Savvy Deets Bridal

Wedding Trend Spotlight: Camp-Inspired Fetes

2019-08-16T12:25:00.000-07:00

Hi wedding loving friends! 'Tis I....your savvy deets bridal blogger that has been absent for quite some time! Turns out having a kiddo in elementary school makes me one crazy, busy lady! Now that summer is here...I'm focusing back on all things wedding here in this blog! Yay! My fave subject!

Have you ever been to a wedding at a camping site? I haven't personally, but I totally want to! It definitely evokes nostalgia, and brings people that are attending close to nature, as well enjoying laid back experiences! Well, my savvy readers, we have some tips to share with you about how to go about hosting your own wedding at such a venue as a camp site! Plus, you can view an adorable couple's wedding that took place at such a venue here!

Please allow my guest writer Christian to elaborate on Camp-Inspired Fetes, with the help of Apryl Ann Photography!

As children, many of us tromped into the woods for weeks of summer camp bliss. The smell of a campfire, the sight of lightening bugs and the ding of a (dinner) bell can all create a strong sense of heartwarming nostalgia. That rustic throwback vibe is finding its way into wedding celebrations today, like the beautiful camp-inspired fete of Tory and Sean at Whiteface Lodge in Lake Placid, NY. Favorite creative touchpoints included speckled camp-style mugs used as save-the-dates, a “you’re invited” stamped journal for recording memories, welcome bags with custom embroidered patches, and a s’mores station at the wedding celebration. KC You There managed event coordination and design, and photos were beautifully captured by Apryl Ann Photography.

How can couples create a throwback wedding inspired by their camp days, without getting, well, campy? Here are a few important points to keep in mind when upgrading the experience for wedding guests:

Choose the top bunk

Whiteface Lodge is tucked into the woodlands above Lake Placid, New York. The jaw-dropping lakefront property is an extraordinary design of stone and timber, which was milled onsite, and the epitome of handcrafted Adirondack-style and luxury. Evoking the Gilded Age splendor of the historic Adirondack Great Camps, Whiteface Lodge has features like floor-to-ceiling windows, majestic fireplaces, lush seasonal gardens and a lakefront oasis with a picturesque mountain backdrop. The options for a ceremony and celebration are abundant.

Be the cool camp leader

The AAA Four Diamond-rated all-suite luxury resort offers complimentary amenities such as a 56-seat movie theater, game room with two-lane bowling alley, indoor and outdoor swimming pools and hot tubs, stocked fishing pond with equipment, and more. In other words: zero chance of hearing “I’m bored” from guests (or their little ones, if families are included in the festivities).

Guests can also enjoy access to the award-winning Spa at Whiteface Lodge, where they can partake in spa services that draw inspiration from Adirondack Mountain life to create a wellness experience that is unique to the environment.

Let your campers sneak out

Guest can venture off property to enjoy the natural beauty of New York’s High Peaks region, which covers more than 6 million acres and has over 2,000 miles of marked hiking trails. Sports buffs will love exploring the Olympic history of Lake Placid with a visit to Olympic sites like Whiteface Mountain, The Olympic Center, and more. Main street’s cozy, rustic shops are another fun, local draw.

Nail the meal plan

Replace that tired camp kitchen with an award-winning culinary program. Kanu Restaurant, Whiteface Lodge’s premier dining venue, features the finest regional ingredients from local farms and North American-native fish and game. And sister lounge Peak 47 provides guests a less formal dining option where they can enjoy distinctive selections of cocktail and casual fare.

Upgrade your camp fire

Complete with a crackling fire pit, warm blankets, hors-d’oeuvres and beverages of choice, the resort’s luxurious lean-tos are the perfect spot for guests to finish the day. We highly recommend tasty s’mores (which are a complimentary nightly resort signature) and a bourbon tasting nightcap.

Those are great ideas for sure! Thanks Christian for the ideas! Does this inspire you to have a camp themed wedding?

The Rose Gold Collection | Seating Chart, Table Numbers & Menus

2019-02-05T20:46:00.000-08:00

I've been putting in extra time at my Etsy shop Savvy Deets Designs as of late. As many may or may not know, I'm a graphic designer and have been operating my Etsy store Savvy Deets Designs since 2013-the year my daughter turned 1! For her first birthday, I designed her birthday "chalkboard" poster, printed onto vinyl, that I displayed as decor for her party. Everyone raved about it and suggested I should open an Etsy shop and sell these. I didn't think I'd sell any, but then I did! And then boom, customers came a calling with unique requests, and it just kept rolling! Eventually wedding customers came chiming in and I began doing all sorts of wedding related things, since I love all things weddings...as this blog might suggest!

My number one seller in my shop are my "Love Story Signs", in chalkboard background, or solid color. Then I began doing cocktail menus, programs, photo backdrops, save the date, I do bbq, bridal shower and wedding invitations, etc. It's been fun! Obviously I cater to all life's events, buy I love the weddings the most. I relate to the couples or those trying to do special things for their friends weddings, and I've worked with many wedding planners! (Hey wedding planners, book me!)

Recently I rolled out some new styles to show I do more than just "chalkboard" signs. White background with rose gold text seems to suit many brides as of late....and I LOVE it! Rose Gold is gorgeous! And the font used here is Cantoni font, if anyone is curious-it's my favorite for weddings!

I can do most any color combo, I just wanted to share how pretty these rose gold examples look! Once I start getting requests for more I'll feature different color combos in my shop! And, friends, my reviews are great!

Check out what I have on offer and let me know how I can help you! Also use coupon code SDB2019 to save 20% off at Savvy Deets Designs! Share this with your wedding people, too! Thank you for your support!! xoxo

Styled Shoot | Virginia is for Lovers

2019-02-05T15:50:00.001-08:00

Hello my brides and grooms and friends! I've missed you! It's been sick season over here and I'm kind of pulling myself up from the gloom of flu and cold season. Everyone in my home has been sick, and we're on round two right now. I'm actually good...it's the hubs and the kiddo that are sick. So sad. But with this down time, thought I'd take a moment to share this romantic styled shoot with you all, sent over to us by Rakoteet Photography, to brighten up at least my day, and hopefully yours!

If you lovelies love gorgeous flowers, fun tablescape design with bold pops of color, and charming touches like a vintage bicycle, you're going to swoon over the details, and this gorgeous couple, in this "Virginia is for Lovers" Styled Shoot! (All vendors involved listed at the bottom of this post!)

Get your pinning fingers ready!

Vendors:

Photography: Michelle Rakotomalala, Rakoteet Photography
Planning & Design: Heather Benge Events
Venue: The Market at Grelen
Flowers: I Do Weddings With Love
Makeup: Cameron B Carson
Hair: Kelsea Dayberry
Stationary/Calligraphy: EC Letters
Gowns: Sealed with a Kiss
Cake: Kadi Bakes
Rentals: Chic Unique Vintage Rentals
Models - Bride & Groom: Heather Turner & Husband

Savvy Tip: Decor Steals

2019-02-05T07:59:00.000-08:00

Have you heard of Decor Steals my fellow brides? No? OMG, get ready for your new obsession! If you have...aren't you totally obsessed? My friend shared with me where she found some cute decor pieces in her home, and signed up to get their emails to see what decor steal I could land!

I am sharing this with you lovelies in case you are keeping your eyes out for decor pieces for your wedding, or your newlywed haven! A lot of the items are farmhouse chic, but there are some super cute things that I feel like would be perfect for weddings...like these rustic paddle shaped chalkboards, pictured below, or these vintage reproduction tobacco baskets!

What's better is you keep the items you acquire from your wedding to be home decor items in your home you are now sharing with your spouse! I have those paddle chalkboards, just arrived and I'm figuring out what to do with them, but they look fun in my kitchen waiting to be decorated! I also have the vintage galvanized two tiered stand, I have it in my hot beverage nook, pictured below. It makes the perfect place to set up holiday themed scenes with my hot beverage offerings. I also have that cookhouse towel rack from them, it works with my nook to hang tea towels, and display fun signs.

I check my email daily for their items...I can't wait to learn my what my next obsession is from them!

Want to know my other obsessions? Gnomes and RAE DUNN mugs! Ahh! Those are tricky to find anywhere... :)

I am an affiliate of Decor Steals. The opinions in this article are my own, I'm so obsessed with their decor items! I wasn't paid to purchase these items, I became an affiliate after having fallen in love with my pieces! If you click the links to purchase these items, I will receive a small monetary amount to keep this blog up and running.

Real Weddings: A Festive Wedding in Guadalajara | Nick + Adrienne

2018-12-23T15:50:00.000-08:00

Christmas is just days away, are you ready? I am not. In fact, I'm so not in the zone, because my daughter has been suffering some sort of virus that has caused her a rash, and so many other symptoms. I hate it when babies are sick (well, she's 6 but still my baby) and you don't know how to take it all away. It's hard and draining. And just before Christmas, too. I'm really hoping she'll bounce back by tomorrow. Fingers crossed!

