Weddingbee

Maybe not, but they certainly influence the style of your wedding and the way you feel about yourself all day….

Here’s a rundown of what I wore on our own Big Day. (All made much more fabulous thanks to the photography of Punam Bean.)

Dress: Alfred Angelo 1839

Loved its vintage style and eBay price ($225), but the ease of wear was almost even better. The train was manageable, I could sit, walk, and dance without trouble, and not once did I have to suck in my stomach, adjust the neckline, or otherwise worry about my dress in any way…. I was free to just enjoy myself and be a bride!

Red Shoes: No-Name Brand from eBay

Originally, I considered wearing beribboned ivory pumps for the ceremony and switching to these flats for the reception. But I don’t wear heels often, and after suffering through the rehearsal dinner in 3″ heels, I swore it would be flats for the wedding day. Turns out it was a great decision — not only was I extremely comfortable, but my cheerful red shoes made me happy all day. And the guests loved them too — I got so many comments on my “ruby slippers.”

And, in a funny coincidence, my mother showed up wearing the same shoes in gold!

Veil: Veilsbylana on eBay

I knew that I wanted a veil because wearing one made me feel “like a bride.” In fact, as soon as we put it on, my bridesmaids remarked that “wow, you were a bride before, but now you look like a BRIDE!!”

Beautifully crafted veils can run hundreds of dollars. But you certainly don’t have to shell out that much. My version was $35 (including shipping) on eBay. In fact, it was the most expensive version in the seller’s whole store. And it did the trick just fine.

Parasol:

I love the look of parasols in wedding photos, so I picked up a few red parasols for the bridesmaids from the Paper Lantern Store. For myself, I bought a beautiful vintage Japanese parasol off eBay … but as I opened it to show it to my MOH during our dressing hour, it EXPLODED! Apparently, seven-decades-old paper = very fragile. So, back to red!

Shawl:

In my mind, our late-March wedding would enjoy beautiful, sunny, spring-like weather. Sadly, the reality was much colder. Thank heavens I panicked and picked up a shawl (a peacock, which I love, in red and turquoise like our wedding colors) from eBay a couple of weeks before the wedding.

Other Accessories:

I did carry a small clutch, which I purchased off eBay for less than $10. I’m glad it was inexpensive, because in the end it just sat in a corner all day. It would have been far easier to ask my MOH to carry my lipstick and handkerchief.

My ruby earrings were originally for sale in my own small eBay store, but I always loved them and wished I could keep them for my own. It was so exciting when I realized they were red and perfect for my dress! Sadly, I don’t have much of a photo.

The shawl wasn’t entirely warm enough, so I also resorted to an ivory wool coat that I already owned. (From eBay, of course! $40 from seller evaluebrands, which sells Bloomingdales catalog returns.) And it looked fine, even over my dress. Because, when in doubt, it’s better to be warm than to suffer for fashion! (Though, even growing up in Wisconsin in below-zero winters, I’m afraid it took me a while to learn that particular fashion philosophy….)

How will you accessorize your wedding day?