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There are many different wedding gifts a bride can give her groom: a beautiful watch, a grooming kit for his hair, tools, leather bag, grill set, his favorite cologne. And although these are all great gift ideas, not every future hubby will be ecstatic to receive them.

As the future bride, you know your significant other more than anyone and know what kinds of things he enjoys, but maybe you’re feeling a little lost as to what the best groom wedding gift is – the one thing that will light up his eyes and put a cheshire grin on his face.

Here’s a hint: it’s all about you!

I’m talking about a boudoir book. You know, those sexy little books filled with flirty photos of you. And not only will a boudoir book be filled with beautiful images, but it’s something you design and create from the heart. You’ll put precious hours making this special gift, but seeing your groom’s face when he flips through the pages will definitely be worth it.

So save the watch and tools for his birthday because a boudoir book will make a much bigger impact as a wedding gift.

Preparing for a Boudoir Photo Shoot

If you haven’t already done so, you’ll want to set aside time for a boudoir photo session. Since this will be a wedding gift, book your shoot several weeks before the wedding. Photographers suggest at least six weeks before the big day to allow time for editing and printing. Also factor in time for creating your book.

Look into boudoir photographers in your area (they will know how to get the best photos and help you throughout the session) and settle on one that you feel comfortable and happy with. If budget is an issue, ask a close friend to help you out or take your own if you have a tripod and clicker (so you don’t have to hold the camera).

To help you prepare and get excited about your upcoming photo shoot, you can treat yourself to a mani/pedi, massage, facial, body wax, or hair treatment. Even a new bottle of perfume or moisturizer can help you feel luxurious. You might also consider having your hair and makeup professionally done. Some boudoir photographers offer makeup service add-ons or include them in their photo packages, so be sure to inquire if you’re interested.

Two things you absolutely do not want to do: sunbathe or get a salon tan the day before the photo shoot. Sun burns and tan lines won’t make for the most flattering photos.

What to Wear to a Boudoir Photo Shoot

Not sure where to start with what to wear? Look through online boudoir galleries or scroll through Pinterest for inspiration. Think about what makes you feel sexy, props you’d like to include (your veil, his guitar, flowers), and themes. Maybe a cute satin robe with something exciting underneath. 

Popular outfit ideas:

• His favorite sports team jersey
• An oversized shirt
• Lingerie
• Slinky robe
• Unbuttoned sweater/shirt
• Anything see-through
• Stockings and garters
• Bridal veil
• Heels
• Hats
• Jewelry

How to Create a Boudoir Book

Once the session is over and you’ve received the edited photos, it’s time to pick out your favorites and create the boudoir book.

One of the easiest and most affordable ways to do this is by using an online photo book creator. On these sites you’ll find professionally designed templates, a variety of book sizes, shapes, and styles, and everything you need to put together your wedding gift.

Some services, like My Bridal Pix, offer design consultants in case you’re not totally comfortable in the creation process. They are on hand to review what you have already put together or offer the complete layout and design for your book.

Best Times to Give Boudoir Book:

The photos are snapped, the book is complete, and you can hardly wait to hand it over. Even though you’re considering it a wedding gift, it doesn’t mean you have to give it to the groom right before the ceremony starts. Here are a few great times to make your man’s day:

• A day before the wedding – put it somewhere he’ll see before he starts his day or heads off to work
• The rehearsal dinner (sneak away for a cheeky moment)
• The morning of the wedding – maybe your wedding photographer can capture his reaction!
• The night of the wedding
• During the honeymoon
• When you get home from the honeymoon as an extra surprise

As far as the groom is concerned, any time is a good time to get a boudoir photo book full of timeless images of you, so don’t overthink it. In fact, don’t overthink any part of this process – just enjoy it, because it’s as much as a wedding gift to you as it is to your future hubby.

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Have you heard that lately, many brides are choosing two dresses to wear on wedding day? One is for the ceremony, and the other is for the reception. A reception dress might sound excessive, but it’s actually super practical. Here are the four main reasons brides give for going the two-dress route.

1. Comfort

Wedding gowns are sometimes quite elaborate — long trains, heavy bead work, or tight, corseted waists can cause practical problems if worn for an extended period of time. The train will start to become a bother when you need potty breaks. The bead work might get caught on furniture. The corset can be too binding while you try to sit, talk, and eat. While these elaborate and aesthetically pleasing gowns can be outstanding for a ceremony, they won’t work for the reception. Brides can pick out a reception dress that allows for free movement, and is easier to manage.

2. Creativity

Fashion is a mode of self expression. On your big day, you and your partner will be the center of attention. You might want to use this opportunity to get creative! While you may want a traditional wedding dress, your reception dress could be a bright color, or have a fun print — like polka dots!

