So, the first thing I did when I saw this? I called Gardenia dude to share the good news, followed by my sisters, my mother & a couple girlfriends — It really feels like the best version of Christmas ever. The next 6 months are going to be REALLY exciting for more than one reason

P.S. If the mystery shopper is reading this, thanks for making my day!

source: bridalpartytees.com

Sure, if you let them, the barrage of choices and decisions awaiting your opinion can occupy your every waking moment, but it’s not necessary!  Wedding planning should be fun; and it doesn’t need to take over your whole life.  All the planning will eventually lead up to a special day, and although important the event is just that — an hour, day, or weekend of celebration honoring the commitment you and your spouse plan to make to one another.  The real work begins after the “I Dos” are uttered, and nobody likes the sight of a ragged bride, so keep the stress to a minimum during the planning process!  My advice?

1. Enlist the help of family and friends.  You can’t do everything on your own, nor should you.  Sharing the workload is sharing the excitement, too!  Bridesmaids, siblings, parents and friends can help out if you let them, so practice those delegation skills, bride!
2. Take time off. It’s not realistic to think you can plan your wedding 24 hours a day 7 days a week.  Make sure you make time during the crazy planning process to exercise, keep up hobbies or activities you enjoy, hang out with friends just for the fun of it (not to try on bridesmaid dresses!), maybe get a massage to unwind and relax, and most importantly… spend quality time with your fiance!  Designating specific blocks of time for wedding tasks and setting “free” time aside for other activities is a good way to ensure you don’t neglect the non-wedding parts of your life.  Giving yourself a break from your “second job” can do wonders to help refresh your energy!
3. Don’t get lost in the planning. Your big day is very important to you, and those who care about you; but that doesn’t mean you can prioritize your upcoming nuptials above everything else going on in life.  It’s hard to believe sometimes but yes the earth is still spinning even as you’re counting down the days till you walk down the aisle; and once your wedding and honeymoon are over you’re eventually going to need to rejoin reality.  Help make that transition less painful by keeping a foot outside the “wedding zone” at all times.  For example,  perhaps you have some family and friends going through important or tough times themselves who may need your support or attention.  Or maybe you have a job that you’re letting drop to the bottom of your priority list below wedding chores — will you regret that later if you miss a promotion or raise due to your underperformance at work? Yes, wedding planning is fun and exciting, but there are other things and people in life that need your energy and attention too — make sure you keep things in perspective!
4. Time management. There are lots of to-do lists out there, that tell you which tasks need to be completed by which time benchmark.  Use them, they’re helpful!  Just as not every decision needs to be made the week of your engagement, you shouldn’t leave everything till the last minute either.  Managing your time and spacing out the large tasks you need to accomplish throughout the process will help keep the stress to a minimum.
5. Money management. There is nothing more stressful than watching your debt climb as the clock counts down to your wedding day.  Do yourself and your marriage a HUGE favor and do not hold a wedding you cannot afford.  Sit down and have a serious conversation with your fiance and any other potential contributors (e.g., parents) at the outset about what you can realistically afford and – here’s the catch – make sure you stick to it!  Track any and all money you spend on deposits and purchases in real-time is vital to preventing yourself from over-spending.  Remember, your wedding is one day – you should not be paying for it for years to come.

Yes an engagement starts the countdown clock to the big day, but your engagement period is very special apart from the planning process and you should enjoy every minute of it!!!  Periwinkle Dude and I had some really fun times while we were engaged and those are memories that I will treasure always.  I’m sure you’ve heard this a million times, but it’s true so it’s worth repeating — your engagement period will fly by and before you know it you’ll be married, so cherish that time before it’s gone!

If it feels like wedding planning is taking over your life or you feel tense, take a deep breath and try to follow these 5 basic tips.  Just remember, we’ve all been there and although it’s an exciting time in life the process can sometimes be stressful.  You have to keep your eyes on the prize and don’t let the stress get you.  :)

Does anybody else have any tips to bust bridal stress???  Please share!

Picture from Martha Stewart Weddings - Basket Theme Bridal Shower

I recently met with MOH to discuss the vision for my bridal shower. I was so impressed with her because she had a notepad with some ideas for my party. We talked about the guest list and I learned that we would pretty much invite everyone that is on the wedding guest list. That makes sense!

Then she asked about the colors, flowers and decorations and I decided that it doesn’t have to be tiffany blue. She was surprised with my answer. Since this color is such a pain to find, I felt that it would be nice if I could make it easy and fun for my maid of honor and bridesmaids to decide on decorations that will go according to my personality. Therefore, we agreed on pastels.

