot cake to be the only option than by all means make it happen.

5) Availability. Basically this is just a throwaway category designed to get your attention: have some cake on your wedding day. You’ll probably be so busy dancing and cheek-kissing that the night will fly by faster than you know, but try to take a moment to sit down with your new spouse, eat some cake, and soak in the moment.

It can be generally agreed that weddings are typically one of the most romantic occasions in existence. After all, the entire day is a celebration of the love two people have for each other. But personally, there’s another situation that turns me into a sappy romantic even faster than a perfect wedding: a vow renewal.

A vow renewal is very similar to a wedding except the people reciting the vows are already married. It’s a way to say, “I’m still as in love with you as the day we met,” and is slowly becoming more and more popular as a 20, 30, or 50 year anniversary party. Some ideas for throwing your own?

1.) Consider the time frame. Vow renewals can technically happen anytime after the wedding, though it’s advised to wait at least a year after you’ve been married. The main reason is because you don’t want to interfere with the memory of your wedding. It usually takes a decent amount of time for pictures to be processed, gifts to be opened and thank you cards to be sent. Give people a chance to form a memory before crowding it with another. However, it’s your vow renewal ceremony, so if you want to do it once a month, the more power to you.

It should also be said, that a vow renewal is often used as an official wedding ceremony. I’ve known people who have eloped and then renewed their vows six months later when they had the time and money to have an actual ceremony, and it was absolutely beautiful.

2.) Try to find your original vows. I attended a vow renewal last year (20 year anniversary) and the couple did a beautiful thing with their vows; they first read the original vows from their wedding 20 years earlier, then read a new set of vows full of promises to each other for their future. Their reasoning? They were still head over heels in love (original vows), but they had also changed and grown with each other, and were  now slightly different people (new vows). This way, they could cover all their bases.

3.) Choose an officiant. A vow renewal is not a legal ceremony (you are, in fact already married) so you have complete freedom to choose whoever you want to officiate! Perhaps a best friend of the couple that has helped both of you through difficult times, or even one of your children. Some people opt to find the priest or clergyman that originally married them. Either way, this is a perfect time to get creative and involve someone you deeply care about.

4.) Choose your wardrobe. Since this is your party, you can choose to either dress to the nines, or have a casual ceremony. Can you still fit into your wedding dress from all those years ago? Would you rather purchase another dress? Jewelry can be updated with gifts you have given each other over the years. Wear that necklace he gave you on your 10 year anniversary, and he can wear the watch you gave him five years ago.

5.) Wedding party? Many vow renewals do not have a formal wedding party, though they often acknowledge the original wedding party sometime in the ceremony, by having them stand and make a toast, for example. Other changes, like having your children walk you down the aisle, or even walking down the aisle together provide an updated touch to your first wedding.

6.) Have some fun! All it takes is a bit of google research to find Heidi Klum and Seal’s yearly vow renewal ceremonies where they have a different theme. They’ve had a masquerade theme where they wore feathered masks and headgear, while years previous they’d gone with a “redneck theme” where Seal wore a mullet wig and guests were asked to wear jean shorts. They’ve even had a “wedding” theme, where women were asked to dress like brides and the men asked to dress like grooms. So by all means, take a page out of Heidi and Seal’s book and on your vow renewal day, have a little fun!

A huge trend in weddings right now is the eco-friendly approach. And why shouldn’t it be? Weddings can be a lot of work; between leftover food, party favors and various decorations the waste factor can really add up. Here are some ways to ensure your wedding leaves a light carbon footprint on your community as well as your wallet.

1. Choose an outdoor location. Choosing an outdoor spot for your wedding often means you won’t be using heating or cooling systems the entire night. You also won’t need lighting until the sun goes down. Plus, besides the energy saving benefits, everyone appreciates a cool breeze every once in awhile on a crowded dance floor.

2. Keep your flower options open. Last summer, when I went to my cousin’s wedding, I was pleasantly surprised by her centerpieces. Instead of using cut flowers (which are often expensive and difficult to recycle), she used potted plants. They were gorgeous, and worked double duty as party favors for those lucky enough to have a green thumb. All the leftover centerpieces were then kept until she planted them in the yard of her new home this last spring.

Another thing to keep in mind is to make sure the florist recycles their flowers. They can be used to make potpourri, or donated as random gifts to homeless shelters.

3. Use recycled paper. Recycled paper now comes in a huge variety of colors and textures, although personally, I’m a sucker for the raw vintage feel of untreated recycled paper.  No need to limit yourself though, recycled romance novels can be used to make decorations too, much like the adorable picture at the top.

