Table of contents for April/May 2016 in Brides

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PRETTY, SWEET “This cake couldn’t be more perfect for a spring bridal shower. And it’s a great multitasker: It’s both a centerpiece and the last course!” —MICHELA HATTABAUGH, WEDDING STYLE ASSISTANT PICK A RING “Most guys don’t know where to start when it comes to buying the rock. Diamondhedge.com takes the mystery out of the process. Choose a price, color, cut, clarity, and shape, and compare loose stones from national retailers like Blue Nile. Easy!” —SOPHIE MOORE, FASHION ASSISTANT IT-GIRL GOWNS “Buzzy fashion label Self-Portrait’s new bridal looks are as pretty as they are cool, ideal for a destination wedding. They’re the bridal version of throw-on-and-go.” —SHANE CLARK, SENIOR FASHION & ACCESSORIES EDITOR PRÊT-À-PRINTER “Whimsical calligrapher Stephanie Fishwick has a new collection of ready-made stationery. Pick a design, customize the…

NOT-SO-HIDDEN GEM It’s your wedding day, and you shouldn’t wear anything you don’t feel comfortable in. Just say that it’s very kind of her, but you’ve already chosen your jewelry, says Shane Clark, Brides senior fashion and accessories editor. If you hear from your fiancé that she took it poorly, consider wearing the piece for another event, like the rehearsal dinner—because it never hurts to keep the in-laws happy. PARTY CRASHER I found out my bridesmaids are planning a surprise shower. What if they include people who aren’t invited to the wedding? Chances are, they have a good idea of who is on your guest list, says Diane Gottsman, etiquette expert and founder of the Protocol School of Texas. While you can’t be held responsible for a party you didn’t…

Statement Lace Can you be covered up and sexy? You can if you wear white lace the new way, over nothing but skin. Artful Backs Whether with a twist, a deep V, or its own bouquet, a statement back is one of the first things they’ll see and the last thing they’ll be talking about.…

Robin Black @beautyisboring_ Looking for arty, unexpected ideas? Check out this photographer and makeup artist, who creates crazy-gorgeous looks on up-andcoming models. Nick Barose @dilokritbarose Barose’s feed is a mix of the best makeup looks from the latest red-carpet events and LOL-inducing riffs on our celeb-obsessed beauty culture. Hung Vanngo @hungvanngo The makeup artist to Karlie Kloss, Kate Bosworth, and Victoria’s Secret models galore is tops at creating luminous skin and warm, smoky eyes—beautiful and very wedding ready.…

SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER Oribe Signature Shampoo, $38, and Conditioner, $39 This duo leaves all hair types silky and well behaved. “I didn’t need any extra products to prevent frizz,” says one unruly-haired fan. DEEP CONDITIONER Kérastase Nutritive Masquintense Thick, $63 Last year’s winner smoothed away the competition yet again. “This cream makes your hair soft and manageable without adding buildup,” says our tester. “It’s the best ever!” DEFRIZZER Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Anti-Frizz Serum, $5.99 We applied this silicone serum on a steamy day, blew out our frizz-prone hair, went outside, and held our breath. Nary a wayward hair in sight. Sold. VOLUMIZER John Frieda Luxurious Volume Fine to Full Blow-Out Spray, $9.99 Applied pre-blowdry, it delivers allover body minus the stiff helmet-head effect. Our finerhaired staffers are obsessed.…

STEP 1 FIND YOUR STYLE Every wedding photographer has her own aesthetic, but most fall within one of the categories shown above. Know which you like before you start the search. Classic (a.k.a. traditional) This includes composed portraits of friends and family, plus styled details (wedding rings stacked together) and posed moments (cake cutting and bouquet toss). Photojournalistic The photographer captures the day exactly as it occurs—your MOH laughing as she struggles with your bustle; you and hubs beaming after your first married kiss. Artistic Dramatic lighting, blurred movements, and unexpected angles are typical here. Images look as much like gallery pieces as wedding photos— and will be fab hanging above your sofa. 20,000 Number of listings on Brides.com for wedding photographers. STEP 2 PICK YOUR PRO Once you know…

