An Alternative to Bare Feet: Comfy Bridal Shoes
Not everyone spends their days in three-inch platforms, and most of us spend as little time in such shoes as possible.
Not everyone spends their days in three-inch platforms, and most of us spend as little time in such shoes as possible.
Every Day is Groom Apparel Day
Living in Groom Apparel
Groom Apparel
Though eyes are usually on the bride leading up to the wedding day, the groom deserves some time in the sun too. Groom apparel shows off your status as an almost-married guy, and is appropriate for any time during an engagement and beyond. Though groom apparel is always stylish and fun, we recommend keeping the camo “GROOM” baseball hat at home during the big day. Brides are always proud to show their groom off, especially when he’s strutting some groom apparel, but we have a feeling she’ll be less than thrilled if it’s waiting for her at the end of the aisle. Groom apparel is also wonderful for your bachelor party. From t-shirts to hats to board shorts, there’s no part of your body that can’t be stamped with your marital logo. Groom apparel, for the engagement, bachelor party, and beyond, is always a fun addition to your wardrobe. Though you’re only a “groom” for a day, you’ll be a husband forever. Show your pride by trotting about with groom apparel for as long as you’re able.Cool and Comfortable Bridal Shoes
Though they used to be a stark white afterthought, bridal shoes are taking center stage as an essential part of the perfect bridal outfit. They should stand out when you want them to, but take a back seat when all eyes are on the altar. Here are a few quick tips for selecting the right pair of fun bridal shoes for you, and a couple of suggestions for when you start your long hunt for the perfect kicks:
Stick to your Comfort Zone
If you never wear platforms or crazy high heels, now is not the time to try them out. If you’re most comfortable in sandals and flats, don’t let your bridal fantasies trick you into buying a pair of shoes you would have never looked twice at otherwise. No amount of practice between purchase and the big day will be enough for you to strut with the confidence you need to not take a tumble half way through the day. If you’re focusing on not falling to an untimely demise in a pair of six-inch monsters, you won’t have a chance to enjoy your own wedding. Plus, broken metatarsals make for crummy honeymoons.
Don’t Get Cheap
We all know what it’s like to bend to cheap shoes at discounters only to have your feet protesting in agony after a day at the office. Imagine that, but ten times worse. If you’ve ever had an excuse to splurge on pretty shoes, this is it. You’re going to be standing in them all day, and the last thing you want to be worried about is a pair of screaming feet. Buy smart, break them in well before the big day, and don’t let the photographer catch you slinging them off before the first dance.
Keep the Wild Ones Under Wraps
The crazier and more colorful the shoe, the more control you’re going to want to have over when they make an appearance, especially if you’re having a more formal ceremony in a church or other solemn site. Long dresses are better suited to wild shoes, as they won’t be the center of attention the entire evening. Stick out your feet to show them off at the reception and for the photographer, but you may want to keep under wraps when you’re taking your vows – that’s when you want all eyes on you, not your feet.
The Purpose of Just Married Honeymoon Gear
Just Married Honeymoon Gear: Flaunt It!
Just Married Honeymoon Gear
Flaunting your new marital status is one of the little things that makes a honeymoon so fun. You'll only be newlyweds once, so why not relish in it? Just Married Honeymoon Gear - from license plate inserts (for the rental car) to tote bags to luggage tags - are a fun and simple way to celebrate in your marriage after you've walked down the aisle. From the beach to first class - there are a number of fun bits of just married honeymoon gear to keep you at the center of attention. It's amazing how many strangers will go out of their way to congratulate you (and how many glasses of wine and desserts will appear on-the-house) when you make just married honeymoon gear a travel necessity.
If you're thinking about getting the new couple in your life some just married honeymoon gear as a wedding or shower gift, think about their lifestyle and what they have already. They'll likely always appreciate a set of luggage tags or passport sleeves, but some more common or personal staples should probably be left to the couple themselves. Never ask a bride for her bikini size in the weeks leading up to the wedding - leave that bit of just married honeymoon gear to her!
Simple Wedding Garter: Elegance without Frills
Finding a Simple Wedding Garter
Simple Wedding Garter
The garter toss at a wedding is an expected and jovial ritual that many brides look forward to. For some of us, however, we don’t want an ornate garter outshining us as it flies across the ballroom floor. A simple wedding garter, though simple enough in theory, can be surprisingly hard to find for the bride uninteresting in thigh-high showboating. A simple wedding garter is still elegant and beautiful, but might not go overboard with frills and sparkles. A simple wedding garter is also a good choice for a bride hosting a low-key wedding. Hot pink and rhinestones don’t really match tea-length simple ivory dresses.
When you’re searching for a simple wedding garter, don’t confuse “simple” with “cheap” or “manufactured.” A quality simple wedding garter might not be dripping in accessories, but it should still maintain a simple elegance that outshines its peers. A simple wedding garter doesn’t eschew decorations completely: a dangling charm or simple lace edging is a classy edition to an otherwise bare elastic band. Your simple wedding garter will be timeless in its efforts to refuse to bend to trends in the garter world. Your simple wedding garter’s longevity is guaranteed.
