The Many Great Choices of Vegetarian Meats and Their Cost Effectiveness

Today, being a vegetarian has become an easier and much tastier task, due to the wide range market of vegetarian meat-like products sold in the grocery stores. Though the prices are a bit on the higher end for some of these products’ much of the quality of these meat like products has grown considerably over the years. The vast array of meat like choices for today’s vegetarians has become such a delight that being a vegetarian today is similar to more of a diet shift, than an overhaul of all foods in a diet. The vegetarian meat like products are often pre-prepared and many are similar to hamburger patties, chicken patties, hot dogs, steak strips, bacon strips and the like. While the price for these foods are more costly then just a decade ago, their quality and taste have markedly increased, and they still are cheaper then their real meat counterparts.

Alternative Veggie Meats Mix Things Up

Alternative Veggie Meats Mix Things Up

Many of these simulated meats, use soy based products or a blended brown rice mixture as their base. With many of the vegetarian meat like products they are filled with seasonings and distinct flavorings that make it very difficult to tell that the product is not actually meat based. The highest quality and best tasting ones are usually made with a soy base that has flavoring added to make it taste like a regular beef, chicken or pork product.

Many of these can be readily added to any meat recipe. However the one difference to be considered with any meat recipe and the simulated meat products is that people need to be aware that these products cook at a much faster rate and on a much lower heat than traditional meat products.

The many advantages of the soy and brown rice products is that they are lean, and offer a high protein content. This is especially true with the soy products. With the many long term health risks of using regular meat on a daily basis and the many advantages of using soy based products; these vegetarian meat like alternatives have become popular not just among vegetarians, but also among heart patients, earth conscious people and dieters alike.

The mastering of the flavor enhancements of the vegetarian meat like products has literally made many avid meat eaters unable to tell the difference in many recipes like chili, goulash, shepherd’s pie, stuffed pepper’s, meatloaf, Bolognese sauce and sloppy joe’s. For the most part the main stream manufacturer’s of these meat like products have mastered not only taste, but look, feel and texture of their traditional meat counterparts.

Additionally, the vegetarian poultry like breaded Chix Pattie’s are a perfect substitute for their chicken patty counterparts and are easily used for chicken parmesan, and chicken cordon bleu and come out tasting fabulous. For the avid meat eaters, many of them can more readily accept the concept when the understand those bacon bits they love and adore are made from soy, not bacon. Once they acknowledge that a mainstream food item they are familiar with and have probably tried is soy based, they are less likely to be squeamish about trying these very healthy alternatives. For people with soy allergies there are plenty of brown rice alternatives as well. In fact many restaurants like Burger King, Subway and Sonic use the brown rice based vegetarian burgers on their menu and they are quite good and very popular.

When Im not blogging about foods I tend to focus a lot of my medical assistant training blog.

With the current economic climate, most people are feeling the need to protect their money and their assets. It seems that now is the time to invest in something and more and more people are asking whether jewellery is the answer, and whether jewellery is the thing they should be turning to.

So is jewellery a good investment and what do I need to know?

It is doubtful that buying a piece of jewellery will be as wise an investment as a house would, but investing in anything is usually worthwhile. However there are certain things you need to be clear of when buying jewellery purely for investment purposes.

Jewelry Graph

Jewelry Graph

1. You shouldn’t buy from a high street jeweller if buying for investment: Stores on the high street often mark up their prices significantly and so by purchasing at these prices you’ll struggle to make a profit should you choose to sell-on later. You might be waiting 40-50 years before you can see anything back on your investment, which offers you very little flexibility.

2. You should be looking for low initial prices: If you can buy some metal or stones for a decent low price then you’ll find your return will be greater when you come to sell it. Remember to steer clear of brands and designers to when you’re buying as much of the price you’re paying is to cover marketing. You’ll end up paying for the brand and not the actual item, which isn’t what you need. In 50 years time the brand may not exist and so may not have any leverage or value.

3. Look for stone value over metal value: Diamonds are the best stone to invest in and if you can find a stone that is worth a considerable amount the value on it will only increase. This investment option is viable for those on a budget, but for those with cash to spend it is the perfect option.

