Glossary

BRIDAL ATTIRE

A-line skirt – This is a skirt that is fitted at the hips and gradually gets wider toward the hem. It looks a bit like a capital A, hence the name.

Basque waistline – Crosses the body below your natural waistline and dips in the center forming a v-shape.

Bell sleeves – These can either be long or short sleeves, ending anywhere from the elbow to the wrist. It fits closely to your arm at the top, then gradually flares out.

Blouson – The effect of the fabric when the waistline is cinched with a belt or drawstring, creating a loose-fitting, voluminous effect above the waist.

Bustle – Gathering and pinning up the fabric of your skirt and train using buttons, hooks, or ribbons. This process allows for easier maneuvering during the reception.

Cathedral train – The longest and most formal train. Measures 10 feet or more.

Chapel train – A medium length train, around 5 feet long.

Court train – A narrow train, around 3 feet long.

Fit-and-flare – Also known as a mermaid, this silhouette is tightly fitted, but flares out at or below the hips. It is a great way to show off your curves.

Godet train – A triangular piece of fabric that is sewn into the hem of the dress to add fullness.

Illusion – Transparent fabric made of tulle, lace, or net. Used to create the look of sleeves, a high neckline, or back.

Keyhole back – A high back with a cutout. Great for brides who are more conservative, but still want to show some skin.

Lace appliques – Differing types of lace sewn over sheer fabic—like tulle or netting.

Plunging V-neck – An artfully low-cut neckline.

Point d’esprit – Fabric, usually tulle, with oval or square dots woven in a random pattern.

Racerback – A “T-shaped” back that allows easy movement while still making sure your dress stays in place.

Sabrina neckline – Also referred to as a boat neck or bateau neck, it runs horizontally across the collar bone from front to back.

Sheath– A form-fitting dress all the way from the bodice down to the feet. There are usually slits at the legs to make it easier to walk

Sweetheart neckline – This neckline dips down between the breast to look like a heart.

Tea length– This is also known as cocktail length. It stops mid-shin for a more whimsical look.

 

indian wedding attire

Churidas – the trousers worn by the groom

Kalgi – a symbolic brooch that embellishes the safa

KumKum – Red powder placed on the groom’s forehead by bride’s male family members before the wedding and on the bride’s forehead by the groom after they’re married.

Lehenga – name for the wedding sari

Mangalsutra – A traditional necklace made of black and gold beads

Mauli – ceremonious string tied around groom and his parents’ wrists for prayer

Mehndi – Henna application before wedding

Mojari – the groom’s shoes, which must be taken off before entering the mandap

Safa – the traditional wedding turban which is made from a fabric matching the groom’s sherwani or the bride’s lehenga

Sherwani – a long jacket worn by the groom that falls at or just below the knees

 

hair styles

Ballerina Bun – Created from a tightly wound ponytail, creating a chic and clean ‘do.

Loose Top Knot – A more loose, messy bun where the hair is gathered and pinned on the top of the head.

French Braid – A three-strand braid where each piece passes over top of each other and adds more hair with each pass.

Dutch Braid – The reverse of the French braid, the three-strands of hair pass underneath each other with this technique.

Fishtail Braid – A two-strand braid where the hair is separated into two even ponytails. A small strand from one ponytail is transferred over to the other ponytail.

Faux Bob – Giving the illusion of a short cut without the commitment, you can pin your locks underneath themselves for a voluminous bob.

Chignon – Pulling all your hair back and knotting or rolling it to create a low-bun.

French Chignon – Rolled across rather than up, this technique creates a vertical bun ending at the nape of your neck.

Knotted Ponytail – A classic ponytail with a strand of hair wrapped around the top.

MAKEUP

Contour – Emphasizing bone structure with the strategic use of highlighter and bronzer.

Cut Crease – Applying a darker shade of eyeshadow to your eyelid crease to create a dramatic, lifting effect.

