When planning a cohesive wedding it is important to make sure that everything and everyone matches the core primary colors you have chosen for your wedding theme. For most weddings, the bridesmaids, groomsmen, flower girl and ring bearer are all taken care of first, ensuring that their dresses and tuxedos are stunning and matching, and that everyone walking down the aisle look great together. However, the mother of the bride and mother of the groom are two very important women that are sometimes left behind while the bride is focused on the main components of her wedding party.

The father of the bride and the father of the groom are most of the time both wearing suits that match those of the groomsmen. Therefore, dressing them is easy! The mother of the bride and groom, however, are going to need to wear something as special as they are. Many brides overlook this opportunity to also have these two very important women also match with their wedding party.

If you are a bride that would like to have as many aspects of your wedding match, a great way to make sure that your day is entirely perfect, and that your pictures are elegant, is to have matching dresses for the mother of the bride and the mother of the groom. This is something that you can accomplish easily, usually with only one shopping trip.

There are several things to think about when you are looking for matching mother of the bride and mother of the groom dresses. First, you want to think about the color scheme. Many brides are very particular about what colors they want to use on their special day, and this can include the way that their parents are dressed. Therefore, many brides will choose colors for their mothers that are derivations of the colors that the bridesmaids are wearing. A lighter or darker shade, for example, can make sure that the mothers stand out while also matching the wedding party in certain aspects. It is important, however, that you do not put your mothers in a white or off white color, and to be weary when it comes to dressing them in black. You should only use black for a very formal evening wedding, of if one of your wedding colors is black. Otherwise, try to stick to the same general color scheme as the rest of the wedding party to get complete cohesion.

Another aspect of the mother of the bride and groom dresses to think about is the style of gown. When picking out dresses, you want to take the age of your mothers into consideration, and make sure that they are comfortable in the dress they are wearing. Even though you might think it would look nice to have them in the same style of dress as your bridesmaids, you want to be sure that they are comfortable in wearing that type of dress. Your mothers, who are probably much older than your bridesmaids, might not feel comfortable wearing a dress like a chiffon strapless a line with a pleated bust and ruched waist. Also, try to keep their own general wardrobe selection in mind as well, and make sure their input is taken into consideration when choosing a dress.

You have many choices when it comes to getting dresses for those oh so important women in your life. You can either go to a retail store or online inventory to find them. If the two women have opposite taste and cannot agree on the same gown, try getting them a dress that is the same color with slight alterations. For example, if the mother of the groom does not want to wear strapless but the mother of the bride feels comfortable in it, get them the same colored dress and have the mother of the groom wear an adorable chiffon jacket over her shoulders.

It is important for your mothers to look nice, but it is also important that you allow them to be comfortable, happy, and enjoy the day just as much as you do. When shopping for your mother of the bride and mother of the groom dresses, consider asking them for their input as well!

Of course, that is not to say that planning and coordinating are not daunting tasks. For example, choosing just the right color and style of dress for everyone else in the wedding party can become more time-consuming than making a final decision on the bridal gown.

Each member of the bridal party has individual tastes and styles to consider. Even after the hurdle of bridesmaid dresses is cleared, the youngest members of the bridal party still need to be dressed. But there is no need to stress over that detail, because coordinating flower girl dresses can be a breeze with a few handy tips.

Flower Girl Dresses and Wedding Themes

Color, style and theme are essential when it comes to picking the perfect flower girl dresses. Take some time to carefully consider your themes and motifs before heading to the bridal shop or dress store. Will my wedding be formal or casual? Is there a common style I want for all the dresses? Do I want to use a specific color palette for my wedding party dresses? These are all critical questions to answer before final dress selections. Next, decide whether the flower girl dresses should coordinate with the bridal gown, bridesmaid dresses or another flower girl dress.

Coordinating Flower Girl Dresses with the Bridal Gown

By far, the most popular option is for the flower girl dress to mimic the color and style of the bridal gown. Granted, not every bridal gown style lends itself to a miniature copy.  The strapless gown, for example, is generally not an appropriate look for young girls.  Take extra care to keep the flower girl dresses you choose age appropriate.

