I have been obsessing about glittering winter weddings recently. Normally any styleboards I look at this time of year focus on gold, sharp, icy blues and the rich red, green and purple tones of Christmas. Just when my eyes were beginning to hurt from all of the bling of twinkling fairy lights and glinting table jewels I came across some soothing and sophisticated colour palettes that were infused with shades from the softer side of the colour wheel.

From clean silvery grays to blushing pinks, the trick is to chose warm tones over cool to avoid them looking washed out.  To add visual interest opt for complementing pale bridesmaid dresses with accessories and flowers that are in darker shades for the same reason.

This sophisticated silver bridesmaid dress is given substance with intricate pleating and a contrasting belt, while the deep red bouquet adds a pop of colour without looking garish.

With pale colours, the devil is in the details.  Incorporate different materials and fabrics to add texture, for example the soft sheen of pearls coupled with sparkling Swarovski crystals, or a satin dress paired with a chiffon bow like the dress below.

Avoid stark colour contrasts.  The difference between black and charcoal gray can be astounding when see on delicate shades.

I am a big fan of using light properly at weddings, and this is one colour theme where a soft, diffusing light will really lift your wedding look.  Think candles!

Of course, feminine and vintage chic will lend themselves well to pale colours… the intricate patterns and soft lines of lace, peonies and frills add an extra dimension in place of a dominating colour.

Image by Elizabeth Anne Designs

Don’t overlook your groom in all of this either.  Choose a tux that is just shy of black, or tempt him with a gray morning suit as is the English tradition.

Which colours do you love at the moment?

As winter approaches colours for weddings tend to turn dark.  This season sees the on-trend jewel colours of deep purple, emerald green and burgandy along with the inevitable and classic black and white theme.   If you are considering black for your bridesmaids then I have found one of the most enticing options out there!

The Dessy group have pioneered many innovative fashion ideas to make bridesmaid dresses more affordable and wearable.

• Their Pantone Wedding service lets you select accessories such as wraps and bags in a full spectrum of colours to coordinate with your theme.
• Their twist wrap dress lets you buy one dress for all bridesmaids while allowing them to choose how to wear it
• Their collections are consistently trendy, stylish and yet priced for even the tightest of budgets

A new trend has caught fire in the fashion world: dress for less. Top designers are creating
affordable collections for big time retailers. Christian Siriano recently launched a stunning shoe
collection for Payless, the Kardashian sisters just debuted a chic clothing line for Sears, and
Big retailers, like Target, are welcoming high-end designer products with reasonable price tags.

Finally, women can wear name brands without running into credit issues.

Rather than spending thousands on shoes and dresses, women ought to search for designer
deals. The following retailer and shopping site are two gems that offer quality fashion for less:

1. Rent the Runway: Co-founded by two Harvard Business School graduates,
Renttherunway.com showcases an awesome online collection of designer dresses, all
of which can be purchased at unbelievably low prices. Here’s the catch…shoppers don’t
keep the goodies. The whole concept revolves around a rental business. Women will no
longer get tangled in overcrowded closets. They now have access to a rotating closet.

Like checking out a library book, women can “check out” gorgeous designer evening
wear. The website makes it easy to find the perfect outfit. Browse by occasion, price
point, size, color, designer, style, body type, and/or age to find the ideal dress.

Need a conservative, chic dress for that upcoming wedding? Rent that purple Trina Turk off-the-
shoulder dress (originally $328) for a jaw-dropping $50! Not sure if you’ll be a size 4 or
6? No problem. Renttherunway.com allows women to order two sizes of the same dress
at no extra charge.

This site is a life-saver, and a money-saver.

2. H&M. This is no hidden secret. This Swedish born fashion retailer arrived in New York
in the year 2000 and has since spread all over the United States. H&M allows women to
dress like high-end models without spending hundreds. H&M’s European-based styles
add unique flavor to the all-American woman’s wardrobe, daring shoppers to experiment
with new colors, cuts and combinations. Rather than dropping five hundred on a winter
pea coat, one can find a darling padded coat or faux fur jacket for under seventy dollars
at H&M.