1 She was the first transgender host of a popculture news show, MSNBC’s So Popular!, interviewing celebs Lena Dunham, Salma Hayek, and Queen Latifah. 2 She’s producing an HBO documentary about trans Americans that features big names, like Caitlyn Jenner and Laverne Cox. “It’s a meditation on what we’re all striving for: wholeness, recognition, and acceptance,” Janet says. 3 Gloria Steinem and the Ms. Foundation honored her with the emerging-leader award in 2015, calling her “an incredible advocate and activist” who “inspires real societal change.” 4 Her memoir (above) was a New York Times best seller. The follow-up, Firsts, about life in her 20s, will be released in 2017. “It’s a reflection on a time when I was learning so much and a love letter to my younger self,” she…

TIERS Kicky layers of tulle ensure everyone will indeed watch you Nae Nae. Silk and lace gown, $3,795, Leanne Marshall; leannemarshall.com. Hair crown, Twigs & Honey; twigsandhoney.com. Necklace, Ilana Ariel; ilanaarielcollections.com. LONG SLEEVES Sheer details bring the sexy to these full-coverage looks. From left: Dress with beaded chevron stripes, price upon request, Naeem Khan; Bergdorf Goodman, 212-753-7300. Ring, David Yurman; davidyurman.com. Clutch, Jimmy Choo; jimmychoo.com. Sneakers, Converse; converse.com. Silk-crepe and lace dress, $4,995, Lela Rose; lelarose.com. Ring, Forevermark by Jade Trau; forevermark.com. Sneakers, Converse; converse.com. DEEP V The new take on the classic ball gown has balletic details like spaghetti straps, lace bodices, and necklines that go down to here. Tulle and silk-chiffon gown, $3,200, Christos; christosbridal.com. Earrings, Yael Sonia; yaelsonia.com. Ring, Jade Trau for Forevermark; forevermark.com. Bracelet, Eddie Borgo;…

makeup Cover FX Illuminating Primer, $38 Revlon PhotoReady BB Cream Skin Perfector, $11 Clé de Peau Correctour Visage Concealer, $70 Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation, $62 Bobbi Brown Brushes, $28–$56 Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess Powder Bronzer, $37 Nars Blush, $30 Bare Minerals Mineral Veil, $21 Chanel Crayon Sourcils Sculpting Eyebrow Pencil, $29 Eylure Pro-Lash Individuals, $6.99 Too Faced Candlelight Glow Duo, $30 Benefit Roller Lash Mascara, $24 L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Superstar Mascara Waterproof, $11 Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil, $20 Chanel Rouge Allure Intense Long-Wear Lip Colour, $36 Maybelline New York Color Elixir, $8.99 Charlotte Tilbury Feline Flick, $30 Mary Kay Mineral Eye Color, $8 Sephora Collection Show Curl Lash Curler, $17 body, etc. Dove Deep Moisture Nourishing Body Wash, $5 Dermalogica Exfoliating Body Scrub, $36 Dermablend Leg &…

OFFICIAL SWEEPSTAKES RULES NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN THIS PROMOTION. A purchase will not improve chances of winning. CONSUMER DISCLOSURE You have not yet won. OPEN ONLY TO LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE 50 UNITED STATES AND DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA WHO ARE AT LEAST 18 YEARS OLD AS OF THE DATE OF ENTRY. By entering this Promotion, entrants accept and agree to be bound by these Official Rules. Any violation of these rules may, at Sponsor’s discretion, result in disqualification. All decisions of the judges regarding this Promotion are final and binding in all respects. 1. PROMOTION PERIOD. Promotion begins March 1, 2016, at 12:00 noon ET and ends May 2, 2016, at 12:00 noon ET, when all entries must be received (“Promotion…

