Attire Shopping 101

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You're shopping for your dress...and it's a little daunting! What should you know before you walk into that bridal shop for the first time? Who do you take with you? How long should you plan for a shopping session? Should you make an appointment? It can leave you feeling stressed out just thinking about it!

Here is a little advice from Mountain Valley Bridal in Laramie... A few helpful tips and suggestions to help you feel prepared for that first step into the bridal shop!

Visit Mountain Valley Bridal online at:  www.mvbridal.com/
Or visit them on Facebook! http://www.facebook.com/visitwyoming#!/profile.php?id=100001607433065

WW: What terms should brides know when going in to the bridal shop for the first time?
MVB: When brides are shopping for a wedding gown they are going to be introduced to a lot of new terms for fabrics, gown shapes, and embellishments. Most brides will search on the internet for that special gown before they go into a bridal shop. When the bride does this it will help them out with the terms they need to know that apply to what they are most interested in. We are here to help the bride with terms and find exactly what they like.

WW:  What information should brides know ahead of their first visit to a bridal shop?
MVB:  I think that the brides must have a wedding date and time before going to shop for a wedding gown. I also think that they need to think about how they want to look and feel that day so they know what kind of look they are shopping for. Also look online get to know some of the designers that you have locally so you know what is available. Print some pictures off that you can take into your first appointment. Also, determine a gown budget.

WW:  Should brides come in knowing exactly which dress they want?
MVB:  It is good to have clippings of wedding gowns that they like, however coming in with an open mind is key. We strongly encourage our brides to try on as many styles as they can so they know what they like and look best in. 

WW:  Who do you recommend should join the bride on her shopping trips? 
MVB:  I do not feel like they should bring the groom into shop with them, however everyone is different and has different opinions. I do think that when the groom comes in with the bride, the bride is more interested in getting a dress that suits him and make him happy rather than herself.

WW:  How much time should a bride plan to spend on her first shopping trip?
MVB:  It depends on the bride as to how much time should be spent.  Some brides need more time than others and we encourage them to take all the time they need.  I would say at least 1 to 2 hour sessions per visit to a bridal shop. You do not need to make a decision right away, and it is a big decision, so we want them to take their time so that they are 100% happy with their decision.

WW:  Should a bride schedule her visit to a bridal shop?
MVB:  Yes, you should schedule an appointment for a wedding dress. If the bride schedules an appointment then we have more time and attention to give to the bride.

Thanks Mountain Valley Bridal for the interview!  Stay tuned for more bridal shopping advice from Mountain Valley Bridal via this blog!

'Til Next Time...Keep Up the Great Work! The Big Day will be Perfect!

Kati Hime, Editor
editor@wyolifestyle.com
PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE! www.wyomingweddingsonline.com  
OR OUR SISTER PUB, WYOMING LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE! www.wyolifestyle.com

COLOR INSPIRATION: Cobalt Blue!

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 Ten years ago, my husband and I picked cobalt blue as one of the colors for our wedding...and I'm so excited to see that that color is popular again!  So I did a little thinking on cobalt blue... Cobalt blue is a very strong and powerful color. It is rich in color and it'll dominate the scene. So think of how you want to use it, and find elements where bold splashes of cobalt can really add drama to a scene...

I adore this picture! This is a fun idea for a way to use cobalt.  Bags of glass pieces, marbles, etc. can be found in almost every color imaginable -- including cobalt!  Scatter these pieces along your dining tables, your buffet table, your cake or guest book table... Give the tables a bold splash of color! (And the best part -- when the wedding is done, you can keep those pieces and put them in the bottom of a clear vase to decorate your new home!)

Check out this montage from weddingobsession.com! These dresses are gorgeous -- rich in color -- AND completely usable outside of a wedding! A great thing about cobalt:  it doesn't wash out pale skin, and it complements sun-kissed complexions beautifully.  And it'll pair with any metal easily when it comes to accessories!

Now the question about bold colors like cobalt is...what to pair with them? What color compliments cobalt? 

When we were married, we paired the color with a creamy yellow and white.  When we put our swatches together, we noticed something -- WE RAN THE RISK OF LOOKING LIKE A BOY SCOUT CONVENTION. :)  So we had to be careful -- yellow can be a very powerful color in its own sense, and pairing two powerful colors can be overwhelming to the eye. To combat this, we gave each color dominance in different arenas of our event:  yellow was the dominant color in our ceremony, from creamy yellow bridesmaid dresses to the yellow roses in our bouquets and altar arrangements.  Blue was the player in our reception:  we had hundreds of yards of sparkly cobalt blue tulle that we wrapped around white pillars with white Christmas lights woven in.  We used cobalt accents on our tables and left the yellow out.  It created an elegant and rich look for the reception, and a sunshiny cheerful look for our ceremony, which was how our emotions played out that day.  For us, it worked perfectly!

