That's right. Look through any bridal publication and you'll see throngs of wedding gown photos. The other stand out attention grabber is the stylish amount of sequins, beadwork, and crystals dangling from the bodice of each gown. While some trendy wedding gowns feature intricate beadwork from the breast to the train, many others include the detailing in a more confined area. Either way, you'll be hard pressed to find a trendy wedding gown without fashionable bling.

Consider empire waist wedding dresses. What better to draw attention to the style of the dress than a row of beautiful Swarovski crystals, intricate beadwork, colorful jeweled ribbon or some other stylish accessory? For most empire wedding dresses, it's this accessorizing that makes or breaks the gown.

It's not just empire style wedding dresses that receive this special treatment. Wedding dresses that sparkle and shine under the weight of their wedding accessories can be found in a wide range of styles. A-line wedding dresses are especially prone to featuring detailing from bodice to train. This allows the eye to trail the length of the dress. In other words, guests must take in the full affect of the beautiful dress and the gorgeous bride who wears it.

Mermaid wedding dresses aren't as prone to this type of detailing. Ruching is more popular with mermaid wedding dresses but jewel-esque accessories aren't without a wedding dress in this style either. You may have to look harder but they're out there.

While you're most likely to find stylish wedding dresses like these in a-line, empire and column wedding gowns, you'll have a difficult time finding a trendy wedding gown without some sort of accessorizing. We all know that brides like to feel beautiful and diamonds are a girl's best friend. Merge the two into an incredible wedding dress and the only thing missing is the "I do."

Photo #1 — Beaded wedding dress photo courtesy of J&R Guarino Photography, a Brick, New Jersey wedding photographer.

Photo #2 — Beadwork and colorful wedding dress photo courtesy of Lace Graphics Design & Photography, an Augusta Georgia wedding photographer.

Wedding Receptions: The First Party Of Your Married Life

Your first party together as husband and wife – the wedding reception – is a celebration of your love and commitment, a truly momentous event that should be glorified as such. Family and friends will come from near and far to help mark this important milestone in your new life together. And you will have the time of your life. Great wedding receptions are talked about and remembered fondly by guests and wedding party members alike for years and years.

Just think of all the great memories you will make together as husband and wife surrounded by the most important people in your life.  What a great way to start your journey together.

However, before you put on your dancing shoes and let your hair down, there is a lot of planning that goes into making your wedding reception perfect. While there are many aspects of the wedding reception to consider, if you take care of the core five ingredients (food, music, decorations, location and photographers/videographers), it will come together beautifully.

Food: Success Begins With Great Taste

Just imagine, as your guests enter the reception hall they are greeted by a stunningly beautiful ice sculpture that sparkles and glistens in the warm candlelight. Near the buffet table a chocolate fountain gurgles a cascading sheet of rich milk chocolate and nearby an elegant champagne fountain bubbles out the sweet lavish liquid. The aroma of a delicious meal fills the air, leaving your guests with a feeling of excitement for the festivities to come.

Feeding your guests a great meal may just be one of the most important aspects of your reception. A caterer can take the worry and hassle out of feeding a large crowd. A professional wedding caterer can help you plan the menu and tailor it to the desired atmosphere of your wedding reception.  He or she can help you add those special touches like a delicious chocolate fountain, an elegant ice sculpture, or maybe even that bubbling champagne fountain.

Music: To My Ear and Theirs

Think about how much fun you'll have twirling around the dance floor to your favorite song. Or maybe your entire wedding party will wow the crowd with your own choreographed version of  "Thriller" which could make your party one of the most unique receptions your guests have ever attended. Just think how much fun you and your wedding party will have, not only learning the dance but showing off your new smooth moves as well. A professional choreographer can help you create that special dance.

Music sets the mood for dancing and fun and is a vital part of a good reception. A professional DJ can help keep things lively and get everybody out on the dance floor. You'll be surprised to see your aunt kick off her shoes and get down to "She's a Brick House," but a good dj can make even the most prim and proper guests want to get out there and shake it. Plus think about all the good memories you'll have of dancing and being silly with your friends and family.

Decorations: A Feast For The Eyes

Imagine your guests entering the reception hall. On a table strewn with bright rose petals, photos of the bride and groom greet them at the door.  Bunches of sweet red roses surrounded by the soft glow of romantic candlelight grace round tables draped with rich cream colored linens. The shimmering candlelight along with soft music create a picturesque atmosphere for your wedding reception.

