Choosing The Bridal Accessories And Wedding Veils

The right bridal accessories and wedding veils are important.
You do not want your veil to take away from your dress as well as you do not want your accessories to take away from the look of the dress and the veils.
There are so many different types of wedding veils to choose from when you buy your dress.
You may want a shorter veil, a longer veil or a headpiece veil.
Whatever wedding veil you choose as a part of your bridal accessories will accent your hair as well as your other accessories and dress.
Many brides who have a traditional wedding with all the thrills and frills might have long train on the dress with a longer veil that flows into the train of the dress.
This is beautiful when properly laid out by the bridesmaids.
Some brides choose a shorter veil when they have wedding dress with a longer train.
The wedding veils are especially elegant today and have different styles to choose from when you look around.
Many years ago and still today, some brides still prefer the veil that covers the face until the ceremony is complete.
This however, is rare today with so many different beautiful designs.
The headpiece wedding veils are more popular today as part of the bridal accessories.
The designs are beautiful and elegant and look extraordinary with any type of dress.
The two most important things to keep in mind about the wedding veil is first, where you are getting married and the wedding dress in regards to style and color.
Since there are so many different lengths, the dress you have depends on the type of veil you can wear that does not take away from the beauty of the dress and yourself.
When you choose a headpiece, you can choose between a headpiece with a veil or one without the veil.
If you bridal accessories includes hair combs or hair clips, you might want to take them along when you choose your wedding veil.
Not all wedding veils look the same when these accessories are added.
You can also choose from many different colors when looking for the perfect wedding veil.
Today, white is not the only color to wear when you say your wedding vows.
Brides have worn blue, black, red, white and pastel colors.
You might even want a white wedding dress with a pastel wedding veil.
Weddings and bridal accessories have evolved over the years and what was once acceptable is now replace with more modern colors and styles.
The wedding veils are just another way to accent the dress.
Whether you wear a veil or a headpiece, you will always want to remember that you are accenting your hair and the dress.
This holds true for the flowers as well.
If you have a veil that has a hairclip with flowers, you will want it to match your bouquet.
After all, bridal accessories should compliment the bride and flow together nicely.
Your photographer will attest to this as well.

THE first snaps of the TNA wedding between Traci Brooks and Frankie Kazarian have been released.

Brooks and Kazarian were married last week with a number of their wrestling colleagues in attendance.

The blushing bride had fellow Knockouts So Cal Val and Christy Hemme by her side, along with former TNA star Gail Kim — who now wrestles in WWE.

WEDDING PARTY ... Val, AJ, Joe, Christy, Gail and Chris pose with the happy couple Traci and Frankie
WEDDING PARTY ... Val, AJ, Joe, Christy, Gail and Chris pose with the happy couple Traci and Frankie

Kazarian, who performs as Suicide in TNA, was accompanied by Samoa Joe, Christopher Daniels and AJ Styles.

Daniels, who was best man, commented on his Twitter: "Frankie and Traci's wedding was a beautiful affair.

"Some tears were shed, but the joy overflowed!! Absolutely fabulous!!"

There was further good news in the wrestling world this week after reports that WWE intercontinental champion Drew McIntyre has got engaged to Diva Tiffany.

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CarltON Weddings

Wedding Packages -With 9 unique wedding venues in Ireland, a Carlton hotel offers you a stunning backdrop to your special day. We will take care of your every last wish to ensure that your wedding celebrations are as relaxed and memorable for you as they are for your wedding guests. Our personal wedding co-coordinators offer expert advice and support, ensuring that your wedding day is everything you dreamed and more. We pride ourselves on our attention to detail and your wedding coordinator will ensure perfection in even the smallest detail. We will work with you to customise our menus, wine list, music and table plans to your taste and style. For your tailored made package please complete wedding contact form and your wedding coordinator will be in touch within 24 hrs. Simply complete an online enquiry form for the hotel wedding venue of your choice:

* Carlton Abbey Hotel - Wedding hotel in Kildare
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ABC to televise "Bachelor" wedding

The two-hour "The Bachelor: Jason and Molly's Wedding" is set to air March 8. The event will include the bride's dress fitting, planning for the big day, bachelor and bachelorette parties and the ceremony. Past "Bachelor" and "Bachelorette" couples and participants will be on the guest list.

ABC and producers Next Entertainment in association with Warner Horizon Television have every right to assume a "Bachelor" wedding will draw viewers. After Trista Rehn met Ryan Sutter on "The Bachelorette" in 2002, their wedding on ABC was a ratings smash, drawing more than 17.1 million viewers.

Mesnick and Malaney's vows mark the latest twist in narrative that's extended through a couple of seasons of the "Bachelor" franchise. Mesnick was one of the final two bachelors on DeAnna Pappas' edition of "The Bachelorette." Rejected by Pappas, he became the first single dad on "The Bachelor" and proposed to Melissa Rycroft in the finale, only to change his mind and break up with Rycroft on the air and instead propose to runner-up Malaney.

Wedding comedy "Romantics" walks predictable aisle

PARK CITY, Utah (Hollywood Reporter) - It's a long night's journey into day for a bride, her groom and seven close friends in "The Romantics," writer-producer Galt Niederhoffer's initial foray into directing.

Landing somewhere between a generational comedy and soap opera, the film is forgettable fun. All the characters could use more definition, which is surprising given that Niederhoffer has adapted her novel. One would imagine there would have been ample material to flesh out her wedding party for the big screen.

The film screened at Sundance is a work-in-progress with the music score still waiting to be laid in and additional changes promised by the director. This might be a case where a movie could be lengthened by a few minutes to its own benefit. In this cut, some of the more peripheral characters never quite come into focus.

Despite gathering storm clouds before the ceremony, literally and figuratively, this is a pretty light genre film with the occasional juicy confrontation to spice up the party. Theatrically, "Romantics" will be embraced by the over-25 set primarily, though wedding movies seem to play across many age groups. Box office potential appears to be modest.

Does there actually exist a filmmakers' playbook for clan-gathering films? This one certainly follows that formula with a large white mansion -- all those rooms to play hide-and-seek in! -- that sits majestically on a shoreline in front of a large lawn perfect for drinking, late-night swims, clandestine encounters and the ceremony itself.

The crux of the matter is that the groom, Tom (Josh Duhamel), has over the years been desired by the bride, Lila (Anna Paquin), and her maid of honor, Laura (Katie Holmes). Looks like Lila won -- but has she?

It might have been smart if like-manner melodramas hovered over other wedding guests. Niederhoffer tries to produce some by filling her characters with an astonishing amount of liquor to loosen libidos and tongues. But because one has barely met these people, one can't always grasp what's at stake if one party member wanders off with another.

The film more or less belongs to Holmes (who also executive produces). This seems to be her journey, even though she's only an honored guest. Paquin's character sparks to life late in the film, perhaps too late. Nothing Duhamel does can garner much audience sympathy. Dude, you had your choice of two hot women and so you made it. What's your problem?

In one of the film's better lines, a buddy, disdainfully watching him struggle with his tie, asks, "Having trouble tying the knot?" Tom never has a good response to that question, which in one form or another gets asked throughout the movie.

Drinking begins early, at the rehearsal dinner, overseen by the bride's wary mother (Candice Bergen). It never really abates. As the old college friends continue imbibing inside and out -- in a guesthouse, an attic, on the beach and in the nearby woods -- friendships are put to the test. Holmes has her moments as the ultimate bad party guest. There just isn't enough depth in this role to do justice to the inner turmoil she nicely expresses. Paquin has only one memorable scene, and Duhamel struggles to make sense of the groom's dithering.

