bride.ca

Vera Wang Fall 2012 : The Black Magic Collection

Thu, 24 May 2012 15:46:00 -0700

The New White: Black, Ivory & "Nude"

When acclaimed designer Vera Wang introduced her Fall 2012 line of mostly black bridal gowns in New York recently, it definitely took the wedding world by surprise. Since 1840 when Queen Victoria wore a white gown for her wedding, it has become accepted and expected that brides, in the Western world anyway, wear white.

While black is surely a break from tradition, it does embody the basic elements all brides look for in their bridal gown: drama, elegance, and sensuality. Vera Wang's signature use of light fabrics like tulle, chiffon, and organza in a combination of nude, ivory and black is truly impressive but the question still remains..

"Would you wear a black wedding dress?"..

Wedding Shoes : 2012 Trends

Tue, 15 May 2012 16:27:00 -0700

"What you should be looking for when shopping for your wedding day shoes?"..

White by Vera Wang

Should a bride be concerned what her bridal shoes look like if no one can really see them under her wedding dress? The answer to that is a big...YES!!!

Bridal shoes have always been an important component in the bride's wedding day attire but in 2012, the bridal shoes make a real statement.

What you should be looking for when shopping for your wedding day shoes?

2012 Wedding Shoe Trends

Versatility

The economy is on everyone's mind; so, choose your shoes wisely and make sure you can wear them long after the wedding is over. A versatile wedding shoe is very trendy this year.

Pronovias Camille

Bling

Sparkle all the way down the aisle! Rhinestones, crystals and shimmery metallics like silver and gold are the way to go.

Benjamin Adams Charlize

Accents

Something borrowed perhaps? Adding a brooch or floral accent to your shoes is another stunning wedding shoe trend for this year.

Christian Dior 2012 wedding shoes

Hint

Adding brooches from your personal collection will make the trend more custom.

... [ Click for FULL STORY ]

Fun Wedding Invitation Idea : Message in a Bottle!

Wed, 09 May 2012 14:13:00 -0700

One of the possible designs from InvitationInABottle.com

The Perfect Destination or Beach Wedding Invitation?

Yes, a wedding invitation in the form of a message in a bottle is the latest trend to hit wedding planning. Mysterious, fun, and very unique... a message in a bottle wedding invitation really sets the tone for a whimsical destination or simply beach or just beach-themed wedding.

.. But not Only

We love this idea because it takes a very traditional aspect of a wedding and flips it into one of intrigue and adventure. It creates a "moment" long before the wedding even takes place. From destination weddings to formal affairs, couples can engage their guests and leave them with the anticipation of what excitement is yet to come...

Sample of what the actual paper part of the invitation can look like; © InvitationInABottle.com

Why not DIY?

A Simple DIY Kit from InvitationInABottle.com
Some FUN Assembly Required :-)

Invitations in a bottle are just about the easiest DIY wedding project!

Do-it-totally-yourself: Simply visit your local craft store for bottles, corks, paper and ribbon. Print your "message" (invitation) on the paper, roll it up and place it in the bottle. Cork the bottle, label it and voila!
Buy the Entire Kit Ready: from InvitationInABottle.com. You can either print your own message on the supplied paper or have them preprinted and sent to you with the DIY supplies. It doesn't get any easier than that!

... [ Click for FULL STORY ]

Gorgeous by Georgia: How-To Cope with a Ginormous Zit!

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:55:00 -0700

Your wedding day's just around the corner and you've been counting down the days, right?!
Mani, pedi, wax...check!
Gorgeous hair and sublime makeup?...check!
You got a few good nights of sleep and you look refreshed BUT you've woken up to find an uninvited guest, Mr. Zit, sitting nice and pretty right smack in the middle of your face!

What to do?

Don't panic...just try these pimple be gone tricks and zit zapping remedies below:

To get the red out, apply a few drops of Visine on the pimple.
To reduce swelling, run an ice cube over it.
To eliminate any crustiness, dab a bit of Vitamin E or Tamanu oil on it.
For a whitehead, apply a hot compress, then gently (and I really mean gently) squeeze and dab the area with rubbing alcohol. This prevents infection.
If none of these methods work or you're in need of an overnight super quick fix, visit your MD for an emergency cortisone shot.

