It's All About The Dress

3 couples, all good friends, married within 6 weeks of each other.  After session at the beach=priceless.

1.  Make sure you LOVE your dress.  Doesn't matter if you acquired your wedding dress via designer, grandma, or e-bay.  Love the dress you're with(in).

2.  Make sure the groom will LOVE your dress.  We had a client/friend who, while dress shopping was having a hard time choosing between 2 lovely lovely dresses.  Her sister/MOH finally asked, "Which one will Mike like?"  Viola!  Decision made.

3.  Watch out for proportions.  If you're a little thing don't let a dress devour you.  Tall and poised ... don't be too timid with styles.

4.  Match your day and theme.  Outdoor ceremony dresses should be a bit less formal.  Old red-brick downtown cathedrals can rock the trains.  Beach weddings can pretty much go with the flow but you might wanna think barefoot.

5.  Rules are made to be broken, but I'm not a big fan of anything but white, off-white,  or ivory.  If you want to incorporate color put it in the veil or shoes.

6.  Don't let a "Trash The Dress" scare you.  Chances are nobody, not even a darling daughter, is gonna wear your dress.  Slip into it after you get back from the honeymoon, wear very little make-up, no up-do, groom in jeans and black T-shirt, and head to your favorite beach, horse farm, river, or bike path, and let your photographer loose.  I swear you'll love these photographs, almost as much as wedding day.

7.  What to do, what to do ... with a left over wedding dress?  You could spend a small fortune preserving it and tucking it in the attic.  I have my mother's wedding dress from November 9, 1951 displayed as artwork in our guest bedroom.  But what about donating it?  I know of a wedding dress that has been passed around in Mozambique Africa, worn by over 25 women with each bride looking just as radiant as the next.  Make someone's day and give it away.

8.  On wedding day:  Don't worry about it!  It is going to get dirty around the hem. There, I said it.  It may get a make-up smudge on it.  But don't let protecting your dress rule your day.  And for heaven's sake, don't lift the front and carry it around all day.

9.  Have fun with it.  If it's autumn, spread it out and throw some leaves on it.  Have the groom carry the train when going to the chapel.  Hike it up and show off a little leg.  Twirl it. Swirl in it. Run with it. Work it, girl.

10.  It's all about the dress, and yet it's really not.  It's all about the photographs {insert prejudice here}  Your dress will get packed away but you'll look at the pictures over and over again.  Enjoy your day.  I can't really stress that enough.