People in Cardiff and the valleys are holding street

People in Cardiff and the valleys are holding street party celebrations to toast the newlywed Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

About half of an estimated 200 street parties in Wales have been taking place in the capital and Rhondda Cynon Taf, according to council figures.

The royal wedding was shown live on the BBC Big Screen in The Hayes, Cardiff city centre, where Roy Noble also presented his BBC Radio Wales afternoon show.

In Caerphilly, the Mothers Union at St Martin church is holding an exhibition of their own wedding dresses and photos as a celebration of married life.

The oldest dress on show dates from a wedding in the 1950s during a time of rationing, when the bride and her family had to save enough coupons to buy enough material for the dress.

Although Torfaen has hosted just four street parties, children at Hillside Primary School in Blaenavon were among those who staged their own wedding, with pupils playing Prince William and Kate Middleton.

Rugby stars Gareth Thomas and Martyn Williams attended the wedding as guests of Prince William, a patron of the Welsh Rugby Union, while designers from south east Wales supplied clothes for a number of guests at Westminster Abbey.

Kate Middleton and her father walking down the aisle watched by people in Cardiff

Lorraine Stone from Porthcawl was commissioned to design and make an outfit for Miss Middleton great aunt and is supplied a dress to Lisa Jones, wife of First Minister Carwyn Jones.

Mrs Stone told BBC Wales: "It fantastic to be part of it and I very proud I will have two outfits at Westminster Abbey on the day.

Monmouthbased dressmaker Philippa Barton and Abergavenny milliner Alison Tod dressed around 20 guests.

Meanwhile, Porthcawl very own Catherine Middleton, who describes herself as a "senior citizen", spent the day watching her namesake nuptials on television with her family at her daughter house.

Several couples were tying the knot on Friday, including Michael Davey and Debra Kahn in Ely, Cardiff.

Mr Davey said they booked the date more than a year before the world became interested in another couple big day.

"They pinched our date, we did not pinch theirs," he said.

But he added that the extra bank holiday meant more guests had the day off work to attend their wedding.

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Should the Dress Be Less Expensive?

Should the Dress Be Less Expensive?

For brides that spent a fortune on their first dress, it may be refreshing to purchase something a bit less expensive. Though there are no rules against buying a highend gown, a second time bride may want to be more practical. Brides can even buy a gown they may want to rework and wear again at some point to make it worth the expense. Setting a budget before shopping is a good idea, because it can be disappointing to find a gown that you love only to find out it's not in your price range. If your groom is going to be walking down the aisle for the first time, a more elaborate dress may make him happy, but ultimately it's up to you.

When it comes to accessorizing second wedding dresses, it's all in the details. You may or may not want to buy something new to wear, or wear an heirloom piece that belonged to a grandmother or mother. Simple jewelry is always best and keeps the attention on you. Skip the veil and buy a beautiful hair accessory instead, and opt for shoes that you think are beautiful, no matter what color or style they are. The best thing about a second wedding is that you've done the formal thing before, so now you are a bit free in terms of what you wear and you have more confidence to pull it off.

Are Colored Dresses Appropriate?

The short answer is yes, colored dresses are appropriate for second weddings. Not wearing white is fine, and there are many designers now making beautiful wedding dresses in every color, including pink, red, navy, or yellow. You can also go for an off white or creamcolored gown to stay a bit closer to tradition, but your second wedding should be fun and enjoyable for you. Dare to think outside the box and wear a unique colored dress. There's also a better chance you could wear the gown again if it's colored. A shorter dress makes a fabulous style statement for a second wedding.

What are Some Unique Wedding Dress Ideas?

If you're not up to the look of a classic bridal gown, skip convention and opt for something different and creative for your second wedding. For a beach wedding, opt for a strapless sundress. For an elegant, sophisticated look, try a beautifully tailored suit. A slip dress that is simple and timeless can be gorgeous for a second wedding, and really impress your groom. Another fun idea is to go vintage. Find a beautiful vintage cocktail dress, suit, or gown to wear for your wedding and have some fun with your look on your big day.

Having an apple shape body doesn't mean

Having an apple shape body doesn't mean that you are excluded from the stunning brides group. Though it is challenging to dress an apple shape, it becomes easier once you learned how to camouflage your trouble spots and meanwhile take the best advantage of your assets. You are blessed with slim arms and legs, you are not that bad as you thought you are. Here are some tips about your bridal gowns choosing.

