Too busy to trek to the nearest bridal salon? Whether you suddenly need a veil at 4 a.m. or just prefer to avoid pushy salespeople, visit these sites that can outfit a bride (and often the entire bridal party) with just a few clicks.

The Aisle New York: This members-only site (sign up for free) is like an online sample sale, offering designer wedding dresses and bridal accessories at deep discounts. Styles from Oscar de la Renta, Monique Lhuillier, Angel Sanchez and other top brands are on exclusive offer for a limited run, so brides ready to act ASAP can often snag quite a deal.

Dress Rush: Love the thrill of a fast-paced auction? A soon-to-launch members-only site, Dress Rush is an online auction for discounted (up to 90-percent off) designer wedding gowns, veils, shoes and other accessories. Preregister for free online, and be kept abreast of the launch date.

Rent the Runway: Bridesmaids who don't want to be saddled with a dress they'll never wear again can turn to RTR's collection of wearable (even if just once) bridesmaid dresses. Style by Rebecca Taylor, Milly and more are borrowable for about a week, at rental prices starting at $50. Or, brides may want to try out a new look for the bachelorette party (a sexy Herve Leger?) or rehearsal dinner (a demure Nina Ricci).

Adorn: Celebs borrow jewels for red carpet appearances, so why not borrow the perfect bauble for your walk down the aisle. Adorn rents sparkly diamond earrings, necklaces and bracelets (yes, they're real!) for the special day. The chosen pieces arrive about two days before the event, and you can return them the day after (plus, it's insured, so no need to hire a bodyguard).

Net-a-Porter: Ideal for high-fashion brides with midnight couture cravings, Net-a-Porter's luxe wedding section features everything from ball gowns to the little white dress, not to mention veils, lingerie, purses, jewelry and shoes from the likes of Lanvin, Issa, Temperley London and Catherine Malandrino, plus an exclusive collection by Jason Wu. Shop by style or color (bohemian; blues and greens) and pick up items for the honeymoon, bridesmaids and mother of the bride as well.

J. Crew: A one-stop bridal shop, J. Crew's wedding portal will guide you from the engagement party (silk organza cocktail dresses) to the honeymoon (bright bikinis and cashmere wraps). Brides and bridesmaids can click through multistrand pearl necklaces and metallic slingbacks, in addition to the many dress options. In fact, the site's got the entire bridal party covered, including a preppy seersucker sportcoat for the ring bearer and tuxes for the groom.

BHLDN: Beholden, Anthropologie's online-only wedding collection, is part whimsical, part bohemian, and very romantic. Wedding gowns, bridesmaid dresses, and accessories all have the signature Anthropologie style, glammed up for the big day. Shop vintage-looking gowns in neutral shades for the bride, then add pops of color with bright, flirty frocks for her friends. Not to mention, the line ties in with Anthropologie's popular jewels, lingerie and other subtle treasures.

Some celebrity weddings have remain shrouded in secrecy, while other nuptials have taken center stage in their own reality show. But whether we've only seen a photo of the bride taken with a zoom lens or know every detail down to what the dog wore, celebrity nuptials are a constant source of inspiration for real-world weddings. Take a look at what star-enhanced trends brides are loving for 2011.

Ring: When it comes to engagement rings, celebrities are turning to the rainbow: "There's a huge interest in color," says jewelry expert and celebrity stylist Michael O'Connor. Colored diamonds and gemstones like Jessica Simpson's ruby ring or Kate Middleton's sapphire stunner have inspired couples to think beyond the white diamond. "Gemstones have romantic significance," O'Connor says, whether it's your birthstone (such is the case for Simpson) or the month you met. Of course, leave it to celebs to supersize -- think Katie Holmes' massive 5-carat ring from Tom Cruise. With the trend moving toward bigger is better, gemstones also make for a more economical choice. "People see larger stones and for most, they aren't really affordable in a diamond," O'Connor says. Or you can just go for the gold, like the platinum and yellow sapphire design by Simon G. Jewelry, shown here, that's similar to Carrie Underwood's ring.

Beauty: Makeup artists agree that Kim Kardashian's smoky eye takes the cake when it comes to copied celeb looks. Of course, not everyone can pull off such a sultry look, so experts will adapt it to be more wedding-appropriate (think pretty shades of plum or gray, for example). To balance out such a dramatic eye, opt for a more neutral lip in a peach or pink shade, depending on your skin tone. Other looks that rank high among brides: Taylor Swift's romantic tendrils and youthful red lip, Angelina Jolie's sophisticated chignon and Eva Longoria's glamorous updos.

Dress: This year brides are speculating what the future Princess Catherine will wear to the royal wedding. "There's a lot of talk about that right now," says Carine Krawiec of Carine's Bridal Atelier in Washington, D.C. Krawiec is also seeing brides finding inspiration from the red carpet: After the Golden Globes, a wedding white version of a green Monique Lhuillier gown worn by Catherine Zeta Jones was a hit. Other celebrities from new and old Hollywood who are popular style inspiration are Gwen Stefani (for a more avant garde bride), Jennifer Garner or Reese Witherspoon for the girl next door, Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly (particularly after Ivanka Trump's Grace-esque wedding gown). But the ultimate celebrity inspiration, Krawiec says, is Carolyn Bessette: "Everybody who wants that small, intimate wedding and wants to look stylish yet feminine asks for a look like that. She was so chic, everyone gravitates to that look."

