There are some things that a girl just can’t get along without on the big day. But even the necessities can be made nice:
Specs
Those funky, chunky black specs that define you as a cultural creative in the office might be a bit too jarring for your wedding get-up. If you need eyeglasses, are disinclined to wear contact lenses and think prenuptial vision correction surgery falls into the category of budget-buster, think about picking out some special frames for the big day.
Heidi Tanner, manager of DisRespectacles, 1550 Platte St. in Denver, says some women can pull off an over-the-top frame, but she typically steers brides-to-be toward frames that are “a little more minimal, softer and feminine.”
Pick from a lineup of new jeweled frames, or select a vintage frame.
Among Tanner’s faves at the moment is a white Vivia frame, studded with silver sparkles, handmade in France by Francis Klein. They run about $515, not including lenses.
Vintage frames are less expensive, averaging around $125 in the eyeglasses store, and are way less expensive if you shop at garage sales or thrift stores.
Expect to spend about $160 for lenses. And, yes, you do need the anti-reflective coatings — you don’t want flash photography to bounce off your glasses.
Getting your frames fit with new lenses can be done pretty quickly, but Tanner recommends getting the work done a few weeks in advance, just to be on the safe side.
Tip: Old frames can be very fragile, so if you’ve chosen vintage frames, select an optician who has experience with old specs and will handle your glasses with lots of TLC.
Hair
Whether you’re veiling up or approaching your vows bareheaded, chances are good you’ll want some kind of hair ornament, possibly including fresh blooms.
If you’re thinking of adding flowers to your ‘do, make sure to do a trial run with the hairstylist.
If you have very short hair and don’t plan to have a pro help with styling, a trial run is especially critical.
“You can definitely overwhelm yourself with flowers,” says Teresa Henry, owner of Boulder Blooms, a top wedding-flower design studio. “If the bride will do the whole trial run thing, with the hairstylist, and hairpiece, they know exactly what they’re getting.”
If a test run isn’t in the budget, spend time going over — in excruciating detail — what you want from a headpiece.
Henry says she also tries to develop combs and pins that can be placed in the bride’s ‘do right before the ceremony or pictures.
“We try to design it in a way that can be placed on styled hair right at the end,” she says. “Freshness is always an issue when you’re working in heat and sun.”
Tip: Don’t get hung up on a particular bloom until you talk to a florist. The flowers you fell in love with in pictures taken for bridal magazines might not survive the searing heat of the Colorado summer.
Jewelry
So you’ve pored over grandma’s jewelry box and picked the perfect piece to wear on your wedding day but realize that clip-on earrings make your lobes throb or the necklace dips too deeply into your decolletage. What to do? See a custom jeweler.
Colin Miller, production manager at Master Goldsmith on Pearl Street in Boulder, says that if your vintage piece is a good quality metal, fixing its style flaws is relatively simple.
And don’t be afraid to ask for help with costume jewelry. Some old costume pieces are very high quality, and the technology that jewelers use today — such as laser welding tools — make changes less risky.
Miller likes working with vintage pieces because he gets to see work from other eras and other cultures. He recently restored a jeweled, gold-filled locket for a client. “It was not special in terms of materials, but it was very sentimental.”
Converting clip-ons to posts starts at about $50; completely restyling a piece can go sky high. Miller advises not leaving the work until the last minute — he likes to have two weeks for most projects.
Tip: Worried that your yellow gold vintage jewelry or “something borrowed” will clash with the silver beads on your dress? Denise Snyder, owner of Mariel on Larimer Square, says the jewelry can be “dipped” to change its color and then dipped back to its original color.
Shoes
Unless you’re exchanging vows on the beach, you’re going to need shoes. And news flash, ladies, there’s no reason they have to be ugly or uncomfortable, so if you’re inclined to wear Chuck Taylor high tops in optical white, or lace-up white Victorian cowboy boots, be our guest.
“I tell brides all the time that it’s fun to have a shoe that is not one of those dye-able, icky satin wedding shoes that are going to sit in your closet until you give them away,” says Elyse Burja, who owns Strut on Tennyson Street in Denver. “Get a pair you love.”
For her own wedding last year, Burja wore a patent- leather-covered wedge with a snake upper in off-white. If she had it to do again this year, she’d pick the gold “Linda” open-toed pump from Blay.
When you’re shopping, keep comfort in mind, she says. “If you’re looking at something that’s super strappy, the shoe might be gorgeous, but you might also be tortured and that’s not fun. There’s a good in-between out there — gorgeous and remotely comfortable.”
Tip: Don’t be afraid to buy a half-size up and use shoe pads to cushion the ball of your foot.
