Who You Should Bring Dress Shopping

You want to look your best on your big day and a large part of that is the dress, whether it is for prom or for your wedding. Shopping alone can be intimidating, so it never hurts to have a second opinion. Who you want to have with you depends on which of the following events you are shopping for.

Prom Dresses

It can be a good idea to shop for prom dresses in two stages:

Stage One

Go on a scouting mission with your most trusted besties. You want the girls who are not going to grab your favorite dress from under your nose. Select a few styles and make sure you aren’t all in love with the same prom dress (unless that’s a plan you have). Take pictures with your phone so you can think about the possibilities.

Stage Two

Now that you have an idea of what you want, take your mom with you to the store. It’s likely that she’s picking up the tab (which means she will want a say). Prom dress shopping is also a great time to reach out to her and show her how important her opinion is. By asking your mom to help you choose between three or four dresses you like, you will end up with something you like no matter what.

Bridal Gowns

Remember when prom was the biggest night of your life? The stakes are even higher with a wedding and for some brides that can be stressful. Fear not! Your wedding day truly is the biggest day of your life and if you’re lucky, you are surrounded by friends and family who want to help. Here are the two people to bring with you:

Your Mom

Your wedding is a big day for you. It is also a milestone for your mom. You’ll score big points if you include her in some of the important decisions. You’ll also benefit from her years of wisdom. Listen to her carefully before you make the dress decision.

Your Best Friend/Maid of Honor

This is likely the same person, but sometimes distance is an issue. This should be a girlfriend that you trust to give you an honest opinion in a kind way. She knows that you hate the way your (insert body part here) looks and she will help you camouflage it. Better yet, she knows you have a fabulous (insert body part here) and can help you find ways to highlight it! Ask her to take pictures so you can consider the dresses over a few days.

David’s Bridal stocks a wide variety of prom dresses and wedding dresses in a range of sizes designed to flatter all types of figures.

When it comes to planning a wedding, most of the focus is on how much the bride and groom will have to pony up for their big day.

But what about the people who pay just for the pleasure of wishing them well?

A new survey found wedding guests and bridal parties expect to spend more than $500 on average this year –– a huge bump over 2012.

Between tux rentals, dress fittings, bachelor(ette) parties and pre-wedding showers, bridal party members will shell out $577 per person these days, compared to $377 in 2012.

As for the 69 million wedding guests expected to attend nuptials this year, they can expect to spend $539, up 59% since 2012.

The reason? Hotel and gas costs are rising, which means just getting to a wedding costs more than usual. And then there are the gifts, of course.

Guests spend about $108 on average on wedding gifts!

If you’re newly engaged, you know the wedding day is ALL about the bride! Looking to shape up for your wedding? We have some great workout tips on how to look absolutely fabulous in your gown!

What you want: A sleek, smooth torso for even the slinkiest sheath.

The Twist

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and knees slightly bent. Imagine holding a ball in between your thighs. Squeeze your thigh muscles, then pull in your belly and tuck it under your pelvis (so you’re in a slight sitting position). Lace your fingers together and place your hands behind your head.

2. Keeping your chest high, slowly twist from side to side without moving your lower body, so that your upper body turns from facing left to facing right. Keep it slow — you won’t get the full benefit if you’re relying on momentum. Repeat 40 times. Yep, you heard us right — 40!

Standing Side Crunch

1. Stand in the same position as you did for the twist, with your abs tucked in and your toes facing front (but drop the imaginary ball!).

2. Lift your left knee toward your left arm bringing your elbow down to meet it. Hold, then return to the starting position. Repeat it on the right and do a total of 20 repetitions on each side.

What you want: Toned triceps, biceps, and pectorals to really strut your strapless stuff.

Bicep Curls
1. Standing with your feet hip-width apart and knees slightly bent, pull your tummy in and tuck your pelvis under. Hold a heavier pair of dumbbells down at your sides with your palms facing front.

2. Keeping your elbows at your sides, slowly curl the dumbbells toward your shoulders. Reverse direction and lower the dumbbells into starting position — avoid locking your elbows. Do 10 repetitions per set. Slow and steady wins the race here — you’ll get a bigger benefit from the exercise if you use concentrated, controlled movements. If you feel like you’re whipping the weights around to get them up, your dumbbells are too heavy. Downgrade to a smaller weight so you can move more comfortably.

