Attire & Accessories
I am going to share all the different attire and accessories as we plan things out on here. This is going to give you all an idea of what everyone is wearing!
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Ring Bearers
We have two ring bearers as we didn't want to have to pick between our two youngest nephews. The prices of childrens tuxes were outrageous, so we just told their parents to get a black suit, white shirt and either a black tie or bow tie, whatever works out to be easier for them. Our ring bearers will be carrying the Bridal & Grooms edition bibles that Jano bought me for Christmas (and himself the matching one) with the rings tied to them, and handing them over at the front, at which point they will be sat with the marriage license to be signed as well. We're not making them wear boutonnieres or anything because they are going to be kids and want to play anyway!
Groomsmen & Best Man
Jano found a picture that he loved of the groom with his groomsman and knew that was what he wanted to do. The groomsmen and Best Man will all be wearing black tuxes, black shirts, black vests and red ties. They have white rose boutonnieres. I know he even said he wants a picture just like this one because he thinks they look 'tough' like they are going to 'take names and ask questions later' haha, gotta love men! They are wearing pink in the picture for ties, but picture them in bright red.
Groom
Jano decided all the tuxes/outfits for the men's side of the wedding - I told him it was his responsibility. For his tux he decided that he would wear the traditional black tux, black vest, black tie and white shirt. He has a red rose boutonniere to match my bouquet and stand out a bit from the Groomsmen. I bought him cufflinks for Christmas from a seller on Etsy (visit the Vendors page for more info). They are map cufflinks, one of which showing where we got engaged and one showing where we are going to get married. He also has a small bronze locket that will be pinned inside his jacket that will contain pictures of his father, who passed away approximately 4 years before our wedding date. His wedding band is his father's wedding band.
Flower Girls
My sister is making the dresses for our girls. We have a lot of flower girls, but we just couldn't pick between our nieces and decided it would be cute anyway! The two oldest flower girls will share one basket between them, both holding it, and in their other hand they will carry a flower pomander of white roses to match the bridesmaids. This will let them feel a little more 'grown up' then the young ones. The youngest three flower girls will all be three years old at the wedding. They each have their own basket full of flower petals to throw as they walk down the aisle. I made headbands for the flower girls. If they wear them, great, if they refuse (they are young) then no worries! Their dresses will be red to match the bridemaids with a black sash and black bows on the shoulders, like the inspiration picture below. Besides that, I just said to wear black shoes of any type.
Bridesmaids
My sister is also making the dresses for the bridesmaids (and is a bridesmaid herself). The dresses are red with a black sash and second skirt. I made a few different hair accessories that they can use if they choose, or not if they wish to do something else. I told them to do what they like with their hair and jewellery and just to wear black shoes of whatever style they choose. They have white rose bouquets, each with their own individual charms on it showing their name and one of their favourite hobbies, unique to each girl.
Man of Honour
Kevin will be wearing the same tux that the Groomsmen are but in a different colour scheme. It will be the same black tux with a red shirt, red vest and red tie so that he looks more like the ladies on my side of the wedding party. He has a white boutonniere like they do, however his has been blinged up to match the bouquets that the ladies are carrying.
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Bride - Ceremony
I love what I am doing for my attire, as I have had the luxury of including some new things that I love with some really sentimental things! I will be wearing my mother's dress for the ceremony, but my sister is doing a lot of alterations on it... These are the pictures of the dress with no changes done when I tried it on at my first fitting.
The dress will be given a sweetheart neckline. She is also making it backless with simple straps off to the side like the picture below left. It will have a black sash around the waist and falling down the back similar to the one below right. Lastly it will have black crinoline added to it which will make my shoes really pop.
I found red shoes with a rosette on the toe online at Endless.com which I absolutely love. They don't ship to Canada on a lot of their items, which is a HUGE bummer, but I had a friend in the US I could have things shipped to so it all worked out. I also found jewellery at LightInTheBox.com that is so perfect, and a great price! Both of these site can be found on the Vendor page for more information. I have a red rose bouquet, made with 3 different colours of silk roses and white crystals to give it a little bit of pop. I also have a bouquet charm on the bouquet that includes a locket with a picture inside of my father and I as well as a nautical wheel. The main symbol of the business that Jano and I met through is a nautical wheel!
Last thing to concern myself with is hair/makeup. This was one of the biggest stress factors for me on figuring all this out!!!! First I had a HARD time finding a hair dresser, luckily for me one of my bridesmaids has a friend who is willing to travel with us and do it for WAY less than we'd pay a local salon. Then there was the makeup situation - which my bridesmaids and I solved by going to a MAC counter to learn how to do it and will do our own. The first picture below is of me after they finished my makeup at the MAC counter. I will be wearing the veil that my mentor wore when she was married, which is a huge emotional thing for me, right up there with my mother's dress. I will be doing a low updo, with the veil tucked into the top of the actual updo portion like the pictures below. Lastly I am ordering a hair fascinator off an Etsy seller that I fell in love with. For the ceremony it will be worn so that the black feather graze across the top of the veil hiding where it is tucked in the updo, and then I will wear it on its own for the reception.
Bride - Reception
One concern I had about wearing my mother's dress was what if something happened to it at the reception. To avoid this I picked up a really cheap reception dress from LightInTheBox.com, it was on a 50% off sale at the time and only cost me $100 including shipping. I got the dress shown below but in white with a red sash. My sister is taking it in (as it wasn't quite proportionate to me) and moving the bow from the centre off to one side. I will continue to wear the hair fascinator from the ceremony, but remove the veil. I am also on the search for the perfect black flats.
I did get a couple little things to surprise Jano with on the big day. First of all I told him I was just going to order some regular generic black garter with a red bow, and we only needed one because we didn't need to keep one. What I ended up doing was ordering a Toronto Maple Leafs garter set for him! Its from an Etsy seller, and can be found on the Vendors page. I also ordered Mrs HisLastName rhinestones from another Etsy seller, on the Vendors page, and bought baby blue boy shorts from La Vie En Rose, and created Mrs HisLastName panties to surprise him on our wedding night.