wedding ideas, tips and inspiration for smart and stylish brides to be

Category: Resources

Creative Winter Wedding Shoot

Posted by alerner on January 18, 2012 · 5 Comments

Another Holiday season has come and gone and brides are now prepping for a 2012 Winter Wedding.
Brides often have trouble avoiding decorations that give their space more of a Christmas Party feel.

This LOVELY, creative winter wedding shoot is a shining example of how to have a Holiday celebration without the reds and greens.
Every last detail was thoughtfully planned by a team of super-talented vendors that have mastered the art of wedding design.

This styled scene could not be any sweeter! Hope it inspires all you Holiday season brides.

Photographer: Becca Rillo Photography
Event Planner: Marisa Nicole, Weddings & Events
Floral Designer: Enchanted Garden Floral Design
Invitation Designer: LLY Designs
Dress Store: TheGownSwap.com
Other: Tasteful Treasures
Cake Designer: The Butter End Cakery
Equipment Rentals: The Vintage Table Co., A1 Event Rentals
Makeup Artist: Elegance By Alex
Event Venue: Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve
Location: Calabasas, CA
Models: Alexandra Bowers & Brian Leahy

Chicago event recap: Lucky and Dior Beauty Bash

Posted by alerner on October 24, 2011 · Leave a Comment

While having your makeup professionally done is a treat, learning how to master your own polished look is so much sweeter.
Before the Royal Wedding, Princess Kate Middleton received makeup lessons so she could apply her own makeup on the epic day without the hands of a pro.

collage-dior

Thanks to Lucky Magazine and Dior Beauty, ten stylish women gathered at Bloomingdales in downtown Chicago for a private event where they learned how to create their own flawless faces.

Dior’s incredible skin care solutions and outstanding new color palettes did absolute wonders for the attendees. Sadly, the yellow department store lighting does not do the pictures justice…

alana-ali-dior-lucky sarah-schwab-dior smokey-eye-lucky-dior

I highly recommend that all you brides (and everyone else) visit the Dior Counter to discover their amazing beauty products.

Flowers by Dilly Lily and Delicious Cupcakes from Sprinkles courtesy of Lucky Magazine

The Gilt Groupe Wedding Sale is back!

Posted by alerner on October 18, 2011 · Leave a Comment

gilt wedding shop If you are a soon to be Mrs, your to do list and calendar is probably filling up rather quickly these days.

One event you don’t want to miss is the Gilt Groupe wedding sale starting on Thursday, October 20 to October 24.

You deserve the very best on your big day and thanks to GILT, you may be actually be able to afford it.

Score your favorite designer fashions for much less and look picture perfect from head to toe at your shower, rehearsal dinner and down the aisle!

From Carolina Herrera runway gowns and Badgley Mischka Accessories to the “best of bridal picks” from celebrity wedding planner Colin Cowie

Judging by the steals and success stories from the last Gilt wedding shop, my anticipation and expectations are pretty much through the roof.

If there is anyone out there who has yet to become a member of the miraculous Gilt Groupe, follow this link to sign up and start saving! Shop Savvy:)

Gilt groupe wedding shop

Preppy Wedding Inspiration

Posted by alerner on October 2, 2011 · 1 Comment

There is something about New England or East Coast style that inspires such timeless weddings.
The picture perfect wedding albums mimic expensive Ralph Lauren catalogues.
Tailored looks, impeccable landscapes, country clubs, sailboats, sea shores, etc. make frequent cameos.

Searching for some nautical or preppy wedding inspiration for your big day? I’ve got you covered! Preppy wedding couple Above: A real preppy bride and groom (Shannon and Chris) found on Alchemy Hour Designs blog nautical-preppy-wedding-inspiration-2 Photo credits:

Nautical mini cakes by The Caketress
Invitations- Live Door blog
Flowers by Catrina Maria
Reception image by Joee Wong Photography
Photo by Corey Hendrickson via Style me Pretty
Groom’s attire found on Ellenor Design Blog
Dress photo from My Wedding Concierge
Flowers by Antheia via Brides.com
Initials found on The Knot
Custom invitation suite by J. Sullivan Design
Nautical favor boxes from the Southern and Preppy Blog
Striped groom’s tie found on Calliespondence
Initialed anchor sign from Little Sprout Creations
Centerpiece kit from Object Splendor

For more nautical and preppy wedding inspiration, check out these gorgeous real weddings:

Virtual Dressing Room for Brides

Posted by alerner on September 20, 2011 · Leave a Comment

ali-wedding-dress A few years ago, when it was my time to find the perfect wedding dress, I didn’t take advantage of the opportunity to play dress up. After putting on my second gown, I felt that immediate connection that told me it was “the one.”

After watching too many episodes of Say Yes to the Dress, I resisted the temptation of trying on different styles and silhouettes to avoid confusing myself and wasting the consultants time. Although, I do not regret my purchase, how could I pass up my once in a lifetime opportunity?

Thanks to the new Virtual Dressing Room by Brides Magazine , I can secretly revisit the experience from my computer. Getting started is easy… Simply upload a full length picture of yourself (the less coverage the better), follow the prompts to adjust to your figure and let the fun begin.