Flat Dumbbell Fly
1. Lie down with your knees bent and your feet firmly planted shoulder-width apart. Stretch out your arms on the floor so your body makes a T. Grasp a dumbbell in each outstretched hand, keeping your elbows slightly bent. Keep your palms facing up towards the ceiling.

2. Slowly raise the weights upward in a rounded arc (as if you were hugging a tree!), gently touching the dumbbells together at the top above your body. Hold for a few seconds, then slowly lower the weights back to their starting positions. Do 10 repetitions per set.

Tricep Dips
1. Sit normally on a sturdy, nonwheeled chair. Place your hands on the front edge of the seat (fingertips facing front) and your feet on the floor, hip-width apart and a little bit ahead of you. Slowly slide your bottom off the seat of the chair, keeping your hands where there are.

2. Keeping your arms close to your body, bend your elbows until your upper arms are parallel to the floor, allowing your rear end to descend past the edge of the chair. Using your arms to lift you, reverse direction and push yourself back up to the point at which your arms are straight. Work up to 15 dips per set.

Chrissy Teigen has revealed that she has finalized the details of her upcoming wedding to John Legend, 34, including the dress!! The 27-year-old model told Showbiz Tonight that she chose her ‘soft and gorgeous’ Vera Wang gown after her superstitious fiance accidentally glimpsed at her first choice gown!  The couples has been very indecisive about their nuptials, but told guests they’d have to “trek somewhere” to get to the location! We are excited to see where the couple will have their wedding!

Good Morning DB Readers! Today we are reporting on all things that are trending NOW!  As we follow fashion trends and browse through our favorite shops, we can’t help but notice a new bold color trend emerging. And it’s a take on one of our favorite combinations. There isn’t a palette more classic or one more versatile than black and white. But there’s one particular color that has joined this duo’s party: yellow.

We love when yellow is paired with just about any color. When paired with black and white, however, it seems to provide an extra jolted burst. In order for yellow to have the most impact in this case, use it sparingly and in unexpected ways (hello, accessories!). This trio is just as appropriate for an outdoor rustic wedding as it is for one feted in a modern art gallery.

Take a look through at the ways we can already envision a black, white, and yellow palette coming together. Then let us know in the comments what you think of this bold combination!

Galina Gown Meets Old Hollywood: A Dream Marriage Proposal

By Sarah Pease

After each awards show in Hollywood there is no shortage of magazines and websites splashed with photos of starlets donning gorgeous gowns, and season after season some of the best dressed women are those that channeled Old Hollywood glamour. The figure-hugging shape and sweetheart neckline of this demure yet sultry Galina Signature wedding gown served as the inspiration for a marriage proposal fit for a 1940’s screen siren or a modern starlet.

Your future-fiancée will think she is having a girl’s day spent shopping and going to the spa with her best friend, but the day has actually been planned down to the last detail to be the day of her dreams.  Everything begins as your sweetheart and friend set off for one of the chicest shopping streets in Hollywood, Rodeo Drive.  As they meander and peer into the ornately decorated window displays, her friend will suggest venturing into one of the well-known boutiques where they’ll try on some of the to-die-for dresses and shoes, but what your future-fiancée does not know is that you secretly contacted the store prior to her visit and arranged for her favorite pieces to be delivered to the spa.  After visiting some of Hollywood’s most famous boutiques, the women will head to the spa for an afternoon of starlet-worthy pampering.  As their spa trip comes to an end, she’ll be surprised when an exquisitely-wrapped garment bag from the store she visited earlier greets her at the spa. A classic car will whisk her to one of Hollywood’s most iconic spots, the Beverly Hills Hotel, where she’s shown to a dream suite and says goodbye to her friend and hello to her beauty team.  They’ll create the perfect hair & makeup look and as she changes into her glamorous, red-carpet ready outfit, she is transformed into a vintage screen siren. An impeccably dressed butler will show her to the hotel’s terrace bar that overlooks the pool, where a “red carpet” rose petal path will lead you to an intimate table-for-two hidden amongst the palm trees.  You’ll be waiting for her at the end of the red carpet with an envelope with her name on it. The outside reads “The Academy Award for Best Leading Lady” and on the inside is her name.  You drop to one knee and share that you would truly be the winner, for the rest of your lives, if she says yes!

