Wedding Parties Show Off Their Wild Side!

With all the protocol and decorum associated with weddings, they are still a day of fun and celebration.  For a lot of couples, having all their favorite people in one place is somewhat rare, so you better take advantage of all the photo ops!  One way is to stage funny groomsmen, bridesmaids and complete wedding party photos complete with props and silliness.  As always, make sure to give a heads up to your planner and photographer.  Here are a few I found online that had me cracking up, enjoy!

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FCW Favorite Finds: April 2012

Keeping up with the wedding & event planning blogs feels like a full time job itself but the reward definitely is worth it.  I am so inspired daily by other event planners and real weddings that I have to share my favorite finds every now and again.  Enjoy!

How adorable are these handkerchief invitations!  Oh and the bride designed them herself.  Talk about a sweet keepsake. Frame this baby in a shadow box with other day of stationary and maybe a wedding photo- hello parent gifts!

The Second Biggest Question After The Proposal

Asking your nearest & dearest to be in your wedding party is a big deal, especially for the ladies.  I love the idea of making this a celebration, not just asking someone over text.  I did a post on grooms asking their friends to be in their wolfpack and here are 3 terrific ways for the brides to ask their best gals.  Enjoy!

#1. Make it memorable. There are so many sweet cards on the market (this, that and this one with a gift) and then there are a few items that create a great keepsake.  I love the idea of wine labels with your own photos or creating your own card to add an extra pop of personalization.

#2. For the above & beyond bride- DIY bridesmaid boxes. When The Wedding Chicks posted about these adorable Will You Be My Bridesmaid boxes, I kind of squealed for joy.  An honor this important needs to be presented in a big way and if you are up to this DIY task, crafting a special momento is the perfect expression of love.  Be sure to include bridesmaid dress ideas, a list of their duties and a countdown timeline to the big day.  

#3. Bridesmaid photo shoot.  This "Will You Be My Bridesmaid?" photo shoot featured in Style Me Pretty is a fantastic idea.  Professional photo shoots are such a rare treat, why not indulge your gals?  This could be a surprise shoot to ask your bridesmaids or scheduled to honor your favorite ladies in the world.  Keep the theme simple so all of you can enjoy the excitement.

Recessionista Finds: Dresses!

The beginning of the year is prime time for deals on wedding attire, specifically wedding and bridesmaid dresses.  And being the recessionista-minded planner that I am, I have been thrilled to see a bunch of sales for brides come up so far this year.  Since there are so many discounts going on I rely on many blogs to keep me updated.  BrideFinds posted a great deal on Ann Taylor's wedding collection- 25% off wedding dresses for a limited time and oh yeah, Ann is throwing in FREE shipping too!  And for bridesmaids there’s a special coupon code in effect through Wednesday 2/15, giving your gals 20% off any order over $50!

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In even more awesome news, Target has just launched a bridesmaids collection!  I could LIVE at that store if they let me, so it is a no brainer that I'm pretty excited about this line.  All dresses are under $70, they offer both short and long styles and the size range is 2-28.  The cost of being a bridesmaid can add up quickly and being able to buy a dress at a trusted nationwide store that you will wear again is pretty much all a girl on a budget could ask for.  After scouring this line, I saw a bunch of dresses I'd wear as a guest to a wedding or big event which is a total score for the price.  Happy shopping!

The Quick List: Gift Ideas

Now that all the football craziness is over, let's skip ahead to the next big holiday: Valentine's Day!  Since we are about a week out, I wanted to do a post on gift giving since that seems to be the hardest part about this holiday.  It's not as big as Christmas or a birthday but some thought is required.  I've pulled a few links and ideas together, hope these inspire you!

#1. Valentine's gifts for the ladies.  Thanks to the Well-Groomed Blog, well actually thanks to his smart wife, for coming up with great list of fun, sweet and creative alternatives to flowers and chocolate.  If you are a guy reading this and not sure of your lady's ring size, find a ring that she wears regularly and bring it to a jeweler for sizing... and make sure to put it back in the exact.same.place.you.found.it.

#2. DIY Valentine's gift ideas.  There are some of you who are superiorly awesome in the way that you want to DIY most gifts and I deeply commend you.  Here is a lovely list of ONE HUNDRED handmade V-Day ideas.  Yes, 100.  Some are gifts for each other, some are home or party decor and there are even cute ideas for kids.

 

 

#3. Groomsmen gifts can double as V-Day or birthday gifts! The Plunge Project is one of my favorite 'new' blogs that I recently discovered.  I always have grooms asking me what to get their groomsmen and aside from the flasks (no one needs more than one), I love this guy gift guide.

 

#4. So can bridesmaids gifts! And the girls from The Plunge Project did it again- sweet and sassy gifts (on a budget!) for the gals in your life!

