hypothetically, what do 42-year-old brides with two children wear?

[curryeater]

If:
they are getting married in church
Are short, have stocky legs, red hair, no tan or any likelihood of same, size 12 below 14 on top

Just wondering...

A simply decorated cake like this would be lovely using the M&S cake. All you would need is some wide ribbon in your chosen colour. The big broochy thing you can get from eBay like here

Hiring a church hall is a minimum £150 around here.

I had a Monsoon dress and only relatives attend a registry office wedding, though looked around for a nice one. Then we went for drinks and then a to a really great restaurant for a long lunch.
No wedding cake, just desserts as I was too late to order an M&S one.

It's around £25-£30 for church hall hire here. A friend of ours did it and the wedding presents were the food. One couple bought trifle, one bought bread, one bought potato salad. Parents bought drink. It was great. I am never bloody making tortilla de patata for 70 again though

My BF got married at 40 with 2 kids and wore a white trouser suit. Bootcur white trousers, white jacket, floppy hat. Kind of like <a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=trouser+suits+for+brides&hl=en&sa=X&tbo=d&biw=1366&bih=643&tbm=isch&tbnid=pi7nmjtEeUsCuM:&imgrefurl=www.lovemydress.net/blog/2011/11/white-trouser-suit-bride.html&docid=P7VNmY8RUUmtdM&imgurl=www.lovemydress.net/.a/6a0120a65f64b9970c015436f3c924970c-580wi&w=580&h=870&ei=1tLxUK-DAYaI0AXxuYHACA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=75&vpy=88&dur=5312&hovh=275&hovw=183&tx=62&ty=295&sig=115506579743822185234&page=1&tbnh=146&tbnw=101&start=0&ndsp=39&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0,i:85" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this
She looked FAB.

Oh you are all so inspiring!
Taffeta, that floppy trousers and heels look is exactly what I had in mind - wider than bootcut, more dressy. I am not sure if this is a good look if you are 5'4" though, it is really really elegant on tall slim women.
I love that cake with the black ribbons.
I bet I could hit up my folks for some booze.

My mate is a size 12 with cankles, 5 ft 6.

And you too can be 5ft 6 with those heels!

www.berketexbride.com/wedding-dresses/deborah

I wore this.

Am very pale and a bit bigger than you.

Do you want a borrow?

Liza, that is so kind! I really like your dress, the simplicity is so elegant. I won't say yes as I don't have a date, so don't know when I could return it, and would prefer something I could alter if necessary. but thank you so much that is very very kind of you, I do luffs mn xxx

Something vintage like this would look stunning with a larger bust and red hair (don't let the size put you off, you can have it altered and I suspect it is an "old" which comes up a lot smaller). A really simple posy with it, some pale shoes and red lippy.

I've just been invited to a wedding where they are getting married in the church, then the reception is in the church hall (across the car park) with a 'bring and share' buffet rather than food being provided. They don't need gifts because they have lived together for years but want to be married.

The invitations also specified a colour of dress if you fancy being a bridesmaid. I'm really looking forward to it, fancy weddings are not really my thing.

No help on the dress front (apart from trying your local charity shop- one near me has gorgeous wedding dresses for very little).

One of the loveliest weddings i've been at in recent years was in the brides church and her friends from church laid on a beautiful afternoon tea in the church hall with homemade scones and shortbread and flowers, confetti etc on the tables with. They were so happy to marry each other and it was a really beautiful, happy relaxed day.

Go for it!

I would go out and try stuff on.
Have just been looking for a dress for a winter wedding and must have tried on 30, most look dire. Out of the 30 one was flattering but a day dress, one was flattering but black, too evening wear rather than wedding, and one (not in the sales needless to say) was flattering. I now need to find a shrug or jacket to match.

curryeater, I loved it, it's the best dress ever. The offer is there, bear it in mind if you decide you want a 'dress'

Thanks so much, Lizatarbucksauntie!

OK Schmalzting, I reluctantly agree about the trouser suit. That is what I was afraid of. I think those are lovely dresses but they might be a bit too much for me - I think again the lack of height and the stockiness is a problem - I think the beading and decoration is beautiful if you come out like a 20s gazelle but would be a bit lampshade on me. Maybe not - maybe the thing, as everyone is saying, is to try things on!

thanks again everyone for all the encouragement, really appreciate it

Liza - that is such a beautiful dress. It's a pretty lovely offer too.