Bridal Show Need-to-Knows: Gown Shopping 101

With The Wedding Ring's Fall Bridal Expo coming up this weekend- and some fabulous gown sales happening at the event- we wanted to give brides some tips to make shopping at a show fun, easy and stress-free.

And, who better to talk to about a sample sale than Rose Schuett, Owner of Couture Threads Bridal & Event Dressing in Stratford.

Here are some of Roses' favourite do's and don'ts when it comes to gown shopping at bridal shows...

Kitchener officiant shares some of her favourite wedding locations

We often get asked about outdoor wedding locations - where's the best place to have an outdoor ceremony? Where can we host a tent wedding that's not my own backyard? We have our personal favourites in the K-W area, including the Bingemans Pavilion for outdoor ceremonies, and NithRidge Estate Weddings & Events for an outdoor ceremony and reception space all-in-one. Not to mention, The Waterlot Restaurant & Inn in New Hamburg, as well as all of the gorgeously landscaped golf & country clubs in the area that provide beautiful backdrops for outdoor ceremonies and patios for receptions that overlook rivers and rolling hills.

But, we wanted to know about some more locations that we haven't yet experienced. So, we asked Officiant Christina Brighton of Celebrate Love & Life Weddings what some of her favourite outdoor (and a few indoor) wedding locations are, and here's what she told us...

21 fun uses for your bridesmaid dress

An expert tip from Ultimate Affairs

You spent money it, you wore it for a day and now you're wondering what you're going to do with a dress that you didn't pick out and, therefore, will likely never wear again.

Teresa Medeiros and Nelia DaSilva, wedding planning gurus at their company, Ultimate Affairs, came up with 21 fun ways to reuse your bridesmaid dress...

1) Shorten it and wear it again 2) Frilly jock strap 3) A book cover...

 LEFT PHOTO BY CAMERON SHAVER: DIGITAL MEDIA SOLUTIONS

How to Host a Memorable Bachelorette

Expert Tip from Leanne Giilck and Sarah Willett of Impact Movement Studios Inc.

Bachelorette parties are a right of passage to the much anticipated married life that awaits the soon-to-be bride. Formerly, bachelorette parties were seen as the bride’s last night as a single woman. In recent years, bachelorette parties have become more creative, involving a variety of fun activities to make the evening memorable for all involved. It should be a celebration of the bride and a chance for her to spend a fun night with her ladies.

Budgeting for We Inc.

Interviewing Gail Vaz-Oxlade of Til Debt Do Us Part (on Slice Network)

Gail Vaz-Oxlade has always taken a no-nonsense approach to budgeting, money management, and dealing with the financially distraught couples on her Slice television show, Til Debt Do Us Part. So when staff at The Ring spoke with her about marital money matters, her blunt but relationship-saving advice was no different.

WeddingPlanning(Life-Saving)Forms

We've put together three downloadable tools that we think will help keep your engagement and pre-wedding time as romantic as it should be... by keeping your tasks, details and events in order, you and your sweetie can enjoy this time of planning.

Squeezing Out The Pennies: Money Saving Tips for Planning Your Wedding

Money Saving Tips for Planning Your Wedding

The best wedding planning advice that I ever received was to rank what was important to me from most important to what I could do without. When the budget doesn't allow for every whim and wish, think about which elements you envision in your perfect wedding day. Make those specific things your priority and work your budget out from there. There are no rules that say that every wedding must have $200 glass slippers (as beautiful as they are)... so if that's not important to you, don't stress about it! Spend the money on what will make the day memorable for you.

Planning Timeline Calendar

A Step-by-Step Wedding Planner!

By looking at each step one at a time, you will be able to break down the planning process into easy manageable pieces as opposed to having a huge grey area of unfinished tasks hanging over your head for months.