If you have always dreamed of coordinating the flower girl dress to the bridal gown, you are in luck, the options are boundless. For the bride going strapless with a traditional flowing skirt, a white flower girl dress with spaghetti straps is a good alternative. Choose a satin A-line dress with beadwork and a tulle overlay floating over the split front skirt to ensure that the little one is ready to do her job in style. A small veil can also be a beautiful addition for this look.

Coordinating Flower Girl Dresses with Bridesmaid Dresses

Many brides choose to have the members of the bridal party, including the flower girls, wear coordinating dresses, thus making their grand entrance even more dramatic. However, this does not mean that flower girls and bridesmaids need to wear the exact same dresses.  In fact, the flower girl may even wear the color of the bridal gown in the style of the bridesmaids’ dresses. Again, little girls need tasteful and age-appropriate versions of these dresses.

A simple flower girl style for weddings of any season starts with the A-line skirt made popular by bridesmaid dresses. In a white dress with spaghetti straps and a delicate sweetheart neckline, your flower girl will look adorable and elegant walking down the aisle. To tie in the other colors, you can add a sash or find a dress with apple-hue lace and beadwork bodice.

Coordinating Multiple Flower Girl Dresses

A less common, but still tasteful, option is coordinating multiple flower girl dresses.  Decide first whether they will wear the same shades as the bridesmaids, or if the colors will be pulled right out of the bridal bouquet. Going with the latter can add beautiful colors to your wedding photos.

Satin tea-length ball gowns are a great style for this particular look. Choosing wide spaghetti straps ensure an age appropriate look without sacrificing elegance. For picture perfect results, try mixing and matching colors. For example, choose a clover dress with candy pink sash for one flower girl, and a candy pink dress with clover sash for the other.  Or, try this with varying shades of the colors that make up the wedding’s overall scheme. Either way, coordinating flower girl dresses is a snap.

Whether you are modeling flower girl dresses after the bridal gown, bridesmaid gowns or simply coordinating multiple flower girl dresses, it is important to keep the dresses age appropriate and consider your overall wedding theme.

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Dyeable shoes are typically dyed to match a color of a dress, usually the bridesmaid’s dresses. However there are some other options for coordinating dyeable shoes to the wedding party’s outfits.

Traditional weddings tend to have a bride in a white dress, bridesmaids in colored dresses with matching dyed satin pumps, groom and groomsmen in tuxes with ties or bowties and cummerbunds in the same color as the bridesmaid’s dresses. While this is still quite common, there are some other modern options available to today’s brides.

Other styles of wedding dresses have a colored sash that coordinates with the wedding party colors. This is one option to coordinating dyeable shoes with the wedding party – even the bride can wear dyed shoes to match her sash if she chooses.

Some modern wedding dresses are also not white – many brides are choosing different colors for their wedding gowns and wedding party that are far from the typical “white and black” or “white and teal/purple/blue”. For brides who are having a more modern wedding with a colored wedding dress and contrasting wedding party colors, dyeable shoes can be dyed to match both of the colors or one of the colors for added fashion and coordination with the overall color theme of the wedding.

For example, if the wedding colors are deep crimson red and gold, dyeable shoes could be dyed to match in gold and red, perhaps different for both the bride and bridesmaids. If the bride’s wedding gown is gold, she could wear crimson red shoes while the bridesmaids in crimson dresses could wear coordinated gold dyed shoes.

For the wedding party, shoes are sometimes overlooked. Imagine that you are getting ready for your big day and as you go through the list of things that are done or need to be done, you feel as if there’s something important you’re missing. However, you just can’t quite put your finger on what exactly is missing. Then, you suddenly realize that you do not have shoes for yourself or the bridal party. Dyeable wedding shoes are a good way to overcome this small obstacle. In all the hustle and bustle of getting everything planned and ready, shoes may be the one small detail you overlook.

There are many styles of dyeable wedding shoes to choose from – not just the standard pump anymore. Today, you can find a variety of heels including sandals, slingbacks, pumps, open toed, stilettos and more. Dyeable shoes can also be ready in a short period of time and still look great – no more unevenly dyed plain satin pumps that you had to order weeks in advance. On the Internet, you can find a variety of dyeable shoes that can be shipped to you within a week’s time in many styles and shades.

