This blog details my wedding planning process over the next 14 months and offers ideas and tips for others as they plan their own wedding or special event.
Since my wedding ceremony will be outdoors, I'm wondering what type of shoe I will be able to wear (and walk in). I really want to wear heels, but I'm sure that's not the most practical decision when I will be walking down an aisle made of grass. I've also contemplated wearing flats for the ceremony and then heels during the reception, but what length would you get your dress altered to? Oh the predicaments...
With the two pairs of shoes possibility in mind, a friend directed me to Unforgettable Moments. This site has about 15 different pairs of wedding heels and flats that can also be dyed to coincide with your wedding colors. They have over 60 different shades, so you should be able to find one that matches or works with your color scheme. I really want to wear purple or silver shoes...just something a little different (another tradition to break, perhaps). I prefer the Nathalie Dyeable Round-Toe Pump or the Charlottle Dyable Ballet Flat.
If Unforgettable Moments sounds familiar, it may be because you have seen this line of shoes at your local Payless Shoesource. If you can't find a color you like, you can always purchase the white pair through Payless for only $29.99, instead of the $49.99 charge for the dyeable version. Also, with the Payless connection, all of the Unforgettable Moments shoes are BOGO (buy one get one 1/2 off). This is an awesome deal if you're like me and can't decide what style of shoe to wear or are thinking about wearing a couple different pairs.
In honor of the Royal Wedding, I decided to try making some cupcakes from scratch based on a recipe recently posted by "Cupcake Kelly" on her "An American Cupcake in London" blog. Because Will and Kate will have a variation of fruit cake at their wedding reception, she decided to make a version of fruit cake that is probably a bit more tolerable -- Bubbly Peach Cupcakes. The cake is made with champagne and also includes fresh peach chunks that sink to the bottom of the cupcake when baked.
Naturally, I decided to do some tweaking to the recipe and substituted moscato for champagne. I've never been that fond of champagne (and I've tried some really disgusting champagne cakes when I was cake-testing), so I decided to use moscato, a sweet dessert wine. I purchased a bottle of Angioletta Moscato from Hy-Vee. When I got home, I realized I had accidently purchased regular moscato instead of moscato d'Asti. I decided to still use my selection, but the sparkling qualities of d'Asti may have produced a slightly different taste.
Peach Moscato Cupcakes
1 1/2 cups self raising flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick/115g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla (peach flavoring also optional)
1/2 cup moscato or moscato d'Asti
1 cup diced peaches
1. Preheat oven to 350 F and line muffin tray with paper liners. In a small bowl whisk together flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.
2. With an electric mixer on high speed mix cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time beating until combined. Add in the vanilla and peach flavoring (if using).
3. Add the flour mixture in two batches alternating with the moscato until all incorporated. Fold in the chopped peaches.
4. Fill each cup three quarters full and bake for 25 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool.
Makes 16 cupcakes
For frosting, I used my grandmother's signature vanilla frosting recipe -- it's a family secret! Visit Kelly's blog to see her frosting recipe that included champagne.
So, in case you haven't heard, the Royal Wedding of HRH Prince William and Kate Middleton will take place just a week from today. Thus, it is officially Royal Wedding Week.
For years, I have been fascinated by the British royal family. Perhaps I just like to watch Jonathan Rhys-Meyers in his role as King Henry VIII on Showtime'sThe Tudors(he is quite magnificent). I prefer to read about the history of the royal family and its most infamous leaders of the past. Today, it seems, especially after the untimely death of Princess Diana, the British royal family has become stagnant, remnants of grander years when royalty still controlled kingdoms (before the elections of prime ministers). I wonder if Kate's induction into the royal family will changes things...
However, I'm sure I will watch at least a portion of Will and Kate's nuptials next Friday. After all, can anyone really avoid it? In any case, I will enjoy watching such a grand spectacle and will probably be particularly interested in the fashions. Sadly, I'm kind of excited to see what Kate decides to wear down the aisle. She has been a little risque in the past, but she will certainly set the trends for bridal fashions this fall.
Middleton (in Issa) at the Boodles Boxing Ball in 2008
Middleton (in Issa) at a children's charity auction in London during 2009
So, how will you celebrate (or ignore) the union of Will and Kate? Be sure to cast your vote on my poll in the upper-right corner!
