The Upbeat Bride

I'm Dreamin' of a Wedding Album Christmas

2010-12-27T17:52:00.000-08:00

With thousands of pictures snapped on our big day, it was no easy task for our photographer to narrow the deliverable selection down to the very best of the best. But with that daunting first task finally behind her, Amanda quickly put her fabulous editing skills to work and meticulously made each photo look positively timeless. It was important to me that we got the photos perfected as soon as possible because I had my heart set on creating photo albums as a Christmas-gift surprise for each of my bridesmaids and our parents. With little time to spare, I got right to work once I had a CD copy of all the images in hand. I then spent the next four days on Shutterfly designing page layouts, cropping photos, and organizing the day’s memories in chronological order within a 42-page book for the parents. From there, I made 21-page mini books that were tailored more toward the Maids. While I didn’t keep an actual time log of how many hours I spent creating the albums, I can guess that it was in the ballpark of 20 hours, and the night that I ordered them, I was making final tweaks until 5 am… during the work week! I just knew I had to get them ordered in time for all nine books to be printed and shipped to me, and then I would need time to ship them up to St. Louis so they would each make it under the tree by Christmas Eve. Talk about a time crunch! I’m happy to report that every single book reached its destination yesterday, so now I just anxiously await this weekend when everyone will get to open their books once and for all. So far I’ve been able to keep it a secret that I even have the wedding photos in my possession, so I know it will be a huge surprise when everyone opens their Christmas package. I only wish I could be there in person to witness their reactions!

Check out the bridesmaid books… (If you happen to notice the little yellow icons on any pages, just ignore, as those were notifications for printing purposes.)

And the parent albums…

The books were far from cheap, but I did get a discount on them by searching the internet for coupon codes. The books turned out beautifully and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience using Shutterfly’s services. I would highly recommend them for ordering your own wedding album or wedding photo gifts!

(All Photos by Amanda Forbes Photography; www.amandaforbes.com)

Videography: A Wedding Day Must!

2010-11-19T19:43:00.000-08:00

Exciting news! Well… it is for me, anyway. Our wedding DVD finally arrived! As soon as my husband can get it edited and chopped into segments, I’ll be posting bits and pieces on the blog. The entire uncut version is over four hours long!! We got some great raw footage that really captures the excitement, emotion, and busy-ness of our day. When watching the video playback, I was actually really surprised by how much more calm and collected I appeared than how I actually felt. On the wedding day itself, my perspective was that everything was extremely hectic and that my inclination to control everything was very obvious. But looking back now, I realize that the day was much more relaxed and fluid than what I’d remembered. It was refreshing to see that my memory of the day wasn’t necessarily how things really were, and through the video, I gained another perspective on how the day realistically went down. I got to see what it was like in the Groom’s preparation room as they got ready (which obviously I didn’t experience for myself), and I had the opportunity to see footage from just before the reception started as well as the cocktail hour since we weren’t present during either. I love that Joe and I will be able to share the footage not only with our family and friends who couldn’t (and even those could!) be there on the big day, but also that we’ll be able to show the video to our children some day. I even fully anticipate pulling the DVD out on occasional anniversaries, just to reflect and remember how much fun we had on that awesome day. Not only is videography valuable for catching up on all the things that get missed during the natural chaos of the day, but it’s also essential for remembering the wedding day as it was throughout the decades to come.

If you are deciding whether or not to include videography in your budget, I would hands-down recommend it. Since the wedding day totally flew by, and because I couldn’t be in more than one place at one time to witness all my hard work and planning in action, the videography allowed me the chance to reflect on the day as a whole and see things from an outsider’s perspective. Don’t think you have to spend a huge chunk of budget for videography either! We found an amazing deal by agreeing to have the video provided as raw footage instead of an edited version. This saved on a lot of the cost, but also let us witness some hilarious moments on the video that might have otherwise been cut out. I would also recommend not asking someone you know to film it. Our videographer followed us around for eight continuous hours! You don’t want to burden a friend or family member with that responsibility if you also want them to relax and have a good time. Just do the research, and you’ll soon discover that the deals are out there that allow you to have YOUR dream wedding on YOUR budget.

And since I haven’t gotten around to posting actual recaps yet, I thought I’d at least share some sneak-peek photos by our amazing photographer at Amanda Forbes Photography. This is just a teaser… I’ll share plenty more photos once we they are finished being edited in the next couple of weeks and my recaps finally begin. So stay tuned!

CONTEST: Win the St. Louis Wedding Book!

2010-11-15T18:22:00.000-08:00

This month I'm giving away a FREE copy of The St. Louis Wedding Book, the newest and hottest bridal book to hit shelves in the St. Louis area! I had the chance to chat with one of the co-authors, Emily Ayala, about the process of creating the book as well as the many ways it assists St. Louis brides in planning a wedding. Co-written by her sister Allison Hockett, the book is a a culmination of real-life experience from two former St. Louis brides combined with tons of research to bring you the very best in interviews with local venues, money-saving tips, timeline suggestions, and more. Read on for the advice Emily has for brides just like you, and then look for details below on how to get your hands on a copy!

The St. Louis Wedding Book by Emily Ayala and Allison Hockett; $15.99

What inspired the St. Louis Wedding Book? What kind of preparation went into it?
Allison and I were both raised and married in St. Louis and when we planned our own weddings, we were so overwhelmed by all of the wedding shows and magazines. We didn't know where to begin our planning. So we thought St. Louis needed an inclusive guide to wedding planning. We researched all of the choices available, selected our favorites, and put them together in an organized guide to make wedding planning easier for brides and grooms.

What were you most surprised to learn about while writing the book?
We were surprised by the amount of choices available for weddings in St. Louis. There are so many locations available with new places opening all of the time, so every bride can really have a unique wedding to fit her budget.

What were your biggest setbacks and challenges in creating the book?
This is our first self-published book so learning the "ins and outs" of self-publishing was a new experience. Every time you begin a new venture like this, it takes a while to learn each piece of the puzzle. Now that we've done it once, it will be much easier for future books that we hope to write. Once it came time for research, all of the wedding venues were very receptive and helpful to the idea.

What makes St. Louis Wedding Book different from the other ones on the market today?
The St. Louis Wedding Book is the only wedding planning guidebook specific to St. Louis. There are magazines available specific to St. Louis, but our book is a more intimate and personal opinion of what is available. We also list money-saving tips, planning timelines, wedding tips, and a cost key geared for St. Louis.

What's your best advice for brides planning their own weddings, specifically ones in St. Louis?
Think outside the box. Some of the best weddings we've been to are in places you would least expect, had unique favors, or had an interesting menu. For example, match part (or all) of the food to your ethnic heritage. As a favor, give a CD of the couple's favorite songs. Hold your ceremony in the place where you first met your fiance. Match aspects of your wedding to your interests or hobbies. It's always fun to attend a wedding that reflects the couple's personality. Have the table names match your pet's names you had as children, streets you lived on, and names of dorms at the college you attended. Have a bookshelf filled with framed photos that tell the story of when you met, while you dated, when he proposed. Instead of favors, spend that money to make a donation to your favorite charity. Just remember that it's your day and make it all your own!

One lucky reader is going to win a copy of their very own!
To enter, simply email theupbeatbride@yahoo.com and answer this:

What has been the biggest challenge
of planning your wedding?

There are no restrictions on who can enter, but be sure to include your name and city/state of where you're located. One entry per person. Deadline for entry is Monday, November 29th at midnight, and the winner will be drawn at random and announced right here on the blog!

Afraid you're not the lucky type? Don't worry, it's easy to still get your hands on a copy of the book. Head over to Amazon.com or BooksonStLouis.com, or look for it at any of these St. Louis retailers:

Borders
Barnes and Noble
Dierbergs
Two Blue Doors
Vellum
Glazed and Confused
McArthur's Bakeries
Artisan Photography
Les Bouquets
Jukebox Productions
St. Louis Community College
Left Bank Books: Central West End and Downtown

on facebook: stlweddingbook
on twitter: @stlweddingbook

Support Wish Upon a Wedding this November

2010-11-07T14:56:00.000-08:00

Wish Upon a Wedding is the world's first nonprofit wishgranting organization that provides weddings and vow renewals for couples facingterminal illness or other serious life-altering circumstances. Less than oneyear old, the organization has 16 active chapters, and will have granted 12wishes by the end of 2010.

During the month of November, they are hostingseveral fundraising galas and auctions throughout the country, and would like to inviteyou to participate.

Whether you are a bride or groom to be, awedding industry professional, or you simply love the concept behind theirmission... YOU can help make Wedding Wishes come true, while raising crucialfunding needed to sustain this wonderful, new nonprofit organization. Here's how:

Attend TheBlissful Wishes Ball

- DATES -

SanFrancisco November 10

Houston November 11

Charlotte November 12

Orlando November 14

St. Louis November 14

Baltimore November 17

PortlandNovember 18

Atlanta November 21

TheBlissful Wishes Ball is a festive way to support Wish Upon a Wedding. Enjoy a nice night out on the town with an elegant dinner, entertainment,music, dancing, and incredible auction items.

Buy your ticketstoday!

AboutWish Upon a Wedding...

Founded in January of 2010 by CA weddingplanner, Liz Guthrie of San Jose Wedding Consultants, Wish Upon a Wedding wascreated to help couples who did not have the time, money, resources or strengthto plan a wedding on their own, because of terminal illness or other seriouslife-altering circumstances. The organization now celebrates the courage,determination and spirit of these couples by granting their dream weddingwishes. It is their goal that chosen recipients can inspire other couplesfacing similar situations to find hope and strength, while raising awarenessfor terminal illness.