Another option people may want to look at is the option of investing in old / vintage jewellery. Instead of choosing to purchase new items, why not look into purchasing older items that have already accrued a certain amount of worth. Many people even choose to take vintage stones and have them placed into modern designs – something, which if done tastefully, could add a huge amount of value to the piece.

What if I only want to invest in the jewellery to sell the gold as scrap metal later on?

If you are looking to invest purely to sell the Gold (or whichever metal) as scrap later on, then you need to be looking for really great quality gold, and you need to assure yourself you can keep it safe and protected whilst you wait for it to increase in value.

However, remember that price of Gold and other metals is something which fluctuates (almost like a stock market) with prices sometimes being higher than the rate you bought it at, and sometimes being lower.

As you can see here, you’ll need to be sure that when it comes to selling your Gold, that you are getting a rate higher than the one you bought at. When that time does come, be sure to do your research and be sure you kept note of how much you invested in the first place when you purchased. The key to this is organisation and predicting when the market is winning or losing.
About the Author: Ellie Rose is a jewellery fanatic and currently works for Gold Traders, specialists in buying unwanted jewellery and scrap gold.

Food is a basic necessity. Buying groceries make up a huge part of the family’s monthly budget.  With recent economic woes and rising grocery prices, knowing how to save money on food can greatly help reduce expenses, so read on if you are in need of extra cash, because here are some valuable tips for saving money on food!

Tips For Saving Money At The Grocery Store

Tips For Saving Money At The Grocery Store

1. Lists

When shopping, it is always a good idea to carry a list.  This will prevent impulse buys, which can wreck havoc on a budget.  Buy only what you need.  For instance, if you do not really need to buy ice cream, then you should refrain from doing so. Focus on the necessities like fruits and veggies, and perhaps meat if you absolutely must (though keep in mind that skimping on red meat can really be a good thing for your health and budget).

2. Hurry Up

Buy groceries when you are a in a hurry.  Maybe you need to attend a party in a few hours or you have to pick up your son from school soon. Buy groceries before doing so. This will force you to pick only the necessary items on your shopping list. You will not be tempted to get items you do not really need if you’re not hanging around.

3. Plan Ahead

Knowing what meals you need to cook for your family each week will really help in choosing the grocery items you need to buy. If you have no idea what to food to prepare, more likely you will fill your cart with unnecessary items.  Planning meals will make sure you only look for you needs – and do so at the lowest possible price. Before picking up an item, ask yourself “Do I really need to buy this?” Perhaps some of the ingredients for a meal are simply a garnish – nix it,

4. Go Fresh

Ready-made meals are convenient, but they are expensive. If it’s not expensive (like a frozen dinner for $1) – do you really want to eat it? Remember, if it was made from plants, you should eat it. If it was made in a plant, that’s disgusting. For the same amount you would pay for 5 frozen meals at $1, you could buy the ingredients for salad that whole week! For $5 more, you could buy some fruit for a side dish and/or a loaf of fresh bread.

5. Stay Home

Going out to restaurants is ok once in awhile, if it’s for a special occasion or reward. But, do not make a habit out of it, because this will cause a serious dent in your budget. If you work, this may pose a problem at first, because you could be too tired to do some cooking, but it does not take a lot of time to whip up some easy meals. For instance, you can make healthy salads in minutes. You can pour a bowl of cereal in even less. Or, you could cook large meals every few days and simply warm-up the leftovers the rest of the nights.

6. Make Coffee

Skip buying coffee at coffee shops.  Do not underestimate the savings you will earn from doing this. A few dollars saved a few days  each week can really add up. Think about it – say you spend $4 on a Caramel Macchiato. Three of those a week is $12. $12 each week is about $50 a month.

7. Buy Generic

Brand name products cost more than generic ones. If you are serious about saving money on food, buying store brands rather than popular brands is an excellent practice. If you are not willing to give up on popular brands totally, then you can compromise by limiting the generic brands on selected items only (toiletries, spices, etc).

