If you are on a tight budget you may be considering purchasing a used wedding dress.  If you leave your options open and allow plenty of time for used dress shopping, you can wear the wedding gown of your dreams while saving several hundred dollars.

Denver Wedding Photographer captures bride in wedding dress.

Be aware when you buy used — or any gown that isn’t straight from the designer — that it may be in less than pristine condition. Expect to have it cleaned or to make minor repairs.

Before looking at used gowns, research the various designers’ styles so you know which brands tend to have “your look.” While you are doing this, also decide what features you want your wedding dress to have. For example:

- What general style do you prefer (a-line, mermaid, etc.)?

- What color will your gown be (ivory, white, pink, etc.)?

- What necklines are acceptable to you (sweetheart, halter, etc.)?

- How long will your gown be and will it have a train?

- What type of detailing will it have (seed pearls, rhinestones, beading, etc.)?

Also, like everyday women’s clothing, sizes vary depending on the brand. Each designerpublishes a measurement chart. Using those charts, figure out your size in each of your preferred designers’ gowns (Remember that in all likelihood your wedding dress will need to be altered, whether you purchase it used or straight from the designer).

After completing your research, you are ready to begin looking for a used wedding gown. There are several places to find used gowns. You’ll want to set up notices, put in requests, and monitor each of them:

- Consignment stores can be a good used gown source. If you are lucky enough to have a local used formalwear store, alert the owner that you are looking for a dress.

- Craigslist is a very active used-goods marketplace. Find your local Craigslist, open a free account, and make an “item wanted” post. Do searches for the terms “wedding gown” and “wedding dress” in the clothing section — and monitor new listings often — to see what is currently being sold.

- There are several Websites that specialize in used wedding attire and/or create a buyer/seller marketplace (hint: search “used wedding dresses” or something similar in your favorite search engine).

- Buy at auction. By far the largest auction site is eBay, and they have an extensive bridal gown section. Many were worn once or are sales samples.

- While not technically “used,” bridal store floor samples are a great bargain. Most stores sell their last-season samples for $99 and up.

Other Ways of Finding Inexpensive Wedding Gowns

If your heart is set on a designer dress, but you don’t have a designer wallet, you might find a designer sample dress for a fraction of the cost at one of the above-mentioned floor sample sales.

You could also buy a designer duplicate. These resemble — but are not completely identical to — an existing designer gown. In general, you order the gown based on a photo of an existing dress. A seamstress, usually in an Asian country, then recreates the general look of the pictured gown — often for around $100. There are both positives and negatives to this approach. Whether a dress like this is right for you depends on your own priorities: If you expect the same quality of material and exact detailing as a designer original, you will be disappointed. If you are looking for a way to very inexpensively purchase a formal wedding dress that will look good on you for a day, then consider this option.

A final way to find an inexpensive bridal gown is to consider a white or ivory bridesmaid dress to wear as an informal wedding dress. Because bridesmaid dresses are generally much less expensive than bridal gowns, you can save hundreds of dollars with this approach.

Article Source: http://www.free-wedding-articles.net

How would you like to completely forget all the worries you
have on delivering your wedding vow? How would you like to
absolutely guarantee your family, friends and your husband/wife
to be, to be stunned and show how amazingly romantic you are on
your wedding vow? When you make the decision to write your own
wedding vow, you’re declaring to everyone that the love you
share is simply too important to be conveyed through phrases and
words that millions of other couples have already did.

The problem is that most people, even professional writers, are
terrible at writing something like a wedding vow because it
requires a special skill and a way with words. Remember, what
you write in your wedding vow for your fiance’ on your wedding
day are the words that would form the bond of your marriage for
the rest of your life. That is why a wedding vow is very
important and should be given such detailed attention. However, the
sad fact is that most couples are spending too much of their
time and energy thinking about the menu for the reception rather on
the wedding vow that is supposed to last for a lifetime.

Some couples are having a hard time making their own wedding
vow, couples must put in mind that personalizing their wedding
vow shouldn’t make them frustrated or angry or nervous making a
wedding vow should be fun for you are making a vow not only for
your fiance’ but also for yourself. The more you spend time
thinking about your plans for the future family you are about to
have; the easier the words would come out. However, personalizing a
wedding vow is discouraged, but it can be done with the help of
professionals. If you know somebody who could help you on this
do so, or simply search the net for other ideas on how to make a
wedding vow that would last for a lifetime.

Putting hours of effort into making your wedding vow is an
investment in your relationship. A good wedding vow can be
found on the bible, online and local libraries. Touching love
poems can be revised as a wedding vow. Here are some parts of a
good wedding vow:

Wedding vow #1:
As I met more people.
Discovering what to love or hate.
I used those lessons as I tried
To find someone to share my life with
And luckily I found a wife for me.