Like the classic and glamorous Galina Signature gown, this marriage proposal idea is reminiscent of the Golden Age of Hollywood and will be remembered forever.

Sarah Pease, The Proposal Planner ™ is recognized as the foremost expert on marriage proposals and is the pioneer of Marriage Proposal Planning. Based in New York City, Sarah and her team at Brilliant Event Planning have designed and produced dream engagements for countless lucky couples from across the world and are the go-to source for all things regarding “Will You Marry Me?”

Beverly HIlls Hotel

Bar Nineteen12

Lana Turner

Rodeo Drive

Rose Petal Path

Good Morning DB Readers! Today is THRIFTY THURSDAY and we are spicing up our blog post today with all things that are artsy, cute, DIY inspired and easy to do!  The best way to be creative is to see others ideas and put your own spin on what you want out of your wedding! Here are some pictures to get your creative juices flowing!

Happy Wedding Wednesday DB Readers! Some food for thought for you brides to be… how have you been planning your wedding? Like most brides who are turning to the internet and social media to plan their weddings in the digital age, Pinterest is the most popular outlet women are using!  But, a recent story claims that all weddings are starting to look the same because of the inspiration that everyone is embodying for their nuptials.  Read a great article below!

For many brides-to-be, the Internet is an endless source of visual inspiration, and websites like Pinterest have proved to be instrumental tools for streamlining ideas to incorporate into the big day.

But a recent story on the Huffington Post posed the question: Are these sites ruining weddings by making them look too similar?

“At first, I felt so inspired! Look at all these great ideas! How unique! How special and memorable my wedding will be!” wrote Rachel Weight, in a piece titled “Are weddings getting too ‘Pin-dictable?’”

“But lately I’ve realized that these Pinterest-y weddings are all starting the look exactly the same,” she complained. “There’s almost a formula for them.”

Weight noted that wedding blogs and online inspiration boards have turned elements like photo booths, chalkboards, café lights (often strewn from trees, with or without paper lanterns), sparklers and mason jars into ubiquitous clichés by circulating the same images over and over. Groomsmen in matching sneakers, pets serving as ring bearers and candy bars (or dessert bars of any kind) also rank high on the list of trends.

With so many brides-to-be sharing the same ideas and using their boards as reference for florists, planners and other vendors, are wedding planning websites ruining the creativity and individuality of weddings?

“Yes! Make it stop,” Elise Loehnen, the L.A based editor-in-chief of shopping website Beso.com, told TODAY.com. “What bums me out is to go to weddings where people have just adopted ‘clever’ or ‘cute’ ideas that aren’t even remotely relevant to who they are or what the event is about and then sort of stitched them together into a smorgasbord of I-Don’t-Get-It details.”

Portland-based publicist and bride-to-be CJ Frogozo tried the Pinterest route at the suggestion of co-workers, but quickly abandoned it after realizing that none of the ideas she found felt applicable to her or her fiancé’s taste.

“Everything looked the same,” she told TODAY. “I couldn’t find unique ideas. I started pinning and it started looking the same as other people’s boards.”

Tired of seeing endless pictures of table numbers held by clothespins, seat assignments written on chalkboards, and “signature drink” displays, Frogozo decided to go in a different direction. She chose wedding vendors that didn’t require her to bring in mood boards for reference, and worked with them to create original touches based on the aesthetic, food and flowers that felt most personal to her and her fiancé (case in point: cheeseburgers are being served as the main course at their reception.)

“It’s nice that everyone is so Pinterest-friendly these days, but we have to slow down, because people are just regurgitating the same ideas on there, which for the most part are not innovative or inspiring,” said L.A based event planner Yifat Oren, who works with celebrities such as Drew Barrymore, Reese Witherspoon and Anne Hathaway.

