Tasteful Traditions

I am getting married in November and I would like to know what would be the best colors to use for my late fall wedding?

It used to be that colors used for weddings almost always were whites and pastels, dark or vibrant colors were strictly forbidden. Now, we don't think so rigidly but the lack of rules means it is actually harder for me to answer your question. There is really no 'right' answer. So let me tell you what is I like for an autumn wedding.
 
I would actually avoid lighter colors for this time of year - outside, depending on where you live, can be kind of bleak so for flowers carried by the bride and her attendants, I would use rich tones. Clearly, they need to be co-ordinated with the dresses but they don't event have to all be the same. Do you remember Carrie's ill-fated wedding in the Sex and the City movie? Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha all wore different color dresses and carried different arrangements. I thought the effect was stunning.
 
When it comes to the other colors for the wedding (table cloth, cake, other decor) please DON'T have everything match. Use colors that compliment one another. This fall, I love platinum table cloths, they are regal and elegant. Depending on the complexion of your girls, I love a rich mushroomy brown bridesmaid dress and deep red flowers (not too orangey red though) will set off beautifully on both fair and darker skinned women. One of the favourit bouquets we did last summer was roses in 5 different shades of red, from black red to ruby red to a lighter red. It was so subtle. You can mix it up a bit by having the dresses the same color but in different styles - as we all know, some women look great in an empire waist while others do not. Let your bridesmaids chose a dress style which reflects what looks best on their figures.
 
Most importantly, chose what you like but avoid gimmicks. Remember, you are going to have to live with your pictures for the rest of your life so chose something timeless.

I'd like to think of myself as a traditional bride, I want to do what my parents did and save the top tier of my cake for my first wedding anniversary. What cake flavors would you recommend that would keep best in our freezer and would be edible enough to enjoy next year (by the way, I HATE fruit cake)?

If you want to stay with tradition may I suggest a cake such as carrot or banana cake they have a tendency to freeze better. But all in all one year is a bit long to save a cake. So here are some tips to freezing your cake:

• Use vapor-proof, moisture-proof large freezer bags
• First freeze the cake for five to six hours to set the frosting
• Wrap it in plastic wrap to seal
• Double-bag (or even triple-bag) it in large freezer bags.
• Either use a vacuum sealer or suck out all the air from the bags using a straw to get a vacuum-tight seal (extra air will leech moisture from your cake)
• Place the wrapped cake in a bakery box to protect it from being damaged by other goods in the freezer.
• NOTE: If your cake has custard filling, freezing it is not recommended because the filling could separate.

Something’s that’s worked for some of my brides in the past is getting a freshly baked replica made from your wedding cake designer on your one-year anniversary, the cake will be as fresh and tasty as the first time around meanwhile you’ve brought back a touch of romance from your wedding night.

Economic Concerns
With the economy the way that it is right now I’m concerned about spending a lot of money towards my upcoming wedding especially seeing as once my fiancé and I get married we’ll have to move in with his parents. How do I convince him scale back so that we stay within our means?

In these uncertain economic times I really suggest keeping to family. If you really think about which families need to be and should be at your wedding you will be fine. I sometimes see extended families invited that are not part of a couple’s life. I always tell my couples to put together an A, B, C List. In the A list are those who have to be at your wedding and in the B wedding are those you would like to see at your wedding however C are the extended families as well as the acquaintances.  The first to be cut are the C column and then work on the B.  Good food and drink as well as music are key. Guests will not remember if you had orchids or daisies at your wedding as long as they were fed well and had a good time everything else will be forgiven.

Budgetary Surprises
I think I’ve budgeted very well for my wedding but friends have warned me that there are some surprise expenses that some couples don’t account for; can you give me some indication of what some of them might be? I don’t take well to surprises.

I always set aside about 10% of the overall budget for unforeseen expenses. This would cover things such as tips, insurance, taxes and delivery charges. Some other expenses that go over budget is the dress and the rings as well as flowers. I find some brides think in grocery-store-terms, they do not realize that what flowers cost in the grocery store is not the same as having top quality flowers and a florist design them for your wedding. There is about a 10-15% increase in price to have them designed for a centerpiece and or bouquet. As well most brides have sports car tastes with a compact budget so really go out and ask what kind of prices there are when putting together your budget. A service provider will be pleased to explain what things cost so you are prepared.

A Weighty Issue
I’ve gained a lot of weight since meeting my fiancé, my mother calls it “happy weight” but I’m not the least bit happy about how I look in the wedding dresses I’ve tried on.  Are there some styles that I should consider that would best compliment a woman with ample tummy and round bottom?

For brides of all sizes, shopping for the perfect dress is often complicated and a bit intimidating. It's even harder for a voluptuous-figured bride searching for a wedding dress. When walking into a bridal store you have to deal with samples that are too small, sales people that are sometimes unfriendly and the worry of not finding a shape that flatters your body type. I would suggest making sure you understand as much about wedding dresses as you can. Here are some tips that every bride should know before embarking on her journey for her dream gown. Many sample sizes in the dress store are size 10 or 6. However we are all not a size 10 or 6. Don't let this frustrating fact discourage you though. Many designers make their dresses up to a size 22 or 24, so finding a fashionable wedding dress is far from impossible.

Some flattering cuts: 
Ball gown- This is suitable to hide curvy hips, and hide a thick middle.
Mermaid- Most flattering on a slim or hourglass figure.
Sheath- For the small-petite brides
A-Line- Flattering to all body types, hides bigger bottoms and hips. For a large bust try a open neckline.
Slip dress- Suitable for the tall thin women with small bust lines.
Empire Waist- This will create the illusion of a fuller bust and smaller bottom.

Who Should Sit Where
Figuring out our seating arrangements has been a nightmare; both my fiancé and I come from large families. Are there any rules to keep in mind to make this an easier task?

I have heard many stories about the dreaded seating plan.  I always tell my brides to pick one night have a glass of wine and do the seating plan with your fiancé. Try to keep other family members out of the seating planning, as everyone will have their opinion. You should opt to put your guests next to people they know, or you might want to split them up so they can get a chance to meet new people. But try to put each person next to at least one person they already know. People are more likely to get on well if they are similar ages or have similar interests. When it comes to seating and placement of guests, always think of whom you want seated in the front, middle, back.
The tables closest to the Head table should be immediate family, Parents, Grandparents, Siblings and Godparents. If it won’t cause friction try to seat members of the bride and groom’s families on tables together, it is their best chance to get to know each other.
Moving towards the back away from the head table should then be aunts, uncles, cousins and immediate family of bridal party members. Then should come close friends and then closer to the back should be work colleagues and finally those who you fear may become rowdy. Young children should be seated with their parents. Older children can be seated with their parents, or at a table designated for preteens or teens.
Following this simple guide will help make your wedding stress-free.