Boudoir Bash....The Classy Lingerie Shower!

Boudoir Bash

The Classy Lingerie Shower

For most brides the bachelorette party and lingerie shower are a night to let loose, perhaps exchange some college stories over one too many sugary cocktails, and even exchange a naughty present or two. Usually adorned in flashy tiaras, a feathery black boa, and a sea of hot pink – these brides are ready for a wild night out, but what if your bride-to-be is a little more conservative? Or she tends to have more sophisticated tastes to cater to?

Throw her a classy lingerie shower.

Invitations

DIY Invitations with cream cardstock and caramel satin ribbon. Printing at Kinkos is an economic and simple option! Supplies can be purchased at Michael’s Craft store or AC Moore

(Only about $1.50 per invite!)

Cut and shape the invitations into corsets to fit the lingerie shower theme. Use a hole puncher to create the corset detail and tie the satin ribbons through with a bow! I chose to add small gold pearls, but you could also write the bride’s monogram, add a lace detail, or many other unique touches. There are many more cute ideas for corset invitations on Pinterest to check out! You can also let the guests know of the bride’s size by providing a lacy bodice insert.

Refreshments

Although the bra and panty shaped cookies and hot pink cupcakes are absolutely adorable, there are certainly a few more fitting items for the classy lingerie shower. Mini cheesecakes and chocolate covered strawberries are always a hit and have an elegant look when presented the right way! They are also easy to make and inexpensive if you choose to make them yourself rather than purchase them from a bakery! Some other ideas would be a chocolate fountain with dipping items, uniquely decorated cake pops (perhaps with edible pearls), or even desserts served in martini glasses to push the elegant theme. For drinks you could either serve specialty martinis or stay classic with bubbly champagne!

*Tip: to give your homemade chocolate covered strawberries that professional shine, add a little vegetable oil to your chocolate!

*Tip 2: If you don’t have mini springform pans (which can be purchased at many home good stores), you can always make mini cheesecakes in cupcake tins! The ridge of the cupcake liners makes a nice decorative edge on your mini cakes.

Decorations

Once you decide to throw a classy lingerie shower- pick a subtheme. “Sassy, Sexy, Elegant, and Chic” was the theme here, so the colors were a rich chocolate brown and the same cream color from the invitations with lace details. Tea candles were also used to create a sexy and sensual atmosphere alongside the desserts. I also utilized the same silk ribbon from the invitations to create name tags for the wine glasses- giving the shower a unique touch and feel! Another fun idea is to paint each glass with chalkboard paint and write each guest’s name on the base. Finally customized napkins with the bride’s name and date of the shower were ordered from “For Your Party.com” to make her feel extra special and throw in another unique personal touch!

                             

 

Games:

1) Name Game: Everyone gives a cute or sexy name to their gift and then the bride tries to guess which name goes with which gift!

2) Bridal Bingo

3) Circle of Love: Changing up the rules of fun drinking games to fit bridal lingo and wedding industry!

4) Bridal Pictionary

Favors

Fun ideas are to give each guest a black lacy panty, a sexy lipgloss, or even a fancy bag of chocolates! Wrapping can be simple or elaborate, but as long as it goes with your theme you can use the favor bags as another decorative piece. I chose simple brown bags with white tissue paper and another lace detail with a calligraphic script of each guest’s name. Each girl received a lip stick with which we used to create a guest book for the bride!

                      

 

While you can choose to go over the top or keep things simple, a classy lingerie shower is a wonderful outlet to celebrate and give a few fun sexy items without a sea of hot pink and feather boas. She will feel like a queen as you shower her with not only gifts, but an elegant display of delectable treats and champagne. There are so many elaborate dessert options, classy color schemes, and unique ways to make her lingerie shower fashionable and fun!

Xoxo,

Audrey

Can a Bridal Party be Too Big?

Can a Bridal Party be Too Big?

Bridesmaids: Is there such things as too large of a Bridal Party?

Bridal parties come in all shapes and sizes from small too big. I know that brides want to try and include all of the special people in their lives but should people put a cap on how many people they should include? Here are a few things to keep in mind when deciding on your special number.

Do their have to be the same number of groomsmen as bridesmaids? It used to be tradition to have an equal number of people on both sides of the aisle but that is no longer a requirement. If the bridesmaids outnumber the groomsmen have some of the bridesmaids walk down together instead of with a groomsman. Don’t feel like you have to cut people out if your fiancé does not have the same number.

