Wedding trends and tips were the topics on the ABC television show, “The View,” on Friday. They filled their entire program with guest experts from the wedding industry.

Here are some of the trends and tips which will give you ideas when planning weddings for your brides:

Wedding Dresses

Wedding gown designer Amsale Aberra showed some of her beautiful gowns which highlighted the latest trends:

• Lace wedding gowns inspired - by Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.
• Non-white dresses.
• Skirt interest (see above).
• Lightness – using tulle and organza.
• Short dresses – can  used for engagement parties, the wedding brunch and the reception.

Amsale also offered these additional tips:

• A bride should not worry about what size she is when selecting a style, it’s the body shape that matters the most.
• The cost of a gown is dependent on the fabric, the time spent on making the dress and beading.

Amsale has a television show starting on June 12 on WEtv.

Catering

Carley Roney of “The Knot”  shared food the drink trends

• Wedding theme should be carried out in the food and drink.
• No more boring chicken and beef dishes.
• Food inspiration comes from food trucks and food street vendors around the globe.
• Your brides should be taking their guests on an excursion, serve food such as European crepes and Chinese dumplings (dim sum).
• Cocktails should also follow the theme.

Flowers on a Budget

Carley gave these tips for saving money on flowers:

• Select less expensive flowers, such as carnations and mums, and use them in bulk, they will look amazing.
• Stay with flowers that are in season.
• Colors are hot right now but a bride should not use too much color in her bouquet, it will be overwhelming in front of a white dress.
• If she wants a colored bouquet, keep it small, let the bridesmaids carry the color.

Wedding Attire

Randy Fenoli of Kleinfeld ( you’ve seen him on, “Say Yes to the Dress”) offered this information:

• The groom’s attire should be the same level of formality as the bride’s.
• 80% of wedding gowns today are strapless and they are not just a trend. Wedding gowns are fitted garments. If you put sleeves on a fitted garment, the bride will not be able to move her arms.
• If your bride is self conscious about her arms, she can add a shrug or bolero in a light-weight fabric that doesn’t add bulk.
• Your second time brides should feel free to wear veils. Just make it lower and longer than a first time bride. (Nothing poofy or outrageous.)
• Alternatives to a veil are flowers or a jeweled headpiece.

Makeup

3 things every bride needs in her wedding day makeup bag – from the makeup artist at “The View”

1. An all-in-one compact that includes blusher, lip gloss and eye shadow
2. Waterproof mascara
3. Long lasting lipstick

You can see the entire episode of the show on the ABC website.

There is a postage rate increase taking place in the U.S. on Sunday, April 17, but unless your brides are mailing wedding invitations that weigh more than one ounce or sending them outside the U.S., they won’t have anything to worry about, stamps for regular first class letters will remain at 44 cents. 

The rate increase will impact your brides if their invitations weigh more than an ounce, their save-the-date cards are postcards, these are going up from 28 cents to 29 cents, they are sending invitations to Canada and Mexico, or they are mailing parcels. You can view detailed information about the prices at http://www.usps.com/prices/

While you are on that website, take a look at their stamps. There is a wedding forever stamp that will go on sale on April 21, 2011, that your brides might want to use. It’s two white roses resting on a wedding invitation. You and your brides can also pre-order them from the USPS website.

Wedding invitations are usually addressed three to four months before the wedding and sent eight weeks before the date.  Do you have a bride who is mailing  invitations after May 11 for her late summer wedding?  If so, be sure she has not yet bought her stamps.  Postage rates in United States will go up on May 11. The price of a one ounce First Class Mail stamp will increase two cents, from 42 to 44 cents, and the prices for other mailing services will increase also.

While we are on the subject of stamps, the US post office has a wedding stamp design that brides like to use.  But to add an extra touch to her invitation, a bride can also create a stamp using a photograph of  herself with her fiancee.  Check out the wedding section at stamps.com for more information.  The stamps are more expensive than regular over-the-counter stamps so budget should be a consideration when considering purchase.  Also, be sure she orders the stamps for the right amount of postage.  Invitations that are square or rectangular in shape, thick, or more that one ounce in weight will cost more to mail.  Suggest your bride take an invitation to the post office and have a postal worker give her the exact cost to mail it.