The Dress Shot (Again)!

We wrote a post quite a while ago about one of our favorite photos from the wedding day- the dress shot. We thought we'd write another similar post just to show you how great that photo can be! Enjoy!

Whether it's a close-up shot of the details of your dress, or further back to capture everything including your accessories, it's a shot we love to see. What do you think of this popular photo? Leave a comment and let us know! 

Meet Our Bride: Ethel

Madeleine's Daughter was the one and only store I went to in search of  "the dress." From the moment I stepped into the dressing room, I knew I was in good hands. My bridal stylist made sure to put me in many different styles and shapes of dresses so that I could pinpoint which style I liked best. I tried on eight dresses and when I was put into that last dress, I just knew in my heart that it was the dress for me.  After the tears, hugs and dances of joy, I still did not want to take the dress off. Luckily my fittings would give me more time to enjoy being in the dress before the wedding. Each fitting was more informational than the last so I never felt like I was wasting time. My dress fit all of my nooks and crannies perfectly on my wedding day. The hour travel time back and forth from Boston to Portsmouth was so worth it and I would recommend Madeleine's Daughter to anyone and everyone. I loved my entire wedding gown experience at Madeleine's Daughter!

What's YOUR dress- finding story? Did you find your gown at Madeleine's Daughter? Email us today with your story and photos and you just might see yourself here on our blog!

Beat the Heat at Your Summer Wedding

While summer is hands down the most popular time to get married, it can present some unique challenges. Every bride hopes for great weather on her wedding day, but sometimes a sunny day can be challenging in its own way. Here are some tips and a little advice for handling the tricky parts of a summer wedding, particularly where your dress is concerned!

For starters, be very aware of the neckline of your dress and be sure that when you're out in the sun in the weeks and months before the wedding, you not only wear plenty of sunscreen, but you also make sure to avoid tan lines that will be in conflict with your dress. Wearing a strapless gown? You might want to consider a strapless bikini this year. The same is true for your bridesmaids- if they're in strapless, gently remind them that they might want to be careful of tan lines. Trust us, your photographer doesn't want to spend hours re-touching tan lines out of your photos just as much as you don't want the added expense of having them do that!

Worst-case scenario, tan lines can be blended with self-tanners, but who wants an EXTRA task added to their wedding-day to-do list? It's best to avoid tan lines altogether. Don't forget about your sunglasses, either, although this will be more apparent on the groom, since he's not likely to have wedding-day make-up like the bride and bridesmaids!

Speaking of sunglasses, if your wedding day is particularly sunny, consider snapping a few photos with a fabulous pair of sunnies to add a little whimsy to your shots! It can look adorable on just the bride and groom or on the entire party!

Another potential summer-wedding issue to consider is the heat and humidity. Whether a local wedding here in New England or a destination at a tropical venue, you, your guests and your bridal party all run the risk of just being hot and sweaty that day. There are lots of ways to beat the heat in terms of logisics:

- Have a late afternoon/early evening wedding, close to sunset to avoid the hottest part of the day.
- Consider providing parasols and fans for your guests to keep cool throughout the event.
- Hydrate and make sure you have plenty of water and non-alcoholic options for your guests as well.
- If your venue doesn't have a nicely shaded area, consider renting a tent to provide shade, or talk to your venue about moving the reception indoors if possible.

But what about your dress? How do you make sure you and your bridal party won't be too hot in your formal attire?

When shopping for your dress and your bridesmaids, too, keep the time of year and the heat in mind. You may want to consider a simple lace or chiffon sheath as opposed to a satin ballgown. Many brides think, "I'll just remove a few layers of fabric from the dress and it will be cooler." That's often not enough to make a real difference, though. It's also best to wear a more breathable fabric like silk as opposed to polyester if you're trying to stay cool.

Keep baby powder on hand to help keep your skin dry and smelling fresh. It doesn't hurt to have a little extra deodorant nearby as well.

Make a smart shoe choice when shoe shopping. Your feet will swell more than usual on a hot, summer day which can turn your beautiful, brand new Jimmy Choos into a torture device. If you are insistent upon a pair of killer heels, just remember to take breaks throughout the day and sit for a little while to give your feet a rest. You may also consider changing your shoes to a pair of platform flip-flops if you just can't last another minute in your heels. In your floor-length gown, it's unlikely anyone will even see that you've changed!

Finally, if it's just the most sweltering day and you're miserable, just change! Have an LWD (Little White Dress) on hand to change into for the reception. Dance the night away in a simple white sundress instead. After all, you really ought to enjoy your own wedding. Having a Plan B in place should the heat become overwhelming is the smartest move you can make. And if you don't end up changing into the LWD, you can still pack it in your honeymoon suitcase and wear it then!

We hope these few tips will help you have a comfortable, happy wedding even in the hottest days of summer. Was it hot on your wedding day? How did you cope? Leave a comment and tell us all about it!

Meet Our Bride: Eliza

Madeleine's Daughter helped me develop the vision for our wedding and bring it to life. As a bride not knowing what I wanted my wedding to be, they made me feel beautiful and helped me work my personal style into the design and image of our wedding. Their attention to detail and truly caring relationships they built with me as a customer exceeded any other salon I visited during my search for the perfect dress. They listened to what I wanted and helped guide me towards my dream gown. Thanks to Madeleine's Daughter, I not only felt as beautiful as every bride should on her day, but more importantly, I felt like me.

 

 

All photos courtesy of Jane Berger Photography

 

Are you a Madeleine's Daughter bride who would like to share her experience here on our blog? Then email us today with your photos and testimonial- we'd love to hear from you!

 

Make It Grand

Hopefully, getting married is a once-in-a-lifetime event for most people. While this aspect can sometimes create added stress for the couple as they try to make the day "perfect," it can also be a very exciting opportunity. And in our opinion, why not take that opportunity to go big. Make a grand statement with a ballgown. Like these brides did:

\

Photo courtesy of Rebekah Kay Photography

 

Photo courtesy of Patrick McNamara Photography

 

 

Photo courtesy of Alicia Schneider Photography

 

 Photo courtesy of Ivins Images

Was your gown grand? Whether lace, tulle or satin, a ballgown makes a huge statement and we love it! Leave a comment and tell us YOUR thoughts! Or better yet, send us a photo of your wedding day look and tell us how you chose it. You might just end up here on the blog!