Although I am breaking a lot of traditions with my wedding, I am very fond of my Norwegian heritage and would like to incorporate my heritage as much as possible into the details of my ceremony and reception. Although I am not the most agile dancer, I really admire Norwegian folk dancing. Since I was a child, my favorite traditional dance has been the 2,000-year-old hallingdans. The dance is usually (and conveniently, for my part) performed by young men at weddings and other special events.
Despite its overwhelming masculinity, the halling is an incredibly entertaining dance to watch and crowds often get involved by cheering on the dancer or one of several dancers. The halling is an acrobatic, athletic competition between male dancers. I imagine the groom had to prove his strength and agility in order to win over his bride. I wonder if Alex has the skills to dance the halling? Perhaps I should test him…
Hallingdans has several notable acrobatic dance moves, one of which is known as hallingkast. In this move, a woman becomes involved with the role of holding a hat high on a stick or something similar, and the male dancer is supposed to kick down the hat. Hallingkast is the ultimate test of strength and coordination, since the hat is supposed to be held 7-9 feet above the floor. Below is a video of a Norwegian dancer doing the hallingdans according to tradition.
The hallingdans recently witnessed a modern revival after Alexander Rybak won the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest. His winning song, “Fairytale,” was inspired by the traditional dance and is often performed in collaboration with the Frikar Dance Company, whose founder is known as the “reinventor of halling.”
The dance was also recently featured on the Norwegian version of "So You Think You Can Dance." The video is in Norwegian, so if you're like me, you'll be mesmerized by the language and Norwegian accents.
What do you think of incorporating heritage and family traditions into your wedding or reception?
Some brides with more gratuitous budgets opt for purchasing multiple dresses -- usually one for the ceremony and one for the reception. The dress worn for the reception is usually a more modern and sexier style fit for dancing and partying late into the night. A recent (but hard to find) trend in bridal fashion has been the 2-in-1 dress (a.k.a convertible dress, detachable skirt). Instead of purchasing two pricey gowns, the bride can transform into a new look with a simple unzip or unbutton.
I have mixed reviews about these dresses. I absolutely love the concept, but many of the 2-in-1 dresses I have seen don't "wow" me in both forms (the ceremony version and the reception version). Usually, I like the dress one way or the other, but not both. Some dresses look great when transformed into a white cocktail dress, but fall flat when they are lengthened with the detachable skirt. Then there are those dresses that look great in their longer version, but seem a bit awkward (and maybe too short) when the detachable skirt is removed.
If you're looking to try on some 2-in-1 dresses (like me), you'll have to do some searching. Not all bridal salons have caught on to the trend, and many that have only have one or two convertible dresses in-stock. If you're dead-set on trying on some of these, I suggest making a few simple phone calls to get an idea of which shops offer the best inventory of sample dresses.
So, what do you think of these 2-in-1 dresses? Would you wear one of these gowns?
Recently I discovered some blogs through getmarried.com. A recent post by SummerK got me thinking about the role of traditions in modern weddings. As I've mentioned before, I don't really consider myself a traditional bride. I like to do things just a little differently and more memorable. My mother will officiate our wedding and my dad will walk me down the aisle, but that's pretty much where the traditions stop when it comes to our wedding. On her blog, SummerK lists 10 classic wedding traditions that "were made to be broken," and based on my current plans, I seem to already be breaking quite a few of them. Below is eight breakable traditions from SummerK's list, and my reactions to each one.
My engagement ring
1. Diamonds Aren’t Every Girl’s Best Friend — I have mixed feelings about this one. My engagement ring is all diamonds, and I think the diamond will always have a firm place in the realm of engagement rings. However, I've been entertaining less traditional ideas for my wedding band. My birthstone is garnet and Alex's stone is amethyst, so I've been thinking about customizing a wedding band with these two alternating stones separated by diamonds. In the future, an anniversary ring could be added with the birthstone(s) of your child(ren).
2. Wedding March — I absolutely will not walk down the aisle to "Here Comes the Bride." No way. Among the most recent weddings I have been to, this seems like the most common tradition to break. Even Pachelbel's Canon has been overdone. I haven't decided what song would suit me best, but I'm not against playing a song with lyrics. The JK Wedding Entrance Dance went viral on the internet and even sent the wedding party to do a reenactment on the Today Show.