Growing up with a sister who was deaf sincebirth, and raised by parents who ran a board and care home for people facingnumerous disabilities and life hardships, Liz learned early on to value themany blessings in life, and the importance of helping others. Volunteeringthroughout her life for a variety of nonprofit organizations, Liz was lookingfor a way to combine weddings and community service.

After producing the San Francisco Dream WeddingGiveaway in 2009, a contest in which only one couple would be granted a dreamwedding, Liz came up with a way to merge her two passions. While going throughthe process of giving the wedding "prize" to a woman suffering fromstage IV Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Liz created Wish Upon a Wedding. Overnight,Liz decided to change wedding history, and the way we give, by launching anonprofit organization that was totally unique and had never existed before.

Supported by industry leaders such as SashaSouza, David Beahm, Stella Inserra, Jenny Orsini, Kevin Covey, StacieFrancombe, Sylvia Weinstock, Steve Kemble, Mindy Weiss, Mary Dann, and IvyRobinson (to name just a few), the organization has experienced rapid growthand seen voracious acceptance throughout the country.

To date, eight couples have benefited from the generous work of WishUpon a Wedding. Over 4,000 volunteers have signed up to become Wish Granters. Their facebook pagehas attracted over 10,000 fans.

None of this would be possible without publicsupport.

InLoving Memory of Wish Recipients Who Have Passed On...

Dani and Tony married in St Louis on September 1. She passed awaySeptember 30th. Dani had suffered from CysticFibrosis since age 3, and had recently received a double lung transplant.

Florence andMicheal married near Sacramentoon March 13. She passed away on September 28. Florence battled stage IV breast cancer,and was diagnosed with six months to live at the time of her wedding.

Shelly and Jaymarried in Seattleon May 2. Shelly passed away three weeks later. She had been battling arare type of cancerouslymphoma, and Jay suffered from Multiple Sclerosis.

Pleasehelp Wish Upon a Wedding continue to do great things.

You can participate in a number of ways:

Attend a Gala.
Donate to or bid in the auctions .
And help them spread the word by sharing thisarticle with your friends, family, co-workers and acquaintances.

You CAN make a difference in someone's lifetoday!

My Picks for the Times Square Bride!

2010-10-25T18:42:00.000-07:00

I’m so excited for the Times Square Bride and can’t wait to watch as her wedding unfolds with the help of Get Married readers! If you haven’t already, head over to the website where you can vote on many of the wedding details, like invitations, favors, wedding party gifts, and more! Check out my top picks for their big day…

Invitations

Although all are great choices, I voted for the Skyline invitation because I thought it was most reflective of their NYE in NY theme. Very modern and chic!

Favors

For the favors, I really liked the champagne boxes because they kept in the NYE theme, but nothing could top the adorable snowflake ornaments! I thought about what I would most like to receive if I were a guest at their wedding, and the ornaments were an easy choice because of their creativity and practicality. They are also symbolic of the chilly December weather in New York, so they are still relative to the New Years theme.

Bridesmaid Gifts

I had a harder time voting for the bridesmaid gifts. I thought the flip flops seemed more appropriate for a beach wedding, so it was between the clutch or the cosmetic kit. In the end, the clutch won my vote since they would look super cute with the Bride’s idea of black bridesmaid dresses, and also since the clutch is extremely versatile. I could definitely see it being used to dress up an outfit, or even used as a simple makeup travel bag!

Groomsmen Gifts

For the groomsmen gifts, I selected the travel kit. I know my own groom (now husband!) carries a handful of toiletries when he travels so I thought this would be a practical gift for any guy on the go. The gym bag would have been my second pick, as it can also be used as a travel bag… very creative!

What were your top picks for the Times Square Bride?

It's all happening!

2010-09-29T08:18:00.000-07:00

So my fiance and I made it to St. Louis, and it’s all finally happening! The past four days have absolutely flown by since we arrived, and now we’re just 3 days away from the wedding. THREE! That sounds incredibly weird to say out loud.

We drove through the night Friday and arrived very early Saturday morning. My fiance drove the entire way and we stopped just three times for gas fill ups, making the entire trip it in a record time of a little over 14 hours. After arriving at my mom’s house where we are staying during our visit, I slept for a few hours before excitement woke me and I convinced Joe to drive with me around the city for some shopping and errands. We dropped my dress off at the boutique where we’d purchased the maids’ dresses so I could have it pressed, then we picked up Joe’s tux from Men’s Wearhouse. Later that night I was whisked away by my Maid of Honor and Bridesmaids to a wonderful bachelorette party evening. First we met with my mom, aunts, grandma, and Joe’s mom and sisters at a mexican restaurant where there was lots of fun and laughter as I opened gifts of underwear. As I was opening each mysteriously unmarked gift, I was supposed to guess who it was from. It was a difficult game and I think I only guessed two or three on the first try, but it was all in fun. After we finished a delicious dinner and drinks, the maids and a few other friends took me to downtown St. Louis where we enjoyed more drinks and some dancing. We even spiced up the evening with some all-too-sexy neon bob wigs and got lots of attention for our “Lady Gaga” look (as so many people described us). Bachelorette Party #2: Epic! Enjoy a few pics:

Me and my Sis (Maid of Honor)

Having Fun Unwrapping the Mysterious Panties

The Entire Group!

Just the Maids and Friends

Sunday was intended to be a restful, relaxing day, but as always during wedding preparation week, the unexpected is prone to happen. Joe had told me we needed to attend an anniversary party for his aunt and uncle, so we needed to dressed nicely and be ready to go at 2 pm. As usual, I lounged around until the very last minute and therefore was forced to rush around frantically getting ready, but we made it to the party fashionably (30 minutes?) late. Except, when we arrived, it wasn’t just a party with Joe’s side of the family. To my surprise, it was actually a “shower” party for Joe and I, and my side of the family and friends were also all in attendance!! Since Joe and I live in Florida and don’t often get up to St. Louis to visit, it was a great opportunity to see friends that I hadn’t seen since last year, especially since I probably won’t get to spend as much time with those individuals as I would like at the reception this weekend. So although I was entirely exhausted from the drive up and the bachelorette party, the 8 hours of combined sleep from the past two nights weren’t enough to keep me from having a good time. The food and decor was absolutely wonderful and in a Japanese theme since Joe is half Japanese. The cake they’d gotten us had the DIY invitation transposed onto sugar, so we got a chance to actually eat an edible version of the invitation we’d worked so hard on! It was really creative and thoughtful. The shower was a wonderful surprise from Joe’s family and a great way to kick off the week’s festivities. (Pics coming soon!)

Monday was just as busy as the first two days since it had begun with an early meeting with my hairstylist for a hair cut and a highlight. That literally consumed my morning, and I was in a bit of a rush to run around gathering the last-minute supplies needed to finish Joe’s wedding gift. I ended up working on it literally ALL DAY… I didn’t meet up with Joe again until 8:00 that evening! It was so much work but I think he is really going to like what I’ve put together as his surprise wedding gift, and I’ll be sure to reveal the big secret in my recaps after we get back from the honeymoon.

Tuesday was spent running errand after errand and was almost just as hectic as the first few days. We met with the owner of Goodies for Guests to pick up our welcome baskets for out of town guests before meeting for lunch with my dad and grandparents, who flew in from Florida on Monday night. My grandma absolutely loved the welcome baskets, which contained all sorts of snacks and treats specific only to St. Louis:

After lunch we were busy shopping for silly photobooth props when my mom called and asked when we planned to apply for the marriage license. I’d totally forgotten about one of THE most important parts of my to-do list!! We decided to immediately get it over with since it was obviously at the top of our priority list, so we drove 45 minutes to apply for the license. Luckily, in the state of Missouri, you don’t have to be a Missouri resident and you can get the license instantly — there is no waiting period or blood work to be done before you are approved. So the process was entirely painless and we walked out of the office with the official marriage license in hand! That was really exciting.

The rest of the evening was spent organizing centerpiece kits, writing thank you notes, and wrapping attendant gifts. I think we are almost there with getting everything done… it’s finally all happening!!

The Final Countdown Days...

2010-09-22T15:31:00.000-07:00

Omigosh! Just TEN days until the big aisle walk! My fiance and I will be leaving Florida on Friday for the drive to St. Louis and will arrive sometime early Saturday morning. That same day is round two for the Bachelorette Party, which as of yet is still a mystery to me… Then on Sunday I plan to partake in some serious pampering and relaxation before the busy week begins! We’ve got tons of errands to run during the week leading up to the wedding, but with the help of our family and friends, I know everything will come together. Friday afternoon is the ceremony rehearsal, followed by a BBQ dinner at my grandparent’s house. Check out the DIY postcard invitations I made, which we mailed out to guests a few weeks ago:

With the day quickly approaching (Is it appropriate to describe it as “quick”? I mean, I HAVE been counting down for 600-something days now!), I’ve been busy preparing our vendors and bridal party with the plans that are in place. With 11 vendors to orchestrate on one day and no official wedding planner to help, I decided to create my own “vendor packet” with all the pertinent information that I believed each vendor needs for the day go off without a hitch. I included a list of each vendor and their full contact information, a list of the bride and groom’s support team, and a timeline of the day’s events including exactly when each vendor is expected to do their part. I wasn’t sure what kind of response I would get, but everyone seemed to be really receptive and grateful that they have the information they need to keep them in the loop! If you’re doing your own wedding “coordinating”, I would definitely recommend emailing everyone a timeline and list of contacts so that the vendors can familiarize themselves before the actual day.