“The mason jars hanging from trees, the farm and rustic feel, really? Is there really a dresser sitting in the middle of a field? I’m getting tired of weddings that look like garage sales,” she said. “Ultimately, if you love something you should do it, but I think that people want something interesting.”

Plenty of brides and wedding planners still share inspiration online — and don’t care if their weddings are similar to others’.

“Of course, many wedding clichés exist, from mustaches to mason jars, but I do not believe that Pinterest is to blame,” wedding blogger Kate Myhre, who founded Modernlywed.com, told TODAY. “Just like any industry, these clichés started as trendy ideas that were quickly over used and continually reinforced through online media.”

She said sites like Pinterest can be a great resource for couples to collect inspiration and visualize wedding elements side by side, helping them pinpoint their personal style.

Ali Pomerantz, a Hollywood-based personal trainer getting married in August, agrees. She’s been using Pinterest to plan her nautical-chic wedding and found it’s helped her stay organized and inspired.

“There are ideas on there that I wouldn’t have thought of myself,” she said. “I’ve found it very helpful and inspiring.”

The bottom line is, if a couple getting married has a personal connection to trends like sparklers, fake mustaches and mason jars, then that’s all that matters, whether or not the idea is a wedding cliché.

“The details should make sense for the environment and the people who are getting married,” Loehnen said, “so that it feels fresh and deeply personal.”

Happy Tuesday Everyone! With wedding season right around the corner, soon enough you’ll be traveling to spend time with family and friends for the nuptials of 2013!! HuffingtonPost recently published an article about great advice from Lori Fradkin who attended 21 weddings, and her 21 tips of advice! Read below for some great advice!!

I have a lot of friends. It always feels like bragging when I say that, like I’m suggesting I could be the inspiration for a Little Miss Popular book or something, but I’m not sure how else to phrase it. I’ve remained close with the friends I grew up with in Houston, and I’ve met new people through college in Chicago and post-college life in New York. And it’s all added up to quite a large group.

What this means is that I’ve put many of my vacation days toward bridal showers and bachelorette parties and rehearsal dinners and weddings. I’ve flown to Minneapolis, Dallas and Cincinnati, taken the train to Boston and rode in the passenger seat to Wilmington, Del. I’ve had to decline a few invitations when the trip just wasn’t feasible, but for the most part, I’ve tried to be there for my friends’ celebrations. My wedding count is now at 21, and I have several more already on my calendar, including my own.

Here’s what I have learned:

1. The wedding is about the couple, but it’s not only about the couple. Maybe you could make the case that when people elope or have a totally private ceremony, it really is just about the two of them. But assuming there are others in attendance, the wedding is a big deal for family and friends who are like family too. Remember that a marriage joins two lives, not just two people.

2. Wedding websites are not just vanity projects. Yes, you have to put pictures of yourself and your future spouse online, often accompanied by your charming “how we met” and proposal stories, but it’s not just about broadcasting your happiness to the world. Having all the relevant information (registry, hotel and transportation, area attractions) in the same place is extremely helpful for guests. I’m now disappointed when a couple doesn’t create one of these sites.

3. You can pull together a beautiful wedding pretty quickly if you want to. One of my friends got engaged in November and tied the knot in March. There was no need for a prolonged engagement. She and her now-husband were ready to get married, so they got married. And their wedding was just as gorgeous and fun as weddings I’ve been to that took double the time to plan.

4. Bridesmaids probably won’t wear their dresses again, even if the bride assures them that they’ll be able to. The chances of the dress being something they would have picked out on their own are pretty slim, but that’s OK. The bridesmaids agreed to be in the wedding party because of their relationship with the bride, so for the most part, they’ll wear whatever she asks them to. It’s just part of the deal.

5. Plus-ones should be given more slightly liberally as you get older. It’s understandable that you don’t want your single friends scrambling to find someone, only to bring a random date you’ve never met. But guests in relatively new relationships shouldn’t be subject to the same strict “How long have you been together?” test that they might have been just after college. First of all, you probably have fewer people in this situation now than you would have in the past, as many of your friends have already paired off. But beyond that, a six-month relationship at 29 is typically much more serious than a six-month relationship at 22. The rules should change accordingly.