So, I want to feel festive and cheerful, and this wedding, set in Guadalajara, certainly comes with some fantastic vibes to brighten up the mood! It won a Belief Awards nod in the Destination Wedding category! The imagery really draws us in, thanks to the photography work of Blest Studios. There's beautiful scenery, colorful textiles, and this gorgeous couple whom dazzle the camera, and each other.

Here's a note about how Adrienne and Nick came to wed in Mexico:

Adrienne’s father is from Guadalajara. It meant a lot to have their wedding in Mexico and have her family there. Adrienne fell in love with San Miguel de Allende the first time she visited with her family years ago. After a lot of searching in the US, once the couple landed on Mexico it was quickly decided that they would get married there.

I certainly can see why they tied the knot here! Get ready to feast your eyes on Adrienne & Nick's Festive Wedding in Guadalajara, as photographed by Blest Studios:

This looked like a fun wedding to attend! And what a gorgeous town San Miguel de Allende is! I LOVE the couple's wedding parade through the city streets, with the giant puppets, that is something else! And a tequila carrying burro!

A cool note about the tiles on the place setting, from the wedding planner:

Adrienne and Nick asked us to make some special “talavera” tiles to put over each plate. The tiles had special designs. The idea was amazing, original, Mexican, elegant, beautiful.

That's a great way to make a personal touch, and guests can save those favors to remember this couple's special day!

I love Adrienn's choice of gown, it's stunning on her figure, and perfect for a destination wedding. They certainly picked the perfect spot for them to exchange their vows, and celebrate with a grand party!

Our thanks to Belief Wedding Planners for sending the submission over, with the stunning photography of Blest Studios!

Vendors:

Wedding planner: Penzi Weddings
Ceremony & Reception venue: Casa Hyder
Photography: Blest Studios
Catering, floral design, bouquet, cake, bar, rentals, dessert, tent: Penzi Weddings
Officiant: Reverend Ken Roth who was a visiting minister at the Community Church of San Miguel de Allende and also from North Carolina
Dress: Made with Love
Makeup: Jimena Tamayo
Hair: Lorena Merino
Bridesmaid’s dresses: BHLDN
Wedding rings: Bario Neal
DJ: Omar Colunga
Band: Sonus
Lighting: Omar Colunga
Reception entertainment: Trio Los Peques
Favors: Talavera Tiles handmade Mexican art
Honeymoon: back to San Miguel in April 2019!

Real Weddings: A Wintry Royal Affair Wedding | Katie + Ezra

2018-12-18T09:32:00.000-08:00

We have a couple's lovely wedding to share with you today, submitted to us from B Wedding Invitations, featuring Artography Weddings as the photographer. It's light and elegant, with a pretty color theme, set in the winter time in Queensland, Australia. When I first saw this wedding I noted the August date, and thought that's summertime...for me in hot Arizona it is! Not for the southern hemisphere world! I love the bride's cape with her gown, it's stunning!

The couple wanted to have a "Royal Affair" wedding, and provided a little description of their vision:

Elegance was really what we wanted. Our dress code was listed as “A Royal Affair”. We really enjoy old world British traditions and style, and so we introduced as much of that as we could, but in a subtle way; morning suits and swords for the men, a cape and tiara for the bride, tartan for the page boy (Charlie the dog), Scottish locations for table names etc. We decided on a colour scheme (dark blue, dark red and gold) and had hints of that throughout. House of Laurels allowed us to do what we wanted to, in terms of styling and decor, and they provided whatever we asked for. We stuck to simple table settings; white linen and silver candelabra, blue and gold on the chairs and red on the gift tags. The location of the Sunshine Coast hinterland in winter certainly added to the British feel, with rolling green hills and a chilly afternoon air.

I LOVE the little page boy, aka Charlie the dog! He's precious! Please enjoy Katie and Ezra's Wintry Royal Affair Wedding, as captured by Artography Weddings:

What a lovely wedding and gorgeous couple! Love their bridal session after their nuptials. And the images of them holding lanterns is very charming and sweet.

Many thanks again to B Weddings for the submission!

Vendors:
Photographer: Artography http://www.artographyweddings.com.au/
Wedding Invitations: Adorn Invitations https://www.adorninvitations.co.uk/
Dress and Veil: White Lily Couture http://www.whitelilycouture.com.au/
Brides Cape: Capemaker- Etsy
Brides Tiara- Brides Unlimited
Makeup: Make Up 4 Brides
Hair: Hair 4 Brides
Shoes: eBay
Bridesmaids Dresses: Sentani Boutique
Grooms Suit: Wil Valor http://www.wilvalor.com.au/
Groomsmen Suits- Ferrari Formal Wear
Swords- Esfords Armouries
On The Day Stationery: BWedding Invitations https://www.bweddinginvitations.com/
Ceremony Venue: House of Laurels http://www.laurels.com.au/
Reception Venue: House of Laurels
Food: House of Laurels
Flowers: Petals on the Plaza https://petalsontheplaza.com.au/
Personal Wedding Crest- Emma Taylor Design Celebrant- Nigel the Celebrant

Advice: 5 Tips that Will Help You Find the Right Wedding Dress

2018-12-16T08:48:00.000-08:00

Finding the right wedding dress is a bit of a struggle, am I right? I remember it being a chore, really. It was summer time, I was hot, stores weren't very cool, yuck! Then trying these big gowns while hot and sweaty, it was kind of a nightmare for me.....until my beloved dress fell upon me and I was smitten.

Well we have some tips sent over to us that I wanted to share with you all! Which tip will you take away? Number 5 speaks really loudly to me, to this day.

A wedding isn’t complete without the right wedding dress. You’ve done well so far by finding the person of your dreams, but how do you find the dress of your dreams? The right dress doesn’t come easy. It will likely involve a lot of appointments, money, and above all, patience. Although you may have no prior experience in picking out such a gown, having a bit of background knowledge will make for a much smoother shopping process. Read on to see how you can find your perfect wedding dress.

1. Do Your Research Ahead of Time

Whether you’ve fancied a traditional Disney princess-esque ball gown since the time you were a little girl, or have had your eyes on a more modern drop waist gown, you should have an idea of what style you’re going for before stepping foot in a bridal salon. After all, there will be hundreds of dresses inside and you can’t possibly try them all on! Bridal advice sites, magazines, and recent celebrity weddings should give you a good understanding as to what’s ‘in’. Although the perfect dress is always the one that suits you most, regardless of the trends.

2. Only Purchase What You Can Afford

Don’t bother trying on a dress completely out of your price point. You may love the look and feel, but if it’s not something you can actually afford, it will make the dress that you can seem less appealing—or worse, it could put you in thousands of dollars in debt! While it’s always suggested to purchase a dress within your budget, you may be among the many with a long engagement. If that’s the case and you’d like to grow your wedding budget, consider turning to mobile banking services that can help you save money effortlessly, like this one. A larger budget will give you more options, after all!

3. Shop at Inexpensive Bridal Salons First

You’ll likely be visiting a number of bridal salons, so shop with a little strategy in mind. Visit inexpensive bridal salons first; view their offerings and try on anything that catches your eye. Make your way to more affluent bridal salons as you go, and stop right before visiting the bank-breaker. It’s very likely you’ll end up finding the perfect dress before then!

4. Listen to Your Bridal Consultant

It’s perfectly normal to come to your bridal salon appointment with a good idea of what you wanted, only to try it on and find it falls short of your expectations. But don’t worry, it’s a bridal consultant’s job to make sure you find the right dress—and they’ve helped many women do just that before you! Don’t be afraid to listen to their advice, as their recommendations are rooted in their professional experience, your figure, and the preferences you’ve made known to them. They’re also a great resource for modern wedding dress trends!

5. Know Your Body Type

Much of what will end up looking right for you is based on your body type. In general, you’ll want a dress that brings out your best features while not making the others more noticable. This will be different for everyone, so read online about which silhouettes look best on different body types. Most of us don’t end up being confined to just one body type as well, which is why it’s important to try on all sorts of dresses. You never know what will end up looking best!

Real Weddings: Iceland Nature Wedding | Emma + Ken

2018-12-06T09:35:00.000-08:00

What's on the top of your travel bucket list? Mine happens to be Iceland! Oh how I cannot wait to go to this amazing country to see all the things: northern lights, blue eyed horses, thermal pools, spot a puffin...I have to make it a thing! Well, I was floored when I received a wedding that took place in none other than Iceland! And I'm sharing it with you all here today!

The happy couple, Emma and Ken, from the US, had a few photographers capturing their day: Sunday and White, Egle Gabryte Foto, and Kristina Petra doing the editing. Everything captured is sharp and captivating, beautiful and mesmerizing...no wonder Emma and Kevin's wedding won in the 10th annual Belief Awards for 2018 in the category of Wedding Concept!

Here's a little bit about the lovely couple, and what it was like to get married in Iceland:
This was hands down the second-best decision we have made as a couple. The first was to get married. Words cannot describe accurately how impressed we were with everything about the setting, place, and people in Djupavik. From the delightful food to the charming accommodations and breathtaking setting, our group of 42 had an experience of a lifetime. We expected that dragging close friends and family halfway across the globe would lead to some regrets or concerns afterwards. There were none. Truly, it was a dream that exceeded all expectations.

