Wedding Undergarments

Wedding Undergarments

by: Carina Koerfer

A woman’s wedding dress is undoubtedly one of the most important pieces of clothing she will ever buy; hours and hours go into searching for the perfect dress and accessories to ensure the bride looks perfect on her wedding day. One of the most essential pieces of the puzzle are the undergarments the bride wears under her dress. While they aren’t seen, they do a very important job in making sure the bride looks just as she wants to!



What you wear under your dress is largely dictated by the type of dress you’re wearing:

Strapless/Ball gown – If your goal is to enhance your natural waistline, try wearing a bustier or corset for extra slimming and smoothing. A strapless, seamless bustier will also support and lift your breasts so you don’t have to readjust during your (long) wedding day, and you’ll keep looking sexy!

Mermaid – Choosing a fit and flare means you’re aware of your body shape and want to show it off! You’ll want to flatten your stomach and smooth out your hips, so it’s a good idea to try a high-waisted slimming undergarment. If you wanted, you could even try an undergarment that gives your bottom a boost – nobody has to know, but you’ll look even more fantastic and curvy.

Halter – Halters often have plunging necklines, so you’ll need to find the best halter bra to wear for the best support and comfort.

Sheath – These dresses are often flowy and sometimes a bit sheer. Consider wearing a slip, and avoid bulges by going seamless, which you can do with a full or half slip. Go for a clean silhouette with a slip that works as a body liner.

A-line- This style is flattering on nearly everyone! The natural wide skirt can hid almost everything on your hips, so wear what is comfortable for a long day of walking down the aisle, standing and dancing the night away. Choose the bra that best matches your neckline.

A few other things to remember –

- You don’t have to wear white! Who says you do, anyway?!  Most dresses will have enough fabric to cover a color, so choose a pink, blue, or whatever color you want.

- Consider your undergarments if you are doing a garter toss. You don’t want anyone seeing anything they shouldn’t when you lift up your dress.

- Bring your lingerie to your fittings to ensure it works well with the dress on your wedding day. This also gives you a chance to have any alterations done to complete the look.

- Go all out! Bridal lingerie is functional AND beautiful. It’s your special day – make sure you feel gorgeous in whatever you’re wearing!

Shakeology: The Healthy Bride’s Best Friend

Shakeology: The Healthy Bride’s Best Friend 

By: Miranda Weidemier

The wedding planning process leaves brides very busy, always going to an appointment, picking out the color of something, or going to a fitting. Sometimes this stress causes brides to skip meals because they are so busy, eat junk food to deal with the stress, or have a general decrease in energy. The secret to transforming your health while dealing with the stress of a wedding is Beachbody’s innovative product, Shakeology. Shakeology is the easiest way for a busy bride to give her body an unbelievable amount of nutrition, and get this – it’s delicious!

Having shakeology everyday is easy, convenient, and delicious, plus it had so many benefits! It will curb cravings for unhealthy food choices, it saves you time and money, and it can help you loose those last unwanted pounds! For $4.00 a day, each shake contains the amount of nutrients you would find in $41.00 worth of produce! 
Below are the nutrients you can find in shakeology, where it comes from, and the benefits it has on your body.

Now I know what you’re thinking, “How can a shake with all of those nutrients possibly taste good?” Well, I’m glad you asked! Shakeology comes in 4 delicious flavors: chocolate, vanilla, tropical strawberry, and greenberry. Basically, with the variety of recipes for each flavor, you can never get bored of these shakes. Each order comes with a months worth of different recipes that you’ll love trying! All you need is a blender! Here are a few recipe ideas that are out of this world!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup
1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology
1 cup Almond Milk
3 TBSP Peanut Butter
I cup ice

This recipe is my absolute favorite! It basically tastes like a milkshake!

Tropical Strawberry Banana
1 scoop Tropical Strawberry Shakeology
1 cup Almond Milk
1 Banana
I cup ice

If you’re a fan of fruit smoothies, this recipe is for you. 
It’s so refreshing, especially in the summer time!

You can whip up any recipe you desire in minutes and your off to meet with your wedding DJ, full and energized. Shakeology really will change your entire wedding planning experience.  Shakeology not only makes fantastic shakes, but you can also create a variety of other things such as cookies, pancakes, etc. For those brides that are looking for more than shakeology to shape up for the big day, pairing shakeology with any of the Beachbody workout programs will amplify your health and fitness. You simply can’t go wrong.

The Language of Love: The Meaning of Flowers

Language Of Love

The Meaning of Flowers 

By: Samantha

Flowers are usually a vital part of most weddings. Flowers are mainly used for decoration as well as the bridal bouquets. Behind there physical beauty flowers also hold a meaning behind them. Each different flower can represent something different. Here are just some of the beautiful flowers and there meanings.

Lily of the Valley: Sweetness

Morning Glory: Affection

Myrtle: Emblem of Marriage, True Love

Roses: Love, Desire

 Lavender:Devotion

White Clover:Think Of Me

 










Heliotrope: Eternal Love

Honey Suckle: Bonds Of Love

Hyacinth: Constancy Of Love and Fertility

Violet: Loyalty, Devotion, Faithfulness

For more on flowers and there meanings visit the Farmer’s Almanac website.

The Send-Off

The Send-Off

There are many heart-warming traditions that can make your wedding day special. A long-honored symbol of good luck is the group send-off of the new Bride and Groom. Whether they’re leaving the ceremony or the reception, guests help send the couple off to their new life by forming a human archway for the newlyweds to walk through. Another old tradition is tossing handfuls of rice at the happy couple. Now-a-days, many couples are using unique alternatives to modernize this tradition.

For the environmentally conscious, your guests could throw “natural confetti” made of seeds, herbs or flower petals. The lighter the materials, the slower they fall, which often results in beautiful pictures. If you have our winged-friends in mind, birdseed works just as well.  If you’re enticed by the idea of rice or seeds but wish to add a little color, sprinkles or colored pom-poms do the trick!

For a more romantic feel, couples often walk through a cascade of rose petals.

This adds color, elegance and a hint of fragrance to the moment. Plus, it minimizes clean-up. Another way to minimize clean-up but still add a little quirkiness is to have the guests blow bubbles as you and your groom walk past. It will form a beautiful cloud of bubbles which reflect the light and make for wonderful and surreal pictures.

Looking to add some pop to your exit? Ditch the confetti and try using sparklers or party poppers.

Sparklers are a beautiful light show against the night sky and make for gorgeous pictures. Party poppers are an exciting addition with a loud pop followed by colorful streamers.  If you want to avoid the mess but like the streamer aspect of the poppers attach streamers to wands and have your guests send you off in a wave of color.

If you want a more powerful effect you could say goodbye with a “release.” Balloons and Lanterns make for an artistic and special moment while live releases of butterflies or doves add a more extravagant feel. The beautiful creatures will forever live in your wedding photographs and will always remind you of that special day.

The list of possibilities is virtually endless. Just use your imagination and you’re bound to come up with something creative and special that will fit both your theme and personality.

~*~ Chelsea

How to give a GREAT maid of honor speech!

How to give a GREAT maid of honor speech!

Now, a maid of honor speech can go in basically one of two ways. You can take the funny route, like the best man, and crack your audience up with stories of the bride and your adventures over the years. Or, you can take the sentimental route, and your guests will love that, too.

For starters, make sure to choose a tone for your speech that you are comfortable with, so you don’t come off like you’re trying too hard. You want your speech to feel genuine, whether it is funny or not. I’d suggest trying to create a balance between the two, transitioning from a funny opening to a sweet, sappy ending and a big hug for the bride.

Here are some other guidelines to making your maid of honor speech a huge success.

The Beginning – Start by introducing yourself and telling everyone how you met the bride. While this sounds boring, its important to let everyone at the wedding know who you are and what your relationship to the bride is. If the number is impressive, mention how long you’ve known the bride. You can also share a story of your experience being the maid of honor or how excited you are to share this day with her.



The Middle – Be advised: it’s okay for a speech to be short and sweet. Try to max out at around 5-7 minutes so you don’t lose your audience’s attention. One idea for an entertaining but sweet speech is telling the story of how the bride and groom met or how he proposed. Not everyone at the wedding may know these stories, and it’s a great way to focus on the couple. Using stories from the couples’ relationship to show how they will have a great marriage is a perfect way to toast them on their special day. Another approach you could take is “Three reasons why Jessica is right for Paul” (or the other way around). Think of some characteristics and use them as starting points for stories about the bride. Feel free to be silly with this, too!

If you’re worried about fidgeting during your speech, try bringing a bag of things the groom will need to live with the bride (this works especially well if you yourself have lived with the bride at some point). End your speech by passing the bag to the groom and saying, “I’m counting on you to take care of her now!”



The End – Finish by wishing the couple all the best. It might also be a nice touch to include a thank you to the parents, or whoever is paying for the wedding. It’s not required, but you could say something like “I want to extend a big thank you to Mr. and Mrs. Jones for hosting this amazing celebration!” Make sure to raise your glass and toast the bride and groom. Then you’re done!


xoxo,

Carina Koerfer
 

Wanting To Travel For Your Wedding?

Wanting To Travel For Your Wedding?