Coordinating dyeable shoes goes beyond just color – you also have many different styles to choose from as well. Choosing the right style to go with your wedding style and dresses is also a detail you should take care of. Having the right shoes can really make a wedding all the more special. You should be bursting with confidence knowing that you you’ll be wearing beautiful, comfortable, coordinated dyeable shoes, and that you have all of the finer details ironed out.

Dyeable shoes are also available for the groom and groomsmen, although they are not as commonly found. However, you can search the internet and find dyeable men’s footwear as well so that the men in your wedding party can also be coordinated.

Even flower girls and ring bearers can have dyeable shoes to match their flower girl dresses and ring bearer suits or dresses as well as the rest of the wedding party. Everyone in the wedding party, from the ring bearer and flower girl, to the bridesmaids, groomsmen, bride and groom and even the mother of the bride can all be wearing coordinating dyeable shoes at the wedding ceremony.

Planning a Wedding with a Budget in Mind

An itemized wedding budget detailing the specifics – such as the dress, food/drinks, venue, flowers, and band – will ensure you’ve covered all the major aspects of your wedding day.

At the top of your worksheet, spreadsheet, or what have you, list what you’ve decided is a reasonable amount to spend on the wedding. On the left hand side, make each specific and significant element that you must or would like to have a line item. For instance, the ceremony, which encompasses the venue/place or worship, wedding officiant, and any licenses, would be listed here. Decide on a true and honest estimate of what you’re willing to spend planning a wedding on a budget, and then, at a later date, add what you actually spent so that you can keep accurate track of your finances. Other items in the left hand column should consist of things such as the reception (food/drinks, cake, favors, venue, etc.); wedding attire (bride’s clothing and shoes, makeup, hair, groom’s clothing and accessories); rings/jewelry; flowers (for the entire party and at both venues); music/band/DJ; photography; transportation (if applicable); invitations and signage; and anything else that would cause a significant dent in your wedding budget. Remember to include such essential fees as tips for vendors (about 15 to 20%), trial hair and makeup sessions, and dress/tuxedo cleanings and pressings.

As far as planning a wedding on a budget with your parents, his parents, and any other well-wishers (step parents perhaps), show them your finalized wedding budget at an informal, yet constructive meeting. Discuss costs and who can realistically afford what. In days past, it was common – and expected – for the bride’s parents to pay for everything, a modern dowry in a sense. Today’s weddings no longer involve such a considerable sacrifice, though it is still carried out by many traditionalists. At this meeting, you’ll want to discuss how the payments will be made; maybe your parents would like to split something or pay for one segment of the wedding entirely. Will they be giving you one lump sum in a check or visiting vendors with you to pay upfront? Such concerns about planning a wedding on a budget should be dealt with by a frank talk that involves all parties.

Many wedding budget planners suggest opening a separate wedding account at your bank that’s not linked with any of your personal accounts. This simple action will help you more carefully figure out what’s been spent on the wedding and where the funds are going. You should also set aside an additional 5 to 10% of your overall wedding budget should mishaps arise. The likelihood that you will go over your budget is almost a given; the amount to which you do can be controlled, in most instances, by careful wedding planning, and that budget of 5 to 10% extra you’ve stashed away will come in handy. Scaling back from the get-go is a huge help; this includes things like not having a buffet (wasted food), having fewer bridesmaids, and offering just wine and beer at the reception (alcohol is a major expenditure). Still, if these are must-haves, just be cautious of vendors who try to upsell you to some better, improved service that you probably don’t need. Research is a crucial part of planning a wedding on a budget, so make sure you do your fair share before visiting vendors and venues.

Fine-tuning Your Wedding Budget for Success

Far too many couples forget about planning a wedding with a budget in mind and have a bang-up, blow-out bash that ends up putting them in the red. Add that to any other debts, and you’re starting your marriage – which should be thoroughly exciting – with a gray cloud over your heads. A well-planned wedding budget that’s done from the start – with nothing unaccounted for – will ensure that you can mosey off to your honeymoon with nothing else to worry about but enjoying yourselves.