8. Garden

A vegetable garden is easy to grow. Fresh vegetables grown in your own backyard are not only a great source of vitamins and minerals, they also help cut costs on groceries too. Having a steady supply of fresh vegetables will also ensure that the family stays healthy and fit – think of all the preservatives you’re NOT ingesting! Produce can be a source of income too. If the White House has a Kitchen Garden, then there is no reason why you should not have one.

9. Buy in Bulk

When items are on sale, buy in bulk.  You can save a lot of money on necessary, non-perishable items such as milk, cereals, canned goods, toilet paper and toothpastes if you make it a habit to buy in bulk.

10. Coupons

Coupons are probably the most popular method of saving grocery money. Clip coupons whenever you have a chance and use them when you are buying groceries. The time invested on clipping coupons can reward you with great savings!

Taylor Field likes to save money, shop smart and visit www.healthinsurancequotes.org.


 

The age of Internet

There is probably no person in the world that would argue with the statement, “The Internet is the best thing that has ever been invented.” This generation’s advances in medicine, technology, the arts and all other fields are, no doubt, impressive. But it is the ability to find information with just a few taps of the finger and pass on this newly acquired knowledge in an instant that make the Internet exponentially more amazing.

Shopping via the Internet

The Internet has evolved from just a research instrument to being a tool for just about anything: keeping in touch with friends, banking, bill payments and, of course, shopping, among other things. Online shopping has increasingly become the more preferred way when it comes to purchasing goods and services.

Online Shopping Is Popular

Online Shopping Is Popular

The list below shows 10 things that people around the world usually buy online:

Electronic Equipment – While there are still people out there that choose to test every piece of electronic product in stores to see if they are actually working as advertised, there are those that simply read reviews of previous buyers online. Most companies have comprehensive return policies that cover damage, defect or dissatisfaction anyway.

Software – To keep computers running the way their users need them to be, they require a number of additional software. The types of software people buy depend on their computers’ operating systems and, of course, what they normally use their computers for. It goes without saying that Windows users often purchase virus protection software as soon as they start using their PCs. Macintosh users, on the other hand, usually jump straight to media software.

Entertainment – In the age of illegal downloading, the music,TV and movie industries are in a vulnerable state. However, there are people who are more than willing to pay a reasonable amount of money for a new single or album, episode or series, and movies in support of their favorite entertainers.

Apps – This world is currently the planet of the apps! There is virtually an app for everything that one might want or need – recipes, maps, social networks, games – EVERYTHING! While there are more than a dozen of apps that can be downloaded and installed on smartphones, tablets and computers for free, analysts project a $15-billion-dollar app market by 2013.

Airline Tickets – Since the launch of Travelocity, Expedia and other Internet-based travel websites, people have enjoyed purchasing airline tickets within the comfort of their own homes or wherever they are in the world.

Hotel Reservations – As with airline tickets, people find it so much easier to make reservations for hotels and other lodging options for their vacations online. Whether they book directly on a specific hotel’s website or through a travel website, booking online offers a great deal of convenience to travelers.

Books – Because of today’s fast-paced society, people hardly have the time to go through shelves of their local bookstores to find a book that they are eager to read. All they have to do is visit a certain bookstore’s website, run a search on the book and, viola! The book will be delivered to their homes in no time.

Clothes – Not all people enjoy actual shopping. Some prefer browsing through pages of online retailers than walking in and out of every store in the mall.

Shoes – Although some people find purchasing shoes via the Internet tricky, what with the possible discrepancy in sizes, many people still do it. As mentioned above, consumers are protected with great return policy issues these days. If the consumer is unsatisfied, he or she can easily return the pair of shoes to the retailer – free of charge!

Toys and Games – Parents find it a lot easier to shop for toys and games for their children online. This saves them the expenses and inconveniences that come along with having to go to the store with their children in tow.

The Internet has truly given consumers convenience and even more purchasing power. And, if the consumer’s country of residence is different from that of the retailer’s, an international mail forwarding service will take care of the delivery for him or her.

Key Scouts provides topnotch website promotion services and the best Internet marketing solutions to companies in various industries such as parcel forwarding, cosmetic surgery, health and fitness, and many more.

