Your Do for your I-Do-Day

Are you an up-do or a free-flowing curls kind of bride? Check out these pictures to see the most popular wedding hair trends this year! k k Adding some bling One of the most popular ideas is to use a head band or head piece with some bling or a very dramatic accent! This seems to have taken off thanks to last years' Hollywood Brides, such as Sarah Jessica Parker in Sex in the City. k k k Getting some assistance If you are unsure on what style will look good on you or with your dress, opto to do a hair and make-up trial with a professional. Find pictures of ideas that you love, take them with you to your appointment, and show the professional a picture of your dress and venue. This will help the professional to create a look that is unique for your wedding. k k Remember: Take pictures at your trial so you can see what it will look like in photos too!

Get the right tan for your wedding day!

We all want to look our best on the big day. Many of us have made pledges to lose weigth, tone up, and then some. No matter what goals you are embarking on, it seems that often tans are included! With the sun not quite out yet, how do you get a little darker tone? While options of high-pressure beds, mystic tans and self-tanner are probably the first to pop into your mind, it's also probable that you have heard horror stories about these options as well! Chances are you or someone you know has been burnt, sticky, stinky, or walked away the colour of a lobster, which is definitely not what you want for your wedding photos! So let's go over a few tips on how to NOT end up that way. k k kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk Au Naturel Of course, a natural tan (as in from the sun) looks the best. So if you're fortunate enough to have the right weather and some free time, get golden this way. Invest in a bandeau top to avoid pesky tan lines. You should still use a low SPF to avoid burning, and be sure to watch how long you're out there for! k k kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk Tanning Salon If you choose to visit your local tanning salon, please do so as safely as possible. Ask an employee if the bulbs have been recently changed. If they have, cut your tanning time in half. Always use a lotion made for indoor beds to help keep your skin hydrated and avoid burning. Buy your own pair of protective eye wear - they're not expensive! k k kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk Self-Tanner Another option is with a self-tanner. Make sure you experiment way ahead of time to find one that doesn't streak or look orange on your skin tone. Exfoliate before applying and go sparingly on the elbows, knees and heels. Shower roughly 8 hours after your last application to rinse off any bronzer that may rubb off on your dress.

Fall Wedding Ideas

"No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace as I have seen in one autumnal face" - Anonymous

Autumn is a very popular wedding season! It's great, as most of your local guests will be in town back from their summer vacations, and prices go down again for most venues. Fall has some of the most vibrant and gorgeous colours to use as wedding backgrounds, or to include in your celebrations in many invigorating ways. Here are a few specific fall theme ideas:

Delicious Apples
Autumn is the ultimate season for picking apples. You can incorporate this very fulfilling event into your wedding quite easily. The simple act of adding apples into just about everything for your wedding is more than enough. Think wedding favors and decor for a minute here. You can place a plate of apples and apple slices for every table for your guests. You can also make use of apple-scented candles with candle holders shaped like apples as well. And if that's not enough, you can serve your guests apple pie, apple cider, or any other delicious apple treats. Below are apple-inspired wedding ideas: candy apple favours, apples used as place cards, apples in the center piece and apple decor on a signing table.

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Pretty Pumpkins
When autumn hits, you definitely have 2 holidays to look forward to: Halloween and Thanksgiving! For both holidays, the pumpkin is the mainstay in any household. If you plan to hold your wedding in the fall, then you can use pumpkin items for your wedding decorations and even favours. For instance, you can serve your guests boxes of pumpkin cookies, or chocolates in the shape of pumpkins. You can also use shades of yellow and orange as your wedding colours to continue the continuity. When you add dark green or chocolate brown to these colours, it actually makes the perfect combination for a pumpkin-themed wedding.

Graceful Grapes

The shades of green, purple and red are essential for a vineyard theme. There are so many things you can do with grapes, wine and vineyard themes. For starters, you can use fruit displays of grapes for each guest table. They make great centrepieces as well. As for wedding favours, you can go for wine glass charms, wine goblet card holders, and even wine stoppers. As for your decor, you can use vines to give that romantic ambiance of being in a vineyard. Even substitute the traditional signature book for empty wine bottles that you can then display around your home.

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If none of these theme ideas interest you, then you can always just work with the autumn colours that surround us. Here are a few more photos to help inspire your fall decor and colour schemes.

New Honeymoon Trends

While we would all love to jet off somewhere exotic right after we get married, it is not in all of our realities. So what do you do if this just isn't in the budget or your timeline?! First of all, the two of you need to understand that you don't have to physically leave your hometown to feel like you're away! You can have as much fun sailing on your neighbourhood boat as you would on a cruise that put you in a debt that will take 3 years to pay off. After all, this should be about having fun and celebrating your new marriage.

