I realized this fact yesterday.... I have 97 days left until my wedding. There is a lot to do. My countdown is drawing closer. Its exciting. My fiance is absolutely giddy (and he hates ceremonies!)
Thankfully, I've been able to browse the thousands of online resources and various wedding guidebooks in order to get help organizing this event. One of the major hurdles was crossed this week when we booked our photographer! We decided on Bella Photography. I just never saw photos that I didn't like among the portfolios. Hundreds of them in various settings and all capturing the photo journalistic I like best. I can breath a sigh of relief over this one.
We still have engagement photos to do, and I'm going to rely on the services of a friend (Tamara Watson Photography) whose work with animals I've loved. Since we plan to include our horses, this should make it a fun event.
Next week I'm getting my dress fitted and there is still the issue of finding the shoes to wear. Since its raining enough to consider building an ark, I'm not sure how I will accomplish this! I didn't even mention its just days before Christmas and the malls and stores will be insane. *sigh* I might just put off the fitting until January. I'm humming to myself "I have time, I have time..."
Bridal anxiety, not the fear of getting married ;-) but the fear of it all going smoothly is best dealt with by sticking on my yoga and Pilates regime. A hard workout on the spin bike has helped too. Don't forget to spend time on yourself in all this process. After all, its about you, your spouse to be and the life you will be embarking on together.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Bridal Jewelry
My jewelry arrived this week. I was astounded at how well it matches the beadwork and embroidery designs on my Oleg Cassini gown. Shopping online for the jewelery was fun. There are of course some amazing bridal jewelry designers out there. Many of them were definitely not in my price range. However, I was extremely taken with Anna Bellagio.
Here are some important things to keep in mind when selecting jewelry for your wedding.
Silver goes with Silver. Gold goes with Gold. If there are any accents on the dress in silver or gold stay with jewelry in that metal tone. Similarly, while pearls are elegant they are not the right choice with a dress embellished with crystals and rhinestones. However, a dress with no adornment at all can be paired with either pearls or "sparkles" in the form of diamonds, crystals or rhinestones.
Hairstyle:
If you plan on wearing an updo, go with earrings that hang. With your hair up and out of the way, the effect of their movement and swing will be noticeable. Stud earrings are best used for long hair styles. Pearl or diamond stud earrings classically elegant and never out of style. Larger earrings are more dramatic, so thing about where you want to draw people eyes. Are you trying to bring attention upward, frame the face, create movement or gently accent without taking attention away from the face and hair?
Dress style:
The neck line of the dress has a lot of impact on the choice of necklace. An off one shoulder dress with an assymetrical line is best left without a necklace. This style of neckline has its own movement and drama and a necklace will clash. V, or halter style necklines need a drop necklace. High necklines often don't need a necklace at all, but can be paired with a very simple choker. Strapless dresses and scoop necklines can go with either a drop necklace or a choker. But, keep in mind the body proportion of the bride. If you have a long neck or a lot of length from the nape of the neck down to the neckline of the dress, you can wear a necklace that hangs into a "v" easily. For shorter or more petite brides who may lack a lot of length through this part of their body or have a short neck, a necklace that is either a choker or at least fits close up to the neck with minimal drop will enhance her length and elegance.
Additional Jewelry:
Should you wear a bracelet? This is largely based on preference. Are you someone who wears then frequently? Do you have one that is "something old, something borrowed, or something blue?" Either way, be sure to put the bracelet on the right arm. You don't want anything to detract from the wedding ring that will be on your left ring finger by the end of the ceremony!
Quick tips ...
If you think it looks like too much jewelry, it probably is. Take one thing off.
Take into consideration how your jewelry will match with hair pieces as well.
Where what you will feel good in. Large dangle earrings may be the rage, but if that isn't your style, don't go with it. You don't want to feel self conscious about big chunky jewelry or extravagant dangles as you are walking down the aisle.
Its your wedding, wear what you want. So, you've always dreamed of being Cinderella, wearing a tiara, big chandalier earrings and an ornate necklace? Then, do it. Have fun and feel like the princess you've always dreamed of being.
Keep your bridesmaids jewelry simple.
Here are some important things to keep in mind when selecting jewelry for your wedding.
Silver goes with Silver. Gold goes with Gold. If there are any accents on the dress in silver or gold stay with jewelry in that metal tone. Similarly, while pearls are elegant they are not the right choice with a dress embellished with crystals and rhinestones. However, a dress with no adornment at all can be paired with either pearls or "sparkles" in the form of diamonds, crystals or rhinestones.
Hairstyle:
If you plan on wearing an updo, go with earrings that hang. With your hair up and out of the way, the effect of their movement and swing will be noticeable. Stud earrings are best used for long hair styles. Pearl or diamond stud earrings classically elegant and never out of style. Larger earrings are more dramatic, so thing about where you want to draw people eyes. Are you trying to bring attention upward, frame the face, create movement or gently accent without taking attention away from the face and hair?
