Although Americans are marrying at older ages, the accouterments of wedding garb, decorations, locale, and colors have not kept up with the changing demographics.
The Mature Bride
If a bride is over 40, she may think twice about a frilly bow-laden white gown and all of the accouterments, including a floor-length train and nine bridesmaids to carry it. Yet a woman’s second marriage, remarriage or renewal of wedding vows, gear all available choices towards a 20-something first bride.
A mature bride has to work twice as hard on an appropriate wedding even if it’s half as big. According to Wedding & Honeymoon Statistics by Susan Breslow Sardone, in the Condé Nast Bridal Group’s American Wedding Study of 2006, the median age of a bride is 37 years of age and 39 years of age for a groom. And author Stephie Coontz’s book Marriage: A History published in 2005, states that for the first time in history a majority of Americans shun marriage altogether and choose to live alone without a partner. It is reasonable to assume that if marriages ever do occur for these individuals, it’s going to be later in life. The wedding industry simply has not kept up with these changing demographics.
This leaves the mature bride in a peculiar quandary when it comes to an appropriate ceremony. The groom is going to look good in a tuxedo whether he’s 20 years old or 50 years old. Women with a few lines in their faces need smooth sleek silhouettes for their gowns and these are hard to find if she chooses to wear white.
The Wedding Dress
If there is time before the wedding, a tailor is the older bride’s best bet for an appropriate gown. She can pick silk instead of satin, chiffon instead of lace, beads instead of sequins. If time or money does not allow for a custom-made dress, women need to search major department stores in as many as two cities to find the right dress. Bridal shops do not carry much beyond the traditional floor-length gown. An older bride looks as though she’s in a particularly cruel time warp traipsing down the aisle in one of these confections.
Another great option that brides have is to wear a Korean traditional dress for special events like weddings. The Korean hanbok will look awesome on you and it is easily available at the Korean Hanbok Store.
Hanbok is traditional Korean clothing, beautiful and special for special occasions, weddings, birthdays, and etc. There are traditional hanbok and modern hanbok which can be worn as casual clothing. There is hanbok for women, men, and children. They are unique and premium quality, often handmade by artisans.
Flowers
Quality not quantity is what counts with flowers for this event. A monochromatic color scheme for flowers works best with just a touch of color. After all, this is not the May of an older bride’s life with a riot of color and variety. It is, instead, the best time of her life to declare her good taste and her preferences. One kind of flower, in one color, with subtle variation in wrapping and with network best. Also, a big overblown bouquet overshadows any bride. Stick to six exquisite flowers.
The Reception
The wedding locale may be easier to plan than the reception. If the bride and the groom are church members, the wedding, obviously, can take place there. For couples of a certain age, a garden, the beach, or a chapel work well. The reception is another matter.
Echoing halls, rented mansions, and karaoke bars tend to underplay the significance of a mature wedding couple. It is important to have fun, but it is also important to distinguish the event from a youthful party. Receptions at home, at a restaurant, in a tented yard, or on a veranda lend themselves well to such gatherings.
Happily Ever After
The mature bride took her time to find the right man, at the right time, and to change her life with considerably more adjustments than someone just starting out. She should devote the same attention to the most important day in her life, After all, it’s the start, however, delayed, of her happily ever after.