6. Just because an item is on the registry doesn’t mean it’s a great gift. Sure, the couple might use a laundry hamper or flatware polish, but is that really what you want to give a close friend on this special occasion? Do you really want to be the one to say congratulations with a corn husker? Leave that to someone who doesn’t know them as well or let the newlyweds buy it with the credit they get from returns. Choose a silver picture frame or porcelain vase instead.

7. It’s not selfish or rude to plan a wedding over a holiday weekend. I realize this one is controversial, as a lot of people like to arrange their own trips over Memorial Day, Labor Day, etc. But my feeling has always been that if you’re close enough to be invited to a person’s wedding (and aren’t going just out of obligation), this shouldn’t be such a burden. If the wedding involves any travel at all, you’re probably going to have to take off a Monday or a Friday to be there anyway, so it’s really just a matter of using that vacation day for personal reasons instead and devoting your holiday to the wedding.

8. Black tie doesn’t necessarily mean ball gown. This is a wedding, not the Academy Awards. So while it’s smart to ask around to see if the hosts have any expectations or preferences, I’ve definitely worn short dresses to very formal weddings and haven’t been out of place.

9. Out-of-towners always appreciate a good hospitality bag. It’s such a treat to arrive at the hotel and have the person at the front desk present you with a gift. Because, in addition to the weekend schedule (which is essential), you know you’re about to get chocolate chip cookies. Or M&M’s. Or caramel corn. Or pretzels. Or some regional treat. Or all of the above. The best bags, I’ve found, have a combination of sweet and salty and at least one bottle of water. The water comes in especially handy when you get back from the reception and don’t want to open the $8 Evian.

10. You will never regret having tissues in your purse. It doesn’t matter if the bride and groom are my best friends or if they’re my fiance’s friends and I’ve met them only once. I will most likely tear up. Recently, at a wedding in Boston, I told my fiance I just had the sniffles. I was lying.

11. Your friend’s spouse-to-be doesn’t have to be someone you would want to marry.Perhaps you don’t agree with the groom’s political beliefs or don’t find his jokes that funny or aren’t attracted to him. Well, that’s fine, because you’re not marrying him. As long as he loves your friend and they have a strong connection, just be happy for them.

12. Little kids in formal attire are incredibly adorable. They may get nervous walking down the aisle. They may get fussy or talkative during the ceremony. And they may get tired (or wired) by the end of the night. But, on the other hand, toddler tuxes!

13. There’s really no need for a signature drink. Your guests will be happy with wine, champagne, vodka or some other basic beverage and likely prefer these drinks to a fruity concoction with a whimsical name. Focus more on making the food stand out. I still have fond memories of the lobster-taco appetizers at one wedding and the macaroni and cheese bar at another.

14. Photo slideshows are risky. Proceed with caution. It’s sweet to see your friends as babies and with their families and with each other and with each other’s families, but these presentations can get overly long. Also, there’s the potential for a projector malfunction. This isn’t to say don’t put them together. Just keep your audience in mind if you do.

15. The bouquet toss is kind of an uncomfortable tradition. Even when I was single, I chose that time to go to the bathroom, especially as the group of eligible women started to dwindle. Or I would stand off to the side in the back of the group and let my less shy friends go after the flowers. There are few things in life that aren’t made better with Beyonce, but even “Single Ladies” doesn’t improve this particular situation. In fact, it always signaled to me that it was time to hide.

16. It’s really nice to hear the bride and groom express how they feel about each other. Not everyone recites personal vows at the ceremony. But in addition to toasts from the best man and maid of honor and friends and family, I want a few words from the couple. I want to hear the groom say how stunning his bride looks and how sweet she is with his grandpa. I want to hear the bride talk about the groom’s good heart and how he calms her down when she’s feeling anxious. And cliches completely get a pass: No one is going to judge the newlyweds for saying they feel like the “luckiest people in the world.”

