Your mom may think otherwise, but retiring your wedding dress to the closet for eternity hardly seems a fitting tribute.  You now have another option to give added life to your gown.

Trash it!
We’re assuming you’ve heard of the Trash the Dress phenomenon that has made its rounds over the past few years.  But if you’ve been so buried in planning that you haven’t, it involves one last photo shoot in your gown after your day is done.  Only this time, you swim in it, roll around on the beach, even blast it with paintballs.  It’s a way to add an artistic element to your wedding pictures that can also symbolically and forever free you from the rigors of wedding planning. 

You may want to put a personal stamp on your wedding invitations, but it’s probably best not to wait for the post office to release your mug on their next commemorative series.  So do it yourself at Zazzle.com, where you can make your own custom postage. 

The site guides you through easy step-by-step instructions that even your mother-in-law could follow, and your options are practically endless.  Use your engagement photo, monogram, or even your parents’ wedding picture.  Simply select your size and quantity, upload an image, and add some text.  Your very own personalized postage stamps should arrive in about a week.

Sure, you only wear it once, but a wedding dress can be appreciated as a fashion objet d’art.  Capture the masterpiece in all its glory with a one-of-a-kind fashion illustration by artist Jennifer Angilello.  You’ll revere it long after you’ve retired the dress to the closet.

Why We Love It
This isn’t just a retread of the bridal or engagement portrait.  Jennifer Angilello creates a sophisticated yet whimsical fashion illustration depicting you in your gown, all with a chic look that emphasizes your dress.  Send in photos from your wedding or from a fitting, and Angilello creates a custom illustration ($375) in four to six weeks.

Alltop has added Unveiled to its list of the best wedding blogs.  For those of you unfamiliar with the site, Alltop collects stories from “all the top” sites on the web and groups them by topic.  Inclusion in the list is purely subjective, so we’re honored that their editors have deemed Unveiled worthy to be listed as one of the web’s best wedding blogs. 

 

 

 

 

Visit Party Practical for all of your Party Planning

Think movie stars have all the fun?  Think again.  High-end jewelers also cater to brides looking to rent incredible accessories for their walk down the red carpet, er, aisle. 

How It Works:
Adornbrides.com offers brides glamorous baubles for a day.  Go online to browse their selection of high-end necklaces, bracelets, and earrings.  Then enter your wedding date, pick your jewelry type, and find your desired piece.

You pay a nonrefundable deposit of twenty-five percent of the total lease price (about $80-$400) when you make your reservation.  When Adorn Brides ships your jewelry, the company reserves approximately one third of the retail value on your credit card as a security deposit (retail value ranges about $2,000-$11,000).  You receive your jewelry via overnight delivery two days before your wedding.  Return it on the first business day following your event in the enclosed pre-addressed and pre-paid packaging.  Upon receipt of the return shipment, Adorn Brides removes the reserve and charges the remaining lease balance.