Lesson number one in finding your wedding dress: See the potential.

Since this was a cocktail dress it was significantly less expensive than a traditional white wedding dress. I could afford to have it taken apart and put back together, so I did. A Maltese seamstress took the dress down to my size, removed the shoulder pads, made the sleeves detachable (a day look and an evening look), and hemmed it for my short frame.

I know everyone says not to make too many changes to your dress, but I’m here to tell you to try it. See the potential. Find a seamstress who sees the potential. And then, while she cuts away at your dress, have a glass of champagne or two (it makes it all much less stressful).

Lesson number two in finding your perfect wedding dress: Trust your gut.

A few weeks before my wedding I made the big mistake of going to Pronovias.com and looking through their new collection of bridal dresses. The panic began. Would I feel like a bride in a pink wedding dress? Had I made a horrible mistake? Does it still fit right? What about that neckline, is it too narrow? Should I just go out and buy a new dress? Was I going crazy? Was I turning into a bridezilla?

I sent a panicked email to my mum, spent a week oscillating between emotions (I love my dress! I hate my dress!) and confusing my fiancé (I couldn’t very well tell him exactly why I was panicking without revealing what colour my dress was).

And then I made a plan.

I trusted my gut, which told me when I first saw my pink wedding dress – even when it was four sizes too big and had shoulder pads – that it felt like me. I trusted my gut, which was now telling me something wasn’t quite right.

So my mum and I agreed to make a veil together when I arrived in Canada, which would make the pink dress look more ‘bridal’ (it did). And we contacted a seamstress in my hometown who was willing to do some last minute adjustments to the dress.

And that panic went away.

On my wedding day I was so pleased with how my dress looked – and how I looked in it.

Modern, but traditional. Sparkly, but soft. A train and a veil, but an unexpected colour.

It all felt right.

If you’re worried about pulling off a coloured wedding dress – worried because it might not be ‘bridal’ enough – I recommend sitting down and thinking what, if not the white colour, makes a bridal outfit ‘bridal’ to you.

Is it the veil? The train? The hair and make up?

Take that element and adapt it to your outfit.

For me, it was the tulle veil. My veil cost about $20 to make and involved no sewing. I found soft tulle at a fabric store, cut it, and didn’t bother finishing the edges (tulle can be forgiving like that). It’s a Juliet Cap veil, so to fasten it to my head my mum found two small beaded brooches which we attached pins to, and then pinned onto my veil and into my hair above and behind my ears.

It couldn’t have been simpler, and I couldn’t have felt more like a bride while wearing it.

Even my husband, who hates veils (something about female oppression), liked it!

Tell me, were you a 2013 colored dress bride?

Would you rock a pink wedding dress?

I’d love to know! Comment below!

Photos by Evan McMaster / Dress: Zenit by Pronovias, Veil: DIY’ed / Suit: Separates by Gagliardi

 my husband and I during our first dance, photo by Evan McMaster

Here are the ‘lists my husband and I created for our wedding party: Four hours of cocktail hour (more obscure) music, and 3 hours of dancing music (more popular). Where possible, I’ve added links to YouTube.

I hope other DIY DJ brides find this to be a helpful starting point!

I wanted this part of the evening to feel like you had stepped into a bistro playing old 20’s-40’s European music.
These songs would work well for a vintage themed wedding (even though ours wasn’t). 

Let The Good Times Roll – Louis Jordan and His Tympany

Tea For Two Foxtrot – Victor Silvester Orchestra

Je suis seul ce soir – Swing 41

Si tu vois ma mere – Sidney Bechet

Ain’t She Sweet – Enoch Light & The Charleston City All Stars

Papa Loves Mambo – Xavier Cugat

La Conga Blicoti – Josephine Baker

Skyliner – Charlie Barnet

Padam Padam – Edith Piaf

One O’Clock Jump – Count Basie & His Orchestra

Take The A Train – Duke Ellington & His Orchestra

L’Accordeoniste – Edith Piaf

Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend – Marilyn Munroe

When The Saints Go Marchin’ In – Louis Armstrong

Ballad du Paris – Francois Parisi

I Feel A Song Coming On – Peggy Lee

Le parc de plaisir – Francois Parisi

La Vie, L’Amour – Edith Piaf

Skylark – Stan Getz

La Dolce Vita – Xavier Cugat

Milord – Edith Piaf

Ciento Lindo – Mills Brothers

Mon Manege a Moi – Edith Piaf

I’ve Got You Under My Skin – Frank Sinatra

The Way You Look Tonight – Frank Sinatra

Polichinelle – Edith Piaf

Let’s Get Lost – Chet Baker

I wanted these songs to transition the evening into a fun, party atmosphere.
They were also a good transition between our vintage themed music and our dance party music. 