But there are other colors to pair well with cobalt...use metallic tones to play up the rich color depending upon the look you want...


For a winter wedding, or a touch of coolness, add in some sparkly silver...

This is edible cake glitter, from ediblecakeglitter.co.uk -- look at the sparkly brilliance!  This color will add a touch of cool elegance.  Reuse silver Christmas ornaments -- silver balls, linear shapes, it doesn't matter if it's not December! Silver ribbon, silver place card holders at your reception tables...especially silver BLING for you and your bridesmaids!  Give your event a magical touch!

If you'd like to create a warmer elegant look...try a soft, sparkly gold! Be careful though and match your gold and blue elements first! Watch out for a gold that is too yellow.  Think of champagne -- a soft golden color with the 'bubbles' represented by the sparkles... A sparkly gold will add that bit of bling, just like the silver -- but with a warm effect!

Look at sparkly gold ribbon for bouquets...gold dust to sprinkle over your tablecloths...sparkly gold napkin rings at each place setting...gold Christmas ornaments that can be repurposed as simple decorations...gold bows made with wired ribbon and worked into your buffet trays... GOLD BLING of course for the jewelry ... AND, use your champagne as a decorating element too!  Shop around, see if you can find clear champagne bottles, and have them worked into each table's centerpiece. Looking for a fun punch idea for your punch fountain at the reception? Combine white grape juice with ginger ale and run it through your fountain for a beautiful gold DRINKABLE showpiece! Use your imagination and reuse the elements to your wedding -- or those that you already have!

These are just a few ideas.  At the end of the day, look for a color palette that makes you feel happy.  Your wedding day must always be a reflection of you -- regardless of the color or season!

'Til Next Time...I just LOVE cobalt... :)

Kati Hime, Editor
editor@wyolifestyle.com
PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE! www.wyomingweddingsonline.com
OR OUR SISTER PUB, WYOMING LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE! www.wyolifestyle.com
 

Hands of Time

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Wendy Bider of Rock Springs, an Executive District Manager with Arbonne International, is back with a new topic -- skin care, aging and...diet?! Yes! Everything we put into our bodies makes a difference to how we look on the outside.  Read on to discover when to best care for your skin and body from the inside-out... Thanks Wendy!

Hands of Time

When should I start thinking about wrinkles, sagging skin, and age spots? To answer your question RIGHT NOW!  In fact, you should start the process as soon as your skin hits the outdoors and when you’re choosing what to eat.

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer, with one in five Americans developing skin cancer at some point in their lifetime. Even though cancer usually doesn't develop until later in life, skin damage from sun over-exposure builds up over time, and once damage occurs, it can't be reversed. In fact, experts say the most serious and lasting damage occurs before age 18.

The foods that we put into our bodies can actually damage our skin as well. Putting whole grains, organic foods and plenty of fruits and vegetables in your body can help slow down the aging process.

As you are preparing for your wedding day, you should also take note that if you want to look as good as you do in your twenties, start thinking about your looks in your twenties. 

Some products that can help you maintain that soft supple look are sunless tanning sprays and lotions.  With the majority of skin damage due to UV rays the smart choice is to go with a botanical spray or lotion that gives you a sun kissed look. 

Finding the right skin care products can be a pricy and frustrating battle.  You’ll want to look for all natural and chemical free choices. The United States only bans around nine chemicals from the cosmetic industry, whereas European skincare bans over 1,100 different chemicals.  Read labels and be a wise consumer for products that you are putting on and in your body.  Arbonne (a health and wellness company made in the US and formulated in Switzerland) makes an RE9 anti-aging set that shows an increased change in skin tone within twenty-four hours and has clinically proven results showing its success.

            As the wedding custom says…

Something old, something new

Something borrowed, something blue

Put a silver sixpence in her shoe.

Refuse to let your skin be the something old, don’t be blue when you’re past the point of reversing the aging process and put a silver coin in your pocket for good fortune and great skin! 

If you would like to see some visible results with your skin, contact me and we can set up a consultation at brockjo3@gmail.com

        

Thanks Wendy! For more inspiration, keep checking back with this blog and our website -- we've got LOTS more in progress for your inspiration needs!  If you haven't visited our Destinations subpage lately, please do so -- we've got a brand NEW Dubois inspiration clip up...

'Til Next Time...I'm going to look at that next junk food binge differently... :)

Kati Hime, Editor
editor@wyolifestyle.com
PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE! www.wyomingweddingsonline.com  
OR OUR SISTER PUB, WYOMING LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE! www.wyolifestyle.com