Or maybe picnic tables and buckets full of drinks for guests, lanterns strung through the trees above the tables and whimsical palm tree centerpieces with Jimmy Buffet playing in the background is more your style. Whatever your style may be, there are wedding decorations to make your reception the ideal one for you.

Decorations can make any reception location look amazing and are a must for a great reception. When selecting your reception decorations look for items that match the look and feel of your wedding. If you have a very formal wedding, a formal reception hall would be appropriate. If you have a laid back beach wedding, a more casual laid back reception would match the wedding and your attire.

Location: The Best Place To Celebrate

A church hall, a hotel banquet room, or a garden party all make great places to hold your dream wedding reception. When selecting your reception location consider:

• the number of guests
• whether an indoor or outdoor location
• proximity to the ceremony
• nearby accommodations for out-of-town guests
• availability on the date you have selected

When booking your reception location it is important to do so well in advance to secure the date you need. When it comes to places to hold your reception, the sky is the limit. If you can dream it you can probably do it. Just make up your mind and make it happen and you are sure to end up with the reception location of your dreams.

Photographers and Videographers: Capturing A Moment In Time

There will be so many moments you'll want to capture and preserve forever : like cutting the cake, your maid of honor's heartfelt and teary toast, your first dance, the daddy-daughter dance and all the other great moments at your reception. What better way than with photos and videos that will last a lifetime? A professional photographer can capture great candid shots of those special moments and the special people at your reception. Those creative toasts can be relived again and again on video. A professional videographer can help you preserve those precious words and wishes.

When your grandchildren ask about your wedding you will be able to show them the video of your first dance or the cake cutting. You will also have keepsake photos of you looking gorgeous in your beautiful wedding dress that you can pass on through the generations. That is why selecting a wedding photographer and or videographer is so important. You and your spouse will enjoy looking back at all the wedding reception photos and video and remember the beginning of your great journey together.

A special thanks goes to:

Mendon Massachusetts photographer, Blueberry Photo for the use of their bride and groom photo.

Bentonville Arkansas Caterer, Catering Concepts for the use of their fruit platter photo.

Uniontown Ohio Photographer, Curtis Photography-Videography for the use of their wedding reception dance photo.

Tulsa Oklahoma Wedding Florist, Perfect Presentations for the use of their wedding reception decorations photo.

If you are looking for a great way to coordinate your dress with your groom's tuxedo, here's a wedding attire trend you'll love.

Take a nod from tennis pro Roger Federer. He and his new bride cashed in on the trend among couples which is use the same fabric for both the bride's dress and the groom's tie. Using the same fabric has many benefits. It is an intimate touch that can enhance small, personal ceremonies. It is a showing of unity that many feel is a positive attitude for the start of the marriage. Others think of it as the finest way to coordinate the two wedding outfits.

Whatever your reason, consider asking your wedding dress designer to create the groom's tie from the same fabric as your wedding dress. If you do not have a wedding dress designer, ask your seamstress if there is enough fabric left over for the tie after alterations are made. There are many ways to go about capturing this trendy idea. Just make sure to return to Wedding And Party Network with your photos!

With the incredible selection of bridal gowns to choose from, 2009 brides have their hands full! To make it a bit easier, Wedding And Party Network (via yours truly) has compiled your guide to trendy wedding dress styles for 2009 weddings. Learn which styles are available and which will make you a truly fashionable bride this year by reviewing the wedding dress styles below!

A-Line / Princess Style Wedding Dresses Are Where It's At In 2009!

Almost every bride can pull off the flattering shape of a-line/princess dresses. That's why it's such a classic! Bridal gowns like these are simple, bring modest attention to the bosom, hide the shape of the waist, and accentuate other curves without being revealing. The type of straps vary, but most prefer a skinny strap or strapless wedding dress.

Hair Tip: A-line/princess style wedding dresses are very versatile and work well with every type of wedding hairstyle. This is the perfect dress style for a simple updo, half updo hairstyle, or hair that drapes over the shoulders.

Mermaid Wedding Gowns Are Huge In '09!

Mermaid wedding dresses are very popular with brides for their 2009 weddings because these gowns are gorgeous! Mermaid wedding dresses are very form fitting until they reach the mid thigh. The fabric becomes more flowing here through the train. Mermaid bridal dresses are very popular with women who are proud of their curves and want to show them off at their wedding!

Hair Tip: What would a mermaid wear? A relaxed half updo is going to be your best bet for this wedding dress style if you have long hair. Simply pulling some of your hair back and using a decorative clip will bring out the best in this dress. If you have short hair, work it!