Dress style:
The neck line of the dress has a lot of impact on the choice of necklace. An off one shoulder dress with an assymetrical line is best left without a necklace. This style of neckline has its own movement and drama and a necklace will clash. V, or halter style necklines need a drop necklace. High necklines often don't need a necklace at all, but can be paired with a very simple choker. Strapless dresses and scoop necklines can go with either a drop necklace or a choker. But, keep in mind the body proportion of the bride. If you have a long neck or a lot of length from the nape of the neck down to the neckline of the dress, you can wear a necklace that hangs into a "v" easily. For shorter or more petite brides who may lack a lot of length through this part of their body or have a short neck, a necklace that is either a choker or at least fits close up to the neck with minimal drop will enhance her length and elegance.
Additional Jewelry:
Should you wear a bracelet? This is largely based on preference. Are you someone who wears then frequently? Do you have one that is "something old, something borrowed, or something blue?" Either way, be sure to put the bracelet on the right arm. You don't want anything to detract from the wedding ring that will be on your left ring finger by the end of the ceremony!
Quick tips ...
If you think it looks like too much jewelry, it probably is. Take one thing off.
Take into consideration how your jewelry will match with hair pieces as well.
Where what you will feel good in. Large dangle earrings may be the rage, but if that isn't your style, don't go with it. You don't want to feel self conscious about big chunky jewelry or extravagant dangles as you are walking down the aisle.
Its your wedding, wear what you want. So, you've always dreamed of being Cinderella, wearing a tiara, big chandalier earrings and an ornate necklace? Then, do it. Have fun and feel like the princess you've always dreamed of being.
Keep your bridesmaids jewelry simple.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Wedding Invitations for Spring 2011
Like any bride-to-be, I am obsessing over the details of creating the beautiful story of our wedding. One of the important aspects of this is to set the tone for your guests with the perfect wedding invitation. I've spent my time browsing bridal magazines, top websites and other ideas from wedding coordinators. For spring 2011, several trends will remain popular while a few will stand out to set your unique and special event apart.
Chic Wedding Invitation Ideas for Spring 2011
Chic Wedding Invitation Ideas for Spring 2011
Monday, November 29, 2010
The Bridal Look - Makeup
Thank goodness for YouTube! There are some terrific sources online for how to get the best bridal look
. I recommend using these in conjunction with consultation with a make-up artist. Search salons and make-up artists in your local area. Ask for a consultation and to see their portfolio. They should offer this service for free, if you are planning to pay the make-up artist to do your make-up on your wedding day. For those looking to get educated on how best to do their own make-up come wedding day, pay for consultations or any lessons they give you. However, in these cases, I would thoroughly interview my options by reviewing portfolios before I spent any money. If an artist or hairdresser for that matter advertises doing bridal styles, they must have a portfolio.
Check out these videos for a few free tips to get your started on the perfect bridal make-up look.
. I recommend using these in conjunction with consultation with a make-up artist. Search salons and make-up artists in your local area. Ask for a consultation and to see their portfolio. They should offer this service for free, if you are planning to pay the make-up artist to do your make-up on your wedding day. For those looking to get educated on how best to do their own make-up come wedding day, pay for consultations or any lessons they give you. However, in these cases, I would thoroughly interview my options by reviewing portfolios before I spent any money. If an artist or hairdresser for that matter advertises doing bridal styles, they must have a portfolio. Check out these videos for a few free tips to get your started on the perfect bridal make-up look.
Little Weddings
My husband-to-be and I are both private people. We have friends, just not a lot of them. We have small families and there are the usual conflicts. As a result, we are choosing to have a very small wedding party--less than 10 people. It has made it quite difficult to plan for and organize our wedding. Many of the venues we initially fell in love with didn't offer services for such a small wedding. Financially, a lot of things just didn't make sense when investing for a small wedding.
Fortunately, we realized that such a small wedding is often referred to as an elopement. In my mind, it still means flying off to Las Vegas without anyone knowing, but for many venues an elopement simply means a very small, private wedding. The up side is that this seems to take a tiny bit less planning.
For anyone else planning a very small wedding, here are some tips and suggestions:
* Search for sites using the term "Elopements" or "Elopement Packages". When we originally looked up "Wedding Venues" we were often dissappointed to find out after emailing and calling that our party was too small.
* Think about renting a house! Yes. Use someone else's fancy private estate to host your wedding, house your guests, and make it much more cozy without losing any of the potential elegance. This was suggested to me by a fabulous wedding planner who runs a high end operation and took time out to call me after I'd sent an email. We almost went this route, but did find a restaurant in a town we liked.
To rent a house, look up http://www.vrbo.com/ (It stands for Vacation Rentals By Owner) We found several gorgeous estates in places like the San Francisco Bay Area that would house 10 guests in a gorgeous home for 3-days for $1500. Add a caterer for around $500, decorate yourself by arriving a day early and viola, you are well on your way to saving a bundle.
