When a bride plans her wedding there are so many decisions to make. From deciding on the venue décor, mastering the guest list to the all-important selection of the perfect wedding dress. For many brides, the wedding dress may be one of the most important decisions she will make when planning for her perfect day. With all that planning and the stress of making sure the right dress is chosen, sometimes planning the rest of her wedding weekend wardrobe can become an afterthought. Weddings are no longer just one-day events. Many are long weekends or even a full week of festivities. With all of these festivities one thing remains the same: The bride and groom will be the center of attention for each of the events. Meaning, lots of photos and video will be taken to document this special time. A bride not only wants to look amazing on her wedding day but also at all of the events leading up to that day.
Here are some tips to consider when planning your wedding week wardrobe:
1. Consider the event and venue. Make sure to match your clothing to the location and event. If you are having high tea with your bridal party at a five-star location, then you should be dressed to match. Showing up in boyfriend jeans and a t-shirt would not be appropriate. If you are having a casual cocktail event on the beach, a sundress or even capris would be appropriate, but you and the groom should plan to dress-up slightly more than the rest of your guests. After all you are the guests of honor and want to stand out at your own party.
2. Chose outfits that reflect your personality. Your wedding dress will make a statement, but that doesn't mean the rest of your weekend wardrobe has to pale in comparison. Wearing a formal ball gown dress for the wedding because that's what you always dreamed of as a little girl? Then you might opt for more contemporary dresses options for your other events. This way, you get to show more than one side to your personality through your outfits.
3. Be wary of being too trendy. Keep your outfits on trend, but lean towards classy and simple. You will be photographed at all of your festivities. If you don't want to look back years from now and laugh at the brightly-colored, bold-printed asymmetrical dress you wore, stick with the basics. You can always incorporate current seasonal trends tastefully with accessories.
4. Be comfortable. The key to being comfortable is wearing clothes that fit you properly and tastefully. Wearing a low-cut dress to one of your events may reflect your personality, but might not be the best choice, especially if you are constantly adjusting. You want to have fun at your event, not be worrying about a wardrobe malfunction. Save that outfit for the honeymoon.
5. Coordinate with the groom. We're not suggesting completely matching your outfit with your groom's. Save that for the prom, kids. If you decide to wear a printed dress, then keep the groom's outfit simple and have him wear colors that would compliment not compete with your outfit. You don't want to be wearing clashing prints and have that documented in all of your wedding weekend photos.
6. Get Inspired. If you are feeling stuck on what to wear, visit some of your favorite online retailers or blogs to get inspired. Sites like Shopbop and Net-a-Porter have editorialized style boards. Zappos recently released an iPad app for its new digital fashion magazine with a wedding feature coming out in its June issue.
7. Be you. It's tempting to try new looks and go outside your norm. This weekend is all about you after all, and you want to make sure you make a lasting impression. But you want people to remember how happy and in love you are, not that you decided to wear five-inch platform heels when you normally wear flats and could not walk in them. Make sure you feel amazing in your outfit, as it will come through in your body language.