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Penelope Cruz is one of our favorite fashionistas. Why? Well, she's not afraid to take chances with fashion, but she always uses common sense and finds things that flatter her (we know, as if it's difficult to flatter that body). Still, her style is something many brides could learn from -- it's okay to go for fun cuts and fabrics, as long as they work for you.

This white gown, which she wore promoting Vicky Cristina Barcelona at the Cannes Film Festival, is a perfect example. It has classic elements as well as interesting, unexpected detail, and we think the overall look would be perfect for a bride. Click through the gallery to see more of the dress and to learn how you can make this look work for you!

This is Part Four of our series of interviews with Jay's Bridal and Special Occasion, a one-stop bridal salon located in Gainesville, Florida and online at jaysbridal.net. Throughout the series, we'll discuss everything wedding, ranging from bridal gowns to music to tuxedos. In this installment, we'll chat with Jay's associates Erica Lyn and Joann.

Jay's Bridal and Special Occasion might be small in terms of staff and size, but they have a vast selection. They carry a wide range of designers, like Alfred Angelo, Mori Lee, Maggie Sottero, Mon Cheri, Justin Alexander, and their favorite new designer, Sophia Tolli.

"Sophia Tolli was a designer for Maggie Sottero, and she's come out with her new line and we just love it," gushed Joann. "Her designs look a little European, with some really classic, beautiful styles, but some of her dresses have a bit of a funky, edgy appeal, too."

This is Part Two of our series of interviews with Jay's Bridal and Special Occasion, a one-stop bridal salon located in Gainesville, Florida and online at jaysbridal.net. Throughout the series, we'll discuss everything wedding, ranging from bridal gowns to music to tuxedos.

Shopping for wedding gowns online is becoming more and more popular, but in many cases, it's a truly frightening thing to undertake. How can you feel confident that you're ordering the right dress, and the right size? What if you want the assistance you'd receive in a store without having to travel? That click of the button just feels so final.

One of the unique things Jay's offers is its online store. It began in 2005, and since then, Jay's has sold dresses to brides as far away as Australia, Ireland, and China. And what's so great about their online shop is that customers can still get the personal relationship and experience that they would get if they walked into the brick and mortar store.

This is Part One of our series of interviews with Jay's Bridal and Special Occasion, a one-stop bridal salon located in Gainesville, Florida and online at jaysbridal.net. Throughout the series, we'll discuss everything wedding, ranging from bridal gowns to music to tuxedos.

Like the fashion industry, the bridal industry sees major changes from one season to the next, and few salons are as familiar with wedding trends as Jay's Bridal and Special Occasion, located in Gainesville, Florida. The store has been a staple for North Central Florida for over 70 years, and has specialized in bridal since the eighties.

Jay's associates Erica Lyn and Joann recently sat down with AisleDash share some tips on shopping for a wedding dress – it's not like shoe shopping, you know!

Cream, navy and gold is a sophisticated color theme for you wedding. It can be preppy, masculine and/or glamorous - it all depends on the details you choose. Want to learn how to make it your own? Read on!

Picture your wedding for a moment. You and your groom, standing in front of friends and family, repeating heartfelt vows to each other. Suddenly, the back of your dress drops out and you're exposed for the whole audience to see. Sounds like a bridal nightmare doesn't it?

That exact scenario happened to an Italian bride, and now she's suing the dress designer. Her $4,000 dress fell apart, embarrassing her in front of everyone she knew. The suit she's bringing includes moral and financial damages, totaling almost $40,000.

Are you getting a dress made for your wedding? Here's how you can avoid a scene like that.

1. Get recommendations. Find out who else has used your seamstress. Ask for references and see if they were happy with the end product.
2. Watch out for cheap products. If the price is too-good-to-be-true, it probably is. You want affordable, not cheap. A cheap dress with shoddy workmanship can only spell trouble.
3. Examine prior work. Ask to see some of the work they've done previously. Look closely at the stitching, especially in stress areas. Give the seams a light tug (don't yank the item, just give a gentle pull). Are the seams and stitching nice and snug? Is the stitching neat and tidy? Attention to detail means your seamstress takes pride in her work.
4. Get a final fitting. Make sure you get that final fitting on your dress and look closely at the work. It should be pretty obvious if something's not right, like such poor stitching that the back of the dress could fall out!

We're not really sure how the bride didn't notice such poor work that her dress fell apart. But with some simple precautions on your part, you should be able to avoid the same fate and truly enjoy your day.

Image: copyright Becky Scott

If your wedding gown has a train, it will no doubt look gorgeous as you strut down the aisle of the church, but when it's time to hustle around the reception dance floor, you're going to need a bustle to keep that skirt out from under everyone's feet. The bustle, designed by a seamstress, is the way your train will be held off the ground when you have serious mingling to do. The bustle can be designed in many different ways depending on the style of dress, the shape of the train, and any adornments that may be back there. The two most common bustles are the overbustle (where button-style "hooks" are placed on the back of the gown and the train is lifted and buttoned up out of the way) and the French or underbustle (where the train is folded under and hooked underneath the skirt). But a creative seamstress can come up with many ways to bustle your gown if these don't quite work with the styling – tufted gowns can even be made to pleat upward like window blinds. To learn more about bustles and get ideas for what might work with your dress, visit this seamstress' website for lots of pictures and information.