If you acted as your own wedding coordinator, how did you (or will you) prepare your vendors for the wedding?

Save the (Birth) Date!

2010-09-08T19:27:00.000-07:00

Ah! The stress is setting in! Well, has been for a while now really. So many last minute details and things to be taken care within the next 23 days before the Big One is here. I apologize that I haven’t been blogging much but I’ve just been so busy. The programs are nearly finished and will hopefully be under wraps tonight. We completed the reception seating chart in record timing over the weekend… it only took about 30 minutes! Currently I’m working on creating the escort cards by day, and creating our reception centerpiece table kits by night. Recently I ordered the napkins from the Get Married shop for our signature cocktail drink and I can’t wait to see them in person! I loved all the customization options on the Get Married site, and the price was unbeatable at just $19.50 for 100.

Last Saturday I got to enjoy my first bachelorette party with my girlfriends here in Tampa (photo below), and in just a few weeks I’ll be driving to St. Louis to celebrate a second bachelorette party with all of my bridesmaids and Midwest girlfriends. Things are getting down to the wire and I feel like everything is happening so quickly! I’m doing my best to remain calm and stress free, but I’m really looking forward to that honeymoon cruise…

The shirt they got me from Victoria’s Secret was SO cute!
Hard to read in this photo, but it says “Kiss the Bride”.

(Left to Right: Amanda F., Amanda G., Me, and Melinda)

Today I thought I’d share this adorable and creative idea I found from Martha Stewart Weddings. This bride and groom put a calendar next to their guest book at the ceremony so each guest could record their birthday for the couple to always have record of:

Isn’t that incredibly smart, yet simple? I’m thinking about doing it too! What do you think? Have you ever heard of this idea or would you consider doing it?

Brand New Bridal Styles... Round Two!

2010-08-16T15:23:00.000-07:00

As if I didn’t already obsess over White House Black Market enough, I found out I could love them just a little bit more after discovering their newly expanded wedding boutique this morning. If you recall, I blogged a couple of weeks ago about the new line of wedding attire and accessories from WHBH, but at that time, they only offerered one “limited edition” gown. Well guess what? They just introduced three more gorgeous and affordable styles! In addition to adoring the newest bridal gowns, I found myself also swooning over the sexy but classy bridesmaid dresses that are designed to match the bridal gowns. Is it any wonder why I wish I could have more than one wedding, just so I can implement all my favorite wedding fashions?! Check out their newest designs and see what I mean…

For the Bride…

Audrey – $698

Grace - $498

Katharine - $348

Victoria - $598

For the Bridesmaids…

Black Tulle Ballerina Gown (Pair this style with the Victoria bridal gown!)

Ruby Satin Rosette (Goes great with the Audrey bridal gown!)

Black Katharine Dress (Goes perfectly with the Katharine bridal gown!)

Strapless Ruched Satin-Rose Dress (The gathered waist matches perfectly to the Grace bridal gown!)

Don’t forget to accessorize…

Satin Chiffon Floral T-Strap Heel - $108

Glass Pearl Rhinestone Bow Necklace – $128

Which new style is your favorite? It’s a tough decision, but mine is probably the Victoria when you pair it with the matching bridesmaid dresses. Check out the entire boutique yourself by visiting the White House Black Market site!

Treat Your Bridesmaids

2010-08-11T19:59:00.001-07:00

As the wedding day quickly approaches, I find myself shopping for one last special gift for each of my bridesmaids. I’ve already picked up a few things over the past couple of months that I thought each bridesmaid would like, but I’m still looking for a little something extra that shows just how much I appreciate all their time and hard work. So as I perused the internet last night looking for a gift that was worthy, I came across these adorable edible creations by Weddingish. Not only would they be a great way to say thanks to your maids, but if you’re just starting out in the planning process and have yet to find a creative way to ask your bridesmaids, this would be the perfect way to say “will you?”. The cookies come in all different designs and can be ordered through dozens of different companies with a simple google search. Even better news is, for less than $10 each, they’re affordable on any budget! Here were some of my favorite picks:

Another great idea is to give a personalized cookie to a bride-to-be! They’re perfect for a congratulations to a newly engaged friend, or even as a tasty treat to give at a bachelorette party. I thought these were so cute since they come with a little crown pin!

Who doesn’t love a delicious sugar cookie, especially one that was made just for them? You could even DIY these cookies if you’re the baking type! No matter what, your girlfriends are going to swoon over a gift like this… and if you’re lucky, they might even share!

(All Photos by Weddingish.com)

CONTEST: Win a Foxy Originals Jewelry Set!

2010-08-10T19:27:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't love an exciting giveaway? The Upbeat Bride has teamed up with Foxy Originals to give one lucky reader a free 'Dreams Come True' necklace and bracelet set!

Foxy Originals is quickly becoming one of the web's most popular boutiques by offering a line of trendsetting fashion jewelry designs. Their creations are catching on like fashion wildfire and already being worn by fashion icons such as Sienna Miller, Megan Fox, Paris Hilton, and Miley Cyrus!

Foxy's beautiful jewelry pieces make perfect thank-you gifts that your bridesmaids would absolutely love. Their popular ‘Wearable Words’ necklace and bracelet series include five memorable phrases to choose from: ‘Live Laugh Love’, ‘Love and Be Loved’, ‘Peace on Earth’, ‘Dreams Come True’ and ‘You Are My Sunshine’. These quotes are then scrambled up into a delicate charm that is truly unique! For more information about these pieces and other fabulous bridal selections, click here. Foxy offers a huge selection of jewelry styles and designs, so be sure to browse their entire site. There's truly something for everyone!

Are you ready to WIN the Foxy necklace and bracelet jewelry set shown above? Simply e-mail theupbeatbride@yahoo.com and answer this question: What has been your biggest dream come true?

*No purchase necessary. One entry per person. Winner will be drawn at random on Friday, August 27, 2010 and notified via email no later than August 31, 2010. Upon entering the contest, you consent to have your first name, state, and answer posted on The Upbeat Bride blog.

DIY Project: Pink Lovebird Invitations!

2010-08-05T21:48:00.000-07:00

Today I’m finally getting the chance to reveal our wedding invitations, the project that has been a DIY work in progress over the past several months. I was shocked (yet impressed!) to learn that our St. Louis guests had already started receiving their invites on Monday, only 3 days after having mailed them out from Tampa, FL. Hopefully by the time this blog is posted, our guests will all have gotten a first hand glimpse at the invitations and I’m not ruining the surprise for anyone.

Let me start out by saying that this was one massive undertaking. I love hand making all types of things; I take pride in being crafty and putting a personal touch on anything I can, especially when it comes to our wedding. But even with tons of help from my fiance, creating our own stationery was a huge challenge, and if I could do it all over again, I’m not sure I would go the homemade route. I’ll explain why.

Joe and I are both very picky and detail-oriented. To call us both perfectionists would not be a far stretch. So when we began the search for what would become our invitations, we started out like any other engaged couple would. We scoured the internet and browsed catalog after catalog, looking for the perfect invitation style to match our personality. But even after all of our research, the only thing that even came close to being exactly what we were looking for was $4.50 per invitation/response card set. Seeing as how we needed 60 total (without accounting for a few extra to have on-hand), that put the cost for just the invitation and RSVP to $270. Not bad, right? The only issue was, we KNEW we could create something similar to – if not better than – that same invitation for a fraction of the cost. All it would take was a little patience and determination. (Or a lot of it, as we would come to find out.)

From my experience, the most challenging aspect of invitation creation was finding all the supplies we needed. I had a very specific vision in mind and wouldn’t settle for anything less than perfect, no matter what obstacles stood in our way. We’d decided to use metallic pink, brown, and pearlescent ivory papers in the exact shades of our color scheme, which proved to be very difficult to find. We also needed the paper to be a certain thickness to ensure that each invitation would not be flimsy once we glued all three layer together. Eventually we did find exactly what we were looking for at Michael’s craft store, only to discover that the “special” pink paper had been imported from Italy and was being discontinued. We then began researching online paper suppliers and ordered numerous samples until we finally came across a paper similar enough to the ones we’d originally selected in the store. Fortunately the same supplier also stocked the brown and ivory paper we needed, so we were able to order it all at one time. Total spent on ALL wedding stationery, including the invitations, RSVP and directions cards, menu cards, programs, escort cards, and envelopes for 90 guests? A mere $150.

It was planned for each invitation to also be embellished with glitzy crystals and pink-tinted glitter to add a touch of eye-catching detail. We purchased two bottles of Stickles Fruit Punch glitter for a just few bucks, and I found all the Mark Richards crystal stickers we needed for a low bargain price on ebay. The glue we used to fasten the layers together was a tricky trial-and-error process, but we eventually settled on a simple stick of crafting glue found at Joann’s craft store. Since my scrapbooking paper cutter was pretty old and dull, we also invested $15 on buying a brand new one from Target. Total cost for all additional supplies? $25.