So one enjoys "Romantics" for the genre trappings -- the inebriated toasts, feverish gossiping, unexpected trysts, the de rigueur wedding dress snafu and bright lines that cut through the mood of sentimentality and nostalgia.

Niederhoffer, long a denizen of New York's indie filmmaking scene, has chosen a rather tired genre with which to make her directing debut. She gets energy and laughs out of the prenuptial mayhem but nothing one haven't seen before. Let's hope in her next effort she breaks a few molds rather than embraces them.

GiGi’s dress shop

Oh the joy of a grandma that sews! I find myself with so many great ideas and not enough time to do them. My free time comes in 20 minute slots every three hours or so in between our singing, dancing, playing, eating, reading, sometimes crying mostly smiling day. Enter crafty grandma. I send her a pattern, some fabric and trims and like magic she sends us back the dresses! Love these funky birds with lime green ric rac trim.

Wear that cake and eat it too…

Lying in bed this morning I was brainstorming ideas of things to make. I happened to check my phone and saw these unbelievable photos that my friend had posted on facebook of his friend Lukka Sigurdardottir who made this seriously unbelievable cake. All of my ideas seem so small in comparison! Not only has Lukka mastered the checkered cake, but she has taken it to a whole new level. I am in awe and inspired. I had to share these with you.

PREACH IT! Tips for making Katy Perry's wedding as obnoxious as it should be

Katy Perry has discussed her wedding plans with the media, including her No. 1 priority, which is keeping her wedding plans secret from the media. Go ahead and read that sentence a few times if you need to. Nobody said celebrities have to make a whole lot of sense.

Perry has told Us Weekly she may even elope if that’s what it takes to keep her wedding private, special, and, presumably, exclusive enough that the photos can fetch a decent sum from OK! magazine.

If Perry is really all that worried about keeping her wedding to Russell Brand quiet and exclusive, Perry is a silly, silly girl. Almost every celebrity wedding has basic security to keep out the media and curious passersby, but it doesn’t end there. For years, celebrities have been pioneering the art of Keeping Ordinary People Far Away, particularly for weddings. (Why, yes! I did write all about it in my book!) The tools at Perry’s disposal are many, they are varied, and they range from the innocent white lie to full-on, Tom Cruise-level black ops. Here are some options for Katy Perry and her wedding planner -- assuming she has one -- care of some other celebrities and their very real wedding secrecy tactics:

Pick a spot with a helipad. When one recently married singer-actor pair was scoping out wedding spots, they were considering one venue with a helipad. The benefit to having a venue with a helipad: You can put a helicopter on it, and then turn on the motor. Flight regulations strictly limit how close a helicopter can come to another running chopper -- and that includes paparazzi aircraft.

Renee-and-Kenny Don’t tell your vendors anything. Seriously. Tell them nothing. Vendors who have worked one triple-A-list wedding told me they had no idea whose event they were working, where they were working, or even exactly when they would be working until just a few days before the wedding. Instead they were asked to block out several weeks of time and then wait for further instructions. Certain, very specific details, like the precise venue, were only revealed a few hours before the event.

(The same principle can apply to a wedding gown. Just before Renee Zellweger’s ill-fated wedding to Kenny Chesney, the actress asked her friend Carolina Herrera to make her a white, floor-length dress. For just, you know, a mystery event.)

Buy out your neighbors. Celebrities who don’t might find overhead or long-lens shots of their nuptials all over the magazines. When I covered Gwen Stefani’s wedding, I saw that paparazzi were able to bribe caretakers of nearby buildings for bird’s-eye views of the church courtyard in London.

Just ask your vendors to lie. When Christy Turlington married Ed Burns in San Francisco, she had her reception at the Asian Art Museum. The same Asian Art Museum that swore up and down that week that it didn’t host wedding receptions.

Make the locals do house calls. Julia Roberts didn’t head over to the local county municipal building to get her marriage license; she had the administrators come to her house, on the very night of the wedding.

MY TURN: Daughter's wedding dress is mom's labor of love

News of Kate Moss’s engagement last week to her rock-star boyfriend Jamie Hince should have her fashion-designer friends aflutter. Although she is likely to keep the dress under wraps until her big day, one thing is certain: the supermodel will not plump for a traditional wedding gown.

She’s not alone. Increasingly, women are opting for more fashion-forward dresses for their nuptials. The demand is so great that Net-a-Porter is launching an online wedding boutique next month, packed with cool pieces for brides who wouldn’t dream of wearing a poufy meringue.

The boutique will sell “anything that could be worn as a wedding dress”, from commissioned pieces, including Stella McCartney’s black lace dresses reworked in off-white, to looks straight from the catwalk. There are layered plissé dresses from Chloé and pretty tea dresses in organza from Marc Jacobs, as well as sleek sheaths from Roland Mouret and Jil Sander. It will also stock Lanvin’s Blanche collection, designer Alber Elbaz’s annual collection of dresses worked in a similar vein. The current range includes draped asymmetric silk dresses cinched with ribbon sashes and silk flapper-style dresses trimmed with cream marabou feathers.

Shoes, jewellery and lingerie are also available, and everything is delivered gift-wrapped in sleek white boxes.

The luxury e-tailer has already dipped its toe into the market with a small boutique that sits within the main site. “We had an amazing reaction when we first started to sell a few pieces, so it felt like the perfect thing to start doing in a big way,” says buying director Holli Rogers. “There’s a bride out there who doesn’t want fuss. Maybe she’s too busy, or decides to get married on a whim, or it’s her second wedding and she doesn’t want to go through five fittings again.”

For women used to shopping online, the idea of buying a wedding outfit can be no different from any other purchase. “I would have had no qualms about buying my dress online, if the boutique had existed when I was getting married,” says Jessica Bates, who got married wearing a Moschino oyster chiffon column dress in Chelsea last summer. “I shop online for clothes regularly, so I feel really comfortable with the way it works – trying on my dress at home would have been amazing.”

Convenience aside, for many modern brides, the idea of dressing up in a big gown that bears no relation to how they look on any other day of their life is off-putting. As designer Erdem Moralioglu, who has recently been commissioned to create a short silk dress for one magazine editor, puts it: “On your wedding day you want to look like the very best version of you – not feel that you are 'dressed up’ as a bride.”

Arabella Cooper, who got married in a cream sheath dress by Dolce & Gabbana at her small wedding last autumn, agrees. “It wasn’t that I didn’t want to look devastating on the day, or that I didn’t want to floor my husband when I walked into the chapel. I wanted to look like myself, not what the wedding industry says I should look like.” She’s typical of many women in their twenties, thirties and beyond who refuse to buy into the “princess for a day” image that the bridal industry peddles.

Although cost was not a factor for Cooper, being able to wear the dress again definitely was. “What a waste to have something divine in your closet that you can’t ever find an occasion for again. That, to me, is a fashion faux pas.”

The current trend for all-white ensembles means there is plenty of choice for brides-to-be this spring. Bottega Veneta’s crisp, draped dresses and Erdem’s neat long-sleeved lace frocks would be perfect for a chic city wedding, topped with stunning vintage jewellery. Chloé’s fluid, off-white sleeveless silk gown with pleated chiffon train, or Rochas’s floaty silk dress with full skirt, would be cool enough for a wedding abroad.

And unlike traditional wedding dresses, looks from ready-to-wear collections work on older brides. Jil Sander’s exquisite ruffle-front shift, for example, would look elegant on a bride of any age – and you could wear it for years after the big day, too.

Win a Joyce Young wedding dress worth up to £1,750

The Joyce Young Collection at Gretna Green opened a year ago opposite the World Famous Blacksmiths Shop and since opening many local brides-to-be have become the bride of their dreams in a dress from this unique collection.