3. Climate

If your ceremony and reception are happening in two separate venues, consider the temperature of each environment. Are you getting hitched in a cool, dark church, and then celebrating with dinner and dancing out under a hot sun? You might want to have a long sleeve dress for the cool setting, and another, shorter or lighter dress so that you can be happy out in the heat.

4. Conserve

Some wedding gowns are quite delicate! Fabrics like vintage lace, organza, and chiffon are all very fine and fragile. While you may be able to protect your grandmother’s gown while walking down the aisle, it’s another story all together when you need to be out mingling, eating, and dancing. Keep a delicate dress safe and well preserved by changing into a second dress, and stashing the first in a garment bag, so you can part on worry-free.

You may be in love with the gown you’re going to wear during your ceremony, and you think it will be lovely to wear it all night long. But before you make a decision to do so, think about the alternative. You could have a second dress ready to go, and end up enjoying your day even more. Do you plan on having two wedding dresses? What’s your main reason? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Choosing your wedding veil ought to receive as much attention as choosing your dress! Why? Because your wedding day is the one time you will wear one… Read on to learn about these fabulous bridal headpieces! With a little information and guidance, picking your veil will be easy and fun! Finding one that flatters you in your dress is important. Don’t let it become an afterthought. You’ll want something that frames how gorgeous you are on your Big Day!

1. The Birdcage Fascinator

These delicate headpieces are classically stunning and give the wearer a kind of incomparable, vintage mystique! A small comb or headband fastens the decorated netting in place as you stride down the aisle resembling a modern princess, adorned and bright-eyed. Bridal fascinators can be a simple or extravagant addition to your ensemble, as they can be ornately decorated with flowers, feathers, ribbons, pearls and lace. Try one on as you’re dress shopping, and you may find that an elegantly embellished birdcage fascinator complements your gown more adequately than a veil.

These pieces are worn at an angle, perching lightly on the hair and evoking curiosity because of their whimsical, light design. Though they’re considered unconventional, they are rising in popularity, which means that creators are coming up with all sorts of artistic decorative fascinators with couture in mind. Choosing to go with a piece like this means that your dress and headpiece won’t be competing for attention. If you’re in love with your dress, especially if it’s on the shorter side, and prefer for your silhouette to be the focal point on the glorious day, a fascinator will balance your look and still make an expressive statement.

2. The Crown

The history of bridal crowns go wayyyyyy back. Long ago, they were made with precious metals, jewels, glass and elements from nature like pearls or branches and fruits. Today, those themes certainly carry over in free-spirited, earthy brides and in those ladies who are feeling another kind of regal!

3. The Veil

There are several kinds of veils, and they’re all breath-taking. However, they all probably do not match your wedding style.

Shoulder, Fingertip and Elbow Length Veil — You probably figured it out! These reach the shoulders, fingertips or elbows and are a lovely choice with a dresses featuring a low or embellished back, ball gowns and A- Line, respectively.

Mantilla Veil — Popular in Spanish couture, these striking veils are usually circular in shape and made with lace and tulle, or silk. Traditionally, A large comb, called a peineta, is sometimes used to hold up the mantilla, giving extra height to the wearer.

Tiered Veil — Varying layers of tulle (2- 3) with the top layer worn as the blusher (covers your lovely face until the husband may kiss his bride). If there is a 3rd layer, that is often removable.

Ballet Veil — You won’t trip over this veil! It does not sweep the floor and falls to tea length (between the ankles and knees).

Chapel Veil: Distinctive and timeless, chapel veils reach the floor and represent what we most associate with a wedding veil. Iconic! Magnificent!

Cathedral Veil: Its length is spectacular! Greater than the train of your wedding dress… highly ceremonial and grand! A MUST if you’ve decided on a fairy-tale wedding!

Hopefully, you have narrowed down the possibilities for the veil you’re looking for! Final Tip: Remember that crystals are more photogenic than rhinestones (which can sometimes look like black dots when light reflects off them). May you feel like the Queen you are, Bride! Happy Wedding!

The post Fascinators, Crowns and Veils? How to Choose! appeared first on Inspired Bride.

Are you ready to walk down the aisle? You may not be as ready as you think you are! Though it sounds easy (hey, you learned to walk when you were one, right?) there are specific strategies that you need to know about. Take some time to read through this list so that your wedding walk is everything you dream it will be!

