Wedding Gallery

Need a little help with the search for your bridal gown? If you're going to take advice from your mom, and your college roommate, you might as well listen to what the ancients have to say too.

Aries
I wouldn't dream of making style or fabric suggestions to you, Aries - you've never had trouble knowing your own mind. What I would suggest, though, is learning to SLOW DOWN in your search. I know, I know - you want what you want when you want it! But when it comes to bridal gowns, the patience to comparison shop can be crucial. Unless you're in a vintage resale store and have Princess Grace's actual wedding gown in your hands at 70% off, force yourself to sleep on it - or at least take a meal's worth of time to think on it - before you make your final call.

I don't worry about your ability to find a good bargain, Taurus, or your willingness to let yourself go when it's time to splurge a little. You have a great sense of the difference between price and value. I know you'll find a wedding dress that's well-made and that looks good on you. What you sensual bulls need to keep in mind is that you need to find a gown that feels as good as it looks. You'll never be comfortable or happy in a heavy, itchy brocade. Go for the gown that makes your skin sing and you'll be happy all day.

Even if you haven't started looking for your dress, Gemini, I bet you've already started thinking and talking about it. Drawn a few sketches, made a few lists? By all means, entertain yourself - you always have great ideas - but give yourself a deadline for getting serious and doing the footwork. Making that final decision is going to be a tough one for you (How did you ever settle on just one groom?), so may I offer some advice? Budget for a wedding gown for the ceremony and a second dress for the reception. It'll give you some freedom for dancing and help keep both your minds happy.

You're the one sign I don't necessarily recommend shopping for a dress to, Cancer. With your strong family ties, you're the perfect candidate to wear your mother or grandmother's gown - but don't be shy about asking if you can have it altered to suit your own special style. As sensitive as you can be to other people's emotions, your wedding day is definitely a time to take care of yourself too. Make sure your dress has something of personal significance that makes you smile, whether it's a subtle bit of embroidery or a secret flash of color in the lining.

Your wedding day puts you in your element, Leo - at the center of attention. It's your day, so go as big and bold as you want! If anyone can pull off a bright red wedding gown, it's you. My advice? Absolutely treat yourself like royalty when choosing a gown... but don't forget that your wallet doesn't have a palace treasury attached. You may also want to think outwards when choosing your gown; scout out your venue to get a sense of the whole tableau of your ceremony. That way you can art direct yourself as the center of the whole... or choose a gown that makes you pop right out.

I know you've budgeted properly for your dress, Virgo, and I have a feeling you've planned out and been sensitive to your bridesmaids' budgets too. And you've taken care of the relatives who will be visiting, and you've thought about making sure the groomsmen feel comfortable... You do a lot for other people, and you are endlessly practical, Virgo, so on your wedding day, take a little walk on the wild side. Of course you know you can pull off sweet, feminine innocence - you're who the original blushing bride was based on, after all - but that doesn't mean that's all there is to know about you. Change your traditional wedding dress up with an unusual cut, some intriguing color points, or a short, flirty hemline. Or go with that traditional, demure long dress... and wear your naughtiest lingerie underneath.

You're a natural diplomat, Libra, and you do (duh) like a certain balance to things. Which doesn't mean you can't stand out. Balance the looks of your bridesmaids and groomsmen and then you get to wear whatever you want at the center without throwing anything off. You like to be among friends and I know you want their approval on such an important purchase, but don't bring them dress shopping with you until you're sure you know exactly what you want. Your natural tendency will be to adjust to make them feel like their views count... which means compromising on your wedding gown. Once you have a clear vision, bring along the pal who you know appreciates your taste and good judgement.

There's no sign in the zodiac more passionate than you, Scorpio - and no sign more likely to keep her passions carefully hidden. Well, your wedding day is the day to let them out, honey. Make those friends of yours in the airy-fairy signs think twice! Just this once, choose a dress that shows just a little more of the woman inside than you're used to letting the world see. You don't have to give up your usual composure - just add a subtle hint of sex to it. Trust me - it'll only deepen your mystery to your friends in ways that you'll love, and it will knock your groom's socks off.

I hope you don't feel frustrated by shopping for your dress, Sagittarius; I know how constrained you can feel by traditional boundaries. Try to look at it as an exploration, and remember that brides are pushing wedding dress boundaries farther than ever before. I'm hoping you've got a beach wedding and a light, swirly dress planned, but if you do feel the need to go traditional, get yourself a gown with a breakaway train - that way you can be free when you feel like you've just got to move.

You sometimes get a tough rap in horoscope books Capricorn - everyone talks about your down-to-earth nature and very few give proper credit to the deep, loving bonds you form with a few very lucky souls. Go ahead and appease your practical nature by shopping in vintage or resale stores as well as retail shops for your bridal gown, but give your softer side a little time in the sun too. You may not be comfortable with either word, but on your wedding day you really are allowed to be full-on gorgeous - and even sweet if you want to be. Insist on the neckline that you know flatters you best, and choose two totally impractical details, whether it's a little frivolous beading or a long, flowing veil.

My best piece of advice to you, Aquarius, is to look for your wedding dress anywhere but a bridal salon. You'll be bored to tears, and the salesladies will be nervous when you go all dreamy in the racks. Your vision is way ahead of the rest of us, so head off on that road less traveled and choose the dress that no one else in the world would think of. Better yet, find yourself a seamstress and get her to help you design a gown that's as unique and unpredictable as you are.

Is it too obvious to tell you to go with a mermaid silhouette, Pisces? You'll look drop-dead gorgeous, and you're the one bride in the zodiac who will feel oddly comfortable in its constraining lines. If that's not quite your style, go with soft, flowing fabrics that give you a little rustle to enjoy. When it comes to shopping, high-pressure salespeople are the exact wrong mix for a sensitive Pisces. You feel better when paired anyway, so bring along one good pal to run interference. And enjoy the fact that you're heading for the best pairing of all.