Brides in glasses
Fashion Advice
By
on January 08, 2008
70
Photo by Melissa Doyle of Casting Memories
Any suggestions for how to "dress up" a bride with eyeglasses?I wear wire rimmed glasses that are a subtle cat-eye shape (can't be too crazy since I work in a hospital) and I can't wear contacts b/c of a medical condition.
However, I find that glasses tend to "dress down" any fancy outfit I wear and I never see wedding photos where the bride has glasses.
Any experience out there? -Kerith
Seems like there are two strategies you could use for wearing glasses at your wedding:
1. "My frames are a part of my face!" (ie, stick with the glasses you've got)
If you love your frames and feel like they're really part of your face and identity, or are planning a low-key, mellow wedding, stick with the glasses you've got. If you're a make-uppy type, you could go for extra dramatic eye make-up under your usual specs to add some flair. Dude: when was the last time you tried quality fake eyelashes? Bridget Bardot in spectacles anyone?
2. "My frames are part of my wedding outfit!" (ie, get new ones)
Wearing a pair of one-of-a-kind frames that aren't your usuals would make a great visual impact on your wedding — I say go for frames that coordinate with your dress. To be even more daring and dramatic, go for frames that coordinate with your flowers. Let your glasses be an extension of your bouquet: a visual splash! You could also go super light and understated — ie frameless lenses that barely show.
I realize that dramatic eyewear isn't everyone's cup of tea, but if you're worried about feeling like your everyday glasses make your fancy outfit feel too casual then a pair of fabulous frames could help. If you were in Seattle, I'd send you straight to Eyes on Fremont, my favorite eyeglass boutique. (Caveat: as we all know, designer frames are expensive as hell. You could almost spend almost as much on glasses as you do on a dress.)
Another thing to consider is having your photographer take some of your wedding shots angled slightly from above. Everyone who wears glasses knows the infamous "over the lenses" shot (alternately called "Bloggerface" or "MySpace pose"), and it's common for a reason: It's a great way to keep your glasses on, but let your eyes show.
Now, here are a few brides with glasses to inspire you…
Want to see tons more brides in glasses?
Click here to see my whole collection of posts about bespectacled brides!
About Ariel Meadow Stallings
Author of Offbeat Bride: Creative Alternatives for Independent Brides, Ariel acts as the publisher of all the Offbeat Empire websites. She lives, loves, and dorks out hard in Seattle, WA.
Sarah said
Just wanted to say that these photos are incredible! I've been sort-of-pondering getting contacts this year, but I love my frames (which are tortoise-shell with a cool faux-snakeskin texture). Maybe I'll just upgrade to anti-glare lenses…
Christie said
I had the same dilemma: I love wearing my glasses and the way I look in them, but wasn't sure how to incorporate them for my wedding day. I decided to wear my contacts for the ceremony and the formal pics, but then changed into my glasses before entering the reception. My mom didn't want me to, but my wife was all for it. My glasses are such a big part of my identity, and I wanted to feel and look most like myself on my wedding day. I also wanted to stick it to the conventional wisdom that says a bride can't be funky or must look model perfect. The reception–when I planned to unwind and dance my ass off–seemed like the perfect time to don the specs. And I love how I looked in them that day! (I'll post a pic if you tell me how!)
Shelby102107 said
That's me, in my wedding glory. Not only did I wear my purple, yes purple glasses, I am a big fat happy bride! I know, so unconventional. I decided that I was not going to starve myself for anything, mainly because I enjoy being fat. Also, I caught alot of crap about my glasses, "oh, you should get contacts" or "take them off for the pictures" and I was not about to do that. I love my glasses, and I don't think my husband would have married me without them! So I say wear 'em, or you'll regret not looking like yourself in the photos!
Sifu-uk said
I wore glasses and I never thought about about not wearing them for one second. I know that I wouldn't have looked like me without them, particularly as I've worn glasses since I was 12.
If you are worried about it, you can try out different frames, a new pair might suit your dress better. Its also a good idea to wear stronger eye makeup if you are going to wear glasses, because if the colours are too subtle they can get lost.
Danielle said
I am so glad I found this. Some people have been telling me I should not wear my glasses. I think that is insane. It is part of who I am. I have 5 pairs now and will be getting a new "wedding" pair. I am really excited about it.
All mine are super funky and are special in some way. So now I will have a pair that I will wear for the first time on this most important day.
AJ said
I live in New Zealand. A bride with glasses won 'Bride of the Year' in a competition run by one of our major wedding mags a year or two ago. She looked stunning.
