Not Everyone Is A Size Eight
Tips for the full-figured bride


One of the hardest tasks for any bride is finding the right dress. There are so many options: short sleeves or long, beaded or plain, white or off-white, detachable train or just plain full length.

Most women spend hours combing through all the bridal magazines they can get their hands on, comparing styles and fabrics. But when it comes time to start visiting bridal shops and trying on gowns, many plus-sized brides find the selection to be disappointing.

"Most shops only carry sizes up to 12 or 14, and a lot of brides-to-be are embarrassed to go in and look at dresses. Brides can select their gown online and try it on at home. If it doesn't fit, PlusSizeBridal.com will exchange it for another size, style, color, or refund the price.

Ordering a dress online has a number of advantages: it's convenient, easy to compare prices, and the available selection is much bigger than that of a typical store.

Here are some tips from PlusSizeBridal.com on how to select the perfect dress:

Set a budget right away. Decide how much you can afford to spend. This will help you avoid the wasted time and frustration of looking at gowns that are out of your price range.

Allow plenty of time. It's a big decision, and you don't want to have to rush into anything. You also want to leave enough time for any needed alterations.

Find your style. At first, all of the options will be overwhelming. But if you narrow your search down to styles that look flattering on you and emphasize your best attributes, you will find the right dress more easily.

Use the size charts. All wedding gowns are sized differently according to the manufacturer. Most women think that if they wear a size 14 in ready-to-wear, they are a 14 in bridal. Not the case.

In fact, bridal gowns are actually smaller. A size 14 in ready-to-wear usually is a size or two more in bridal attire. Using the size chart for the specific dress you are ordering is critical in saving time and money.

For more information visit www.plussizebridal.com or call (866) PLS-BRID. Using the size charts provided, customers can shop for a wide selection of gowns and accessories.

Most items can be shipped within three days, and any gown can be returned within five days if the customer is not satisfied.

Planning a Wedding Reception for Brides on a Budget

The reception is traditionally one of the most expensive aspects of a wedding.

However, by combining personal creativity and ingenuity -- with inexpensive, ready-made items available at discount retailers, brides-to-be and cash-strapped parents can host a beautiful wedding reception without blowing through the entire bridal budget.

"Creating a beautiful wedding environment on a budget is simple, "By putting a personal touch on everything from table centerpieces to wedding favors, brides and grooms can save while creating memories for years to come."

While June is still the most popular month for weddings, according to a recent study by Hallmark.com, September and October are quickly gaining in popularity. Lady D's Exquisite Weddings and Events offers some great last-minute planning tips for brides and grooms-to-be:

If renting a reception tent, create a romantic environment by purchasing sheering fabric and 2-inch ribbon from a local discount retailer to drape around the canopy. Create billows of fabric and hang from the ceiling, wrap around poles, and swag in the entryway.

Whether throwing an indoor or outdoor reception, flowers help set the tone but can quickly add up. A typical flower budget is 15 percent of the overall cost of a wedding. Consider using some of the beautiful and realistic-looking silk flowers available today intermingled with arrangements of fresh flowers to keep the romance high and the costs low. The bride and groom can use the silk flowers in the home for years to come.

Every bride wants to do something unique at her wedding. Create a dramatic, sweet-smelling entrance for guests by lining a walkway to the reception venue or reception tent with fresh rose petals. Also consider renting a bubble machine, available at retailers such as Wal-Mart, for some added ambiance and fun.

Renting both table settings and white linen tablecloths can get expensive. Instead, consider purchasing clear glass plates from a discount retailer. Stack the salad plate on top of the dinner plate and place a large leaf between the two for a very pretty place setting. Buying plates is often less expensive than renting and the bride and groom can keep them for the years (and dinner parties) ahead.

Remember to keep centerpieces either low enough or high enough so guests can see each other from across the table. A simple cake pedestal adorned with sugared fruits and a candle makes a beautiful and an inexpensive centerpiece. Add to the sugary sparkle by placing candles in votive candle holders to illuminate the centerpieces from underneath. Remember to place approximately half an inch of water in each candle holder or glass for easy removal of melted wax.

For more formal wedding receptions, assigning guests to tables is considered proper etiquette but that doesn't mean it has to be stuffy. Purchase large sugar cookies and pipe romantic words like 'joy,' 'hope,' 'love,' and 'forever' on each cookie. Place one cookie in each centerpiece to replace traditional numbered tables and have your place cards direct your guests to these romantically identified tables.

Wedding favors that double as place cards can be made by purchasing sugar cookies from a local bakery that are iced in white. Pipe each guest's names on the cookies in colored icing a day or two before the wedding. Place in cellophane bags, tied with a ribbon, and set at each guest's place setting so guests know where to sit.

Handmade keepsakes given out during the wedding reception are an easy and thoughtful way to thank the wedding party. Create beautiful, unique cards for the bridesmaids by purchasing simple white note cards, decorated with the wedding's theme colors embellished with different fabrics or small trinkets purchased from a craft department. Write a cherished memory or personal note inside the card, which bridesmaids can keep for the years to come.

And don't forget the wedding cake, which can be very expensive, depending on the number of guests attending. Consider purchasing a decorated sheet cake from a local bakery in addition to a smaller tiered cake. Then marry them together as one elaborate cake with piping and rose petals. Brides and grooms may find that bakeries like those at a Wal-Mart Supercenter can make unique and cost-conscious tiered wedding cakes that are beautiful as well as delicious.

Remember, all cakes are created equal -- flour, sugar, and butter --so there's no need to spend a fortune on one.