Cumbrian Weddings has teamed up with The Joyce Young Collection at Gretna Green to bring you a fantastic competition.

By entering you could win a wedding dress from the Gretna Green collection and you will also meet Joyce.

She will personally attend your first fitting and help you choose that dream dress for your wedding day.

Gill Musgrave, who runs the studio in Gretna Green, has enjoyed her first year looking after brides from far and wide but stresses that while the bridal studio complements the variety of wedding services offered by the businesses in Gretna Green, you do not have to be a Gretna Green bride.

“When attending ‘Live the Dream’ wedding shows last year, brides often remarked that they were not planning a Gretna Green wedding.

"Gretna Green is so famous for weddings it is the natural reaction that you would only come here if this was where you planned to marry.

"This is not the case; it is just a wonderfully romantic location that puts you in a perfect frame of mind for choosing the most important dress of your life,” she said.

The Joyce Young Collection offers lots of choice for brides of all sizes and ages and there is a wide selection of wedding accessories from shoes to ring cushions.

Gill explains why Joyce’s dresses are so special: “Joyce has such a creative approach to wedding dress designs while keeping designs simple and really complementing a girl’s best assets.

"Fabrics are delicate and the dresses are made to very high standards.

"While it is all about luxury, prices are realistic too with dresses ranging from £795 to £1,750 so there is something for every budget. “

Chinese wedding receptions

In Chinese society, the wedding reception is known as xǐ-jǐu (literally, joyful wine) and is far more important than the wedding itself, which tends to be a brief civil ceremony. Unlike Western tradition, the groom's family pays all the wedding and reception expenses. The timing and the characteristics of the reception vary widely from locale to locale. They are often elaborate and expensive, and may cost the groom's family several years' income. However, because cash (in red envelopes) and jewelry (particularly gold) are given as wedding presents, the cost of the reception is effectively split among the wedding guests. Wedding receptions also build solidarity in the local community. As each couple weds, their wedding reception is effectively financed by gifts from the other members of the community, with the expectation that the new couple and their family will give gifts at future wedding receptions within the village.

This includes the Chinese in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Singapore, and Malaysia.

Brides' dress

Red/pink/crimson/firebrick/magenta/maroon/tomato are safe; no black, white, or navy blue.

Gifts

Unless the wedding couple has a wedding registry, it is best not to give gifts or gift certificates. For Chinese weddings, cash or a check is always the best gift. In addition to that, some elder relatives might also give gold jewelry. The cash or check should be in a red envelope or red pocket with the givers' names on it, and it is always given when signing in at the restaurant. Avoid any combination with the number 4; it is an unlucky number. Also, never use a white envelope to wrap cash or a check for a wedding.

Timing

There are two times listed on the invitation: (greeting) and (reception). Typically, they are at least two hours apart (some may be four hours). The first one is the time the groom and bride, along with their family, will be ready to receive guests and greet them; the second one is the time the reception/banquet will start. The gap between those hours is referred to as entertainment time. Very often, the restaurant will provide poker and májiàng for gambling; the time can also be used to socialize with other guests and take photos with the bride/groom and their families. Nowadays, in the U.S., you are less likely to see májiàng being played before the banquet; it is often replaced by a cocktail party. However, if the wedding reception takes place in southern China, Hong Kong, Macau, and even Canada (where there is a large Cantonese population), májiàng might still be played before the dinner.

Sign-in

Two people will be at the sign-in tables (one from the bride’s family and one from the groom’s) to register guests and receive gifts/red envelopes. Often, they will have two separate guest lists, one from the groom’s side and one from the bride’s. Then the best man and the maid of honor will direct ushers to escort guests to their seat.

Banquet procedure

Typically, the banquet will include a speech from the parents, the best man, the maid of honor, and the guest speaker. There will be cake cutting, toasts, a tea ceremony,some games designed by the DJ, and dancing. The two tables at the center of the room are for the groom’s and bride’s families.

Food

A Chinese wedding reception typically has nine or ten courses. Expensive dishes such as shark fin, abalone, lobster, jumbo shrimp, squab, sea bass, or sea cucumber are common on a wedding banquet menu. The average cost of higher-end menus ranges from USD$1,000 to $1,600 per table.

Wedding costs in Chongqing vary from around RMB 1000–2000 per table of ten people. Ten-person round tables are almost always used in southwest China. The menu will include a variety of foods normally off the establishment's set wedding menu, and the price will include the banquet room, the food, a cake, a bottle of wine, A/V equipment, and staff.

Some Westerners may not feel comfortable seeing dishes with a fish head, chicken head, or pig head; however, a whole fish, chicken, or pig means luck and completeness in Chinese wedding culture.

Traditionally, after the fifth dish of the dinner, the groom and bride and their families will approach each table to toast the guests. If the groom or the bride cannot drink, it is the best man, bridesmaid, or usher group’s responsibility to drink for them. Very often, the bride will change into a traditional Chinese red wedding dress ( or qí páo) at that time.

Guests are welcome to take leftovers home. Taking home the remaining food indicates appreciation of the groom and bride’s choice of food.

About twenty minutes after the tenth (last) dish is served, the groom and bride, along with their families, will line up at the entrance/exit to bid the guests farewell and thank them for coming. It is not polite to leave before the last dish is served.

Western Wedding reception

A wedding reception is a party held after the completion of a marriage ceremony. It is held as hospitality for those who have attended the wedding, hence the name reception: the couple receives society, in the form of family and friends, for the first time as a married couple. Hosts provide their choice of food and drink, although a wedding cake is popular. Entertaining guests after a wedding ceremony is traditional in most societies, and can last anywhere from half an hour to many hours.

Before receptions—a social event that is structured around a receiving line, and usually held in the afternoon—became popular, weddings were more typically celebrated with wedding breakfasts (for those whose religious traditions encouraged morning weddings) and balls (for those who were married in the evening). The popularity of receptions, rather than breakfasts, dinners, and balls, during the 20th century led to the name reception being applied to any social event after a wedding, whether it is brunch, tea, dinner, or a dance.

Receiving line

Technically, to be a reception, instead of some other form of entertainment, guests must be greeted with a receiving line. In a receiving line, the wedding party, including the bridal couple, their parents, and any honor attendants, stand in order of precedence and greet every guest in turn. Each guest greets the first (lowest precedence) person in the line and, if necessary, introduces himself. The first person then introduces the guest to the next person in the line, and turns to the next guest. As each guest properly speaks little more than his name (if necessary) and conventional greetings or congratulations to each person in turn, the line progresses steadily without unnecessary delays.

After formally receiving each guest in this fashion, the members of the bridal party can mingle with guests, eat, and enjoy more extended conversations.

Food

The food served at a wedding reception is determined by the time of the wedding and local custom. Food may range from a single non-alcoholic drink with wedding cake to elaborate, multi-course dinners. The type of food is chosen entirely at the discretion of the hosts.

Some receptions, especially if the family's culture or religious faith prohibits alcohol or dancing, focus on dessert. Hosts may also choose to honor regional or local customs, such as by serving a culturally important cake like croquembouche in France rather than a white layer cake, or by adding local specialties. For example, weddings in Pittsburgh often feature thousands of homemade cookies in addition to a wedding cake.
The following options are often incorporated into the reception, although they may be omitted at the couple's discretion.

Toasts

In most Western countries, either before or after food is served, toasts are made by the wedding party, wishing the couple well. Traditionally, the speaking parties include the bride's father, groom, the best man, and the maid of honor. Toasts often include the speaker's first impressions of the newlyweds, or of the two as a couple.

If they were introduced to each other by someone attending the reception, the couple may opt to thank that person publicly with a toast.