Wedding Coordinator, Vigdís Bjork Segatta with Luxwedding Iceland, shared this note with us:

This wedding was truly special. There were so many things that made this wedding one of our most unique weddings in 2018. Emma and Ken wanted their guests to feel comfortable and relaxed and I believe Djúpavík was the best place to do that. Surrounded by nature and not having tourists around meant a lot for them. Everything was special about this wedding, the people, the venue, the food, and the atmosphere! You only have to look at the photos to see how different and amazing it was!

Let's get on with viewing Emma and Ken's amazing Iceland Nature Wedding, as captured and edited by Sunday and White, Egle Gabryte Foto, and Kristina Petra:

How amazing! This is like sharing a wedding in National Geographic! Stunning landscapes and this lovely couple's warm energy, it's the perfect combo! I love the simplicity in the details, yet the complex and raw environment brought everything together. I'm in awe! And now have a new city to put on my must visit when I get to Iceland!

Many thanks to Belief Wedding Planners for sending Emma & Ken's amazing wedding over!

Vendors:
Wedding planner: Vigdís Bjork Segatta- Luxwedding Iceland
Ceremony venue: Djúpavík
Reception venue: Hótel Djúpavík
Photography: Sunday and White, Egle Gabryte Foto, and Kristina Petra for photo editing
Catering: Hótel Djúpavík
Officiant: Sýslumaðurinn Vestfjörðum
Bouquet: Emma the bride
Cake: Sætar Syndir
Lighting: Hótel Djúpavík

Real Weddings: Intimate Greek Isle Wedding | Katrina + Alan

2018-12-05T10:07:00.000-08:00

It's been quite a while since I featured a wedding, and I'm slowly getting back into it. There are so many gorgeous weddings out there, with some unique touches, and they must be shared! Like this wedding I'm featuring today! It's unique and intimate and perfect for this lovely pair.

When photographer Katja of Katja and Simon Photography reached out to me to feature this couple's wedding, I was instantly drawn in. The location of the nuptials and the bridal portraits is stunning, I can feel all the emotions and kind of feel like I was right there with them all.

Katrina shared how their nuptials took place in a land far away and off the beaten path.
We live in San Diego California, which for many, is a place to get married or visit on vacation. Although there is much to offer here in terms of gorgeous beaches and event spaces. We not only wanted a very nontraditional wedding, but exotic and distant; a vacation destination unto itself.
Where? Anywhere abroad! We were not sure who, if any, of our friends and family would
join. But we would be happy with an intimate group of those who could come and share
our special moment. We wanted the place to be so exquisite that there would be no need
for the details that define ones wedding style.

With the help of an amazing friend, our search brought us to the tiny Island of
Spinalonga; off the coast of the not so tiny Island of Crete. Exotic, exquisite, nontraditional
and far away. Everything we could hope for. We sent out an informal invite to see who may be crazy enough to join us and we were amazed at the enthusiastic responses.

Let me say this my friends....you're going to see some gorgeous photography here! Be prepared to be whisked to a land far away, and to fall smitten with these gorgeous people.

Enjoy Katrina & Alan's Intimate Greek Island Wedding, as captured so elegantly by Katja and Simon Photography:

Everything is just perfect! The scenery is divine, makes me want to book a ticket now! Katrina and Alan make such a beautiful couple, and seemed to really enjoy and fit into this environment, like it was there for just and only them to wed here...nobody else.

Many thanks to Katja & Simon Photography for submitting this gorgeous wedding our way! Please come back!

Vendors:
PHOTOGRAPHY: Katja & Simon Photography www.katjasimon.com
BRIDE'S DRESS: Enzoani
BRIDE’S SHOES: Jessica Simpson
WEDDING STYLIST: Leila Oberdorfer Brilliant Event Design
WEDDING PLANNER: Janet Lioklos Crete Weddings
CELEBRANT: Monte Leonard
WEDDING VENUE: Spinalonga Island
ENTERTAINMENT: DJ Rotalex www.rotalex-dj.com

Real Weddings: Pascale & Jean-Marc's Mauritius Wedding

2018-01-25T06:47:00.000-08:00

I love receiving weddings to feature from all over the globe. Especially when one of these weddings is of a dream destination of mine, Mauritius! This is a tippy top on my bucket list...and now it makes me want to do a vow renewal ceremony there! Hmmm, I'll get on that later. But now, we have this gorgeous couple's nuptials to share, on the beautiful island of Mauritius, as shared with us by Adorn Invitations, captured by Backlight Studio.

Here's what we know about the couple, and their gorgeous day:

The couple met in 1998 and despite irrefutable chemistry, nothing happened until 10 years later when social media brought them back into each other’s lives. From there, things moved fairly quickly.

Emily, their beautiful daughter, was born 3 years ago and that’s what encouraged them to plan their religious wedding ceremony. Pascale was dressed in a stunning Leah Da Gloria custom made gown after falling in love with her modern and magical designs.

The style the couple envisioned was something glamorous – a wedding surrounded by lace, a color palette of blush, ivory and gold and peonies that had to be specially imported from Holland!

Sadly, Jean-Marcs dad passed away 6 weeks before the wedding and it didn’t feel right to go ahead with the firework display but in the end, it turned out to be the highlight of the night.

And what a stunning firework display to behold! See for yourself and enjoy Pascale & Jean-Marc's Firework Surprise Mauritius Wedding, as captured by Backlight Studio.

Vendors:
Pascale Souris & Jean Marc Dambra
Dress: Leah Da Gloria https://www.leahdagloria.com/
Makeup: Valérie Lee make up www.valerie-lee-makeup.com
Hair: Sasha Coiffure
Shoes: Badgley Mischka
Bridesmaids Dresses: Forever New
Grooms Suit: Germanicos Bespoke Tailors
Wedding Rings: Tiffany & Co
Accessories: Love On Jewellery loveonjewellery.com.au
Photographer: Backlight Studio www.backlight.mu
Stationery: Adorn Invitations https://www.adorninvitations.com
Cake: Lexia Delices – Cake & Wedding Designer
Cake topper: Glistening Occasions
Food: Citronella Restaurant, Sugar Beach Golf & Spa Resort, Mauritius
Flowers: Le Lys Doré http://www.lelysdore.mu/
Ceremony Venue: Notre Dames des Anges Catholic Church
Pre-wedding reception: Shangri-La’s Le Touessrok Resort & Spa, Mauritius
Wedding Reception: Sugar Beach Golf & Spa Resort, Mauritius
http://www.sugarbeachresort.com/en/

6 DIY Wedding Flowers Tips - How to Save Money on Wedding

2018-01-25T06:14:00.000-08:00

Thinking about possibly doing a little DIY to your wedding, but not sure which aspect? Have you thought of doing the flowers as a DIY project? It could save you a lot of money, and still look swoon worthy in pics! Contributor Alicia with Whole Blossoms has some great ideas and tips to share with you lovely readers! Take a l look! What will you decide to do?

Choosing to DIY your wedding flower décor is a really smart choice, considering how much money you can save with it. But the one thing that could be of concern here is the fact that how you are going to do the entire stuff on your own. You are certainly going to need some ideas and tips regarding the same. This is exactly what you are going to get here.

In this post you are going to get some amazing tips on how to save money on your wedding by DIY wedding flowers. So, without wasting any time here is a look at those tips one by one and see how you can use these tips to create the most beautiful wedding event ever –

DIY boutonniere

One of the first places where wedding flowers find their importance is in the wedding dress. You can create a DIY boutonniere using some simple tricks. Just lay out the flowers, arrange them how you desire, bind them in an elastic band and conceal them to pin in on your garb’s lapel. This is the easiest and the simplest way to use wedding flowers for DIY decoration idea. Create DIY boutonnieres and make the most of your wedding celebrations!

A wall of flowers

Another amazing idea to incorporate DIY ideas to a wedding event is to create a floral wall. This wall will serve as a picturesque setup for the most beautiful wedding pictures. Choose any of the wedding flowers, be it roses, lilies, lily of the valley or any other that you might like. Use these flowers to create something unique and amazing like a wall and let everyone bring out the poser in them to click some out of the world pictures at the event.

Pomades with flowers

Adding that touch of elegance and panache to the event is to use flowers for creating pomades that will be hanging over the venue. You can use these pomades to match with the lighting of the venue, use them over the aisle on which you are going to read the vows or spread them across the entire venue just in case you are going for an outdoor ceremony, and let them spread the magic. There is nothing quite mesmerizing like these pomades made using wedding flowers. In fact, you can use a mixture of flowers rather than sticking to just one bloom.

Design your own floral crown

Wedding is the day for the bride to feel like a princess. And, no princess is complete without a crown. One of the first things you have to do is complete your attire as princess is to design your own crown. All you need is a floral tape, some lace, wire, scissors and floral vine. Wrap the lace around a wire and secure it with floral tape. Secure a pliable vine with the setup, and trim away anything that looks extra. Finally secure the flowers with the vine and your crown is ready!

