Vera Wang on Weddings

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From budgets and bouquets to cakes and venues, 48 indispensable ideas from the wedding gown designer to the stars

Style. Elegance. Sophistication. These are the qualities that have brought celebrity brides like Sharon Stone and Vanessa Williams to wedding gown designer Vera Wang. Now you can bring Hollywood glamour to your own wedding with these amazing ideas from her book Vera Wang on Weddings.

Click on the links below to find out how you can create your perfect wedding day:

5 Ways to Choose the Perfect Date, Time and Place

5 Ideas for Food and Drink

4 Surprising Facts on Wedding Cakes

18 Tips on Selecting a Bridal Bouquet

The Dress: 16 Things a Bride Should Know

5 Ways to Choose the Perfect Date, Time and Place

In Eastern wisdom it is said that journey of 10,000 miles begins with a single step. When planning a wedding, the first step is setting the date, time and place. Everything hinges on these decisions, from the style of dress to the tone of the reception.

The date. Choosing a date involves many considerations. It may be a day with great sentimental value, like the anniversary of a first date, or the decision may depend on the availability of family and friends.

Some guidelines

If the wedding is during 'high season,' from May to September, it is impossible to book too far in advance.

If economising is a concern, select a weekday between October and February.

If the date coincides with a bank holiday weekend, expect higher costs from caterers and banquet managers.

For summer weddings, a Thursday celebration avoids disrupting everyone's weekend.

The date is only as important as the guests' availability.

The time of day always determines the choice of dress and the style of the wedding.

5 Ideas for Food and Drinks

The most seductive cocktail parties have three important ingredients: incredible hors d'oeuvres, imaginative drinks and fantastic music. Whether it's Beluga caviar or pigs-in-a-blanket, cold martinis or ice-cold beer, the presentation of food and drink should be as inventive as it is appetizing. As I often prefer finger food to big meals, cocktails to vintage champagne and serenades to disco, the cocktail hour is one of my favourite parts of the wedding celebration.

Adequate chairs and tables should be supplied for guests. Nothing is more frustrating than trying to negotiate food, drink and conversation with nowhere to sit.

There must be adequate bartenders and waiters, so guests need not wait in line.

Even during daytime, tiny lamps or scented candles lend ambiance and an air of sophistication to the tables.

Freshly cut flowers always provide fragrance and enormous visual beauty.

For elaborate buffets, replete with sushi bars, caviar bowls, ice sculptures and trays of hors d'oeuvres, the cocktail hour might be scheduled before the ceremony, so guests have an opportunity to recover before dinner.

For a limited budget, a great cocktail party can be a wonderful alternative to a formal dinner. A wedding celebration should always be a fun gathering of friends that falls within affordable limits. The most successful celebrations are those that respect financial boundaries.

4 Surprising Facts on Wedding Cakes

If weddings attest to our belief in commitment, then wedding cakes celebrate all that is fun and frivolous at the reception. A wedding cake is universally acknowledged as an object of extreme reverence and joy.

The most memorable cakes are as imaginative as they are delicious. I personally love a bit of contrast or some element of surprise, such as morsels of fresh fruit inside layers of frosting or a chocolate cake under a sea of white butter cream. Texture is also important.

Since many wedding venues have bakers on staff, they may require that the cake be made in-house, so the food contract should be checked. Study magazines and cookery books for inspiration. If local bakers are uninspiring, it is feasible to have a cake delivered from another location. Most competent professionals have extensive photo-books to inspect.

Cutting the cake represents the start of the newlyweds' life together. The groom places his right hand over the bride's to guide it for the first cut. Superstition requires that the bride cut the first piece. The groom feeds the bride, then she in turn feeds him. This shared piece of cake symbolizes their first meal together.

As formal toasts usually follow the cutting of the cake, it is best to have the cake fairly early on. This is also an ideal opportunity for guests who wish to depart early to do so.

18 Tips on Selecting your Bridal Bouquet

There is enormous historic and emotional significance attached to a wedding bouquet. In ancient times, brides carried chaffs of wheat to invoke fertility and celebrate the joy of marriage. While brides today no longer adhere to this tradition, floral bouquets still embody the beauty and symbolism of this wedding ritual.

Some thoughts to bear in mind

Any decision regarding the gown or the decoration should be immediately shared with the florist or wedding designer.

Left to the last minute, a bouquet can be a serious disaster with little or no relevance to the bride's gown or those of her bridal party.

If an extravagant wedding gown is not a financial consideration, an extraordinary bouquet can serve to enhance a plain dress.

