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As the bride, you are the center of the day, the focal point of all eyes, living out a day that you've probably dreamed of since you were a child. What you are wearing should be a perfect expression of you, and you and your fiance's happiness.

Remember that you have to take into account the tone and location of the ceremony itself, and you certainly need to remember your own comfort, but there are a myriad of ways to personalize a wedding gown, on any budget and for any bride! Here are some of my favorites:

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- The simplest and quickest way to personalization is the ribbon trim. A piece of ribbon at the bust or waist, or maybe at the hem and neckline, can incorporate the wedding colors, or any colors, for that matter, wonderfully into the traditional white gown. Lace trim can add a richer, more antique look to a simple gown, and even family heirlooms can be incorporated, like a grandmother's scarf.

- And there is always the family heirloom option when it comes to the entire dress- if you identify strongly with the previous wearer, be it your mother, mother in law, grandmother, or just a dear friend, having something like that as your wedding dress may be the best possible expression to have.

- Appliques are also a quick and easy remedy to the too-plain dress. Crafts stores carry them, and there is a huge variety offered online. This could be a do it yourself or seamstress project, depending on the complexity and your level of experience.

- Hand beading and embroidery has a long history in the realm of weddings, and is just about the most elegant possibility, from a double row of freshwater pearls stitched along an empire waist, to having a professional encrust entire areas of the gown with richly personal detail. You can also incorporate such things as your and your husband's names, the date of your wedding, either on the dress or the underdress.

- Layering might be the trick to turn an especially simple, but nice-fitting, gown into the expression of greek goddess or fairy queen that you have always dreamed of. Lightweight, transparent fabric draped over a dress, echoing its shape, can provide a beautiful halo, very ladylike and ethereal, but this is definitely a job for an experienced seamstress.

- Some brides are best expressed by an object- and some objects can look stunning on a wedding gown. A cluster of oversized silk roses above a bustle, a series of small pearl dragonfly brooches, or lace butterflies fluttering up from the hem. Generally, it is

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