Joe and I worked together to create the printed design in Adobe Illustrator, a graphics program that I conveniently already had on my personal laptop at home. I searched high and low for the cursive font that we used, Feel Script, and the secondary font we chose was called Cambria Math. In order to create the green branch-swirl, I utilized the freehand pen tool and then used Photoshop to draw the little pink lovebirds. Then we used a laser printer to make sure the colors turned out clear and crisp, and printed several different times to ensure the ink colors matched the paper shades perfectly. Once everything was printed, I hand-sliced each ivory page, and Joe was on the glued-layers station where he put brown on pink, then ivory on brown. Then we set them aside to dry, and… Ta-da!

For Christmas last year, my Dad had given us a gift card to Stamps.com so we could order personalized postage for our invitations, featuring any photograph of our choosing. It was an easy choice to use my favorite black and white image from our actual proposal, and assuming 44 cents would cover our lightweight invitations, we ordered the stamps as the last step in the process. Meanwhile, my Mom was finishing up the calligraphy addressing of the envelopes, and the very same day they were returned to me, I stuffed, stamped, and sealed each and every one. (After months of planning and embellishing them, I was beyond ready to get them out of my sight!) I contemplated whether or not to just put the entire stack with the outgoing mail, but the less impatient part of me decided to first have them weighed at the post office just in case they required more postage. And guess what… it was a good thing that I did! Every single envelope required an additional 17 cents!! I was a little disappointed that the second stamp ruined the look of the pristine presentation, but I figured it was a better alternative than having the invitations returned to us, or even worse… requiring additional payment from the recipients. If I could offer my best advice for this stage in the planning process, it would be this: Make sure you weigh the invitations at the post office before mailing them!!! I thought I was in the clear with a 44 cent stamp, but the USPS certainly thought otherwise. Better safe than sorry!

With the invitations out of my hands once and for all, I reflected on all the time and hard work we spent planning, researching, designing, testing, printing, slicing, cutting, gluing, embellishing… But can you believe it? We saved nearly $100 by creating our own invitations, and saved way more than that when you factor in that we got supplies for ALL of our stationery and not just the invitations. This is definitely promising news for any bride on a budget who is considering DIY invitations, but just understand that comes at another cost… commitment and dedication. It wasn’t always fun to hand cut, glue, and embellishment page after page, so I had to keep reminding myself how much our guests would appreciate all the time we spent making them personal, and how proud I would be of the outcome. In the end they turned out even better than I could have hoped, and they’ve been accepted with very positive feedback thus far.

So, what’s next on my to-do list? Menu cards! Ceremony programs will follow, and then lastly, escort cards. I’ll continue posting with updates on our progress. But now, without further ado… I present the photos of our DIY wedding invitations!

Unexpected (and Inexpensive!) Wedding Fashions

2010-07-26T18:25:00.000-07:00

When a bride-to-be is considering shopping for her wedding gown, it’s often assumed that she’ll have to visit a bridal shop in order to find that perfect dress. You hear about brand name stores like David’s Bridal or Alfred Angelo and will find designers such as Maggie Sottero and Sophia Tolli for sale in authorized boutiques. But what about the bride who wants the designer look at a wholesale price? Luckily, it’s no longer necessary that beautiful, quality fashion is sacrificed for a low-budget gown. You just need to know where to look!

Already popular for their trendy and sophisticated clothing, White House Black Market recently seized the opportunity to outfit the bridal party by creating a wedding fashion line for the bride-to-be and her bridesmaids. Not only do they carry sexy styles for fashion-forward bridesmaids and the bride who wants a sleek reception dress, but they also offer classy and elegant dresses for the ceremony. Complete the look with any of the gorgeous heels and jewelry that they are already known for, and the result is a one-stop shop for everything on your attire checklist. They even have a honeymoon collection and bridesmaid gifts!

White House Black Market, Limited Edition Bridal Gown (Front); $498

White House Black Market, Limited Edition Bridal Gown (Rear); $498

White House Black Market, Ivory Satin Rose Heel; $108

White House Black Market, Strapless Satin Dress; $168

White House Black Market, Crinkle Chiffon Dress; $168

Another retailer that just recently jumped into the wedding fashion craze is a popular store where you are likely already shopping for everyday clothing. Last month, The Limited introduced their new bridal party line of dresses at amazingly affordable prices, with styles that are formal enough for a wedding but also trendy enough to wear again after the big day. With a reputation of making women look chic and refined in their day-to-day lives, it’s no surprise that their wedding collection delivers on that same promise to make brides and their maids look absolutely stunning. I just love the look of their graceful, flowing gowns and the inexpensive accessories that look amazing with every dress!

The Limited, Romantic Wedding Gown; $298

The Limited, Elegant Wedding Gown; $298

The Limited, Big Flower Pin & Hairclip; $29.50

The Limited, Ruffle Front Halter Dress; $89.50

The Limited, Rosette Hem Strapless Dress; $89.50

At both of these stores, you’ll have to order most of the dresses from their online sites. However, many of the bridesmaid dresses and accessories are also offered in retail stores nationwide.

Do you know anyone who has purchased wedding attire from a store that primarily sells everyday clothing? Would you consider doing so?

DIY Project: 'Bride' and 'Groom' Chair Decor

2010-07-12T17:18:00.000-07:00

Love these chair hang letters? Order your own by clicking here!

As promised, my weekend was filled with wedding planning and DIY projects galore. It all started when Saturday morning I arose at 7:30 am to drive 45 minutes to my first dress fitting. Why so early? If you recall my wedding gown mishap post from a few weeks ago, I was less than thrilled when my gown finally arrived after an agonizing three-month delay. At first impression, it seemed the dress was too large in the hips, not sewn to specifications on the front, and the train was horrifically long. However, I didn’t actually realize how unhappy I was with the dress until after I’d taken it home and looked at it a little closer. The next day I called the store owner regarding my concerns and she suggested I come in right away to have her look at the issues first-hand. It was imperative that we addressed the issues immediately just in case the dress needed to be sent back. But seeing as how I work throughout the week and went out of town for July Fourth weekend, the only time she could squeeze me in with the seamstress was before the store opened this past Saturday. So upon arriving at 9 am on the dot, the seamstress got to work right away and quickly assessed the “repairs” needing to be done. Of course I ened up paying for all the fixes that should have been done correctly in the first place, but she was kind enough to not charge excessively for the changes I requested. I was expecting the alterations to cost another few hundred dollars, but I ended up with a mere $150 bill for everything, including the hem! I was so ecstatic. Not only was she going to mend my dress to match my vision, but it was going to cost less than what I’d expected. Finally, I was thrilled! My second fitting will take place on July 31st. Cross your fingers for me!

The rest of Saturday and parts of Sunday we spent working on the invitations. After weeks of hand-embellishing each invitation, I finally finished all 60 of them, so now I’m only waiting for my Mom to mail the envelopes back to me. (To save on costs of hiring a calligrapher, I’d asked her to address each one using her beautiful cursive handwriting.) Once those arrive, my fiance and I will stuff the envelopes and stamp them with the photo postage my Dad paid for as a Christmas gift last year. Then hopefully next week we can mail them out, and I’ll finally be able to reveal the DIY invitation photos. Until then, my lips are sealed!

Much of Sunday was also spent working on the chair-hang letters I blogged about early in the planning process. Even though I’d been contemplating this DIY project ever since I bought the wooden letters over a year ago, I wasn’t entirely sure how I wanted to decorate them. Should I stay within our color scheme, or do something more generic? Should I make them vintage and artistic, or modern and glam? I’m so glad I held onto the idea for as long as I did because finally, without warning, inspiration for the project suddenly came to me! On Saturday while I was selecting tissue paper to hand-cut for our invitations, I randomly came across the cutest “Mr. and Mrs.” tissue paper that immediately gave me a vision for the letters! So after months and months of wondering what to do with these plain wooden “B” and “G” letters, at last I had a clear direction. So later that same day I stopped into a craft store to gather the rest of the supplies I needed, then immediately got to work. I absolutely love the way they turned out and can’t wait to hang them on our chairs at the reception! Honestly, the photos don’t even do them justice, so I tried taking close up photos of the rhinestone and damask detailing. Check them out:

If you’d like to try this DIY project for yourself, just follow these easy steps!

Supplies You’ll Need:

Wooden Letters… You can find these at any Michaels or Joann’s craft store, and they come in a variety of sizes and fonts.
Acrylic Paint… I recommend using white if you are using a light colored tissue paper that is see-through.
Sponge Brushes… I like the multi-packs that come with a variety of different brush sizes.
Modge Podge… I used Matte, but you can also use Glossy if you’d prefer. A small bottle of this glue will be plenty.
Paper Plate… Modge podge glue dries quickly and is permanent, so you don’t want to get it on anything unintentionally. Pour a small amount on the plate and keep refilling the small amount as needed. If you pour too much, it will dry quickly and can easily be wasted since not much is needed to get the job done. NOTE: You will also want to lay down newspaper on your workspace to avoid getting glue on the table.
Tissue Paper… This is where you can get really creative and find paper with designs or words or solid colors that match your theme. You don’t want to use regular paper because it is too thick and will be difficult to shape to the letters. I find that tissue paper works best and I wouldn’t recommend anything else in it’s place.
Scissors
Embellishments… You can use things like fabric, ribbon, rhinestone crystals, or stickers. The possibilities are endless!