Dances

The newly married couple typically have a first dance, which used to be called the "bridal waltz". In most contemporary weddings, a romantic song is played (common choices include songs by Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Etta James, Dean Martin, Barry White, Karen Carpenter, Shania Twain and other standards singers); the first dance is rarely a waltz now. Different dance styles are now used, depending on the nature of the song. Fox trot, two-step, or rumba match most four-count pop ballads.

The wedding reception dance party may involve a certain sequence of special dances. For example, after the first dance, the newly married parties may also share a special dance with a parent.

Traditionally, following the special dances, the guests are invited to join in the dancing. The party continues with toasts and celebrations until the bride and groom leave in a car decorated by the couple's friends.

A new trend involves the addition of a DVD slideshow or photo montage video, featuring pictures of the new spouses growing up and meeting. These are created using home movies and photos taken over the couple's life, edited and set to music. The montage is shown either on a large TV or monitor or with an LCD projector.

Another new trend is scheduling the first dance immediately after wedding party introductions and before the toast or meal.

Additionally, while most couples select a romantic song and a reserved dance style, some couples choose to have humorous choreographed dances, such as those seen on the Rock the Reception TV show.

Wedding cake

Typically, a cake from a professional baker is displayed until after dinner. After a short period of dancing, the couple cut the cake and may feed a bite to one another. Then, the cake is cut for the guests. This cake is typically at least two tiers, and often more. Some couples have a smaller, formal display cake, which is supplemented by sheet cake. It is served with coffee and tea before the main course.

Groom's cake

This is a tradition observed mainly in the southern United States. In the Colonial and Victorian eras, the white-iced bride's cake was considered "too light" for male tastes, and a second cake choice—usually a dark, liquor-soaked fruitcake—was also offered. Today, chocolate is popular, although the groom's cake may be in any flavor and is usually shaped or decorated as something significant to the groom, such as a favorite hobby or sport. Steel Magnolias, the popular wedding movie, features a groom's cake, specifically, a red velvet cake in the shape of a giant armadillo.

Expense

The average cost of a wedding in the United States, as of 2007, was about $28,000, twice the cost of a wedding in 1990. The wedding industry nets $161-billion annually, according to Rebecca Mead, author of One Perfect Day.

Wedding customs around the world

African customs

Ethiopia

The Wedding procedure starts with the groom's side sending a representative who requests the marriage between the parties. Then an appointment is given and a verdict on the marriage is given. Before the wedding the Dowryis given as agreed. On the wedding day the groom and three or four "bestmen" go to the wife's house. At the house the wife's family and friends ceremonially block the entrance to the house. The associates must sing strongly and force their way into the house. The first bestman holds perfume and sprays everywhere inside the house.

Nigeria

In Nigeria, in west Africa, a husband never uses his wife’s name. Only relatives and the women's own children are allowed to use the name her father gave her and it is only unmarried girls who may be called by name. So to learn a married woman’s name, one has to ask her husband the name of her father, and use that. When a couple are about to get married in this community people sing to inform that the bride is bound and is brought to the young man. Singing and dancing are two very important fragments in the Nigerian weddings and they are always combined with a big feast. The bride is keept in a special hut where she stays till he is let inside.

Pygmy wedding traditions

Pygmy engagements were not long and usually formalized by an exchange of visits between the families concerned. The groom to be would bring a gift of game or maybe a few arrows to his new in-laws, take his bride home to live in his band and with his new parents. His only obligation is to find among his relatives a girl willing to marry a brother or male cousin of his wife. If he feels he can feed more than one wife, he may have additional wives.

Arab wedding customs

Although Christian weddings in the Arab World bear similarities to Western weddings, Muslim weddings in the Arab countries are influenced by Muslim traditions. Muslim weddings start with a Sheikh and Al-kitaab (book) for the bride and groom.A wedding is not Islamically valid unless both bride and groom are willing, and the groom is often encouraged to visit her before the wedding (as advised in many a?adīth of the Islamic prophet Muhammad). However, these visits must be chaperoned to ensure purity of action between the two. Men and women in wedding ceremonies and receptions are segregated, with areas for men and for women.

Bengali wedding customs

Bengali wedding refers to both Muslim and Hindu weddings in Bangladesh and West Bengal. Although Muslim and Hindu marriages have their distinctive religious rituals, there are many common cultural rituals in marriages across religion among Bengali people.

Chinese wedding customs

Traditional Chinese marriage is a ceremonial ritual within Chinese societies that involve a marriage established by pre-arrangement between families. Within Chinese culture, romantic love was allowed, and monogamy was thenorm for most ordinary citizens. A band of musicians with gongs and flute-like instruments accompanies the bride parade to groom's home. Similar music is also played at the wedding banquet. Depending on the region that the bride hails from, Chinese weddings will have different traditions such as Tea Ceremony or the use of a wedding emcee. Also in modern times, Chinese couples will often go to photo studios to take "glamour shots" posing in multiple gowns and various backgrounds.

Cantonese wedding customs

Most Cantonese wedding rituals follow the main Chinese wedding traditions, although some rituals are particular to the Cantonese people. In a Cantonese wedding the bride price is based on the groom's economic status. The idea of "selling the daughter" or bride isn't a phrase that is used often therefore the price of the bride isn't too demanding. Most of the time the bride price is in the form of gold jewelry, fine fabric, or money, even a roast pig which symbolizes the bride to be a virgin. Wedding presents are given by the elderly couples or couples that are older than the newlyweds and tea is served by the younger family members.

European customs

British Customs

The Western custom of a bride wearing a white wedding dress, came to symbolize purity in the Victorian era, not virginity. Within the "white wedding" tradition, a white dress and veil is not considered appropriate in the secondor subsequent wedding of a widow or divorcee. The specific conventions of Western weddings, largely from a Protestant and Catholic viewpoint, are discussed at "White wedding."

A wedding is often followed or accompanied by a wedding reception, which in some areas may be known as the 'Wedding Breakfast', at which an elaborate wedding cake is served. Western traditions include toasting the couple, the newlyweds having the first dance, and cutting the cake. A bride may throw her bouquet to the assembled group of all unmarried women in attendance, with folklore suggesting the person who catches it will be the next to wed. A fairly recent equivalent has the groom throwing the bride's garter to the assembled unmarried men; the man who catches it is supposedly the next to wed.

The Wedding Breakfast is one occasion where every member of the family, who has had at least some role in the wedding, is present. It is also important being the first time the newly married Bride and Groom share their first meal together as a lawfully wedded couple. The word Breakfast comes from a more ancient tradition of fasting before the wedding ceremony, the Wedding Breakfast is therefore 'breaking that fast'. The modern Wedding Breakfast includes the service of food to guests that can range from traditional roasts, buffets, or regional treats such as in the case of a London Wedding in the 'East End'.

A modern tradition is for brides to wear or carry "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue" during the service. It is considered good luck to do so. Often the bride attempts to have one item that meets all of these qualifications, such as a borrowed blue handkerchief which is "new to her" but loaned by her grandmother (thus making it old). Another addition to this custom is to wear a coin in one's shoe to bring prosperity.

French customs

In smaller French towns, the groom may meet his fiancée at her home on the day of the wedding and escort her to the chapel where the ceremony is being held. As the couple proceeds to the chapel, children will stretch long white ribbons across the road which the bride will cut as she passes.

At the chapel, the bride and groom are seated on two red velvet chairs underneath a silk canopy called a carre. Laurel leaves may be scattered across their paths when they exit the chapel. Sometimes small coins are also tossed for the children to gather.

At the reception, the couple customarily uses a toasting cup called a Coupe de Mariage. The origin of giving this toast began in France, when a small piece of toast was literally dropped into the couple's wine to ensure a healthy life. The couple would lift their glass to "a toast", as is common in Western culture today.