Destination Wedding Advice

A new and rapidly growing trend is for young couples to abandon the traditional wedding setting in favor of a more exotic location for their special day. Whether it’s saying “I do” on a white sand beach or in front of the Cinderella Castle in Disney World, a destination wedding is desirable for many reasons. For the budget-conscious, destination weddings are significantly less expensive, due mostly to a smaller guest list. In most cases, only close family and friends will attend which spares the couple from expensive receptions involving a hundred or more guests. Whatever the reason you're attracted to this type of wedding; there are a few things to keep in mind as you plan.

1. Plan well in advance

Although a destination wedding has many perks, the planning process needs to be accelerated when compared to your typical wedding. It’s super important to get a headcount before choosing your destination. You’d be surprised how many people are yearning for a getaway, or on the flip side, how many aren’t. This places considerable importance on save-the-date cards. It’s crucial to send them out as early as possible; preferably 8 months in advance. Giving your guests a considerable advanced notice allows them to plan their budget and schedule. A tip to remember is to avoid holidays. Airfare and hotel rates will skyrocket during these times.







2. Options, options, options…

The allure of throwing a destination wedding is the seemingly endless possibilities for the location. Nearly every resort or hotel in destination locations offers wedding packages which accommodate your needs and any number of guests. This can ease the planning process tremendously.







3. Cater to your guests

It’s your wedding so it’s all about you, right? Wrong. When incorporating travel into your wedding it’s important to be sensitive to your guests and their needs. While it isn’t your obligation to pay for the entire trip there are things you can do to make the wedding more financially feasible for your guests. One idea is to forego a gift registry. Think of their attendance as a gift in itself and advise your guests of this fact. You should also provide several options for hotel accommodations at varying price levels so that people on different budgets have options to consider. It’s also a polite touch to make sure there is transportation awaiting your guests at the airport.

4. Don’t do it alone!

The thought of planning your wedding in a different language and time zone, not to mention calculating the cost in a different currency may seem terrifying. Luckily there are people who are qualified and trained to specifically plan destination weddings. Destination wedding consultants have the resources and experience to get things done quickly and without a hitch. The consultant will think of many things you may have overlooked, such as the local marriage legal requirements, and will give you the heads-up on reputable vendors. Many resorts will include a consultant in the cost of their wedding packages. This can help smooth over the bumps of language barriers and cultural differences and make the process of planning from afar much easier.


xoxo

Chelsea

Wedding Invitations! Things to keep in mind.

Wedding Invitations! Things to keep in mind.

Tips for Invitations

Wedding invitations are one of the first big decisions you’ll need to make when planning for your special day! Though it may seem easy enough, choosing the right invitation for your wedding can be harder than you think – and there are a few things you should keep in mind when crossing this item off your list!

1. Make sure they go with your theme

Even if you don’t feel deciding on a theme is necessary, your wedding should have some sense of continuity to it to give guests an idea of what to expect. Give them something to be excited about, whether it is a color scheme or an elaborately planned theme. A wedding invitation serves as a first impression to your guests, so choose your design carefully!

2. Set a budget

Often, invitations will cost a lot more than you bargained for – so make sure you work with your vendor to come up with a design that fits your budget. After all, they are custom products. But don’t worry, you can still get super cute invitations and be cost-friendly!

3. Postage

It’s a good idea to take one of your fully assembled wedding invitations to the post office before you send them out to make sure the postage you think you need is the correct amount. Invitations may end up being thicker or heavier than the standard mailing size, and therefore require extra postage. If you don’t check beforehand, you might end up with hundreds of returned letters marked “incorrect postage” in your mailbox a few days later, and really, who wants that?!

4. Proofread

It is SOO important to proofread before you send everything out! Have your family, friends and fiancée read through the invitation and guests’ names and addresses before you finalize. After all – how embarrassing would it be to have the wrong date or time printed on those invites?  Checking everything over beforehand will be worth it, promise. ;)

5. Give yourself enough time

Make sure you work with the printer of your invitations early enough to know how long the process of choosing, designing, and printing your invitations will take. Having to wait a week or two to send them out is better than driving yourself crazy waiting for them to come in so you can send them out on time.

6. Samples

Always purchase a sample of the invitation you are thinking of buying. Having a physical copy, not just a digital one, can make deciding between two designs easier, and you can get a feel or the quality and look of the invitation. Buying a sample will be worth it in the long run!

It’s more complicated than it seems, isn’t it? With these tips, choosing an invitation and sticking to your budget and timeline will be easy, and you can move on to planning the rest of your big day. Good luck!!

- Carina

   

  

To Diet or not to Diet?

To Diet or not to Diet?

That is the REAL question....