Empire Wedding Dresses Are Gaining Popularity This Year!

Empire wedding dresses are very popular because of the elegant simplicity of the design. Attention is drawn to the bosom and waist of the bride in a modest, flattering way. Brides can keep jewelry to a minimum with this style of dress because it automatically draws attention to the upper body. These bridal gowns tend to drape and flow down into a moderate train. These dresses are very popular for sophisticated outdoor weddings as well as semi-formal ceremonies.

Hair Tip: Consider wearing your hair down with this dress. A relaxed updo or simple updo will work also, but this wedding dress style is more suited to "playing down dressing up." In other words, these go best with relaxed or semi-formal ceremonies so choose a hairstyle that is comfortable to you.

Marry Your Prince In A Ball Gown Style Wedding Dress!

Ball gown wedding dress styles are less common in 2009 but still popular. This wedding dress style perfectly suits the young bride who wants to feel like a princess for a day. If you've always dreamed of the full skirt, flowing fabrics, and elegant bodice of a Cinderella-style dress, give ball gown wedding dresses a try.

Hair Tip: Elegance is key for this bridal gown. Wedding hairstyles vary with each dress, but the ball gown style wedding dress is best complemented by a traditional up-do or half-up, showy hairstyle.

Column Wedding Dresses Are The Lesser-Known Beauties of 2009!

Column wedding dresses aren't making quite as many showings in 2009 despite their beautiful appearance. These are great dresses for relaxed, less formal wedding ceremonies. Sound like the wedding you want? Column bridal dresses are perfect for the bride who wants to be able to walk freely, doesn't want quite as many frills, but still wants to look gorgeous at her wedding. Simple beauty defines this wedding dress style.

Hair Tip: You could almost pull off any wedding hairstyle with this dress. That's precisely the point of the dress style! Up, down, half-up, relaxed, teased–the choice is entirely yours! Well, it never hurts to ask a professional wedding hairstylist either.

Want to know more about wedding dress styles? You'll love this helpful blog! "Help! Which Wedding Dress Style Should I Wear?"

Ask The Celebration Advisor: Please settle an argument between me and my mom. What is the best wedding dress style for a late afternoon fall wedding in Niagara Falls, NY? I want a strapless wedding dress but my mom says it needs to have sleeves. She says it's tradition for late-year weddings. Is that still the proper etiquette for wedding dresses or can I get away with wearing the one that I want? ~Nancy, Niagara Falls, NY

The Celebration Advisor: Nancy, I hate to admit this but you're both right! Traditional etiquette says that a full-length skirt and small jacket or sleeves is appropriate for a wedding ceremony during the cooler times of the year. This has a lot to do with what was socially acceptable at the time. Just as much of it was to  keep the bride comfy. Also, a small wedding dress jacket can easily be removed for the reception but is seasonally appropriate attire. Sleeves can't be removed but no one said they had to be stiff and bulky.

In your defense, the modern wedding is all about the bride and which wedding dress style she prefers. While traditional values are still appreciated, there is no standard etiquette that brides are holding to these days. Most simply try to coordinate their hairstyle with the neckline of their gown, the style of dress they want with the formality of their wedding, the type of dress with the location and other important considerations. If it makes you comfortable and you think it looks good, it's perfectly acceptable in a modern wedding.

Consider These Beautiful Wedding Dress Styles for Your Fall Wedding

If you really want to go along with your mother on this, there are many beautiful wedding dresses with light jackets. Also consider lace sleeves or something similar. A long skirt can be gorgeous with many of the wedding dress styles of today.

• Mermaid style wedding dresses are form fitting through the upper thigh but then loosen into a more flowing train.
• Empire wedding dresses are usually made of lighter fabrics. They have a very short train that gives the bride a semi-formal look.
• Column style wedding dresses are very simple. They are usually floor-length gowns without a train. These are usually the preferred dresses for second weddings and semi-formal affairs. These can be easily accentuated with a light jacket and still maintain a very beautiful appearance.
• A-line/Princess wedding gowns are arguably the most popular style for modern brides. These are simple enough to allow the bride to move freely without 15 attendants for her train. However, they are also gorgeous and rather formal. They present the best of both worlds.
• Ball Gown style wedding dresses are exactly what you'd think they are. Picture Cinderella's wedding and you're on the mark. These have full, elaborate skirts and a less dramatic bodice. You really are the queen for a day in a wedding gown like this.