Here Comes Your Man – The Pixies

Choo Choo Ch’Boogie – Louis Jordan

Oh My Heart – Jenn Grant

Be OK – Ingrid Michaelson

Sugar, Sugar – The Archies

Heart Attack – Raphael Saadiq

Love That Girl – Raphael Saadiq

Paradise – Coldplay

Mambo Swing – Xavier Cugat & His Orchestra

All You Need Is Love – The Beatles

Princess of China – Coldplay

I Want Candy – Bow Wow Wow

Jungle Drum – Emiliana Torrini

Roller coaster – Major Maker

Go To Hell – Raphael Saadiq (one of my personal favourites)

Houdini – Foster the People

Sweet Child o’ Mine – Taken by Trees

Ho Hey – The Lumineers

Crazy in Love (Kid Koala Version) – Emeli Sande & The Bryan Ferry Orchestra (Great Gatsby Soundtrack) (another personal favourite)

Over You – Raphael Saadiq

Love Roller coaster – Ohio Players

Alive – Empire of the Sun

Hotel Song – Regina Spektor

It’s Cool to Love Your Family – Feist

Build Me Up – The Foundations

I Can’t Dance – Genesis

Beautiful Day – U2

Staying in Love – Raphael Saadiq

You Really Got Me – The Kinks

I Get Around – The Beach Boys

Do You Believe In Magic? – The Lovin Spoonful

Walking on Sunshine – Katrina and the Waves

God Only Knows – The Beach Boys

Deny, Deny, Deny – Joel Plaskett

How Long Do I Have To Wait For You? – Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings

Dancing with Myself – Nouvelle Vague

Dreamgirl – Dave Matthews Band

Seven Days in Sunny June – Jamiroquai

What I’d Say – Ray Charles

I Feel Good – James Brown

These songs have a more sentimental feeling, but that doesn’t mean they are slow or sappy.
We played them before our toasts and first dance.

Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours – Stevie Wonder

Postcards from Italy – Beirut

Non Je Ne Regrette Rein – Edith Piaf

Marry You – Bruno Mars

This Will Be – Natalie Cole

Sexual Healing – Hot 8 Brass Band – we also played this during our ceremony and it is by far my favourite wedding song ever, hands down, no contest!

Sweet Disposition – The Temper Trap – I also walked down the ‘aisle’ to this song because I think it’s so beautiful.

Since we don’t know much about music, this was certainly not an original choice.

Into The Mystic – The Wallflowers (American Pie Wedding Soundtrack)

Again, nothing very original, but lovely nonetheless.

Come Away With Me – Norah Jones

L-O-V-E – Nat King Cole

Turn Me On – Norah Jones

We never expected them to, but these songs got everyone on the dance floor.
Even our grandparents!

Jump (For My Love) – Girls Aloud (Love Actually Soundtrack)

Beer Barrel & Wedding Polka – Al Cherney – my mom requested that I play a polka because my grandfather loves to polka. I thought not one else would like it, but the dance floor was packed! I dare you to try a polka at your wedding!

Blurred Lines – Robin Thicke feat. T.I. & Pharrell Williams

Bang Bang – will.i.am (Great Gatsby Soundtrack)

Girls (Who Run The World) – Beyonce

Where Have You Been – Rihanna

Get Lucky – Daft Punk feat. Pharrell Williams

Quimbara – Celia Cruz

Hey Ya! – Outkast

I Love It – Icona Pop

Feel the Love – Rudimental feat. John Newman – a surprise hit! the dance floor was shaking!

Scream & Shout – will.i.am feat. Britney Spears

Wild – Jessie J feat. Big Sean & Dizzee Rascal

Danza Kudro – Don Omar feat. Lucenzo

A Little Party Never Killed Nobody – Fergie, Q-Tip & Goon Rock – a personal favourite of mine

Waiting All Night – Rudimental feat. Ella Eyre

Call Me Maybe – Carly Rae Jepsen

Thrift Shop – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Wanz

Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison

Can’t Hold Us – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Ray Dalton

Champagne Showers – L.M.F.A.O. feat. Natalia Kills

I Need Your Love – Calvin Harris & Ellie Goulding

Oh La La – Britney Spears

Sunshowers – M.I.A.

Rise Up – Yves La Rock

Paso – Sak Noel

By this point in the night our DIY DJ station had been hijacked (it’s a risk of DIY DJ’ing!) and these songs hit the dance floor. Turns out, they were even better than our choices to end the night with.

Paradise by the Dashboard Lights – Meatloaf – everyone over the age of 30 loved this one!

Get Low – Flo Rida feat. T Pain – everyone under the age of 30 thought this was hilarious!

Have you DIY DJ’ed your wedding, or a party?

Do you have other good wedding music recommendations?

Do leave them for other readers in the comments below!