Bridal Shoes Fit for Dancing!
Bridal Shoes: When High Heels Just Won’t Cut It
Bridal Shoes
While brides may spend hours pouring over possible contenders for the perfect pair of bridal shoes, most of them don’t think twice about how else they should take care of their feet during their wedding day. Beautiful bridal shoes usually mean sore ankles and throbbing toes by the end of the evening – why not invest in something that gives your tootsies a break every once in a while? Alternative bridal shoes include such selections as flip flops, ballet flats, barefoot jewelry, and even slippers!
While you might want to save the slippers for the morning after, the other bridal shoes make for a wonderful foot break during your reception. Flip flops are not only comfortable, but practical and not so bad lookin’ either. Consider purchasing these matching bridal shoes for everyone in the bridal party, or maybe even for all of your guests! High heels might look nice, but walking around all night in them would drive any feet nuts! The ballet flat bridal shoes are another (somewhat more elegant) choice, and they pack the added benefit of portability. Many of these bridal shoes fold up into small bags for easy slipping on and off!
You and Your Sexy Wedding Garter
A Sexy Wedding Garter for a Party or the Big Day Itself!
Sexy Wedding Garter
The wedding garter toss is a wedding tradition that many brides hold as sacred as the toast or bouquet toss. The right sexy wedding garter can set the tone for this historic event in your young marriage - just make sure you're at the right venue for it! Will grandma suffer a heart attack at the hands of a sexy wedding garter that was just a little TOO sexy? Let's hope not. Here are a few options for your lovely, tastefull, sexy wedding garter:
Find a sexy wedding garter that matches your color palette
A mismatched garter may look great in your shopping cart, but think about how it will look with your dress or even your decor. Your sexy wedding garter may be provacative and fun, but you also want it to look cohesive and pretty. Remember, you get to keep one of them, so make your sexy wedding garter something you'll be proud of!
Be Comfortable in it
Try to find a sexy wedding garter that fits your personal style. Then again, if you aren't a particularly adventurous person, you'll surprise everyone with a slinky sexy wedding garter when they all least expect it! Just make sure you won't be embarrassed or uncomfortable at its unveiling. If it's a possibility, stick with something a little lower on the leg.
Having Doubts? Stick to the bachelorette party
If you're worried about the effect your sexy wedding garter will have on the blood pressure of your guests, think about wearing your sexy wedding garter to the bachelorette party. No one will be surprised when you show up in a mini skirt and something pink and lacey, so flaunt it! This is the perfect venue for a sexy wedding garter.
A Fashion Guide for the Nervous Wedding Guest
I've often found myself locked in some shaky department store dressing room when I hear something like the following conversation taking place right outside my door:
"Do you think this will work for the wedding on Saturday?"
"I have no idea, but it seems like it might be a bit casual."
"I'm just worried about the little white hearts on the edging. I don't know if it's too much white for a wedding."
It's a conversation that many of us have as we stare hopelessly into the full-length mirror in the days leading up to someone else's impending nuptials, especially if we don't go to weddings often. Most guests stress more than they have to, but here's a quick guide if you're still not sure about your outfit for someone's big day:
1. Wearing "White"
If you're wearing a dress, but you're not sure if the color counts as white, you might want to find something else. It doesn't matter if the tag says "off-white" or "bone" or "antique," you're still going to look like you wore a white dress to a wedding, and that's been a no-no since white became "it" in wedding wear. It's probably the only wedding fashion rule every other guest is sure to know about - so why risk looking like you missed the memo and you're trying to upstage the bride?
If you're wearing white pants with a navy top, or white pumps, or a white clutch, or a patterned dress with white flowers on it, you're totally fine. No one is expecting you do ignore the shade entirely, and no one is going to side-eye your fashion choices if you're wearing nice white pants with a yellow blouse and navy pumps.
2. The Invitation
For guests who are biting their nails about the formality of the wedding and the accompanying dress code, your first clue is the invitation (or Save-the-Date, if your hosts chose to use them). While most brides won't come right out and say how you should dress right on the invite, the formality of the paper goods sent to your house are an adequate marker for how formal the event will be. Also, snoop around on their wedding website and find a few links to the ceremony and reception spaces. If the wedding is in a swanky hotel at 8pm on a Saturday, you'll probably dress a little differently than a Tuesday afternoon backyard BBQ.
3. It Never Hurts to Ask
There's probably no reason to bother the couple themselves about your selected wedding outfit (the bride is probably a little busy with her own), but if you're close with a family member or member of the bridal party, think about shooting them an email with a picture of your dress or outfit. This is a good way to find out if your outfit is shooting up any red flags that you may have missed, like you've accidentally selected something very similar to a bridesmaid dress, or plan on wearing shoes that will not be conducive to the wedding environment. Hopefully they'll include any hazardous terrain warnings on their wedding website, but it never hurts to check!
