Wedding dress shopping in Helsinki...

I've been looking for that perfect wedding gown for a few months now, and I've got a firm favourite in a store just down the street from where we live.  Exciting stuff!  Thought I would share some of my dress hunting experiences, as they might be helpful to others on the lookout for their perfect dress!

Some good hints and tips:
- Start well in advance!  Delivery times for dresses can range from 3 to up to 6 months, and you'll probably need to put time aside for a seamstress to do some work on it as well.  Our wedding is at the end of August, and I don't think I'm looking a day too early.
- If you can, try to book fittings at some stores, to ensure that they have time to see you.  Mornings and early afternoons, and all day Friday are really busy times!
- Wear tights if you don't want to be seen in your underwear!
- Have a look through websites and magazines before going into stores, to get an idea of what style you like.  Show it to the girls in the stores.  Also it's a good idea to ask the shop personnel what their favourite dresses are.  They know the dresses really well, and can make some great recommendations.
- Think about the colour of your dress.  Some people's skin tones are better suited to off-white, while others look better in bright white. I can't wear off-white, I look totally washed out!

Highly recommended stores:
- Seremonia.  Great service, and gorgeous dresses, particularly from Pronovias and Atelier Diagonal.
- Niinatar.  Super sweet service, and lots of dresses at great prices.
- Stockmann.  Selection lightly old-fashioned, but worth a look.  Best space and great mirrors to see your dress.
- Stilissima.  Lovely service.  Stocks Cymbelline dresses, which are just gorgeous!

Not so highly recommended stores:
- Meslewi.  The most bizarre service I've ever received.  Don't waste your time.
- Lavem.  The ladies working there completely ignored me and my mom.

I might still have a quick look in Morsmaikku, and will be checking out the dresses etc. at this weekend's wedding fair!

x

(Dress: Pronovias)

Christian Louboutin for my wedding?

I know what I just said about getting married in Gina shoes, but just look at all the gorgeous (wedding?) shoes from Christian Louboutin!  As far as I know, they don't do a bridal collection, but I wouldn't mind getting married in any of these.  The thought of tying the knot in bright pink shoes is strangely appealing!

x

All shoes Christian Louboutin

Little Gina shoes for your big day

These are some of the shoes I'm looking at for next summer's wedding.  I'm 99.9% sure my shoes are coming from Gina, as I've been for the past five years since my hungry little eyes first set sight on Gina's little shop on London's Bond Street.  "Those are the shoes I'm wearing on my wedding day..."  And so I shall.

All shoes from Gina (excuse the gold - I'm definitely going for silver/white when I marry!)

Mirrors and weddings and such

Our latest purchase from Ikea is a huge mirror - 94cm wide and 130cm tall.  It needs to be mounted, but it's currently leaning against the wall in our hall, waiting to be carried out in our next move, which will now probably take place in two weeks... At 99EUR, it's a great buy!

Levanger mirror - 99EUR Ikea

Also thought I would mention - my fiance and I are getting married next August, in Vanajanlinna, just outside of Hämeenlinna, the gorgeous city which for me is synonymous with summertime, as it's where I spent most of my holidays as a child.  Having gotten over the initial engagement ecstasy (and don't worry, I'm still definitely on a huge high), the practical wedding planning has got to start!  First on the list is the guestlist, which we'll need to start compiling like, last week.  What I have started doing though is looking at flowers and thinking themes and colours.  Right now, I'm liking the look of something like this