So when she tied the knot last year, she spared no detail. She walked down the aisle in a flowing ivory gown with a long veil and lacy bolero jacket. Ten flower-toting bridesmaids and seven groomsmen were in the wedding party. And after the ceremony, 100 guests dined on beef tenderloin, clams casino and a three-tier vanilla cake. 

"I met my Prince Charming. He swept me off my feet," says the Clearwater, Fla., widow whose first husband died in 2003. "We're hoping this will be the last marriage. Why not celebrate?" 

Only a few years ago, it was considered in poor taste for a bride over age 55, particularly if she had been previously married,Shop wholesale chiffon strapless beaded Crystals evening gowns from cheap.  to do things like wear a fancy wedding gown, rock out to a DJ at the reception or have the groom slip a lacy garter belt off her leg. But those days are gone: Older couples no longer are tying the knot in subtle ways. 

The trend in part is being driven by a desire to emulate the lavish weddings of celebrities of all ages. But it's also one of the results of a new "everything goes" approach that does away with long-held traditions and cookie-cutter ceremonies in favor of doing things like replacing the first husband-and-wife dance with a group re-enactment of Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video. That's left older couples feeling less self-conscious about shelling out serious cash to party like their younger peers. 

Couples age 55 and older made up just 8 percent of last year's $53 billion wedding business. But that number has doubled since 2002, according to Shane McMurray, CEO of The Wedding Report, which tracks spending trends in the wedding industry. 

In 2011, women ages 55 and over accounted for 5.2 percent, and men in that age range made up 7.9 percent of the more than 2.1 million marriages performed in the U.S., according to Bowling Green State University's National Center for Family and Marriage Research, based on analysis of census figures. That's up from 2001, when 2.6 percent of new marriages performed were among women in that age group; for men, it was 6.6 percent. 

And those older couples spend more. That's because they're usually empty nesters who don't have the same worries as their younger counterparts: They aren't saving for their first home, for instance, and they aren't burdened by huge student loan debts they must worry about paying off. 

As a result, older couples dish out about 10 percent to 15 percent more than the cost of the average wedding, which was $25,656 last year, down from the pre-recession peak in 2007 of $28,732, according to The Wedding Report. 

That's meant big business for companies that cater to brides and grooms-to-be. Zaven Ghanimian, CEO of Simon G. Jewelry, which sells engagement rings and other jewelry to about 900 small stores across the country, says men in their late 50s and older have been investing more on engagement rings. A few years ago, they were spending $1,500 to $2,000; now, they're shelling out $4,000 to $8,000. 

And at David's Bridal, the nation's largest bridal chain with 300 locations across the U.S., business from older couples has doubled in the past two years, compared with modest growth for the younger age group, says Brian Beitler, the chain's chief marketing officer. While older customers represent only 2 percent to 3 percent of overall sales, the company expects that figure to keep growing. 

And they're a lucrative bunch. David's Bridal, which is based in Consohocken, Pa., says older brides spend about $700 to $800 on gowns, including accessories like necklaces. That's higher than the $500 to $600 that customers in their 20s and early 30s typically spend. 

But older brides aren't just spending more; they're spending differently. For instance, in the past, older brides tended to stick with special-occasion dresses, but now they want more traditional wedding gowns. 

"She's our dream bride," says Catalina Maddox, fashion director at David's Bridal. "She wants everything that the 25-year-old bride wants, but more." 

The trend is so prevalent that David's Bridal is looking at ways to better connect with the older wedding crowd. In fact, its store in Danbury, Conn.I'm just going to look at the new formal office dresses for women., recently held a bridal fashion show at a nearby nursing and rehabilitation facility; the event was a hit with the residents, the store says. 

"It really sparked something," said Jenna McNamara, the assistant store manager at the store, which has noticed residents in nearby retirement homes as customers for either weddings or commitment ceremonies.Los Angeles for all ladies Wholesale Womens Long cocktail gowns, "We realized this was something huge." 

Terry Hall, fashion director at Kleinfeld's, the New York City bridal salon that has the nation's biggest selection of designer bridal wear under one roof with more than 1,000 designs, also has seen a change in attitude in the last year or so among the older set. He said business from that group has doubled. 

Hall says Kleinfeld's older clients are spending $4,000 to $7,000 for a gown. That compares with the average purchase of $3,500 for the under-30 set. 

"They used to be subtle," Hall says. "Now, they're saying, 'Who cares? It's my day.' They want the dress." 

At 64, Yolanda Royal, who lives in Irvington, N.J., is preparing for her first wedding next July.You Can Buy Various High Quality High Neck high neck wedding dresses gowns. After living with her partner for 20 years, he popped the question in May. The couple plans to spend about $11,000 on the reception for about 100 people, but for Royal, it's all about the dress. After that's secured, the other details will fall into place, she says. 

Royal, a nursing attendant, was at David's Bridal in the Manhattan borough of New York City with her 41-year-old niece on a recent Friday, trying on white wedding gowns that had small trains.Many fashion styles of 2013 Wholesale Cheap Evening Dressesand gowns. Royal, who says she wants something "sexy," tried everything from off-the-shoulder to strapless designs.Read the full story at www.marrybride.com/products/100silk-dresses/taffeta-empire-waist-mermaid-wedding-dress-100silk-160.html.