Wedding vow #2:
Now that we have decided to tie the knot
On our wedding day,
I had a few more special things
I wanted to say.
You have chosen me as much
As I have chosen you
Making you glad that I’m your husband
Each and every day.

Things to consider when you decide to write your own wedding
vow; first decide on a theme, allow time for reverie, choose
your topic, and lastly pick your style. Most importantly, let
the words for your wedding vow flow out from your heart.
Sincerity and genuine love is far more eloquent than any poem
ever written. So, make that wedding vow special by pouring your
heart out and infusing the words with your love for your spouse.

Article Source: http://www.free-wedding-articles.net

Denver Colorado Wedding - The Groomsmen!

Your wedding party is a major factor in the success of your wedding day. Too many couples assume that once they’ve selected their brides maids and grooms men that they are finished. Unfortunately, many people don’t know what it means to be in a bridal party. Bridesmaids and groomsmen need to do more than just look pretty. Put these people to work! If your wedding party knows the who’s, what’s, when’s, and why’s, they will be able to handle many of the details that may derail the enjoyment of what should be your happiest day.

Colorado Bridesmaids

Many sites will tell you the traditional roles for your wedding party. I’m going to give you some tips on additional (and non-traditional) jobs for your bridesmaids and groomsmen to perform so that you can spend your time on more important details.

Babysitter: Make it the responsibility of someone in your wedding party to know where the rest of the wedding party is at all times. When time comes for someone to make a toast, the wedding party dance, the dollar dance, the garter auction, games, etc. it is frustrating for everyone to be waiting for that one person who is outside, in the bathroom, or talking to your cute cousin.

Activity Leader: Put your bravest party animal in charge of leading activities. This person needs to be someone willing to lead a bunny hop, talk on a mic, lead people to the dance floor etc.

Clean-Up Crew: Assign the task of making sure nothing gets left behind to one of your attendant’s. It will be their job to check the area of the ceremony, reception, and dance to make sure none of the wedding party left things like bags, purses, shoes, coats, wallets, keys, etc.

Nanny: Find your most child loving attendant, and give them the task of sheparding children off the dance floor during special events and dances. Children are great, but they don’t realize that the Bride and Groom’s first dance is not an appropriate time for them to be chasing bubbles on the dance floor.

Designated Driver: Don’t forget this important job! No need to let senseless tragedy ruin your perfect night.

While these are not traditional roles for your average wedding party, assigning someone to these tasks will make your day less stressful so you can spend your time making your wedding beautiful.

Article Source: http://www.free-wedding-articles.net

Tim & Tammy Smith operate By Request DJ & Karaoke Company, located in Fargo, North Dakota. They have been providing entertainment for wedding receptions since 1994 and belong to several professional disc jockey organizations.

Are you a Colorado Bride to be getting married in Colorado?  Are you looking for a Denver Wedding Photographer?  Today’s article will give you more ideas on how to make your wedding in Colorado unique.

Wedding Ideas For Brides: 5 Ways To Capture Your Wedding Moments Forever

Denver Wedding Photographer

As far back as a girl can remember, she dreams of her wedding day. She imagines – to every last detail – things like: what type of wedding dress she will wear, what color the bridesmaids dresses will be and even more importantly, who that perfect man will be who becomes her husband. When that day finally arrives, it is the most important day of the bride’s life – a day she wants to look back on with fond memories for years to come. For more and more brides, one of the most perfect ways to capture their wedding is to create an Instant Photo Guest Book similar to the one created by Adesso Albums. Having such a keepsake, scrapbook or photo album to open up and share with your spouse, family and friends is the best way to capture the wedding day’s memory forever.

Instant Photo Guest Books are a unique “marriage” of a photo album and a guest book. To create a photo guest book at a wedding, simply take Polaroid pictures, slip them into your guest book and have the guests write their personalized messages to you the bride and your groom on the guest book pages. This will capture your wedding event instantly in pictures and words, and you won’t even have to wait weeks to get your photographs returned from your wedding photographer. You’ll be able to enjoy it as soon as it’s over. However, the beauty of these keepsake albums is that it can be used for all parts of your wedding event: engagement party, bridal shower, bachelorette party, rehearsal dinner, wedding, reception and even the honeymoon.

Here are 5 other great ideas to capture your wedding moments:

1. Wish Bowl

Here’s an idea, that won’t even cost you a dime. The purpose of a wedding Wish Bowl is to provide an opportunity for guests to wish good fortunes to follow the Bride and Groom wherever they go. The idea is to have your guests write their wishes for love and life on little slips of paper and place them into a crystal or decorative glass bowl or vase. You don’t even have to buy one if you have a nice vase or bowl at home already. For a more formal presentation, the slips of paper can be placed into little matching wedding stationary envelopes. The stationary paper and envelopes should match the Bride’s color theme and/or wedding stationary. After the wedding events are over, the notes can be read and placed into a wedding album or scrapbook while the bowl or vase can be used for the home or decoration.

