Royal Wedding Effect

With all the excitement and press coverage of not only the Queens Diamond Jubilee, but also the London summer Olympics this year; one cannot help to look at the English Royal family, who is an ever-reigning symbol of elegance, class, and tradition. However, within the past couple of years the royal family has seen a bit of a youthful rejuvenation. According to many this is because of two words. Kate Middleton. A woman not only embodying all that the royal family stands for, but also providing it with a fresh face and relevance to the younger generations. Millions of viewers set their alarm clocks early that morning of April 29^th 2011 (myself included) to watch this everyday girl marry her prince charming (literally).

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Now you are all probably wondering what on earth does Kate Middleton and the royal wedding have to do with my own wedding planning or special day? Well the effects of that historic morning can be seen in many great recent trends. Everything from the lace, to the use of trees in the ceremony, to even the resurface of white bridesmaids dresses can be tied back to that particular day in what I am going to call – the royal wedding effect.

Lace has always been a classic, go-to material when planning a wedding. However, it seems that within the past year lace and all the ways it can be incorporated have skyrocketed. Everything from the gown, to the invitations, to even the slightest décor detail lace seems to have found a place. Personally, I love the lace wedding gown trend. I find it to be the perfect combination of class and elegance, all the while maintaining a fashionable and girly sense. So many more lace gowns have gained popularity and it can be pinpointed back to the one woman who has graced the pages of so many of the best-dressed lists.

Another trend is the tree lined wedding ceremony and the use of lily of the valley flowers. Again, brought in to popularity from the royal wedding, it has become an excellent way to bring the outdoors inside. Want to have your ceremony in a church or another place of worship but still want to have fresh and outdoorsy elements? No worries, with the incorporation of trees indoors and a lily of the valley bouquet it allows for all your dreams to come true!

Although an ancient British tradition, white bridesmaids dresses are gaining popularity here in America now too all thanks to Pippa Middleton. Although we are seeing the trends in various different styles and designs, there is no denying that the white bridesmaid dress trend is definitely alive and well among American brides nowadays.

Long veils and tiaras have always been a favorite among brides. Ever since the bride was a little girl she has been dreaming about her wedding day, hoping to for one day feel like a princess. There is no better way to do that and have that princess-like feeling than wearing a sparkling jeweled tiara and a long and elegant veil. It is an extremely elegant trend that again is one of my favorites.

Finally, and maybe the most interesting trend that has resulted as part of the royal wedding effect, the increase in the usage of the horse and carriage. Again, playing in to the fantasy that all girls have of the princess for a day, the horse and carriage ride with their “prince charming” is a must. Not only is it a very romantic way to begin your new lives together, it is also the perfect princess-like ending to your fairytale wedding. It is interesting however because Kate Middleton did not even arrive to her own fairytale affair in a horse and carriage, instead opting for an arrival at Westminster in Queen Elizabeth’s Rolls Royce Phantom. Although arguably just as nice, American brides are opting for the wedding related horse and carriage rentals to create the finishing touch to their perfect day.

What do you think of all the royal wedding inspired trends? Did you wake up early to watch Prince William and Kate Middleton say “I Do”? Would you incorporate any of these ideas in to your own fairy tale wedding?

xoxo Lauren 

Asked to be the Maid of Honor, Now What??

Are you the Maid of Honor in a friend of family member's wedding? Congratulations, it's a huge honor!

Lucky for the bride, they tend to have a big support system to help plan and make sure their special day goes off without a hitch. While she may have present and future family members by her side to help her, her number one person is her Maid or Matron of Honor. If this is your pleasurable duty in someone's wedding, there are many tasks that you need to be ready to deal with. While it may seem like a lot of duties, you will never realize how important your help is and how thankful the bride is that you are there for her. The duties that you as the Maid of Honor will have will be for both pre-wedding activities and wedding day activities.

Pre-wedding Duties:

• Scout wedding locations.
• Select invitations and help with invitation prep.
• Explore floral options and other decorative choices.
• Help the bride shop for her wedding dress and choose bridesmaids' dresses.
• Oversee delivery of the dresses, monitor fittings and assist with other wardrobe functions.
• Encourage the bride to register for gifts, spread the word about where the bride is registered and answer any gift questions that may arise.
• Help with honeymoon planning.
• Help with seating chart details.
• Attend the cake tasting and make recommendations.
• Attend the catering meetings or tastings and make recommendations.
• Host the bridal shower.
• Host the bachelorette party.
• Maintain timetables and be of general assistance to keep things moving forward.
• Attend the rehearsal dinner.
• Keep a list of gifts received.

Day of Wedding Duties:

• Help the bride dress and deal with her hair, jewelry and the unavoidable wedding day jitters.
• Check the last minute details, like instructions for the photographer and deliveries to the hall.
• Act as a messenger between the bride and groom (and various and sundry family members).
• Handle dress and veil issues. Maneuverability could be important here, even in the restroom, so this is an important and sometimes unexpected duty involving lifting, fluffing, arranging and rearranging.
• Hold and protect the groom's ring.
• Hold the bride's bouquet for the duration of the wedding ceremony.
• Witness the marriage license signing.
• Be part of the receiving line at the reception or act as a greeter.
• Toast the bride and groom.
• Participate in the first dance at a formal reception (partnered with the best man). 

Even if the bride turns into a bit of a bridezilla on her wedding day, it is your job to be the level-headed support systems she will need!

Happy Planning!

Emily

Throw Away the Bouquet? NO WAY!

