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Whether you’re a classic bride,  vintage bride, or modern bride, you don’t have to break the bank for a gorgeous wedding dress. There are lots of good options for under $500. Here are my picks of 20 swoon-worthy and affordable wedding gowns.

1 & 2 from Shop Bop Wedding Gowns: Derek Lam white chevron gown, $486 and BCBGMaxzaria Amber strapless cascade gown, $298

3 & 4 from Ruche Bridal Dresses: Claire dress, $399 and Audrey dress, $249

5 & 6 from Nordstrom Wedding Suite: Tadashi Shoji one shoulder lace gown, $388 and scalloped cap sleeve gown, $468

7 & 8 from Etsy seller, KTJean: Sparkle tulle dress, $275 and Lucy in the Sky gown, $480

9 & 10 from Jcrew Weddings: Corrina gown, $495 and Whitney gown, $425

11 & 12 from Free People Party Dresses: La Boheme ruffle dress, $498 and Pointed Cape Dress, $188

13 & 14 from Thread Bridal Design: Faith strapless gown, $345 and Breck sweetheart gown, $420

15 & 16 from Kate Spade Wedding Belles: Teasdale dress, $356 and Nico dress, $468

17 & 18 from BHLDN Reception Dresses: Dappled shade dress, $500 and Coquille dress, $500

19 & 20 from David’s Bridal: Gallina Soft Chiffon A-line with Flower Detail, $299 and Beaded lace trumpet, $499

What are you wearing down the aisle and where did you find your gown?

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We received this cute thanking note in our mailbox yesterday from one of our photographers, Elizabeth Ray, and it put a huge smile on our face . I just had to share!

Thank you to everyone who sends us wonderful messages on Facebook, email, and Twitter. Even though we don’t respond each time, we appreciate your notes and we love you guys for your enthusiasm and support! xoxo.

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Cuz I just can’t get enough, here’s installment #2 of feather wedding decor. Ugh, feathers are so damn dreamy. I now want to hang feathers on my bedroom ceiling!

Photo credits:

1. Dipped dye feather DIY tutorial from Design Sponge
2. Feather garland from Etsy seller Kaye Blegvad
3. DIY feather stirring sticks from 100 Layer Cake
4. Feather card from The Knotty Bride
5. Feathery leaves found via Tinlark
6. Floating feather mobile from Etsy seller Lira Design
7. Floating feather ornaments by Roost, via Nectar Imports
8. Paper feather seating cards via Lucky You Productions
9. Feather mobile by Sophie Honey via Flickr
10. Floating feather decor at a real wedding captured by Brooke Schwab Photography

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1. Feather and flower dress from Zita Elze
2. Feather flower via The Green Dandelion
3. Feather fascinator from Emilliner
4. Bohemian dress & feather necklace from KTJean
5. Speckled Feather invitations from One Handspun Day
6. Hand stamped dove feather from The Lonely Heart

Remember my post about feather wedding decor last year? Since then feathers being used as inspirations in weddings have taken even more fantastical and creative twists, from feather flowers to stamped words.

Do you have a favorite feather idea? I really love the stamped “I Love You”. It would be such a wonderful unexpected detail at a wedding! I could just see it used in lieu of a ring pillow.

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Chalkboard paint is an easy way to add elements of black into a wedding color scheme or a little personal, DIY touch. Get creative with these 9 chalkboard paint projects!

1. Chalkboard paint table number/vase from BHLDN
2. Painted table mat via The Decorista
3. Framed table number via Little Miss Southern Love 
4. Chalkboard welcome sign from Custom Chalk
5. Chalkboard painted votives from West Elm
6. Chalkboard painted herb pots via Lemonade Making Mama
7. Mason jar vases from this real wedding
8. Shabby chic “Just Married” signs DIY tutorial at Elegala
9. Painted napkin ring DIY tutorial at The White Library 

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I loooove stripes, thick ones, thin ones, colorful ones, asymmetrical ones, you name it, I love it. I think half of my closet has stripes of some sort. So when I came across this super cute wedding with striped bridesmaid dresses, I thought gee, why didn’t I think of that? Well to satisfy my stripe craving, I went on a little stripe craze…

The world could use more stripes, oh and polka dots too.