Welcome to our annual Dress Issue! Stuffed with gorgeous gowns, this mag is dedicated to helping you find the One. Not the guy— the dress that makes you feel for the first time like a real bride. The gown you want to twirl in, that your mom and BFF ooh and aah over, that makes you think, I really can’t wear this again? Flip, dream, and get inspired, because your perfect big-day look may be in the next 300+ pages. One woman who looked absolutely stunning on her wedding day, and who shares her photos exclusively in this issue, is Janet Mock, the trailblazing transgender activist, author, and television personality. She wore a custom gown by one of my favorite bridal designers, Amsale Aberra. “It was so much fun working…

12 months before • Write up the guest list. • Figure out who’s paying for what. • Set the wedding budget. • Hire a planner if you’ll be using one. • Book the ceremony site and reception venue. 10 months before • Choose your officiant. • Go dress shopping. • Set up in-person meetings with potential vendors. • Select the bridal party. • Hire the stationer if you’re going custom. 8 months before • Hire the caterer, florist, band/DJ, ceremony musicians, and photographer and reserve rentals. • Order your wedding dress if it’s custom. • Set up your wedding Web site. • Block hotel rooms for out-of-town guests. • Register. 6 months before • Order bridesmaids’ dresses. • Book the honeymoon. • Shop for wedding bands. • Order invitations. •…

You don’t have to get married below the Mason-Dixon to pull off a wedding with ladylike southern flair. Just start with a clean, classic palette, then add preppychic details and a few nods to the racetrack. Choose blooms like magnolias, camellias, and dogwood and your wedding will have the look and fee (and scent!) of a true southern soiree. FOR MORE INSPIRED IDEAS FOR YOUR WEDDING, GO TO BRIDES.COM/PLANNING.…

SWEET Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium, $90 for 1.6 ounces Notes of coffee and vanilla add sweetness; patchouli and cedarwood keep it grown-up. “It’s sexy enough for a bachelorette party but soft enough for a shower,” says one tester. FLORAL Bottega Veneta Knot Eau Florale, $125 for 1.7 ounces Imagine a bouquet of roses and peonies dotted with lavender and mandarin that smells whisper light. “This has ‘big day’ written all over it,” says one fan. BEACHY Maison Martin Margiela Replica Beach Walk, $125 for 3.4 ounces Proving not all sea-inspired scents have to smell like a piña colada, “this concoction of ylang ylang, coconut milk, and musk creates an airy evocation of a day spent in the sun, sea, and sand,” says our tester, an English major. FRESH My…

Sarah Potempa @sarahpotempa For pretty updos, celeb sightings, and the coolest braided looks we’ve ever seen, following her is a must. Harry Josh @harryjoshhair Planning a down ’do? Gisele’s longtime hair guy is the master of loose, sexy waves. Kristin Ess @kristin_ess The stylist behind Lauren Conrad’s covetable cuts and color provides endless shots of wedding-worthy hair looks. “ TRESEMMÉ’S SEA-SALT SPRAY GAVE ME KILLER GIGI HADID WAVES,” RAVES ONE VERY HAPPY TESTER.…

LET’S GET THIS PARTY STARTED! “A memorable cake can pull all the aesthetics of a wedding into a unifying focal point,” says Penny Stankiewicz of Brooklyn’s Sugar Couture Cakes. “It’s not only a cake—it’s decor.”…

When your romance spans three continents, a destination wedding is pretty much a given. Priscilla Angriawan, 26, and Andree Wijaya, 34, grew up in Indonesia, dated long-distance when she was in college in Boston, and settled down together in Jakarta. So when they got engaged— while on vacation in Budapest—they knew they’d travel for their wedding too. “We looked all over the world—Africa, Napa, France—but chose Bali since it’s a place we know and love,” says Priscilla. They decided on a garden-inspired bash, on October 18, 2014, at Alila Villas Uluwatu, a cliffside resort on the southern coast with stunning views of the Indian Ocean. Following a traditional Chinese ceremony, for which she donned a red silk gown and an ornate headpiece, Priscilla slipped into her custom-made Adrian Gan French-lace…

