Everything that surrounds the bride as you walks down the aisle should represent nothing less than warmth, love, and beauty. Your gown, attendants, both families and friends -- they all represent decades of dreams, centuries of tradition, and a few fleeting moments of utter joy.

Choosing the bride's gown and groom's attire, and the apparel for the rest of the wedding party, can be a long process. Just remember to use the clothes to reinforce the style of your wedding. In other words, if the wedding is a formal evening affair in an elaborate setting, don't put the groomsmen in casual sports coats and trousers. As you walk through the process of selecting the appropriate wedding attire, you can click on the various worksheet links to help you with each step.

The Wedding Gown

Before you begin shopping for your gown, you should take a look inside your closet and pull out the dresses that make you feel absolutely gorgeous. Study their basic shapes and cuts.

Next, buy an armful of bride magazines. Tear out pages with fashions that catch your eye, and have a pen handy, so you can circle any neckline and sleeve treatments you likes. You will probably be looking at dozens of dresses, so use the Gown Selection Worksheet to keep track of what you like and don't like. Once decide on what you want your dress to look like, make your selection. Use the Bride's Attire Worksheet to keep all of your ordering information to make it easy to make any follow-up phone calls.

Traditional bridal dresses are typically the most elaborate of bridal wear. They often include touches of beading, sequins, laces, ribbons, rhinestones and pearls. Traditionally, bridal gowns are made of satin, which is suitable for most seasons and for the formalist of occasions. During winter months bridal gowns made with touches of brocade, lace and velvet complement the winter season nicely.

Informal wedding dresses have become very popular among no-nonsense brides, many of who are marrying for the second time, or who just prefer a simpler, more casual looking wedding dress - without a train. Informal wedding dresses are a great option if you do not plan to have an elaborate ceremony. Informal wedding gowns usually refer to various styles of floor-length (to the floor), intermission-length (between the knees and ankles), ballet length (to the ankles) or street length (covering the knees).

Informal wedding attire can also include a crisp suit and jacket set for a civil ceremony, a loose white sundress for a garden wedding, a sexy silk slip dress for an evening champagne wedding reception, a curve-hugging sheath gown for an art gallery wedding or a white bikini with a matching beach wrap for a Hawaiian beach wedding.

At The Bridal Online Store, we we have everything you;ll need for your big day! From Tiaras to Shoes; from Lingurie to Gloves. All in one place.

It's not always easy finding your dream wedding gown, especially if you're seeking a plus sized wedding gown. Like over 90% of the population most of us are not a petite size 2 or a statuesque size 4, ready to stroll down the aisle as if it were a catwalk. Let's face it, many of us are short and stout, pear shaped or extremely hourglass shaped and many of us exceed a ladies size 16. However, this doesn't mean that plus sized brides have to settle for second best on their wedding day.

At The Bridal Online Store, we stock over 4000 new, first quality gowns at up to 80% below bridal shop prices. We also have bridal consultants available 24 hours a day to help you find the perfect dress for the perfect price. We carry sizes 2 through 30 and above, so brides of any size can feel like a Princess on their big day!! And, every purchase is backed by a Money Back Guarantee. We hope you will include us when making your bridal gown selection.

Headpieces and Veils

A bridal tiara or headpiece is an elegant way to attach your bridal veil to your hairstyle or as the finishing touch to your gown.

There are many styles of veils and headpieces. First and foremost, you should choose headwear that coordinates with your dress. However, most headwear can be adapted to coordinate with any gown style.

Your only other concern is deciding what sort of veil and headpiece you feel comfortable in. Your comfort level depends on how you like to wear your hair and whether you want to wear all or part of the headpiece during the reception (you should make a general decision about your wedding day hairstyle before buying the headpiece).

A bridal tiara or headpiece is meant to draw attention to your face by framing it. The wrong shape can overwhelm a bride's face or accentuate wide cheeks or a wide forehead. Here are some tips for choosing the most flattering style:

• © If you have a round face - choose a tiara that forms into a peak to thin your face.

• © If you have an oval face - tiaras with peaks will make your face appear longer. Any flatter style tiara or headpiece will be a more attractive choice.

• © If you have a long face - stick to an even headpiece of woven flowers or a tiara with little height.

• © If you have a full face - lengthen your face with a tiara or headpiece with an exaggerated peak in the middle.

If you have a heart-shaped face - wear a tiara or headpiece with multi heights or step-style layers that will draw attention away from a pointy chin.

At The Bridal Online Store, we include a free tiara of your choice with the purchase of most gowns.

Bridal veils are usually made of silk or nylon, or a blend of both, and often feature lace trims, rhinestones or flowing ribbon.

Some of the more popular styles are:

• © Flyaway Bridal Veil - cascades in multiple gauzy layers or poufs, the longest of which brush the shoulders. This bridal veil is typically worn with an informal gown or with a bridal gown with a stunning back that shouldn't be hidden.

• © Blusher Bridal Veil - a loose bridal veil consisting of 2 or 3 tiers, one of which is worn loosely over the bride's face during her walk down the aisle. The father of the bride or the groom lifts the bridal veil backwards over the headpiece to reveal the brides face during the exchange of vows.

• © Fingertip Bridal Veil - drapes below the shoulders and should extend to the bride's fingertips when her arm is extended.

