The advice that rolled in:

*Be sure to sit down in the dresses you're considering. You'll want to be comfortable while seated, too.
*While it's beautiful, heavy beading at the top of a dress can be a pain, literally. One woman said her sister's underarms were RAW because of her gown's beading. Yikes!
*Make sure the dress is easy to pick up (for restroom break purposes). I do believe I failed myself on this one, but I also believe it'll be worth it. :]
*One woman wrote, "Do not let them talk you into that undergarment garbage!" She noted that a good dress fits a body without the need for those things.
*A former boss of mine advised me (and other brides-to-be, since this has never been just about me) to not limit oneself to bridal boutiques. A friend of hers, she said, found her dress at Nordstrom. This former boss also mentioned that she'd just sold her dress, something I think I might consider if Steven and I do not commit to a tradition of wearing our wedding wardrobes once every year or five years.
*A wedding planner I know, Angela Wish of A Wedding Wish, suggested not using the alterations department in the bridal shop itself. Way overpriced, she advised.
*Finally, another girl mentioned that she's heard a number of brides complain about how heavy their gowns were.

What would you add?
 
Traditions, schmaditions: A number of people said they'd rejected certain traditions during their big day. Many skipped the bridal party dance -- you know, where groomsmen and bridesmaids who may not know each other are asked to dance together. I recently wrote a blog about selecting songs for special dances for Something New Entertainment, and Anna-Jeannine, my DJ, said she's seen others welcome their bridal parties to dance instead with their respective dates. Much better idea, from my perspective.

One girl said she wished she had skipped the garter part because it was awkward and she didn't want to do it, but was pressured into it. Another recent bride mentioned they, too, skipped the garter and bouquet tosses because they felt they were "tacky" and "outdated."

Another noted her groom and she skipped the unity candle and other touches that are more about families uniting than the couple uniting. "This was about our union, not our family members," she wrote. They also skipped the cake-smashing to be kind to one another.

Given how much money/time may be spent on my makeup and is being spent on the dress, I have ZERO interest in cake-smashing.

"How much interest do you have in cake-smashing?" I just asked Steven, who's sitting beside me on the couch.

"Not much," he replied. "I know it's a tradition and everything, but it's like, why? Then I have to take a time-out from everything to get cleaned up."

Another sign we are meant to be, lol.

Finally, here are some i
deas you might steal (if you can) from others:

Something old:
+Grandma's opera gloves
+Great-grandmother's engagement ring

Something new:
+The bride's dress

Something borrowed:
+The bride's circlet (headpiece, and yes, I did look that up)
+Family necklace and family hankie

Something blue:
+The bride's garter
+Bride's toenails
+And, for what it's worth, I'm considering wearing blue shoes.

What did you do for your big day that others might copy?