Tips for Covering "it" Up

... [ Click for FULL STORY ]

Beautiful Bride! Courtenay in Vancouver

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 13:45:00 -0700

Captivating Courtenay!

Bride:	Courtenay Woodworth
Location:	Vancouver
Photography:	Chris Chernoff Photography, Vancouver
Makeup Artist:	Melanie Neufeld
Hair:	Isabelle Cummins
Veil (gorgeous!):	Christina Garcia puchased at Jeweliette's in D/T Vancouver.

(*) Our Beautiful Bride! Series

Great photographs of real Canadian brides, exemplifying "bridal beauty": style, grace, poise and emotion; a picture-perfect image for a picture-perfect day!

Best Wedding Photos of 2011 in Canada

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 22:10:00 -0700

..And the Winner is..

Nicole & Jarrett, London, Ontario, July 2011
photo : HRM Photography, London

Tied for Second (only one point behind first!)

photo : Neel Mehra, Blushing Bride Studio, Montréal

Meghann & Cole Faulkner, Pitt Meadows, BC
photo : Jon-Mark Wiltshire, Victoria

Tied for Third Place

Candace & Jeffrey, Quebec City, Feb 2011
photo : Avant Garde Studio, Montréal

Kristi & Patrick, Victoria
photo : Jon-Mark Wiltshire, Victoria

Helen & Kevin, Komoka, Ontario, June 2011
photo : HRM Photography, London

Cheryl & Noel Lukasewich, Sept 2011, Edmonton
photo : Trina Lewis, Creations Photo, Edmonton

Brynn & Chris, Fort langley BC, June 2011
photo : Will Pursell, Burnaby

Runners-Up / Honourable Mentions..

Bridal Hair Styles 2012 : The Braid is Back!

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 17:40:00 -0700

Loose Braid over a gorgeous Lazaro gown;
story on Dress Safari

What came first, "The Hunger Games" or the side braid?

The popularity of 2012's blockbuster hit, "The Hunger Games" has also made the side braid (worn by one of the movie's main characters) one of the most popular hair styles of the season. Although it was meant as a casual, bohemian look, you can dress it up to make your wedding day hairstyle both modern and formal.

top: French Braid on the Side
left: photo byElizabeth Messina
right: photo by Jessica Janae Photography

... [ Click for FULL STORY ]

Some 2012 Summer Bridal Jewelry Ideas

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 16:01:00 -0700

On your wedding day, you'll want to look your absolute best...but most brides think that this simply entails finding the perfect wedding gown. What they often forget is the huge impact that bridal jewelry has on their entire look. Add a bold statement piece or a classic heirloom or vintage piece to your bridal ensemble and you'll be turning heads all night!

Necklaces: Many brides who choose embellished dresses with beading and other eye-catching accents will often wear a simple necklace with a small charm or locket hanging from it.

Those with plain dresses can opt for a bolder style with pearls or diamonds that will add some sparkle to their outfit!

Earrings: There are many options when it comes to bridal earrings, however this also depends on the dress that the bride is wearing. For dress styles that have sleeves or embellished straps, simple diamond or pearl studs will look beautiful. This is especially true if the bride is wearing a bold necklace...large earrings would be too overpowering in this case. For strapless styles, dangling earrings will be best, especially if the bride's hair is off the shoulders, in an up-do. A style like this would work perfectly:

... [ Click for FULL STORY ]

Real Weddings : Sunny yellow, Budget-friendly, DIY = PERFECT

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 16:08:00 -0700

They Call Me "Mellow Yellow"!

Just about the perfect, DIY backyard event, this gorgeous, intimate, BRIGHT California event can be your best starting "template". So many good ideas, such lovely style indeed! We found it on one of our favourite wedding blogs : Oh Lovely Day - definitely worth bookmarking!