4. Choose a digital photographer. Nowadays, almost all photographers have a digital option in addition to film. Besides drastically cutting back on waste and supplies, digital photos are often easier to share and edit, meaning your family and friends will be enjoying your photos much sooner than with traditional film photography.

5. Choose candles instead of lights. Soy candles are energy efficient and cleaner burning than regular candles. Plus they put off a beautiful glow that is tough to duplicate with traditional lighting.

6. Be creative with transportation. Besides choosing a travel friendly location, consider showing up to your wedding in something like a horse drawn carriage. It’s not only incredibly romantic, but entirely eco-friendly!

7. Think organic. Organic foods are foods that are grown without the use of pesticides, so having your wedding catered by a company that chooses organic cuisine is not only healthy for you and your guests, but also better for the environment. There are even options for organic wedding cakes, and if you’re still afraid of having a cardboard tasting cake at your wedding, fear not. There have been huge advancements in the world of baking using organic ingredients, and a taste-test with your local baker should put your mind at ease.

8. Choose local. Above all, try to choose local businesses who use local products to help with your wedding. This not only supports your community economy, but also cuts down on shipping resources and costs. Consider using a caterer that uses only local ingredients, or a choose a local vineyard to supply the wine.

Nonetheless, many brides are struggling with the idea of buying a dress that is not a one of a kind. It is possible to buy a custom gown, of course, provided you have the financial backing to afford it. For the rest of us though, there are still some options for us to make our wedding dress as one-of-a-kind as ever, without breaking the bank.

1.) Add an embellishment. While this will always cost extra, the effect is priceless. Perhaps you wish to add some beading to the edge of your sweetheart neckline, or some lace to the bottom hem of the dress. These are small changes, but they are often possible given enough time. Even something so simple as adding a stunning piece of jewelry around your waist can take a classic gown to completely showstopping.

2.) Add a bit of color. Adding a sash  not only accentuates your waist, but it shows a bit of your personality. If your wedding colors are red, black and white, a red or black sash around you waist will tie everything together. Maybe you are more of the carefree bride, in which case a sash in yellow or pink will surely give out that happy-go-lucky persona you so embrace. You might even consider adding little color accents, like replacing the white flowers with ones in lavender or gold (or whatever your wedding colors may be).

3.) Adjust the length. Shortening your dress is the perfect way to add a little personality into your ceremony. Long dresses are often so expected that people forget that short dresses are still an option.

4.) Pay attention to the accessories. A brightly colored show-stopping pair of shoes are absolutely sure to liven up a wedding dress. Think about something in a bold color, or with eye-catching detail. Everyone loves a fun flash of color popping through as you walk down the aisle. Also, don’t forget about the veil! It can be as long as your train, or short and sweet like a vintage birdcage veil. You might not even opt for a veil at all, and instead decide to go with a beautiful flower or an adorned clip with feathers and beads. Even jewelry, such as a gorgeous necklace or earrings will make your dress pop. Just be sure nothing will compete with the ring that will be going on your finger later!

5.) Incorporate your culture. Weddings are a perfect time to let your culture shine through. They are often a time for bringing together families, and as such use the opportunity to add some flair to your dress.

As soon as you are engaged, it’s perfectly reasonable to expect that wedding frenzied head of yours to be instantly filled with planning to do’s. The cake, the venue, the guest list, the dress. But before you get carried away, there’s one aspect that needs to be decided upon before all others: the wedding date.

The wedding date is long found to be the most important decision of wedding planning. All of the previous components (venue, dress, etc) will revolve around your date. Therefore, here are a few things to keep in mind before making the very critical decision of setting the date for the big day.

How to Pick a Wedding Date:

1.) How much planning time do you need? On the continuum of  having an incredibly extravagant, 500+ guest, 10 tiered cake matrimonial ceremony and having a small courthouse ceremony with a few close family and friends, where do you fall? If it’s the ginormous over-the-top royal ceremony, you’re going to want to leave yourself plenty of time to get all of the details together. The latter, however, may only require a quick trip to a salon and a few phone calls to friends, family and the Justice of the Peace.

Keep in mind, however, that experts consider 200 hours to be the average amount of time spent on planning a wedding. Yours may take more or less than that number, but trying to cram all of that in the time frame of 2 weeks may just open Pandora’s box of wedding chaos.

2.) Which season do you prefer? Are you envisioning yourself walking down the isle in crisp fall air as burgundy and orange leaves fall all around you, or are you planning pictures set in spring, with flowers in full bloom? A mesmerizing, beautifully white winter wedding, or a green summer wedding? Are you more comfortable when the temperature drops, or do you welcome the heat of a 90 degree day? Keep these in mind as you weigh your options.