2. Wish Tree

The Wish Tree theme, similar to the Wish Bowl, is for guests at the wedding to write down their wishes for love and life to the Bride and Groom – except instead of the bowl, a tree is used to collect the wishes. There are many types of Wish Trees – your can purchase metal ones, or fashion your own using blooming branches from a garden or florist, or even use a live potted plant such as a fichus tree. Gift boxes can be hung from the tree of your choice and your guests can take a box off the tree in exchange for their wishes. Afterthe wedding events are over, the wishes can be taken off the tree and placed in a keepsake box, scrapbook or album.

3. Signature Platter

Wedding Signature Platters or plates make a unique alternative to traditional wedding guest books. The platter can be plain, decorative or even custom designed and ordered online or from a wedding stationary store. Guests simply sign the platter during the wedding event with a special ceramic marker and after the wedding events are over, the platter is fired in your home oven. The special signature platter can be used for serving favorite dishes at future dinner parties as husband and wife or just as a decorative memento of the special gathering.

4. Framed Signature Mat

Similar to the Signature Platter, the Signature Mat is another alternative to the traditional wedding guest book. A photo of theBride and Groom – often a ‘before’ wedding photo (like an engagement photo) – is placed in an acid free matte and mounted either on an easel or table in the entry area of the wedding reception. Guests sign their name and well wishes to the Bride and Groom on the mat surrounding the picture. The Signature Mat is then framed for the newlywed’s new home. The ‘before wedding’ photo can be replaced with awedding photo of the couple before framing.

5. Typewriter Guest Book

The Typewriter Guest Book is Martha Stewart’s latest discovery for a guest book alternative. Look for an old-fashioned, inexpensive typewriter either online, from a flea market or thrift shop, but make SURE it works – and set it out on a table in the entry area of the wedding reception. Load the typewriter with long sheets of paper for guests to type in good wishes to the Bride and Groom along with their name and any sentiment that comes to mind. After the wedding, the page can be tied into a scroll with ribbon or framed along with pictures taken at the wedding.

The above 5 unique ways to capture your wedding moments will help you and your loved ones relive your wedding memories over and over again.

Article Source: http://www.free-wedding-articles.net

Lesley Mattos, Founder of Adesso Albums has been happily pursuing her dream of helping people all over the world capture the Now in life’s most important moments. Of all the ways to capture your wedding memories, the Adesso Album is the only guest book alternative that provides an instant memory of your wedding event in both pictures and words. If you need the Polaroid gear, you can purchase it along with the guest books at www.adessoalbums.com

Are you planning a wedding in Colorado?  Are you looking for a Denver Wedding Photographer?  Read some of the helpful articles to help you with planning your wedding.  If you’re looking for Denver Wedding Photography, I would love to talk with you further.   In the meantime, here is a great article on Wedding Cakes.

Denver Wedding Photography

Who needs that white vanilla wedding cake with sugary frosting? Do you want a wedding cake that looks good but tastes like cardboard, or one that looks good enough to eat – and is? And would you put that hard plastic bride and groom wedding cake topper in your curio cabinet?

Fruit cake, cheesecake, ice cream cakes, even chocolate with chocolate-dipped fruit – your choices in wedding cakes are much wider than they were when your mother got married. You deserve a wedding you like, and a perfect wedding cake for it.

Here are some ideas for you:

A multi-flavored wedding cake thrills everyone. Uncle Jack won’t eat vanilla, but your husband’s best friend is allergic to chocolate. And you have one guest who is allergic to wheat products, another who is lactose-intolerant. So get a cake with multiple layers of different cakes: cheesecake on the bottom for Mr. Wheat, chocolate for Uncle Jack, and a fluffy fat-free angel food cake on the top for you. Your baker can help.

How about a filling for the wedding cake? To dress up an otherwise-bland cake or just one layer, fill it with chocolate, strawberry, or preserves. Or frost it with hard chocolate instead of traditional frosting.

Why are wedding cakes always round? A current cake trend is one that looks like a stack of presents, decorated with ribbons and bows. You can have anything you want; if you’re both Nascar fans, maybe a car shape, or a cake in the shape of a rose or a castle. And don’t limit yourself to one shape; you can make layers heart-shaped and have a square base, or use geometric shapes.

Match your wedding cake to your wedding colors. White cakes can be boring. Consider edible flowers for decoration as well; these real flowers add color and a real touch of class and beauty, but are totally nontoxic.

Have a gorgeous wedding dress? Dress the cake up to match. Especially if you have a very unique design, you can ask your bakery to match some of the decorations on the cake to your dress.