We also covered the following activities that I thought were fun and tasteful:

1. Quiz

Do my friends and family really know me? I would love to hear their answers and see if they know what I like, dislike and what I’m passionate about.

2. Fashion

I am obsessed with Project Runway. If my guests can design and create a wedding dress out of toilet paper, they will have my utmost respect for the rest of my life.

3. Advice

I hope MOH can make this idea a reality. I really, truly love the idea of having a memory box where my friends and family can write their advice about marriage. This could mean the world to me.

Since my shower will be at the end of the spring season, I found the following images from The Knot:

A purple and white satin sash embroidered with the phrase “Soon to Be Mrs. Grim” marked the bride’s chair.

I LOVE the cake table.

Purple tulips as Centerpieces

Silver star-printed paper amped up the purple sign announcing the guest of honor’s upcoming marriage to her “Mr. Right.”

From AOL

Thanks to Erinn Valencich at eHow for this great step by step guide:

Step 1:

Gather boxes. Chances are, you have boxes you can use already lying around the house. You’ll want to vary sizes, but choose boxes that are within the same basic medium-size range. Shoeboxes and other boxes with pronounced tops aren’t the best choice; instead, try to find something without an obviously visible top. You can always buy empty boxes at party or craft supply stores. (If you don’t have any empty gift boxes, small board games, tissue boxes or pantry items like tea or cracker boxes could work.)

Step 2:

Choose wrapping paper and ribbon. When making your selections, remember to choose paper that coordinates with the table linens and china you’ll be using. Try to tie all elements together by sticking to two or three colors. And when choosing papers and ribbons, it’s best not to go for anything too busy; small patterns and solids are safest.

Step 3:

If you’re using flimsy empty boxes and will be displaying them outdoors or somewhere they might get jostled, put something inside to weight them. Just don’t use anything too heavy, so when you stack the boxes they won’t crush each other.

Step 4:

Wrap the boxes carefully and secure with double-sided tape. Tie ribbons and trim the ends.

Step 5:

Stack boxes in center of table. If you’re using a long table, create several piles of boxes along the length of the table. If you’ll be at round tables, one display of boxes is all you need. When stacking the boxes, display them at different angles, setting some upright and resting others on their sides.

Images clockwise from top left: New Jersey Brides, Halaeaka, eHow and the bottom two are from Martha Stewart

I love these images, of  course the floral boxes would take some added time…and money. But the top left and bottom right images would be perfect for wedding favors!

Humboldt Fog and Truffle Tremor Cake by Cypress Grove

There are four wheels of cheese, 5lbs, 3lbs, 1lb, and 8 ounces. All are fresh goat cheeses, the 3lb wheel is Truffle Tremor and the others are Humboldt Fog. We do recognize that there will be some guests who want traditional after dinner sweets, so to make sure nobody is disappointed, we have worked out two different alternatives. First, we plan on having a cookie table. Its kind of a Pittsburgh tradition, and many of my recently married friends and relatives have had one. We liked that idea so we’ll have some sweets for our guests, even if its not covered in icing.  We also have worked with our caterer, and they said that when they cut the cheese they will also plate it with a chocolate covered strawberry, yum!

Anyone else think we’re crazy for doing this?

Regardless, ‘hip hip hooray’ for the beginnings of the Gardenia wedding registry!

Towie Bear in front of the Men's Wearhouse

We visited the Men’s Wearhouse last week and selected the attire for my groom, the groomsmen, the ring bearer, my dad and brother.

We decided that each group would standout with their vest. They will all wear the same style of tuxedo; however, Towie Bear and his groomsmen will wear the same tie, but with a different vest. My father and brother will wear a different vest and tie from the groom and groomsmen.

Vests and Ties from the Men's Wearhouse

I think they will all look very handsome! Another detail that I look forward to admire on my wedding day is something that I coordinated with my florist and it’s to have each man standout with their boutonniere. It will not be a heavy ornament but a nice accessory that will complement their tuxedo.

Lovely boutonniere from The Knot

I can’t wait to see it all come together in the photography and videography!

I have decided to stick with the colors of our wedding, Tiffany Blue/Turquoise and Coral in my quest for shoes.  This has been quite difficult as it is winter and most companies haven’t yet begun to display their spring lines which are always full of color.  I have had a little bit of luck, and thought I would turn it over to the BridalBud readers to help me with my decision.