HAND-PAINTED BUTTERFLY $80 for eight blank cards, Bernard Maisner Calligraphy and Fine Stationery; bernardmaisner.com. LASER-CUT SCRIPT Acrylic, from $1,200 for 100, Amber Moon Design; ambermoon-design.com. Calligraphy, Anne Robin Calligraphy; annerobin.com. FAUX ANTLER $22 for six, Favors and Flowers; favorsand flowers.com. Calligraphy, Ellen Weldon Design, LLC; weldondesign.com. SPRING LEAVES Digitally printed on vellum, $1,550 for 100, Regas; regasstudio.com. BOXWOOD WREATH Starting at $15 each, EAB Designs; etsy.com. GLASS VASE $22 for eight, Save on Crafts; save-oncrafts.com. Calligraphy, Calligraphy by Mary Anne; calligraphybymaryanne.com. CITRUS BRANCH $94 for 100 blank cards, Lana Frankel for Wedding Paper Divas; weddingpaperdivas.com. Calligraphy, Calligraphy by Mary Anne; calligraphybymaryanne.com. MINI PIG CHALKBOARD $25 for four, Birch Lane; birchlane.com. Calligraphy, Calligraphy by Mary Anne; calligraphybymaryanne.com. GOLD SILVERWARE $40 for 12 blank cards, Mrs. John L. Strong; mrsstrong.com.…

66% SAY THEIR WEDDING DRESS IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE PIECE OF CLOTHING THEY’VE EVER PURCHASED. HOW MANY STORES DID YOU HIT? 41% Just one! 36% Two to three 23% Four or more WHAT WAS SOMETHING YOU DIDN’T EXPECT WHILE DRESS SHOPPING? “The cost of alterations.” “How fun it was to go try on gowns by myself.” “The style I thought I wanted didn’t look good on me.” “The dresses are really heavy!” 29% BROUGHT VENUE PHOTOS OR DECOR IDEAS WITH THEM WHEN THEY WERE SHOPPING. 58% WERE SURPRISED BY WHAT STYLES THEY LIKED. WHAT STYLE DID YOU SETTLE ON? 55% Classic 16% Modern 15% Glam 9% Boho 5% Edgy HOW MANY FITTINGS DID YOU HAVE? 47% Just one! 25% Two 28% Three or more 32% HAD SECOND THOUGHTS ABOUT THE…

As a kid, I spent afternoons in my grandmother’s Ohio bridal salon, tiptoeing through the fitting area and sneaking glimpses of gushing brides-to-be. They’d twirl in the mirror and sigh, and you just knew it was the first moment they really felt like a bride. Once the shop closed, I’d put on a long veil and march up the showroom staircase, stopping at the top to meet my groom (who, for most of fifth grade, was Bill Murray from Ghostbusters). After college, I parlayed my love affair with weddings into a career as a planner, working for one of the area’s most chichi country clubs. It was a high-pressure job with bad hours, but the perks included my favorite things: gorgeous flowers, beautiful dresses, lots of glamour, and endless slices…

DAY CREAM Olay Regenerist UV Defense Regenerating Lotion SPF 50, $25 Think SPF 50 will make you look ghostly? Think again. We can’t believe how barely there it feels. NIGHT CREAM NIA 24 Skin Strengthening Complex, $93 Niacin fades dark spots, green tea and rosemary restore, and a peptide complex reduces wrinkles. “I like cold, hard science in my skin care, and this is it,” one enthusiast reports. “I saw a difference in two weeks.” REDNESS REDUCER La Roche-Posay Rosaliac AR Intense, $40 Our rosacea-afflicted staffers love how it soothes flushed cheeks. “It’s hydrating and cool to the touch, and it doesn’t interfere with foundation,” raves one. ACNE FIGHTER Clinique Acne Solutions Clinical Clearing Gel, $26 Most spot treatments get rid of pimples, only to leave you with dry, flaky…