Gowns Pictured Above:

1. Cloud by Lela Rose
2. Mikaella style 1608
3. Cait by Priscilla of Boston
4. Lazaro style 3167
5. Lolita by Oscar de la Renta
6. Corset and skirt by Wtoo
7. Casablanca style 2052
8. Cassia by Rivini
9. Kate’s reception dress by ABS

brides magazine cover model

Using the digital tool, you can even try on bridesmaid dresses and mother-of-the-bride gowns brought to you by the Lord and Taylor Wedding Shop. Brides.com also has a new beauty salon tool to try on different celebrity hairstyles, makeup and more to complete your total wedding look.

Make your fantasy complete by seeing your wedding look on the cover of Brides Magazine.

The bridal look for less

Posted by alerner on August 22, 2011 · 4 Comments

After hours of research, I hope to convince you that you can pull off your favorite coveted designer bridal look for less. The crumby economy and lucrative wedding expenses have definitely added extra wedding debt and tighter budgets for the bride or whoever is footing the bill.

Remember, it pays to be resourceful…

Let me show you how to walk down the aisle in your favorite runway look without resorting to those cheap “designer inspired” knockoffs made in China and/or found on ebay (I have heard way too many horror stories).

1. Vera Wang Diana dress- $8,000 | “Chelsea” dress by Wtoo -$1,200

2. Platinum by Priscilla of Boston PL315- over $3,000 (Project Wedding) | Mignon dress from bluegala.com -$538

3. Badgley Mischka Bride- $4,500 | Dress from frenchnovelty.com - $640

4. Monique Lhuillier “Sunday Rose” dress- $10,000 | Dress from Missesdressy.com -$850

5. Monique Lhuillier “Magical” dress- $8,000 | Wtoo gown ”Lilli” corset and skirt- $1,000

6. Amsale Penelope Dress- over $5,000 (the Knot)| ABS Rosette Dress- $412 (Bloomingdales sale)

7. Vera Wang “Farrah” gown- $6,000 | Mignon dress from Macktak Mart.com - $506

8. Jenny Lee Bridal gown style #1117-over $5,000 (the Knot) | BCBG Wedding Dress- $298

Wedding Dress Bargains served daily

Posted by alerner on August 15, 2011 · 1 Comment

One of the most common issues brides struggle with is finding an affordable wedding gown.

Keep your eyes open. Wedding dress bargains are often found buried within a sale that does not market itself using common bridal keywords.

Tonight, I found a handful of designer bridal gowns with unbelievable, slashed prices. All of the below were hidden within the Sunday Night Fashion sale events on Ideeli and Rue La La (two fabulous sites for discounted designer fashions).

dress-steals

$215 Dere Kiang dress on Ideeli
$105 Jacquelin Exclusive gown on Ideeli
$227 Davinci gown on Ideeli
$199 Badgley Mischka lace dress with silk sash on Rue La La
$69 Max and Cleo dress on Ideeli
$159 Badgley Mischka one shoulder gown on Rue La La
$209 Nicole Miller one shoulder gown on Ideeli
$30 Max and Cleo dress with black sash on Ideeli
$329 Nicole Miller gown on Ideeli

With the right shoes and accessories, you could easily spruce up any of these wedding dress bargains to fit your perfect look.

Destination Wedding Invitations

Posted by alerner on June 10, 2011 · Leave a Comment

Location.Location.Location!

A great way to get guests pumped about your wedding destination is to highlight the location in your invitation suite.
Here are some real destination wedding invitations that embrace this idea: Image credits:

Jackson Hole Wyoming letterpress invitation by Bird and Banner (from Oh So Beautiful Paper)
San Francisco custom invitation suite- Oh So Beautiful Paper
New York to London hand illustrated invites found on Invitation Crush
Lion in the sun invitations- custom passport wedding invite
Charmed Manhattan wedding invite from Bella Figura

Pinterest addiction

Posted by alerner on June 1, 2011 · 2 Comments

Love, Love, Love Pinterest…maybe a little too much!

If you haven’t discovered the joy of pinning yet, you are missing out.

Pinterest is a free tool that lets you easily categorize create your own inspiration boards using things that you find and love online. Pinterest adds a brilliant social marketing component too! Add tags to every item, follow certain stylish members and boards, and recycle other pinned finds for yourself, then share them on facebook and/or twitter if you want.

Every bride knows just how beneficial a tool like this pinterest is while planning a wedding, with all the fabulous resources and ideas circulating the web.

Some of my favorite bloggers and style trendsetters are avid pinners:)

At this time, pinterest members must be invited and approved to join. So, if you’re eager to get pinned, drop me a comment or
email me and I’ll do my best to send you a personal invite!

Have I peaked your “pinterest” yet?

Bouquet styles for every unique bride

Posted by alerner on May 24, 2011 · Leave a Comment

Wedding bouquet styles come in many shapes and forms, making them a pleasure to have and hold (and smell or stare at).

Brides infuse flowers with their unique personal style and creative visions… all part of the fun of wedding planning!

Need some sweet bouquet inspiration? I’ve got you covered! Here are some of my favorite bouquet styles including: Modern, Classic, Vintage, Feminine, Glamorous, and Bohemian