Good Luck!
Using (and Keeping) Cat Wedding Outfits
Cat Wedding Outfits for your Big Day
Cat Wedding Outfits
So last time around we chatted a little bit about dog wedding outfits. Well, cat lovers, hold on to your butts; this time we're going to be discussing the newest trend for the brave and kitty-crazy: cat wedding outfits. What are the conditions under which cat wedding outfits are safe and well-advised? Well, for the right pet owner, cat wedding outfits might just be exactly what you need. Just like their doggie counterparts, cat wedding outfits come in all colors and styles, but they mostly follow the "adorable-bowtie-and-crisp-white-shirt" line of stylistic thinking. Most events where you might find cat wedding outfits probably won't have a strict dress code, so I wouldn't stress about the lack of an accompanying dinner jacket.
If you're going to attempt to dress your kitty in some cat wedding outfits for your big day (or maybe just an engagement photo shoot or a particularly spirited rehearsal dinner), be sure to do a trial run first. Make sure that your kitty doesn't object to cat wedding outfits before committing your feline to a few hours of labored tearing and ripping. Cat wedding outfits are an adorable addition to your day, but make sure your cat is into it too!
Dog Wedding Outfits for Every Occasion
Fun and Stylish Dog Wedding Outfits
Dog Wedding Outfits
Your pooch is a big part of your life - why leave him or her out of your wedding day festivities? Including your dog in the wedding ceremony is becoming more and more popular (and subsequently less taboo), so be sure to prepare fluffy for her moment in the spotlight with a few adorable dog wedding outfits.
While tuxedos and bows are what leaps to mind when you consider dog wedding outfits, don't think that you're limited when it comes to your puppy's duds. Browse dog wedding outfits that fit the look and feel of your wedding. Just like dressing up your bridesmaids and future husband, dog wedding outfits are as diverse as they are fun!
Dog wedding outfits that fit a springtime or summer wedding will differ than those in the winter and fall. You want to make sure your puppy is comfortable, so don't load him or her down with fabric if you'll be wed in July. Also, dog wedding outfits might be new to a dog who hasn't been fitted in fabric before. Dress your puppy in his or her dog wedding outfits a few times before the big day to be sure that they won't get ripped to shreds before the vows even start.
Dog wedding outfits will make sure that everyone looks their best on your big day!
Any Time is Honeymoon Apparel Time
Enjoy your Honeymoon Apparel for as Long as You Can
Honeymoon Apparel
Honeymoon apparel is all about personalization. After the wedding is over, and you and your new husband or wife are ready to hit the beach and get away from it all, it’s still nice to get a little attention for your grand personal accomplishment. Honeymoon apparel is ready to give you that opportunity. There are always obvious honeymoon apparel options like bikinis and board shorts, but don’t think that your options run out there. Bridal t-shirts may have been fun in the weeks leading up to your big day (and in the salon the morning of), but they’re even more fun when they transition into honeymoon apparel. There’s no shelf life on a piece of great honeymoon apparel – wear it for as long as you want to flaunt your new Facebook relationship status. Honeymoon apparel tells the world exactly why you and your husband or wife just can’t get enough of each other at the dinner table, in the pool, or at the beach. It’s less obvious if you’re wearing honeymoon apparel on the slopes, but there’s always the spare moment in the lodge! Though there’s no cap on how long you can wear your honeymoon apparel, it’s best to start as soon as you can!The Many Faces of Wedding Shoes!
Wedding Shoes: a Pair for Every Reason
Wedding Shoes
A bride doesn’t just wear one pair of wedding shoes during her big day. After all, the big event is more of a marathon that requires something a little sturdier than a pair of heels to make it through. Wedding shoes for the day of your nuptials will range from a pair of special fuzzy embroidered slippers (because everything should be personal and beautiful on your wedding day), wedding flip flops (don’t ruin that pedicure!), wedding slip-ons (for the dance floor), and a good solid pair of honeymoon sandals. Your wedding shoes will carry you down the aisle and beyond, so be prepared!
First, some wedding shoes that will help you make it through the morning will be your slippers. Think about getting a few matching pairs for you and your maids so your “getting ready” pictures will look cute and unified. They’re also a great gift if you get them embroidered!
Your next pair of wedding shoes will be your flip flops. These wedding shoes are great for a beach shindig or just the trip from the salon to the car – again, these wedding shoes are also great gifts for your maids.
Slip-on wedding shoes can be shared with your wedding party or even your entire female guest list if you’re feeling generous. Slip-on wedding shoes that fit comfortably in a makeup bag will keep your tootsies comfortable all through the night.
Don’t forget your favorite pair of wedding shoes: honeymoon sandals! No beach vacation is complete without some bragging rights on your feet!