Follow These Simple Steps:

Use acrylic paint and a sponge brush to add a base to the letters in order cover the wooden-grain texture. One or two coats should be enough.
Rinse the brush in running water until it runs clear to avoid the paint drying in the brush and ruining it. Set aside to dry.
Once the paint on the letters has dried entirely, use a large sponge brush to brush a thin coat of modge podge glue on the entire TOP surface of the letter. Don’t paint the sides yet – only apply glue to the top.
You’ll need to work quickly since the glue dries fast. Have your tissue paper ready and lay it on top of the letter, flattening it as much as possible. Don’t rub it too much though, or else the paper will tear. There will be tiny folds and crinkles no matter how much you try flattening it – this is unavoidable when using tissue paper with modge podge. I personally like how it gives it a texture!
Use the scissors to cut strips along the sides of the paper so it will easily fold around the sides of the letter.
Take a smaller brush, and in small sections, apply modge podge to the sides of the letter. Right after applying the glue, fold the smaller strips of paper around the sides before the glue dries. Go around the letter and repeat, section by section.
Once it has dried, apply a thin coat of modge podge over the top of the tissue paper, painting the glue on the top and sides of the letter. This will give it a nice finish and seal the paper. Apply a THIN coat so it dries clear – if you apply too much glue, it will have spots of white area after it dries.
Rinse the brush in running water until it runs clear to avoid the glue drying in the brush and ruining it. Set aside to dry.
Once the letter has dried entirely, apply embellishments using a glue gun or elmers glue. And finally, attach string so it can he hung!

Let me know if you try this DIY project based on my instructions. I would love to see the results!

Wedding Day Nightmares

2010-07-07T18:55:00.000-07:00

It’s less than three months before the Big Day is here! I’m feeling very relaxed and well-prepared, but also a bit anxious for it to finally happen. Even though I’m not the type of girl who had “dreamt about this day her whole life”, I HAVE been dreaming about it for the past year and a half, and that’s long enough for me! As a matter of fact, I’ve had so many dreams about the wedding already that I’m sure I’ve experienced every wedding-day nightmare imaginable. Scenarios like the photographer not showing up, or the DJ totally botching the reception music… my dress being ruined with stains, or forgetting to sign up for a marriage license in advance. These dreams come from out of nowhere! When I’m awake I know I’m way ahead of schedule and on top of things, so I don’t know what inspires these anxiety attacks in the middle of the night. And it’s not just me… my fiance will have a wedding nightmare occasionally too! His last dream left him in a panic after finding out the videographer never showed up. When Joe finally took notice during the reception that the videographer was missing, I was very nonchalant about the ordeal and just said “Oh, he never came”. (Haha, as if!) It’s definitely comforting to be able to laugh it all off together in the morning after realizing it was all just a dream. In retrospect, I wish I’d been keeping a journal of all the crazy, horrific circumstances I’ve dreamt up!

(Photo by BridalBuds.com)

Last month I polled 15 brides on what their absolute worst wedding day nightmare would be. It really came as no surprise that nearly three-fourths of all respondents said the photographer’s memory card being erased would be the worst scenario, proving that brides definitely value those photo memories! Another 20% of brides would dread having a huge obvious stain on the front of their gown. (How embarrassing!) However, just 6% said their worst nightmare is for the wedding bands to get lost right before the ceremony began. (Those are pretty important, after all!) But not a single bride claimed that the wedding cake being totally ruined would be the worst thing to happen. What’s a wedding reception without dessert?! And who’s ever seen a wedding without any floral décor or bouquets whatsoever? Interestingly, problems with the floral order doesn’t top the list of bride’s biggest fears. Not one respondent said their worst nightmare would be if the flowers never showed up. Guess they have more important things to worry about!

My (Serious) Addiction to Bridal Mags

2010-07-01T19:17:00.000-07:00

I still remember my first bridal magazine, gifted to me from my mom just days after becoming engaged. It was Modern Bride with Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson on the cover for “Bride Wars”. Is it weird that a year and half later, I still refuse to get rid of it?

From there, collecting bridal magazines quickly turned into an addiction. Once I got the local mags for free from a Bridal Show, my list of subscriptions soon expanded to include Brides Magazine, Get Married, Martha Stewart Weddings, The Knot national and regional mags, Bridal Guide, and a few more that I can’t even remember the names of. Initially, I kept ALL of them… I literally had a massive stack piled against our dining room wall that was taller than I am at 5’-7”. My Fi finally intervened and said I had to come to my senses and recycle them. “NO!” I cried, “Someone else could use these!” They were still practically brand new considering I’d read each magazine in its entirety within a single day after getting it in the mail. And even though they had all been thoroughly explored, each one had seemingly remained untouched! (I’m sure I had subconsciously been extra careful to not wrinkle each glistening page as it was turned.) In my mind, I just couldn’t destroy perfectly useful bridal magazines.

Luckily, a girl at my work eventually became engaged and fell for my trap when I asked her if she wanted to inherit my bridal magazine collection. I tried forewarning her about the size of the lot, but you should have seen how big her eyes were when I plopped about 5 bags full of bridal magazines onto her desk; I KNOW she thought I was psychotic. Just a month or two after that, I’d already acquired a new stack that was growing by the week, so I brought them to work once again in hopes that my coworker would take them. “No thanks, I still need to read the first ones you brought me,” she quickly refused. So, to this day, I still have a stack of about ten wedding magazines sitting on my desk at work. One day I’ll find the courage to recycle them!

Should Guests Get a Plus-One?

2010-06-30T20:00:00.000-07:00

Imagine you’re planning to attend a wedding for a couple that you know quite well, but you have never actually met their other friends or family. You’re looking forward to sharing their big day with them and have spoken with the couple on several occasions about how excited you are to attend their event. Then the invitation comes in the mail, and you can’t wait to open it up. But slowly you notice that there’s no indication of being allowed to bring your significant other as your date. Assuming it was nothing more than a mistake - you’ve been with your partner for a year now, after all - you RSVP for yourself and your significant other to attend. Days later, you receive a telephone call informing you that absolutely NO guest dates are being invited. How excited would you be about attending the wedding by yourself, without knowing many other people there, while you’re boyfriend or girlfriend just sits at home?

I read an interesting article this morning from the perspective of a wedding guest that wasn’t permitted to bring a date with him on not only one, but on two different occasions. The first situation was almost exactly like the scenario described above. The second wedding was for his own brother in which he was even IN the wedding party, yet still not allowed to bring a date to the reception. If you’re not cringing with horror yet, you should be. Sure, weddings are expensive and a bride and groom often has to cut costs somewhere within the budget, but that means exploring possibilities of cheaper centerpieces or a less extravagant venue, NOT jeopardizing the entertainment and comfort of the guests. Yes, the day is “all about the bride and the groom”, but unless you’re running off to Vegas for an Elvis-officiated wedding, you really need to take into consideration what guests will experience at your event. No one is forcing you to invite your old roommate from college or the pen-pal you’ve had since you were ten; you are inviting these people for a reason. Hopefully the reason isn’t to squeeze in another gift, but instead is because you want those people to celebrate your new marriage with you, and to have a blast doing it. What could be more fun than celebrating the wedding with their own dancing partner?

Every well-versed bride and wedding planner knows the first three steps in wedding planning are to decide on the budget, create a guest list, and choose the venue. (All three pretty much go hand-in-hand since one affects the other.) This is the best way to really evaluate who should make your “A” list, or the people you absolutely cannot imagine the day without. It’s okay to also have a “B” list, or a group of invitees you would love to have present if there is enough money leftover in the budget. My feeling is that if someone is good enough to make your “A” list, they are good enough to be allowed a plus-one. It’s true that this might mean you have to cut corners such as not inviting children, not inviting cousins, or having a smaller guest list, but so be it! You might be thinking, “But if I allow ten of our guests to bring dates, then that’s ten other people that I want to invite but won’t be able to.” Look – I’m not claiming that creating the guest list is easy. It’s one of the hardest things you will do in the planning process. But think about it: Would you really want to sit by yourself, or even next to a group of couples, feeling like the odd man out? Weddings can sometimes be a source of anxiety for someone who is newly (or even usually) single, and you definitely wouldn’t want to amplify their discomfort by broadcasting that they had to come by themselves because they aren’t officially “taken”. My advice? If you want to invite those ten extra people so badly, then do it! But just plan to order less expensive flowers or opt for DIY projects that will allow more leeway with the guest-list portion of the budget. Or try what my fiance and I did, and extend the length of your engagement so you can save more money to spend on things like the head count. Bottom line: If you want to save on costs, sacrifice elsewhere in the budget and at least give your guests the option to bring a date if they want to. It’s the best way to make sure a good time is had by all… and isn’t that what celebrations are all about?

What are your thoughts on inviting plus-ones? Would you ever expect a guest to come to your wedding alone when they already have a date they want to bring? Click here to read the article for yourself.

Wedding Gown Woes

2010-06-28T18:03:00.000-07:00

Last week I mentioned that after a three-month waiting period, my Maggie Sottero wedding gown had finally arrived. So this past Saturday I drove 45 minutes to see it in person and I have to admit I was a bit nervous on the entire ride there. It’s scary to pay hundreds of dollars for something that is ordered to be custom-made as opposed to knowing exactly what you’re getting when buying off the rack! But once the shop owner pulled the gown from the bag, it really looked beautiful. The color was great, the detailing looked fabulous. My hairpiece from Etsy and sexy new heels even matched the dress perfectly. But after stepping into it and getting all corset-tied in, I noticed the dress was too big in the hips. Are you kidding me?!, I thought. Week after week I watch wedding shows where brides buy their gowns too small, thinking they will lose weight and be able to fit into them when the time comes. Who honestly buys a custom-made gown that is TOO BIG? I do, apparently.