{Photo credit: green striped skirts via SWMag; blue striped bridesmaid dresses via Green Wedding Shoes; black striped bridesmaid dresses via A Crimson Kiss; blue striped bridesmaids dresses via Coco Kelley; grey striped dresses via SWMag; and striped seersucker wedding gown via 100 Layer Cake}

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{Neon pink pouf from Ban.do, via Max Wanger; neon wedding decor via Brooklyn Bride; Miroslava Duma in a neon Jason Wu dress via Nesha Loves Style; neon spray painted silverware via Ritzy Bee}

Neon colors are coming in full swing this summer season and I think it’s going to be a hot theme for weddings too! At The Cream bridal show I attended recently, neon lights and pops of neon colors were everywhere, adding a fun and playful element to all the wedding decor. While it’s easy to associate neon with youth and playfulness, I think it can be elegant and modern too – as illustrated in the collage above.

Get a DIY tutorial on how to make neon tipped shoes. It’s super easy!

Can a bride wear neon? Um, yes!

The decorating possibilities are endless with a bit of neon pink washi tape.

So, do you think you’re bold enough to go neon?

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Ok, so confession: this week has been pretty brutal. I have been having a serious case of the FIs (those times when you just want to say F*ck It to everything). I’ve been soooo overwhelmed by all the projects going on in my life, the new photography studio, marketing for the studio, blogging for the studio, blogging for Love Olio, managing Love Olio, oh and working at my full time job.

I didn’t want to gripe about it because I know that’s pretty selfish and ungrateful for all that I’ve been blessed with. But these constant anxiety attacks cannot be ignored. I kept thinking I really need to cut back on the projects. Something’s gotta give. But what? I must shamefully admit, I had moments of doubts about Swoon. That is, until Noel sent me to see all the people who have been pinning images and ideas they found on Swoon and Love Olio*.

We follow our analytics pretty closely and I know we get a great amount of traffic (about 20K unique visitors/month and 311 RSS subscribers for Swoon alone), but I’ve never been very good with numbers because they can’t convey the real people who are our visitors and fans. Thanks to Pinterest, I get to finally see who you are and what you like!

Seeing our pins was a turning point for me. I feel super enthused and energized to continue to pursue my dreams. I’ll still be busy and overwhelmed, but I know a sign when I see one. Swoon is here to stay .

I don’t think I can say it enough, thank you for your patience, support, and love! We literally wouldn’t be here without you!

*P.S. To see who’s been pinning you, simply type in this URL and replace our site URL with your own: http://pinterest.com/source/loveolio.com/

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Planning a wedding can be a stressful experience. From wedding dresses, to bridesmaid dresses, to color themes, there’s a lot to think about. We wanted to share some ideas with you to help give you some inspiration and make the process easier. Take a look at some of the big trends you can expect to see in the world of wedding fashion this year.

Bridesmaid Separates

Lately we’ve seen many brides choosing to venture outside the box of having all of their bridesmaids wear the same exact dress in the same color. They are now getting a little more creative and allowing their bridesmaids to either choose any dress in a certain color, or using various colors and patterns that fit their wedding scheme. The latest trend in bridesmaid wear is separates. Not only can you find great bridesmaid dresses at David’s Bridal, but you can also find fabulous separates. This gives your wedding party a fun, but still cohesive look, while allowing the individual personality of each bridesmaid to shine through.

Bright Colors

With spring well on its way, you can definitely expect to see a lot of bright wedding themes and dresses/accents. Recently, Pantone, the world-renowned authority on color, announced Tangerine Tango as the Color of the Year for 2012. This bright shade along with coral hues and prints will surely be among the most popular looks this wedding season.

Belts & Sashes

We’ve also been seeing a lot of belts and sashes being added to both bridesmaid and wedding dresses as a great accessory. Not only do they cinch the waist, giving a slimming look, but they also bring a little something extra to the outfit.

Colored Wedding Dresses

Colored wedding dresses have been making a splash this year. Expect to see more brides opt for the unconventional. The latest White by Vera Wang collection at David’s Bridal has not one, but two, pink dresses included in it. Pink, often associated with such qualities as femininity and romance, is an obvious alternative for the bride who wants to forgo the traditional white dress.

Dramatic Skirts

Don’t be surprised if you see skirts becoming more of a focal point of wedding dresses this year. Sculptural details and high volume ruffles create a beautiful impact for brides who want to go for a more dramatic and glamorous look.

What trends are you thinking of incorporating into your wedding? Remember, it’s your big day and the possibilities are endless!

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