Strut down the aisle in style

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If you're among the many folks who enjoyed a blissful "Bridal Christmas" -- the industry term coined to describe the hoards of happy couples who get engaged over the holidays -- then this column's for you.With 2.2 million weddings every year in the United States -- equivalent to 5,918 a day!-- it was an obvious choice for me to scope out a recent bridal show to see what's hot now.Delightful Decor, Delicious Dishes:After a deluge of nuptials set in soothing and tasteful brown, we're in for a season of joyful, bright colors: Yellow! Pink! Purple! As understatement steps aside, florists are seeing an increase in over-the top (think large, tall, even sparkling) centerpieces set atop cheerful table cloths.Couples are also infusing personality into the food with dishes that pay homage to their heritages and serving cupcakes in lieu of a ceremonial cake. Many brides and grooms are also getting away from formal head tables and leaning toward family-style seating, which can encourage a party atmosphere.Bold Brides: Dresses are still strapless, but we're seeing more romantic sweetheart necklines as opposed to tops cut straight across. Also, trumpet, or mermaid silhouettes are making a splash, along with slimming side gathering or ruching. Makeup is all about the eyes, with makeup artist seeing brides trending towards a softer lip with dramatically arched brows, smokey lids and photo-friendly (not drag queenish) fake eyelashes. To top it off, brides are opting for teensy tiaras (think 3 inches) to anchor veils along with Swarovski jewels scattered in their hair and bouquets to add sparkle.Glam Grooms:It seems it's not just brides who want to dress with a bang. Traditional tuxes, bow ties, and tails are taking a back seat and men are making stylish statements these days with bold-colored vests and ties -- think teal or purple. To show off these fanciful splashes of color, two button jackets (as opposed to three or four) are a popular choice. After all, it's good to show off what you've got.Beautiful Bridesmaids:Hopefully no one in your party has had to don "27 Dresses," but even if that have, make sure that yours is their favorite! The infinitely wearable tea-length is in and more brides are opting for separates so bridesmaids get to pick the cuts that look best on them. Another popular design is gowns with "pickups," the billowy bottoms that are rouched along the hemlines. Whatever you do, dress your bridesmaids to go along with your bright decor and handsome hubby's accent colors, which means color, color, color! Now that your wedding themes are all sorted out you can start focusing on the important aspects of your marriage: how to be considerate, when to compromise, what to wear on your honeymoon....(Helen Malani is the chief shopping expert for Shopzilla.com, an E.W. Scripps company and the largest comparison-shopping search engine on the Web. Got something to say about shopping? E-mail askhelen(at)shopzilla.com. Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.net)(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)