* Make it personal- the nice thing about a very small wedding is being able to spend time with everyone there. I am making little gift baggie/box party favors that will have something unique for each person to have as a way to commemorate the occassion while I say a bit of thanks.
* Don't skimp on pictures, attire, and meal- look as beautiful as you imagine yourself looking. I decided that I get to wear a wedding gown once and I'm wearing it for the love of my life and myself. So, I went with the dress I dreamt of even though it was a few hundred dollars more than other very suitable options. There are a lot of very crummy photographers that come with package deals. Negotiate for a different photographer, but do not compromise on quality. These are the images that will grace your home. We all hope to remember intimate details for eternity, but the fact is, pictures stay with us. Make sure they are truly special. Since the celebration of the event with family is the part you treasure about them being there, make sure its food you will all enjoy. Everyone remembers a bad meal. It mars the situation. Make it a great meal so that it does not detract one bit from the joy and rememberance of your wedding.
Most importantly, have fun planning your wedding
. When it is small, you can pay attention to finer details, add your personal touch and make it a more meaningful time.
Fortunately, we realized that such a small wedding is often referred to as an elopement. In my mind, it still means flying off to Las Vegas without anyone knowing, but for many venues an elopement simply means a very small, private wedding. The up side is that this seems to take a tiny bit less planning.
For anyone else planning a very small wedding, here are some tips and suggestions:
* Search for sites using the term "Elopements" or "Elopement Packages". When we originally looked up "Wedding Venues" we were often dissappointed to find out after emailing and calling that our party was too small.
* Think about renting a house! Yes. Use someone else's fancy private estate to host your wedding, house your guests, and make it much more cozy without losing any of the potential elegance. This was suggested to me by a fabulous wedding planner who runs a high end operation and took time out to call me after I'd sent an email. We almost went this route, but did find a restaurant in a town we liked.
To rent a house, look up http://www.vrbo.com/ (It stands for Vacation Rentals By Owner) We found several gorgeous estates in places like the San Francisco Bay Area that would house 10 guests in a gorgeous home for 3-days for $1500. Add a caterer for around $500, decorate yourself by arriving a day early and viola, you are well on your way to saving a bundle.
* Make it personal- the nice thing about a very small wedding is being able to spend time with everyone there. I am making little gift baggie/box party favors that will have something unique for each person to have as a way to commemorate the occassion while I say a bit of thanks.
* Don't skimp on pictures, attire, and meal- look as beautiful as you imagine yourself looking. I decided that I get to wear a wedding gown once and I'm wearing it for the love of my life and myself. So, I went with the dress I dreamt of even though it was a few hundred dollars more than other very suitable options. There are a lot of very crummy photographers that come with package deals. Negotiate for a different photographer, but do not compromise on quality. These are the images that will grace your home. We all hope to remember intimate details for eternity, but the fact is, pictures stay with us. Make sure they are truly special. Since the celebration of the event with family is the part you treasure about them being there, make sure its food you will all enjoy. Everyone remembers a bad meal. It mars the situation. Make it a great meal so that it does not detract one bit from the joy and rememberance of your wedding.
Most importantly, have fun planning your wedding
. When it is small, you can pay attention to finer details, add your personal touch and make it a more meaningful time.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Hello and Welcome
Hello, I'm an eager bride to be. I met my special someone nearly a year ago. It was very clear right from the start of our relationship that it was something more, something special. Both of us realized pretty early on that we'd found "the one." Now we are just months away from saying our "I do's".
There are a lot of wedding sites out there, but I want to share my story. Since I began my ernest planning for our wedding, I've run into a variety of different issues. I've learned things I didn't know, and most importantly, I've learned that every wedding is different. Every couple is unique. This means weddings are extremely diverse! Couples who face planning issues are not likely to be the only ones to have ever faced it before. Unfortunately, finding a resource to help with your particular issue might be difficult.
I'm not a professional planner. I'm just an average woman who wants a beautiful day to remember forever. I want to be at my most beautiful on the day I give myself to the love of my life. I want to share it with my family. I want the world to stop for a few short hours and savor the love we share for each other.
Let me take you on my journey.
~ S
There are a lot of wedding sites out there, but I want to share my story. Since I began my ernest planning for our wedding, I've run into a variety of different issues. I've learned things I didn't know, and most importantly, I've learned that every wedding is different. Every couple is unique. This means weddings are extremely diverse! Couples who face planning issues are not likely to be the only ones to have ever faced it before. Unfortunately, finding a resource to help with your particular issue might be difficult.
I'm not a professional planner. I'm just an average woman who wants a beautiful day to remember forever. I want to be at my most beautiful on the day I give myself to the love of my life. I want to share it with my family. I want the world to stop for a few short hours and savor the love we share for each other.
Let me take you on my journey.
~ S
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