3. The Big “Unveiling” — Ever since I was a little girl, I've told my mom that I will never wear a veil on my wedding day. What's the point? I may wear a headpiece or something similar in my hair, but brides spend a lot of money on hair and make-up so they shouldn't have to cover it up.
4. “Obey” is SO Not OK — I have been absolutely appalled when I've attended modern weddings that have not made the necessary updates to the vows. Traditional vows that say "obey" and announce the couple as "Man and Wife" don’t reflect the modern state of women. Have a chat with your officiant and see what kind of options you have for vows if you are choosing not to write your own. Typically, an officiant will have a handful of different version the couple can choose from and make minor changes to reflect them as a couple.
5. Crossing the (Receiving) Line – I absolutely hate waiting in line after the ceremony to give the bride and groom a hug. This tradition is particularly awkward for the guests of guests who have been dragged along as a date to the ceremony. I'd rather chat with the couple briefly at the reception and offer more personalized congratulations.
6. Dance, Dance Revolution– Yeah, I want to do most of the traditional dances -- one with Alex, one with my dad, and perhaps a "dollar dance," but I also like the idea of doing a moderately choreographed dance with my husband and/or bridal party.
7.Skip the Hokey Music — For the most part, I like to skip classic songs like "Celebrate" and the chicken dance, but there are just some songs you have to play at the reception, like "The Cupid Shuffle" and the "Cha Cha Slide." And, for my family, no dance is complete without a little AC/DC.
8.Let Them Eat Cake (At Someone Else’s Wedding) — In a previous post, I mentioned that cupcakes will replace the traditional tiered wedding cake at our reception, but pie or a dessert bar are just as much fun. Plus, these modern options are easier to package and send along with guests after the reception.
Since we haven't had our engagement pictures taken yet, it's a little too early to be putting together save-the- dates...but it's hard to resist. I recently came across a site called weddingpaperdivas.com, an online company that specializes in wedding invitations, bridal shower invitations, and save-the-date cards. It's a little like Shutterfly or Snapfish, but they focus exclusively on wedding-related documents.
Instead of hiring someone to create your save-the-date cards, save some money and DIY. I like to save even more money and use sites like these just to get some ideas. After some brainstorming sessions, I try my hand at creating my own with Adobe Photoshop. This way, you can save money both on the printing and creative sides of the project.
Out of all the sites I have looked at, weddingpaperdivas.com seems to offer the greatest variety in size, shape, color, and design. Since I'm not sure what kind of approach I want to take with my save-the-dates and invitations, I decided to have some fun and fell in love with a save-the-date card that seems to be a good match for high school sweethearts. Below is a screenshot of the card I created using the template "Schoolyard Crush." Because our engagment pictures haven't been shot, I used two photos from our high school days. If I decided to pursue this option, I would like to have a photo of us at 16 years-old on the left and an engagement photo on the right.
I'm really not a big fan of cake toppers. Most of the ones I've seen are gaudy and take away from the beauty of the cake. However, I do have a soft spot for using initials as a cake topper. Either the single letter to represent the last name or three initials to represent the first names of the bride and groom and their new last name. It's simple and elegant.
Although, if you're interested in a bride/groom cake topper, weddingstar.com has a lot of creative variations of the traditional figurine.
"Motorcycle Getaway"
"Showered With Love"
Recently, I've come across several sites that create custom wedding cake toppers. Most of them resemble charicatures and distorted bobble heads. It's kind of fun, but they look incredibly awkward and juvenile on top of a cake. You can email the company a photo of you and your fiance, and they will customize the faces of the cake topper to resemble your own. Next, choose the skin, hair, and eye colors, and you're good to go. Be prepared to drop a pretty hefty sum. Toppers created through microdwarf.com average about $180-$200. You can even add a figurine of your pet(s) for $50 more.
So, I'm not really at the point where I need to choose my flowers, but it's been really fun entertaining different ideas over the past few months. I don't consider myself very traditional, so I know roses just aren't the right flower for me. There's a home near my parents' house that always has the most beautiful, bright blue hydrangeas in their front yard during the summer, and since my sister's wedding in July 2009, I have really liked the idea of hydrangeas in bridal bouquets.
