Dress – Weddings by Wendy Rose

Alternative Theme Ideas

Courtney Dietz — Thu, 23 May 2024 23:01:00 +0000

Having Your Dream Wedding

Ajna Hacker

Many Brides get so wrapped up in planning their wedding that they have a tendency to forget to consider having a theme. A theme can help to guide the look and feeling of your wedding that you want to convey. Here are three ideas for you to think about when planning your wedding!

Holiday:

A common thought process when planning a wedding is picking your date before planning your theme. Instead consider planning your wedding around a Holiday and let the date inspire what your decoration style will look like. If you choose to have your wedding close to Christmas, you could add a deep red, dark green, and gold in your wedding colors while adding subtle additions to your decor to add to the theme such as evergreen and pine as greenery. Or for our more alternative brides, you could plan your wedding around Friday the 13th. Some venues might offer discounts for the date due to the lack of popularity on those days. Leaning into the spookier side of things you might wear black and other dark colors. For decor you could add Victorian looking items to add a haunted yet classy look to it.

Regency Era:

For every Jane Austin fan out there, consider having your wedding themed after the Regency Era. This time period, although short, has the underlying connotation of romance due to the many love stories that have been set during this period. Choose a dress that has an Empire waist line, having pastel colors added in your wedding colors, and adding regal feeling decor items. If you want to go with the classic wedding cake, consider also having delicate desserts as well such as scones, petit fours, or even Turkish delight to add that feeling of delicacy.

Celestial:

Themes can be anything that you and your finance have an interest or enjoy. Adding subtle stars and moons into small details of your wedding can add to the celestial theme. Such as into your jewelry, or designs into your wedding dress, ties, pocket squires, veil, etc. There are even matching rings that fit into the theme. Hanging stars from the ceiling with fairy lights will give your guests the feeling that they are under the stars even while they are tucked away in the warmth of indoors. For this theme there are many options for you to choose from in terms of wedding colors. These colors are going to be darker in nature, such as purple, black, navy blue, and pink. Or if you would like to mirror the colors after the northern lights you could choose green, blue, a light purple, and pink.

New Wedding Traditions

Courtney Dietz — Wed, 22 May 2024 23:02:00 +0000

Modern Weddings Vs Traditions

Nencia Isabetta

We are seeing more and more modern brides choosing to drop and/or alter common traditions of the past in lieu of the more modern and fresh approach of today. A bride of the 1950s was more typically about doing the more traditional route and following the bride book by the letter. However, 2024 brides are craving different vibes than those of years past and wanting to add their own spin of their big days.

Dress:

While the tradition of wearing white to make that oh so important walk down the aisle is a centuries old tradition and for the majority of the brides today a tradition that still holds fast to their ideals of their perfect wedding day. However, many brides are choosing a more alternative path in their dress choice. For the large portion of said brides this change comes in the form of wearing an off white dress, having colored embellishments added to their white dress, or more colored undertones in their dresses. If you were to walk into a wedding dress shop, you would find many options in champagne, cream, or ivory, as well as multiple other colors and options. The more extreme brides can be found on their wedding day wearing black wedding dresses. It has gained so much in popularity that even David’s Bridals has begun to carry dresses for these alternative brides. In between the extreme choice of the black wedding dress brides and the traditional white dress brides there are those brides who choose to wear colored wedding dresses. Either to match the theme of their wedding or just because it is their absolute favorite color. Whatever wedding dress you choose to wear, the most important part is that you wear a dress that feels the most like you. Wearing a wedding dress is supposed to make you feel absolutely beautiful so the key is just finding a dress that makes you feel the most like you.

