Thoughtfully Dressed: Wedding What-to-Wear

No, I haven't been on a long, warm, sunny vacation without a computer. I've been hard at work planning and picking for a styled wedding shoot coming up in a few days with this cat:

www.sheradeehurstphotography.com

A couple of months back, this lovely lady photog, Sheradee Hurst, came to me with a dream of conquering a styled wedding shoot together. I say conquering because this is no project for the weary. A joint venture and vision was born. We had been toying with the idea of working together for awhile, so this is the first big step in a wonderful partnership! Since then, an amazing list of vendors have generously joined the party. From location & floral design to cake and the overall bridal look (makeup, nails, hair & jewelry), everyone is in place and ready to rock this shoot!

My initial inspiration Page for the shoot: Rustic Glam

Where the rustic and the glamorous collide...styled wedding shoot 2014

But since I'm not at liberty to divulge anything specific about the shoot, let's look at what to wear to a wedding, all female parts played out here.

The main attraction: It's the bride everyone is waiting with excitement to see. This is why picking the dress is typically accomplished at the very beginning of planning. Other than date and venue, it's the most important piece on the big day. (FYI, that's how it goes for styled wedding shoots too!) I'd die twice to wear one of these gowns if I had it to do all over again (with my beloved Patrick, of course).

The first is the loveliest work of art with it's silk white embroidered tulle. It's the "Illusion" gown by Monique Lhuillier. I swear she's floating in this gown.

And the second, but clearly second to none, is a gorgeous blush gown called "Jubilee" by Austin Scarlett. The tiered organza skirt on this is insane. It makes me want to renew my vows for our seven-year anniversary. In the words of a dear friend, this dress "brings the fance!"

Austin Scarlett Dress

The Jenny Yoo "Annabelle" dress is gorgeous and perfectly compliments a romantic-looking wedding gown. And even though every bride says it, but it's only sometimes true, this style is a great choice for all the bridesmaids because it can be styled 15 different ways with the coordinating sash that blends into the long skirt. Each bridesmaid can add their own twist to this look by switching up the sash. It's offered in nine different colors, and can be found at www.bhldn.com.

BHLDN

What about short? Here's one that I love. And more than the cut, I really love the berry color. I just want to eat it!

Donna Morgan dress at www.nordstrom.com

Please do have a taupe bridesmaid dress, but if you just can't, this also comes in black.

Adrianna Papell bridesmaid dress from www.nordstrom.com

Mother of the Bride: This look can be so tricky. A lot of times "mother of the bride" dresses are very motherly looking, which doesn't always fit the personality of the young or young at heart mother. Occasionally, you get a mother of the bride that looks like she's headed to prom after, which is something I'm sure (actually, not sure) most mothers would rather not attend again. So, let's take a look at a moderate choice:

Tadashi Shoji dress at Nordstrom

I love this asymmetrical gown from Tadashi Shoji. It's stylish and modest, and it has a beautiful and fun neckline. A major plus, too, is that it has some great ruching for those moms desiring a midsection disguise. It's a gorgeous and classic indigo blue and the true icing on the cake is that it can absolutely be worn again. This is great for any formal event (gala, charity dinner/auction, etc), any season. This dress can look a lot fancier with the right jewels and shoes for extra pizazz.

Perhaps the only possible trump card in the princess processional is the flower girl, capable of (and likely to) stealing the show. Her princess dress (along with the sheer will and mind power of moms, grandmas and guests alike) plays a major part in instilling confidence and fueling excitement and hopefully focus for getting her down the aisle without any tears, pit stops or mishaps.

This might seem a little over-the-top to some, but if you've chosen the Austin Scarlett dress above, and it's your dream in life for your flower girl to be somewhat of a mini-me, then this is a great fit:

www.burnettsboards.com

For the little darlings who you know will be unstoppable on the dance floor at the reception, perhaps something equally lovely, but a little more manageable, is in order:

lightinthebox

Wedding Guest: The guests have it the easiest on the big day. Dress up, show up (a little early, please) and enjoy the show that has been the heart and soul, blood, sweat and definitely tears of the lovely bride for the past year or so.

Ted Baker dress at www.nordstrom.com

This DKNY scuba fit and flare dress is so cute! Picture it with black sandals and a smile. You can find it at Saks.

DKNY dress at www.saksfifthavenue.com

Jason Wu sandals at www.saksfifthavenue.com

Oh, it's formal? No worries. This gorgeous red dress by Giambattista Valli is just inspiration for you, given there is only one left. You can see why. It's amazing!

Giambattista Valli dress from www.shopbop.com

Okay, so that about wraps it up. I'm sure I'm forgetting someone, but the major girl players are covered. Until next time, have a ball getting dressed!

Esteemed vendor list for the styled wedding shoot:

Gorgeous floral design by: Trochta’s Flowers-Floral Design

We said yes to the dress at: JJ Kelly-Dress

The amazing venue: The McGranahan Barn-Venue

The table setup: Linens, & Chairs

The glamorous jewels: Mitchener Farrand-Jewelry

YUMMY Cake: Cake-Amy Cakes

It will be forever preserved by: Videography-Little Big Films

Invitations, place cards, menus: Stationery-myheartcreative

I can't wait to work with these amazingly talented ladies on the overall bridal look:

Makeup: Make-Up-Toni Marlo

Hair: Hair-Sarah Woolly Hair Care,