Anyone who’s ever been in one will agree that Valentine’s Day can be tough if you’re in a long distance relationship. LDRs are pretty difficult at the best of times, but when this particular holiday rolls around it can be a rather bittersweet reminder of your significant other’s absence. However, Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be any less enjoyable than it would be if the two of you were together. In fact, there’s load of great things you can do to make your day one you’ll remember, even if you’re hundreds of miles apart. For example…

Long Distance Valentine's Day Gifts

Long Distance Valentine's Day Gifts

  • A card

The quintessential thing to give any Valentine whether they live right next door or on the opposite side of the globe. Cards give so much and cost so little; even those who claim not to do cards tend to secretly appreciate receiving one (or at the very least the heartfelt message written inside). If you want to make your card really special, try making it by hand or perhaps enclosing a keepsake or two (although do consider the ramifications of filling a card with a flood of glitter).

  • A care package

It’s a good idea to send a care package to your loved one now and again anyway, but for Valentine’s Day you can really pull out all the stops. Lots of little things are generally better than a few big ones (and often cheaper, too); you can includes books, DVDs, sweets, notes, photographs and other things that are special to the pair of you.

  • A mix tape

An oldie but a goodie, the modern versions of this tend to be a mix CD or USB stick (you can even buy one of these mocked up to look like a cassette tape). Just like old times, the idea is to create a list of tracks that mean something special to both of you (and in this modern age you can technically include other file types such as photos and videos for variety).

  • An internet date

Lame as it may sound in theory, an internet date can be a great way to spend time together on Valentine’s Day. An instant mess with both voice and video chat such as Skype is generally the best medium to use for this. You can both prepare the same meal at the same time then eat it together, watch a film, play video games or anything else that’d you’d otherwise do if you weren’t apart. If you’re using video chat you could even pick up a special Valentines outfit to spice up the occasion (or make your partner laugh depending on what you choose).

Gabriella Laurence is currently in a long distance relationship with her boyfriend of three years; so far, so good!

There is a tendency with many shoe manufacturers to abandon a successful product in spite of overwhelming success. It may well be these companies are so consumed with providing the latest technologies in their shoes that they lose sight of how successful a product was. From a customer’s standpoint, this practice leaves many of them scratching their heads as they wonder why a shoe they loved was discontinued. Fortunately for these people, the design of the Wilson Pro Staff Classic II is not a radical departure from previous generations.

Wilson Tennis Shoes

Wilson Tennis Shoes

This shoe could be best summed up as a new shoe that in many ways is not new as it has a similar look and feel to earlier Classics. It probably will not be a good option for tennis players who need a lot of features in a shoe in order to feel comfortable, but those who enjoyed playing in Classics over the years should enjoy the Wilson Pro Staff Classic II.

The upper is made of durable full-grain leather with a Stable Wrap construction that limits foot roll for a more stable ride. The midsole is made up of DST foam for lightweight cushioning. On the outsole, the tread pattern is a combination of what Wilson calls a ‘pimple pattern’ with some herringbone, made with wear-resistant Duralast material.

It might be more instructive to talk about what is not in the Wilson Pro Staff Classic II versus what’s in it. You will not find reactive gel cushioning inserts in the forefoot or heel and the DST is limited to the midsole, not appearing in an insole board. There is also no TPU arch or mesh material for ventilation. This is clearly a shoe for more of a minimalist when it comes to footwear design.

Anyone who has purchased sporting goods over the past 20 years can appreciate how different many products are now compared to back then. It used to be that most people worked out in cotton t-shirts, but now many of them work out in shirts made of synthetic materials that wick away perspiration.

Thank goodness for these and many other technological advances in sporting apparel and footwear. If tennis shoes were still the same today as they were back in the 1930s, many of us would likely spend more money on podiatrists than we do on a mortgage.

However, like 99 44/100% Pure Ivory Soap, some products are successful as is and do not need many changes. The Wilson Pro Staff Classic II may well be one of them.

Many players have biomechanically sound feet to begin with and do not need some features designed for comfort like generous cushioning, so a shoe with numerous added technologies may do more harm than good. They find comfort in the knowledge that a shoe they have been successful with and have relied on is still available. In a show of good judgment, Wilson listened to these people,

addressed their needs with the Pro Staff Classic II and avoided trying to fix something that wasn’t broken.

Guest contributor Christopher Mohr is a freelance writer from San Diego, Calif. who likes to cover topics including sports, electronics and athletic equipment. Before becoming a writer, he worked for several years in IT and customer service.

04. February 2012 · 1 comment · Categories: Shopping · Tags: ,

I have a wardrobe full of designer shoes, some in boxes, some not; some at the top of my wardrobe, some littered at the bottom of my wardrobe; some under my bed that haven’t been touched in five years. I found 20 of them piled in B & Q plastic boxes in the garage discarded carelessly to spend their days accruing dust amongst tools and other junk.

Recently my boyfriend semi-moved in, he’s now using his house as an office, long story, and I had to make a de-cluttering decision. Rash I know. I was plagued with doubts before and after but considering I’m a size 2 ½ and a few years ago you couldn’t buy shoes in that size for love or money, most of them are a 4 and don’t fit anyway. It was painstaking but I only have a small flat and my options were finite.

Designer Shoes

Designer Shoes

So what was I to throw first? How was I to go start this traumatising life change? I gathered all my shoes, 60 of them and arranged them neatly in my lounge to decide which was to walk the plank of charity shop disposal. MEN

The first pair was easy. They were 2005 River Island, wooden clog heeled sandals, possibly once white, now grubby. They hadn’t cost very much, were totally outdated and didn’t fit so they got binned. The other 59 pairs were slightly more difficult. I prevaricated over a pair of brown Viking goddess Karen Millen’s, size 4. Despite never worn them out of the house, too big lots of practicing, I still had an emotive connection to their leg lacing, circulation stopping splendour.

I remember waking up at 6am on a Sunday to catch the train to London, back then I lived in rural Lincolnshire, we had just celebrated Sainsbury’s grand opening, it actually had a diner. I had seen the shoes online, knew where the store was situated, had the map printed out, had bought my train tickets in advance and had made it to London an hour early to queue amongst the hordes of other eager shoppers. Probably also from Lincolnshire. Once the store doors opened I elbowed aside someone less worthy, dived inside, snatched the only pair sitting in the window, handed them to the shop assistant and prepared myself for the news that Karen Millen didn’t do size 2 ½ or 3, they only made them in size 4.

It was worth it. And although they were sandals and couldn’t be stuffed in any way just owning that footwear made me a better person. This was difficult. But practicality took precedent, my boyfriend, I’m tempted to use the term ‘ball and chain’ at this point, needed some space.

Then a brain wave of gargantuan proportions hit me. I didn’t have to throw any shoes­ away they could live in my car!! My reasoning was sound. I work within walking distance to my flat and never drive it after seriously denting the side on an unforeseen poll. Storage space was the perfect use for a wasting asset. Feeling smug I piled them up, carried them outside and threw them into every spare crevice where they happily remain.

It turns out that my boyfriend hasn’t taken up as much space as expected and now I have some room to splurge in shopping deals. Result.

Becki Chester is a designer shoes fan and shopping deals lover.

04. February 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: Shopping · Tags: ,

When I first moved out on my own and had any sort of car trouble (weird sounds, warning lights or just that feeling something was “off”), I went straight back to my dad for input. He grew up in a farming community where his brothers and his father routinely would repair, rebuild, and generally maintain not just automobiles, but basically all machines in general. I was always amazed growing up at how he just seemed to instinctively know what was wrong with the car and how to fix it. As an engineer, if he didn’t know, he tinkered around until he found out. He taught me a lot and still is my #1 resource when I’m stumped on a problem. However, with the addition of so much electronics and computer systems into cars these days, even my dad is a little bewildered at times when it comes to working his way around a car. The good news is, there still remain quite a few things in the way of do-it-yourself maintenance and basic repairs that even a novice can tackle.

General Upkeep

DIY Car Repair

DIY Car Repair

One routine fix that may surprise a few people here is the oil change. You may not be able to do it on your lunch hour, like you might while dropping it off at the local shop, but it’s actually quite easy to do on your own and even more so if you have a buddy. It is hard to put it into words but there is just something about changing your own oil every once and a while that feels satisfying. Give it a shot and see what I mean. A couple less involved tasks include replacing things like spark plugs or windshield wipers. While you’re at it, check your wheel lug/bolts here and there and review your engine fluids to see if you’re due to top up. Finally, check your tires’ pressure for ideal inflation and test the tread while you’re at it. Use your vehicle’s manual as a guide and you can actually knock out quite a few items on the maintenance checklist, adding miles to the life of your car, perhaps saving you some time and cash in the long run and definitely impressing your friends (not to mention, it’ll make dad proud).

Basic Repairs

When there’s a hiccup in your vehicle, frequently the cause can be as simple as replacing a fuse. Stereo fried? Malfunctioning seat heaters? Interior lights, power windows or warning sounds not working? Check your fuses as one may be loose or simply need to be replaced. It may also surprise a few to learn how simple it can be to replace a busted headlight or taillight bulb. Can you unscrew a cover and pull the bad bulb off, then click the good bulb in, and put the cover back on? If you can, then you can change a taillight! If that feels like child’s play to you, why not take a stab at replacing an air filter or clogged fuel filter. For the more brave among you, even replacing brake discs or pads can be done on your own.

While all of these projects (and more) are quite feasible for the DIY-er to take on, please remember to do your homework first. Study some good how-to tutorials online or get a friend/family member who has done it before to show you, or even it do it with you the first time. Get all your required supplies in order beforehand to avoid any mid-project trips to the store. Otherwise, give it a shot and enjoy the sense of pride that comes along with personally breathing a little extra life into your wheels.

This guest blog post was written by Freedom Rims, a Responsible Military Lender since 1983. Freedom Rims offers military financing for a variety of rims and tires including Kasino Rims, Miror Rims and Prova Rims throughout the USA.

Wondering what the top wedding hairstyles will be for brides and bridesmaids this year? (Hint: think pretty and romantic.) Get the scoop on the latest 2012 wedding hair trends.

Braids are extremely popular for 2012, and there are many ways to wear them. For a more casual effect, a loose fishtail braid is a pretty hairstyle for either a bride or a bridesmaid. Don’t worry if your hair is too short or thin to braid well, because your stylist can always add length or fullness with temporary hair extensions. For a very polished look, try a thin braid along the hairline that gets swept back into a beautiful chignon. It is a subtle update to a very classic style. Sparkling crystal hairpins would be so pretty tucked along the braid; they would also make terrific bridesmaid gifts for your wedding party. Another look that was featured in the designer bridal collections was the halo braid done circling around the top of the hair. It is not the easiest look to pull off, but it does have a certain “Swiss miss” type of charm. Wear a halo braid with an ethereal wedding dress and an herb bouquet.

Wedding Hair Trends For 2012

Wedding Hair Trends For 2012

Vintage Hairstyles Are Strong For Weddings In 2012

Vintage inspired hairstyles will be going strong for 2012. Brides with short hair can have it done in flapper-era finger waves. It is such a pretty style for bobbed hair – no need to grow your hair out for the wedding when it can look this beautiful. A jeweled clip on one side of the hair is all the adornment this style needs. For hair that is shoulder length or longer, you cannot go wrong with Hollywood glamor long flowing waves cascading down the back. The waves should be very polished, rather than messy and “beachy” as was the style a few years ago. Top this vintage inspired hairdo with a satin headband with a crystal brooch on it to wear with vintage inspired bridal jewelry. Little birdcage veils look wonderful with either of these elegant wedding hairstyles.

If you look at the celebrities on the red carpet this year, you will see that asymmetrical hairstyles are very chic for 2012. You can pair this concept with any of the other popular hair trends too. Imagine a pretty soft chignon anchored a bit off to one side of the head. A puff of feathers would be so gorgeous peeking out of it. Or pull a pretty pony tail asymmetrically by the nape of your neck. Wrap hair around the ponytail holder for a very polished look. Off center styles are also very big for long braids down the back. They look very stylish with a slinky sheath dress for a look that shows off your natural stunning beauty.

