I love how these Colleen Quen gowns use a blend of classic silhouettes with details that grab your attention without upstaging the bride.

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I wasn’t so lucky in this department around my wedding.  About a month before, I caught yet another horrible cold that resulted in bronchitis and laryngitis–and it reached its peak on my bachelorette party weekend!  Needless to say, the old trick of downing whiskey for a sore throat has never been so welcome.  I powered through the weekend, and now, my illness is just a vague memory compared to the fun I had.  I’m just thankful that I wasn’t plagued with on my actual wedding day.

Sadly, with the stress and craziness leading up to the day of your wedding, it has to be a reality for some brides.  What would you do if you were sick on your wedding day? Is there anyone out there that powered through illness on the day of your wedding?

I hope for the sake of all sick brides out there that you are able to get past the illness and remember only the joy, happiness and celebration of the wedding day.  If you want to avoid getting sick before your wedding, The Knot offers these tips for staying healthy before the wedding.  And, the blog at MyWeddingFavors.com has some tips for sick brides to keep you looking your best!

Remember, try to relax, eat well and take your vitamins!  With the right effort, you can stay healthy for your big day.

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I opted not to do this or have the bouquet toss out of consideration for my single friends. There are definitely pros and cons to sticking with this long-time tradition. If you decide to do it, however, make sure to sit at an angle where you won’t be flashing your guests. And another tip? Either take the garter off yourself or ease it down a bit so its not so high on your leg. And if you have sensitive and conservative guests, I’d say avoid having your groom taking the garter off with his teeth.

Sources: Wikipedia

Blue bow garter from Victoria’s Secret.

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Pros:

1) Your friends, family and you and your significant other will be able to share an experience of a lifetime!

2) You might save money by having a shorter guest list and less people who will actually come.

3) You will already be at your honeymoon site! No need for paying the extra costs of travel. You’re already there!

Cons:

1) Having a destination wedding may upset some of your friends and family because they might be unable to go, or if they can afford to, will still have to spend extra money on plane fare and hotel.

2) You won’t have as much control over planning and won’t be able to meet often with vendors prior to your wedding day.

3) You’ll have to pack and bring all of your wedding things like your gown and his tux so make sure you find out about your airline’s baggage requirements before you leave and about the marriage requirements before you get there.

Send out wedding invitations with a destination wedding theme like this Palm Trees Wedding Invitation.

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One thing that I’m glad I did was pack one light jacket and one heavy jacket and an umbrella. Though we checked the weather a few days before we left, even the weather report couldn’t predict the sudden cold shift that affected a lot of Europe. While we were expecting sunny skies with 60-70 degrees weather, we got rain and temperatures up to 51 degrees. Without my one warm sweater and an umbrella, I would have been so cold. 

Another thing that I would advise is to put together a little toiletry see through kit and keep it in one place. I had my toothbrush in one bag and my soap in another and it drove me crazy! Keep everything together and remember to pack things like toilet paper and seat covers just in case.  

And if you get motion sickness and are crazy enough to ride boats, plane and trains like me, either pack motion sickness medicine or one of those special wristbands. Try sea band or the psi band which prevents sickness and nausea by pushing down on an acupressure point on your wrists.

I had a memorable trip and I’m sure you will too! Just remember it’s easy to get lost in the romance of your honeymoon but coming prepared will make everything all the more better. 

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These jewel toned accessories are sure to captivate you, your bridesmaids and guests with modern style and charm. Hobo International Dawn clutch wallet in amethyst and Bettye Midler Muller Oxford in raisin and teal, both from Piperlime make a striking statement.

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Up-dos: Eva Mendes’ messy up-do adds effortless, carefree style and romance to your wedding day (About.com). Kelly Ripa’s do is flawlessly styled and perfect for a formal evening (InStyle). Anne Hathaway’s braided updo is a style trend that will transform your locks into hair heaven (InStyle).

Lovely Locks: Let your hair down with these beautiful hair trends! Selma Blair’s sleek style is great for gals with short hair (People). Blake Lively’s long, wavy hair with intertwining braids looks beautiful and is perfect for a beach wedding (InStyle). Romance is alive in Fergie’s loose and gorgeous curls (People).

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2. If you have trouble sleeping in new places, check out the new alarm clock everyone’s talking about. Brookstone’s Travel Tranquil Moments alarm clock is a clock, sound machine and voice memo recorder all in a compact style so that you can take with you where ever you go.

3. Tired of all those distorted, squished photos of the two of you? Bring along the Gorillapod so you won’t have to worry about who’s going to take your picture. Just attached your camera to this funny looking but useful tripod. (L.L. Bean, $22)

4. Planning on bringing home a ton of gifts for friends and family? These chic, reusable shopping bags fold up into a tiny little pouch that’s great for packing them up and taking them out to fill with all those great gifts!

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Camilla canisters from Pottery Barn are showing up in Halloween fashion but they also make your candy bar modern and sweet.  Pottery Barn Black Candelabra and stylish Flip Video Camera meld fun and function to make this black and white event complete.

This Two-Tone dress from White House Black Market and this handsome MW tux from Brides will keep your wedding in style.  And I love this black tie bouquet from Martha Stewart!

Invite them to this contemporary gathering with Dotted Floral Wedding Invitations. This Black and white round cake (photo from Brides) is a work of art, almost too pretty to eat!

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