Create petal confetti

No wedding celebrations are complete without the guests tossing flowers at the newly married couple. And a really smart idea is to use the extra flowers that have been left after all. Grab a scissor and grab all those flowers left over to shave them and put them in a flower vase. Keep the vase in open so that the guests can shower the blooms on the married couple during the holy ceremony. Isn’t this really a beautiful idea?

End with floral parting gifts

Just to bring the event to a perfect ending, you can spruce it up with beautiful parting floral gifts. Create mesmerizing bouquets to use them as a parting surprise for every guest. This way you can save yourself from spending lavishly on gifts, and at the same time leave the guests with a smile. After all, there is nothing more powerful in bringing a smile on the face of people than using beautiful wedding flowers. So, create some wedding bouquets to use them, and then leave the guests with a beautiful surprise.

Those were some of the top ideas on using DIY wedding flowers to create an unforgettable event. Another smart way to save some bucks on wedding floral décor is to order wholesale flowers and that too in advance. Rather than waiting for the last moment to order the flowers, simply make the smart choice and order flowers well in time.

Once you have these flowers delivered, simply get on with creating the DIY flower decoration arrangements mentioned above. Rather than hiring a professional or spending lavishly on the decorating arrangement, put some sincere and creative efforts to bring out the best

So, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and begin with the implementation of these tips to see where you end up being!

Our thanks again to Alicia at Whole Blossoms for providing us with some great tips!

The Ultimate Checklist for Setting Up Utilities in Your New Apartment

2018-01-12T09:31:00.000-08:00

If you're reading my blog, you're likely a couple about to wed, or thinking about getting married. I tend to cover things like real weddings, styled shoots, marriage advice, etc.

I recently received this great article on the Ultimate Check List for setting up utilities in your new apartment. This is really helpful, as some couples might be getting married straight out of their parents' house, or even college, and will be living with their spouse for the first time as soon as they tie the knot, but might not know all that goes into apartment renting. If this isn't for you, maybe pass it along to someone whom would find this useful. Our thanks to the team at ForRent.com that sent this my way:

When moving into a new apartment, you might be excited about the view of the park, the patio for grilling or the nice living room for entertaining. But before you can enjoy the sweet amenities of your new apartment, you’ll have to take care of the basics like getting the lights turned on and the water running.

Take note that even if you’ve rented a utilities-included apartment, you may still need to handle some utilities yourself, like Internet or cable.

Here’s our ultimate checklist for setting up the utilities in your new home.

Ultimate Checklist to Setting Up Utilities in Your New Apartment Created By: ForRent.com

Real Weddings: Kayleigh & Anthony's Elegant Ozark Wedding

2017-12-28T13:47:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone. I've taken a long hiatus from blogging as life has been crazy. Right now during the holidays and entering a new year, I am putting some focus back onto the blog to continue sharing gorgeous wedding inspiration for those to be wed in 2018!

Today's featured wedding comes from Meredith Corning with Meredith Events, photographed by Jessica Robinson Photography. It's gorgeous and rustic, all the makings of an elegant romantic wedding, on Petit Jean Mountain.

Meredith had this to say of the couple's wedding:

Kayleigh and Anthony Counts' rustic wedding took place on Petit Jean Mountain, which is located at the foothills of the Ozarks. Kayleigh is a wedding photographer and Anthony is a police officer. They grew up together and fell in love in their hometown where they still currently reside close to family. They wed on Saturday, April 29, 2017.

Although it rained out Kayleigh's outdoor ceremony, we made the switch last minute to move everything inside and all turned out just perfect.

Please enjoy Kayleigh and Anthony's Elegant Ozark Wedding, and get ready to pin some ideas!

Vendor List:
Photographer - Jessica Robinson Photography - www.facebook.com/jessicarobinsonphoto/
Wedding Coordinator - Meredith Events - https://www.meredithevents.com/
Videographer - Forestland Films - http://www.forestlandfilms.com/
Dj - Crown Entertainment - http://www.crownentertainmentar.com/
Florist - Magnolia Belle Floral - https://www.facebook.com/magnoliabelledesign/
Cake - Patti Cakes - http://patticakesbakery.net/
Hair - Holly Carter w/ Ultimate Image Salon - https://www.facebook.com/UltimateImage2/
Makeup - Brittanie Wallace - No website

Savvy Deets: Essential Bridal Shower Games!

2017-11-22T13:05:00.001-08:00

Need ideas for your upcoming bridal shower or hen do? We were sent this fun guide to helping brides and friends of brides in planning a fun bridal shower! Take a peak and let us know what you think!

Planning a bridal shower can seem fairly daunting without the right inspiration – there are so many factors to consider – not least that the bride-to-be has a night to remember.

We’ve put together a game guide to provide intrepid planners with ideas that will liven up a hen party, keep everyone involved and ensure that all attendees have a great time. Ranging from singalongs to charades and beyond, these ideas will see party-goers collaborating, competing and, most importantly, making memories!

Bridal Shower & Hen Party Games by Daffodil Hotel and Spa

Styled Shoot: Abandoned Mansion Styled Wedding Shoot

2017-05-26T09:19:00.001-07:00

Happy Friday! We are going to give you guys some amazing eye candy to wrap up the week with this stunning styled shoot out of Budapest, Hungary! It was submitted to me by Jennifer with LocalWeddings.Events. At the first glance of the sneak peaks I was already mesmerized by the brilliant photography of Wertán Photo . Everything in this shoot is moody, seductive, elegant, rustic, beautifully bathed in glorious natural lighting.

Jennifer had this to say of how the shoot came to together:

My friend and I had a discussion the other day, about a wedding-themed photoshoot. Something
unique, more like fashion-related, spiced up with some laces. There was a movie that came up in the discussion, The Secret Garden (1993). There was something gloomy still playful in it… so we decided to go with the tig concept. Two women, two souls chasing each other… Instead of romance and warm colours, we wanted to represent a more real world, using raw, grayish, silvery elements. The industrial shapes are mixed with the early 1920’s curves. The abandoned mansion became alive and filled with youthful energy. All permeated with the thrill of the tig.

Seriously, this had me at abandoned mansion and so much more! Photography by Wertán Photo :

It's insane how gorgeous every image was captured! The styling is impeccable, too! I love the tiny details like placing succulents with dirt in the broken space of the wooden chair with the cake! It's like filling cracks from wear and tear, and bringing a new life back to it!

This whole shoot gives off this poetic vibe, and I love it! The models are stunning, and their passion leaps out of the images.

My many thanks to Jennifer with LocalWedding.Events for sending this our way! Standing ovation to the magnificent team that made this shoot come to life!

Vendors:

Norah - https://www.facebook.com/EuropeFace/
Concept: Local Weddings, Celeni - https://www.facebook.com/localweddings.events/
Project management: Local Weddings - https://www.facebook.com/localweddings.events/
Venue / Location: VILLABOGArT Hungary - https://www.facebook.com/villabogart/

Advice: A #GirlBoss Guide to Wedding Planning

2017-05-24T10:34:00.003-07:00

Any Girl Bosses out there planning their own weddings? Well if you are raising your hand, you're in for some tips and advice with today's guest post, submitted to us by Quinn at Gourmet Wedding Gifts! We love the advise shared with us, and we hope you will love it too! Share your feedback in the comments section, I'll reply there, too!

Take it away, Quinn!

Photo: TOBRUCK AVE

Who runs the world? GIRLS! This wedding planning guide is for the #GirlBoss doing it all! You’re building an empire and juggling an already busy schedule while planning the wedding of your dreams.

A #GirlBoss grabs life by the horns and won't let anything get in the way of her dreams. She takes charge in work and in life, knows her self worth and won't settle for anything less. Admittedly, she doesn't need a man but when she does finally find her match, it's fireworks!

A #GirlBoss is not intimidated by wedding planning, in fact she welcomes the challenge... but she's not completely immune to the stress that comes along with it.

Our #GirlBoss Guide to Wedding Planning includes 10 tips to help you keep up the hustle while creating the wedding of your dreams ... you’ve got this girl!

Photo: WEDDINGS WITH LOVE

TIP #1: Get a Second Planner for Wedding Planning

The fact remains that a #GirlBoss schedule is hectic. Every successful #GirlBoss has a planner and every successful #BossBride has two planners. Separate your professional life from your wedding life by getting a second planner dedicated to your wedding planning tasks, appointments, calls, etc.. This will help you tackle it all without feeling completely overwhelmed – Divide and conquer!

TIP #2: Don't Be Afraid to Ask For Help

A #GirlBoss is used to being independent, but wedding planning doesn't have to fall entirely on your shoulders! The most important word in wedding planning is DELEGATE. When it comes to delegating tasks think of the three F's:

1. Family
2. Friends (especially your Bridal Party)
3. Fiancé

All of these people actually want to help you, so let them! Not only will this relieve your stress, but it’ll make wedding planning more fun for you and those you love.