Choose your bridal party for you, not for others. Try not to let others convince you that certain people have to participate in your bridal party. However if someone has to participate in the wedding  and you already have enough (what you think is enough) bridesmaids have them read a special poem or sing a song at during the ceremony. That way they can still participate without having to be in the actual bridal party. This is a great compromise.

The more people you have, the more opinions that will want to be heard. If you have a bridal party of 12 that’s 12 people’s thoughts and opinions they will have on the dress, the hair, and other aspects of their appearance. If this could be an issue for you then that could determine how many people you include in the wedding party.

It is ok to say no to some people. Don’t worry about hurting people’s feelings of they are not included. If they are really your friends (or family members) then they will understand why they could not participate. Remember that this is your day and you can limit or expand to as many people you want in your party but the decisions are yours and your fiancés.


Kathryn Heyder

How to Ask Your Bridesmaids

How to Ask Your Bridesmaids

It`s your turn to pop that important question!  

I will never forget the moment my cousin gave me a present that I perceived to be an early Christmas gift but winded up being her way of asking me to be one of her bridesmaids! She gave me a black box that had glitter letters on it that spelled out “I can`t say I do without you” and inside the box was a wine glass, candle, the movie “Bridesmaids,” and a book that was a guide on how to  be the best bridesmaid you could be. The box was decorated with peacock feathers and colors which would be the theme of her wedding. The fact that she put this kind of thought into asking me and her other bridesmaids to be in her wedding meant so much to all of us and got us all excited to start the wedding planning! So if you don’t exactly know how to ask your bridesmaids to be your bridesmaids and you want some cute ideas on how to ask the important question here are some great and fun ideas!

1) WHAT GIRL DOESN'T LIKE JEWELRY??

Here is some cute, inexpensive jewelry one can find on Etsy.com. Etsy has a ton of jewelry that would make the perfect gift for your amazing bridesmaids!

    

  

2)Gift box or basket!

Similar to what my cousin did, if you’re feeling crafty and want to put together something for your girls, gift boxes and baskets are a great, personal way of letting them know how much it would mean to you if they were standing next to you on your special day! The gift box or basket can be as inexpensive or expensive as you want and you can use your creativity in this little project to get you excited for all of the fun wedding planning ahead! And if you are not too creative, look at Pinterest for some great ideas!

(somethingturquoise.com)

(laurendavidstyle.com) 

                                            

                                                                

                                      

                                                                                       

(Intimateweddings.com)

(Etsy.com)   

3)Simple but perfect

A thoughtful card always does the trick. Especially if your bridesmaid lives far away sending her the perfect card that lets her know just how much it would mean to you if she was in your wedding is not only a great way to ask but also an awesome keep sake that both of you can keep forever. If it`s from the heart she won`t be able to say noJ

(Tumblr.com)

(weddinggawker.com)

                    

                                                                                    

4)Girls lunch date!

Get all your girls together for a lunch date at your favorite place! When the time is right pop the question and be sure to take tons of pics! This is the beginning of all the fun that is yet to come! Although it may be early and far away from the actual date of the wedding this could be a good time to pass wedding ideas around and if some of the bridesmaids don’t know one another a great way for them to meet!

5)Alcohol!

Who doesn’t like a nice bottle of champagne?? Pop the question to the girls, then pop the bottle to celebrate!

(making-mirrors0.blogspot.com)

(myownlabels.com)

(Etsy.com)                                          

No matter how you ask your bridesmaids to be apart of your special day it will mean the world to them that you want them there!!! So this shouldn’t be a stressful task for the bride just a fun one that will get them excited!! Hope this gave you some fun ideas on how to ask your bridesmaids that important question!!

xox

Melanie

Which one...Which one...

Which one...Which one...

Choosing Your Bridesmaids Dresses

One of the most crucial aspects of planning your wedding is deciding on how to dress your bridesmaids. Coordinating dresses for a diverse group of women can be a tricky task to handle. You're dealing with various body types, skin tones and personal tastes, and finding one dress to satisfy all these differences can be challenging. Fortunately, a recent trend of mismatched bridesmaid dresses has made this decision easier and more creative. This may sound scary to a bride who insists that everything at her wedding look uniform, but if done correctly it can be just the right twist. There are endless ways to mismatch dresses but here are some useful examples:

One choice is to have each girl wear a different dress using the same color. The dresses can vary in length, fabric, texture and/or patterns. They can be variations of one dress or different dresses altogether.

