be different, writes Louise Foister.

The age-old dictum, "something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue'', is no longer holding true. Brides today are breaking away from the traditional fairytale white wedding, and exchanging long flowing flounces for short, sharp elegance, and bright white for splashes of jewel colour or even black. Even the wedding ceremony, with its solemn exchange of vows presupposing a church setting, is being moved outside.

This year more than ever, brides have unlimited choice when it comes to arranging a dream wedding. That may sound overwhelming, but the secret is - give your imagination a bit of free rein, and that doesn't necessarily mean having to let go of the purse strings.

One reason why more couples are breaking away from established patterns may be that few brides today fit into the conventional mould. People are tending to get married later, perhaps after living with a partner for a number of years, and second marriages are no longer confined to the registry office. One couple's circumstances are quite different from the next, and, consequently, anything goes. Bermuda's brides-to-be have tended to err on the side of tradition, but bridal consultant Barbara Whitecross, who arranges weddings for both local and visiting couples, has noticed that Bermudians are increasingly opting for the alternative.

"Brides in Bermuda don't want to do anything too drastic because they don't want to be ostracised, but they are looking for something different and something pleasant,'' she says.

THE GREAT OUTDOORS For some, that "something pleasant'' has increasingly been the great outdoors. Bermudians are by nature outdoor creatures. Most residents have a favourite spot and whether that be a beach or a cliff top, brides are wanting to be married in it.

Says Whitecross: "I have found this year that people are wanting to get married outside rather than in a church. People are tending to go for the hotels, park land or even the beach.'' Getting married in a private garden is also proving more popular for the bride looking to share her special day with a smaller and more intimate gathering of close friends and relatives. Of course, private gardens are not usually big enough to accommodate the typical Bermuda wedding with its four to five hundred guests, and this is where public parks and gardens, and Bermuda's wealth of hotels come in handy.

The time of year you choose to get married is an important consideration and can have a strong influence on the type of wedding you want to have. "Lately, brides have been avoiding the traditional Bermuda wedding months of June and September and going for the off-months, April, May, October and November,'' says Whitecross. Christmas weddings are also very much in vogue with an evening service in a candle-lit church and bridesmaids in velvet and tartan sashes.

If your wedding is outdoors, your problem is not so much one of accommodating guests, but accommodating the weather, and this is where choosing the right season becomes particularly important. The hotels usually make provision for a possible rain storm, but for a high-summer wedding, shelter from the heat is more of a worry than the threat of rain. Marquees cast a comforting pool of shade, and can be decorated in any way you wish. The traditional bride might opt for sprays of asparagus fern and other local greenery, while at the other end of the scale and equally effective, you could flood the ceiling with hundreds of colourful balloons.

HERITAGE DAY The world of arts and entertainment has seen a celebration of all thingsAfrican in recent years, and this Afrocentricity is now making its mark on the wedding ceremony. In the US, in particular, there has been a trend towards traditional African weddings among black couples who want to celebrate their racial pride and return to their heritage. For some this may simply mean adopting African dress, but others are taking the idea further and incorporating African rituals into the wedding service itself.

Planning a traditional African wedding is similar to a Western ceremony in that the couple may still have attendants, receive gifts and even use a bridal registry. But for the couple who want to have a traditional African wedding as an extension of what they believe they will need to do some research into custom and culture. Whereas books on Western-style weddings abound, there is a dearth of material on the marriage ceremony in other parts of the world.

Ancient customs vary, depending on tribal affiliation, religion and geography.

Some customs are almost universal, however. African ceremonies stress that two families are being joined, not just two individuals. Other common customs include, formally requesting permission from family elders and other relatives, pouring libations or paying respects to ancestors who have passed away, and lengthy celebrations and feasting after the ceremony. Instead of a white satin gown, flowing train and matching veil, a bride of African descent might choose a four-piece gold brocade dress, draped around her body and accented with a colourful flared head wrap.

TAKEN FOR A RIDE Whether getting married in a church or under an open sky, Bermudians still like to have the ceremony and reception in two different places. There is of course, one good reason for this - a wedding would not be a wedding without the ride by car or carriage.

Says Whitecross: "If you took the ride away people would be terribly upset. I think it boils down to the fact that people like to party as soon as they get in the car - footloose and fancy free.'' Here is another opportunity where bride and groom can let their imaginations run free by picking a favourite vehicle to travel in. BMWs are always popular, and if you don't mind a bit of a breezy ride, the Suzuki Vitara in black or white can be pretty eye-catching. The horse-drawn carriage draped in white ribbon and asparagus fern with the obligatory champagne is, however, a must for the more traditional bride.

PARTY TIME Whatever the season, whatever the year, there is one thing about a Bermuda wedding which has not changed - people love to party. How you choose to do it is another matter. This year some couples are going for long-gloved evening elegance and a certain degree of formality has entered the proceedings. An evening candle-lit wedding service, followed by a sit-down dinner and the party guaranteed to go on until the wee hours of the morning seems to be the order of the day.