Photo: BESPOKE BRIDE

TIP #3: Utilize Apps

Wedding apps are a LIFESAVER for #BossBrides. Plan on the go and stay organized with some of our favorite apps below:

1. Mint: For budget conscious brides.

2. Appy Couple: For coordinating your guest list with your guests through your very own app!

3. Wedding Planning by Wedding Wire: A one stop destination for all your wedding planning needs!

TIP #4: Schedule, Schedule, Schedule

Set aside specific time blocks each week dedicated to wedding planning and stick to these appointments like you would any other meeting!

Photo: SHAPE

TIP #5: Take Time Off

A #GirlBoss guide to wedding planning and we’re telling you to *gasp* not plan?! We know how tough it can be for a #GirlBoss to stay idle but we also know that when you're constantly on the go, you’ll eventually hit burnout.

Every couple of weeks, take time to relax, have fun, gossip with girlfriends, read your favorite book, spend quality time with your fiance (free of wedding talk) or take some time for a little self-care by hopping into a bubble bath – because after a long day at the office you deserve to treat yo' self. “The most essential factor for total decompression? Silence. Leave your phone in the other room. Tune out the noisiness of the world. Breath” – 10 Steps To Your Most Heavenly Bubble Bath

TIP #6: Skip the DIY

DIY projects are a great way to add a personal touch to your wedding at an affordable cost, but it’s not always the most practical choice for #GirlBoss. A DIY wedding is extremely time consuming, and as a #GirlBoss you just don't have the time to DIY every detail. Chose a couple of projects you really want to DIY and delegate what's left to the professionals.

Photo: Daily Toast

TIP #7: Show Some Tough Love

You didn't get to where you are by being nice all the time. Don't be afraid to give your friends and family a little tough love if they're being overbearing or nagging you about wedding details. You don't need any extra stress when it comes to the wedding planning process!

TIP #8: Pick Up The Phone – Often

It seems as a society we have become adverse to picking up the phone or calling each other directly, instead exchanging emails or messages back and forth. A #GirlBoss doesn’t have time to waste on long email threads for simple concerns. She’s taking calls and making calls because she know’s she can settle a lot more details in a shorter amount of time. Save hours of frustration and get the answers you need with a call – and get over the fear of picking up unknown numbers. You’ll find a new found freedom in your ability to take care of business and an art in swiftly saying “no thank you, goodbye” when the situations calls for it.

Photo: Wedding Academy

TIP #9: If All Else Fails – Hire a Wedding Planner

Wedding planning is a personal experience that many brides want to take on fully, but many times it can cause more stress than it's worth. If your sanity is being compromised, remember that you have choices! Letting someone else take over the remaining details doesn't mean relinquishing total control, it just means that you have more time to enjoy being a bride-to-be!

Photo: Gourmet Wedding Gifts

TIP #10: Remind Yourself You’re a Kickass #GirlBoss!

It can be difficult to feel empowered when you feel like you're in over your head. Don’t let the stress of wedding planning get to you! Remind yourself that managing an upcoming wedding and a career is hard work. For a literal reminder, add some #girlboss gear to your life. You deserve a roaring round of applause because you ARE superwoman and you're going to kickass girlfriend!

Wedding planning is tough for everybody, but especially tough for the bride busy chasing her dreams. Don’t let the stress of wedding planning discourage you from having an amazing wedding day! If you follow our ten simple tips you can plan the wedding of your dreams and still be an inspirational #GirlBoss!

AUTHOR BIO:

Gourmet Wedding Gifts’ collection of artisan wedding guest favors and personalized gifts celebrates ONE-OF-A-KIND LOVE! Offering the most unique selection of personalized gifts and gear for the bride and groom, groomsmen, bridesmaids, friends and family and for the couple to enjoy

Styled Shoot: Boho Glam Styled Wedding Shoot

2017-05-24T08:41:00.000-07:00

Happy Wedding Wednesday! We have such a pretty styled shoot to share with you today, with lots of boho flare, splashes of glam and alternative guest book ideas. The submission comes from Kamila with 4 Love Polka Dots, and we are swooning! So many great details!

Joining 4 Love Polka Dots, whom styled the shoot and designed the invitations and accessories, in this styled shoot is Elena Matiash photography, and Sylwia Kopczynska, whom is the wedding dress designer.

Please sit back for a spell, and enjoy this beautiful Boho Glam Styled Shoot:

Love all the details! 4 Love Polka Dots does a beautiful job with the stationary, the wooden accessories like the save the date hearts, the alternative guest book with wooden hearts for people to sign, the little arrows, chair signs and cake topper! I love the stationary for the wedding suite and the table setting with the menus. Don't those desserts look amazing, by the way?!

This couple is gorgeous, too, and their wardrobe works with that bohemian vibe. I love the bride's dress with the beautiful flower crown! So playful yet elegant! And the groom's wooden bow tie and cuff links are really amazing! Have never seen that before!

Great job to all involved and our many thanks to 4 Love Polka Dots for sending this our way!

Vendors:

Ideas, Stationary and Accessories: 4 Love Polka Dots

Photography: Elena Matiash photography,

Wedding Dress: Sylwia Kopczynska

Belief Awards: 25 awarded wedding images that go beyond beautiful

2017-05-06T07:18:00.001-07:00

Hello and Happy Saturday! I was so thrilled when a representative from the Belief Wedding Planners reached out to me to share the Belief Awards 6th Edition winners from around the globe! Not only that, I have the pleasure to share three of these winners' weddings with you, and they are gorgeous! I will have those featured shortly, so stay tuned for that! (Subscribe here to not miss out!)

First, here are some details about the awards, and the winners:

The 6th edition of the international online contest selects the best wedding planners in the world...

Belief Wedding Planners unveiled the results of Belief Awards, an international online contest for wedding planners that brings out the best of worldwide weddings and shows trends, traditions, and curiosities.

Belief Awards happens three times a year and it honors the very best weddings around the globe produced by top wedding planners. On this edition, thousands of submissions from talented professionals were analyzed and whittled them down to 11 award winners.

“On 6th edition, the entries were diverse and inspiring. The biggest success was the People's Choice Awards, a new category that celebrates and engage the local community and the wedding planner. It was amazing seeing people from all around the world voting. I can not be prouder of all nominees and happy about the results”, says Giovana Duailibe, executive director of Belief.

New category: People’s Choice

On the 6th edition, besides the Wedding Concept and Special Photo categories, Belief Awards also had the People’s Choice category, which was open for public voting and awarded a destination wedding and a cultural wedding.

Meet the winners by continent

Wedding planners from all over the world submitted their projects. The winners are:

:: AMERICAS

Guatemala
Pilu Delgado: the wedding won the Special Photo category. It happened in the Green Rush, a natural reserve inside the City of Guatemala, in Guatemala, which is a place where the couple goes frequently. The photo was taken during the ceremony vows.

Lesly Sandoval: this wedding, winner of the Wedding Concept category, had a rustic-vintage- romantic concept. According to the wedding planner Lesly Sandoval, the couple wanted to incorporate a little bit of nature and take advantage of every aspect of the venue. They also wanted to have some romantic details that reminded them of Paris, the place where they got engaged.

Mexico

Guadalupe Alvarez: the Mexican wedding planner had two weddings awarded on this edition. The winning wedding of the Special Photo category was from a couple that lives in the US but decided to get married in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. “The bride and the groom wanted to dance under the stars and one of the symbols of San Miguel are the tin stars. So, we decided to hang them over the dance and pool area, we also added twinkle lights to finish the very romantic mood. On the moment that this photo was taken, the couple was taking a romantic instant alone to enjoy each other”, tells Guadalupe.

The winner of People’s Choice category – Cultural Wedding was an American + Persian wedding in Mexico. “The groom, David, is American, and the bride, Nassem, has Persian heritage in her family. In Persian weddings, the Sofreh Aghd, is the most important piece of decor. It has elements that are very important in Persian culture and we have them all in the picture”, explains Guadalupe.

Panama:

Judy Amado Mendez: at this wedding, the couple decided to get married at their aunt’s house. According to the wedding planner Judy Amado, it was conceived as a celebration where the bride wanted everyone to feel at home and with the flavor of the weddings held many decades ago in homes in Panama. This wedding won the People’s Choice category – Destination Wedding.

Puerto Rico:

Rosalina Torres: Melanie Modesti and John Dziuba got married in Royal Isabela, a resort located in Isabela, a region in Puerto Rico northwest coast. “The couple chose this beautiful venue because it is set on the cliffs overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and offers a rare opportunity to live and play golf in an epic Caribbean location”, tells Rosalina Torres, the wedding planner in charge. The wedding was planned in only two months and it won the Wedding Concept category.

United States:

Sarah Day: at this wedding, winner of the Wedding Concept category, the couple lives in Ohio but they fell in love with historic Savannah Georgia and knew that is where they wanted to have a true southern wedding. So, together with the wedding planner Sarah Day, they planned a destination wedding for over 125 guests all from other areas of the country.

