ON THE BOARDS

I read the message boards every day to see what girls are saying about vendors, what questions they ask and what they are worried about. Sadly, I can't post on the boards because I am a vendor! So, I have decided to "post" some advice here in hopes that some of you will read this and get answers.

On dresses: for the bride who wanted to know about bridesmaid dresses and her plus size sister- please order your dresses from one shop and have them shipped to your out of town girls. Take your sister shopping and let her pick the style and then tell the other girls. NEVER let the girls order the same dress from different shops!!! The dresses will not be the same color. And, as I have said before- ordering on line can be risky and you have no recourse if something is wrong and no one to alter the dresses.

On realistic budgets: you have to be realistic in your expectations! If you only have $20,000 to spend on your wedding, then research your options and keep your dreams in check. In actuality, weddings are expensive!! All of the articles about how much weddings cost must have come from the Midwest or some obscure location. If you are getting married on either coast or in any metropolitan area, expect to spend at least $35-$40,000 for a larger wedding. Quality speaks for itself and you DO get what you pay for. I have helped many brides to plan beautiful weddings without breaking the bank. But, you have to be ready to compromise and make concessions.

On DIY projects: LADIES! You are the bride! Pay people to make the dresses, bake the cake and do the flowers!!!! Sure, favors are something you may want to do yourself. But, you have enough to fret over and there will be plenty of unexpected things that arise. Don't add to your stress by trying to wear too many hats! Wear the tiara! Let the professionals do the rest!!

I would be glad to answer more questions for you ladies! While the message boards are a good place to share ideas, brides all have their own personal take on things- from budgets, to tastes, to personal experience. Let someone with years of experience and many brides to pull from answer your questions. Your wedding is too important to follow the crowd. Write to me!

AN INVITING ALTERNATIVE

I have been reading so much about invitations lately on the message boards, so I thought I would let you all in on the latest trends in invitations and steer you to a great article about etiquette, wording, etc. These invitations are taken from an article on http://www.theknot.com/. One is a booklet and the other a silk box, either of which will make an impression when they appear in mailboxes! Read the Knot article with answers to all the questions you are asking on the boards- and more! And, start looking on line for all the great new invitations available to you!

COZY FAVORS

These favor ideas are so wonderful I had to share! And the presentation is just as special! Create your own "trail mix" with nuts and dried fruits and use them as your favor and your place card. How beautiful will your place card table be with these lovely little bags of goodies! Or, for you DIY, cooks... how about these little mason jars full of homemade preserves
with a custom label of your wedding on them! Love these ideas!! And, they add color and flair to your decor. Use your creativity- which I see is out there when I see photos and read the blogs. You can really add an element of pure joy to your guests experience at your wedding and give them something personal to take home!

QUEENS AND PRINCESSES

Imagine a color palette of moss green, deep wine and a gold wedding gown with a pale green sash! Can't you just see how stunning these dresses would all look together going down the aisle?! The wedding gowns are from Amsale and Lazaro and the bridesmaids and mother's dresses are from Jasmine Bridal. It is still hot outside, but it will be sweater weather before you know it! You don't have to use brown and orange or gold anymore! To have a perfect fall wedding, start to scope out the wedding magazines and the blogs of other brides. I get so many ideas from them it is hard to know which ones to use! Two new blogs I recently found are Oh Happy Blog and Classic Bride. Of course, Perfect Bound is my favorite place to start every day, as is Oh Joy! Happy hunting!

FALL FOLIAGE

These are amazing flowers for a wedding! I love fall weddings and the magnificant colors of the season. Using pumpkins and leaves and other things from nature are so becoming and make for a unique look!

THERE'S A NIP IN THE AIR!

I have been planning a November wedding fo the last few weeks and the ideas are just amazing to me! Fall colors are so vibrant and wonderful! So, for all of you girls getting married in the fall, this one's for you!!

VINTAGE CHIC! DO YOU DARE?!

I had to double dose today- there is so much to say! Are you a daring bride, ready to do the unexpected or the very diffferent? If so, check out these vintage fashions! They came from junebugs.com too. In an old home, a country church or a deco museum, these looks can make for a beautiful and truly unique wedding!