If you want to hold your own in the debate, you are right also. Modern weddings have less stringent traditions. The brides of today are able to wear whatever they want. Many are even wearing colorful wedding gowns! If your  mother's argument is mostly that "it's traditional," you can respectfully disregard that advice. The modern bride's wedding is all about her and what she wants.

If you want to wear something sleeveless, that's fine. If you want to  honor your mother's wishes and wear sleeves or a light jacket, that's great too. I recommend column, a-line, or empire styles if you opt for a jacket. All styles can benefit from one but these seem to be the most suited and popular. (That means easier to find!!)

My best recommendation is to find a compromise. Ask your mother if a sleeveless wedding dress would be ok with her. Perhaps something with thin straps but not strapless (works great with an empire style). This way you can still choose a neckline, satisfy your mother, and look beautiful on your wedding day.

Let me know which dress you pick! If your mother is anything like my mother, you'll look beautiful in a wedding dress with sleeves. *grin*

Before I forget…A shout out to the wonderful people who let me use their photos!

* The photo of the bride wearing a wedding dress jacket was provided by Photographs by Lawrence, a wedding photographer in Marietta Oklahoma.

* The photo of the bride wearing a strapless wedding dress was provided by Prange's Florist in Gainesville Florida (she provided the gorgeous bridal bouquet also seen in the photo).

It may not be a completely new trend, but adding a splash of color to your wedding gown is definitely a hot, hot trend in 2009 weddings. No matter how you choose to do it, wedding dresses with color are A-list items this wedding season. Here are some examples of how you can stay with the in-style crowd this year.

* Add a colored sash around the waist of your wedding dress. These draw attention to the bodice of the gown while accentuating the train as it drapes down.

* Many wedding gown designers are creating elaborate wedding dresses with colored trains. These usually Read the rest of Wedding Gowns With Color–The Hot New Trend In 2009 »

Keeping Your Wedding Flower Memories Alive With Bouquet Preservation

Cherishing your bridal bouquet as a precious wedding keepsake? Many brides even enjoy using their bridal bouquet as an intricate part of an anniversary party centerpiece.

From showing off the fun colors of every flower to describing the detail of the how the beautiful bridal bouquet looked in your hands, each intricate detail becomes part of a story that bonds you to those you love the most. For the precious stories that you'll love to tell for years, flower preservationists will help keep your special wedding flowers and bridal bouquet as beautiful as the day that you said, "I do." Keep your wedding flowers vibrant down to the most intimate details with flower preservation.

Passing Along Your Wedding Gown To Beloved Daughters Thanks To Gown Preservation

Many mothers dream of passing down their wedding gown from mother to daughter, grandmother to granddaughter, and so on. Almost as special as wearing a special family member's wedding jewelry is allowing that wonderful person the opportunity to relive their happy day by watching you walk down the aisle at your wedding ceremony in their precious wedding gown. What a wonderful, delightful treasure to be able to place a respected woman in this position of honor. Passing your wedding gown on to your babies and grandbabies is a treat that should be cherished. Wedding gown preservation makes it possible.

Why do brides wear white? If you have ever envisioned your perfect wedding, chances are you imagine yourself in a beautiful white dress. White is seen as the traditional color for Western weddings. But where does that tradition come from? Many mistake it as a sign of virginity; but white actually has more to do with joyful celebration and purity. It is considered appropriate for any bride to wear white, if she wishes.

White wedding gowns first came in to vogue when Queen Victoria wore a white wedding dress for her 1840 wedding. Her wedding photo was published and women then wanted to emulate her style. A white dress was Read the rest of Why Wear A White Wedding Dress? »

Bridal Gown Trends of 2008
Bridal gowns have seen many different styles, colors, shapes and sizes. Traditional gowns are very lavish and full while modern gowns offer more movement and have contour shapes to accentuate the bride with ease. Popular wedding gown trends in 2008 follow a very simple pattern of elegance and intimacy expressed in this year’s bridal flowers, reception decorations, and ceremony and reception music.

So what’s hot and what’s not this year? What’s in and what’s out in 2008? Easy! For bridal gowns, this is what’s in. Read the rest of 2008 Bridal Gown Trends Tips »

When planning your wedding, finding the perfect dress probably ranks pretty high on your to-do list. It is no wonder that shopping for the wedding dress is usually one of the first things a bride-to-be does when planning her wedding. The dress is a vital part of the wedding festivities. All eyes will be on the beautiful bride as she glides down the isle and she will want to look her best. Read the rest of Tips For Selecting A Wedding Dress »