So, you're out there in the world searching for the perfect wedding dress. You know you'll know what you like when you see it, but you have no idea where to start or how to begin to describe what you might like. If you're not a fashion emeritus and, quite honestly, get a little dizzy figuring out the difference between bishop and dolman sleeves or brocade and chiffon, thankfully there's help. You can start by educating yourself a little about the possibilities for your gown. Learn the different cuts for neckline, sleeves and skirt. Solve the mystery of fabric options and see different styles of veils and headpieces. You can even see pictures of each so you're not stuck with some vague and wordy description that makes as much sense as the Chinese instructions for the last hi-tech gadget you bought. If that sounds like the drink of water at the end of the dessert, start here with this great gown glossary, and relax. You'll find that perfect dress, complete with sweetheart neckline, poet's sleeves and a princess waist – if that's really what you want.

Anne Hathaway always tends to look beautiful and classy, but she really stepped it up while in Rome for the premiere of her new movie, Get Smart, by wearing this dreamy, floaty white gown. She looked as lovely as ever, but had a soft, innocent look about her that we don't always see on her, and we just loved it.

She might have just broken up with her boyfriend, but the look would still work beautifully for a bride. Check out the gallery to see the bits and pieces that make this look work!

While many of us grew up loving the American Girl dolls and stories, we probably wouldn't normally look to that series for modern fashion advice. However, Abigail Breslin, who plays Kit in Kit Kittredge: An American Girl, has been hitting the red carpet for the film's premieres with style.

In New York, Abigail wore a fun but formal silver ensemble that we think would be a great look for a junior bridesmaid or an older flower girl. Find out how to snag the style for your wedding in the gallery!

Yes, we are aware that we just oohed and aahed about Lucy Liu last week, but she changed up her look for the Hollywood premiere of Kung Fu Panda, and we're still transfixed by her -- she looks absolutely amazing in this short, ruffly number.

In fact, we think this look could work well for spunky bride, bridesmaids, or a guest -- check out the gallery to see how!

Amsale Aberra, creates sleek and understated designs that fit her "forever modern" philosophy. Her inspiration for gowns came from her own search for a wedding gown that was not overdone, yet still elegant and dressy. She strives to design dresses that will be timeless, even when brides look back at their pictures years after the wedding. Amsale (pronounced Ahm-sah'-leh) is originally from Ethiopia where she dreamed of fashion but never thought of it as a possible career. As a young adult, her parents arranged for her to come to the U.S. where she realized that fashion designing was a possible career. She now owns her own design firm and fashion boutique on Madison Avenue. Visit her website to see pictures of real brides wearing her designs.

If you're lucky enough to be honeymooning after your beautiful wedding day, you're lucky enough to enjoy the summer sales and stock up on pieces for the perfect summer honeymoon. Whether you're traipsing off to Mexico or trotting around Europe, summertime honeymoons lend themselves to sun-dress sandal shopping. And after just a quick afternoon jutting in and out of my favorite stores, it's clear that the styles this summer are too good for the recent Mrs. to pass up. Whether you decide on this floor-length madras print from Gap or this colorful v-neck from Francesca's Collections or any of the other fun, flirty and fantastic dresses in the gallery, make room in your suitcase and save a little wedding money for your honeymoon wardrobe.

Feel as beautiful on the beaches of Mexico or the streets of Rome as you did on your wedding day.

Michelle Williams has made a point to stay out of the spotlight since the untimely death of her ex, Heath Ledger. However, after making a last minute decision to come to Cannes for the premiere of her new film, Wendy and Lucy, she made her first red carpet appearance, and she did not disappoint.

The beautiful lace Chanel gown perfectly suited Michelle -- here's why.

• Classy couture -- She's still in a grieving period, so wearing something wild and flamboyant wouldn't have looked right. The gown is elegant and classy, and though it drew plenty of attention, it was because it was beautiful -- not because folks were speculating on how everything stayed in place.
  
  
• Lace and face -- We think Michelle has such a beautiful, feminine face -- a face almost made to wear lace and ruffles (and adorable short hair -- don't grow it out too long, Michelle!). We also love that she went with a bright lip -- everything else is so neutral that the dark lipstick really amps up the entire look.
  
  
• Perfectly accessorized -- It would be hard for us to put into words how much we adore her shoes. They have feathers on them, but not so many that she looks like she's wearing birds for shoes. They really accentuate the retro vibe of the dress. The simple clutch was a good choice, too -- she didn't bring anything too shiny or heavily patterned that would take away from the dress, but it still has its own interest.

Are you as in love with this look as we are? Here's how you can have it for your wedding day:

Natalie Portman may be a member of the jury at the 61st Cannes Film Festival, but the jury is still out on the navy dress she wore to the premiere of La Silence de Lorna. The cut of the dress sort of swallows her tiny figure; however, we're just loving the color, so for this edition of From Red Carpet to Altar, we're going to focus on that and how you can use it for your wedding.

• Navy is just like black, but not -- Natalie opted for a light shade of navy, which has all the flattering qualities of black but with the added benefit of actually being a color.
  
  
• Take advantage of a trend -- Dark navy nail polish is huge this year, and Natalie jumped right on board by painting her fingernails the same color as her dress.
  
  
• Glammed up accessories -- The metallic gold shoes and clutch are a beautiful way to accent the darkness of the dress.

Here's how you can incorporate Natalie's navy into your nuptials: