Ta Tiara! - What fashion accessories are there for your head

When there's the joy of the dress you're going to wear, it's easy to forget about what you're going to wear on your head.  Yet an appropriate head dress can really make an outfit whole.

Whilst we don't all have the Queen on speed-dial to lend us a bit of bling for the big day like Kate Middleton did (The Cambridge Lover's Knot design by Cartier, above), there are plenty of beautiful yet affordable tiaras around.  Tiaras have grown in popularity in the last fifteen years, especially as the veil's popularity declined.  Tiaras are brilliant because they work with or without veils and they are appropriate at all times of the day. Butler &Wilson have a great range of tiaras to buy online and even more in their South Moulton Street store.

Having been big in the 80s, floral headdresses are starting to make a comeback.  They often make an attractive alternative for brides who want a statement headpiece, but feel that a tiara is too formal for a more casual wedding.  A simple band of roses can look very elegant, but it is all to easy to go over the top with flowers a la Liz Taylor.

Hats are a quirky choice for a bride who wishes to steer clear of traditional.  Top hats to rival that of your grooms gives a delightfully feminist twist on things.  In 'The Parent Trap' with Lindsay Lohan, we see a dress designed by her mother - Natasha Richardson - being modelled by a leggy blue-eyed blonde.  Top hats are as good as heels for adding for height if you lack it naturally.  Alternatively, a wide-brimmed summer hat is great for a relaxed garden party feel, as demonstrated by Jemima Khan.

It's not so good a bringing home the 'bride' feel though.

Of course, there is of course no reason why you should not go nude if that is what works best for you and your outfit, as exemplified by Luisana Lopilato when she married Michael Buble earlier this year.  It's natural, it's simple, and if you've got a great hair do, why ruin it with adornment?

FInding 'The One' (and I'm not talking about Mr Right) - Your guide to finding the perfect wedding dress

Whether you've been dreaming about it your entire life, or whether you've not got a clue where to start, you know that your dress is going to be the centre of attention on your wedding day.  It's going to be the one thing people are looking at and what they'll remember from it.  In years to come, another bride might wear it on her big day.  Suffice to say, your wedding dress may well be the most important outfit you ever buy, so you'll want to get it right.

 

First tip:  Even if you've got your heart set on a particular style, try on a range of different dresses.  You may find something that suits you even better and or something you like more.   It would be a shame if you missed out on something truly amazing just because it doesn't fit with a longheld ideal.

Think about the clothes you normally wear; think about your favourite clothes.  Why do you love them?  Which bits of your body do they show to advantage?  What shape are they?  All these answers should give you pointers as to the shape of dress you should be going for.

Think also about where you are getting married.  Is it a church?  A register office? Castle?  Stately home?  Hotel?  This will affect your choice of dress.  You should fill the venue accordingly.  A large princess line dress will look overwhelming in an intimate register office.  Likewise, a Bianca Jagger style suit will be almost invisible in the city cathedral.

When you've found a dress you like, you must practice moving in it.  Take you iPod or MP3 player to the shop, put on a favourite party song and try dancing around in it.  Try to dance like you normally would.  Also, soooo many brides forget to try sitting down in their gowns.  It's very important to test how comfortable the gown is for sitting in, as you will be doing a lot of this at the wedding too.

Take one or two people along with you for trying-on sessions.  Don't take any more people than that because too many opinions will leave you clueless.  Whoever you take should be people you can trust to be honest about what suits you and what looks good.

Ask them to take photos of you from a variety of angles; front, back, side etc.  Even on your phone is good enough.  You'll need to them to compare and contrast if you've got a decision to make.

Make sure you try on your dress with all your accessories.  It may be that that church-length veil with the pearl drops and the diamantes doesn't sit well with your intricating embroidered skirt.

Above all, picking your dream dress should be fun!  This is the time when you get to have everything as you want it.  Remember: marriage is a tricky business and the wedding is just the beginning!