Bridal Jewelry :

- First, you will likely want to wear your engagement ring. Most brides do.

- You will also want to be sure you have his wedding band all ready.

- While selecting accessories, keep in mind color of your gown, your skin and hair color.

- Pearls are classic choices and for a good reason.

- Time of the wedding, Afternoon weddings tend to be more subdued, and you’ll want bridal jewelry with a little less flash. Evening weddings, though, are a lot more dramatic.

Wedding Attire :

- Try on as many styles as you can. Lots of dresses have zero hanger appeal, but look great once you put them on.

- Remember to look at your rear view! Your Guests will have an uninterrupted view during the ceremony, so it's got to look good.

- Think about whether you want a theme to your wedding (color, period, style) as this will make your choice of dress easier.

- Generally, a pure white dress looks better on brunettes, while ivory and cream flatters the traditional English Rose.

- Always take at least one other person with you (two is best) when shopping for your dress, so that you know what your wedding finery looks like from every angle.

- Ask to try on a veil with the dress so you can get an idea of the complete look - a short veil may well turn a dress from ordinary to special, while a long veil might not work at all.

- Choose your Bridesmaids' outfits to match detail or color on your dress. And if you have a theme, make sure you tie in with your maids.

- After the wedding, preserve your dress by having it expertly cleaned and boxed.

Bridal Hair :

- Do not use the portrait session as the "dress rehearsal". There should actually be a "test run" for the portrait.

- During the "test run," walk around with the hairstyle you plan to wear to determine its comfort level. A good rule is: the simpler, the better, since pins can hurt, and intricate styles are often delicate.

- Consider the time of day and type of wedding when choosing a style. Loose styles are appropriate for informal or daytime weddings, while up-do's portray a formal, evening look.

- Remember that some hairstyles can add inches to a bride's height, and shorter brides may want to use this to their advantage.

- Do not have any chemical treatments the day of the wedding. That is not the time for surprises!

- Hair color looks its best the first two weeks, so have your hair colored a week to two weeks before the wedding.

- If a permanent wave is necessary, have it done a month prior to the wedding.

- Hair that is too fine and over-conditioned does not style well, so deep conditioning treatments should not be used within four days of the wedding. For best styling results, shampoo hair lightly the day before the wedding and, if possible, do not wash hair the day of the wedding.

- Stylists and makeup artists do their best work in their own environments with their own tools, so have your wedding party meet at the salon a couple of hours before they need to be at the ceremony for pictures. This increases efficiency, (and usually costs less!)

Cathy Ransom

www.loswillows.com