Choosing your wedding day jewelry...

The jewelry and accessories you choose can make or break your wedding dress. Because you have put so much time and thought into your dress, you want to be sure to choose wedding jewelry that will complement your dress and bring your entire look together. Here are some tips to do so...

A common mistake brides make is not matching the style of their jewelry with the style of their dress. If your dress is an elegant ballgown, stick with elegant jewelry. If your dress is more vintage, wear vintage jewelry. However you also want to keep your own personal style in mind. If you are not one to wear flashy chandelier earrings, wear something more simple. Pearls and diamonds are timeless and are typically safe with any dress style. This chunky layered look adds a twist to the regular single strand pearls.

Have your dress on your body when you are trying on jewelry. This is the only way to ensure that your jewelry is going to complement your dress exactly how you want it to. You also want to keep your hairstyle in mind so it wouldn't hurt to have your hair done or similar to how it will be on your wedding day.

One of the most important things to look at is the neckline of your dress.

For a sweetheart neckline, you may want to skip the necklace altogether and go with some chandelier earrings. You could also opt for wearing soft flowers in your hair and simple earrings with no necklace. If you do decide to wear a necklace, keep it simple so that it doesn't take away from the neckline.

For a strapless neckline, try either big earrings or a big necklace but not both.

If your dress is a V-neck or halter, try a necklace with a pendant, or Y drop necklace to imitate the neckline. Again, a simple strand of pearls works with these dresses too.

If you want to add color, use something meaningful like your birthstone, or even the stone of the month you and your husband-to-be met, or the month you are getting married in. You can also match some of the colors in your bouquet.

Consider incorporating "something old" or "something blue" into your jewelry. For something old, try some jewelry that one of your relatives or husband's relatives has. Vintage jewelry is beautiful and you may be surprised what you find in an old jewelry box. For something blue, try incorporating a bit of Sapphire, aquamarine, blue topaz or other shades of blue into your jewelry. It doesn't have to be bold and stand out, it can be something very subtle.

You should also take the color of your dress into consideration when choosing your wedding day jewelry. These color tips are from a great wedding website, theknot.com:

For a white gown, gold embellishments may clash with this bright white hue. We suggest sticking to pearl and platinum.

Diamond-white gowns (barely off-white) work with gold and silver (and rose gold, and pearl -- you get the idea).

This one works best with silver because of the silver embellishments on the dress.

Ivory Gowns often have yellow undertones. Adorn yourself with gold jewelry to highlight the creamy tint of the fabric.

This necklace is a mixture of pearls and gold.

All of these are general tips and rules of thumb, but every body type, dress color, neckline and skin tone vary. So the most important thing to keep in mind is that your jewelry shouldn't take away from your dress, it should add the finishing touches to it. Take pictures of you in your dress with different kinds of jewelry on and then see which ones you feel really bring your bridal look together.

Remember that this jewelry can be used as a sentimental keepsake to pass down to your daughters or granddaughters, so look for jewelry that is good quality and will last through the years.

Wedding Inspiration: Pinterest Style

For those of you who have not come across the website Pinterest, it is a great place to get ideas and inspiration for your wedding. Have you ever cut out pictures from magazines of the flowers, decorations, dress and hairstyles you want for your wedding? Pinterest is similar to this, but an online version where you can pin things you find as well as re-pin what other people have found. This is also great because you can click on the picture that you or someone else pinned, and it will take you to the website where the picture is from.  I would strongly recommend using this website to help make your wedding planning easier, and more inspired.

Here are some wedding ideas I love that I have found using Pinterest:

Source: http://www.polkadotbride.com/

This is such a stunning photo idea.

Source: Unknown

Adds a twist to the typical flower girls or ring bearer.

Source: http://www.weheartit.com/

I love how classy this hairsyle is.

Source: lesapea.tumblr.com

Beautiful and original wedding decor

Source: http://www.weheartit.com/

Another great wedding photo idea.

Source: http://www.enchanteddreamweddings.com%27/

Even more adorable than regular cupcakes. I love the lace and the "I Do" sign.

Source: http://www.stylemepretty.com/

A beautiful way to thank your guests

Source: http://www.cristinamella.com/

An easy to do project for chairs.

The Elements of a Wedding Gown

When I was a little girl my grandma would let me help her make cookies.  We would add the butter, eggs and sugar.  This had to be well mixed before we move to the flour, baking powder and finally the vanilla could be put in the bowl.  If we were making oatmeal cookies we added oatmeal, sometimes raisins or chocolate chips.  If we made sugar cookies I got to sprinkle on the colored crystals or decorate with icing from a bag she had cut the corner off as I would pipe lips, eyes and noses on.  We had little candies in many colors and shapes to add not only flavor but visual interest.

The elements of a wedding gown are much like cookies.  The fabric can be satin, taffeta, organza and chiffon.  There might be lace, embroidery or bead work.  Three dimensional flowers and fabric detail may be added.  When you are standing, looking at yourself in the mirror, in the gown of your dreams you will have the perfect combination of fabric, cut, detail and bling.  These are known as the design elements of a wedding gown.

Rouching is an interesting element that we see so much of but never grow tired of because it’s style is as varied as one’s imagination.  Folds of fabric are laid atop the base dress.  Nimble fingers of the designer fold and pin and then stitch with quiet perfection.  The direction of the folds carries the eye of the beholder across the body creating a visual masterpiece.

Embroidery is stitched, usually drawn on the fabric and then carried out by a sewing machine guided by a meticulous operator at a hummingbird style rate that is difficult for the human eye to see.  The operator’s fingers stay close to move the fabric in just the right position at the correct time.  It is fascinating to watch.

Hand cut lace applique is artistically placed in a pre-determined pattern to draw the eye and create elegant patterns atop satin or taffeta.  There are many different styles of lace that will be covered in an upcoming article.

Most of my customers are so surprised when I ask them “Do you know how they get this magnificent bead work on your dress?”  They wonder if there is a bead fairy or a wonderful machine that puts them there.  “I say, they put them on the dress by hand, one at a time with a needle and thread.”  I have been around the making of wedding dresses since I was a little girl but when I first started buying ready-made gowns more than 30 years ago the beads were glued onto the fabric and lace.  This made great problems when it came time to launder the gown because the beads would often come off sometimes leaving dots of glue in the wrong places on the fabric.  The best beadwork is a combination of Swarovski crystals, beads, pearls and sequins.  Glass beads will be more sparkly and will hold their sparkle through time.  Nowadays, many companies are resorting to plastic beadwork because it is cheaper and glass beads must be handled more carefully.

The placement of the embellishments is also an element of your wedding gown.  Select the cut, then the fabric, lace, beadwork, embroidery and all other elements of your gown.

The color and size can be the last choice you make when you shop with ample time that your gown may be ordered.  It can take anywhere from 3 to 6 months for your gown to be made for you.  The more time you allow yourself, the more choices you will have.  Your wedding gown is the most important dress you will ever wear.  Take time to do it right and find a bridal salon where you feel that your long term happiness is most likely to be achieved.  At The Gallery by Lynette we want you happy in the store, out the door and door the aisle and that means we are here for you no matter what.

Please visit us at 5316 South Freeway Pk Dr, Riverdale, Utah 801-773-7435 or online at http://www.lynettes.com