Stylish new looks your friends will love! Brought to Rent the Runway by Heather Levine for TheKnot.com

Subtle Sparkle

It's no wonder bold embellishments popped up all over the bridal runways. From scattered sequins to jeweled belts, a touch of shimmer can transform a simple bridesmaid dress into something ultra-glamorous.

Pencil Skirts

Your search for a sophisticated bridesmaid style ends here! Pencil skirts are the ultimate option: They’re chic and sexy at once.

Goddess Gowns

You can’t go wrong with an elegant Grecian-style gown -- wispy, floor-sweeping fabric will make all of your bridesmaids feel tall and regal.

Jewel Tones

What’s hot now? Color! Take your pick -- shades like royal purple, emerald green and sapphire blue are all aisle-worthy. Plus, they look good on just about every skin tone.

’50s Style

The freshest look in fashion is retro flair. Think: full skirts and cinched waistlines. The best part? Your bridesmaids will love the way these A-line silhouettes flatter every figure.

© 2011 The Knot, Inc. All rights reserved.

More from TheKnot.com:See 200+ new wedding dresses, best bridesmaid gifts under $25, our favorite wedding cakes, 100+ hot wedding hairstyles and more!

Brought to Rent the Runway by Argyle Salon’s Alec Kara

We know that for your big day every last detail down to the hairs on your head are of the utmost importance.  Here, we give you inspiration from the stars with the top 5 celebrity wedding hair do’s brought to you by celebrity hairstylist Alec Kara of the Argyle Salon & Spa in West Hollywood, California.

1. Topknot

Nicole Richie's nuptials to Good Charlotte rocker Joel Madden were everything she had ever dreamed of. The most spectacular of all was Nicole herself in one of the three Marchesa gowns she donned that night with hair tied into a perfect topknot.  It is best to keep the hair simple when the dress is so detailed and she achieves this beautifully.  It’s also a nod to the 60’s retro chic in a very modern way.

2. Side Swept

De Rossi and Ellen DeGeneres wed in a small, private ceremony nearly three years ago.  Both women were glowing on their big day, but it was de Rossi’s up do that caught our eye.  Her hair is so elegantly swept off her face and plays off of the low, plunging neckline of her dress to elongate her figure. Hair accessories are especially fun to play around with if the dress is simple. It adds fun and glamour to any style.

3. Loose Up Do

Songstress Katharine McPhee married producer Nick Cokas in a traditional ceremony at the Beverly Hills Presbyterian Church in 2008.  McPhee looked stunning in a Spanish Chantilly lace strapless gown with hair loosely pulled to the side, revealing spectacular chandelier earrings.  If you are having a more traditional wedding, this hairstyle offsets that and makes it feel more low-key and playful.

4. Bouffant Up Do

Gwen Stefani is the ultimate rocker chick and wed fellow musician Gavin Rossdale in 2002. The bouffant up do is so Gwen and plays off her avant-garde pink and white John Galliano dress; it’s really important that your wedding look reflects your personal style because it is a moment that you will remember forever.

5. Pin Curl Up Do

Katherine Heigl and husband Josh Kelley held their winter wonderland nuptials in Utah. Her pin curl up do is reminiscent of an old Hollywood starlet and we love how she takes the retro style one step further with a bird cage veil.  It’s quirky yet classic.

To book your appointment with Argyle Salon & Spa call 310-623-9000 and to learn more about their services, please visit ArgyleLA.com

Brought to Rent the Runway by Mexicue’s Julia Collins

You can typically go without the hors d'oeuvres at a wedding. Let’s face it- it’s usually the least exciting part of the food you’ll enjoy. Mexicue has decided that this should no longer be the case and our RTR bride, Brooke, jumped right on the wagon for her wedding. Read about her experience here and take a look at Mexicue's take on wedding hors d'oeuvres.

Perhaps you are not a canapé type of couple. Perhaps you don’t believe in wrapping everything in puffed pastry.  Bacon, maybe. Great food does not have to be fussy. While hors d'oeuvres should be pleasing to the eye, they should also delight the palate.  Frilly, faddish, dry and over-worked, so many classic wedding hors d'oeuvres exist only for lack of imagination.

Home-style food that features seasonal ingredients allows you to create a casually elegant vibe.  Imagine how your guests will thank you for forgoing the stale classics in favor of crispy short-rib tacos, with cilantro lime crema and napa cabbage slaw. Or lobster rolls with spiced-habanero aioli, snipped chives and pickled jalapeño?  Go ahead and have fun with your food - let your taste buds and imagination be your guide.