:: ASIA

Thailand:
Jeanette Skelton: the wedding planner had a wedding awarded in two categories – Wedding Concept and Special Photo. The couple chose Phuket a small intimate destination wedding. The moment of the Special Photo was the end of the first dance. “The fireworks were timed perfectly to go off as they finished their first dance and kissed”, says Jeanette.

:: EUROPE

Italy:
Alessandra Marchetti: a couple of Dutch wedding videographers decided to get married in Tuscany, in the province of Siena and Alessandra Marchetti was chosen as their wedding planner. Since the couple was young and romantic, the wedding concept maintained a sober style, following the greenery trend.

Stefania Zen: the couple Kim and Lloyd Killmore, lives in London, and they decided to get married in Badia di Orvieto, in Orvieto – Italy. “They wanted to have a rich and detailed decoration that had to match a historical and important venue. The effect had to be vintage but elegant”, says Stefania. The seated dinner was organized under an open air deconsecrated church, with a long top table and vintage fairy lights. It won the Wedding Concept category.

Valentina Lombardi: at this wedding, winner of the Wedding Concept category, the couple planned a reception in a romantic restaurant by the shore and they made the day so easy and fun. “They were literally in love with the country and this is the reason why they chose Lake Orta for their special event”, Valentina tells. As the groom, Tom, is Scottish, he wore the traditional kilt. At the end of the dinner, there was a surprise: a delicious wedding cake made of local Italian cheeses with fresh fruits that everybody loved.

Portugal:

Viktoriia Ignateva: this wedding happened in Palácio de Bussaco, Luso, Portugal, and it won the Special Photo category of Belief Awards. The winning image was taken after the ceremony. “The groom was so happy that he decided to turn with the bride in his lap!”, says Viktoriia Ignateva.

Judges

The entries for the categories Wedding Concept and Special Photo from Belief Awards were judged by a special panel: Paola Pizzo, from Sposi Magazine (Italy), and Thaisa Dalmut, the editor from Mariée Magazine (Brazil). They received all images without any kind of logo or name, so they had all entries as a blank canvas to judge.

ABOUT BELIEF INTERNATIONAL WEDDING PLANNERS

Based in New York City, Belief Wedding Planners is an international network of wedding planners. Belief’s main goal is to uphold the highest standards in wedding planning, by encouraging professionals to develop their careers. As just the best wedding planners are approved to be part of the group, Belief is also a reliable source for brides and grooms who are planning destination weddings all over the world.

Stay tuned as I feature weddings from the following winners:

Judy Amado Mendez - Panama

Sarah Day - United States

Viktoriia Ignateva - Portugal

(Subscribe here to not miss out!)

Many thanks to Marina at Belief Wedding Planners for reaching out to me and allowing me to share these beautiful images and weddings!

Photographers:

Guatemala: Jorge Ortiz

United States: The Happy Bloom

Portugal: Vema Photography

Real Weddings: Carrie & Eber's Leather Unity Ceremony

2017-05-05T13:47:00.000-07:00

Are you ready for a unique wedding ceremony? We sure are! When Wedding Coordinator Meredith with Meredith Events sent this wedding submission over, we instantly had to share it with our lovely readers!

Here's what Meredith had to say of this adorable couple and their unique ceremony:
Let me introduce you to the most "salt of the Earth" couple I have ever had the pleasure of working with! Carrie and Eber are the sweetest country cuties one could meet and their wedding took place at a private residence at the foothills of the Ozark Mountains in Heber Springs, Arkansas on June 18, 2016.

Besides fitting the description of "rustic chic" to a T, they had the most unusual (and really cool!) Unity Ceremony I have ever witnessed. Eber is a master is in leather-working. With this being a big part of his life, Carrie and Eber decided to incorporate this into their wedding. You have to see it to believe it! Yes, they fired up a grill and branded or etched their initial on a piece of leather. This became part of a work of art that will live in their family home.

Please enjoy Carrie & Eber's Leather Unity Ceremony, with photography from Art/Photography by Sydney Rasch:

This is so sweet! I love the simplicity of everything, the rustic chicness in the decor and setting, and the unique ceremony these two "country cuties", as Meredith put it, displayed for their wedding day.

Our thanks again to Meredith Events for sending another sweet and charming wedding our way!

Vendors:
Wedding Coordinator: Meredith Events
Photography: Art/Photography by Sydney Rasch

Flowers and Design: Deidra's Neighborhood Florist & Gifts
Venue: Private Residence

Real Weddings: Fallyn & Grants Dreamy Hinterland Wedding

2017-05-05T10:06:00.001-07:00

Happy Friday! Hope you all had a fabulous week and have a great weekend ahead! Today we are featuring this gorgeous couple's dreamy wedding, which was sent to us from June at Adorn Invitations, photographed by Calli B. Photography.

June shared with us some details about Fallyn and Grants lovely day:

The couple wed at the charming Maleny Manor in the Sunshine Coast Hinterlands and had a special guest - Luna the owl. Fallyn contacted a not for profit organisation who save ex zoo animals, and had the owl brought in as a surprise for guests. Fallyn's florist also imported French Peonies from Paris as a wedding gift for the couple as they were out of season in Australia at the time.

Be still my heart over the French Peonies from Paris! And this wedding exudes that dreamy romantic flare, in a beautiful setting.

Please enjoy Fallyn & Grants Dreamy Hinterland Wedding, as photographed by Calli B. Photography:

Dreamy indeed! Just so beautiful! I love the sweet bridesmaid gowns, the bride's lace gown is swoonworthy, the pastel touches and hints of gold, it's the perfect summer wedding near the coast! And that owl is so majestic!

Thanks again to June at Adorn Invitations for another stunning wedding!

Vendors:
Dress: Pronovias Wedding Gowns supplied by The Big Day
Makeup: Pru Edwards Makeup
Hair: Dot & Birdie (Bride), Hair by Nicola (Bridesmaids)
Shoes: Christian Louboutin supplied by Myer (Bride) Style Tread (Bridesmaids)
Accessories: Pearl Galleria (including $35K pair of vintage pearl earrings gifted in loan by the owner for my special day)
Jewellery: Love On Jewellery
Bridesmaids Dresses: Pia Gladys Peri supplied by White Runway
Grooms Suit: Stuart Suits
Photographer: Calli B Photography
Stationery: Adorn Invitations
Cake: Ideas in Icing
Food: Maleny Manor
Flowers: Mondo Floral Designs (including special ordered Peonies from France as a surprise by my florist)
Ceremony and Reception Venue: Maleny Manor
Bonbonniere: Maleny Manor
Celebrant: Jarrad Bayliss
Ceremony Music and Entertainment: Cut a Rug DJ
Videographer: Sunshine Coast Videography
Rings: Diamond House Jewellers
Transport: SV Limousines
Venue Styling: Love Bird Weddings

Wedding accommodation: Remingtons Cottages

Savvy Deets: The Insanely Over-the-Top Cost of Celebrity Weddings

2017-05-04T12:16:00.004-07:00

Ever wondered how much celebrity weddings cost? Spoiler: it's a lot. Prince William and Kate Middleton's flowers alone cost $800,000. Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds had a wedding cake that cost $20 per slice.

And that's just a few of them. Ebates has a new infographic about all the costs associated with celebrity weddings:

Over-the-Top Celebrity Wedding Expenses Created By: Ebates

The Ring

Sofia Vergara & Joe Manganiello

This stunning engagement ring was a 7-carat cushion cut diamond with a diamond halo encircling the center stone and French-set diamonds covering the platinum band. The estimated cost was an equally stunning half-million dollars.

What you could buy for $500,000: For the cost of Sofia’s gorgeous rock, you could buy beautiful (and normal size) rings for 81 brides.

The Flowers

Prince William & Kate Middleton

Their wedding was blooming with beautiful flowers, and the price tag for all those blooms totaled $800,000. Her bouquet had lily of the valley, sweet William (yes, he is sweet), hyacinth and myrtle. (Did you know it’s royal tradition to carry a sprig of myrtle in the wedding bouquet?)

What $800,000 gets you: Enough flowers for 315 weddings, or nearly a wedding every day for a year. As another option, you could use this flower budget to plant a field of tulips large enough to span 4.1 football fields.

The Dress

Lauren Morelli and Samira Wiley

This couple both wore custom Christian Siriano ensembles with a price tag of about $20,000 each. Samira wanted “her fairytale wedding moment,” according to the designer, who added a modern twist to that concept with a two-piece gown so Samira could change into a simpler skirt for the evening. Lauren “wanted to feel regal and elegant,” the designer added. The result was a tailored pantsuit with a crystal and beaded pearl collar.

What $20,000 could buy you: an extreme amount of fabric. We ran the numbers, and you could buy 2,316 yards of French satin (nine times the height of the Eiffel Tower) or 4,317 yards of chiffon (longer than the Hollywood Walk of Fame). Now that’s a lot of fabric indeed!