Reception: Event planners Katie Smith and Devra Glauberman of MarieMerin Productions in New York say their brides have recently been inspired the weddings of both Bethenny Frankel and Chelsea Clinton. The dinner-style feel of Bethenny's wedding, which took place at the Four Seasons restaurant in Manhattan, has big appeal for its clubby-chic style, while the simple elegance of the former first daughter's fete in Rhinebeck, NY, is an exercise in classic good taste. If a celebrity wedding catches your eye, Smith and Glauberman still recommend making it your own, advising couples to "add their own personal touch by pulling a few elements and then making it about themselves, rather than copying what's in a magazine."

Details, Details: Even the smallest tidbit may catch your eye when it comes to planning the wedding day details. "Our clients very often ask for celebrity-inspired elements to be incorporated into their weddings," says wedding planner Jennifer Orsini. A few particulars that Orsini says have caught brides' attention include Lala Vasquez and Carmelo Anthony's wrought iron entrance into the ceremony area, Khloé Kardashian's wedding invitation and the gilded gold wedding cake of Orlando Magic guard Chris Duhon and Andrea Hernandez by Sweet Memories Bakery in Apex, North Carolina (shown here).















Honeymoon: Celebs love to get away from it all on their romantic escapes, and the islands they uncover are enticing for the rest of us. One star-studded honeymoon that has been popular to copy is Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson's trip to Fiji's Turtle Island, says Leah M. Smith, president of Tafari Travel. (We wonder where they'll each go for their next honeymoon.) Angelina Jolie's visits to Namibia have since put the country on the map: "No one knew where Namibia was before that and then all of a sudden it became one of the most asked-for African destinations," Smith says. Not to be outdone, one of Jennifer Aniston's favorite resorts, Las Ventanas al Paraiso, A Rosewood Resort in Cabo San Lucas, has inspired more than a few lovebirds to head south of the border.

You can now plan an entire wedding from the comfort of your laptop, down to the wedding dress. With options like J.Crew, Net-A-Porter, PreOwnedWeddingDresses and The Aisle New York, buying a gown online is almost as easy as ordering a sweater. If your area lacks a good selection of brick-and-mortar bridal boutiques, or you've already exhausted the options in the offline world, your dream dress (or dream deal) might be waiting for you in cyberspace. Some sites offer exclusive styles not available in stores, while others are a virtual sample sale offering discounts you wouldn't find at the local salon. But before you make the big purchase, read these tips to help you find a great gown online.


Do some research. Look through magazines and Web sites to find dress styles and designers you like, and keep those concepts in mind as you browse. Research the prices of the dresses you have in mind to make sure you're getting a good deal online. Also, check out any Web site to make sure it is legit before you hand over your credit card info.


Determine a budget. It may be tempting to click on the most expensive dress (if the price is virtual it doesn't count, right?) but just as you'd want to stick to your budget during a visit to a bridal boutique, you'll want to keep that number in mind as you shop around cyberspace.
Start early. Buying a wedding dress online is faster than ordering one from scratch, but don't wait until the month or week before your wedding to start looking. Factor in time for delivery, alterations, and a Plan B in case you don't like the dress and need to start over.


Know your figure. Give your body a good, honest assessment as to what your assets are and what areas you'd rather keep under wraps. Shopping online means you won't have a bridal consultant on hand to help you choose the most flattering styles. Take a look at PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com's body type calculator and glossary, and J.Crew's online fit guide to help you determine what fabrics and silhouettes might work best for you.

Take your measurements. Instead of relying on your tape measure at home, enlist a professional to get really accurate numbers. Ask your tailor or dry cleaner to take your measurements including your bust, waist, and high and low hip. Look at the size charts on the sites you visit, and compare their listings with your exact measurements.


Leave room for alterations. Most wedding gowns don't fit like a glove the first time you try them on, so chances are you will need some alterations. If you fall in between two sizes or aren't sure what to order, buy the larger size -- it is much easier to take in a dress than to try to make it bigger (and remember that many wedding gown designers run small). Keep an eye out for details like beading or embroidery that may make the dress difficult to alter in certain places.
Read the fine print. Check (and double-check) the site's return policy. Some sites will let you return a wedding gown for a full refund, while others are final sale. Before you commit to a dress, carefully read all the fine print regarding your options if you don't like the dress or it doesn't fit. If it's not returnable, make sure you're ready to take a bit of a risk. Also find out how your dress will be packaged, shipped, tracked and possibly insured, to make sure it will arrive to you safely.

Q. Can I wear a veil at my second wedding?

A. The traditional blusher veil that covers the face (a symbol of purity) is truly reserved for first-time brides and should be avoided the second time around, as should a long, formal veil. Just as your dress should reflect your personality and the tone of the affair, your hair and headpiece can show off your style at your second wedding. Consider wearing fresh flowers or jeweled combs in your hair, or a dramatic headpiece like fun feathers or a chic hat.

Q. Are high heels a must?

A.For a formal wedding with a traditional white gown, you'll want a shoe that matches the tone of the rest of your beautiful bridal look. If you're uncomfortable in a sky-high stiletto, opt for a lower heel (make sure it's comfortable!) that will keep you standing tall and feeling gorgeous throughout the day. If you're having a beach wedding and will be exchanging vows in the sand, flip-flops or bare feet are completely acceptable.