Practical Tips To Perfect Your Walk

Here are ten tips that will help you walk down the aisle perfectly:

1. Hold your bouquet low — you don’t want to block the view (for your guests and photos) of your beautiful dress
2. Walk slower than normal, no matter how unnatural that may feel
3. Savor the moment
4. Smile in a way that feels authentic and true to your spirit and character
5. Look at your beloved as you walk, for the most part (mix in some natural looks at your guests)
6. Practice your walk in the heels you are going to wear
7. Practice walking in your dress
8. Relax your shoulders
9. Keep your chin up — avoid staring down at the ground the entire time
10. Use good posture: spine erect, shoulders back, arms loose as they hold the bouquet

Follow these steps as you walk down the aisle, and you are sure to be a graceful bride. If you have the chance to go to a wedding before your own ceremony occurs, take careful note of how the bride walks down the aisle. Is she paying too much attention to her guests, and failing to look at the partner she is walking to? Does her expression look robotic, apprehensive, or somber? Note these critiques so that you can avoid them.

It may be useful to take a quick video of your self practicing this portion of the ceremony. Like an athlete learning from footage of practice, you can see yourself in motion and figure out what needs work. This isn’t about being hard on yourself, but it is about putting your best foot forward (literally!) on your wedding day. Do you think you’re ready to walk down the aisle? Leave a note below!

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We particularly love both of these bridal photos; the stained glass of the church window is used in the first as the backdrop to a silhouette. In the second, the bride’s face is seen clearly, but that magnificent color of the stained glass window is still seen popping out behind her. These are magnificent!

This photo is simply breathtaking! It’s a close-up of the bride’s face, with the veil fading into a gauzy frame for her bright eyes and rosy cheeks. This photographer captured the essence of the bride with no complicated props or backdrops. We think it’s charming and just lovely.

It’s quite true that some photos of the bride alone in a field would be a bit less festive than many brides might like, but this one is absolutely gorgeous. The sun shining over the trees and the beautiful purple of those wildflowers really pop against the white of her dress. We also like the whimsical little smile on the bride’s face – this photo is just darling.

We’ve seen thousands of wedding portraits over the years, and many with the bride looking back toward the camera with a charming little smile. What we love most about this one is the bride on the bridge, proving that some backdrops and props are absolutely genius. It’s almost symbolic of her journey into marriage, and the entire photo is just perfect.

Both of these close-ups of this beautiful bride are fantastic. The first, featuring the bride from the waist up is a beautiful photo focusing only on her. We also love the second, which captures the happiness this bride is feeling, not to mention her fantastic make-up job!

The dramatic bride will simply love these photos. It’s another pair of photos featuring the bride from the waist up and then a close-up of the bride’s face. What’s fantastic about these is the color and texture; this edgy bride’s color has been captured and we think they are just gorgeous.

This wind-blown full-body bridal portrait is a classic! It features a landscaped shot with a wide-focal range. The vibrant colors of autumn leaves create a beautiful canvas for her stunning wedding dress. Add the wind-blown effect and it’s already one epic shot. This style impresses movement and dynamics even when your just capturing stills. Totally a well thought-of shot!

Can’t get enough these beautiful bridal portraits? Here are more from Dmitry Shumanev Photography showcasing the most beautiful gowns by Ines Di Santo.

There you have it – some fantastic solo bridal portrait ideas you can use for inspiration. Get more info.. Do you particularly love any of these or identify better with one? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

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Bohemian colors are undeniably beautiful but it is  a little bit distinct, specially for a wedding, which means using more than necessary can be costly in terms of aesthetic. But here is an example of this palette done right. The turquoise, gold and purple elements of this shoot came together so nicely that even if your wedding is not ‘boho’ inspired, the styles are still worth considering for your special day. And we also love the lace wedding dress featured in this album! It was simple but definitely chic. Enjoy scrolling through the pictures lovelies!

Photographer:

I coordinated this Styled shoot with several other friends here in the Southern Maryland area ( as well as one from California and Florida). I wanted a Bohemian wedding feel but instead of a more muted/pale palette, I really wanted something to pop a little more, so I met with the wedding coordinator and florist and we chose jewel tones, in order to achieve that. When I put this together I wanted a real natural, wooded feel to it which is why we decided to utilize a venue (Annmarie Gardens) in the woods. I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I was to make this little ole’ idea happen with the help of so many other amazing and talented vendors. The feel, the models, everything in this shoot is completely and 100% attainable by brides looking at this feature. We took things you can find easily and mixed them with a simple but gorgeous fitted lace gown, a gold embellished headband, and a slate blue suit minus the jacket and it became something super amazing. We are really thrilled to share this with you and we thank you for your time in viewing this Bohemian Styled Shoot!

Vendors

Photographer:  Amanda McMahon Photography
Reception Venue:  Annmarie Gardens
Makeup Artist:  BEHIND THE VEIL, LLC
Dress Designer:  Dreamers & Lovers
Floral Designer:  Fantastic Floral Events
Invitation Designer:  Leslie Vega Design
Cake Designer:  Michelle’s Cakes
Invitation Designer:  paper monkey press
Etsy Designer:  Three Bird Nest
Dress Store:  Today’s Bride and Formal Wear
Event Planner:  TreBella Events

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