Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Bows have always been a great way to accessorize, and lately I've been seeing lots more of them. I especially love how they've been finding their way on to our invitations as a wonderfully cute accent. These bows and ribbons have a great way of dressing up everything from invites to shoes to bracelets. Above, I've found some of the most adorable bows and I'm definitely thinking a few of these just might end up in my possession.

Bows on headbands are a huge hit. Just check out Ban.do, and you will see how adorable this look is. It's the perfect way to dress up any look. What about bows on shoes (middle top)? I'm pretty sure this pair of pumps is a must! Maybe a pair of trendy tights is more your style. I came across these fabulous fuchsia tights (middle) with bows on the back and am blown away by the cuteness! How about big bows? This dress from Lulu's (right) has a great, big bow that makes this dress chic and fashionable and perfect for your next cocktail party.

Whether you're adding bows to dress up your style or your invitations, you will most definitely be the center of attention!

Tweet with me @brittanica2

Image Credits:

Headband, gray pumps, dress, bracelet, tights.

Invitations:

Black Damask Beauty, Shimmer and Glisten, Beaded Swirls, In Sophisticated Fashion, White Diamond Floral.

When To Mail Your Invitations:

After finalizing your event details (date, time and location), you want to begin looking for wedding invitations. We have an extremely wide selection at Invitation Consultants and provide the perfect invitation for any budget or theme! The general timeline for sending out invitations is 6-8 weeks prior to the wedding (although you can buy yourself a little time if you have sent out save the dates!). This gives your guests enough time to book travel or hotel arrangements, and generally prepare for your event.

How To Determine Your RSVP Date:

Often, your RSVP date is determined by your vendors. Your venue or caterer may already have a date by which they will need your final head count. In this case, your task is simple - just be sure to give your guests ample time between receiving their invitations and mailing back their responses. This date is usually about one month prior to the event. 

Do you have any invitation etiquette questions? Check out our Help Center for answers - or tweet us @fabulousinvites!

Invitations:

Autumn Vibrance, Ocean Sanibel, A Sprinkle of Winter

Hoops

Lavender | Orange Creamsicle | Celery: This palette is feminine with lavender, but the warmer hues make it do-able for a boy's themed shower too.  All of these colors are a little quirky, which make them totally fun. and they are colors that are inherently found in nature.  Possible themes to take from these colors? Baby Botanical or Fun with Animals. Safari Friends is an adorable baby shower invitation option!

Coral | Cool Blue | Cream: Also a quirkier scheme, this palette screams fun to me.  Because they are punched up a little bit, they are great for moms who like to make a little bit of a statement. Possible themes? Blinged Out Baby or Polka Dot Tots!  Baby Letters is cheerful and the patterns are ideal for a circus themed baby shower.

Clover | Tan | Sky: This palette feels organic to us - perfect for an eco-friendly theme! We love the idea of using a shower to decorate a nursery with your closest girlfriends. This beautiful baby room uses all green products. Keep things natural with plant centerpieces and a cute turtle themed cake. And because we love a cute cupcake, lime green Sugar Pie invitation is fresh and adorable.  

So make sure to keep things simple!  Start with a gorgeously modern color palette and pick the perfect baby shower invitation to coordinate with any theme you choose! Some other fun ideas? Miss or Mister Monograms (play with your baby-to-be's initials or due date), Cute Little Crawlers (we love ladybugs and caterpillars), or a Book/Fable Themed party (The Giving Tree, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, The Country/City Mouse, and Babar are just a few out of the many popular ones). Happy Planning!

Planning a colorful, modern or unique event?  Let us help you find the perfect wedding invitation! You'll also find invitations for any party or occasion!

May 1st is Derby Day! How are you going to celebrate?! Might I suggest big hats, a cold mint julep, some rose themed party decor, and a swanky red carpet? My favorite thing about the Kentucky Derby is the invites! I know, surprise, surprise. But, really they are my favorite part because there are very few occasions that call for intricately designed and colorful horse themed invitations. My favorite ones are our watercolor invitations. They're just so unique, stylish, and classy which is exactly how a Kentucky Derby party should be!

Check out some Derby Day Inspiration above:

Kentucky Derby Invitations: Rosy Setting, Derby Day Fun, and Home Stretch

Rosette Wrapped Chairs: via The Knot. I love this idea of wrapping red fabric around a chair and securing it with a red rose for a derby themed dinner party or luncheon!