Vows:

We have all heard the traditional “Do you take … to have and to hold… in sickness and in health…” at wedding after wedding. Although this is a perfectly beautiful way to vow yourself to your partner, many couples are choosing to forego the old vows and write ones for themselves instead. This can add a more personal addition to their ceremony, while creating a meaningful moment between the newlyweds. The only downside of this option is many people find it difficult to put their thoughts down on paper. Or perhaps they see this as another addition to their checklist and treat it more like a school essay than an eternal vow to their partner who they are declaring their love for infront of many witnesses. Choosing to go with the traditional vows can take a stressor off your plate if you choose to go that route. But like the dresses, the most important part is finding what works best for you and your fiance.

Rings:

The days of the big sparkly princess cut diamond engagement ring with the simple gold band wedding ring are mostly behind us. If that is the style that you prefer, all the more power to you. But more and more brides are letting go of the diamond in the engagement ring at all. Instead many women are opting for colored gems or man made gems in replacement of that timeless classic. While nearly everyone in American culture does choose to wear the wedding ring to signify that they are indeed lawfully bound to another, some couples have a dislike for the fancy, and often difficult to replace, rings and wearing in substitution, silicone wedding bands. For our more alternative brides even tattooing a ring on their finger instead of a ring at all. While the silicone bands are much easier to replace if lost or stolen, and the tattoos throw that problem out the window entirely, that may not be everyone’s cup of tea.

Having a Fairytale Wedding

Courtney Dietz — Wed, 22 May 2024 23:00:00 +0000

Fairytale Themes in Your Wedding

Zay Burry

Having a fairytale wedding is a common theme that many couples consider when trying to decide what they want their wedding to feel like and look like. A fairytale wedding is a fairly ambiguous term, it very much depends on what type of fairytale you would like to embody during your wedding. Here are some examples of fairytale weddings to help inspire you!

Cinderella:

A classic and traditional for wedding themes due to her being one of the more classic princesses that comes to mind when you think of princesses. Choosing your wedding colors is an important place to start with the theme. With Cinderella having blues, silvers, and even a light pink color would be perfect colors drawing inspiration from the Cinderella fairytale. Adding elements into what the bride wears can further his concept as well. Having a choker style necklace, sleeves that have more puff to them, or having a bun updo that would be similar as well. The decor is going to be pivotal in creating that fairytale feel. Having decorations that have a regal feeling to them will be of the utmost importance. Something along the lines of candelabras with dinnerware that has a more elevated look. Speaking of dinnerware, finding classic looking china to add to that royal feeling at dinner is a great way to feel more Cinderella-inspired.

Peter Pan:

The story of Peter Pan, although it starts in England, the majority of the fairy tale takes place in Neverland. So in order to maximize the Peter Pan feeling, focusing on the Neverland aesthetic will be key. Since the Lost Boys live in the forest in a tree mimicking that feeling by having your wedding decorated as if it is in a forest will be an excellent place to start. For your wedding colors having an evergreen color, a light blue, and a dark chocolate brown. For decor items, having cut pieces of wood, lots of greenery, and flowers will help to make that forest feel.

Beauty and the Beast:

Another classic princess, so having an elevated regal feel is going to be imperative. Starting with the colors, again, gold, blue (either dark navy would work as well as a light powder blue), and maroon. Gold should be more of an accent color where you sprinkle it through your decor and wardrobe as opposed to a more prominent color in your theme. For decor items, having gold frames and mirrors, gold candelabras, again, and china would be on theme. Of course having a teapot or tea cups as table pieces would be a cute touch.

The History of Wearing White to Your Wedding

Courtney Dietz — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Ever Wondered Why We Wear White to Our Wedding?

Coco Dietz

Today you would be hard pressed to find a bride who chooses to not wear a shade of white on their wedding day. That tradition has been so deeply ingrained into many young girls let alone young brides minds that it is difficult for many of them to imagine wearing anything other than white to get hitched. Before the tradition began brides would simply wear their best dress to get married in.