• © Chapel Bridal Veil - is approximately 2 yards in length from the headpiece.

• © Ballet Bridal Veil - also referred to as a waltz-style veil, cascades to the bride's ankles.

• © Cathedral Bridal Veil - is traditionally worn with a cathedral train which drags feet or more behind the hem of the wedding dress.

At The Bridal Online Store we carry over 100 headpiece styles, from plain to crystal diamond and a dozen different styles of veils - from shoulder length to cathedral length.

The Bridesmaids' Attire

Today, bridesmaid dresses have a world of options. Bridesmaids don't even have to dress alike anymore. You can choose to have the wedding party all dress alike or in just the same color or fabric. Keep in mind the bridesmaids will be paying for their dresses, so try to choose one within their budgets. Also, before committing your bridesmaids to your "dream" bridesmaid dress consider their body types and coloring. While one style of dress may flatter one bridesmaid it may look unattractive on another.

There are four main styles of bridesmaid dresses: A-line (princess), empire, ball gown and sheath.

• © The A-line is by far the most popular style. Vertical seams run from the shoulders to a flared skirt, creating an "A" shape. Because the A-line dress loosely outlines the figure this style of dress is flattering to most body types. If your bridesmaids range in size, this style of dress is your best choice.

• © The empire style features a waistline that starts right under the bust and flows straight down in a slightly slimmer dress. An empire dress flatters bridesmaids who have a thicker waist and will give a tall, slim line to petite bridesmaids.

• © The ball gown has a fitted bodice and waist that flares into a very full skirt -- ballerina style. While the ball gown style is typically reserved for the bride alone, if you're considering it for your bridesmaids, keep in mind this style works best if your bridesmaids are all close in size. This style dwarfs smaller bridesmaids and looks disproportionate on larger bridesmaids.

• © The sheath bridesmaid dress is very form fitting (hugging the curves), with a narrow skirt. This is another style that works well if your bridesmaids are the same size.

Regardless of the style(s) you decide on, order the dresses at the same time so they're all part of the same dye lot. This helps ensure the dresses will be the same color. If the bridesmaids are wearing matching shawls or gloves they should also be ordered at the same time as the dress, again to remain in the same dye lot.

As you did with your wedding dress, you should keep track of the likes and dislikes of your bridesmaids' gown possibilities. Then create a detailed worksheet about the gowns you have selected, including all of your attendant's measurements.

At The Bridal Online Store we carry over a dozen styles of bridesmaids dresses, in over two dozen colors.

Flower Girl Attire

The flower girl is seen for a brief moment, but in that moment -- when she scatters rose petals down the aisle, she's the center of attention. All flower girls are a heavenly vision; a halo of flowers upon their heads, a decorated petal basket in hand and the dreamiest dress a girl could ask for. It doesn't matter if the flower girl's dress is simple or elaborate; the flower girl is a charming and cherubic harbinger of the bride to come.

The style and design of the flower girls' dress should reflect the formality and theme of the wedding. However, the dress should also reflect the age of the flower girl. Most flower girls are in between the ages of four and nine, and you want to dress them appropriately.

If you are throwing an outdoor, or less formal indoor wedding, a simple dress with clean lines, delicate picot edging or pretty beading is a lovely choice for a young flower girl. Sometimes, choosing a simple dress in the same color as your bridesmaid dresses and adding a few embellishments is all that is needed - perhaps adding a satin ribbon around the waist, or attaching a silk flower at the back of the dress in place of a bow. Make sure the flower matches the main flower in the bride's bouquet and it will be another simple, yet beautiful touch.

At The Bridal Online Store we carry over 50 different styles of flower girl dresses. If you want your flower girl to feel like a true princess, we can even make a miniature version of your wedding gown (minus the veil and train, of course).

The Groom's Attire

As with the modern bride, the modern groom no longer absolutely has to wear a traditional black tuxedo. A nice-looking suit and tie has become popular, and this option allows the groom to wear the suit for other special occasions.

If he wants to stick with the rental route, be sure to check out a few rental apparel possibilities to make sure he gets the style he likes at the price you both like. Then keep track of all the groom's ordering information, including dates for the fittings.

Groomsmen's Attire

The groomsmen's apparel should match (or at least reflect) the style of the groom's attire. The groomsmen will sometimes wear a less formal or less colorful version of what the groom is wearing. The best man will often match the groom. It's a good idea to have a list of all the groomsmen's measurements in case you run into any problems with the rental company.

Ring Bearer Attire

Either hand-in-hand with the flower girl or walking down the aisle alone the ring bearer is a sweet addition to any wedding. Having a ring bearer is the perfect way to include a special young brother, nephew or cousin (4-9 years old) in your wedding.

Modern ring bearer attire includes suits and tuxedos. Suits can be made of almost any material and color. Velvet and satin suits look great in the colder months, especially those in darker colors that complement the wedding colors. White or light colored linen suits are ideal for warmer weather. Suits can also be more formal; complete with dark jacket and pants (in black, navy or charcoal gray), light shirt and a regular tie.

For formal weddings the best ring bearer attire is the classic tuxedo.

At The Bridal Online Store we have boy's tuxedos in sizes S - XL.