Now some of these designers are pricey, but I saved a ton of money on my dress.  Since I am a bit of a shoe-aholic I don’t mind forking over the cash as I know I will wear the majority of these again.  *On a side note: if I go with a heal that is 3 inches, I won’t have to alter the hemline of my dress…which also saves me a bit of money!

Clockwise from top left: Badgley Mischka Randee, Miss Me Dazzle 19, J. Crew Martina, Christian Louboutin Ernesto, Chinese Laundry and Martinez Valero Vida

What do you guys think? Have you seen any that I may have missed?

Calling all Vancouver, WA brides! I know that I am a Seattle Bride, but I haven’t forgotten my sister brides from the Pacific Northwest. If you are still looking for the best local wedding vendors to help you turn your inspirations into a reality, then I have the show for you. The Greater Vancouver Washington Bridal Show will be held at the Hilton in Vancouver, WA on March 13, 2010. The hours of this event will be from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm. The admission is $5.00 at the door. In other words, you’ll have the opportunity to plan you dream wedding in one day!

This Bridal Show is also offering a chance to win a dream wedding give away package. One couple will take home the services donated from a large list of their vendors and these are:

1. Wedding consulting services
2. Engagement and wedding day photography
3. Honeymoon romance package
4. And much, much more!

So how does one family handle two brides? Our aunt asked me if it was going to be “a race to the alter” and for awhile we worried it would be, and then I realized that my sister and I have different “racing” preferences. Where my dude and I are running a marathon to our wedding, my sister and her dude are sprinting.

Being roughly 3 years apart, my sis and I have been asked many times if we’re twins. So what a relief it was to find out that our weddings will be completely different!

My engagement is nearly two times as long as hers so I have time to be a DIY bride, she is an all-inclusive bride. I’m having a church wedding while she’s getting married at a hotel. My dress is an A-line chiffon with pearl beads, hers is a satin and tulle ball gown with crystal beads.

I was very relieved that our different choices will make it very difficult for our shared guests to compare the two weddings that will take place only six months apart.

I’m fascinated by how our weddings reflect our completely different personalities.

Know anyone who got married a season apart from a relative? How did it work out?

Rachael Ray lime green lasagna baker = $39.99

16 piece dish set = $79.99

We also registered at Crate and Barrel.  We did this all online…which was very convenient, but I bet we missed a lot we would have wanted had we went there.  The closest one is about an hour away and we are still trying to plan a Saturday trip there before my bridal shower.   I love Crate and Barrel.  I think they have lots of great things.  Here we registered for a panini maker, a waffle maker, and lots of fun serving pieces.  Here are some of the things we selected from Crate and Barrel.

Cake Pedestal = $49.95

8 oz martini glasses = $3.95 each

I would like to know where you registered…and why?

I love the simplicity of the greenery from the Daily Gleemer.  It’s simple and definitely an easy DIY.  The center branch centerpiece is beautiful and unique.  It adds something to the table but isn’t too overwhelming.  I love the fun use of leaves in the two pictures on the right.  I also think these would be great DIY projects. The branch and berry image from Domino is so different and has an amazing vintage feel.

Images clockwise from top left: The Daily Gleaner, Huckleberry Karen Designs, HGTV, The Knot and Domino

So when you’re sitting down with your photographer make sure he/she knows what you want.  Do you want candid shots or more portraits of you and the guests?  Do you want a mixture?  Each person you interview will do it differently and it’s VERY important to ask the right questions.  Also, look at a selection of their past photos…you want to see all the types of moments they capture so you can notice a style and pattern.

The picture above is of Lavender Dude and me, it’s by far my favorite picture and why I say to take time choosing your photographer, because I look at it and it brings me right back to the night.

What questions were important to you?

Photo by Tom McCall Photography

Calling all WA state brides! There is another fantastic opportunity for you to find extraordinary vendors all in one afternoon. I am still searching for entertainment and transportation vendors. Therefore, I am looking forward to…Voila!

Voila is an event hosted by Panache (my wedding planners) and Pink Blossom Events. It is scheduled at the Woodmark Hotel, Yacht Club & Spa on Sunday, March 28 between 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm. This event is described as a fun an easy way to accomplish your wedding planning.

This is the brochure I received from my wedding planners.

Woodmark Hotel; photo provided by http://www.panacheevents.net/voila

As we all know, organizing a wedding can be stressful and sometimes not fun. If you are still looking for photographers, bakers, wedding attire, favors and much more, come on down to Kirkland and join us for a wonderful experience.