Some couples choose to serve a croquembouche instead of a wedding cake. This dessert is a pyramid of crème-filled pastry puffs, drizzled with a caramel glaze.

At a more boisterous wedding, tradition involves continuing the celebration until very late at night. After the reception, those invited to the wedding will gather outside the newlyweds' window and bang pots and pans. They are then invited into the house for some more drinks in the couple's honor, after which the couple is finally allowed to be alone for their first night together as husband and wife. This practice spread throughout France as a way to celebrate special occasions. Decorative replicas of these special sabres can be purchased from artisans in Lyon, France (the French capital of cutlery).

If the couple is also having a religious ceremony, the civil ceremony acts as a private family wedding. The mayor of the town where the wedding is taking place usually performs the civil ceremony. Once the civil ceremony is complete, the couple will receive a livret de famille, a booklet where a copy of the marriage certificate is recorded. This is an official document and, should the couple have children, each child's birth certificate will be recorded in the livret de famille too. The civil marriage ceremony in France is free of charge.

Greek customs

Two or three days before the wedding, the couple organizes a celebration called Krevati (Greek for bed) in their new home. In Krevati, friends and relatives of the couple put money and young children on the couple's new bed for prosperity and fertility in their life. After the custom, they usually have a party with food and music.

On the day of the wedding, usually Saturday, but also Friday or Sunday, the groom cannot see the bride until the wedding ceremony. The groom usually arrives first in church and waits for bride, who usually arrives late. After they exchange flower bouquets, they have the wedding ceremony, where the best man puts the wedding rings and crowns on the couple. The couple drink red wine from the same glass (between one and three sips, depending on the tradition). This is not "communion" in the formal religious sense, but about sharing the cup of life. At the end of the wedding ceremony, as the newly wedded pair leave the church, the guests throw rice and flowers for fertility and felicity. Special guests, such as close friends and family receive sugar-coated almonds (traditionally an odd number, usually seven but sometimes five) as a gift from the couple. Most Greek ceremonies are Orthodox.

After the ceremony, usually the couple hold a great wedding party in some place with plenty of food, drinks, music and dance, usually until next morning. The wedding party starts with the invited people waiting for the couple, who usually come after some time. They start the party dancing blues and eating a piece of their wedding cake. In some point of the party, they also dance the traditional zeibekiko (groom) and ?iftetelli (bride).
In many places of Greece, where they hold a more traditional wedding, they usually play only traditional music and eat local food. For example in the region of Cyclades, they eat the traditional pasteli (solid honey with sesame) and in the region of Crete they cook rice with goat. In most traditional weddings, they bake whole animals like pigs, goats or sheep just like the Greek Easter celebration. Before the church ceremony, especially in smaller areas, usually friends and relatives of the bride and the groom, accompanies them separately to the church playing traditional instruments, according to the region.

A typical Greek wedding will usually have more than 100 invited people (but usually 250-500) who are friends, siblings, grandparents, uncles, aunts, first or second cousins, neighbors and colleagues. It is common to have guests whom the couple has never met before. This is because the people who will be invited are usually determined by the parents of the couple and not by the couple themselves. Traditionally, the whole village would have attended the wedding, so very often the parents invite friends of theirs and their children, to the weddings of their own children.

There are many other traditions which are local to their regional areas. One famous tradition is the pinning of money on the bride's dress. This custom originated in one part of Greece, where it is a substitute for wedding presents, however it has become more widespread recently.

Italian customs

In some parts of Italy, a party, known as a Serenade, is thrown outside of the bride's home by the groom. His family and friends come and wait for the bride, entertaining themselves until she appears. The groom then sings to his bride to further seduce her. Once his song is sung, the party ends.

The day of the wedding, the groomsmen try their hardest to make the groom as uncomfortable as possible by saying things like "Maybe she forgot where the church is".

It is also traditional for the grooms family to give a dowry to the bride and to provide the engagement ring. The bride's family is then responsible for receiving the guests of the wedding in their home for a reception afterward.
The color green is very important in the Italian wedding. In Italy, the tradition of something blue is replaced with something green. This color brings good luck to the married couple. The veil and bridesmaids also were important in an Italian wedding. The tradition began in Ancient Rome when the veil was used to hide the bride from any spirits that would corrupt her and the bridesmaids were to wear similar outfits so that the evil spirits were further confused.

An old Roman custom was that brides threw nuts at rejected suitors as they left the ceremony.

In Sicilian customs, the dessert course is often presented as a Venetian Table, a dazzling array of pastries, fruits, coffees, cakes, (etc) presented in great quantity with much celebration. This is often called Venetian Hour.
After dessert, more dancing commences, gifts are given, and the guests eventually begin to leave. In Southern Italy, as the guests leave, they hand envelopes of money to the bride and groom, who return the gift with a wedding favor, a small token of appreciation.

Polish customs

In Polish weddings the celebrations may continue for two or three days. In the past, the engagement ceremony was organized by the future groom as a formal family gathering, during which he asked his chosen lady to marry him. In the recent years this custom has changed and today an engagement is much more personal and intimate. An elegant dinner party afterward is still a nice way to inform the closest family members about the couples' decision to get married.

In some regions of Poland the tradition to invite the wedding guests in person is still upheld. Many young couples, accompanied by the parents, visit their family and friends to hand them the wedding invitations personally.
According to the old tradition a groom arrives with his parents at the house of a bride just before the wedding ceremony. At that time both parents and parents-in-law give a young couple their blessing. The couple enter the church together and walks up to the altar followed by two witnesses and the parents. In Poland it is quite unusual for the bride to be walked down the aisle or to have bridesmaids and groomsmen in a wedding. The couple is assisted by two witnesses, a man (usually grooms' side) and a woman (usually brides' side) who are either family members or close friends.

The Polish bride traditionally wears a white dress and a veil. The groom, on the other hand usually wears a fitted suit with a bow tie and a boutonnière that matches the brides' bouquet. During the ceremony wedding rings are exchanged and both the husband and wife wear them on their right hand. Right after the ceremony the closest family and all the guest form a line in the front of the church to congratulate the newlyweds and wish them love and happiness. As soon as the married couple leave the church they get showered with rice for luck or guests drop coins at their feet for them to pick up. This is done to ensure a good and prosperous future for the newlyweds.

Once all the guests have showered the couple with kisses, hugs and flowers everyone heads to the reception. It is a custom in Poland to prepare "passing gates" on the way to the reception for the newlyweds who, in order to pass, have to give the "gate keepers" some vodka. This is a misinterpretation of an earlier tradition, where the "passing gates" were built if the bride was an orphan and money collected by "gate keepers" from the guests was handed over to the bride as her dowry (being an orphan usually implied poverty).

The married couple is welcomed at the reception place by the parents with bread and salt. The bread symbolizes the prosperity, salt stands for hardship of life, the parents wish the young couple that they never go hungry and learn how to deal with every day hardships together. The wedding party lasts (and the bride and groom remain) until the last guest leaves, usually until morning.
In Poland, movements like Human Liberties Crusade or Wedding of the Weddings promote non-alcoholic wedding celebrations.

Romanian customs

L?utari are musicians performing traditional songs. The music of the l?utari establishes the structure of the elaborate Romanian peasant weddings. The l?utari also function as guides through the wedding rituals and moderate any conflicts that may arise during what can be a long, alcohol-fueled party. Over a period of nearly 48 hours, this can be very physically strenuous.

Following custom almost certainly dating back at least to the Middle Ages, most l?utari spend the fees from these wedding ceremonies on extended banquets for their friends and families over the days immediately following the wedding.