"People are becoming conscious of the time of their wedding, and have been opting for an after 6 p.m. ceremony so that the dress can be formal,'' notes Whitecross. Black tie invitations and guests and members of the wedding party in tuxedos rather than just dark suits are becoming increasingly popular. So, gatecrashers watch out - brides this year don't want you lowering the tone! The disc jockey is playing an ever-more prominent role in post-nuptial celebrations. People want to dance until late, according to Whitecross. "Even the couples coming in from overseas to get married are asking for a band. They may only have 20 guests, but that doesn't stop them from having live music.

Reggae, soca and island music remain strong favourites, and if you find the right DJ and band, and the right crowd, you could have guests dancing until 3 or 4 in the morning.'' Maintaining an open bar until the early hours can prove expensive if you decide to stage your party at a hotel. Holding the reception on private property and with your own bar is a lot less costly.

ALL DRESSED UP If you are planning on a beach wedding or travelling to your reception on a jet ski, then yards of lace and heavy brocade are not the best idea. A more versatile dress is the answer. Fortunately, wedding gowns today are designed with every occasion in mind, and they don't have to be expensive.

What is more, Bermuda has got its finger on the pulse this year and the latest designs are now available, according to the bridal consultant. "Bermuda seems to be catching up fast. We used to be about two years behind the trends. But this year we are right up there with what they are showing,'' she says.

When it comes to buying the dress, brides and mothers often find themselves swallowing hard. The dress is usually the most expensive single item in the wedding, but the good news is that prices have come down over the last year or so as manufacturers find that they are having to accommodate the economy.

Lower prices are achieved by using less expensive fabrics, less ornament and simpler silhouettes. That means the looks are understated and classically elegant.

Whitecross adds: "Short wedding gowns are definitely in. They are not only practical for an outdoor wedding, but can be worn again. Brides are going for the slim look as opposed to voluminous yards of fabric, although decorative sequins and beads are still a popular feature. And the long overskirt, train and r bolero jacket which can be removed after the ceremony to reveal a sharp, short, close-fitting dress are all the rage right now. This is perfect for the girl who doesn't want too much fuss, but still wants to look bridal.'' However, the emphasis on fashion does not mean the end of all those frilly dresses and billowing skirts. Tulle has made a big comeback too. Pale pinks and ivory, rather than all bright white are the look this year. Bridesmaids dressed in rich jewel colours rather than pastel shades, and even a black and white theme, with black lace or velvet incorporated into the bride's gown are some of the latest ideas.

SMART REGISTRIES Pandering to all the latest trends might seem rather extravagant at the moment with a recession in full swing. But there is one area where newlyweds are becoming particularly money-wise and that is bridal registries. A trend in recent years for people to wed when they are much older and after having established a career has meant brides are asking for gifts other than the traditional silver, crystal and china.

"People who have been living on their own, or who are divorced, already have their own set up and don't need the basics,'' says Whitecross. "Couples have been looking for more practical gifts, such as paint and household furnishings, and even vacations. Travel agents are now allowing people to register for a honeymoon and wedding guests pay against it. If you don't need any china and you don't want to end up with ten toasters, then this is a practical route to take.'' GOING IT ALONE All this talk about wedding preparation might just be enough to put you off altogether, but don't worry, brides in recent years have come up with the perfect answer.

Eloping is nothing new. It has long been practised and always romanticised.

Now, people are doing it more than ever, but the degree of spontaneity the concept implies has been significantly reduced.

The destination wedding, as it has become know, is becoming increasingly popular among people getting married for the second time, people getting married later in life, or those who just can't face the fuss and bother of a full-scale nuptial celebration, preferring to spend the time focussing on each other.

"Every year this increases in popularity. People are opting to come here from abroad for both the wedding ceremony and the honeymoon,'' says Whitecross, who organised over 200 such weddings last year.

And the reason for this craze? "A lot of people just don't like the attention bride and groom traditionally get on their wedding day,'' she says. "More practically, other couples cannot justify the expense of a $10,000 wedding when they could put the money towards a down payment on a house.'' The bridal consultant and staff at The Wedding Salon on Church Street,Hamilton say they now have the destination wedding down to a fine art.

"We take care of everything from start to finish, including the legal fees, the minister, the dinner and even the carriage ride,'' says Whitecross.

Now, doesn't that sound like an attractive and painless alternative to the traditional wedding? Louise Foister is a reporter with the Mid-Ocean News. She married lawyer Warren Cabral last year.

Beauty and the beach: Jennifer and Hans van Wees were married in July, 1992.

she is wearing an off-the-shoulder gown made by Corinne Birdsey of silk taffeta with a sweetheart neckline and cap sleeves. The bodice is fitted to the waist with a full skirt and sweep train. The bottom edge of the dress is decorated with pearl beads. She is wearing a tulle veil with three satin rosettes. Picture by Photographic Associates.

Modesty and simplicity are key elements in a Muslim wedding. For her 1991 wedding to Mustafa, Ameenah Abdul-Hadee wore a purple gown made in Gambia, covering everything except her hands, feet and face, as required by Islamic law. Her silk Khimar, or headpiece, came from India Mustaf wore a white cotton toub and crocketed kufi or headpiece.

Classical bride: Kimberley Bailey married Rudolph Cann in November. She wore an embroidered satin dress fitted to the knees and flared at the bottom. The bodice is embrodiered with sequins, while the back of the dress has a detachable train. The bridesmaids wore deep purple velvet two-piece dresses.

RG MAGAZINE MARCH 1993