In the bride's own words:

We wanted to have a pretty laid back wedding where people could feel comfortable and where we could invite all of our friends and family and not exclude anyone. I made the pictures on the centerpieces, the goody bag tags, the card box sign, my aunt made the ring bearer pillow and my hubby made the programs and the save-the-date's. We got our invites from weddingpaperdivas.com, we bought our burlap goody bags online and put salt water taffy inside, which we also got online at acandystore.com. We got the tins for our centerpieces at Shinoda in Coasta Mesa. Our florist, Kyndra Frank, who is one of my mom's good friends, did all of the florals.... [full story..]

The Best Engagement Portraits of 2011

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 01:11:00 -0700

"Hundreds of photographers, over a thousand amazing engagement portraits, a twelve-month selection process"..

.. And the Winner Is ...

Erica Martin and Mike McMahon
photographed by Brent Foster (Windsor, Ontario)

A Very Close Second

Chloe Crowson and Zack Pettus (Galiano Island, BC)
photographed by Matt Neumann (Phrozen Photo)

So very interesting, the contrasting styles between the top-2. Brent's sensual shot was actually the only unanimous choice among the six judges. Matt's incredibly romantic take.. only two points behind!

Click the Images

For high-res and the story of each photograph

Tied for Third!

Terron and Mariko
photographed by Brian Van Wyk (China Beach, Vancouver Island)

Jena and Ashkan
photographed by Katia Trudeau (Elora, ON)

Michelle and Kevin
photographed by Julianna Pennings (St. Thomas, Ontario)

The Runners-Up

Rounding up the top-15.. the following ten photos were actually tied for fourth place! Our closest contest ever.

A Great Many Thanks to our Guest Judges..

Kim Mah, Editor
Real Weddings Magazine

Theo Dermatis, Editor
Elegant Wedding Magazine

Kathie James, Producer
The Wedding Fair Calgary

Honourable Mentions

We "pulled" these two from the "runners-up" above, because the really stood out

The "Wow!" Engagement Portrait of 2011

Sophia and Fayaz
photographed by Shelley Weber (As I See It Photography, Calgary)

Read their Amazing Story

Our KIDNEY Story ~ By Sophia

About 5 years ago, Fayaz was told he has to start dialysis treatments. This occurred about a year before we met. Fayaz handled things well and he didn't let dialysis treatments get in his way of doing the things he loved including travelling, earning a degree and working.

About a year ago, I decided I wanted to donate my kidney to Fayaz. I talked to Fayaz, my friends, my doctor and my family about it. They were all supportive of my choice, especially my parents. The support from friends and family was the most important strength for Fayaz and I throughout the entire process. After 6 months of assessments I found out that I am a match and all we had to do was pick a date.

On June 21, 2011 I gave my kidney to Fayaz. Everything went smoothly, the surgeons were amazing and the kidney began to work right away. We were admitted together in the hospital for a week; after that we spent 3 months recovering together... and planning a wedding ;) We are now both back to work and back to our regular routines. We are now looking forward to our wedding and a nice long honeymoon all over Europe.

The "Hey!" Engagement Portrait of 2011

After running this contest for three years, our first same-sex couple! Proud of you guys. Especially, since you actually won "People's Choice" for the Fall submissions. Yipee!..

Riyaz and Justin
photographed by Jasser Abu-Giemi (JAG Photography, Edmonton)

See you All in 2012!

Popular Winner: Fall Engagement Photo 2011

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 00:11:00 -0700

A special moment @ BRIDE.ca today: the first same-sex engagement photo, winner of our popular choice contest, for the Fall of 2011 Submissions. Riyaz & Justin, from Edmonton, photographed by Jasser Abu-Giemi (JAG Photography)

After 7 years of dating, Justin finally decided to pop-the-question while he and Riyaz were vacationing in Maui. He had purchased a Tiffany's ring that Riyaz had been eying for the last couple years and was hoping to ask Riyaz to marry him during a beautiful Hawaiian sunset. After a rather strong wind had shortened their day at the beach, Riyaz decided to take in some shopping at a high end shopping area at Wailea...home to the only Tiffany & Co on the island of Maui. As they pulled up, Riyaz announced that 'today would be the day' he would be finally be visiting Tiffany's to buy the ring he had tried on oh-so-many times. In a panic, Justin pulled out the ring and popped-the-question right there in the parking lot! In hindsight he should have waited until the car had stopped moving...