Although these dresses are daringly different from one another, the element of ruffles and color help pull them all together.

You can step out of the box a little further and play with complimentary colors and patterns:

Or colors that fall into the same palette:

When using a combination of different colors and styles, be careful not to choose looks that clash. Try to find some element of consistency, like length or similar accessories.

Model and actress Molly Sims executed this trend beautifully.  The ladies are wearing elegant dresses that fall to the same length but have subtle differences in color and style. Notice how the print of one girl's dress is found in the strap of another; also, at least four of the dresses feature black stripes, two horizontal and two angled vertically, a great way to tie everything together.

If you're dead set on keeping each dress the same but still looking to add some flare, there are options for you too. You can keep the dress the same but play with colors or lengths:

This blend of beige, yellow and other ethereal colors adds uniqueness, but the consistent style of the dresses keep it cohesive.

You can also add a subtle (or bold) twist by playing with different accessories or shoes.

This bride kept all the dresses the same but added her personal touch by giving each bridesmaid a different color cardigan. Original yet simple.

Whether you dress your bridesmaids traditionally or decide to mix and match, the only thing that matters is whether you're thrilled with the end result. Remember, your bridesmaids are a reflection of you and should look both cohesive and beautiful. But not too beautiful – this is YOUR day after all.

Xoxo Chelsea

Please NOT Those! Let's try These?

Bridesmaids Gone Bad!

How to keep your friend's speaking to you after the wedding.

A few weeks ago I mentioned the scene in Sex in the City that suggested you might be an Anti-Bride.  This week I'd like bring up another one of my favorite wedding scenes in movies.  The scene that could suggests your a Bridezilla- the moment in 27 Dresses where Katherine Heigl opens a closet of, well, this!  

Aimed to be a moment of jest at the best buds of the brides who have to be supportive of their decisions, the scene reminded us all of a sad reality that truly exists.  While we understand and believe that every bride wants and should have all eyes on her on their big day, that's no reason to make your besties look busted.  

Here's a few hints that your bridesmaids may not speak to after your wedding because of the dress you've chosen:

The accessories are equally bad, I mean, memorable as the dress.

Whether we're talking shoes or jewelry, accessorizing can complete any look.  There are some exceptions, though
Instead of these:

Fascinators and hats might be all the rage, but they can get a little too costume like.  Parasols in pictures might be cute, but not for a substitute for a bouquet.

Let's try:
Halos or headbands for hair accessories

All by BHLDN

For a different accessory to hold for photos, clutches dual as a great bridesmaid gift too!

via Etsy

via Emmaline Bride

Sincerely Sara

For a new twist on florals, take a cue from the mismatched bridesmaid trend that's become a big hit.  Try having your girls all hold different blooms. What a great way not to have  choose just a few favorite flowers!

Brides.com

100LayerCake

It matches any pattern you've seen your Grandmother wear or decorate with. 

You know me by now.  I'm a sucker for a fun fashion trend, and I think prints are going to be big this year.    But instead of these:

Via Tacky Weddings

Via Tacky Weddings

Via Shine

Let's try:
breaking up a sea of stripes or vertigo worthy florals with a solid bodice or cardigan.  The look will enhance your color scheme and your gown!

Or, you can mix prints of the same size and color family.  Keeping prints simple and in black and white is always classy, and less overwhelming in pictures too.  And of course, trying not to match the scenery helps... 

                                                                                

                                                             

It's a dress you can actually wear again (If you're an exotic dancer.)

You can do your friends a favor and let them have a sexy, figure flattering dress that they may, in fact use again.

But instead of these:

(Photos via The Perfect Bridesmaid)

Let's try:
Ruching and flowy fabrics.  They always provides pretty, feminine, very alluring, and very forgiving fits.

Saja

Jim Hjelm

Coren Moore

One shoulder and halter necklines work with most body types, while lace and illusion details add a subtle sexy look.  

Monique Lhuillier

B2 Jasmine

Jim Hjelm Occasions

 So, if your worried that your 18 year old sister who just got a gig modeling for Abercrombie and Fitch's summer catalog (this actually happened to a friend of mine, eek!) is going to look hotter than you, fear not!  Trust me, all eyes will be on you.  But if your still nervous, a bad dress won't help the situation. Making the girl look fabulous will only help you shine brighter since the'l be standing proud right next to you.

TTFN
Rachel