Voila is the answer to my prayers because I am still not done with my search for more vendors. There is still much to accomplish and I am hoping to seal the deal at this event. You can click here for information about tickets and all of the participating vendors. See you there!

At Target on Friday I found these raspberry Hershey’s Hugs on clearance for $1.44 a bag and picked up 10! They are a perfect shade of pink for our pink and green candy buffet.

Here they are... 100 ounces of Hugs

These were bought before Valentine’s Day at Target and are one of my favorite finds so far… $1.99 each.  I will be using these in the display.

I just love these...wish I had picked up more.

Then I found these at a TJ Maxx/Home Goods and fell in love.  They are perfect for the candy buffet.  If I remember correctly they were around $8 each.

I just love these and know I will find a use for them after the weddding.

I am in the process of making labels on my own for the different containers of candy.  I couldn’t find a workable template online or any that I loved on Etsy so I created my own using Microsoft Powerpoint and would love to make them available somewhere online or to sell the files on Etsy when I am done.

Here is my inspiration for the labels…my most favorite candy buffet of all done by Amy Atlas.

My DREAM candy buffet...if only mine looks this good.

More inspiration using our colors.  I have been on the hunt for the fabric used below to make a table cloth of sorts for our candy buffet.

I love this one too...but think some of the containers should be raised so they are not all the same level.

Finally I will be making/ordering…haven’t decided yet labels to go on the Chinese takeout boxes we will be using.  I plan on doing something like this although I am leaning towards pink and green boxes with white labels with pink and green print.

Photo Credit: Squidoo

My mother-in-law to be and I were talking about the guest book and I mentioned that no one really sees the front of it. She said something that stuck with me, she told me that the guest book will stay open the whole day but it will be with us for the rest of our married lives. So the guest book is for us. It should be a cover that we like because the guests won’t really care what it looks like.

Photo Credit: Gifts and Goodies

There are so many styles of guest books and so many different places to get them! We got ours at a craft store for $9 and it had a pen attached. Ours is white with a little crystal belt on it. I was shocked to see that guest books come in more than just white and ivory, they have all sorts of colors (even camo)! Some have beads, some are embroidered, some have crystals, some have ribbons or feathers… You can get customizable ones where you can put the ribbons and pins on it however you want. Some have the pen attached, have a pen included with a separate base and still others you have to pick out a different pen altogether!

There are these really cool sets too that have basically everything. I saw one with the guest book, flutes, serving set, pen and garters. Some come with the pillow and basket also.

I really like our guest book, it’s going to hold the names and signatures of everyone who comes to our wedding and we’ll keep that forever.

Was your guest book a big decision? Did you hunt down a specific one?

I was talking with one of my bridesmaids and we were mentioning the idea of liking the “message in a bottle” that some people use for invitations. It’s not the most practical invitation, though quite impressive. We wont be able to do it, but she converted the invitation idea into a guestbook idea. Guests can write their names/notes/well wishes on slips of paper and slip them into a bottle. It would be similar to what another bridesmaid of mine, just recently married, did for her guestbook alternative: guests wrote messages to them and hung them like ornaments on tree branches — it was beautiful and fit their fall-esque theme very well.

Another way to make the guestbook even more unique is to turn it into a time capusle! I can have three bottles, each labeled for the year it will be opened, 1 year, 5 years, and 10 years. Guests will write notes on slips of paper, sign them, and insert them into the bottle of their choice. At the end of the night, we’ll close them, and put them somewhere safe to open on our 1, 5, and 10 year anniversary. I think it would be cool to display the bottles in our home (on the mantle?) and wait (ever so patiently) until we can open them! Instead of guests writing simple notes, its allows for a more creative message than just, “best wishes”, and it will be more fun to read in the long run. Guests can make predictions about and give advice to us in the future. We will likely provide a few ideas for what they can write about, things like “how many children will the couple have, where will they be living, what job will the bride have, where will they go for vacation, etc.”

When combining the two ideas I think I am incredibly pleased with the guestbook alternative. It is both fun and unique, and I’ve always wanted to do a time capsule! Now, off to search for some cute/vintage bottles in our colors (purple and green), this way we wont be able to peek through the glass!

I was perusing through the latest from NY Fashion Week and thought I would throw some inspiration your way.  Who knows, maybe some of these designs will inspire your dress shopping, or they could be a great starting point for those who have the option of custom dress making!