No you don't need an eye test! It's a blurry shot, sorry, I can't work my scanner today so it's a photo of a photo.
Gail said
I just got engaged on New Years Eve and it wasn't even a week before someone told me flat out that I should definitely not wear my glasses for the wedding. It was a friend of a friend at our engagement party. The friend said I should only wear them for half the pictures. Others of course chimed in and said I should look into getting contacts. Like a lot of the rest of you, I don't feel like myself without glasses and a lot of people don't think I look like myself without glasses. I never even imagined not wearing them for my wedding before that. And it sort of hurt to think that people wouldn't respect that part of my identity and my wishes for a wedding that was uniquely us. These same people also scoffed at our decision to have a winter wedding in Wisconsin with snow (I live in Florida but grew up in the midwest). So I am quite relieved to hear that others are trying to figure out the glasses thing and are boldly wearing glasses for their whole weddings. I plan to do that. And I am totally getting a special funky wedding pair. It should go very nicely with my hemp dress with sweater idea.
Stephanie said
I'm getting married in 5 weeks and from the beginning have planned to wear my glasses. I also can't wear contact lenses but even if I did I like the look of my glasses better. I heard a lot of comments about not wearing any glasses and walking blind or just put one contact in the eye that can wear it. All of these sounded ridiculous. If I had any doubts they were eliminated when my fiance (an occasional glasses wearer) said it wouldn't be right if I didn't give him my signature "you've got to be kidding me" glare over the top of my glasses on our wedding day. My mom (who is also my glasses wearing matron of honor) said stumbling blindly down the aisle is absurd. I even asked my friend our photographer and she was excited about photographing me with glasses on since she'd never had a bride wear them before.
When the support rallied, I decided not only that I was going to wear them but they would be part of the outfit. I found an awesome pair of dark brown frames with pink on the inside.I have pale skin and red hair so they stand out which is cool with me since I consider them my eye makeup. To top it all off, to compliment the "dramatic eye" I opted to have bright red lipstick too.
If you think your glasses are going to dress down your look stop considering them glasses and start thinking of them as "functional accesories" then you can really plan your overall look with them in mind. Have fun and scoff at convention.
Karen said
I wore my glasses on my wedding day, and I cannot even begin to tell you how glad I am that I did. My photographer had a blast with them, too. His only advice, which I'm very glad I followed, was to have an anti-reflective coating put on the lenses (just the normal coating they offer everywhere to cut down on glare while you're driving, etc.). This ensured that both the professional shots and candids snapped by my friends showed my eyes clearly!
Stephanie said
My photographer just posted my bridals on her blog. I love Anne and if your in Northern Louisiana you should look her up.
Melyssa said
When I got married, I wore white cat's-eyes (to go with my wedding gown, of course) while getting ready at the place. For my public appearance, I wore a clear, plastic, unisex frame. (The red drop-temples would have been a bit too showy.)
Jenn said
I got so many comments before the wedding about my intention of wearing glasses that I literally googled "brides with glasses" and found this page!
I did end up wearing them, of course, and everything turned out just fine. Be yourself! The last thing you need to worry about on your wedding day is being able to see properly, or not looking like yourself!
My husband wore his glasses as well as 50% of our bridal party. The pictures turned out beautifully so don't believe any of that "your pictures will be ruined!" nonsense.
Tiffany said
So glad I found this site!!! I am really feeling insecure about wearing my glasses on my wedding day (mainly b/c other people said I should get contacts). My glasses are apart of who I am…I'm tired of people telling me I should not waer them… I have worn them for practiculy my whole life…they are apart of who I am…
Shelly said
This thread is interesting to me. I have needed glasses since 2nd grade, and started wearing contacts in 7th grade. I developed severe dry eye sydrome a few years ago and have had to stop the contacts and wear glasses every day since. It's uncomfortable for me, especially in the summers. I like the glasses, but miss the ease of contacts. I was recently approved to wear contacts again, and I feel that I look more like myself with them in! It was weird to get used to (I keep trying to push up my glasses, especially when I get nervous). But I am very excited to not have to wear my contacts on my wedding day since I feel like I look more like myself this way.
As for those who feel so bold wearing their glasses all day — it's who you are! You aren't bold for being you! I can't even believe how rude people are to make you feel differently. PLEASE PLEASE be comfortable in who you are!