3.) What previous commitments do you have to work around? Planning a wedding close to a holiday (4th of July, Thanksgiving, Easter) can be difficult because often times people already have commitments they can’t get out of. What about graduations or other people’s weddings? By no means does your wedding need to take a backseat to everyone else’s schedule, but try to keep it in mind. If the majority of your bridal party is in college, and you schedule your wedding during finals week, it’s going to be very difficult for them to do both.

4.) How much traveling will be involved for your guests? If your Great Aunt Edna is having to come in from across the country, and you’re old college roommate is driving the 12 hours to be there a couple days earlier, setting your date for a travel friendly season may be the thing to do. Of course, do you want a lot of people there? If the giant 300+ guest wedding your mother-in-law is pressuring you to have is keeping you up at night, have the wedding in January, and you can be sure only 1/3 of the people will make the trip. However, if you’ve always dreamed of everyone you know being there on your big day? Plan a summer wedding, where long distance traveling is easier to accomplish.

5.) What kind of reception do you want? If you’ve always dreamed of a reception where your guests stay for hours and dance the night away, a Sunday wedding my not be the best choice. People may need to be at work the next morning, and therefore need to leave early. However, a simple backyard bbq with a few close family and friends may lend itself perfectly to a Sunday afternoon.

No one wants to compromise on their wedding. After all, this is your dream day, isn’t it? Your one day when you get to call all the shots and no one can argue with you. The one day, when what you say goes, end of story. Well, almost.

See, in a dream world, this sounds all well and good. In reality, however, a few compromises can save our sanity.

Do Compromise On:

1.) The guest list. This may seem difficult, but it’s not entirely your party. It’s your spouse’s as well, and if he wants to invite half of his college frat house, you might need to back off a bit. You might consider them disgusting ogres, but he might consider them his best friends. In this case, maybe strike a deal. If any of them, any of them, are caught at any time urinating in a location other those that have already been preapproved? They pay for the half the wedding.

2.) The flowers. Strange suggestion, I know, but there’s a reason. Can’t find the perfect shade of orange oriental lilies? Go with daylilies. Orchids cleaning out your wallet? Lose some centerpiece flowers and go a little heavy on the fillers. The point is, people love flowers, and hardly any of them truly know the difference between what you wanted and what you got. You can also save some serious headaches if you choose flowers that are in season and reasonably priced. As a bonus? Now’s the perfect time to get creative. If you want it to look beautiful, it will. Besides, you’re going to look so gorgeous people will hardly notice there were even flowers there in the first place.

Don’t Compromise On:

1.) The budget. It may be tempting to dish out an extra hundred here and an extra hundred there, but all that financial fudging will add up in the end. You want this day to be one that’s always remembered, but for the right reasons. If you find yourself in debt for the rest of your life because you overstepped your budget by $20,000, your wedding is always going to be a rather tense subject.

2.) The dress. Besides the budget, your dress should be all you can possibly dream it to be. Maybe your mom wants to see you in a princess ball gown, maybe your fiancé has a thing for slinky bosom enhancing dresses, and maybe your stylish best friend prefers an off the shoulder, one of a kind “trendsetting glimpse of fashion brilliance”. So what. If you go to the salon and fall in love with a strapless, pink feathered gown, go for it. This is not your mother’s wedding, this is not your friend’s wedding, and your individual fashion sense is probably one of the reasons your fiancé fell in love with you in the first place. Just make sure you’re okay with him showing up in a bright orange tuxedo.

3.) The original plan. If the thought of having a wedding is keeping you up at night and all you and your true love ever wanted to do in the first place was elope with a few close friends and family, than do that. No, really. If people are pressuring you to have an all out wedding extravaganza, tell them they can pay for it. There’s a million reasons to have the wedding you want, and the first one is you’re the one who’s getting married.

1.) Have a silhouette in mind, but be open to other possibilities. That lacy sheath look you’ve been dreaming about might look fantastic on the hanger, but on you? Maybe not so much. Likewise, that mermaid cut dress you never would’ve considered could turn you into the hourglass bombshell you’ve always wanted to be, so don’t be too close-minded when it comes to shapes and styles. A dress is meant to fit a woman’s body, not a hanger, so know your body type and discover what accentuates it best.

2.) Wear the right undergarments and accessories. And what exactly are the correct undergarments? A strapless bra, nude colored underwear, and any spandex or corsets you may have. Basically, wear as close to what you’ll be wearing under your dress on your wedding day. One of the benefits of wedding dress shopping for the first time is many shops offer a “first visit incentive” to buy. This could mean a discount on your dream dress, and if you think you found “the one” but are distracted by exposed bra straps you might miss out on a great deal.

