Clothes
This is of course a very personal issue and brings out lots of side issues, such as do we hire? Do we buy?
My personal view is that it depends on what you are going to wear.
Is it going to be a formal event or is it going to be an informal event? If the marriage is going to be a formal one with a full traditional white dress and the groom in a dinner suit and you both have 2 or 3 attendants each, then really consider hiring. If on the other hand, it�s going to be an informal marriage, then consider purchase. You will still be able to wear and use the garments afterwards. I do consider paying $1000 plus for a wedding dress to be worn for 6 hours as extravagant, when that money can be put into the home. Yes OK, if you have the money and that isn�t an issue then go ahead, buy the gown of your dreams. Let the dream and your happiness be with you. Please don�t let me or anyone else stop you from doing what you want to do, because it is an event that you will treasure for many, many years to follow.
Colors: yes white for the Bride has always been the traditional color and I guess will remain that way for many years to come. Just because you may have been living together for some time doesn�t mean that you can�t wear white. It may be a second or third wedding, so what. If that�s the color that you want, then go for it. Enjoy yourselves.
From a male�s point of view, I would just like to comment on what the groom is going to wear. I�ve seen Grooms wearing all types of clothes, knowing full well that they are wearing the outfit just to please their wife to be and the pain and discomfort shows on their faces! If the groom is an outside worker who never ever wears a shirt and a tie and never will ever again, really is it fair to expect him to get dressed into something that he�s going is hate and the only thing that he can think of is to get out of these clothes and into something more comfortable? Let�s think of a compromise and yes there often is.
So you really want the man of your dreams to wear a suit and shirt and tie or bow tie? Before the day, start getting him into the routine of wearing a casual shirt and tie, say one evening a week, even if it�s only inside the house. Do this for a month prior to the wedding so that he will feel much more comfortable on the day. He will feel more at ease and not be churning up inside. This alone will assist in diminishing the nerves to a large extent and make the day much more relaxed for you both.