Entertainment

Jay Z & Beyonce

The music cost for their wedding was about $60,000 with DJ Cassidy spinning old-school hip hop and R&B. The playlist included classics like The Jackson 5 and Whitney Houston. The couple’s first dance song was “Crazy in Love,” the 2003 song that the couple first collaborated on.

In real life: With $60,000, you could buy 5,454 albums on iTunes. But to make $60,000, Jayoncé would need their music streamed 10 million times on Spotify.

The Favors

Kim Kardashian & Kanye West

This couple had extravagant wedding favors that cost $125,000 per guest. In total, the budget was $25 million just for the favors. Each guest received Bollinger champagne ($500), Creme de la Mer products ($200), Swarovski crystals etched with the couple’s initials, bottles of scents from local perfumeries and a hotel spa voucher ($250).

With $25 million, you could buy: a Caribbean island, a villa in Tuscany, 25 Manhattan parking spots or two dozen orca whales.

The Cake

Blake Lively & Ryan Reynolds

The couple’s cake was a centerpiece. Costing about $20 per slice, it was a vanilla-and-sour-cream cake with peach-apricot preserves, and Earl Grey-milk chocolate buttercream. Yum! But the cake wasn’t the only desert; there was a table of delicious treats including lemon meringue tartlets, blueberry cheesecake bites, mini chocolate bundt cakes filled with chocolate ganache and artisanal popsicles with fun messages like “Ain’t love sweet?”

In real life: Typical cake costs are $1.50 to $12 a slice. Using the celebrity budget, a typical wedding cake would be 28 layers tall or about 9.3 feet high. Now that’s a lot of cake!

The Planner

Anne Hathaway & Adam Shulman

The couple used celebrity wedding planner Stefanie Cove of Yifat Oren & Associates, who took home about $200,000 to plan this event (about 20% of a $1 million wedding). The firm has on staff 10 full-time and 40 part-time employees, but it’s rarely glamorous, she said: “We work 18-hour days for three months straight.” Fighting paparazzi comes with the territory. When Anne learned that her big day was no longer a secret, the planner got an enormous balloon art installation to prevent unwanted photos. But instead of hiding the couple, it made them a paparazzi target. Yikes!

With $200,000, you could: Buy your very own yacht. You could also use it to book a spot on the world’s first commercial passenger spaceship or even pay for 20 years of rent (based on a median rent amount of $800 per month).

The Honeymoon

George Clooney & Amal Alamuddin

The couple celebrated their marriage in Seychelles, an island off the coast of East Africa, with honeymoon costs totaling $74,000. They stayed in a 5,000-square-foot private villa at The North Island resort, which boasts its own plunge pool and many other luxe amenities. Bonus: It’s only accessible by helicopter! Other couples who have honeymooned in Seychelles include Nicky Hilton and James Rothschild, Sir Paul McCartney and Heather Mills, and Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade.

In real life: The Clooney honeymoon could have paid for two couples traveling the world for a year. Alternatively, you could use that money to buy 18 around-the-world plane tickets. On the other hand, you could just buy an airplane.

Sources:

https://www.theknot.com
https://www.bustle.com/
http://www.therichest.com
http://www.eonline.com
http://www.glamour.com
http://www.brides.com
http://www.dailymail.co.uk
http://us.hellomagazine.com/
http://www.stylebistro.com/
http://people.com
http://www.marthastewartweddings.com
http://www.yatesjewelers.com/sofia-vergara-engagement-ring.html
https://www.buzzfeed.com/elliewoodward/the-most-outrageously-expensive-celebrity-weddings-of
http://www.celebritytalent.net/sampletalent/1660/dj-cassidy-(cassidy-podell)/
http://people.com/
https://www.tessa.com/prices
http://xogroupinc.com/press-releases/theknot2016realweddings_costofweddingsus/
http://honeymoons.about.com/cs/eurogen1/a/weddingstats.htm
https://www.airtreks.com/ready/create-a-travel-budget/how-much-will-it-cost/
http://alittleadrift.com/rtw-budget-travel-around-the-world/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/africa/seychelles/articles/Inside-George-Clooneys
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2251255/Mrs–Mrs-Reynolds-The-glimpse-Blake-Lively
http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/blake-lively-and-ryan-reynolds-wedding-1316454
https://twitter.com/LaurusBridal/status/298252748913258496/photo/1
http://thehill.com/special-reports/weddings-february-2013-/282987-chefs-help-to-satisfy-wedding-sweet-spot

Savvy News: Toilet Paper Wedding Dress Contest 2017

2017-04-04T07:55:00.000-07:00

Hey brides! There's an amazing contest coming up that you might want to check out! The contest involves toilet paper and your creativity, and it could win you big money for your wedding! Check out the deets below:

13th Annual Toilet Paper Wedding Dress Contest Presented by Cheap Chic Weddings and Quilted Northern Rolls Out

(Boca Raton, FL) – April 4, 2017, 2017 If you can use toilet paper to make a beautiful wedding dress you just might win $10,000!

Everyone likes to save money here and there. And for some, saving money on weddings is more than a hobby, and a little less than an obsession. Laura Gawne and Susan Bain operate the popular websites www.Cheap-Chic-Weddings.com and TPDressContest.com.

Cheap Chic Weddings is thrilled to welcome their NEW Presenting Sponsor Quilted Northern Toilet Paper! Since 2004, the Cheap Chic Weddings Toilet Paper Wedding Dress Contest has challenged creative minds from across the country to create a wearable, on-trend wedding dress and headpiece from only toilet paper, glue, tape and needle and thread. Quilted Northern® is excited to supply toilet paper that has been crafted with the highest attention-to-detail for over 100 years – making it luxurious enough for a wedding dress.

Contestants have until June 5, 2017 to submit their paper masterpieces. Top ten entries will be chosen then online voting will be open to the public.

The top ten dresses and their designers will be flown to New York City to participate in a live fashion show finale event at a fabulous Peerspace.com event space in New York City on July 20, 2017 where the top three winners will be chosen.

At the Finale Event, the dress entries will be judged by Cheap Chic Weddings founders, a representative from Quilted Northern®, a representative from Sponsor Ripley’s Believe It or Not! and celebrity guest judges Jenna Ushkowitz, Actor, Singer, Producer and Author as well as Mikie Russo, Celebrity Party Planner and Lifestyle Expert!

2017 Celebrity Judge Mikie, Celebrity Party Planner and Lifestyle Expert

“We are always excited to see what our talented contestants dream up.” says Susan Bain, Co-Founder of Cheap Chic Weddings. “We can’t wait to see how our contestants will work with the meticulously designed Quilted Northern® Toilet Paper! We know it’ll be a wonderful match!” added co-founder Laura Gawne.

The Grand Prize winner will receive $10,000, the second place winner will receive $5000 and the third place winner will receive $2500.

2016 Toilet Paper Wedding Dress Contest Winner Van Tran’s creation.

Here’s How to Enter:

First: Plan your design.

Second: Grab some Quilted Northern Toilet Paper (Quilted Northern Ultra Plush or Quilted Northern Ultra Soft & Strong, or Both), tape, glue and/or needle and thread (that’s all you can use)! To help offset the cost of designing these memorable creations; Quilted Northern is providing coupons by request at TPDresscontest@gmail.com

Third: Make the dress and headpiece on your model or mannequin and take some clear, well-lit, unaltered digital photos (front, back and side). The dress must be able to be worn by a human!

All photos and an Official Entry form are to be submitted to Cheap Chic Weddings at TPDresscontest@gmail.com by June 5, 2017 at 11:00 PM EST. There is no entry fee. The Judging Panel at Cheap Chic Weddings will judge the initial digital photo entries.

View contest info: http://www.cheap-chic-weddings.com/wedding-contest-2017.html

Official contest rules along with lots of other wedding cost saving tips and information can be found at www.Cheap-Chic-Weddings.com.

Good luck! Let us know if you'll be submitting your Toilet Paper Wedding Dress to this amazing contest!

Advice: Putting Together the Perfect Wedding Welcome Bags

2017-04-04T06:49:00.000-07:00

Via Pinterest

Are you planning on passing out welcome bags to your future wedding guests? I really loved doing this for my out of town visitors! Since I live in Arizona, I provided water, sunscreen, chocolates from a local chocolate shop, and snacks for my guests to nibble on during the wedding weekend. For my bestie's wedding, I did the gift bags for her guests, too, and supplied mini hot sauce bottles, local made taffy, and other little bits. It's really fun, and the guests really appreciate it!

Check out these helpful tips that were sent over to us to share with you beauties! What's going into your welcome gift bags? Please share in the comments!

It’s your wedding day! The invites are out, the color scheme decided, the bridesmaids and groomsmen assembled. You’ve ordered the flowers, subdued your mother-in-law and tackled the seating plan, and now it’s time for the fun part – wedding gift bags!

Whether you are welcoming guests from out of town, setting the tone for your celebrations, or kicking off the party mood, wedding welcome bags are a delightful way to greet your friends and family. So, how do you go about assembling the perfect assortment of gifts and treats to make your loved ones feel as good as you do on your big day?