3.) Remember the setting. If you’re planning on having a winter wedding, it might be wise to go for a full-length dress in a heavier fabric. Something light and airy might be better suited for a summer wedding on the beach. Also, are you getting married in a church in front of your conservative grandparents? Than perhaps sleeve options should be discussed. Are you planning on hopping a plane to your honeymoon right after the ceremony? Then maybe you should look at streamlined dresses that aren’t going to be difficult to stuff in a tiny plane seat. Are you planning on dancing the night away? Take a look at something that bustles in the back, or will allow you free range of motion as is.

4.) Decide on a budget. A friend of mine (who’s been a bridesmaid 4 times) once told me, “When I go dress shopping, I’m going to have two budgets. One that I’m planning on sticking to and one that I absolutely have to stick to no matter what.” Her plan is not ill-advised. A budget absolutely needs to be determined beforehand, and having a backup “no matter what” budget is always handy. Say your budget is $2,000, and your “no matter what” budget is $3,000. Two grand is meant to be where you are comfortable, three grand is meant to be where you can make adjustments (cut the guest list, adjust the flower choice) and still come out okay, but anything above that, and you’re hurting your finances.

5.) Let the store help you. It’s their job, and they’re good at it. If you’re having trouble deciding where to start, tell them a little about yourself and your envisioned wedding day. How many guests are you planning on inviting? Where is your wedding? How did you and your fiancé meet? What kind of activities do you enjoy? These are all questions that will help them get to know you and better accommodate your needs. They’re there because they’re good at their jobs, so let them handle the stress of wedding day shopping and you just kick back with your entourage and have a good time.

Wrong. Sorry to say, but as the familiar phrase goes for many other things, if you find yourself completely turned off by the idea of a winter wedding, oh, honey, you’re not doing it right.

5 Reasons Why Winter Weddings Are Underrated:

1.) Your wedding colors absolutely pop. What’s one of the first rules of interior decorating? Make sure you have a clean neutral to work with your colors. Deciding which colors to use are often dependent upon the ones that are already there. Designers often suggest bringing in a white sofa, rug, or chairs to allow something for the colors to play off of. Well, ladies and gentlemen, winter is the perfect clean slate. Whatever colors you choose have virtually nothing to compete with. White is a perfect setting to carry out exactly what you want your final day to look like, which brings me to my next point:

2.) You are the center of your photographs. Winter white provides a perfect backdrop for photographs. Yes, a summer wedding may indeed have an active background of birds and green trees, but the stillness of a winter day perfectly captures the intense emotion of each moment, the warmth of your embrace providing a striking contrast with the brisk air that surrounds you. Additionally, snow reflects light, meaning even at sunset you will be cast with a soft, difficult to duplicate glow that looks utterly stunning when printed in black and white.

3.) The typical becomes the exceptional. Take flowers, instance. In a summer wedding the flowers are acknowledged, and many ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ will absolutely be had, but in a winter wedding? Please, the sight of flowers is a kind of nostalgia all on it’s own. People are instantly drawn to them because they haven’t seen them for weeks and they yearn for anything resembling a warm day. Flowers in a summer wedding are simply noticed, while flowers in a winter wedding are refreshing and appreciated.

4.) You can be good to your skin. For many brides, a summer wedding means having that perfectly bronzed skin, which often leads to spending countless hours in a tanning salon or experimenting with nasty smelling lotions that leave you looking like a stained giraffe. In winter however, all you need to pull off is a healthy glow. To look overly tanned would be out of place, so work with the natural skin tones your mother gave ya. Relax with a good body scrub, a slightly tinted lotion and a good night’s sleep. You’ll be looking as radiant as ever.

5.) Winter weddings are more intimate. Now this one can be a bit unheard of for some, but hear me out. Many people want a small, intimate wedding, but it never turns out that way. Before they know it, their guest list is in excess of 300 because the mother-in-law simply insists on inviting the woman who used to babysit the groom from ages 2-8. Winter weddings, ladies and gents, are your ticket out. While some may scoff at the idea of having a wedding during a time when travel is difficult, you can use it to your advantage. Thinking of getting married at some exotic location strictly to secretly prevent 75% of the guest list from showing up? No need. Use your money for a honeymoon in Aruba get married in January instead.

Check out the link below to find out all the newest trends in wedding colors for spring 2010!

http://www.mypersonalartist.com/weddingcolors2.html