Look at real china, glass, or objets d’art to top your cake, instead of the plastic figures. Lladro figurines are a wonderful keepsake and look great with traditional and semi traditional cakes. Or you can go with a glass pumpkin coach for the fairytale wedding theme, or something you both love.

If you just can’t agree, have a groom’s cake as well. Men tend to go for richer, heavier flavors. One great wedding had a traditional tall white wedding cake next to a chocolate fountain, and then a groom’s cake, devil’s food chocolate (how appropriate) piled high with chocolate-dipped strawberries, with undipped strawberries around it for decoration and to dip into the fountain. Don’t be afraid of being different.

Wedding cake ideas and other catering issues are always changing. Our Wedding Planning Toolkit can help you make everything about your wedding memorable, and avoid the traps and pitfalls that many couples fall into. Check it out… it will likely turn out to be the most cost-effective tool in yourwedding planning budget.

Article Source: http://www.free-wedding-articles.net

Lesley-Ann Graham runs WeddingTrix.com – a valuable wedding planning resource with articles, tips and advice to help you plan your perfect wedding!

Choosing a Bridal Bouquet

As you plan for your Colorado (Denver, Boulder, or Breckenridge) Wedding, you’re faced with the question of which type of bridal bouquet is right for you? Before you determine that, you have to first answer a few questions.

Denver Colorado Wedding Photography

• What kind of atmosphere do you want for your Colorado Wedding? Will it be formal, casual, elegant or something in between?

• Where are you getting married in Colorado? Is this a casual outdoor wedding, an elegant candlelit evening wedding in a cathedral, a simple country church wedding, or a fancy country club event?

• What is your body type? Are you short and petite? Full-figured?

• What season are you getting married in?

• What is your color scheme?

• Are there certain flowers that you simply must have in your wedding bouquet?

Another important thing to consider is the style of wedding gown you will be wearing.

Romantic or fairytale gowns

With lots of lace, tulle and layers of luxurious fabric, this type of gown lends itself to the traditional cascading bridal bouquet. Keep in mind, however, that the cascading wedding bouquet does not necessary flatter a petite bride. If you’re petite, you don’t want to get lost behind a large wedding bouquet. If your gown has a lot of detail to it, be careful not to order a bridal bouquet that actually competes with the gown, rather than complementing it.

Simple and elegant gown

Think Grace Kelly or Audrey Hepburn and you’ll have visions of a less fussy gown, designed to show off the beauty of the bride. These gowns are often strapless and have structured lines. Your flowers should be simple and elegant as well, as in a hand-tied bouquet of white calla lilies, a symbol of magnificence. A showy bouquet wouldn’t be your best choice with this type of gown, but a classic clutchbridal bouquet might be the answer. Pastel pink roses would be ideal in a clutch wedding bouquet, the perfect symbol of happiness, gentility and grace.

Vintage gowns

This is a huge category that includes Bohemian gypsy-style dresses, medieval princess frocks, and Charleston swing era gowns. Match wedding bouquets with the style of dress that you choose. Some bridal bouquets simply would not work with some of the vintage dresses. Of course, these dresses are updated to reflect the styles of the early 21st century.

Make sure that you let your florist or online wedding consultant know exactly what type of gown you have chosen. It would be best for them to see a picture of the gown, preferably with you in it!
If you’re unsure of how to pick the style of bridal bouquet that’s best for you, given all of the choices that you’ve already made, rely on the advice from the experts.

And remember, you’re not restricted to fresh flowers for your wedding. Silk wedding flower packages are available at great prices from many online merchants. They can help you decide if the cascading bridal bouquet, the hand-tied wedding bouquet, or another style is best for you considering the location, the season, the atmosphere, your figure, etc. Silk wedding flowers are a wise choice for budget-minded brides, as well as for extravagant brides who only want the best!

Article Source: http://www.free-wedding-articles.net

Bonnie Goodwin Ray has more than sixteen years experience in the wedding industry. She is the author of Wedding Planning Made Easier and has become a leading expert in silk wedding bouquets design.

I have been doing a lot of searching for wedding information, and I just came across this idea. I am getting involved in anyway I can. This is going to be exciting. So, strap on your seat belt. Come along for the ride!

The search for Bride 2.0 has begun. Can Web 2.0 and social networking stimulate a struggling economy, make 3 brides social media super stars and prove that by simply asking for help the Internet and wedding related communities will step up and lend a helping hand? Check out this cool video to learn more about this concept: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sp9NU8t1Bls

This concept is the brainchild of wedding planner Ciara Daykin. Visit her website at www.planetplanswedding.com to sign up for her free report “10 Individuals Who Changed The World With One Idea” (and it’s not the regular crowd you might think of at first).

Have you supported us in a unique and viral way? We’d love to know about it so that we can recognize you on our blog and hopefully drive business back to your site as well. Please tell us how you’ve supported PlanetPlansWedding.com