Filipino wedding customs

The groom usually wears the Barong Tagalog during the wedding, along with the male attendants, though nowadays the wealthy opt to don Western attire such as a tuxedo. Weddings held within the same year by two siblings, usually sisters, called Sukob are frowned upon as it is regarded as bad luck. Some hold it that the wedding rings dropping to the ground is a portent of bad luck (this is usually said to the ring bearer to ensure that the child is careful in handling the rings). Money, in the form of paper bills, is sometimes taped or pinned to the groom and bride's dress during their first dance.

Indian wedding customs

Indian weddings continue for several days. Due to the diversity of Indian culture, the wedding style, ceremony and rituals may vary greatly from amongst various states, regions, religions and castes. While the Christians of India usually follow a more or less Western wedding ceremony, the Indian Hindus, Muslims, Jains and Sikhs follow traditions quite different from the West. It is quite common that during the traditional wedding days, there would be a tilak ceremony (where the groom is anointed on his forehead), a ceremony for adorning the bride's hand and feet with henna (called mehendi) accompanied by Ladies' Sangeet (music and dance), and many other pre-wedding ceremonies. Another important ceremony is the "Haldi" program where the bride and the groom are anointed with turmeric paste. All the close relatives make sure that they have anointed the couple with turmeric.On the day (i.e. late evening) of the wedding proper, the Bridegroom, his friends and relatives come singing and dancing to the wedding site in a procession called baraat, and then the religious rituals take place to solemnize the wedding according to the religion of the couple. While the groom may wear traditional Sherwani or dhoti or Western suit, his face is usually veiled with a mini-curtain of flowers called sehra. The bride (Hindu or Muslim) always wears red clothes, never white because white symbolizes widowhood in Indian culture. In Southern and Eastern states the bride usually wears a red Sari, but in northern and central states the preferred garment is a decorated skirt-blouse and veil called lehenga. After the solemnization of marriage, the bride departs with her husband. This is a very sad event for the bride's relatives because traditionally she is supposed to permanently "break-off" her relations with her blood relatives to join her husband's family. The wedding may be followed by a "reception" by the groom's parents at the groom's place. While gifts and money to the couple are commonly given, the traditional dowry from the bride's parents to the couple is now officially forbidden by law.

Japanese wedding customs

Japanese wedding customs fall into two categories: traditional Shinto ceremonies, and modern Western-style ceremonies. In either case, the couple must first be legally married by filing for marriage at their local government office, and the official documentation must be produced in order for the ceremony to be held. Before ever getting married there are two types of mate selection that may occur with the couple: (1) miai, or an arranged marriage and(2)ren ai, or a love match.The Japanese bride-to-be may be painted pure white from head to toe, visibly declaring her maiden status to the gods. Two choices of headgear exist. One, the watabōshi, is a white hood; the other, called the tsunokakushi, serves to hide the bride's 'horns of jealousy.' It also symbolizes the bride's intention to become a gentle and obedient wife.

A traditional Japanese wedding ceremony

Traditional Japanese wedding customs (shinzen shiki) involve an elaborate ceremony held at a Shinto shrine. Japanese weddings are being increasingly extravagant with all the elaborate details placed into thought. However, in some cases, younger generations choose to abandon the formal ways by having a "no host party" for a wedding.In this situation, the guests include mainly of the couple's friends who pay an attendance fee.

Wedding types

Double wedding

A double wedding is a single ceremony where two affianced couples rendezvous for two simultaneous or consecutive weddings. Typically, a fiancé with a sibling might plan a double wedding with that sibling. In the Philippines, however, the wedding of two siblings within the same year is considered bad luck and is called sukob.

Destination wedding

A destination wedding is any wedding in which the engaged couple, alone or with guests, travels to attend the ceremony; most often in a vacation-like setting. This could be a beach ceremony in the tropic or in a coastal community, a lavish event in a metropolitan resort, or a simple ceremony at the home of a geographically distant friend or relative.

Weekend wedding

A weekend wedding is a wedding in which couples and their guests celebrate over the course of a weekend. Special activities, such as spa treatments and golf tournaments, may be scheduled into the wedding itinerary throughout the weekend. Lodging usually is at the same facility as the wedding and couples often host a Sunday brunch for the weekend's finale.

White wedding

A white wedding is a term for a traditional formal or semi-formal Western wedding. This term refers to the color of the wedding dress, which became popular in the Victorian era after Queen Victoria wore a white gown when she married Prince Albert.[36] Although it is often said that the color white symbolizes virginity, it was actually originally used as a display of wealth, as it alluded to the money available to spend on a dress which could only be worn once, as white would become easily soiled and so couldn't be reused.

Military wedding

A military wedding is a ceremony conducted in a military chapel and may involve a Saber Arch. In most military weddings the groom will wear (and occasionally the bride if both individuals are in the Armed Services), a military dress uniform in lieu of civilian formal wear, although military dress uniforms largely serve the same purpose. Some retired military personnel who marry after their service has ended may opt for a military wedding.

Civil wedding

A civil wedding is a ceremony presided over by a local civil authority, such as an elected or appointed judge, Justice of the Peace or the mayor of a locality. Civil wedding ceremonies may use references to God or a deity (in UK law), but generally no references to a particular religion or denomination. They can be either elaborate or simple. Many civil wedding ceremonies take place in local town or city halls or courthouses in judges' chambers.

Same-sex wedding

A same-sex or same-gender wedding is a ceremony in which two people of the same sex are married. This event may be legally documented as a marriage or another legally recognized partnership such as a civil union. Where such partnerships are not legally recognized, the wedding may be a religious or symbolic ceremony designed to provide an opportunity to make the same public declarations and celebration with friends and family that any other type of wedding may afford.

Offiants at same-sex weddings may be religiously ordained. Many religions and branches of religions, including Quakers, Unitarians, Ethical Culture, Reform and Reconstructionist Jews, the United Church of Christ, the Episcopal Church, the Metropolitan Community Church, and the Reformed Catholic Church recognize and perform same-sex marriages, even if the government of their geographic area may not.


Outdoor wedding

Many couples wish for a wedding with spiritual content but do not want the restrictions of a church setting or they want to promise to the goodness of themselves as lovers and human beings with- out making reference to deities. You may wish to register your marriage at a registry office and then hold a wedding ceremony, conducted by a trained minister, in the venue of your choosing your own home or garden. Alternative wedding ceremonies are experienced by the couples as just as valid as any church marriage ceremony and the promises or vows made are taken just as seriously by them. They often feel attracted to the traditions of wearing splendid clothes, processing, speaking of their love before their loved ones, exchanging gifts and relating friends and families by promises but have no wish of the church setting or the limitations of a registry office.

How to select the perfect wedding dresses ?

One of the most important decisions a woman will make before she gets married is to select her perfect wedding dress. This is something that every little girl dreams of during her childhood. But don't let the hype and the pressure of years and years of anticipation cloud your judgement. After all, the dress is just a dress, and should never be bigger than the occasion.

One of the things brides-to-be have to consider when buying a dress is the comfort level of the wedding dress. Sure it's nice to look like a princess on your wedding day, but if the dress causes you extreme discomfort; or cuts off your circulation, then it's not really worth it. The dress might even cause you to faint. Imagine what a nightmare that would be!

The wedding dress selection process usually starts months before the wedding. It's advisable for brides-to-be to look through the pages of wedding magazines, or to visit wedding shops. Just to give them an idea of the different types of styles of wedding dresses that are available.

Brides-to-be also have to consider their body types. It's important to get a wedding dress that looks good on you! You might have to try plenty of wedding dresses before you find that one dress that is perfect for you.
If you have set aside an extensive budget for your wedding dress. Then you can always go for a designer dress. The most famous name nowadays when it comes to bridal fashion is Vera Wang. She is known for her luxurious detailing, craftsmanship, and hand beading. Her clients for her wedding line include: Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Simpson, Uma Thurman and Mariah Carey, just to name a few.