... [ Click for FULL STORY ]

Wedding Trends and Traditions: Rice, Confetti & Alternatives

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:11:00 -0700

photo: Carlton Adkins Wedding Photography

The tradition of throwing rice at the bride and groom after their wedding ceremony can be traced back to ancient times. Throwing anything from old sandals (!) to rice has meant different things to different cultures from saying good bye to bachelorhood to taking on the new responsibility of caring for a wife and of course, to wishing the couple good luck and fertility.

Nowadays, we still enjoy "showering" the couple as the exit their ceremony but throwing rice has been replaced by many new and creative ways to pass along our good wishes. Here are some examples of modern ways to celebrate the newlyweds without hammering them in the head with grains of rice...

The "Green" Alternatives

Plantable (contains seeds) heart-shaped confetti
from Beaucoup

birdseed: it kind of looks like rice but the birds will get a treat once your wedding is over and they'll also handle the clean up!
bio-degradable flower petals: flowers just make everything beautiful.
plantable seed paper confetti: give back to the world by letting your wedding "grow" from this day forward! (no pun intended :)

Preserved Rose Petals from WeddingSTAR

The "Fun" Alternatives

photo: Sakura Photography, Vancouver

... [ Click for FULL STORY ]

Romona Keveza : Luxe Red Carpet Collection

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:39:00 -0700

"Timeless yet modern with 'architectural preciseness' of clean, simple lines"..

Want to look like an A-list celebrity and feel like one too? Some of the hottest bridal gown designers also offer exquisite formal and evening wear creations.. case in point, New York designer, Romona Keveza.

... [ Click for FULL STORY ]

Romona Keveza : Couture Collection 2012

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:38:00 -0700

"this collection combines both the modern and the feminine"..

Emphasis: Femininity!

When Romona Keveza introduced her Couture Collection for 2012, everyone expected impeccable styling with flawless details and modern lines. Everyone got that plus a little more. Her Couture 2012 lineup of gowns is truly impressive. With everything from one shoulder looks, to silk skirt overlays and even thigh high slits, this collection combines both the modern and the feminine to offer something for every style and every body.

Cap sleeves and demure lace over the bodice offer a touch of romance with their soft feminine detailing.

One shoulder gowns combine a modern, architectural design with a romantic and soft look with the genius addition of a flowing chiffon train.

Floral appliqués and embroidered fabrics add yet another dimension to this collection by, again, marrying the modern with the feminine.

Keeping the lines simples, and clean but adding feminine details like florals, lace, flowing chiffon and even feathers is what differentiates Romona Keveza's designs and makes this collection in particular really stand out!

Where to Buy

East Coast : White Dress (Ottawa)
West Coast : Blush Bridal (West Vancouver)

Gorgeous by Georgia: Tips for Brighter Eyes for Your Wedding Day

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:22:00 -0700

Hey, isn't this Kate Beckinsale? Gorgeous!

For Puffiness

For all you damsels in distress over excess "baggage" under the eyes, here are a few tricks that will increase circulation and decrease the puff:

Try ice cubes, cucumber slices or a really cold water splash. These are old school favourites that really do work.

source: ayushveda.com
How?
- Wrap the ice cube in a face cloth and gently placing it over the eye area for a few minutes.
- Or, you can apply cold cucumber slices over the eyes and have a little shut eye for 15 minutes.
- The fastest and easiest solution, however, is splashing your eye area with very cold water; it really does work.
The cooling effects of any of these methods work to reduce puffiness. You an even try them all if you've got the time!
Another method is tapping and rolling on an eye gel with your finger.

img: themakeupchair.blogspot.com

Hint
Keep it in the fridge; the colder it is the more it will shrink puffiness.
You can also try a concealer that is slightly deeper than your skin tone over the eye bag and one that is slightly lighter than your skin tone in the "fold" under the eye bag. Why? This will reduce the size and depth of the eye bag.

