Jewel tones, touches of color big bridal trends

Pick a color, any color.

That's the idea for this year's bridal and attendant apparel.

While many are opting for bright, eye-popping colors such as kiwi, turquoise and yellow, others who can't make up their minds are mixing things up with two-tone dresses.

For the men, browns and grays are trending up this year.

"The colors this year are really great jewel tones and dresses with more than one color. Say you have a fuchsia gown for your bridesmaids and you can trim it out in an orange sherbet color. There are many companies gearing their lines toward this now, with some offering up to 56 colors to choose from," said Kathy Johnson, bridal buyer at The Rose Tree Boutique. "This really customizes your wedding and makes it more personable to your style."

Nationally, 2009 color trends lean toward purples, with black, plum and navy popular choices for winter; latte, coral and lavender for spring; mauve, sage and turquoise for summer; and emerald, burgundy and chocolate for fall. Metallics will also have their place for brides who want a little extra dazzle.

Of course, many brides lean more toward the traditional, or even vintage -- both of which are making a comeback.

"Vintage is big again, tufting in the skirting is popular, and we're seeing lots and lots of soft and elegant laces," Johnson said. "Many of the brides' dresses also have this beautiful jeweled detail beading that looks like expensive jewelry all over the dress."

Dress styles will include A-lines and sheath-style dresses with silk shantung and taffeta. Brightly colored dresses are most often seen in satins and crepes.

"Even brides are adding a second color to their dresses to customize things even more," she said. "For bridesmaids, short dresses are really in."

The added colors are also spilling over into bridal jewelry as well, with wedding bands and engagement rings in emerald, topaz and garnet.

A special treat for Tri-State brides is the addition of the Disney bridal collection. The Rose Tree Boutique is the exclusive retailer of this line -- featured in bridal magazines -- in the state and geographic region.

"A lot of people think you have to go out of town to get a selection, but we go to the same markets and see the same trends as buyers in other, larger cities," Johnson said. "You can stay right at home and get something that not everyone else is going to have."

Grooms and groomsmen also have some choice these days. While the classic black and white tuxedo remains popular, it's not the only option, according to Dee Chapman, manager at S&K Menswear at the Huntington Mall.

"Brown and grays have come on real strong, of course basic black is always good," Chapman said. "One button and three button tuxes seem to be really popular right now. Windsor ties are in as well, while bow ties and cumberbunds are out at the moment."

Chapman recommends that both the bride and groom come in about three to six months before the big day and, if possible, bring in color swatches of what the bridesmaids will be wearing. Chapman said if the wedding is anytime between April and June, it's important to have orders in at least two months before the big day because of the high demand during those months.

She added that the groom has more choices than ever before.

"It's tough to look at the big picture and narrow it down, but that's where we come in," she said. "We can usually direct them to what's best for them. We ask a lot of questions to help sort out what they really want."

Chapman added that once the groom registers, his groomsmen can come in at different times and be measured. They only need to come back once the tuxes arrive to try them on and make any necessary adjustments.

Courtesy of Metro Creative Connection

The styles of wedding gowns are nearly limitless.