wedding

f you're getting married overseas, there are a few extra
considerations when it comes to looking good. It's time to start
planning your 'princess for the day' look!

Your wedding attire
there are two main considerations when planning your outfit for
a wedding abroad. You need to find something that you will be
comfortable wearing, especially if you're getting married in the
sunshine, and you also need to choose something that you can
transport relatively easily.

If the temperature on your wedding day is likely to be very
cool, a 'floaty' beach dress probably isn't the perfect choice.
Look for something that will suit the environment - more of a
traditional ball gown-style wedding gown, for example. Equally,
consider accessories such as shoes. Pretty beach sandals aren’t
the thing for walking around the castle grounds. Instead
consider a high heel shoe.

What you wear for your wedding is entirely up to you and there
are no real dress rules if you are marrying in the grounds of
your hotel. However, if you have arranged for a religious
service in a chapel or church you will most likely be expected
to respect local custom and cover your head and shoulders. Also
in some Eastern countries, such as Thailand there is a specific
dress code. Your wedding coordinator or the relevant embassy
will advise you.

Transporting and caring for your outfits
when you choose your perfect dress, speak to the designer or
store about how best to transport it. It may pack well with
plenty of tissue paper, or could be better kept in a dress bag.

Check with your airline for advice on transporting your wedding
outfits. Some recommend that they should be boxed or packed into
separate suitcases. They will then be placed into the hold.
Others suggest that you use suit carriers and, space permitting,
they will be hung in the cabin of the aircraft. Outfits can
always be carried as hand luggage but this will restrict you to
keeping the rest of your hand luggage to a minimum.

As soon as you arrive at your hotel, unpack your wedding
outfits and hang them up. A warm and humid tropical climate
should allow creases to fall out naturally. However, your hotel
or your wedding coordinator can normally arrange for your
outfits to be steamed if necessary. Alternatively, hang clothes
in a steam-filled bathroom which will help the creases drop out.

Hair and beauty
Hair and beauty treatments can be arranged when you arrive at
your hotel, or you might even decide to book things before you
arrive. If your hotel does not have these facilities, ask
whether there is somewhere you can visit nearby. For total peace
of mind, practice styling your own hair and make-up before
setting off.

You're likely to want to have a healthy tan on your wedding
day, but basking in the sun before the wedding isn't a good
idea. As well as damaging your skin, you run the risk of looking
more like a lobster than a sun-kissed bride. Pace your
sunbathing on the run-up to your wedding or help nature along
with a good quality fake tan. If you're doing your own fake tan,
be sure to practise well in advance.

About the Author: Pamela Stevenson is founder and owner of
http://www.AmberleyRose.co.uk which is a UK Wedding Coordination
service, specialising in UK Destination Weddings. Their packages
include ‘Fairytale Castle Weddings’ and London’s finest
locations.