Dresses left to right: Carlos Miele, Tadashi Shoji, Marchesa and J. Mendel

These feminine light weight gowns are simply stunning in their attention to detail and flow as the model struts.  I can only imagine how they would look gliding down the isle on your way to the alter.  On a side note… I am dying for Marchesa to start designing wedding gowns, they would be amazing!

Dresses left to right: Christian Siriano, Monique Lhuillier, Venexiana and another Monique Lhuillier

If you can’t already tell, I love Monique Lhuillier. Not just her bridal, but RTW too! These types of dresses are the perfect style for the bride who wants to make an impact! I love how each is structured, but play with different fabrics and textures.  Definitely don’t be  afraid to mix it up with monotone patterns.

Dresses left to right: Pamela Roland, Oscar de la Renta, Badgley Mischka and Jason Wu

These dresses just screamed fairytale romance to me.  Whether its shimmer,  texture or pattern, these dresses provide a very different selection of styles that still echo the same theme.

It was so hard to decide on the flavors…because all of the ones we sampled (we tried were so yummy.  We finally decided on Triple Very Berry for our top tier which will be a small square cake for the groom and it will be wrapped in ribbon (similar to the photo below) and I to cut and feed to one another.  Then we are going with cupcakes.  We got to choose three flavors.  We decided on White Almond with Chambord, Lady Godiva with Kahlua, and Coconut Pinepple Rum with Macadamia Nuts.  I can’t wait to have a bite of each.

Today at work I stumbled across a website and found these cupcake liners.  I almost died.  They were perfect and Emily will bake our cupcakes in them.  I ordered them online and had them within 4 days!

I have a friend, Kara, who always says the cake is the best part of the wedding…and I am certain our guests will be blown away by these tasty treats.

So, we’re in the process of writing out our envelopes for our save the date cards, and I’m wondering — how many of you follow the intense etiquette rules for wedding invitation addresses?  Just browsing online, I’ve seen a myriad of rules and regulations, many of which I have NOT been following. Here are some examples of the things I’m seeing:

• Write out names in full, including middle names. Omit a middle name if necessary, rather than using an initial.
• It’s appropriate to use the British spelling for “honour” and “favour”, unless you prefer to use the American spelling of these words.
• Spell out all words, including the hour, the date and the year. Spell out all words in the address, including Street, Road and Avenue. The two exceptions to this rule in an address are Saint (St.) and Mount (Mt.)
• Use Roman numerals in names, rather than “the third” or “3rd.”
• For ceremonies taking place in a house of worship, use “request the honour of your presence.” Ceremonies taking place in a non-religious setting should say, “request the pleasure of your company.”

For the most part, I think that all this etiquette is bogus.  Our friends and family will be happy to get our invitation, no matter how I spell “honor” — right?!

my bouquet - the next day!

I had not even thought about what to do with all of these gorgeous bouquets, centerpieces, urns, and baskets full of flowers I had spent MONTHS designing and preparing for.  Plus, this was not something I really wanted to deal with the night of my wedding, let alone the next day when I was coming back to reality. Ironically enough I had gone to a wedding the previous year and remember seeing the venue put the flowers in the trash and I couldn’t handle it, so ended up taking about 5 centerpieces and 3 bouquets on the metro back to my little apartment!

bridesmaid bouquet - the next day. There are also a ton of centerpieces in the background of this pic.

So here is my advice. Plan ahead for some people to take your flowers.  There are also ways you can donate the flowers (to hospitals, retirement homes, etc).  Luckily my mom (after sensing my panic the night before) had called some of her friends to come get a bunch of the flowers the next day, so not everything went to waste. And my parents had their house decorated for at least a week after the wedding

Oh and don’t worry I still have my bouquet — I made sure I grabbed that the next morning!

If you’ve already thought ahead, what are you doing with your flowers after the big day?

I wanted to share some bridal show tips with everyone that I learned.