1 In order to find a bridal gown style that flatters your body, you have to first get a clear recognition of the characteristics of your apple shape body, especially your trouble spots. You need to find ways to minimize your full breasts and a wide back and mean while try to make your bulgy belly look small. Try your best to make your larger upper and your lower half in proportion.

2 After getting a clear knowledge of your body characteristics, settle down and contemplate on how you can cover the flaws whist take the great vantage of your slim arms and legs. Here are some tips for you.

Bridal gowns with lower neck line like strapless, square neck line and off the shoulder ones all can help the attention moving upwards. It is better to wear bridal gowns with natural or lower waistline which will elongate your torso and reduce the chance of "muffin top". Bridal gowns with an empire waistline will be perfect for you as the drop under the waist line will draw attention away from your stomach. To make your hips look smaller, you can choose a full skirt bridal gown. Steer clear of the slim miniskirts with your body type which will make you look far more top heavy than you really are.

3 when you have got ideas of what will be nice on you, then ask your most intimate friends who can give you her most sincere advice to go around the nearby boutiques. Don't forget to bring a camera with you. When you are trying on one, you can take some pictures and then come home and decide which one is much better. Mabel and well together with her colleagues aims to give the brides the best advice as to how to dress up on your special day.

Before You Shop For Your Wedding Dress

Choosing the perfect wedding dress will be one of the biggest and possibly the hardest decisions you will have to make in the run up to your wedding day. Seeking out, trying. Mention the words eco friendly wedding dress and many people would conjure up images of hemp and recycled fabrics. But an eco friendly wedding dress is simply a dress made from.

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Wedding bouquets are much like wedding dresses

Wedding bouquets are much like wedding dresses. All brides needs one, they come in a variety of sizes and shapes, plus they have a big bite out of your budget. But how do you find a bouquet that matches with your theme, includes the blooms you want to use but still expresses your personality?

First, you need to decide if you want a formal, semiformal or casual bouquet. A great rule of thumb is to match the size of your bouquet towards the length of your train or gown. Longstemmed, formal bouquets go well with fuller, more elaborate gowns, and smaller, more casual bouquets are better coordinated with increased informal dresses.

Cascade Also known as fountain, shower or waterfall bouquets, cascade bouquets are rounded at the very top having a stream of flowers flowing within the bride's hand for any cascading effect. Almost any type of flower can be used with this particular style, though largepetaled blooms like roses, calla lilies, lisianthus and orchids are very popular simply because they give the impression of abundance and drape more naturally. These bouquets frequently incorporate more green than other arrangements simply because they emphasize the flowers' petals and stems. You will see lots of irises, tulips, lilies and roses in nosegays. Ribbons may be used to trim these bouquets in order to wrap around their stems. These bouquets are ideal for brides who'd rather not be encumbered with a bouquet they need to hold. It's important to keep the bouquet relative to your frame as you want your flowers to enhance your dress, not obscure it. Go too small, however, and you'll look like you're carrying children's posy rather than a onceinalifetime arrangement! Taller women should stay with longer arrangements, like arm sheafs or cascade bouquets. Women of shorter stature, on the other hand, should keep more compact bouquets, and those having a larger frame will look best with fuller flower groupings.

Meaningful BouquetsYou can pick flowers according to the look of them or choose ones infused with specific meanings. What sentiment best represents your union? Love? Use red roses. Fidelity? Twist in a little ivy. Passion? Incorporate yellow irises. Forgiveness? Choose white tulips. Whatever you're feeling, there's a specific bloom that signifies your sentiments, although the bulk of the wedding congregation will stay clueless, the day will be even more special if you're possessing flowers blooming with symbolism. Plus, the pictures will be more meaningful.

Personal AttachmentsYour bouquet has style, shape and significance, but if you'd like to personalize it even more, add a few mementos. Family heirlooms, like earrings and brooches, could be pinned to the bouquet wrap. And you may wrap the bouquet having a special swatch of fabric, just like a piece of your mother's wedding dress or perhaps a strip of the dress you wore in your first date together with your fianc. Of course, you can always go for style over meaning and suit your bouquet for your wedding's theme. Shells and starfish make great accents for beach weddings, and ivy, a butterfly pendant or maybe a small, tasteful ladybug pin will transform your bouquet into garden partyready blooms.