A Fresh Mint Julep: This gorgeous photo of a frosty mint julep comes from the Food Network, and is so tempting! 

Derby Diva Fashion: The Kentucky Derby is known for attracting celebrities and they always have the best hats! Kim Kardashian's black and white ensemble from last year's event is smashing and Adrian Grenier (Vinny Chase himself at the races!) in his white jacket perfectly accent his stunning friend's colorful dress.

How are you celebrating the Run for the Roses?

Let's start with an invite. These three (top right) are great for pulling the colors together. They are the first thing guests will see to tip them off on the wedding color scheme. Next, the bridesmaids dresses. I am in love with this style from Dessy (top left). They are simple and understated and feel so perfectly 'spring'. On to the guys now. Pick up a few of these solid and striped gray ties (middle) along with a bright yellow boutonniere to add a bit of 'pop' and they are set. Then the bride, yours truly, will look absolutely fabulous with a great yellow and white bouquet (bottom right). I also found these gorgeous hair clips (bottom middle) on Etsy that I've always wanted to wear, and when better than on my big day? And I know you saw those shoes! If I were a bit shorter and had a slightly longer dress, I would most definitely opt for these hot yellow pumps, but on my day I'll be in some simple, silver embellished flats.

Hoping to catch some photographs from my fab*wedding? Stay tuned and you may just see this fab*bride-to-be on one of Antoinette's posts!

What do you think of the yellow and gray scheme? Have you bought any yellow-licious items lately? Tell me about it!

Tweet with me @brittanica2

Image Credits:

Bridesmaid dresses, men's ties, yellow wedding cake, yellow bouquet, hair fascinator, yellow pumps.

Invitations:

Delicate Flora, Botanical Mod, Classic Cubes.

Stay stylish, grads!

Invitations:

Grape Graduation, Posh Graduate, Grad Gal

Dresses:

Strapless Satin Dress, Rose Tea Halter, Ethereal Sheen Dress

"Kristin was able to infuse color and style into a timeless evening wedding.  A naturally chic bride, Kristin's personal style flowed effortlessly into every corner of her event.  Her eye for detail and beauty was clear from the beginning of the outdoor ceremony to the final exit.  Working with Kristin was a photographers dream, she carried herself with such poise and made time for every detail."

Let's meet Kristin, our very knowledgeable Fab*Bride!

Lots of women ask themselves…"I’m engaged – now what?" What was the first decision that you made after you got engaged? What were priorities for you to get done a little bit early?  The first big decision for me was picking a date! I quickly learned how many factors played into that decision. I had 3 and a half months to plan my wedding because we got engaged in June and I knew I wanted a fall wedding! The location and photography were on the top of my priorities to lock in place. I chose to get married on a Sunday, primarily because that offered me the most flexibility with my vendors. I have found that non-Saturday weddings are quickly becoming more popular because of that. I quickly secured a spot with Oak Ridge Estate in Arrington, VA as my ceremony and reception site. This location perfectly fit my desire for a gorgeous outdoor setting in the fall. As for the photography, I am so blessed because I work with an amazing photographer in Lynchburg, Adam Barnes. I knew ahead of time that I wanted him to be the one to capture my day on film. I am not ashamed to say that the final decision on nailing down the date was based upon when he was available!  All of my family lives in Texas, so coordinating a day that would work for them to be in Virginia was important as well. Again, I had very little time for planning, so it was important to me to get my list checked off quickly! Looking back, I am so grateful that I was not engaged for an extended period of time because the planning process can take its toll!

Describe one of your happiest moments with your husband before your wedding day.  Now that you’ve tied the knot, share a happy moment you’ve had during wedded bliss?  It may sound cliche, but one of our happiest moments together before the wedding was the night before at the rehearsal dinner. All of the work was done, nothing else needed planning and we could just focus on being together. We were surrounded by family and friends who loved us and regaled us with stories about their own marriages and how much they loved us together! It was truly one of the most joyful experiences we have shared. Now that we are married, one of the happiest moments we've had was in December when we found out we were pregnant! The timing is wonderful and has been such a great bonding experience. We are expecting a little bundle of joy in August!