 

 

Interesting Wedding Superstitions

One of my blogging goals for 2012 is to post more about international weddings.  While researching different cultures, I've found that a lot of their traditions originated in some very old superstitions.  Since today is Friday the 13th- the most superstitious day in America- I've pulled together a list of my favorite international wedding superstitions.  Enjoy!

#1. Middle Eastern brides paint henna on their hands and feet to protect themselves from the evil eye (source).

#2. Saturday is the unluckiest wedding day, according to English folklore (source).

#3. If the younger of two sisters marries first, the older sister must dance barefoot at the wedding or risk never landing a husband (source).

#4. The bride is said to be doomed if she wears her complete wedding outfit before the big day (source).

#5. Pre-colonial Filipino superstitions warn that the groom and the bride should avoid traveling before the nuptial to prevent accidents from happening (source).

#6. In Russian villages they still believe that only sorcerers and ill-wishers “cut the path” of the newlyweds to harm them. No one should cross the path in front of the bride and bridegroom neither on their way to ZAGS (Registry Office) and/or church and back (source).

#7. When a London chimney sweep saved King George II's life 200 years ago, the King declared that all chimney sweeps bring good fortune and should be treated with respect. It's now considered good luck to see a chimney sweep on your wedding day, and many hire out their services to come to the ceremony and kiss the bride (source).

#8. It is bad luck for a bride to see a nun or a monk on the wedding day because they represent chastity and poverty (source). 

#9. To make sure their love keeps burning throughout their union, Finnish brides head to the altar carrying an appropriate symbol: a match (source).

#10. In ancient times the bridesmaids dressed in identical clothing while the bride wore a different dress and a veil. This was done in the hope of confusing the evil spirits that may be descending on the bride (source).

Photo credits: photo 1 and photo 2

The New Truth About Bridesmaid Dresses

Its a tale as old as time.  You are asked by your close friend to be a bridesmaid- THE greatest honor bestowed to a friend- and then she hits you with the dress selection.  Which may or may not totally highlight all your problem areas.  Hey, if nothing else, your dress makes the bride look prettier for being next to you.  And then you are stuck paying for an expensive dress that you will never wear again.  I have one such dress in my closet as we speak.  It is prom-dressy and a two piece AND if I had a dollar for the amount of times the bride told me I'd wear it again, I'd have at least $30.  If I had a dollar for every time I've worn it since the wedding over 3 years ago, I'd be broke. 

Recently I've seen many brides loosen their requirements for bridesmaid dresses and I'm 110% on board.  Obviously color and formality are the most important determinants to the bride but the bridesmaids will mainly be paying attention to price, comfort, and "wearability".  For anyone who has seen 27 Dresses, the running joke is that for every crazy bridesmaids dress Katherine Heigl's character Jane is asked to wear, the bride says that the dress she chose for Jane is so great because "you can shorten it and wear it again".  To which Jane always dutifully answers, "totally, so true."  27 Dresses is a great example of how good intentions can spin out of control and the next thing you know, you're in a "Gone With The Wind" themed dress.  If it pleases the jury, I now present examples A, B, and C:

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Fear not bridesmaids-to-be, obviously, there are many other directions to go.  There is actually a movement in the bridal industry to focus on bridesmaids.  Which translates into a few designers as well as mainstream stores which are are offering bridesmaids dresses and not presenting them as an afterthought.  I have been seeing a ton of J. Crew bridesmaids, The Limited bridesmaids, and Ann Taylor bridesmaids.  Finding wedding appropriate dresses at stores that you already shop at? Love.  So when I stumbled across this breath of fresh air, I had to share it!  Introducing the coolest.bridesmaid.dress.ever.  The amazing Two Birds Bridesmaid dress is one dress with FIFTEEN ways to wear it again and again and again.  Bonus that its affordable and comes in a plethora of shades, lengths, and customizable styles.  Genius!  So whether you are a bride or a bridesmaid, make sure you look beyond the typical choices and be open to all the new, exciting possibilities in bridesmaid fashion.  Below are just a few of the many ways to wear the Two Birds Bridesmaid dress.  As always, enjoy! 

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Great News for Shoes

Some girls go crazy for purses, some for designer jeans, and some for shoes.  Most of us females are trying to make peace with our inner fashionista during this recession.  Luckily a new designer, Absolutely Audrey, has come up with an answer to our need for versatility that our newly appointed inner recessionista side approves of- shoe clips!  You can shop by occasion or by color.  You can give these as a gift for your bridesmaids to wear again and again.  This can be your something "new" for your wedding attire!  The list goes on and on.  Not to mention that your fiance will be excited to see that you are spending less than you would on new shoes and getting a lot more for your money!  I've even included a few designs from the website.  Enjoy!

Ellie multi colored shoe clips. Source

 

Amanda crystal shoe clips.  Source

 

Felicia bridal white feather shoe clips. Source