Several big name designers, such as Stella McCartney, Roberto Cavalli, Versace and
Jimmy Choo, have produced high street fashion lines for H&M, offering quality apparel,
shoes and accessories for reasonable, almost unheard of prices. Leigh Lezark is next
up on the H&M collaboration front, bringing in modern classic looks for customers. The
whole idea behind this process is that designers get to experiment and focus on the
creative process, and customers have the opportunity to buy designer items at great
H&M values.

Renttherunway.com and H&M are just two out of hundreds of retailers (both in-store and online)
that offer affordable high-end fashion. The smart shopper also knows to check great sale
opportunities. For instance, Urban Outfitters has a “Sale” tab that is constantly updated with
great finds.

Also noteworthy: the website endless.com. This is a great site to find incredible accessories
and shoes, and you can always find a discount or promo code offered. So don’t settle for low
quality, because high fashion can be within reach.

About the Author:

Erin Prickett is a fashion enthusiast and bargain hunter. She enjoys finding great deals
on apparel, shoes, jewelry and accessories and recommends using a promo code for Endless at CheapSally.com to save on this season’s hottest fashions.

Ever since Kate Middleton revealed her beautiful Sarah Burton wedding dress to the world earlier this year, lace has not only been a hit with Bridal gowns. The trend has filtered into Bridesmaid dresses too.

Bridesmaid fashion has transformed over years, more relaxed, trendy dresses are favored in the 21st Century.

Jordan Fashion

Jordan Fashion have a spectacular range of Bridesmaid dresses. Lace applique flashes through the collection.

Dresses are affordable and available in over 70 colours and different lengths. A short chiffon black number is amongst the collection. The empire lace bodice and satin trim is ideal for a summer wedding.

A long, crystal satin, A-line gown with a lace empire bodice is available as well to make any Bridesmaid look a treat.

Alvina Valenta

Alvina Valenta have also used delicate lace in their Bridesmaid collections. Each are glamorous satin and hug the figure perfectly.

The dresses have lace tops, and a selection of either a sweetheart or a halter neckline. The Bride will then have to decide between black or creme and ivory to ensure their Bridesmaids fit the theme of the wedding and look as fabulous as possible.

Alberta Ferretti

For Brides who favor more laid back, relaxed use of lace, Alberta Ferretti’s collection is ideal. A halter neck, chiffon, short black dress is amongst the collection. Lace, bow and pleated detailing makes the mouth watering piece pop.

A square neck, tulle, short grey dress is also available. The stunning number is defined by the use of lace, diamante and pleated detailing. These styles of dresses would inject a modern edge to a traditional themed wedding.

The lace trend is definitely making an appearance in new Bridesmaid collections. No longer will lace be considered old fashioned and dated, now it is a fresh finish to glorious dresses.

For more information on the aforementioned designers, click their names.

Puffy Sleeves. Shiny Satin. Candy Pink. Tulle, tulle and more tulle. All of these things are fashion no-nos for this millenium. In fact, if you see any bride gravitating towards these in a store stop her, by force if necessary, and reminder her that wedding photos are for life! These days, brides are opting for cocktail party dresses that ooze style and sophistication and would be just as much at home on the red carpet as the aisle.
There are plenty of places to find sumptous gowns, but for affordability, choice and range of sizes David’s Bridal is still one of our favorite choices.

Take a look at some of our top picks from their latest collections.

Whilst Kate shone out on her wedding day, her little bridesmaids following her down the aisle of Westminster Abbey looked super cute and classic in their gowns which stood out for their beautiful simplicity and high quality finish and fabrics.

Little Bevan, London’s top children’s couturiers, make made-to-measure childrenswear for special occasions but also make a ready-to-wear collection, Little Bevan Star, which is now available online. Although they are ready-to-wear, customers are still able to choose their fabric, colour and finishing touches, making the finished piece a very special and personal one.

The Alice dress perfectly captures the look of Kate Middleton’s little Bridesmaids for a fraction of the real cost. The ballerina length, fully lined, Silk Dupion dress with full gathered skirt and short puffed sleeves is a favourite design in their current collection.

Whilst it may cost less than the real thing, Little Bevan’s attention to detail and quality means that you will still receive the highest quality silk and hand finish to the dress. They are also able to create the gowns in a multitude of colours so your little ones can match any colour theme you have in mind.