When we’d placed the order, I’d felt as if I was in-between sizes so I’d decided to go with the larger size of the two, thinking it would be easy to have it altered if necessary. But of course it would be my luck that where the dress needs to be brought in – through the midsection and especially the hip area – there is a lot of detailing on the side that makes it very expensive to alter. And then… why did the train seem so much longer now? I didn’t remember the train being quite as long when I tried it on, but now the train on my gown seemed really lengthy. Definitely not something I was hoping for considering I could have forfeited the train look altogether and been fine with it. I also noticed that part of the (very noticeable) detailing on the front of the gown didn’t quite look the same as the picture of the gown in the catalog or on the website. I’m not talking about beading that could be randomly place with the same general look – I’m talking about something so obviously different that it really changed the entire look of the front of the dress. So now I was looking at changing the sides of the gown to make it smaller, making the train much shorter, having it hemmed to my height, and altering the detail on the front to match the example picture. Seriously?! Can I really afford to alter my entire gown? I might as well have doubled my gown budget if I was just going to alter the entire dress for the same price. I just couldn’t stop thinking, Why in the heck didn’t I order the smaller size?

Ok, the train wasn’t quite this long… but it certainly seemed like it!

First thing this morning, I telephoned the boutique to talk to the owner about how the front of my dress looks different than the model photo. She said I have seven days to issue a claim with the gown, but this short timeframe window poses a real problem. I’m going out of town for this entire upcoming holiday weekend, and I live too far away to make it over to the shop on a work day. So tonight I’m supposed to take photos of the dress to email to her so she can compare it herself and see how different it really looks. Then, I have an appointment with the seamstress on July 11th which is when I’ll bring the gown back in for them to compare it in person. And if it’s determined the dress was in fact constructed with a blatant error, the dress has to be sent back! What?! Let me get this straight: I ordered the dress in March, had to wait three months for it, and with my wedding now only three months away, I have return it for several more weeks? What a nightmare!!

Did anyone else have issues with their dress after they had to order it from the manufacturer? How did you handle it?

Fabulous Wedding Fashions

2010-06-27T14:46:00.000-07:00

Have I ever mentioned how much I admire Vera Wang’s gowns? If I did, it was an understatement. I LOVE her sense of style. For me, Vera defines wedding fashion and is the very reason I learned to appreciate bridal gowns to begin with. I don’t know how she does it, but every garment is like a priceless work of art, a beautifully orchestrated symphony of fabrics. Not only are her gowns elegant and balanced to perfection, but somehow she is able to bring life to even the most unlikely bridal color: Black? Who’d have thought a black wedding gown could be this gorgeous? She never ceases to amaze me!

Black 2011 Gown by Vera Wang

And aren’t these Bridesmaid dresses to die for? I LOVE the one in the middle, but all three are drop-dead gorgeous. What bridesmaid wouldn’t love to be wearing one of these?

Although my bridesmaids’ dresses were already selected months ago, I couldn’t help but become inspired from that photo to explore Etsy for other unique bridesmaid dresses. And, just as I had expected, there was no shortage of absolutely adorable handmade dresses. Check out a few that I loved…

Convertible Infinity Bridesmaid Wrap Dress by Erin Leigh Heart; $98

Pinckney Street Dress by The Wedding Collection; $315

Would you consider wearing a black wedding gown like the one posted above?

Here Comes the (Mother of the) Bride!

2010-06-26T06:37:00.000-07:00

Since I reside nearly 1,000 miles from where my mom lives, I didn’t have many opportunities to shop with her for a Mother-of-the-Bride dress. We relied on searching websites to find styles we liked and I would then call different stores in her area to see who had the dresses available. We had only one shot for her to find a dress in my presence since April was my last visit to St. Louis until we return for the wedding. Luckily, the shop we purchased my maids’ dresses from (Karen’s Boutique in Ellisville) sold MOB dresses by a designer we loved, Jade Couture. Considering my own gown was a brand new introduction in the 2010 line, is it any surprise that the dress we wanted for her to wear just happened to also be a brand new Fall 2010 introduction? (Like mother, like daughter, right?) We were a little bummed to learn that the dress wouldn’t even be available for try-on in stores until one week after my wedding, so we decided for her to try on a few other styles since we felt more comfortable ordering a dress that we could actually see in person. Still, nothing seemed to be “the one”, and for weeks we pondered the different dress styles and whether or not to just order the one we originally loved but couldn’t actually try on. Finally… earlier this week… we came to a final decision. We opted to order our original favorite, the one we loved based on the picture. So here it is! My mom’s MOB dress:

I think the bordeaux color will look gorgeous with her brunette hair and will definitely complement our wedding colors of celadon green, fuchsia, and dark brown. My fiance’s mother will be wearing a bronze antique-style dress, and I know both women will look just fabulous in the wedding pictures!

Don’t forget to help Mom – and even your future MIL! – with dress selection since it can sometimes be an intimidating and tedious process for them. They will really value your advice and appreciate that you care how they look. My recommendation is to find styles online that you like and email them to your mom to get her opinion and make sure you’re on the same page. Go to stores to help her look, and be honest yet open-minded. Even though it’s your day, you want her to feel as comfortable and fabulous as you do. After everything she’s done for you over the years, she definitely deserves it!

Need some ideas for where to start? Check out some of the other beautiful styles that I found online, and click on the website link below each picture to view the rest of the designer’s collection.

Style # EJ0M8537 in Silver by David’s Bridal

Style #J3357 in Teal Taffeta/Black Lace by Jade Collection from Jasmine Bridal

Style #210976 in Celadon by Montage from Mon Cheri

Style # BY21050T in SmokeyBeige/Ruby by Sophia Tolli Special Occasion

Style #7088 in Diamond White/Espresso by Alfred Angelo

Style #210951 in Café by Montage from Mon Cheri

Have your MOB or FMIL chosen their dresses yet? What are you doing to help them through the process?

100 Day Countdown!

2010-06-24T17:21:00.000-07:00

I’ve been counting down to the wedding since day 500-something, but today officially marks the 100-day countdown! When I think back to everything I’ve done over the past 18 months, I’m amazed at how much time and thought I’ve put into this wedding as a whole. Fortunately, having such a long engagement — 22 months by the time it actually happens — has really made the entire process so much easier and less stressful. I didn’t even realize just how much work I’ve done until I really thought about all of it, bit by bit, yesterday. All the phone calls, emails, research, price comparisons, bartering, more researching… it’s really been a lot to handle. But the entire planning process truly has been an overall enjoyable experience since I was able to take on each aspect one day at a time. I can’t imagine how I’d have handled everything with, say, a 6-month engagement. I just can’t picture having had to do the scheduling and budgeting and planning, all at the same time, with a short-term engagement. It seems like an impossibility unless you have help from a lot of other people!

Those who’ve been following my blog know that my wedding is taking place in Missouri (where I’m from originally) but that my fiance and I live in Florida. So not only are we planning the entire wedding from another state, but ALL of my bridesmaids and both of our parents all live in Missouri as well. It’s literally just my fiance and I planning the entire thing from a distance. So as if planning a wedding wasn’t challenging enough, imagine doing it from across the country and with minimal assistance. Certainly no easy task. I’m so thankful now that we’d set up such a long engagement, thus allowing us enough time to plan everything to perfection. I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way, and my #1 recommendation to new brides is that no matter how big or how small your wedding is, plan for a minimum of a one year engagement. It seems like a long time, but you’ll quickly learn that with all there is to do, all the time in the world couldn’t be enough. You’ll be so much less stressed when you can plan things as smaller parts instead of as one big whole. Besides, you’re only “engaged” for a short period of your life… why not enjoy that time as much as possible?! With a longer engagement, I really feel like I’ve milked it for all it’s worth and now I’m fully prepared to move onto the next step as a Mrs.

Once we were engaged in December 2008, I wasted no time in beginning the search for my wedding gown. It was a good thing I got started when I did… nearly two years seemed like enough time to find a gown, but it would take me about 50 dresses, 8 stores, and 15 months to finally say yes to THE dress. The problem was not that I didn’t like any gowns I tried, the problem was that I loved most all of them! But eventually it was a Fall 2010 gown by designer Maggie Sottero that made me giddy enough to buy it the very same day I tried it on. I had to avoid watching Say Yes to the Dress and viewing bridal magazine ads as much as possible because I didn’t want to doubt my decision. It was hard enough to choose just one, so I couldn’t afford to come across any other dress that would make me stray away from the one I’d committed to. Now, here I am exactly 100 days from the wedding, and this morning I received the long-awaited and much anticipated phone call from the Honey Pot Boutique in Largo, Florida… my dress has finally arrived! After several agonizing months of waiting for it to be handmade (I am one of the very first brides to order it since it was just introduced), it is finally here!! I’ll be fitted for MY OWN WEDDING GOWN this Saturday afternoon!! But don’t expect me to post any pictures just yet. No one gets to see the dress until October 2nd!

Each month I feature a reader-poll right here on my blog. April’s poll asked brides how long their engagement was (or will be). Of the 13 responses, nearly HALF said they were planning their wedding over a 6-12 month span. Almost a quarter of brides said they were taking between one and two years to plan their big day, and the short engagements of 6 months or less tied the long engagements of two years or more at 15%. Based on the poll it seems as though the one-to-two year engagements are most popular, and it’s definitely for good reason. Then theMay poll asked readers how much they were spending on their wedding gown. Sixteen brides sounded off with 25% of brides saying they were spending between $200 and $599. The most popular category at 37% was the $600-$999 range, and 18% said they were spending between $1000 and $1499. More impressive was the 12% that said they were spending over a whopping $2000! Lucky girls!