Your wedding dress is has a natural elegance to it, as does your veil – tell us about your search for the perfect dress for you? How did you go about accessorizing to finalize your look?  My personality is one that I know what I like when I see it and I am hard pressed to find something else that will suffice! Honestly, the task of finding a wedding dress was a daunting one for me. I knew when I began the search that I wanted something very feminine but classic. Something that would remain timeless in my photos. Simplicity is also very important to me. Trying on dresses was so much fun! I learned that even if you have an image of the perfect dress in your head, you should try on styles that you wouldn't normally see yourself in because they all look so different when you put them on. It just so happened that on the day of my appointment to try on dresses, at the first and only store i went to, they were having a sample sale! I didn't go into the process expecting to find a sample that I liked, but because I was so pressed for time, I knew that finding something straight from the rack would make the process so much easier. Instead of having the dress custom made, I could simply have a sample tailored after a few fittings.

If you could label one song as the theme to your wedding, what would it be?  I would definitely say "Sea of Love" by Cat Power. It was the song we had our first dance to. It is so lovely and romantic and relaxed, which is how I feel our wedding turned out!

How did your wedding invitations tie into your overall wedding concept?  I feel like wedding invitations are so important because they set the tone of your wedding. They are the "first impression" your guests will have of what to expect. It was important to me to incorporate the details of my wedding into the invitations and found a very simple but elegant design that tied into the overall concept. Because I was getting married at Oak Ridge Estate, and trees were one of the themes running through the wedding, I found a great design with a tree that incorporated my wedding colors as well, which were fuchsia, ivory, black, and gold. These design elements carried over to my programs, table and reception decor, and guest favors.

As you are a photographer yourself, what tips can you give brides for the best photographs possible?  How did you use your own advice while posing for your big day?  This is a subject I am very passionate about! Details, details, DETAILS! They are so important and a photographer's dream!  Anything that will add visual interest to a photograph should be incorporated! I would say that this is most important at your reception site. Don't forget about your tables. Flowers and candles are wonderful, but think about adding unique touches that reflect who you are. Even things that could be so ordinary such as table numbers and place cards can be taken to a new level when you incorporate beautiful paper and lovely lettering and embellishments. 

As far as your photos go, if you feel comfortable with your photographer, that is half the battle! Make sure you choose someone who you feel at ease with from the start. There are a few things you can do to help in the process. Don't feel like you always have to pose and smile.when the camera is pointed at you. Most photographers love candid moments and try to capture them unobtrusively. As far as your portraits go, if your photographer isn't giving you a lot of guidance, a hand on the hip and rolling your shoulder forward always helps slenderize your arm. Stepping forward with one foot and sticking your opposite hip out helps show off the curve of your dress and adds visual interest to the shot. I always tried to remind myself to have "happy eyes" during more serious portraits when I wasn't supposed to smile. Practice "smiling with your eyes" ahead of time in the mirror, and you will notice how much it softens your face!

Weddings these days are all about personalization.  If you could create a signature cocktail / beverage, what ingredients would be mixed in?  Weddings SHOULD be all about personalization! One of my regrets is that I did not have a signature drink at my wedding! If I could go back, I would have offered a gin and tonic (my husband's favorite) with a swizzle stick that read "His" and created a lemon raspberry (one of my favorites and mainly because it would be pink!) martini that read "Hers".

If Hollywood made a movie about your journey as a bride to wife, who would you cast as the leading lady?  What a question! Courteney Cox. Only because she is a fabulous brunette who is a little bit crazy and quirky and that is exactly the personality that would be needed to play me as a bride planning my wedding!

What is the most solid piece of advice you’ve been given about marriage?  Our pastor gave us a great piece of advice that has really stuck with me since the wedding. He encouraged us to wake up every day and say to ourselves, "I am the single greatest threat to this marriage". Although it is such a non-traditional way of thinking that is unnatural to most of us, I believe a great marriage is all about humility and taking ownership of the part I play in my relationship with my husband. Our relationship with God is such an integral part of our marriage and is the only thing that keeps us grounded and bonded together.

Describe a Fab*Bride (you!) in three words.  Chic. Savvy. Relaxed.

Let's end with...

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If you would like to make a nomination, please contact me at antoinette@invitationconsultants.com, or direct message me on Twitter @atelierantoinet. Feel free to leave a comment, as well. The rest of the crew would love to hear from you too!  Until the next post, stay Fab*ulous!

Planning a colorful, modern or unique event?  Let us help you find the perfect wedding invitation! You'll also find invitations for any party or occasion!