Wedding Wednesday: Winter Wedding Attire

It's Wedding Wednesday and today we are bringing you a few tips for dressing yourself, your gals and your guests for a stylish wintry affair. 

BRIDES

We adore a long-sleeved wedding dress for your winter wedding.
Too heavy?  A lace sleeve is also seasonably appropriate, and won't make you feel overly covered.

You can also find beautiful removable pieces that will add warmth during pictures and the ceremony (churches can be drafty!), but that can be removed for the party.

Pair a strapless dress with a bolero jacket or fur wrap.  Here is a lovely and moderately priced beauty from Alice and Olivia.

Try evening gloves!  They are a "look" but when done right, they make for an impactful and beautiful accessory.  

And the creme de la creme (in our humble opinion) of winter accessories is the under-utilized fur muff.
Oooh La La!  

Photos Courtesy of Ruffled Blog

BRIDESMAIDS

Don't feel like to have to dress your maids in wool and long-sleeves for your winter wedding.
Go with what speaks to you and your your wedding style...
...BUT, DON'T LEAVE THEM FREEZING!

If you plan to take outdoor pictures, give your gals something to cover up with!

Common winter accessories make for fun pictures!

TOPSHOP has an array of mittens at great prices that will complement almost any wedding style/color palatte.    

We also love festive hosiery to complement a winter look.
(we think every gal should own a pair of Wolford's).

You can find fab faux fur wraps and capelets at many moderately-priced stores starting in the Fall.  We love this one from Kohls.  Etsy is a great resource, too!

Tip: be careful with hats and even scarves, they can wreck havoc on beautifully coiffed do's.

Photo Courtesy of Koru Wedding Style   

GUESTS

Dress appropriately for the occasion, but be prepared for the cold weather!

When in doubt, call ahead to ensure the venue offers a coat check.

Bundle up and protect your feet, too - we don't want you turning blue or ruining your Choo's in the snow.

xoxo

Wedding Wednesday: How to Nail a Toast

Wow!  It's such an honor that the bride or groom chose YOU to give the toast on their special day.  But, as you prepare you may feel the pressure mounting:
Will I be funny?
Will guests be bored?
Will my voice crack?
Will I sob uncontrollably?
I sure don't want to embarrass myself - or worse, THEM!
(well,  maybe just a tiny bit) 

Don't worry, we're here to help!

AE Brings you...

How to Nail a Toast:

Photo Courtesy of Bridal Musings

Practice makes perfect! 

Write your speech down.  PRACTICE!  Try to memorize key phrases.
BUT, don't read it word for word, and DEFINITELY, don't read it from your phone. 

Do it alone.  

A joint speech can get messy!
Unless very very choreographed, duo speeches can be distracting and confusing. 

Photo Courtesy of Bridesmaids 

Be Specific.  

Give short elaborations. Stay away from long sagas.
Keep content personal to the bride and groom. 

Be appropriate. 

Leave exes and former love life out of it!
Rule of thumb - if you are questioning whether to add a particular anecdote, don't. 

It's okay to get emotional.

Bring a tissue. 

Photo Courtesy of Southern Weddings 

Be yourself.

 Mean what you say.
Humor needs to be heartfelt and authentic.
Don't force funny.

Still need help?
Follow this formula:

Introduce yourself and your relationship to the bride/groom
 +

Tell a catchy story about your friend
+
Tell the crowd why you love him/her
 +

Tell why the spouse is such a great match
+

Give your blessing to them
+

"Cheers!"
+

A big hug for both
=

A TRULY KILLER WEDDING TOAST

Go Get 'Em Tiger!