But if you don't have that much money to spare then you can always choose other options. There are a number of places where you can get your wedding dress that won't cost you a fortune. In addition to the more traditional bridal shops, wedding dresses are also available in: thrift shops, discount stores, online, and even eBay.

If you are buying on eBay, make sure the measurements of the wedding dress is included in the description. Also, the condition of the dress must be looked into. Check for feedback regarding that person's account, just to make sure that you are dealing with a credible dealer.

But if a traditional wedding is the theme you have in mind, then you might want to go for a vintage dress, in keeping with this theme. When buying a vintage dress, beware of discoloration, or stains on the dress. These might not come off so easily. Investigate the fabric of the dress, stretch it out to check for weakening, or tearing of the cloth.

Try to buy a vintage dress that is made before the 1900's. Fabrics have a tendency to deteriorate, and weaken over time. Extraordinarily old vintage dresses might look romantic, but they might not be ideal for use.
If you really have your heart set on a specific design, but you find that that dress is too old to use, or too expensive, then you can always go for a reproduction wedding dress.

Many stores specialize on reproduction dresses. They design wedding dresses based on specific themes, or eras. Some specialty wedding shops also focus on designing knock-off wedding dresses, inspired by designer wedding gowns. The huge difference being, that these wedding gowns are retailed for the fraction of the amount.

There are so many ways a future bride can go about in search for her dream wedding dress. Searching for a wedding dress should be exciting and fun. So make sure you have plenty of time in your hands before the big day, so this process doesn't become stressful, and wearisome. Instead a prelude to the happiness of the special occasion which is to become your wedding.

wedding dresses culture

Western Culture
Weddings performed during and immediately following the medieval era were often more than just a union between two people. They could be a union between two families, two businesses or even two countries. Many weddings were more a matter of politics than love, particularly among the nobility and the higher social classes. Brides were therefore expected to dress in a manner that cast their families in the most favorable light, for they were not representing only themselves during the ceremony. Brides from wealthy families often wore rich colors and exclusive fabrics. It was common to see them wearing bold colors and layers of furs, velvet and silk.

Over the centuries, brides continued to dress in a manner befitting their social status—always in the height of fashion, with the richest, boldest materials money could buy. The poorest of brides wore their best church dress on their wedding day. The amount of material a wedding dress contained also was a reflection of the bride's social standing and indicated the extent of the family's wealth to wedding guests. Today, there are wedding dresses available in all price ranges, and Western traditions have loosened up to include a rainbow of colors and variety of lengths, which are now considered acceptable. Women may purchase ready-made gowns, wear a family heirloom, or they may choose to have a dressmaker create one for her. In addition, today many bridal salons have samples of wedding gowns in their stores where the bride selects a certain style and orders one to be made to fit.

Wedding dresses have traditionally been based on the popular styles of the day. For example, in the 1920s, wedding dresses were typically short in the front with a longer train in the back and were worn with cloche-style wedding veils. This tendency to follow current fashions continued until the late 1940s, when it became popular to revert to long, full-skirted designs reminiscent of the Victorian era. Although there has always been a style that dominates the bridal market for a time, and then shifts with the changes in fashion, a growing number of modern brides are not choosing to follow these trends. This is due in large part to non-traditional and non-first-time weddings, and women who are marrying later in life.

Today, Western wedding dresses are usually white, though "wedding white" includes creamy shades such as eggshell, ecru and ivory. Philippa of England was actually the first documented princess in history to wear a white wedding gown during a royal wedding ceremony: she wore a tunic with a cloak in white silk bordered with grey squirrel and ermine).

White did not become a popular option until 1840, after the marriage of Queen Victoria to Albert of Saxe-Coburg. Victoria had worn a white gown for the event so as to incorporate some lace she owned. The official wedding portrait photograph was widely published, and many other brides opted for a similar dress in honor of the Queen's choice.

The tradition continues today in the form of a white wedding, though prior to the Victorian era, a bride was married in any color except black (the color of mourning) or red (which was connected with prostitutes). However, in Finland during the 19th century, it was popular for brides to wear dark colors, especially black. Later, many people assumed that the color white was intended to symbolize virginity, though this had not been the original intention. (It was the color blue that was connected to purity.) The white gown is in fact a symbolic Christening gown. The are a variation of the white surplice worn in the Western Catholic tradition by members of the clergy, church choirs and servers and the gowns worn by girls making their first communion and at their confirmation and also by women making religious vows. Today, the white dress is normally understood merely as the most traditional and popular choice for weddings.



Eastern Culture
Many wedding dresses in China, India (wedding sari) and Vietnam (in the traditional form of the Ao dai) are colored red, the traditional color of good luck and auspiciousness. Nowadays, many women opt not to wear red and choose other colors. In modern Chinese weddings, the bride usually opts for the white Western dress or changes from a white gown to a red gown later in the day and sometimes a gold-colored gown later on.

South Indian weddings traditionally use white or cream-colored saris. Indian brides in Western countries often wear the sari at the wedding ceremony and change into traditional Indian wear afterwards (lehnga, choli, etc.).

In Japan, brides will often wear three or more dresses throughout the ceremony and subsequent celebrations with a traditional kimono, white and colour dress combination being popular. The Javanese people of Indonesia wear a kebaya, a traditional kind of blouse, along with batik.

In the Philippines, variations of the Baro't saya are considered to be wedding attire for women, along with the Barong Tagalog for men.


Native American Culture

The indigenous peoples of the Americas have varying traditions related to weddings and thus wedding dresses. A Hopi bride traditionally would have her garments woven by the groom and any men in the village who wished to participate. The garments consisted of a large belt, two all-white wedding robes, a white wedding robe with red stripes at top and bottom, white buckskin leggings and moccasins, a string for tying the hair, and a reed mat in which to wrap the outfit. This outfit also would serve as a shroud, since these garments would be necessary for the trip through the underworld. A Pueblo bride wore a cotton garment tied above the right shoulder, secured with a belt around the waist. In the traditions of the Delaware, a bride would wear a knee-length skirt of deerskin and a band of wampum beads around her forehead. Except for fine beads or shell necklaces, the body would be bare from the waist up. If it were a winter wedding, she would wear deerskin leggings and moccasins and a robe of turkey feathers. Her face would be painted with white, red and yellow clay. The tribes of Northern California (which include the Klamath, the Modoc and the Yurok) had a traditional bridal dress woven in symbolic colors: white for the east, blue for the south, yellow (orange) for the west; and black for the north. Turquoise and silver jewelry were worn by both the bride and the groom in addition to a silver concho belt. Jewelry was considered a shield against evils including hunger, poverty and bad luck.

Winter wedding:Less-expensive,unique option

When planning the big day, many couples are opting to walk down the aisle in January or February.

A winter wedding can be considerably cheaper. It also provides the opportunity to pull off the kind of singular event that will stand out from the endless parade of June nuptials.

Just ask Jennifer Greer, who married J.R. Gordon on Jan. 23 at Heinz Chapel in Oakland.

"I always saw my wedding in the winter with my bridesmaids carrying muffs," says Greer, 27, of Cecil. "When I was little and it was cold out, my mom would dress me in a furry white coat with a furry white muff. So, of course, my bridesmaids will be wearing a white fur muff instead of carrying a bouquet."

Greer and Gordon both remained unfazed when their mothers, Kathy Gordon and Sandy Greer, brought up the b-word: blizzard.