We’ve put together a list of fabulous ideas to inspire and excite you and to help you create a collection of goodies guaranteed to fill your guests with warm and fuzzy feelings.

The Bag

Let’s start with the bag itself. The presentation is everything, and packaging your gifts in something useful and re-usable is a great way to contain your goodies. Canvas tote bags are a fantastic way to do this – they’re inexpensive, they’re versatile, and they can even be customized for that charming, personal touch that’ll send your guests away with a smile. The best thing is this is a lasting gift your guests can make use of even after the main event if only to carry home the rest of their treats!

Chocolate/Candy

Who among us doesn’t love a sweet treat? Chocolates and/or candies are a classic wedding bag filler, and they can be made unique and special by opting for something handmade or locally produced. The best thing about including candies is that, with the wide variety of choice out there, it’s super easy to find something you can tie into a theme.

Base your choice around your location, your color scheme, or anything else you fancy! It’s a great way to add a little personal touch, and it makes for a memorable and charming addition to your wedding welcome bags.

Salty Snacks

Believe it or not, not everyone has a sweet tooth. For those who aren’t crazy about candies, it’s a good idea to include something savory to nibble on. This could be nuts, crackers, or chips, but our personal preference would be popcorn! It’s light, it’s healthy(ish), and, as a current favorite in the snacking world, there is a whole range of innovative and exciting flavors to choose from. It’s trendy, tasty, and, best of all, it’s a great way of bulking out the contents of your wedding bag without bulking up the price!

Water Bottles

It’s time to wash down all those snacks! A water bottle makes for a creative and useful addition to your wedding gift bag that your guests can use throughout the day and take away with them afterward. With a personalized message, you can create a lasting memento that’s not only practical but also unique.

Consider customizing water bottles to be stylish and useful. Pick out a design or message that best reflects you and your other half for a wedding favor that’s all about your big day. Colorful and practical, these water bottles make for an attractive keepsake that your guests can use again and again!

Local Produce and Souvenirs

What better way to welcome out of town guests to the area than with some locally produced goodies? Things like condiments, preserves, honey, or oils add a classy and homely touch to any wedding gift bag. Look up the local sports teams, points of interest, and sites of natural beauty for inspiration – think postcards, magnets, and trinkets to add personality to your wedding bags and tip a nod to your location.

Booze

What’s a wedding if not a big party? Help your guest enter into the “spirit” of things with a little tipple. This is another one that can be easily tailored to suit your wedding or location. Why not check out the local brewery for artisan beers to help kick off the festivities?

Just remember to consider your guests carefully, on this one; it may be better to omit this particular gift for some individuals!

Via Pinterest

Fruit

Thinking ahead to the next day detox, fresh fruit is a classy and pleasingly “earthy” addition to your wedding bags. This can effortlessly add fragrance and color to your assortment of gifts, and it can be tied in with your location and the time of year. A top tip for this one is to think seasonal, as these fruits will be the least expensive and the best quality, and will tie in nicely with the overall feel of the day.

Just remember to choose firmer fruits that won’t go mushy in the bag or expire quickly (yes to apples and citrus fruits, a big fat no to bananas and strawberries).

Hangover Cure

Just in case the antioxidants from the fruit don’t quite do the trick, a little bundle of hangover cures will certainly be welcomed by those who like to overindulge on special occasions. Add a touch of humor with a first-aid style packet, which could include aspirin, water, coffee, herbal teas, or whatever you’ve found to work best in the past!

Handmade Soap/Candles

Prepare to pamper your guests with something handmade and luxurious. Artisan soaps and aromatherapy candles make for a lovely and indulgent treat, and will leave your wedding bags (and your guests) smelling beautiful!

Via Pinterest

Itinerary/Local Information

It’s a great idea to include the itinerary for your day in your welcome wedding bag, so you can keep everyone organized and make sure everything goes off without a hitch. A nice little extra is to include information about the local area if you have out of town guests or if your wedding itself is out of town.

A few pages detailing local points of interest will certainly be appreciated by anyone who doesn’t know the area that well, as people are likely to be in town for the few days surrounding the main event and will probably find this information very useful.

Include a Thank-you Card

Remember to include a thank you card from you and your beloved! Something short and sweet to show your gratitude and give your guests the warm fuzzies – after all, where would we be without our loved ones? Friends and family are what make these special occasions special, so show them how much you appreciate their being there to celebrate with you and your significant other.

Will you be adding the mentioned items above into your welcome gift bags? Anything not mentioned you'll be adding? Let us know in comments below!

Real Weddings: Sharlene & Craigs Breathtaking Florence Wedding

2017-04-04T06:19:00.001-07:00

Buongiorno bellas! I am delighted to share this gorgeous couple's breathtaking Florence, Italy wedding! Oh my goodness, get ready to pin these images to your "wedding goals" Pinterest boards! My newfound lovely friend June at Adorn Invitations sent over the wedding, which was beautifully photographed by Facibeni Fotografia.

June shared with me a little background on this couple and how their day came to be:

An elegant and enchanting destination wedding was brought to life when fate had it that Sharlene and Craig met during their studies in 2004. At the sweet age of 19, she fell head over heels in love with his beautiful kind heart. 8 years later, when travelling through Europe, the couple spent a beautiful evening in Florence taking in the breathtaking view from the Santa Trinita Bridge.

As Sharlene began to tell the man soon to be her fiancé that her favourite part of the day was sunset because she loves watching the colours of the sky change, he dropped to one knee, expressed his love and asked if she wanted to one day return to Florence as husband and wife. 2 years later, they returned to this stunning city for their magical wedding.

The bride was dressed in a silky lace gown by Steven Khalil, knowing it had to be hers as soon as she tried it on. She complimented this with pure white Yves Saint Laurent’s and pearl earrings by Dior. The couple envisioned a wedding that was the epitome of simplicity and elegance – something classic and timeless. As soon as their eyes set on Villa La Vedetta, they knew it was where they were meant to wed as it gifted them a spectacular view of the city.

Sit back, and be swept away to Florence for Sharlene & Craig's Breathtaking Florence Wedding, captured by Facibeni Fotografia:

How gorgeous was that?! Breathtaking is one of the best descriptions! The bride is stunning! Love her amazing gown! The gold touches throughout just enhance the elegance. I adore the couple's portraits, with the city of Florence below, with the iconic Il Duomo di Firenze in the background!

Our thanks again to June for sharing this bedazzling couple's destination wedding with us! Mille grazie!

Vendors:
Photographer: Facibeni Fotografia

Stationery: Adorn Invitations
Dress: Steven Khalil
Hair: Bride did it herself
Shoes: Yves Saint Laurent
Accessories: Dior & Love On
Bridesmaids Dresses: Zimmermann
Grooms Suit: Bespoke
Flowers: Stiatti Fiori
Ceremony Venue: Villa La Vedetta overlooking the city of Florence, Italy.
Reception Venue: Villa La Vedetta
Celebrant: Blessings From Italy
Cinematography: Gattotigre - Destination Wedding Videography

Real Weddings: Tenille & Jason's Elegant Torquay Beach Wedding

2017-03-28T20:52:00.002-07:00

Happy Wedding Wednesday everyone! We have a gorgeous couple's wedding to share with you today from Australia! The submission comes to us from Adorn Invitations, photographed by Trevor Cooke. The scenery of the couple's nuptials and their wedding portraits are exquisite! The details seen here are elegant, mixed with DIY elements the bride did herself, her lovely gown...we are swooning!

A little about the couple:

The couple met along the beach when Tanille was just the sweet age of seventeen and happened to meet years later, by chance, during a night out in Melbourne. For them both, it only made sense to celebrate their everlasting love in the same setting as where they first crossed paths. Tanille was dressed in a gorgeous lace number from Fifi & Edga Bridal in Geelong, which fit in perfectly with the rustic and bohemian theme she envisioned for her special day. From the flowers to the full table setting arrangements, Tanille took on the role of the bride and D.I.Y stylist for her own wedding celebration!

Get ready to set your eyes upon Tenille & Jason's Torquay Beach Wedding, as captured by Trevor Cooke:

Isn't it dreamy?! Love it all! Tenille makes a stunning bride, and her grinning groom is dashing! I love their portrait session, especially the image of their kiss captured in the vintage car's mirror. They make me want to have my vows renewed seaside! Love the flower petal cones for their recession down the aisle.

Our thanks to Adorn Invitations for reaching out to us for this lovely submission, photographed by Trevor Cooke!

Vendors:

Dress: FiFi & Edga Bridal
Shoes: Ted Baker
Grooms Suit: Menzclub
Photographer: Trevor Cooke
Stationery: Adorn Invitations
Cake: Ferguson Plarre
Food: Thirteen Hats
Flowers: Tanille organised these herself
Ceremony Venue: Torquay Beach
Bridal Jewellery: LOVEON
Reception Venue: Whitesbeach Guesthouse
Makeup & Hair: Blush Bar