Hydrangea centerpieces
The hydrangea is a relatively simple flower with dozens of compact blooms in a naturally rounded cluster on each stem. The groupings of the bloom clusters make for a very full, well-rounded bouquet. The clusters of bloom usually range in size from two to three inches across, and larger variations of the flower can grow upwards of six to seven inches across. The individual blossoms are symmetrical and resemble a rounded star shape. In addition, hydrangeas have a lovely, light smell that won't overpower you or your guests on the big day. The best thing about hydrangeas? They bloom in a wide range of colors and are at their peak beginning in early spring into the early months of fall, making them suitable for a wide range of color palettes and weddings that range from April to late September.
Black-and-white anemone bouquet
After watching an episode of David Tutera's My Fair Wedding, I have also come to love the anemone, especially the black-and-white variation. In folklore, the anemone supposedly signifies anticipation, so what better flower to accompany you down the aisle? Like hydrangeas, anemones are also in season for several months. You can purchase anemones through your florist usually any time between November and June.
Well, after months of debate and consideration, I have finally decided on my wedding photographer. Being an amateur photographer myself, I knew this would be a difficult decision for me. It took me months to decide on the photographer who would take my senior photos, so I knew choosing a wedding photographer would be even more trying. So who's the lucky winner? Dan Philips Photography out of Cedar Falls, IA.
A few tips for choosing a wedding photographer:
Attend some bridal shows, and do some meet and greets with a few area photographers.
Do some online research and try to narrow down your options by looking at photographer websites.
Define your style. What kind of photos do you want to capture your big day? Do you like traditional wedding photography or a more photo-journalistic style?
Ultimately, you have to "like" your photographer and have some sort of relationship with them. Make sure your ideas and goals coincide with those of your photographer.
Ask questions! What do their packages include? Can you customize your own photography package? What types of technology do they use? What are your rights to the finished photos after the wedding?
Do you want special effects and alterations done to your photos? Check to see if this is an option with the photographers you are looking into and ask to see a portfolio of their work.
Ask for references from past clients. Some photographers provide testimonials on their website. Ask if you can get in touch with the couples featured on the site to ask them more in-depth questions.
Ask how many photographers will be present at your event, and make sure you are meeting someone who will definitely be photographing your wedding. (It's ideal to have at least two photographers).
Get everything in writing.
Don't settle. It's your day, and your photographer should conform to your needs and wants.
The Knot also provides some great tips for choosing a photographer.
I’ve already attended my fair share of bridal fairs in Eastern Iowa. January - March seems to be the peak season for these events in order to precede the summer wedding rush. For those of you who have attended bridal fairs, or those who plan on attended some in the future, I offer just a few suggestions and tips:
For those of you getting married in Iowa, sign up for a FREE Iowa Bridal Planner, and bring it with you when you attend fairs.
If you don't have a planner, bring a notebook or some other device that allows you to take notes. Even if you do not choose to go with any of the vendors, you are likely to encounter a lot of great ideas that you can DIY at a much lower cost. Also, many shows offer free bags to collect business cards and brochures, but be prepared with your own folder or bag in case they are not provided for you.
“Couple cards” are a new trend I recently saw featured in the spring 2011 issue of get married. For those vendors you have a serious interest in, consider creating couple cards with your names, phone number, email, address, and a photo of you and your future hubby to help people remember you. Trust me, your hand is going to get really tired from writing down all of that information on all of those forms at the vendors’ booths. Make it a little easier on you. The vendor will appreciate not having to interpret handwriting that can be difficult to read (especially with email addresses). Shop.getmarried.com offers many different themes for personalized couple cards, but I suggest looking into vistaprint.com for possible less-expensive options.
Check to see if your venue (or preferred venue) hosts their own bridal show. Many venues host these events and offer great prize packages associated with the venue and their preferred vendors.
While it’s fun to sign-up for all of those great prizes and gifts, you also have to be somewhat cautious in the types of personal information you are handing over. Don’t write down a phone number unless necessary, or if you are serious about a specific vendor. Unless you want your inbox flooded with wedding emails that will eventually become irrelevant, create a new email address specifically for these events so you can delete the account after your wedding.