To participate in the June poll topic, find it on the top right corner of this page and tell me: What is your worst wedding day nightmare?!

(Dress Photo by Google Images)

A Passion for Bridal Fashion

2010-06-21T18:36:00.000-07:00

I would be absolutely thrilled if I found some way to include a gorgeous clutch purse that matches my wedding gown into our tight budget. Unfortunately I never cared much about fashion until after I’d caught the Bride Flu, and thus after I’d already made our budget, but now I’m literally obsessed with gowns, hairpieces, shoes, purses… anything related to wedding fashion. I wish I’d accounted for more funds being spent on wedding fashion from the start, because now I’m just left drooling at accessories that I simply can’t afford. You already know from a recent post that I’m a huge fan of the Etsy marketplace, but while perusing through all the unique styles to find something that matches my bridal gown (and within my budget!), I was totally impressed by how talented and crafty people can be in designing wedding purses. Check out my favorite picks below… You might just find a style perfect for your wedding gown or for your bridesmaids!

Waterfall Mermaid Clutch Bag by All Things Pretty; $295

Ivory and Cream Silk Charlie Clutch by Percy Handmade; $65

Peacock Feathers Silk Brocade Clutch by Clutch That; $75

Passion Ivory Bridal Clutch with Ostrich Feathers by Angee W.; $70

Oreo Ruffle Trim Clutch by Davie and Chiyo; $75

Night at the Ballet Bridal Satin Clutch by Paris XOX; $65

Small Simple Bridesmaid Clutch by Mollusa; $39

Pretty Pleats Clutch by Davie and Chiyo; $75

Are you using a clutch purse on you wedding day? If so, are you making it yourself or buying it from somewhere?

Our DIY Stationery Update

2010-06-16T15:12:00.000-07:00

My wedding shoes finally arrived in the mail yesterday, and they are fabulous! I was a little worried to order them without ever having seen them in person much less tried them on for size, but they are absolutely perfect. I love checking things off my to-do list, and this was a big one for me since I’m so picky!

In other news, Joe and I are in the process of DIY-ing our invitations. We’ve done literally everything from scratch including creating the design, printing them ourselves, cutting the paper, gluing the paper layers, and affixing the embellishments. It is a lot of work but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t having a blast doing it. To be honest, I don’t trust anyone BUT Joe and I to make the invitations. As graphic designers, it’s a big deal to us that they look perfect and we figured we’d do as good a job as any professional company, but for for half the cost. They really are quite gorgeous and I can’t wait to post photos of them after they are mailed out to our guests in early August.

Also on our stationery to-do list? Design the monogram to be used on our photobooth printouts and the dance floor lighting. Print and assemble our DIY programs. Design and print the Menu cards. Cut and assemble the escort cards. Print and embellish the RSVP cards and Directions cards. Finish the timeline cards for the bridesmaids. There is much to be done! But we’re making progress. Here’s a sneak peek of the sticker design we made that will be pasted onto the box of each guest favor:

It’s true that we have a lot left to do, but we have a very clear direction on everything so I’m not at all worried. It’s a good thing we don’t have any summer vacations planned because it looks like we will already be extremely busy! That’s okay though… we love spending time together while making the stationery for our wedding. I’m so lucky to have such a helpful fiance! : )

Fabulous Finds from Etsy

2010-06-11T17:06:00.000-07:00

To see this post on Get Married's Wedding Dish as the Featured Blog of the Day, click HERE!

I have yet to meet a bride that doesn’t absolutely love Etsy, the crafty and popular online marketplace that sells beautiful wedding essentials that are totally one-of-a-kind. Artists and designers from all around the world gather on this one site to market their handmade trinkets and unique products that are quality-crafted with total pride and attention to detail. If you’ve been following my blog you already know I’m a huge fan of DIY projects, but sometimes it can feel a bit overwhelming to do everything by hand when there is just so much to be done in wedding planning. So to eliminate some of the stress as I approach our 3-month countdown, I decided to turn to the talents of Etsy members to find exactly what I needed in order to mark a few DIY to-do’s off my checklist.

Not only do I adore handmade, crafty items that will make our wedding day unique, but it’s also important to me that whatever we purchase for the wedding is re-usable once the big day is over. For example, if you recall my post on our unity ceremony, we’ll be having a sand ceremony using flower vases that can be used as home decor after we’re married. And instead of having guests sign a simple book that we’ll probably never look at again, they’ll instead sign the matte from the frame that will encase the vinyl record of our our first-dance song. So when it came to purchasing wedding items from Etsy, I thought about ways that my purchases could be used during and after the wedding day. For example, the dress hanger customized by LilaFrances with my new “Mrs.” last name will be used to hang my dress for photos, but can also be used to stylishly hang my personalized “Mrs.” robe in our bedroom closet after the wedding:

I know my hair stylist will do an amazing job working this handcrafted faux-rose by HARTfeltart into my hairstyle on the big day, but I’m also looking forward to using it to dress up with on our honeymoon and for special occasions afterward:

And this adorable personalized miniature plate by wiseimpressions will double as a ring-holder for taking photos (by tying the rings into the ribbon) until the ceremony begins, but then will everafter be used as a keepsake Christmas ornament:

There is truly something for every bride’s style and budget to be found on Etsy. Have you ever purchased items from Etsy members? How are you re-using wedding items after the day is over?

(All Photos borrowed from Etsy.com)

Say Cheese! Photobooth Fun at the Reception

2010-06-10T16:39:00.000-07:00

Although it didn’t seem possible with our tight budget, at the top of my “wedding wishlist” was a photobooth for the reception. A fairly new trend to the wedding industry, photobooths are quickly gaining in popularity thanks to their continuous entertainment for guests during the reception or cocktail hour. Often they can be as expensive as over $1,000 for a 4-hour rental, but I refused to allow this hefty price to intimidate me! Determined to find a booth that was still attainable within our budget but also provided outstanding picture quality, I scoured the internet and researched reviews until I finally found our perfect match. Not only were my fiance and I impressed by the excellent picture quality of Party Pix Booth, but we also got an amazing deal that will allow guests to use the booth limitlessly throughout the reception without breaking the bank. And because we’re also getting a CD-rom with copies of the images taken throughout the party, we’ll get to see every one of the goofy and silly shots that our guests pose for! I definitely can’t wait to pull my groom in the booth for a little smooch cameo. Check out these cute photobooth examples I found online:

(Photo by weddingaces.com)

(Photo by weddingchicks.com)

(Photo by buttermedia.ca)

If you’re in the St. Louis area, you’ll definitely want to check out the awesome deals at PartyPixBooth.com since they offer several different packages that can be personalized to fit within any thrifty bride’s budget. I look forward to sharing our photobooth snapshots with you in October!

My Wedding Weekend Shopping Spree

2010-06-05T22:00:00.001-07:00

Move over, Jessica Simpson! There’s a new sexy shoe designer in town! I am LOVING the new line of gorgeous heels — wedding styles included — from Paris Hilton’s brand. So much so that this morning I ordered a hot pair for our Rehearsal Dinner, which might even double as my reception shoes! Check em out…

Paris Hilton Harmony by polyvore.com

I was on quite the spending frenzy today and also purchased my bridal hair accessory from Etsy. But that’s not all… I also bought my WEDDING GOWN shoes!! That’s right… I finally made a decision! But you didn’t think I’d actually reveal my selection, did you? Like my dress, the shoes will have to remain a mystery until the day when they will dazzle is finally here…

Today was also the day that I found the perfect bridesmaid gifts and checked the attendant gifts off my to-do-list. But perhaps the most exciting purchase this weekend was our wedding bands! Joe and I were running a quick errand at the mall and as we strolled toward the mall exit and passed a few jewelry stores, some catchy window advertising caught my eye. Joe must have noticed my enticement because he suggested we stop into one of the stores just to “take a look”. A very sweet woman with a thick Greek accent immediately greeted us and began helping us search for what we needed. Believe it or not, just five minutes later and after trying on only one band, I was SOLD! Mind you, this was not the first trip Joe and I had made to shop for our bands. We had began the search on Valentine’s Day and I’d tried on a dozen wrong rings before finally choosing this one that matched my engagement ring with perfection. Even better, a weekend sale on the store’s jewelry put the ring UNDER our budget! I couldn’t have been more excited! But the shopping spree wasn’t complete until we found Joe’s ring. Made of dark tungsten, two-toned and shiny, the ring was already in his exact size. It also fit right into our budget, and we wasted no time in purchasing the bands, thus checking one more thing off our to-do list. So without further ado, here’s my band! Love it!! And just below is Joe’s very handsome wedding ring…

Zales.com

TritonJewelry.com

What are your most recent to-do list accomplishments?

Help me choose my Bridal Shoes!

2010-06-04T15:24:00.000-07:00

I totally underestimated how difficult it would be to choose a pair of shoes to complement my champagne-colored wedding gown. Not because the selection is lacking, but because, like selecting just one gown, there are too many that I love to actually make up my mind! I’m envisioning something in a high heel but not so much that I can’t walk, something open-toed so my tootsies can breathe, something very different and trendy to match the style of my gown, and something that doesn’t put our attire budget over the limit. I spent some time yesterday browsing bridalshoes.com and zappos.com and discovered some pretty gorgeous styles that are making it hard to choose just one pair. Which ones of these are your favorite?