25% Dorothy Perkins Discount

Get a whopping 25% off EVERYTHING this week with this great Dorothy Perkins discount code.  That include  dresses, shoes, jewellery, lingerie and anything else you and your guests could want for your wedding!

There is no minimum spend, so simply enter the code DPVIPE at checkout to get your discount!  There is already a massive sale on and I have snapped up a few goodies myself.

To give you some idea of what you could use your Dorothy Perkins discount on, here are some of our top picks:

Sparkly silver dress

Gorgeous dress. Only £18!!!

Shoes glorious shoes!

Beautiful jewellery

Silver Clutch - £22

Maxi Dress - £35

Just because one of your best friends or you sister is expecting a bundle of joy soon doesn’t mean she can’t be part of your wedding party. These days there are many places to find beautiful maternity bridesmaid dresses to make that expecting bridesmaid fit right into the mix.

From Bari Jay to Watters and Watters to Alfred Sung, many of the bridesmaid dress designers that we love either carry some maternity versions of their dresses or dresses that will elegantly show off her bump without drawing too much attention towards it, giving you many choices and a few more decisions to make. But don’t worry! We’re here to help.

Before you get started on the issue of bridesmaid dresses we need to sort out some decisions on the silhouette of the dress in order to be sure that the one who is expecting feels just as beautiful and comfortable as the rest of the bridal party.

If you want all the bridesmaid to be matching exactly the dress style that you are going to want is either an empire waist dress or an A-line dress (check here for definitions on dress silhouettes). An empire waist dress will fit a bridesmaid even up to her third trimester and may be the more comfortable of the two choices. A plus for all the other bridesmaids is that this silhouette tends to hide the sides of us we women don’t like showing, making it a choice all the girls will love.

For the more confident (and less pregnant as this silhouette doesn’t really work for the third trimester) expecting bridesmaid, the A-line silhouette is a perfect match. The A-line dress is a classic cut for bridesmaid dresses, but be careful about sashes or bows, as the bridesmaid with a bump will either have to place it on top of the bump or opt out of it altogether.

Another option is choosing separates, meaning the dress comes as a skirt and top separate from each other. This will make it easier for the expecting bridesmaid to add a maternity panel to the skirt that will help her feel more comfortable throughout the big day.

If you have already found bridesmaid dresses and the silhouette is something other than the previous mentioned three, look into making a maternity bridesmaid gown out of the one that you have already chosen. Talking to the store that you are ordering the dress from would be the best place to get answers. The seamstress there will be an expert in the brands that the store carries and will be able to tell you if altering the dress to make it fit the bump is an option, or, even better, if the actual dress comes in a maternity style as many do at Bari Jay, Watters and Watters and Alfred Sung. Otherwise you can try getting a dress made in the same material and color tone with in either an A-line or empire waist silhouette.

Whatever you choose remember one last piece of advice: order the dress big. You never know how big a baby bump may get and altering a dress that is too big is better than scrambling to find another dress altogether!

If you’re looking for a summery dress that’s reusable after the party’s ended, consider a maxi dress. Often flowy, they can look great on just about any figure and they can be dressed up or down by adding a pair of heels or flip flops.

Maxi dresses are a great choice for an informal wedding or beach wedding – if you are looking for a wedding gown that you can reuse.  White dresses are popular for brides wishing to still have a traditional element to their gown. However, block style colours are being as popular and are also appropriate if you’re a bridesmaid or a guest.

Here are four helpful tips for how to wear it without getting lost.

• Find the right height. Make sure the hemline isn’t too long otherwise you will look shorter than you may be.
• Choose the right shoes. If you’re trying to dress it up, consider a nice pair of wedge heels or platforms. If you’re dressing it down for a beach wedding, consider a pair of metallic sandals.
• Got tummy worries? Consider an empire waistline. It’ll bring the focus to your bust line and be flowy enough to hide traits that you may not otherwise be proud of. Also be sure the fabric is not clingy otherwise it may accentuate flab that you’d otherwise want to hide.
• Black is back. Always elegant and always figure flattering, you can’t go wrong with a black maxi dress. Dress it up with colorful shoes or accessories.

Go ahead, be brave, try on a maxi dress, it might be your best investment of the summer especially if you have a few weddings to go to! Here are some of our favourites from Debenhams, New Look and BHS.