The Multi-Cultural Bride
by Chamein Canton

“Everything old is new again.” Today more than ever people are celebrating history and old fashioned things; it’s just a part of the circle of life.  Memories and past traditions serve as the ties that bind us to our families.

 As a wedding planner I have seen the number of weddings with multicultural themes double in the last ten years.  Many brides (and grooms) feel it’s important to pay homage to their heritage. Here’s a little background information on different bridal traditions.

 African- Traditional African attire is loose fitting. An example of this would be a buba (loose fitting blouse) a wrap skirt and a head wrap. However many designers tailor their designs to be modern with ethnic accents. Gowns using African fabrics are adorned with cowrie shells, embroidery or beads. Traditional African fabrics include dupioni, peau de soie, satin, and jacquard. Cassandra Broomfield and Therez Fleetwood are two designers who have successfully and beautifully combined rich Afrocentric accents to modern wedding gowns. 

  Asian- Red is the traditional wedding color in Japan and China as it represents love and prosperity. However in Japan the bride wears a white Kimono for the ceremony.  Silk and satin are the most commonly used fabrics for the wedding dress and Kimono. Saeyoung of Saeyoung Vu Couture designs modern and traditional (red) bridal wear for her bride’s needs.

 Indian- India has many different beliefs and culture. Still the Sari is foundation of the bride?s wedding attire. Made of raw silk or cotton this highly colorful Sari is worn in layers and is traditionally adorned with gold accents.  Millionaire Bombay India offers traditional Indian wedding attire in different styles.

 Latino- Is well known for beautiful lace gowns. However it’s the Mantilla that garners the most attention. Made to cover the face and shoulders, this veil is as beautiful as it is dramatic. There are many facets to Latino culture depending upon the region. Brides in many Latin-American countries wear a light blue petticoat or slip beneath their gown.  In Mexico brides may wear a Quinceanera Dress.  Quinceanera is traditionally the celebration of a Mexican girl’s 15^th birthday. However the style of gown (princess) is highly favored among brides. These dresses can be found at David’s Bridal and Sydney’s Closet.

 There are numerous cultural and ethnic traditions to explore and I’ve just covered a few.  Explore your heritage to see what traditions have been handed down through time. So if you want to show off your Fighting Irish spirit, maybe you can add a four-leaf clover appliqué to your gown. If your family has a crest; integrate it onto the train or on the bodice.

If you don’t have a family crest that’s fine. Go with something that’s unique to your family. Every family is unique so ask about your grandparents wedding or look at photos from other wedding celebrations to get some ideas.  Most of all don’t forget his family traditions.

 A wedding is more than just a ceremony and a reception it’s a celebration of love and commitment. Moreover it also represents the coming together of two families as one.

 For full-figured brides finding a gown that incorporates multicultural themes may seem like a daunting task as most designers cater to smaller figures. But take heart after a lot of research I found some designers that are really worth looking into.

Additional Resources

• Artsy & World Style Plus-Size Apparel Directory

• Recommended Wedding Guides

 Chamein Canton is the ground-breaking author of the plus-size wedding guide, You Go Down That Aisle in Style!

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   The Second Time Bride

by Chamein Canton for Elegant Plus Magazine

A wedding is a celebration of love and the promise of a bright future together. This is especially true for second time brides (and grooms for that matter), as a reaffirmation that both love and hope springs eternal.

 There was a time when second marriages were expected to be civil affairs without much pomp or circumstance. The bride and groom would head down to the courthouse; chapel (viva Las Vegas) or perhaps the couple would wed in the clergy/officiant’s office and that was that.

 Thankfully times have changed and now second time around couples are choosing to have celebrations with as much or as little fanfare as they desire. However while there are many things to consider when planning a second wedding the one thing that gets the most attention is what to wear?  What kinds of fashion options do full-figured second time around brides have? Can you go with a traditional gown or jazz things up a bit with a sleek and sexy number? Is white strictly off limits? Are you relegated to the world of beige, antique white and cream?