Most brides could not afford the luxury of a new dress on their wedding day so the thought of color coordination would send many of them in a frenzy based solely on the cost that would add to the start of their marriage. Even more so, white was hardly considered to wear to be married in because that was the color more commonly worn to funerals for the time period. Just as many brides chose to stay away from black for the same reasons today, the brides would tend to stay away from white as to not bring death like energy into their wedding day. To more wealthy brides they would use the opportunity of their wedding day as an excuse to show off just how much wealth they actually had by adorning themselves with many family heirlooms and jewels.

Their dresses would be far from white, in fact many wealthy brides would choose to wear bright jeweled toned dresses. An impressive feat to behold due to the cost of the dyed material. The introduction of white into the traditional bridal fashion started, as many things do, by one very famous and important person doing it first. That person happened to be Queen Victoria when she married Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg back in 1840. Although she was only twenty years old when she was wed, she took her royal duties with grace, elegance, and maturity and wanted to convey that message in her appearance as well. So she chose a white wedding dress to hopefully portray herself as sensibly as possible.

Not only was this choice one with a message nodding to her new royal duties, but it was also a gesture of love toward her future husband. Queen Victoria also chose to forego the crown that would generally sit atop an elaborate hairdo and instead she wore a wreath of flowers. She chose to set aside the overly indulgent and opulent traditions that would generally be expected of a queen but instead just be a young woman marrying the man she loved and portraying to the world her purity and innocence in the color she chose to wear. Her choice to wear white was especially controversial for the time period not only because it was still a color associated with morning, but because most royals of the time chose to wear red on their wedding days. Even though that is difficult for us to imagine nowadays, the image of a bride clad in white to get married is so prominent in our minds.

Although Queen Victoria was not trying to set a precedent for other brides to adhere to more than a hundred years later, her choice quickly set a trend that other brides wanted to follow. Only nine years later a magazine, Godey’s Lady’s Book, stated in their issue “that white is the most fitting hue” also that white is an “emblem of the purity and innocence of girlhood, and the unsullied heart she now yields to the chosen one.” They could have no way of knowing just how influential this would be for future brides. So much so that most brides do not even consider wearing a different color on their wedding day.

Wedding Dress and Reception Dress

Courtney Dietz — Mon, 03 Jul 2023 04:11:11 +0000

Wedding Dress and Reception

Maggi Gallaspy

Congrats on saying yes to the dress! Now all that’s left is to decide if you’ll wear your dream gown all night long or do an outfit change before the reception. While there are pros and cons to both and it ultimately comes down to your preference, a lot of brides opt for some type of change between the ceremony and reception.

Some brides choose to chop their hair and sport a new “do” after the “I do’s,” others opt for a comfortable pair of sneakers and some change into a bridal romper. If you’re trying to spice up your look for the reception, here are a few reception outfit ideas that might work for you!

Detachable Wedding Dress Elements

There are two wedding trends that continue to produce top-notch looks in the industry: detachable tulle overskirts and removable sleeves. Both are beautiful in their own way and could be a great addition to either your ceremony or reception dress.

Add the extra layers, length or both with the detachable skirt and easily turn a simplistic figure-hugging gown into a ballroom dress. When it comes time to party the night away, easily detach the skirt for easier movement and a more understated look.

With removable sleeves, the options are endless. From lace shoulder straps with intricate details to pearl-studded tulle sleeves, removable sleeves are the perfect way to add a little personality to your wedding gown. The best part? Sleeves can mix and match with a variety of dress fabrics and patterns so your options are endless.

The Cropped Gown

A newer trend sweeping social media by storm is the art of cutting your wedding gown in between the ceremony and reception. In fact, in September, bride Morgan Rusinko’s dress transformation went viral on TikTok. She trimmed her tulle floor-length gown to hit just short of knee-length after getting too hot in her dress.

While she cut her dress impulsively, it got people talking about how convenient it could be. You still get the look of your dream dress but are offered additional mobility and comfort to dance the night away!