1. Enter for everything! Along with that make labels with your name and information. Vendors raffle off thousands of dollars in prizes at shows. Everything from free cakes to free photography packages. Just be ready for the email advertisements.
2. Play the games. I won money off of the tuxes and got myself a great deal by playing Plinko at a booth.
3. Enjoy the freebies. Some of the freebies I got include chocolate and cookies. But I also got great things like a keychain with our names and wedding date engraved on it and a coupon code for a free personalized wedding tee.  At some shows if you bring your dude along you can even have a free engagement photo taken.
4. Eat drink and be merry! Taste the cake, enjoy the candied fruit and other samples.  It gives you a great idea for what kinds of things you want to share with your guests on your big day. Also, who can resist dark chocolate cake with peanut butter filling?
5. Wear comfortable shoes. Usually bridal shows are in big buildings and you’ll be on your feet a lot, so high heels are probably not a good choice.
6. Bring a camera. Bridal shows have galleries of cakes and decor ideas so take pictures so you can remember what you like and organize the ideas that you pick up.
7. Organize afterward. Go through your info while you’re still on a bridal show high and ditch anything that doesn’t fit your budget, venue, or wants for your wedding. The last thing you need is wedding clutter, sort it all out and organize it using whatever method you have for wedding planning.

What's My Name?

I see plenty of good reasons to change my name, and plenty of good reasons to keep the one I was born with. More than anything, I just like my current name. It sounds good together, and in a small way it tells a little story (though I can’t reveal that here since we don’t dish our real names). Its a name that I’ve been attached to, or has been attached to me, for 36 years. Changing it now feels as strange to me as it would to suddenly be raven haired, 6-inches shorter or speaking a new language. An altered parallel-universe version of me. Bizzaro Snapdragon.

I received a long email from a recently married friend who laid out, at length, why it’s important to change your name when you get married. Among her reasons she listed that it shows respect to his family, it cements your status as a “cohesive unit” and positions you for a successful marriage (she claimed that every woman she knows who didn’t change her name ended up divorced). Well. I don’t know about those reasons. In fact, I flat out disagree with a couple of them. For me, the most compelling reason is actually down the road, if/when kids come into our collective picture. I want the same name as my children.

In truth, I go back and forth on the issue. Snapdragon dude, who comes from an uber-traditional family, says it’s up to me….though my guess is deep down he would be hurt if I didn’t make the change. Again, it’s such a personal decision and one I think each person needs to weigh carefully– and take any advice that comes along your path with a grain of salt. What’s right for me, may not be right for you. And I am thankful to live in a society where I am given the freedom to choose.

What I DO know is this: if you are planning to change your name, take a look at this website: MissNowMrs.com. If you have form-a-phobia like me, you will love spending $30 to plop in some details and have the computer spit out all the completed documents you need to register your new name with the various authorities (license, state, creditors, passport, social security, etc.). Awesome!

The Bridal Garden

The Bridal Garden is a non-profit organization that accepts sample dresses from high-end designers and sells them to the public at a fraction of the cost. The dresses vary in price from about $500 and up depending on designer, style, and condition. I didn’t recognize some of the designers, but names like Vera Wang and Monique Lhuillier, impressed me. The original price tags for some of those dresses were astonishing to say the least, and I felt like a princess trying them on.

I tried on a bunch of their dresses, and really liked a few of them. Although I didn’t find “The Dress”, I had a wonderful experience at the Bridal Garden, and I would encourage anyone near the city to go and check them out. The best part is that all profits go to the Brooklyn Charter School which works toward nurturing learning, self-respect, leadership, and citizenship in inner-city youth. If I had found “The Dress”, it would have been a nice feeling to know that the money I spent on it was going to a good cause. On another note, if you already have a dress and are wondering what to do with it, they accept dress donations as well.

Amy Michelson - almost "The Dress", but not quite

But I do have a confession, I did eventually find “The Dress” and surprisingly at a very small local boutique, and I A-D-O-R-E it! Unfortunately, I wont be able to share the details until after my wedding, but to give a hint, my dress could very easily fit right next to the dresses Dogwood Bud posted here. I liked many dresses, but loved few. The entire experience was very much unlike my venue, which I knew was “the one” immediately, and my photographer for whom I knew I had to have as soon as I met her. Choosing a wedding dress was much more difficult and laborious. But in the end it was all worth it, you’ll see!

Image from Brilliant Event Planning

The owner and principal planner of Brilliant Event Planning, Sarah Pease is hosting a free webinar on Wednesday, February 24^th at 8:00 pm EST. I would like to highlight that Sara is a member of the Association of Bridal Consultants. The webinar that she is offering is titled “We’re Engaged, Now What?”

The mission of the webinar is to cover the following bullet points in 30 minutes:

• How to start planning and what your first steps should be
• How much a wedding costs and a blueprint for determining your realistic budget
• Where to find unique wedding ideas for all aspects of your wedding

In order to register for this web conferencing, please click here. I am looking forward to this. Don’t forget to have fun!