52 THE QUEENS COURIER • BRIDAL • JUNE 21, 2018 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
bridal
TOSSING OUT THE RULEBOOK
Mature brides embrace a broader spectrum of wedding attire
BY CHELLE CORDERO
Th e only rule about a mature bride’s
attire is that there are no rules. Th e only
thing that dictates whether she should
wear white, use a veil or incorporate any
other bridal accoutrement is how she
feels. Th is is her day.
Historically, bridal shops, designers and
media have focused on youthful fi rst-time
brides. But today’s women may decide to
pursue careers, travel, enroll in post-graduate
A GREEN WEDDING
Keep your wedding eco-friendly
BY JULIA PRICE
Weddings are considered one of the
most important days of one’s life, and
because of that, it is one of the most lucrative
industries out there. We’re talking in
the billion-dollar range! While that inevitably
employs many people -- from the
caterers to musicians to the planners and
fl orists -- it can also be a major drain on
the environment’s resources. However,
the DIY business is also growing rapidly,
so there are many eco-friendly bloggers
with tips and tricks to keep your wedding
as green as possible. You can share all your
love with your friends and family without
leaving a massive carbon footprint.
Starting with the invitations -- go ahead
and skip the whole process of fi nding the
perfect card to mail out, and opt for an
evite instead. You can include a link to
your personalized website. Th is not only
helps you keep track of everything in real
time but also makes it easier for your guests
to RSVP. Some great sites to start with
are Greenvelope, Evite and Paperless Post.
You’ll also want to set up a website with
further information for your guests, like the
time and date of the wedding, the location,
fun photos and the bride and groom and a
story of how they met and links to hotels in
the area, etc. One of the most commonly
used hubs is Th e Knot’s website.
For fl owers and other live arrangements,
you can fi nd a farm-to-table option
(such as Th e Bouqs Co.) that avoids pesticides,
brings a fresher scent and helps
support local businesses. Another great
option is to call a delivery service that
will pick up your fl owers aft er the event
and repurpose them. With Repeat Roses,
they immediately grab your used fl owers
post-wedding and redistribute them to
homeless shelters, hospice centers, cancer
treatment centers and more. Want to
go the route of gift ing your guests with
a to-go plant instead? Try a succulent as
your centerpiece. It’s easy to carry and a
very easy plant to maintain.
When it comes to her dress and his tux,
you can fi nd incredible purchases at vintage
stores -- but you’ve got to be willing
to put in the time to look. Maybe you don’t
have a schedule that allows you to put time
aside for vintage shopping, or the desire
to do that sort of digging, so you could try
for a rental option like Rent the Runway
instead, where women can fi nd designer
dress options for low prices. For the men,
you can also rent a tuxedo or other attire
from various sites, including Th e Black Tux.
Moving on to food, hiring an eco-friendly
food truck is trendy, cost-eff ective and
sustainable. You may want to start with
a simple Google search or asking around
to see if there are any recommendations
people may have, or view and compare
ratings of vendors on Yelp. You can also
go with a catering service, and you’ll be
able to easily fi nd one that supports local
farmers and sustainable agriculture.
And fi nally, the location! Finding an
outdoor location with natural light can
help cut back on electricity. You can
also support your community by choosing
to hold the ceremony at a wild center,
a farmhouse or a botanical garden. In
many ways, it’s not about thinking outside
of the box, but thinking back to simplicity
and celebrating the natural beauties
and wonders that already exist, while
being conscious and mindful of the eff ect
that humans leave behind. Sometimes it’s
the small decisions, like going with evites
instead of sending out paper invitations,
or taking a few extra minutes to fi nd
a catering company that supports local
farms, that make a huge diff erence in the
ripple eff ects they send out into the world.
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studies or even raise families by
themselves. If they decide to legally join
in marital partnerships, they can be several
years older than traditionally depicted
brides. All too oft en more mature brides
have been pointed toward the mother-ofthe
bride-style formal wear.
In recent years the growing demographic
of brides in their 40s, 50s and
60s has been more widely acknowledged.
Designers are doing more to cater to their
needs, creating wedding attire that allows
a woman to feel beautiful without feeling
matronly.
Styles befi tting the more mature bride
include vintage styles that are both beautiful
and sophisticated. A-line tea-length
dresses can be fl attering for all fi gure
types. Cap sleeves, long sleeves, short
sleeves, half sleeves or three-quarter
sleeves are terrifi c for covering the arms
without detracting from the beauty of a
wedding gown. Brides over 50 oft en prefer
long-sleeve bridal outfi ts. Flattering
V-necks, lace illusion necklines and low
backs can be both modest and silhouette
conscious.
Gold, silver and gray embroidery
designs stitched into wedding dresses are
another trend for mature brides, and such
detail infuses gowns with luxurious vintage
vibes. Short jackets and wraps worn
over gowns can help to hide any loose or
sagging skin, while also adding sophistication
to the ensemble. Lace or beaded
jackets pair nicely with low necklines and
sleeveless gowns, and they can be taken
off during the party and dancing. An
empire-style gown, which gathers under
the bustline, is great for emphasizing a
feminine silhouette without tightly hugging
the stomach area. Th e bride should
buy for her body type and how the dress
makes her feel, not for her age.
Older and/or second-time brides are
not limited by any specifi c gown color:
She is free to choose white, champagne,
lovely blush pink, blue, gray or any other
color that fl atters her skin tone. If the
bride wants to wear a vibrant favorite
color, such as ruby red or royal blue, she
is allowed. Veils, headpieces and jeweled
hair ornaments are appropriate; even a
simple sophisticated and matching hat
goes well as part of her wedding attire.
Long trains are not recommended as they
can become cumbersome and distracting,
but a fl oor brushing length works
well. Ball gowns with simple trimmings,
such as embroidery or ruffl es, are perfect
mature brides channeling their inner
princesses (in a tasteful way).
Many older couples or couples in which
one or both partners has previously been
married will choose to have less formal
weddings. If a couple chooses to go that
route, the bride may feel comfortable wearing
a tailored suit adorned with lace or
embroidery. A bridal suit can consist of
either a skirt or pants -- whichever the bride
feels most comfortable and beautiful wearing.
Th e same rule applies to color as wedding
dresses or gowns: Th e bride can choose
white or any color that complements her
skin tone. Backyard ceremonies and parties
are very popular with older couples, and
relaxed outfi ts fi t go well with these.
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