Tuesday, October 29, 2013

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Outfitting the groom

While many brides will spend hours searching for the perfect gown, many do not pay as strict attention to the details of their groom’s attire. Wedding attire ranges from casual to super-formal, giving the groom a wide variety of tuxedos – ensuring that he looks his best for the special day.
The tuxedo is often the traditional men’s attire for weddings and other formal occasions. Besides the groom, the groomsmen, father of the bride, father of the groom, and other important male figures in the wedding may also choose to wear a tuxedo.  Depending on your wedding style, the groom’s tuxedo may match the attendants or stand out.  If wearing matching tuxedos, a detail often distinguishes the groom – such as a special handkerchief or boutonnière. Many couple also choose to coordinate the colors of the bridesmaids’ and bride’s dresses to the men’s tuxedos.
The Rainbow of Tuxedo Colors
traditionally the tuxedo is black, but there are more and more couples choosing to spice up the attire and go with a white or a colored tuxedo.
For an outdoor setting, a white tuxedo is completely appropriate. Spring, summer, informal, morning, and afternoon weddings are also socially acceptable occasions to wear a white tuxedo.
Some grooms like to take it a step further and go with a colored tuxedo. For instance, you could choose a color that compliments the bridesmaids’ dresses or the bride’s dress if she is going with something other than white or with a colored accent on her dress. If you are choosing a themed wedding, the groom and the bride may choose a colored tuxedo that goes along with the theme they have chosen.
For the most part, black tuxedos are still the norm for formal and evening weddings.
Sporting the Special Jacket Style
Beyond the color, there are other decisions that must be made on the tuxedo.  First of all, you must choose the jacket style. There are three basic styles to choose from: the single breasted, the double breasted, and the full dress or tail coat. Unless you are having a highly formal wedding, the single or double breasted is usually appropriate.
Also to be considered in the jacket style is the lapel. Here the choice is up to you and the style that you prefer. The most common styles are notch lapels, which make a V shape, peak lapels, and shawl lapels, which are rounded.
The Perfect Shirt
Beneath the jacket is your tuxedo shirt. It is customary for the tuxedo shirt to match the bride’s gown – for instance, if she chooses a white dress, the shirt should be white, and if she goes with ivory, the shirt should be ivory. Most tuxedo shirts feature a wing or a lay down collar. Wing collars are most often worn with a bow tie, while a lay down collar can be worn with a standard necktie.
Cummerbunds and Vests
The other crucial piece to your tuxedo is the vest or cummerbund. Most often these will be chosen to coordinate with the bridesmaids’ dresses to give your wedding party a uniform look.
Other Attire Considerations
When choosing your tuxedo you will need to decide whether to rent or to buy. If you normally attend formal functions where a tuxedo is appropriate, then buying may be the most affordable option. If your wedding is the one and only time that you will wear a tuxedo, then renting is usually preferred.
While you do not need to register for the tuxedo immediately, you should still do so at least three months prior to the wedding date. This allows the retailer to order your choices and make any alterations necessary.
If you hate shopping, consider checking out tuxedo styles before heading off to the store. That way, you and your bride can decide ahead of time the style you are looking for, minimizing the time needed to try on and consider different styles.
Some formal wear locations will offer special discounts if the entire bridal party orders their tuxedos at the same time. This will not only make the process more affordable for you, but allow you to ensure that the entire party is coordinated and fitted properly.

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Wednesday, October 23, 2013

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How to choose a stunning wedding cake!

For those who love dessert, there is no greater decision than coming up with the perfect wedding cake! And with designs, styles, and flavors, which range from the traditional to the fanciful, this is no small task. In fact, it is often akin to choosing the right piece of baked art for your special day.
Reserve your designer – the sooner, the better 
Whether you go with the local bakery down the street or a more commercialized wedding cake designer, this is a decision that should be made sooner in wedding plans rather than later. Allow for four to six months prior to needing your wedding cake to make sure that the designer you want is available. If you are not familiar with wedding cake designers, you can often see and taste their wares at local bridal fairs. Many wedding reception facilities and caterers will also either offer wedding cake services or can recommend a wedding cake designer to you.
However, there is more to buying a wedding cake than walking into your local bakery. As with anything else in your wedding, style should be considered as well. You can ask for photographs of a wedding cake designer’s latest creations.Talk to previous customers to find out how well they liked the service. And of course, you will want to have a taste or two of your favorites – since that is usually equally important as the look.
Choose a style with great taste
Each wedding cake designer will have his or her own specialties. Before you go in for a consultation, you may want to think about some of the elements that you are looking for in your wedding cake.
Your style
Do you want a traditional white cake, a brightly colored one, or one flowing with real flowers? Consider taking in pictures from weddings, bridal fairs, or magazines of design elements that you like.
Your guests
How many people do you have attending? This will often affect the number of tiers that your cake will need. Some brides will also choose to have multiple cakes – one for pictures and the ceremonial cake cutting, and then large sheet cakes to use to feed the guests.
Your frosting
Traditionally, you have three options in frosting for your cake – butter cream, fondant, and royal icing. Certain styles can only be done in certain types of frosting, and certain frostings go better with certain cake flavors.
Your flavor
Do you want a traditional white cake or are you in love with chocolate? Maybe you want each tier to be a different flavor? Some couples also like cakes to be filled. Make sure that you taste a sample of the different flavors to see which ones you really like.
Your design
Do you want the entire design done in frosting or do you want other accents? You will need to talk to your wedding cake designer about gum paste or edible flowers, edible beading, and other accents.
To top it off
Does your ideal cake include the traditional bride and groom at the top, or do you have another design element in mind? Your wedding cake designer can help you come up with the perfect look – even utilizing crystals in the shape of your initials.
Your price
If you have a wedding budget, you will need to consider the price of the cake, as well as any delivery and set-up fees.Also, different design elements, cake flavors, or frosting styles may cost more.
Other concerns
If someone in your wedding has food allergies, you may inquire about the ingredients in the cake, frosting, and design elements. You can see if any of these are able to be substituted if necessary.
Remember, your wedding cake should be a part of your wedding style and theme. And since it will likely be the last thing your guests will eat before they leave for the night, you want it to taste as good as it looks. Other than that, only your imagination will limit your design options.

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