"Pittsburgh weather is problematic as it is," Greer says. "I can remember a Halloween when we were running around in our costumes in the snow. In the summer, you could have a hurricane come up the coast and you could have pouring down rain. We were willing to take the chance."

A winter wedding is not as far-fetched as it sounds, says Anja Winikka, editor at TheKnot.com, a leading wedding Web site. Anybody can have a June wedding, but guests won't likely forget a Christmas-themed wedding in December or a February ceremony, where the snowy landscape can provide a dramatic contrast for photos of the wedding party.

"Nobody wants to have a wedding that looks like their friend's weddings," Winikka says. "You can really take advantage of the seasonal elements and make it your own."

Those planning a December wedding probably will find many reception venues already decorated for Christmas. Instead of pastels, rich jewel tones and velvet fabrics can be incorporated into the bridesmaids dresses and groomsmen's tuxes. The church and reception hall and the bouquets can be accented with metallic blues and gold that will reflect candlelight and impart a rich and cozy glow.

"Metallics are huge in the winter because it has that ... reflective quality that works well with candles," Winikka says. "Usually in a winter wedding, you're dealing with a darker space. You want to create an intimate atmosphere."

Photographers, caterers and limousine services are more likely to give off-season discounts. So will many banquet facilities -- at least after the holiday season is over.

Lora Peluso, director of catering and convention services at the Omni William Penn hotel, says that weddings booked in January through March can cost $90 per person. The same offering in the spring and fall can be as high as $140 per head, she says.

"We're more apt to give them a deal in order to get them in," Peluso says. "You get a lot more for your money. You have a lot of negotiating power."

Winter's frigid temperatures also can be a blessing in disguise, Peluso says. "People don't like to get dressed up in the summer for formal affairs. It's actually a plus to have it cooler."

That motivated Shannon Jordan and Vernon Botts of Highland Park to set Feb. 20 as their wedding day.

"We sort of looked at the pros and cons," says Jordan, 25. "Neither of us like the heat. He doesn't want to be worried about sweating in his tux. You're already worked up anyway. The last thing you want to worry about is wiping sweat off."

She also chose that particular day because it was close to the anniversary of their first date.

Jordan says it will take a cold day indeed to dissuade her from having photos of the wedding party taken outside. She's ready to deploy black faux-fur wraps or coats to go with the bridesmaids' silver-and-raspberry dresses, and a white wrap for herself.

"I would say that probably 85 percent of people think it's a great idea," says Jordan of Highland Park. "A lot of people have never been to a winter wedding. They're excited because it's one less wedding they have to deal with in the spring and the summer."

They'll marry at Heinz Chapel on the University of Pittsburgh campus in Oakland. Their reception, whose theme is 1940s Hollywood, will take place at the Pittsburgh Athletic Association. It's across the street, which means guests won't have to drive in the event of inclement weather.

Wedding planner Katherine Shaw, who is organizing the couple's reception, relishes the creative potential of a winter wedding. Shaw, who owns Trends to Traditions in Cranberry, married husband Conan at a Christmas-themed wedding in St. Louis.

"February's always a good time especially because of Valentine's Day," she says. "It's a very romantic month."

Nuptial know-how

Planning a winter wedding, or just thinking about it? Consider these tips, from some winter brides and from Anja Winikka, editor of TheKnot.com:

• Taking photos outdoors doesn't mean turning into a Popsicle. Incorporate a shawl to go with your gown. (This could be your "Something blue," Winikka says). Other options include white gloves, extra-warm tights (under the wedding gown) or fuzzy white-winter earmuffs. The groom and his groomsmen can wear scarves that match the colors on their tuxes, and formal black winter coats.

• Have your wedding and reception as close together as possible so guests don't have to travel far in the case of inclement weather.

• Consider valet parking if guests have to drive to the reception, so they don't have too far to walk. Use a heavy, all-weather mat at the entrance so guests can wipe their feet.

• The reception area should not be near the door to the outside. Nobody wants a cold breeze blowing in whenever someone enters or exits.

• The menu at the reception can include white hot chocolate or eggnog served in punch glasses, Winikka says. "Play up the soup course instead of the salad course."

• Have the number of a car service handy in case bad weather hits, so your guests can be driven home safely.

• If you're getting married during the holiday season, don't overdo the red and green.

• Reflective colors and textures can be a plus since they'll add more light. Consider silver or gold metallics in your color palette. Bouquets can be wrapped in crystal-studded ribbons.

• For flowers, try red roses, calla lilies, amaryllis or white hydrangeas. White boutonnieres can be accented with greenery.

• Consider holding the ceremony earlier in the day to allow for sufficient daylight to take photos of the wedding party.

• Remember that a winter wedding means a winter anniversary. Laura Koveleskie of Greensburg married husband Robert in Steubenvlle, Ohio, on Jan. 20, 1998. That was also the day that a massive snowmelt caused rivers to overflow their banks, closing some bridges and making some roads impassable. "It was pretty scary seeing the river just feet from your car," Koveleskie says. "A lot of anniversaries we stay home because the weather's too bad to go out to dinner."

Bride-To-Be's Wedding "Out To Sea"

Elise Schmitt says she's a heartbroken bride to be whose dream plans for a June wedding reception on this 170 foot luxury yacht have run aground.

"I was a bride without a venue, with a dress and a fiancée but no place to get married," she said.

The Freeport company that booked Schmitt's wedding reception on the Nautical Empress last September has locked doors and no answer.

After her calls and emails of complaint, Schmitt says a rep from Nautical Cruise Lines finally confirmed last month that the long standing company had gone out of business.

But the Iraq war vet has yet to receive a refund of her $3000 deposit, money that she says was a wedding gift from her widowed mom.

"She wanted to give us something and that was all she could give us- and she's very upset right now," she said.

Late today we were told the check is in the mail from a man claiming to be an owner of Nautical Cruise Lines.

He refused an on camera interview but said he assured all his former clients three weeks ago that their money will be repaid this month.

"I am not running on anybody," he told NBCNewYork.

The Nassau county department of Consumer Affair's says it received a complaint about Nautical Cruise Lines just days ago...and is now investigating to see what happened. But its unclear whether there are others in the same boat as Elise Schmitt.

"If they cancel your wedding, they could at least return your deposit so you can pay for your new one," she said.

Schmitt has rescheduled her wedding at a traditional catering hall and hopes to soon put these stormy wedding seas behind her.

Beaty and Lanum Wedding

Dwayne and Angie Beaty of Hagerstown, Ind., announce the marriage of their daughter, Ashley Rene’, to Evan Todd Lanum.

The wedding was held at the New Testament Church of Christ in Hagerstown on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009, at 5:30 in the afternoon. The reception immediately followed at the Holiday Inn in Richmond, Ind.

The bride is a graduate of Hagerstown High School.She attended Indiana State University and is employed in the medical office of Drs. Bode, Hartman, Rice.

The groom attended Frankfort High School and graduated from Indiana State University with a Social Studies degree.

The honeymoon was in Cabo San Lucas. The couple reside in Hagerstown.

Price negotiating wedding magazine deal?

Glamour model and reality television star Katie Price is reported to be working on a deal with OK! Magazine to cover her wedding to 'Celebrity Big Brother' winner Alex Reid.

The People reports that Price allegedly began working on a deal worth £1.75m while Reid was still in the reality TV house with a source saying "Big money is being spoken about for wedding coverage, and a lot of it is down to Alex doing so well on Big Brother. Jordan began negotiating the deal even before he won. But now she has upped the ante."

Reid is not believed to have asked Price to marry him yet but he is reported to have said to a friend "I have planned how I am going to do it. I have had a lot of time to think about it while I was in the house. I have spent days mulling it over and it won't take place in the spotlight, it will be just myself and Kate."