I know that all brides want to look and feel their best for their special day and most will go the extra mile to look slim and trim for those wedding photos. A study conducted in 2009 by the website theknot.com found that about 84 % of all brides-to-be reported going on some type of diet before their wedding, each wanting to lose an average of 10-25 pounds. With all this emphasis on looking your best on your big day, is dieting always the answer? There are many advertisements, books and diet plans for just brides and all this type of information can make a bride feel pressured to “diet”.  Marketers know that brides have high motivation to get rid of their unwanted pounds and are willing to pay and put forth the effort but don’t get sucked into their manipulation. We know that you want to look your best on your big day but don’t go overboard and lose focus of the real reason you are getting married.

                If you do insist on dieting before you wedding, I have a few tips on what to remember. 1.  You are fitting your dress to fit you, not the other way around. Some people feel that if they buy their dress their “goal size” that it will make them work harder to reach that goal. It may work for some but you don’t want to run the risk of it still not fitting a week before your wedding. It is easier to alter the dress a little smaller than it is to extend it. 2. Don’t deprive yourself of some things you crave. I have seen some of my friends try to shed pounds by only eating salads and vegetables when I know they were craving ice cream and chocolate. Big mistake. The more you deny yourself that craving, the more likely you are to binge; that will cause you to set yourself back. Don’t cut out everything you enjoy. Indulge a little and give into your sweet tooth every once in a while. 3. Remember you fiancé loves you for you. He wants to marry you for the way you look now so don’t try and overwork yourself to look good for your significant other; he already thinks you’re perfect. 4. And lastly don’t think of it as a diet; view it as a life style change. Cut back on a few unnecessary calorie intakes or take a walk outside with your fiancé after dinner. Do things that make you happy while staying active and healthy.  You want to feel and look healthy on the inside and out and if you feel good it will show through in your pictures no matter what number is on the tag of your dress.  

Xoxo Kathryn 

Drum Roll Please! Introducing.....

Rachel Oliver's 1st Press Post!

Ms. Rachel Oliver on her Wedding Day!

Hello Everyone!  Since this is my first time entering the blogosphere, I’ll start with a brief introduction.  Since the first step is admitting you have a problem, here goes.  I am a non-traditional bride.  I had two dresses, four weddings (to the same wonderful man- more on that later) and I’m addicted fashion.  Now that we've gotten that out of the way, there is nothing more beautiful than finding a way to merge the classic beauty of a wedding with all things fashionable and trendy to create something timeless.

I have spent most of my life in retail.  As a window designer and display person, I got to merge my inner craft-a-holic with my outer fashion junkie.  What sounds like a really cool job can be frustrating since you are often thwarted with contradicting tangible resources to develop your vision; not to mention time, budget, and space constraints.  You know! It’s kind of like planning a wedding or event.  When I was planning my wedding, I came across endless magazine photos, websites, planning tools and blogs that all claim to help you put together your perfect wedding.  What I found, was about a million ideas that I wanted to somehow incorporate into one cohesive event.  Add in some moms, maids, and hubby’s opinions and you can get utterly overwhelmed!  Despite where you’re at in the planning process, let me assure you, it can be done!

You’ll hear a lot from me about fashion, trends, and ideas to set the mood.  I am firm believer that even at the same venue where your cousin got married six month ago, you can create a truly distinct and memorable event with the right planning.  Combining my former career with event planning has turned into an impromptu three step program to help me through my creative planning addiction.  All of these things can be applied to creating the perfect wedding, sweet sixteen, window display, store grand opening, or Thursday night dinner party with pals. 

Here’s the advice I can offer:

1)      Know your budget!  Don’t stray.  Set one, and stick with it! The likelihood is that you will go over even when minding it closely, so if you fool yourself into thinking you can easily cover any additional expenses, you will be sadly mistaken.

2)      Be flexible! Make a must have list.  Maybe it’s the dress, maybe it’s the venue or the photographer (or the wedding planner J.) Know what’s on your must list and be flexible to accommodate it by finding alternatives for other things. 

3)      Stay true to you!  Everything you see is going to be beautiful.  If you’re not careful, a tomboy at heart can end up with a Barbie pink, ruffled event that everyone is wondering what part represents you or your partner.  Even a tomboy can love ruffles and want to feel like a princess, but there’s a way to still make it look like you.  Pick out the specific elements you liked, like the pink, ruffled peonies, or the romantic lighting so that you get the right feeling without it being over done. 

4)      Relinquish control!  Let the experts help.  If your DIY projects look like they are done by kindergartners, ask your crafty aunt for help.  Whether it’s hiring a coordinator to do all the work for you, or asking your sister to bake your Grandma’s famous cookies for the favor bags, let others help! Everyone wants to see you enjoy your day and relax.  Chances are the end result will be even better since they are happy to contribute and want to please you all the same.  You’ll also enjoy the planning process as much as the big day! 

TTFN: Rachel