To have Mexicue design a special midnight snack for your wedding, please call 646-543-MEX or send them a message at catering@mexicueny.com.  Check out their menu here!

This content is brought to Rent the Runway by Kristin Reimer of Photomuse

You've gone all out to look beautiful today. Your hair and makeup came out exactly how you wanted it to, your shoes rock and your gown is simply stunning. You look in the mirror and you are happy and you are ready to face the world. Then the moment arrives when you are posing for the photographer and suddenly, if you are like most people (myself included) you have flashbacks of photographs from your past and no matter how good you felt looking in the mirror, you suddenly find yourself feeling nervous and apprehensive about how you will look in the camera. Your smile starts to feel a little forced and you find yourself losing some of your mojo.

In most cases, your photographer should be able to talk you through some posing tips, but there will many times during the wedding day that you are on your own. There are some fairly basic tips on posing that I can share with you to get the most out of your wedding day photos.

1.  DON'T ever stand straight on towards the camera. ALWAYS turn your body so that you have a 45 degree angle to the camera. With this stance, now turn your torso towards the camera, along with your head. Place your weight on the back leg. Let the front foot turn outwards slightly away from your body. Don’t ever point your toes inward!

There are two variations for your leg positions:

If you want a more classic and demure look, bring the front leg out to your side and then softly slide it back until your knees are touching, keeping that front leg just slightly bent, with your toe resting slightly on the ground. This creates a beautiful frame for the rest of your body.

If you are going for a more sassy or "cool" pose, take a slightly wider stance (again, the weight is on the back leg) and point your front toes away from your body. 

2. DON'T slouch. Remember your posture. Take a deep breath, stand tall and then exhale and relax your shoulders. The inhalation lifts the body, the exhalation relaxes your stance, and the breathing in general will help you focus and feel calm.

3. Lower your chin SLIGHTLY so that the focus goes to your eyes and not your chin. This also helps to keep your eyes look more alert and open.

4. Keep a small amount of space between your arms and your body. This keeps your arms from being pressed against your body and thereby looking fuller, and it shows your curves. 

5. Relax the hands. A tendency is to clench the hands when a person is nervous.

6. Bouquets: always hold your bouquet slightly lower than your waist. Too often I see women holding the bouquets at waist or chest level. This hides your beautiful dress and hides your curves!

The most important part above all else is to relax and enjoy the moment. Look at photographs of yourself and see what your body positions were in the images that you liked the most. Practice in the mirror. Above all else, just be yourself and have fun!

If you’d like to learn more about Photomuse or book them for your wedding, click here!

This content is brought to Rent the Runway by Emily Post

Marriages not only mark the uniting of a couple—they also involve the merging of two families. Certain family members may be given specific roles within the wedding, but it's fine to assign roles—or not—to best fit your particular family. The authority on etiquette shares a breakdown of family members’ traditional roles and responsibilities.

Mother of the Bride

The mother of the bride may help her daughter in many different aspects of planning, such as scouting out venues, managing the guest list, and finding the perfect dress. She traditionally has the honor of choosing her outfit before the groom's mother. The mother of the bride attends the bridal shower and rehearsal dinner and typically heads up the receiving line at the reception.

Father of the Bride

The bride's father may co-host an engagement party with his wife. They have the first pick on the date, if the groom's parents also want to hold their own party. The father of the bride is traditionally the one to escort her down the aisle (although this is not always the case). He may also give a special speech during the reception and have a dance with his daughter.

Mother of the Groom

Generally, the mother of the groom should defer to the mother of the bride. That said, she may offer to help with different aspects of the wedding preparations. The mother of the groom may wish to initiate get-togethers with the bride and her family prior to the wedding. She should consult with the mother of the bride before planning her outfit. The mother of the groom should attend the bridal shower, if possible, and any other pre-wedding parties. With her husband, she is the traditional co-host of the rehearsal dinner. At the reception, she stands in the receiving line and may dance with her son.

Father of the Groom

The father of the groom traditionally hosts the rehearsal dinner with his wife. As host of the event, he kicks off any toasts given that evening. He may also give a speech at the reception and stand in the receiving line.

For the full list including the grandparents, siblings, children’s roles and more, click here.  

The Emily Post Institute promotes etiquette in America and around the world.  Acting as a social civility barometer, EPI elucidates new manners for today's world based on core values of honesty, respect, and consideration. To read more, click here!

