Brides USA

BEHIND THE BAR

My fiancé and I don’t

drink. Will our guests kill us

if we have a dry wedding?

It’s so much less expensive!

“If the majority of your guests are drinkers,

you should serve some alcohol,” says

Allison Jackson, of Pineapple Productions in

Washington, D.C. Offer just beer and wine

(there are many great, inexpensive options), or

try Jackson’s cost-conscious solution: Create

a nonalcoholic signature drink that can be

spiked for tipplers (like blueberry lemonade,

peach iced tea, or gingered limeade).

Unless you have religious or health

reasons for abstaining, choosing to

take care of your family and

friends is a generous sentiment—

and a great tone to set for

your new life together.

My cousin can’t attend

my wedding. Do I still

send her an invitation?

“It’s a nice gesture to send the

formal invite, especially if the two

of you are close,” says Jesse

Tombs, managing partner at Alison

Event Planning and Design in

San Francisco. Consider adding a

handwritten note—something like

“Sorry you can’t make it. You will be

missed!” If your invitation budget

is an issue, just send a card with the

same message and call it a day.

COMMON COURTESY

I want my bridesmaids

to wear the same strap-

less gown, but one feels

insecure in it. Do I have

to change it just for her?

Your bridal party should respect

your wishes and go with the flow,

says Donna Morgan president Robert

Taylor (an industry vet who’s also

worked at Amsale and Marchesa).

The easiest way to keep your girls

happy and comfortable is to select

different styles in similar colors

and fabrics. But if you’re set on one

dress for all, give them the choice to

wear a light wrap, a fine-knit sweater,

or some other cover-up in between

their bridal responsibilities so they

feel great and enjoy your wedding.

DRESS DILEMMA

ETIQUETTE

Help: I’m camera shy!

“Many of us freeze up when we feel

like we’re getting too much attention,”

says Bernardo J. Carducci, director

of the Shyness Research Institute at

Indiana University Southeast. While

you should be front and center (it’s

your wedding!), one way to over-

come self-consciousness is to build a

rapport with your shooter before the

big day. D.C.-based photographer

Kate Headley often takes clients for

a drink or coffee a few weeks before

and encourages them to practice

posing—so make like a Kardashian

and take lots of selfies to find your

best angle and feel like a pro.

SHUTTER BUG-OUT

BRIDES.COM

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98 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2016