Although it is good to attend bridal fairs to get ideas and tips, try to attend fairs that are located in the area you plan on hosting your ceremony and reception. If you fall in love with the services of a vendor at a show, keep in mind that they may not be able to offer you the same services due to travel restrictions.
Although there are many great vendors at these events, keep in mind that they are not the only ones you have to choose from. You are by no means limited to the typical vendors that show up for these fairs. Many of the bridal fair vendors are on the more expensive side, since they have the funds available to purchase a booth at the event and other forms of promotion. Some of the best vendors don’t pursue this type of publicity, so you may have to network with other local brides to hear word-of-mouth promotion. Websites such as weddingmapper.com also offer great “real bride” testimonials and ratings for various vendors.
Since I’ve done a couple posts about dresses, I thought it would only be fair to write one just for the guys -- tuxes! Can I just say, I hate bow ties, tailcoats, and white tuxes? Basically, anything your father would have worn for his wedding, should probably be updated for your own post-1980s nuptials.
Khaki suits have become a recent trend among grooms; however, these seem to work best for casual, beach weddings. In my case, my groom is needing something a bit more formal. We did some tux browsing online at Milroy’s Tuxedos (which, by the way, is infinitely more boring than dress shopping online) and came across the 2011 Calvin Klein collection. Thankfully, Alex was drawn to this contemporary, two-button, Grey Legend tux. I really like the added touch of the satin edges. An added bonus: the grey would coordinate with our wedding colors. Now the real question is…purple vest/tie or matching grey?
Thank goodness Alex wasn't drawn to this little number
Think bridal fairs are just for brides? In January, I attended the Northeast Iowa Bridal Fair at Heartland Acres in Independence and was able to reserve the "Grey Legend" tux style for Alex and his groomsmen at the 2011 price for our 2012 wedding through Eschen’s Clothing.
One of the biggest trends in weddings is transforming the look of a dress from ceremony to reception. Many brides are also opting to allow their bridesmaids to wear different dress styles. I discovered the “twist dress” by Dessy Group via a Facebook ad. As soon as I changed my relationship status from “In a Relationship” to “Engaged,” the right side of my Facebook profile blew up with wedding-related ads. A majority of the ads are not applicable to me, but I was intrigued by this ad after seeing twist dresses on David Tutera’s My Fair Wedding. Among changes to the ceremony and reception, Tutera frequently changes both the bride’s and the bridesmaids’ dresses. In several recent episodes, Tutera has opted for different versions of the twist dress.
I know a lot of brides say they want their bridesmaids to purchase dresses that they can wear again, but let’s be honest, how many of those dresses do we ever take back out of the closet? Depending on the number of weddings you’ve been in, it starts to look a little like Katherine Heigl’s closet in 27 Dresses. The twist dress is one of the few bridesmaid styles I have seen where I can truly picture someone wearing the dress on multiple occasions. The dress can be twisted into an elegant, ceremony-worthy style, but quickly transformed into a fun party/reception look. The jersey material and a more relaxed, fun twist allows this dress to double for date nights and other less formal affairs. Watch the video below to see some of the twistable styles.
The twist dress from Dessy Group comes in both full and cocktail lengths, allowing the bride to achieve different looks based on the theme and location of her wedding. I really like the cocktail-length version, because I can see this style worn after a wedding more so than the full-length version of the dress. I am definitely considering the twist dress as a possibility for my bridesmaids, but I’m not sure which style would coincide best with the overall look and feel I want to achieve.
The twist dress is available in 22 different colors in a washable matte jersey fabric. Based on the color swatches, a bride would almost certainly be able to find an approriate shade (I personally prefer the “concord” shade). There are a couple downsides to this dress, however. I’m not sure if any bridal boutiques offer this dress or similar styles in their stores. It would be difficult to decide on a bridesmaid dress without allowing your bridesmaids to try it on first. The different twistable options don’t necessarily guarantee that the dress will be flattering to all body types. The dress sizes also range from XS (0-4) to 2X (26-28), but a size 0 and a size 4 are two very different sizes. As far as dresses are concerned, I prefer to get a customized size based on my exact measurements.