How?
Apply lightly and set with translucent powder. Avoid concealers that are much lighter than your skin tone if you are troubled by puffiness as light colours will only highlight the problem.
img: "Estee Lauder's Ideal Light Brush On Illuminator" on I Wear Flats!

For Tired looking eyes

from: "How to Conceal Dark Circles" on Beautiful with Brains :-)

For brides who find they look a little rough around the edges the morning of their wedding, there is a simple method to hide the effects of a late or sleepless night.

Try a little peachy pink concealer in the inner corners and at the outer edges to disguise any blue that's peeking through, then add a little pink concealer on the lids to further brighten.

Hint
A couple of eye drops wouldn't hurt either.
You can also apply an ivory coloured concealer pencil on your waterline which will take away redness. Avoid white as it is not natural looking in person.
Another trick is to apply some champagne coloured loose shimmer powder to the inner eye area and the centre of your eyelids to open up and brighten the eyes a little more.

Hint
You can opt to use a liquid light weight concealer formula to create the illusion of brightness if your circles aren't too dark but for severe discolouration a more opaque cream based concealer works better.

Georgia Spyra is an accredited, award-winning makeup artist with over 16 years experience in the beauty industry. She was voted one of Canada's top-20 makeup artists and one of Canada's Top-5 bridal makeup artists; she was featured in Elle Magazine as top Canadian make up and beauty expert. She is a make over artist for Life Network Platform; a make up artist/educator for Canadian Make Up Show and Kryolan Cosmetics; as well as a make up designer for many fashion shows, music videos and Television shows, like CBC News and Relic Hunter.

Last month: 10 Tips for Luminous Wedding-Day Makeup"..

November: How to Get that Perfect Brow"..

Next month: How To Do A Minimalist, Natural Bridal Makeup"..

bride.ca

Vera Wang Fall 2012 : The Black Magic Collection

The New White: Black, Ivory & "Nude"

Wedding Shoes : 2012 Trends

2012 Wedding Shoe Trends

Versatility

Bling

Accents

Hint

Fun Wedding Invitation Idea : Message in a Bottle!

The Perfect Destination or Beach Wedding Invitation?

.. But not Only

Why not DIY?

Gorgeous by Georgia: How-To Cope with a Ginormous Zit!

What to do?

Tips for Covering "it" Up

Beautiful Bride! Courtenay in Vancouver

Captivating Courtenay!

(*) Our Beautiful Bride! Series

Best Wedding Photos of 2011 in Canada

..And the Winner is..

Tied for Second (only one point behind first!)

Tied for Third Place

Runners-Up / Honourable Mentions..

Bridal Hair Styles 2012 : The Braid is Back!

What came first, "The Hunger Games" or the side braid?

Some 2012 Summer Bridal Jewelry Ideas

Real Weddings : Sunny yellow, Budget-friendly, DIY = PERFECT

They Call Me "Mellow Yellow"!

The Best Engagement Portraits of 2011

.. And the Winner Is ...

A Very Close Second

Click the Images

Tied for Third!

The Runners-Up

A Great Many Thanks to our Guest Judges..

Honourable Mentions

The "Wow!" Engagement Portrait of 2011

Read their Amazing Story

The "Hey!" Engagement Portrait of 2011

See you All in 2012!

Popular Winner: Fall Engagement Photo 2011

Wedding Trends and Traditions: Rice, Confetti & Alternatives

The "Green" Alternatives

The "Fun" Alternatives

Romona Keveza : Luxe Red Carpet Collection

Romona Keveza : Couture Collection 2012

Emphasis: Femininity!

Where to Buy

Gorgeous by Georgia: Tips for Brighter Eyes for Your Wedding Day

For Puffiness

How?

Hint

How?

For Tired looking eyes

Hint

Hint