Your Guide to Local Dress Shops

Courtney Dietz — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 05:02:00 +0000

Your Guide to Local Dress Shops

Kristin Rodin

Wedding dresses have held a significant role in wedding ceremonies for hundreds of years. While their color, style, and symbolism have changed, wedding dresses remain an important part of self-expression for many brides. There’s a lot to consider when choosing such a personal item, but soon-to-be brides won’t have to travel far to say yes to the dress. Look no further than these local dress shops to find the perfect fit for your wedding day!

Lillie’s Bridal Boutique

Located right next to J&B Coffee at 2703 26th St., Lillie’s Bridal Boutique is the place to be for a modern shopping experience. Owner and homegrown Lubbockite Katie Joiner brought her Austin bridal boutique experience back home to help local brides find their perfect dress. Featuring special order and off-the-rack options, Lillie’s is size-inclusive with dresses ranging from size 0-32, depending on the designer. This little bridal shop is appointment-only to ensure the best personalized experience, so give the shop a call or head to their website to get on their books – they’d love to have you!

Ready To I Do

Though it began as an off-the-rack bridal boutique, Ready To I Do has grown into a larger, more personalized shopping experience for Lubbock and West Texas brides. Located at 3330 70th St., this appointment-only boutique dedicates all their attention to you! While the shop started as plus-size only, owner Kaylen Clark expanded their selection to be size inclusive for all brides. From eclectic boho to southern elegance and timeless classics, you can expect to find the perfect fit to showcase your personality. To help the wedding industry go green, brides can also bring back their dresses for consignment and give them new life again!

Bella’s Bridal

Whether you know exactly what you’re looking for or have no clue where to start, there’s no shortage of options at Bella’s Bridal at 3501 50th St. Brides can book double-door suites to try on dresses from designers such as Sottero and Midgley, Mori Lee, Allure, and Demetrios. From princess-style ball gowns to figure-hugging mermaid dresses, intricate beading to classic lace, and sweetheart to illusion necklines, this dress shop has just about everything. Not only can brides look for their perfect dress, they can find the perfect match for bridesmaids, too! Bella’s Bridal carries a large variety of bridesmaid dresses – even jumpsuits – to flatter every member of the bridal party.

Carla Creates Weddings

If dresses aren’t the only thing on your mind, Carla Creates Weddings at 8004 Indiana Ave Ste. A11 is your one-stop shop for all things wedding! Available for purchase or rent, this shop offers a variety of bridal and bridesmaid gowns and accessories such as veils, jewelry, and even floral services. The shop prides itself on their customer service and ability to meet your specific style and design needs. For those looking for personalized and flexible options, consider stopping by this local gem.

Alterations

Once you’ve found the dress of your dreams, you’ll want to ensure it fits just right. These tried-and-true alteration shops are sure to provide exceptional service and high-quality work.

The Dress Whisperer, run by local entrepreneur Gail Whitley and her assistant Tatum Roach, can work wonders for your big day. With over 20 years of experience, there’s no formal dress Whitley can’t customize to fit your style!

If it can be altered and sewn, V’s Alterations can do it – but wedding dresses are their specialty. Veronica’s 20 years of experience ensures your gown will fit perfectly and shows off all the details that make it unique.

While it may be a big decision, finding the right dress for your celebration doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Each of these local shops offers something unique, but brides will find hospitality and dream dresses at any of these locations!

Summer 2023 Wedding Dress Trends

Courtney Dietz — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Summer 2023 Wedding Dress Trends

Alice Briggs

With a mix of classic inspiration and modern twists, these summer 2023 wedding dress trends promise to make a statement on any bride’s big day.

One trend that is making a comeback is the classic Grace Kelly inspired dresses. These timeless designs feature elegant and simple silhouettes, clean lines, and exquisite fabrics. They are perfect for brides who want to channel the timeless elegance of Grace Kelly on their wedding day.