Explore Your Neighbourhood
If your budget it really tight, stay in town. You will be amazed how much it has to offer! Get a cty guide and find things you and your partner have never done. Look for museums you haven't seen, or a new camp site location you can spend a few days at. Some nice camping sites even have cabins for rent for a reasonable price, which adds a little bit more luxury to the honeymoon adventure. Even try going to a new restaurant to eat, it can feel like you are out of town then for sure!

From the Greater Vancouver area?! Try planning a day at Stanley Park - go to the Aquarium, take a Horse-drawn Carriage ride around the park and stroll the lovely SeaWall.

Jet Somewhere Close
If you really want to get away from your home town, you may look into taking a long weekend to go somewhere close and not too expensive. Get a destination somewhere relatively close and cheap. Your options are pretty vast with this, you can fly, ferry or drive to a location of your choice.

From the Greater Vancouver area?!

Driving: Harrison Hot Springs is gorgeous and has an assortment of camping and hotel options for your stay! Whistler is also a lovely escape that can make you feel like you are in a totally different place, with lots of great shopping, dining and year-round activities to experience.

Ferry: Victoria is a great getaway location, you can walk the streets or by the Marina, try a little shop and even visit the Butterfly Museum. Been there, done that?! What about going to the Sunshine Coast, there are lots of great recluse resorts to stay at and experience the great wilderness of our gorgeous province.

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Flying: Being so close to the US border gives us a great advantage of flying "in-country". There are often great deals flying to San Diego, Las Vegas, or other sunny US destinations out of Bellingham or Seattle.

Travel in the Off-Season
Really determined to travel to that particular dream destination? Find out when they have their off-season. Some hotels offer significantly lower prices during this time! The off-season usually is a time when the weather isn't at its best. However, you will get your trip for paying up to half the amount you would during peak-season.

So, soon-to-be-hitched people; don't let the money get to you! Your dream vacation may be just in your own backyard.

2011 Hot Gowns & Accessories

Here are some of this year's hottest bridal fashion trends...

Ballgowns

After several seasons of svelte silhouettes, the voluminous ball gowns are back! With a royal wedding this year, the traditional princess dress is poised to dethrone the curve-hugging mermaid shape that has reigned supreme in recent years.

Colour

Believe it or not, white wasn't always the norm for bridal gowns! Prior to Queen Victoria's 1840 wedding, any old colour would do. Gutsy brides will welcome the news that colour is slowly coming back. Soft shades of pink, peach and lavendar are turning up on this years' runways.

Statement Jewelry

Demure strands of pearls and diamond studes will never go out of style, but this year's best wedding accessories are big, bold and beautiful. Modern brides are choosing pieces of jewellery that express their personalities, and investing in items that can be worn again!

Rosettes

Flowers and weddings go hand in hand, so it's no surprise that bridal designers are encorporating them onto dresses in a flirty, feminine way. Where once rosettes were used solely as decorative details, they're now consuming the entire skirt with silky petals.

Black & White

This classy colour combination is everywhere in bridal fashion at the moment. Countless designers used black lace, embroidery and ribbon to add a dash of sophiciation to otherwise traditional white gowns. Shania Twain accessorized her white dress with a black sash when she wed Frederic Thiebaud on New Year's Day.

Hats

Renowned designers such as Caroline Herrera dared to be different this season by showing brides in jaunty hats instead of veils. And one can only predict that this very British trend will increase in popularity after April 29th's big wedding!

Tulle

Natalie Portman and her astonishingly beautiful Black Swan costumes by Rodarte have come from the big screen to brides! With tulle at the forefront of the fabrics for 2011, these pretty, airy and feminine gowns are being designed by all the big bridal names, from Vera Wang to Monique Lhuillier.

Mini-Dresses

For civil ceremonies, more casual or second weddings, nothing beats a short and sexy gown. This style is pretty and playful, with a subtle nod to the swining '60s. The key to pulling off this look is confidence - and a killer pair of shoes!

Lace

Thanks to a movement towards more modest gowns, this traditional fabric is also at the forefront of wedding fashion once more. Bridal designers such as Oscar de la Renta are using modern treatments and sleek silhouettes to update this heirloom fabric while maintaining its vintage charm.

Old Hollywood

These are some women who will never go out of style, and who continue to inspire - topping the list is Audrey Hepburn! It's no wonder the beloved actress has served as a muse for designers such as Romona Keveza in bringing back her classic style.