If you're like me, and you're not sure if the twist dress is for you, you can purchase a sample-on-loan dress for $35 (either cocktail or full-length) in your color choice. However, the sample must be sent back within 48 hours with the pre-paid shipping label.
I’m sure many of those who are planning a wedding have encountered David Tutera, the infamous celebrity wedding planner . Though I’m sure most of us have never actually been to a Tutera wedding, many have felt transported to his events via My Fair Wedding, a WE tv original series in which Tutera lends his expertise to non-celebrity brides. Tutera shows up just three weeks before the selected bride’s wedding and essentially turns everything around. Many brides think they know what they want on their big day, but sometimes we all can get carried away. Colors clash. Themes collide. Brides meltdown. Although Tutera deals with a lot of brides that have very outlandish ideas, we can all learn some valuable tips from his sense of organization and his outstanding coordination skills.
My mother actually got me to watch this show. I’ve never really been enthused by reality television -- especially not wedding-related reality TV. However, after being hassled into watching a few episodes, I became addicted. It’s absolutely amazing how Tutera is able to work with and revise the bride’s original vision (or lack thereof) and create a truly remarkable, celebrity-worthy event. I’ve seen him execute outrageous wedding themes, such as Alice in Wonderland, the Wizard of Oz, and pirate-inspired. Somehow, they’ve all turned out classy and original.
So, naturally, as soon as I learned there was an open casting call for this show, I jumped on the nearest computer for more information. Good news 2011 brides, WE tv is accepting applications for those getting married between April 2011 and August 2011, as well as October 2011 and November 2011. However, the couple must reside or plan on hosting their wedding in Los Angeles or New York City. Based on the episodes that I have seen, you probably need a really outrageous theme in-mind, clashing ideas, or literally no plans at all. So those of you who have a good start on planning, forget about it. However, WE tv is casting for several other new and returning wedding shows. Visit their casting site to enter!
"Chelsea"
Tutera has also launched a wedding dress collection with Faviana, a leading designer of sophisticated evening wear. The collection, David Tutera by Faviana, is a line of luxurious wedding gowns inspired by celebrity red carpet fashions. Remember Chelsea Clinton’s Vera Wang dress featured in my previous post? Tutera has designed his own version of the gown, appropriately named "Chelsea.”
Find an authorized David Tutera by Faviana dealer near you!
“Every bride deserves to have great design. I believe the bride knows who she is and how she wants to look and feel on her special day. Every gown I create reflects that respect for other women and how much design means to me.” --Vera Wang
Chelsea Clinton in Vera Wang
Recently, the infamous Vera Wang released a collection of bridal dresses through David’s Bridal. The collection is called White by Vera Wang and positioned as an affordable alternative to Wang’s traditional line of gowns. This is an interesting route for the designer synonymous with Vogue and couture fashion. Wang is arguably the most well-known bridal fashion designer, especially among celebrities. Among her celebrity clientele, Wang has designed bridal gowns for Chelsea Clinton, Victoria Beckham, Jennifer Lopez, and Kate Hudson.
The White by Vera Wang collection ranges in price between $600 and $1,400, a steal compared to Chelsea Clinton’s customized gown - inspired by Wang’s “Diana” at a cost of approximately $20,000.
The styles certainly look fashion-forward, and I especially love the folds of fabric on these two gowns (though they're probably not quite my style):
VW351010
VW351011
The design of VW351011 looks very similar to Clinton’s gown, but at a fraction of the cost. Since the gowns are inexpensive, I wonder if the quality of the fabric reinforces their fashionista designs.
I have to admit I am pleasantly surprised by this collection. I have never been a huge fan of the bridal warehouse style of David’s Bridal, so it’s a shock to see them partnering with such a big name in the fashion industry. Looks like an excellent marketing and repositioning move on behalf of the company. I will start dress shopping next month and have become intrigued by this collection despite my less than positive view of the David’s Bridal chain.
The Spring 2011 White collection has been so well-received, Wang has announced a bridal party partnership with David’s Bridal, as well. This June, your bridesmaids can also snag a Vera dress for $150-$200.
Want to learn more about White by Vera Wang? Get a few laughs and watch the clip below of Wang as a guest on E!'s Chelsea Lately.