17. The grown-ups like to party just as much as the kids. Many of the weddings I’ve attended have been for close family friends, so my parents and their friends have been invited as well. I’ve found that it’s often my dad’s friends who are rounding up a group for tequila shots. Plus, when “Firework” comes on, my first thought is not to find friends my age, but to jump up and down with one of my dad’s best friends who happens to be a big Katy Perry fan.

18. A variety of appetizers is more important than a variety of desserts. No one is going to be all “Ugh, macarons” if you decide to end the evening on an extra-sweet note, but as long as you have a really awesome cake, you’re good. While everyone is mingling during the cocktail hour and hungry for the main course, however, they’re going to be excited to have options.

19. “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey is the magical song that gets people on the dance floor. If you’re inclined to avoid it because you worry that everyone plays it, consider that maybe there’s a reason. The band played this at the end of a friend’s wedding in 2008, and I still associate the song with that night. This might be because I had friends who hopped up on stage — emboldened by more than just the lyrics — but I think the familiarity of the song also encourages guests to gather and sing to one another.

20. Sometimes it’s worth sacrificing a little sleep to extend the festivities after the reception. Honestly, I usually just want to crash after the send-off, and I’m not the type to seek out a wild after-party. But I’m thinking of the night I sat in the lobby of a Chicago hotel eating pizza with one of my best friends and two of her friends I didn’t know quite as well. We’d all spent hours on the dance floor, but the impromptu get-together that followed made the weekend even better.

21. It’s wonderful to have a good wedding, but it’s more important to have a good marriage. Despite the effort that goes into making everything perfect, the wedding is still just one night. Ultimately, it’s not about the food or the flowers or the music or the dress. It’s about the relationship between the two people you’ve come together to celebrate.

Hey DB Readers! Happy Friday! Today is the day we normally talk about fashion, but today we are changing the day to Frugal Friday! Glamour.com recently blogged about three mistakes couples make when trying to save money on their wedding, and here are three things you should NOT skimp on!!

1) DON’T skimp on sound equipment.
I’m not saying you need a 16-piece live band, but assuming you want music, you can’t expect your iPod to capture the crowd’s attention on its own. If you want to skip the band/DJ, it’s totally fine to spin iPod tunes, but you need to make sure people can hear them. That means you’re going to need to upgrade from your bedside iPod dock to a more serious speaker system. (Check to see if your venue already has something hooked up, or talk to someone from an event rentals company.) And make sure to test drive those speakers before your your big day, so you don’t find out at your reception that you’re missing a cable. Also keep in mind that you’re going to need someone to corral the crowd—tell them when to sit for dinner, stand for the first dance, hush up for speeches, and so on. If you have a gregarious uncle who’s a natural for task, that’s great, but don’t force the job on your unwitting best man, who you’ve never seen speak in front of a crowd. (Holy awkward.) And DON’T plan on doing the job yourself; you’ll have enough going on!

2) DON’T make your guests go hungry.
I’ve seen couples try to schedule their wedding at “off” times to avoid serving a full meal, and that’s fine for a super-short event. But it gets complicated when your ceremony and reception run more than three hours combined. If you start at 1 p.m., people will probably expect lunch. Wait ’til 2 p.m., and at 5 p.m. they’ll want dinner. If you’re having a wedding, you’re hosting a party, it’s super-rude to let your guests to go hungry. If you really want to keep your food bill down, you MUST mention your limited menu on the invitation: “Light Snacks, Champagne, and Dancing to Follow.” Or schedule your reception in the morning, since breakfast tends to be the least-expensive meal.

3) DON’T email your wedding invitations.
I know this sounds like and easy money-saver in theory, but unless you’re having a teeny wedding, emailed wedding invitations can cause major headaches. Even if all of your older relatives are tech-savvy (meaning, everyone has an email address that they check regularly) at least a few of your Evites are going to end up in spam folders. Plus, with an emailed invitation, it’s harder to control who you’re directing the invitation to, so your aunt will assume her three kids are invited—and obviously you want your college roomate’s new fling at your wedding, right? And let’s try to wrap our brains around what’s going to happen when a few people hit “Forward” without a second thought. Hint: Disaster. Instead of evites, use a free wedding invitation template (here are some cute free options!) and print your invites on at home, then your only costs are paper and postage.