Brought to Rent the Runway by Ruth Drennan of RuthDrennanCakes.com

Most people don’t think about the cake when planning their dream wedding. The dress, of course! The location, sure! But when it comes to the cake, most brides have no idea that there are so many options available to them. As a result they often play it safe and go for a simple white cake. I mean, who even remembers the cake?!

The truth is you don’t have to limit your options- your cake can be just as much a reflection of your personal style as every other element of your wedding. In fact, it can be a key element in tying it all together and just as memorable as all the other details.

As a baker who has made her share of wedding cakes, these are my best tips for personalizing your wedding cake:

1. Color  -“Pink is my signature color.” One of my fave quotes. Who says wedding cake has to be white? If you are making everything green and pink, put some on your cake.

2. Theme –Whether you’re getting married at the beach, a vineyard, or an upscale hotel, many people have a theme that they use on the invitations and in the décor. Your cake can be a continuation of that theme with sugar seashells, butterflies or grapes on vines.

3. Flowers –I’m a bit biased toward this one since it’s my specialty, but decorating your cake with flowers, whether they are real or handcrafted from sugar, is a beautiful and elegant way to decorate the cake and add a touch of personality.

4. Style –Or should I say formal or informal? What kind of vibe do you want your wedding to have? Is it black tie in a grand ballroom or Hamptons chic? A towering creation would look as out of place at a backyard barbeque as a stack of cupcakes would look at the Waldorf.  Think about your venue and the overall feeling you want to convey.

And hey, if none of those ideas float your boat, go your own way! No one says you have to have the same ol’ white cake at your wedding or even have a cake!  It is your day. If you want your cake to be a stack of shoe boxes protected by a dragon, then go for it!

To see Ruth’s work, book her for your wedding and learn more about her, visit RuthDrennanCakes.com.

This content is brought to Rent the Runway by Aisledash.com

A bridal shower can be as formal or as casual as the hosts, traditionally the bridesmaids, want it to be. Set the tone for a fun party atmosphere by featuring this playlist as your guests arrive and await the bride-to-be's grand entrance. In addition to the seven songs on the playlist below, you may also want to add With This Ring by The Platters and The Boy I'm Gonna Marry by Darlene Love.

1.       Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel- Tavares

2.       This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)- Natalie Cole

3.       Signed, Sealed, Delivered- Stevie Wonder

4.       Crazy Little Thing Called Love- Queen

5.       You’re the One That I Want-Grease

6.       I Only Want to be With You-Dusty Springfield

7.       For Once in My Life-Stevie Wonder

For more bridal shower planning tips visit aisledash.com!

This content is brought to Rent the Runway by Emily Post

Congrats! You’re engaged. But now what? The authority on etiquette shares the next five steps to help you celebrate appropriately.

Photo from Merci NY Engagement Shoot

1. Share the good news

Your parents-and any children you may have from a previous union-should hear the news first. Then comes other relatives and close friends. Whether you do it in person or over the phone, do it yourself. Those closest to you will no doubt be hurt to hear the news second hand. Never announce an engagement until a former union has been dissolved, whether by divorce or annulment.

2. Meet the parents

Your engagement should not come as a shock to your parents. Obviously, it's a good idea to get acquainted while you're dating. Your engagement certainly signifies a change in the relationship with your fiancé's/fiancée's parents. Now's the time to lay the foundation for a positive bond with your future in-laws. This is also when the parents of the bride meet-or at least make contact with-the parents of the groom. Traditionally, the groom's parents call the bride's parents to introduce themselves and extend an invitation to meet. However, that first contact can also be made by the bride's parents.

3. Make the guest list & set the budget

Your budget is the determining factor for the shape, size and fanfare of your wedding. But you cannot decide the type of wedding you will have until you have some idea of the size of the guest list. The easiest way to cut costs is to narrow your guest list.

4. Pick the date

The time of year you have your wedding is a key consideration. The most popular months for weddings are June, September, August, May, October and July. Popular wedding sites will be at a premium in terms of availability and cost during these times. Those who want an outdoor wedding will want to be married in the warmer months. If guests will have to travel to attend your wedding, you'll want to select a date that's convenient for traveling.

5. Don't forget the three C's

Not clarity, cut or color. We're talking about consideration, communication and compromise. How you handle your wedding plans can foretell how you will handle the other major decision of your life together. Along with the stress that will accompany the big decisions and little details should be a sense of adventure and fun. You are celebrating one of the most joyous milestones in your lives. Do so with a focus on consideration, communication and compromise and the process is sure to be smoother.