And the survey says: It’s a matter of personal taste. For a number of women their first wedding dress was more about someone else’s choice than her own, perhaps money or your mother was a deciding factor in the type of dress you wore. On the other hand one of the big plusses in being a second time bride is you know what you like and it’s truly your party. So to answer the color question wearing white is up to you. Remember almost no one looks good in stark white. In fact most bridal gowns are varying degrees and shades of white. Therefore instead of concentrating on the color, focus your attention on what looks best on you and base your decision on that.

 Then there is the matter of what style options are available. I am happy to say the same options apply for brides across the board (first or second time):

1. Traditional Gowns: Depending upon how formal or informal your wedding is this is still the most popular option for brides.
2. Bridal Suits or Two Piece Gowns: A tailored suit is wonderful for a daytime or early afternoon (semi-formal) ceremonies, while a two-piece gown is elegant for an evening (formal) affair.
3. Bridal Pant Suits: If you are more comfortable in pants then this is more than a viable choice for you. If you aren’t able to find one off the rack, look into having one specially made for the occasion.
4. Casually Elegant Dresses: Think Cindy Crawford’s wedding on the beach. Choose a dress that’s simple, elegant and above all comfortable.

 Although much is made of the fashion aspect, the most important thing is what the wedding represents, making a commitment. Nevertheless while I do love a first time bride, I hold a special place in my heart for brides who take that leap of faith and entrust her heart to love again. It does my heart good!

 Congratulations!

More Resources

• Plus-Size Bridal Listings

• Plus-Size Formalwear

• Plus-Size Special Occasion Dresses

• Evening Suits

Chamein Canton is the author of the full-figured bridal guide, You Go Down That Aisle in Style!

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Giving Thanks for Eachother
by Chamein Canton

Since the holiday season is once again upon us I decided to stray from my usual format of discussing wedding fashions to take some time to address what’s at the core of every good wedding, the bride and the groom.

Long before you began planning the fairytale wedding, there were date nights, dancing, long drives, cozy dinners for two and just plain hanging out enjoying each other’s company. However sometimes it’s those very things that begin to suffer because we’re so busy planning the wedding of a lifetime.

Thanksgiving is a time for families to come together and give thanks for the blessings they have. It’s also the perfect time for you and your intended to give thanks for each other. These days it’s far to easy to take even the littlest things for granted, to take care of some detail that can afford to wait.

Several years ago a good friend of mine announced to me that she had finally met her soul mate and indeed she did. He wined and dined her and took her to some of the best tropical vacation spots in Caribbean. While she loved all the attention she told me some of her happiest evenings were spent in front of the television on Thursday nights watching Friends with him and just vegging out. And then they got engaged.

Suddenly everything centered around the wedding. She was completely consumed with making sure that every detail was perfect. In other words she turned into a Bridezilla. So instead of vegging out on Thursday nights with her fiancé, she had one ear to the phone and her eyes fixated on her wedding notebook. Someone had to talk to her and that someone was me.

We went to lunch and I basically told her that if she didn’t slow down and start spending less time yelling at the florist and more time cuddling with her fiancé there wouldn’t be a wedding to plan. She seemed shocked at first but once we broke down her behavior over two short months, she got the point. I told her to relax, release and delegate!

Eventually she hired a wedding planner (not me, I have a rule about mixing friendship and business) and within six months her wedding went off without a hitch. That was 10 years ago and they’re still together.

So what’s the point of this little story? We need to remember in this time of giving thanks to make time to give thanks for each other everyday and not just a few times a year. With all the pomp and circumstance that comes with being the bride a few things are bound to get overlooked, just be sure it’s not the groom. So this Thanksgiving before you freak out over cooking a meal, how many people are coming and whether you should have pumpkin or sweet potato pie, spend some quality time with your fiancé. Let him know how thankful you are that he’s in your life.
( By the way guys it works both ways.)

Chamein Canton is an author, mother and plus-size wedding expert living on Long Island, NY.

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