None of these top wedding hair trends are particularly easy to create yourself, so it is smart to hire a professional hairstylist. Take pictures of your favorite looks to her for a trial run to make sure that the two of you are on the same page. Some brides even spring for the hairstylist for their bridesmaids, to ensure that they can all take advantage of the latest trends in wedding hairdos. You can tie it in with their bridesmaid gifts by giving each attendant a beautiful hair ornament that matches their bridesmaid jewelry gifts. When the bride and her bridesmaids are all perfectly coiffed, everyone will look simply breathtaking when the group walks down the aisle at the wedding.

Bridget Mora writes about all the latest 2012 wedding trends for Silverland Jewelry. Find the best bridesmaid gifts of 2012 at Silverland Jewelry.

Wedding dresses; they’re tricky aren’t they? We can’t all be Kate Middleton and have gorgeous dresses designed by Sarah Burton – dresses which then end up being nominated for the best fashion design of the year award. A bride’s wedding dress needs to be perfect, but getting it that way can be a journey into hell. Let’s look at four of the most common problems brides encounter in their quest for wedding dress bliss.

1)     Finding the perfect style. 

Avoid Wedding Dress Problems

Avoid Wedding Dress Problems

Some brides have had a picture of their wedding dress in their heads since they were eight years old, and some don’t know what they want until it jumps out at them from the hundreds of magazines, dozens of shops, countless wedding directories and innumerable wedding expos designed to provide inspiration. Either way, once you have an idea of what you want, you have to be brutally honest and find out if the style you’ve chosen suits your body type.

We’ve all seen it; the chunky bride with shoulder boobs hanging over her tight strapless bodice; the skinny bride trying desperately to fill a mermaid dress. You don’t want to be that. While some styles are better suited to certain body types – mermaids are great for curvy women and column dresses suit more athletic figures – most dresses can be adapted to suit your body type. To do this, however, you need a good dress maker who you can trust. Not only must you trust them with needle and thread but you must also trust them to tell you the truth. If, after they’ve done that and you still decide to go ahead, well, so be it.

2)     Finding the perfect colour.

Wedding dresses are white, right? That’s where it ends, right? Well, no.

Stroll through the paint aisle at your local hardware store or try and pick a colour for your business card. You’ll soon find out that white actually comes in ivory, eggshell, cream, seashell, vanilla, cornsilk, blond and bone. And that’s only the tip of the iceberg – so to speak.

So, you need to pick a white that complements your skin tone, matches your wedding colours and, according to some people, doesn’t clash with your venue (don’t ask us, we just reporting what we’ve read).

Then there is the question of all white or white with a splash of colour. Many brides these days are opting to relieve the all whiteness with vivid bits of peek-a-boo colour. Bright green petticoats that hang just below the hemline, for instance. Or a scarlet sash around the waist. Or sky blue straps. Or canary yellow shoes. Just bear in mind that no clashing with the venue rule, we wouldn’t want to violate that.

3)     Getting the right length.

This is also tricky. Some styles call for spunky just below the knee lengths, some women like the cocktail dress length, some like to mix it up with tapering lengths, some like ‘em trailing on the floor and some like ‘em just plain short. Once again, consider your body type. If you have chunky knees, calves and ankles then maybe a short dress is not for you. On the other hand, if you’re very short, a long sheath dress with a train could make you look even shorter.

If you’re going long, think of the shoes you’re going to wear. How high will they be and where will you be walking. Lawns don’t treat stiletto heels very well, as you sink in your dress will start to hang in the ground. Will you be ok with that?

4)     Store bought or custom made.

There is nothing wrong with a store bought dress, especially if you’re not especially creative in the fashion design sense or you’ve ever been called a fashion victim. That way you can be assured that some professional thought has gone into the design and the quality will be reasonable.

You can go the custom route if you have a very particular style in mind, especially if it involves beading and embroidery. To save some money, some dress makers will give you a discount on the condition that you return it afterwards for them to rent to other brides. They’ll only do this if they think the dress will have mass appeal. You’ll only do this if you aren’t overly sentimental or need to save a buck.

Sandy writes on behalf of My Wedding Directory, a complete online wedding directory for couples planning their big day in South Africa.