If a dress is elaborate, the bouquet should be simple.

As the bride's choice of flowers may not be seasonal, and thus expensive or impossible to get hold of, alert the florist as soon as possible.

An enormous bouquet always looks disproportionate on a small bride.

For many daytime weddings, a fancy bouquet could detract from the elegance of the bride's outfit.

For varied texture and proportion, certain species of small buds, such as freesia, lilies of the valley or baby's breath, can provide a delicate alternative to anosegay.

A bouquet of some unexpected colour, such as deep orange, black-red or purple, personalises a traditional white wedding gown.

For more daring brides, an unusual lip colour could be coordinated with that of the bouquet.

The bouquet could also be matched to the headpiece and corresponding details on the gown, a favourite among English brides.

Bouquets look strange when the stems are completely enclosed, so the tips should always be visible. All stems should be tapered so that the bride is not holding the equivalent of a tree trunk.

A heavy green leaf sometimes serves as a practical and decorative support for the rest of the bouquet.

Wait until the last possible minute to cut fresh flowers for the gown, headpiece or bouquet.

Dry towels should be made readily available since fresh bouquets are usually kept sitting in water.

If real flowers are to be worn in the hair or pinned to the back of the train, beware of pistils or petals that stain.

Allergies should always be a consideration.

If the bride intends to toss the bouquet, a second one should be made for just that purpose.

The Dress: 16 Things a Bride Should Know

The simpler the gown, the more precise the workmanship should be.

A grand wedding usually necessitates a more extravagant silhouette.

The longer the train, the bigger the bustle.

Vintage gowns are not easily fitted or repaired because the fabricis most often irreplaceable.

Wedding separates are a chic alternative to a gown and much less expensive.

Not every gown is right for every wedding.

Shopping. The busiest time of year for bridal shopping is January through April. The busiest days for retailers are Friday afternoon, all day Saturday and, in some cases, Sunday. For extra attention, Monday is usually the best day to shop.

Due to the fragility of the gowns, most reputable retailers require that an appointment be made in advance with a sales consultant. Expect the appointment to last between forty-five and ninety minutes.

Be direct with the dress consultant about one's budget. State the desired price range and be clear as to one's limits. A competent consultant can be of great help in advising on the purchase, but only if the consultant has a clear understanding of the client's budgetary parameters.

Remain open-minded and receptive to new ideas. Many of my brides are amazed at their final decision. It is also important to allow plenty of time for the purchase of the dress. Typically, dresses take at least three months to come into the shop, so if possible, begin the search eight to ten months before the wedding.

One of the most important factors to consider about a retailer is the calibre of the seamstresses on staff. Only extremely competent technicians can manage both the specific and complex alterations that a wedding dress requires.

Certain upmarket department stores have bridal departments. Some may even have individual shops dedicated to specific designers. Like wedding boutiques, they are equipped to handle most of the issues related to wedding clothes: shoes, stockings, handbags, gloves, headpieces and veils. They can also deliver anywhere.

Many bridal retail chains buy dresses in bulk so they can afford to give discounts. While the shopping is rarely an upmarket experience, it is possible to reap big savings if the right dress is available in the right size. Be careful of imperfections and defects.

The Dress Continued: Terms of Purchase

Once the gown is ordered, a dress order cancellation fee will usually apply.

Fifty percent of a gown's cost is due upon placement of the order. It is usually non-refundable.

The balance is due upon completion of the dress, before the alterations are finished. Alterations are usually additional.

In some instances, depending upon the retailer, the customer may be required to pay the entire cost upfront and keep the dress, no matter the outcome. Be sure to check the cancellation/postponement policy, with the specifics of the purchase noted.

The fittings. The importance of fittings cannot be overestimated. For the beauty of her gown and her own peace of mind, a bride must devote serious time and effort toward fitting her gown. Regardless of its shape or construction, a wedding gown will only look beautiful if it is properly fit.

Some valuable tips. Even an inexpensive gown can look elegant if it is properly fit.

To avoid hemline discrepancies, a bride should bring her wedding shoes to every fitting.

For uniformity of fit, always wear the same underpinnings.

It is best to maintain a stable weight. Even a two-pound fluctuation can alter the fit of a bodice. A dress that has been overworked will look it.

The initial fitting will determine the number of subsequent visits.

A beautiful gown can be ruined by bad alterations.

Most reputable, full-service bridal retailers are responsible for fitting the gown properly.

Check with the retailer to understand its policies regarding alterations.