Nina Clova by zappos.com

Nina Elga by zappos.com

Nina Evalora by bridalshoes.com

Nina Xion by zappos.com

Paris Hilton Suarey by bridalshoes.com

Caparros Lidia by bridalshoes.com

I’ve also been thinking about a fun, bright shoe color to go with my white reception/post-party dress. Pink is my favorite color and is also one of our wedding colors, so I’m leaning towards something like this:

Nina Effie by zappos.com

Tell me, where did you find your bridal shoes? Would you ever buy shoes online without trying them on first?

Bridalista Review: Summer Wedding Trends

2010-05-23T15:11:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I was notified by Brides Magazine that I'd been selected to become a member of an exclusive group of influential brides-to-be, called the Bridalistas. Throughout the year I'll be receiving samples of wedding products and services to review and share with blog readers, and my feedback will be used for determining magazine content. How perfect! Today the introductory package arrived in the mail and included a sneak-peek look at the July issue of Brides as well as some adorable Thank You cards from the Brides stationery line (available at Michael's craft stores):

(Photo Credit: Michaels.com)

Not only am I so excited to be a part of this group so I can get an insider's look at breaking trends in the wedding industry, but I especially look forward to sharing the sneak previews with YOU! So to kick off the blog party, I'd love to share a few insider tips from Brides of what that you can look forward to this summer...

"July is all about backyard bashes, state-fair food, and a little thing called summer love."

-Brides Magazine

Summer Green is a hot color this year and is perfect for any outdoor celebration. Pair it with a pale, misty gray for a modern and formal look, or tie it in with black to create a vibe that is edgy and sleek. If your wedding is a winery theme, green goes gorgeously with orchid purple, and if you're going for a beachside bash, green and aqua together are totally tropical and cheery.

(Photo Credit: Pricescope.com)

Green goes gorgeously with orchid purple.

Good news... casual can still be classy! If your event is outside, dress up disposable utensils like cutlery made from beech wood by wrapping them together with a splice of twine and placing atop a resuable cotton napkin. I'm loving how beech wood utensils look for outdoor celebrations, and they would look fabulous at our backyard BBQ Rehearsal Dinner!

(Photo Credit: swsmag.net)

Casual can still be classy!

And what's the hottest floral for summer 2010 weddings? None other than the daisy-like Cosmos flower! Most know cosmos for their chocolate-hues, but it also can come in bright, summery hues that will perfect your bridal party look. What do you think?

(Photo by Google Images)

Cosmos are the summer's hottest new bridal flower.

That's a wrap for the first Bridalista preview of upcoming wedding trends! Send an email and let me know what you think of the ideas in this review, and let me know what you think the next hottest summer wedding trend will be! I'd love to feature your recommendations in my blog.

Invitation Creation and 'Noteworthy' Inspiration

2010-05-21T20:11:00.000-07:00

We’re making progress! This week Joe and I finally ordered all of the stationery paper for our DIY wedding invitations, ceremony programs, menu cards, and escort cards. We’d found the perfect invitation paper earlier this Spring on clearance at Michael’s craft store and bought the few sheets left in stock, but then spent months afterward searching everywhere for the same line of discontinued paper since we didn’t have nearly enough. So after countless unsuccessful store visits and no luck of finding it online, I was elated to find that Joann’s craft store recently starting carrying the paper distributor’s product line! No, really… I was absolutely ecstatic. That particular day I’d already visited three stores looking for the metallic-fuchsia paper and had just given up all hope, when suddenly my mom held up a sheet of the coveted paper. This prompted me to swipe the entire stack of pages and skip through the aisles while cheering (loudly) in exhilaration. I’m pretty sure my little sister was mortified. And though I was prepared to pay full price for each and every sheet of the paper they had in the store, my luck got even better when they were ON SALE at four sheets for a dollar!! I didn’t care how many sheets where in the huge stack or how much I’d be spending… at that point, I wasn’t leaving without the entire stock of pink metallic paper, and for a bargain of just $16, I bought enough to create ALL of our stationery projects.

Joe and I were both astonished by my bargain discovery but mostly relieved to have a solid plan of action for the invitation design. We found it much easier to purchase the remaining necessary supplies, and because we’d already ordered envelope samples from Paperandmore.com last year, it was a piece of cake to order the rest of whatever we needed online. Now I’m anticipating the arrival of the brown and white paper ordered online so that we can get started on all the DIY stationery right away. There are only a few months left before we need to have everything ready, and I know better than anyone how quickly time goes by when planning a wedding! Luckily we already have an idea of what we want to print on the invites, and Joe’s been working on creating the graphics while I manage the wording and fonts. We definitely want our design to be original and reflective of our individual style. To get the creativity flowing, I recently scoured the internet in search of invitation designs that I thought were unique, elegant, and inspiring. Check out my top picks:

(Photo Credit: Pink Orchid Weddings)

(Photo Credit: Printable Press)

(Photo Credit: Pink Orchid Weddings)

(Photo Credit: Jasmine Star Photography)

(Photo Credit: Pink Orchid Wedding)

(Photo Credit: Pink Orchid Weddings)

Are you ordering your wedding stationery or going the DIY route? How did you seek inspiration for your wedding invitations?

My Updated Wedding Checklist

2010-05-12T18:27:00.000-07:00

Just today I was just perusing through some of my older blogs and realized the last time I reviewed my To-Do listwas in December of last year! It’s comforting to look back and see howmuch we’ve accomplished in the past five months even though the timehas entirely flown by. Still, there are more and more things to bedone, and we have only four and a half months left until the big day ishere! Here’s where we are currently at in the planning process with a143-day countdown…

(Photo by GetMarried.com)

Writing the Ceremony

After much research with books and online resources, I finally gotthe entire ceremony nailed down. It’s a nonreligious ceremony completewith two readers, a rose ceremony, and a sand ceremony..I’d like for ceremony to last no more than 15-20 minutes, but when Ishowed our Officiant (and also Joe’s best friend) what I’d come upwith, he said it was only enough material for ten minutes. Uh oh! Sowhile I can’t technically cross it off the list just yet, I’m prettycomfortable with what I’ve written and know the Officiant will be ableto take it from here.

Choosing the Bridesmaid Dresses + Picking out the Tuxes

It was such a relief when my girls paid for their bridesmaid dresses infull last month when we had them fitted! The guys all put down theirdeposits for their tuxes as well, and most everyone’s measurements weretaken. What a huge stress reliever!

Ordering the Cake

This was definitely one of the most enjoyable aspects of the planning process. Joe and I sampled flavorsat two different cake shops and the one that had the best artistry andcreativity ultimately stole our hearts. I know our cake is going to beeverything we want it to be, and I’m so very excited with what we cameup with!

(Photo by BridalBuds.com)

Create the Music Play lists (for both Ceremony and Reception)

Ah! We still need to make a list of songs we’d like to be played atthe reception by our DJ, and which songs we want our String Trio toplay during the ceremony. And we won’t forget the all-important “Do NotPlay” list either… no Macarena or Electric Slide at this wedding, please!

Decide on Escort “Cards”

We’re still working through this one. Our ideas seem to all beeither too outlandish or just plain cliché and boring. Suggestions,anyone?

Ordering MY Dress

I finally did it! This was THE most difficult thing for me withinthe entire planning process. Bridal gowns are my absolute favoriteaspect of the wedding industry and I have such an appreciation forvarious designs and fabrics and shapes. I tried on literally dozens ofdifferent gowns in several different stores in two different states,spanning over a 14 month period… and I finally took the plunge and ordered one in March! I can’t wait to see it in person when it arrives in July.

The Registries

When people started asking me early in the Spring where Joe and Iwere registered for gifts, I had no idea it was because my bridesmaidswere planning an early surprise bridal shower!Joe and I had created our registries before we’d originally planned,but that turned out to be a good idea since we’ve already received lotsof awesome kitchen gadgets that we were wanting. Making the registrieswas actually a lot of fun, but surprisingly more difficult than I couldhave predicted. As I mentioned in my registry blog, it was bit overwhelming… but so worth it!

(Photo by 1WeddingSource.com)

What else have we accomplished since the beginning of 2010?

· Menu tasting at our venue

· Bridal hair and makeup trials

· Drafted a wedding day timeline

· Purchased my (post party) reception dress

· Placed a deposit on the honeymoon

So, what DO we have left to do then?

· Create ALL of our wedding stationery! (weddinginvitations, rehearsal dinner invitations, menu cards, ceremonyprograms)

· Make a list of important photographs to be taken by our photographer

· Get the reception flutes engraved

· Complete the DIY project for reception chair decor

· Finalize our DIY centerpiece designs

· Finish taking photographs for the reception tables

· Plan details for the Rehearsal Dinner

· Order the Guest Favors

· Purchase bridal accessories (shoes, jewelry, hairpiece or veil)

· Decide on Parent Appreciation gifts

· Purchase the wedding bands (we have an idea, just haven’t made any buying commitments)

A great way to make sure you stay on track with your wedding plansis to follow an outline of recommended to-do’s, month by month. I’vebeen following the timeline on the Get Married websitesince it provides helpful video tips and an interactive checklist thathelps keep the planning process organized and stress-free:

(Photo by GetMarried.com)

So where are you at in your planning process? Are you slightly behind, right on track, or ahead of the game?