BRONZE BUDGET BRIDE

This post is for a dear bride-to-be (who shall remain nameless) who wants to look her sexiest on her wedding night with a $40 Lingerie limit. I did a little research and the websites I liked best were Amazing Lace because most of the Bridal Lingerie were actually under $25 although there wasn't a very large selection.

Lingerie Gifts and surprisingly Amazon have everything to help a new bride make her honeymoon night fun, sexy and/or romantic. You can choose from bustiers, corsets, honeymoon kits, lingerie for him, plus size sets and fun tees too.

Yandy, Fredrick's of Hollywood, Torrid.com and Electrique Boutique are worth browsing too although there wasn't a lot to choose from in the Bridal Lingerie department, they do carry a vast selection. You may not want your sleepwear in white anyway, you may want something red or black instead. If that is the case, between these websites you can find something for under $40 maybe even $30 that you'll love... and that he'll love too!

If you are on the prowl for wedding shoes and want something elegant with a bit of bling then check out the strappy rhinestone sandals online at DebShops.com. You can usually find a Deb stores offline in a mall near you and this store locator will help you to find one in your area so you can go in and try them on before you buy.

Wedding planning is so stressful and if a bride cannot afford hire a wedding planner, the bride is planning her own wedding.  Usually, the bride is very anxious before the big wedding day and she has hundreds of wedding details that need to be completed before hand, such as taking care of family members  or checking the wedding flowers and the tasks are endless!  However, a bride needs to take time for herself by creating some stress free days, so she does not burn herself out before her own wedding.

The bride needs to devote at least two nights a week for a relaxing and stress free evenings and we have come up with some stress free and relaxing activities that the bride will truly enjoy! 

Schedule a Message and Spa Appointment-Nothing says relaxation like a weekly massage to help relax the bride’s entire body.  If a bride cannot afford a message, Homedics has a five-motor full body mat massager with heat for around $50.00 dollars.  Another option is a spa appointment.  Many spa and salons offer a day of luxury by providing therapeutic full body massage, spa pedicure, spa facial, eyebrow arch, haircut and also includes a light lunch.   If a bride cannot afford a spa appointment, many websites offer inexpensive bath salts, face scrubs, and body lotions to create the spa experience at home.  Wonderful and relaxing scents are lavender, sandalwood, and jasmine!

Relax with Yoga-Bride get in tune with your mind, body, and spirit by relaxing with Yoga.  This is a great stress reliever and provides an inner calm and relaxation before the wedding day.  A Bride can also sign up for classes at yoga studios, wellness centers, or purchase yoga home DVD’s on Amazon.

Breathing Techniques-There are many websites on the internet that offer breathing techniques to help a bride learn how to do deep breathing to relax.  There are many free articles on Web MD or You Tube has a variety of breathing exercises. 

Drink Herbal Tea-Find herbal tea at your local store or Better Health Store.  Wonderful and relaxing teas are chamomile which helps calming and peppermint is good for rejuvenating.

Try Acupressure-Acupressure is applied through clothing and this technique requires no needles.  A practitioner uses the thumbs, hands, and elbows, knees and applies firm pressure on pressure points in the body.  Many massage therapists, wellness centers offer acupressure, and there are many wonderful books on acupressure on Amazon. 

Exercise by Walking-Help relieve tension by working out!  Working out helps a bride stay healthy, but provides stress-relief.  Walking is free and a bride can either go walk outside, walk in the mall, or take a walk in a park.

Get Crafty-Some women truly enjoy relaxing by creating a craft and there are many craft projects that a bride can purchase at Michaels or Joann Fabrics.   Good craft ideas would be knitting, crocheting, jewelry making, scrap-booking, or painting. Whatever a bride chooses make sure it is fun and nothing too complicated.

For more wedding tips, wedding advice, or wedding planning visit www.theweddingdiaryonline.com or for wedding candles visit www.wicksncandlesticks.com.

I love it when I can bring you Red Carpet looks for less and in this case I'm featuring some sparkly, sequined high heels similar to the ones seen above on movie star, Renee Zellweger! Those the star are wearing looks to be from the designer Christian Louboutin and they cost as much as $595. They peep-toe version you can find here at SaksFifthAvenue.com for $725.

I just had to share this video with all of you because it teaches small budget brides just how easy it is to make a wedding veil. It can cost anywhere from $50 to $300 to purchase a veil at a bridal boutique but as you see in the video all you need is a few yards of tulle, a 4 1/2" bridal comb and matching thread. You can find tulle at Walmart in the fabric section, or at a Hancock Fabric for about $1.39 per yard.

If you are feeling ambitious, you can sew a lace or satin ribbon trim along the border of your viel and it will look like you spent at least $150 bucks for it.

Worried about choosing a strapless wedding dress because you just can't seem to find a strapless bra to support you? Well, a bride-to-be I've come to know very well, who is blessed with a pair of 38DD's, was excited to share her secret to wearing strapless gowns without worrying about 'spillage.' She admitted that she uses a "...body bra/corset, one that wraps all the way down to my lower back so that my WHOLE back is working to support the girls."

Want to make sure you look your best in that perfect dress? Go here to Spanx.com read about what control garment you should wear with each style of wedding dress, that will help you to look your best.