Longer veils are also a popular trend. Veils have always been a classic bridal accessory, but this year, they are getting a modern update with longer lengths. Whether it’s a cathedral-length veil or a dramatic train, these longer veils add a sense of grandeur and sophistication to any bridal look.

Dresses with sleeves are another trend to watch for in 2023. From delicate lace sleeves to dramatic puffed sleeves, this trend is perfect for brides who want to add a touch of elegance and modesty to their wedding dress. Sleeves can also be a great way to stay comfortable and warm during cooler weather weddings.

Bold and form-fitting designs are also making waves. These dresses feature striking silhouettes, daring cutouts, and bold designs accentuate the bride’s figure. These dresses are perfect for brides who want to make a statement and stand out on their big day.

From intricate beading to delicate embroidery, these ornate embellishments add a touch of glamor and luxury to any wedding dress. They create a sense of opulence or add a subtle hint of sparkle.

Raised hemlines are another trend that has been gaining popularity in recent years. These dresses feature shorter hemlines in the front, with a longer train in the back. They are perfect for brides who want to show off their legs and make a statement with their wedding dress.

Finally, hints of color are another trend to watch for in 2023. Whether it’s a soft blush or a bold red, adding a hint of color to a wedding dress can be a great way to express personality and style. It’s also a great way to create a unique and memorable bridal look.

Wedding dress trends for 2023 are a mix of classic inspiration and modern twists. Whether it’s a Grace Kelly inspired dress, a longer veil, a dress with sleeves, a bold and

Wedding Dress Trends for 2023

Alice Briggs — Sat, 01 Oct 2022 05:01:00 +0000

Wedding Dress Trends for 2023

Alice Briggs

Express your personality and style with these trends for 2023.

Blue – shades of pink for wedding dresses has been around for a while, but blues are dominating the scene with flair.

Texture – 3D flowers and bows all lend a rich textural element to your gown.

Asymmetrical necklines – an artistic flair that may suit you to a T

Ball gowns – if you always wanted to have the Cinderella wedding with a gorgeous ballgown, you’ll be right on trend.

Don’t forget to combine any and all of these trends in a dress that’s sure to impress.

2022 Summer Wedding Dress Trends

Alice Briggs — Sat, 05 Mar 2022 02:43:00 +0000

By Victoria Jaurrieta

Struggling with what wedding dress you want and what will fit the captivating theme of your summer wedding? This can be stressful, but let us help you make the process a bit easier.

It’s 2022! A year for change and for a mix of traditional and modern styles in your wedding. As women, we dream about this special day as soon as we started talking. Most commonly, we dream about our spectacular gown that will make our fiancé sob as we walk down the aisle. We want to feel the most beautiful and elegant we have ever felt.

This is your day! So let’s imagine some of these dress trends creating that beautiful feeling to match your expectations.

A corset body

This element paired with a ballgown bottom allows the bride to feel like a princess. Hasn’t that always been one of the dreams we had?

Square necklines

This elegant neckline provides coverage and support while showing off your collarbones. A striking and dignified look for the bride wanting something a little different.

Jumpsuits

Certainly, the newest trend changes the traditional style of your wedding dress to a bold modern statement. This might end up being a lifesaver for you if you like to dance all night.

Balloon puff sleeves

This whimsical silhouette formed the “Bridgeton” tv show era, has gained tremendous popularity. Can you imagine yourself in this style?

Plunging necklines

A daring style creates a captivating focal point for brides who are looking to elongate their torso. Truly, this style can make you feel absolutely sexy.

Captivating cutouts

The perfect style for the bride who wants to erase conventional looks and show a little more skin on her wedding day. It can be classy and intriguing as well as stylish.

Mock necks

Offering coverage with bold cutouts to enhance the modest look for any bride. This distinctive look will help you feel elegant throughout the entire event.

Colorful hues

Stepping away from a white gown, designers have pushed these restraints for the desire to give brides more out-of-the-box options. Today’s brides seem to really love adding a dash of color!