Overline – Drawing lip liner outside of your true lip line to for a fuller look.

Stippling – Applying liquid foundation in a tapping, circular motion to create a flawless, airbrushed look.

Strobing – Applying highlighter where the sun would naturally hit and highlight your face, like at your brow line, cheekbones, and the length of your nose.

Waterline – The inner part of your lash line, closest to your eyeball.

 

Photography

Aperture – Aperture is the term describing how large the hole in your lens is, depending on the lighting. The smaller the hole, the less light that is captured.

Boudoir – These glamour shots are a sexy tribute to pin-up models, typically taken of the bride in lingerie or sleepwear. While the bride may be wearing little to no clothing, the posing and angles of the photos are very discreet and artistic.

Bridal Session – This session is typically taken of the bride on the wedding day before the ceremony. They’re typically close-up, portrait shots that capture the details of her gown, bouquet, makeup, and hair.

Depth of Field – This is a commonly used practice for photos where an object close to the camera is in focus while the background is blurry or vice versa.

Filter –Typically, filters are added to a photo during the editing process to create a more dramatic effect by enhancing or blurring certain lights or colors.

Fine Art Style – Creative lighting, unique angles, an artistic point of view, and quality post-production editing are important aspects in a fine art style photograph. The photographer will look at everything within the frame and choose aesthetically pleasing backdrops to create the perfect composition.

First Look – A first look is a photo shoot shared between the bride and groom before the wedding ceremony. Not only do you get great photos of the groom’s reaction, but you can save a lot of photo time between the ceremony and reception by taking portrait shots at the first look.

Fisheye Lens – This is an ultra-wide lens that provides a panoramic view, where the image is distorted to make the center look closer to the lens and the edges seem farther away.

Low Exposure – To capture those ever-popular photos spelling out “love” or circling the couple with sparklers, the photographer will set the camera to low exposure. This keeps the lens open longer before the shutter closes and allows more light to be captured.

Photojournalistic Style – There is minimal involvement or direction from the photographer with this style. Candid and documentary-style, you’ll end up photos that tell a story.

Second-Shooter – Some photographers will include a second-shooter in their photography package. Just as it sounds, this is a second photographer who will also capture photos on your wedding day to get more angles and a diverse selection of photos.

Watermark – A watermark is a translucent text or logo that is displayed across the photo to ensure no illegal copying or downloading.

 

lighting

Color Wash – Just as it sounds, a color wash blankets the entire area in a certain color.

Fairy lights – Also known as string lights, café lights, or globe lights, these are what you often see stringed up on restaurant patios.

Gobo – This is a stencil filter that is put over a light to create a texture or monogram that is projected on to the floor, ceiling, or wall.

Pin-Spot – A smaller version of a spotlight, this light is perfect for highlighting smaller features like centerpieces, floral arrangements, cakes, and buffets.

Spotlight – A spotlight will light a limited area while the rest of the space is bathed in darkness. It’s most commonly used for the couple’s first dance.

Uplighting – These beams of light shoot upward to highlight walls, pillars, or drapery.

 

cake

Fondant – This modeling-clay-like frosting has a thick consistency but a smooth finish. It’s typically used to create more formal, fancy designs, figurines, and flowers.

Buttercream – Buttercream is a more common frosting used on birthday cakes with a creamy and rich flavor. You can texturize the buttercream for a dramatic finish or smooth it out for clean lines.

Marzipan – This frosting is similar to fondant except that it is made with almond paste. This paste gives it more elasticity and a nutty flavor.

Ganache – Typically made from chocolate, ganache is most often used as a filling between layers of cake. It has a very dense, fudge-like consistency.

Naked Cake – A naked cake is a recent trend where the cake tiers and fillings are seen through a very thin film of buttercream.

Gum Paste – Gum paste is used to create realistic figurines, decorations, and flowers. The result is a lasting keepsake or delicious treat.

 

SEE FLOWER GLOSSARY