The Emily Post Institute promotes etiquette in America and around the world.  Acting as a social civility barometer, EPI elucidates new manners for today's world based on core values of honesty, respect, and consideration. To read more, click here!

This content is brought to Rent the Runway by Ovando Floral & Event Design

It’s no news to us: tablescapes are a trend très magnifique in the realm of wedding décor.  We love the endless design possibilities that often go beyond the more traditional floral centerpiece. Here, we show all you brides-to-be how to create a memorable tablescape.

While there are many directions in which this can be taken, Ovando particularly likes working with tablescapes consisting of varied vase shapes and sizes to create a more dynamic aesthetic for a wedding to remember. In some instance, a fluid design motif is then woven together via a patterned use of the chosen materials, be it the color palettes, the flowers themselves, or the other selected elements.

This patterned tablescape plays upon the use of elegant glass vases in varied shapes and sizes: cubed vases, Ovandos’ signature (rectangular) Vision vases, silver pedestals and hurricane vases.

Next, ravels in repeated floral designs along the length of the table: aubergine calla lily shoots, our signature Window Box arrangements composed of aubergine callas, cymbidium circles in low rectangular vases, and moss balls accented with purple vanda orchids, floating atop silver pedestal holders.

Succulents and tea light candles are also strewn upon the table to create low standing focal points.

The use of these repeated compositions creates a cohesive design from end to end of each tablescape while at the same time creating a gorgeously distinctive look for your wedding.

All photos by Matthew Hanlon

Certainly, the lady in white will still be the main attraction of the evening, but ravishing backdrops like these will only make the affair that much more exquisite!

To learn more about Ovando, see other designs and book them for your wedding, visit OvandoNYcom!

Brought to Rent the Runway by Cheree Berry Paper

At Cheree Berry, we want to make sure that you have the best stationery suite for your wedding needs. Here are our tips for getting the most out of your wedding
stationery.

Send your stationer inspiration. As your wedding stationer, our job is to create a stationery suite for you that feels cohesive with your wedding day style. Don’t be shy in sending us inspiration! Photos of your dress, linens, florals, color scheme, and venue are always welcome and helpful during the design process.

Choose one stationer to handle all of your paper needs. With so many wedding stationers and online stationery websites out there, it can be tempting to want to bounce around between vendors for your wedding stationery. Choosing one stationer to take care of all your stationery needs will allow them to get to know your likes and dislikes throughout the design process. This will avoid your stationery having split personalities! Your set will look more cohesive if one company is designing all of the pieces throughout the planning process. Also, if you choose one stationer for all of your paper needs, do not be shy about asking for a quantity discount. We know how tough it can be to stick to a budget!

Keep your wording traditional. You can certainly have fun with the design of the invitation, but a good place to stick to tradition is in the wording. It will make your parents happy, won’t confuse your guests, and really who doesn’t love a little Emily Post sometimes? That being said, getting creative or smart with the copy specifically on the reply card is a great way to personalize your set. Bahamas wedding? How about saying “Yes, island bound!” or “Shipwrecked, can’t make it.” Your guests will love the fun copy when they are filling out the reply card.

Hand cancel your invitations. You have just spent a lot of money on your gorgeous wedding invitations so why let the post office run them through a machine? If your post office offers hand canceling, this is a great way to ensure your invites will travel gently through the mail. Hand canceling is when the post office stamps a seal over the postage as opposed to running the envelope through a machine. If you can convince your local post office to do this for you (candy usually works!), we highly recommend it.

Use an inner envelope. Many people think the practice of using inner envelopes with wedding invitations is outdated. However, the inner envelope is not a place to skimp for a couple of reasons. First, the inner envelope adds protection in the mail. After the amount of time (and money!) you spent on wedding invitations, you want to be sure they will still look beautiful by the time they reach your guests’ mailboxes. Second, the inner envelope lets you show off that fun envelope liner you picked out because remember, the inner envelope does not get sealed. Finally, the inner envelope is helpful to delineate if you are inviting someone with a guest or inviting children to the wedding. If you like the idea of an inner envelope but are not thrilled with the idea of formal calligraphy on it, try printing a fun phrase or graphic on the front instead.

Order thank you notes with your invitations. By the time you order your invitations, the gifts are probably already piling up. And the pile is only going to get higher! Ordering your thank you notes at the same time as your invitations is a great idea because usually there is a cost savings involved. The inks are already mixed and often, printers can print both the invitations and thank you notes together. Most stationers will offer a discount if you print these simultaneously so be sure to ask!

To check out Cheree Berry's Paper and learn more about them, visit ChereeBerry.com!