Beth said
Soooo glad I found this! I, too, googled "brides with glasses." I can't wear contacts due to a medical condition and every single bridal magazine I look at, none of the featured brides (and obviously the models) are wearing glasses. I've got copper colored wire rims…I like the idea of getting wedding glasses, just one more expense to add to the budget!!!
I'm so glad no one has asked me about wearing my glasses at the wedding, but I'm sure it will eventually come up, and I can't wait to give them an earful!! Thanks, ladies!
tamiko said
I'm part of the "my glasses are part of my face!" camp, so I didn't think about contacts for a second. my only qualm was that my frames are bright red with purple, and i was afraid it would look terrible with all of the other sort of muted colours i was wearing. i looked at all kinds of alternative frames in blacks and browns, but they all just looked so blah compared to the lovely vibrant red i was used to. turns out, part of my hair flower had these red berries on it, which ended up tying everything together nicely, and i think since they were my regular frames and i was so dolled up anyway, they weren't hardly noticeable. let's see if this works:
Emma-Lee said
I've been having the issue about whether or not to wear my glasses on my wedding day, but my friends all say I'm me with glasses and I would look weird without them, so I'll most likely wear them.
I could go without wearing them for the ceremony but it'd hurt my eyes and I don't want to be squinting the whole way through! The frames are the exact same color as my hair, so they blend in anyway, and I'm sure when I get my hair done the glasses won't make my outfit look any less casual than a bride without glasses.
I say, if you want to wear your glasses on your wedding day, wear them, if not, don't. Just go with what feels right for you.
lcarphotography said
As a wedding photographer who has been to 1000+ weddings, I say wear your glasses, but do quite a few "portrait" type photos without them — I say this because you never know if you're going to get contacts, or ? – and then your "look" will change. Do a bit of both, and then you'll have no regrets.
christena said
I've had glasses since i was 18 months old. That's right, 18 months old. They had ear pieces that went all the way around my ear so that they wouldn't fall off. there is no way that i'd get married with out them. I feel very vulnerable without them. (anything could just fly up and poke me in the eye!). Plus, because my glasses have UV protection, my eye area is very very very pale. I'd look really strange with out them.
When i got my passport the photo place made me take them off. It just doesn't look like me.
When i was a senior in high school i had to get the lenses taken out of my frames for my senior pictures so that there wouldn't be any glare, and i had a headache the rest of the day. Not something i want to do again.
Not to mention i have a lazy eye, and when they get tired (from not wearing my glasses) i get very very cross eyed! now that would be flattering.
i'm keeping my awesome glasses on during my wedding.
Tiffany said
Has anyone worn a birdcage veil with their glasses? That is the biggest issue I am having right now – I love my glass but I love birdcage veils and they don't seem to work together very well. Although, the red veil picture at the top of this listing looks pretty cute.
Gradly said
Thank you so much for this blog. I have been telling people that I am going to wear my glasses on my wedding day and they are trying to convince me to do other wise. I love my glasses and they are apart of me so why wouldn't they be apart of my wedding attire.
SallyM said
I'm an optician/optometrist so there are 2 rules you must follow if getting wedding glasses.
The first is getting an anti-reflective coating on the lenses – there's nothing worse then having a fantastic frame but none of the pictures show your eyes because of reflections.
The second is to not get photochromic lenses. These change colour in the sun, so are fine indoors, but all your photos ourside look very strange. My dad had a pair at my aunt's wedding a few years back and looked like the 'blind man' at the back of the group.
Zommie said
Tiffany,
A friend of mine wore glasses with her birdcage veil. She had a 1950s tea length dress (from a thrift store–so awesome!) with a lavender sash and the big dark, retro frames that are so popular now. She also wore a flower in her hair (might've been a peony, as it was a largish bloom) and had white lace gloves to complete the look.
I wish I knew how to add pictures so I could show you!
Sugarcreamcandy said
Who is the girl in the first and last photo with the cateye glasses? I want to see more pictures of her wedding and outfit! Her style is perfect and just what I'm trying to achieve with my wedding next year.
also I think glasses are really in style right now and if I had to wear glasses I would definitely go out and buy a pair of stylish vintage frames that went with my dress. Glasses are cute!
OffbeatAriel said
That's Jessica Wilson: http://offbeatbride.com/2007/06/guerilla-wedding
Jessi Juusola said
I have a pair of silver half-frame glasses (the frame is on the top); I was considering not wearing them for my wedding next year, but after reading all this, I've decided I can make them work. Especially after seeing all the wonderful pictures! Thanks, ladies. ♥