nails For that essential big-day manicure (and all the others along the way), our favorite lines are OPI Nail Lacquer, Essie Nail Polish, and Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure. In our tests, all three scored tops for durability (a solid week without chips!), shine, and color options. Three shades we love right now: OPI’s Put It In Neutral, $10; Essie’s Between the Seats, $8.50; and Sally Hansen’s In Full Blue-M, $7.99. Paintbox @paintboxnails All the best ideas for nail art that’s cool but not high school–y come from this chic NYC salon. Madeline Pool @mpnails The looks served up by this globe-trotting manicurist are fun, quirky, and totally on trend. Jin Soon Choi @jinsoonchoi The minimogul and fashion-week pro gives an insider peek at looks that veer from daring to…

BODY WASH Dove Deep Moisture Nourishing Body Wash, $5 Rich and almost like lotion, this favorite among beauty editors renders skin crazy soft. And “the scent is heaven. It left me smelling clean, not perfumed,” says our tester. BODY SCRUB Dermalogica Exfoliating Body Scrub, $36 One editor’s scaliest patches were no match for this creamy exfoliator. “I felt as if I uncovered a new layer of skin every time I used it,” says this tester, who also went nuts for the zingy citrus-lavender scent. BODY LOTION Jergens Hydrating Coconut Lotion, $3.24 There’s coconut oil in the formula for extra softening power—but no greasiness. “It made my skin so silky, and the light, tropical scent reminded me of our honeymoon,” says one editor. SELF-TANNER James Read Sleep Mask Tan Body, $60…

WENDT’S SHORT LIST “ YOU WANT AS MANY PEOPLE TO HAVE FLOWERS IN FRONT OF THEM AS POSSIBLE.” ARM YOUR PRO WITH INSPIRATION. As a designer, I want to crawl inside a bride’s head. Bring tear sheets, fabric swatches, and images you love to your first meeting. Even if they have nothing to do with weddings, they’ll help us see your vision. YOU SHOULD LIKE THE FLORIST, NOT JUST THE FLOWERS. A bride should have confidence in her designer’s style, and he should understand the journey she’s on. It comes down to trust. SPOIL YOUR GUESTS. At the reception, you want as many people to have flowers in front of them as possible. They have given up their weekend; think of the arrangements as a thank-you. GO WILD. There’s a…

ODYLYNE THE CEREMONY Silk-crepe-de-chine dress with blue tie-dye detail, $2,650, Odylyne the Ceremony; odylynetheceremony.com. Hat, Eugenia Kim; eugeniakim.com. Earrings and ring on left index finger, Jennifer Dawes Design for Csarite; dawes-design.com. Engagement ring, Swarovski; swarovski.com. Custom bracelets, Open Hearts by Jane Seymour; kay.com. Ring on right index finger, Vic Velyan’s for Csarite; victorvelyan.com. NAEEM KHAN Embroidered organza caftan with jeweled cuff and hem, price upon request, Naeem Khan; Saks Fifth Avenue, 212-940-2269. Earrings, Swarovski; swarovski.com. Bag, stylist’s own. Ring, Sethi Couture; sethicouture.com. Shoes, Aquazzura; farfetch.com. ROSA CLARÁ Silk-muslin dress, from $4,000, Rosa Clará; rosaclarabridal.com. Bracelets, Bavna and Le Vian; bavna.com, levian.com. JONATHAN SIMKHAI Lace dress, $2,495, Jonathan Simkhai; saks.com. Earrings, Banana Republic; bananarepublic.com. Ring, Swarovski; swarovski.com. VERA WANG BRIDE Silk-chiffon dress with hand-embroidered passementerie, price upon request, Vera Wang Bride;…