As most of you reading this blog well know, a wedding requires a lot of time and money in order to have the perfect day- included in that are the flowers. Brides, grooms, and event planners focus much of their attention on this portion of the wedding because flowers serve as the “pop” of color, they are the aroma to the room, they are the aesthetic aspect to a ceremony—in all, the flowers hold much importance. From centerpieces, to boutonnières, to a bride’s bouquet, so much is spent in picking the “perfect” arrangements.

So the question now begs itself, what is there to do with these flowers after the ceremony and reception are over? I’m here to tell you that no matter what people may tell you, your bridal bouquet holds a great significance and can forever be a memory of your wedding day- if you just don’t throw away the bouquet. 

Here are some fun and fabulous ways to go about saving your bridal bouquet to cherish for years to come. 

Mis-matched Bridesmaid Dresses

It seems to be a trend that more and more brides are embracing. Nowadays mismatched bridesmaids dresses can be found everywhere! Everything from various shades of the same dress, to completely different dresses of all different colors, and you can be sure that that includes everything in between as well.

Letting your bridesmaids pick out their own dresses is a great and fun way to get them not only further involved with the wedding, but for the personalities of your closest ladies to shine through their choice of dress. Having various complementary dresses adds a different dynamic that is not usually seen as well as a new and more modern/ hip look to a traditional wedding party. It allows your bridal party to wear dresses that not only flatter their figure the best, but it can also allow them the opportunity to purchase a dress that they may also wear again after your big day. Celebrities like Miranda Lambert are even having mismatched bridesmaids dresses!

However, I came across the idea for this post last weekend while I was watching “Say Yes To The Dress: Bridesmaids” (a guilty pleasure of mine). Although I had seen this trend in many pictures posted all over Pinterest, it was the first time I was witnessing the actual process that needed to take place. I found that despite looking effortlessly easy in all the wedding pictures, it actually takes a great deal of planning and careful consideration to make everything come together and look as good as it usually does! Lori Allen, the owner of Bridals by Lori incase you have never seen the show, made it very clear that she did not like this trend. However, when a bride came in trying to find 8 different dresses that looked as though “they just all showed up to the wedding wearing grey dresses and it just somehow all worked” she obliged. Of course in typical “Say Yes To The Dress: Bridesmaids” fashion, the episode did not go without drama filled disputes. But do not fear, the bride got exactly what she wanted and I’m sure that all of her lovely 8 ladies looked fabulous standing there next to her stunning self.

So, if you are considering having mismatched bridesmaids dresses just know that although it looks easy and fun, it does not happen without careful planning and a great deal of patience. However, if you do indeed choose to incorporate this trend know that the possibilities are endless and that you are guaranteed to look back on your wedding pictures and see the personalities of each maid clearly shining through. In my opinion it’s a truly fabulous idea.

What are your thoughts on mismatched bridesmaids dresses? Do you like it? Is it something you would incorporate in to your big day?

xox

Lauren

Color Quiz

Hot pink? Lavender? Red and cream? Choosing a color palette is one of the first and most important aspects of planning a wedding! Whether you want neutrals, black and white, or a few select colors, it is what most of your wedding will be based upon.

 Now, how do you decide what colors to focus on? Martha Stewart just made that a bit easier. Click on the following link for a quick quiz to see what colors will mean the most for your wedding: http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/quiz/choosing-your-color-palette

Remember, the color palette sets the tone for the wedding. Here's a few examples of memorable accent colors:

Purple

Pink

Red

Black & White

What colors fit you?

Happy planning!

xo, Sierra

It is HIS Day Too!

Whether or not girls want to admit it, the wedding day planning begins when they are practically still in diapers. Girls know the cake, the dress, the ring…every detail. But there’s one thing missing—the groom. Some people are lucky enough to find that special someone earlier than others, but more likely than not, all this “pre-engagement planning” is  done with question marks in a few places.

With that, how are you supposed to add your groom’s needs and wants? I’m here to tell you that you don’t have to alter your planns all that much! So calm down and breathe knowing that your wedding doesn’t have to turn to a sports and beer party, it simply starts…with the cake. The "grooms cake!" You can give the groom the wedding of HIS dreams in cake form-- any shape, flavor, or design! Groom cakes, which were most common in the south, are now taking the entire wedding world by fire. One major hesitation of groom cakes is what exactly are you supposed to do with them? Well, the great thing is, the groom cake can serve many different purposes at your wedding! For starters, it can be served as a dessert at the rehearsal dinner. Additionally, you can use the cake as an alternative choice to the “bride’s cake” at the wedding. Still not sold? You can also display the cake next to the “bride’s” and later cut it and put into boxes for guests to take home.  Groom’s cake boxed and sliced can serve as GREAT wedding favors (just make sure you wrap them in a pretty way)! No matter what you choose to do with the cake, just make sure it encompasses your groom’s interests and hobbies. 

It will be sure to be a hit and keep your new husband happy!

Bride's Cake next to Groom's Cake

 

 

Budget Friendly Centerpieces

In today's economy, it is common to find ways to make your budget stretch as much as possible. One way that brides end up successfully doing this is prioritizing what sections of the wedding need more money than others. Budget friendly centerpieces that are simple yet elegant can enable the wedding budget to be emphasized elsewhere. Here are 7 ways to make a beautiful centerpiece without blowing your budget out of the water.


1) Turn favors into centerpieces

2) Decorate tables with candles (as long as venue allows open flames)

3) Use seasonal fruit filled centerpeices 

4) Use streamline centerpieces 

5) Repurpose your ceremony flowers into centerpieces - bringing the ceremony flowers, including the bridal bouquet, to the reception site enables you to take the most advantage of your flowers instead of buying flowers for each venue.

6) Use photos

7) Substitute potted plants for flowers

Happy Planning!

Emily