Two Days Out!

To all of our beautiful brides, “I understand.” I understand the drama, the excitement, the stress, the happiness, and most of all the utmost craziness of planning a wedding. I am two days out from my big day and it makes me think the last year and four months have been a big whirlwind. I take a lot of pride in being organized and getting a lot of planning done in advance. Well I hit reality hard. It doesn’t matter how much you do in advance or how organized you are, when planning a wedding there is just so much you have to do in your last two weeks! When it comes to head counts, food choices, and seating arrangements you are at the mercy of your guests. You can’t get any of that nailed down until you hear from you guests or track them down! Stressful.

But then you get to enjoy the other side of planning. The laughing and the nonsense. I have been very fortunate to have wonderful vendors, just like the North Carolina vendors I get to work with every day. They have made planning the wedding very simple. Online resources have been a key to my planning success. How convenient it was to sit at home and enjoy dinner while planning a big Minnesota event that was 6 months away! My colors are black, white and yellow. Of course I’ve searched for all things yellow! I had to have lemons in my arrangements and my florist happily agreed as long as a got them and brought them. Here is a picture of my mom and our purchase of 329 lemons! Thank goodness for flatbed carts!
I am so anxious to see every detail come together. I believe every piece is gorgeous, but I can’t fathom everything all together. Our ceremony is outdoors, so I have been checking the weather ever since the internet can post a 10 day forecast. Accurate or not, 10% rain has sent me to tears on day 9! But I took a deep breath and 0% appeared the next day. Have faith.

My biggest piece of advice to future brides is to enjoy. Enjoy the fun moments and have faith in your closest supporters to get you through the “not-so-fun” moments. Bottom-line, this is going to be the most memorable day for your life and your fiancé will be stunned. Have full confidence that you are the most gorgeous bride to walk this earth and show your guests one heck of a time.

Ps: If you ever need to vent, I completely understand! Throw it at me!

With Love,

Mia

The Bride's Book

Account Executive Western Carolina and Triad Area

Creative Bridal and Wedding Portraits

Image from Kiss the Groom

Image from Kiss the Groom

I saw this wedding on Kiss the Groom a couple of weeks back and threw a handful of images into an inspiration folder on my computer. While going back through them looking for inspiration, it struck me. This gal isn't doing a day after shoot. She was on that horse during ON her wedding day! Note the ceremony arch and guests in the background. That's freaking awesome!

Image from Kiss the Groom

So it got me thinking. Why is it that brides put so much time and energy into customizing their wedding celebration only to default to safe, standard bridal portraits? Especially with such mad wedding photography talent available. Wedding photography has come a long way and you can find plenty that look a stunning as editorial shoots in a magazine.

Image from Style Me Pretty

Image from Two Ring Studios

OK, let me take a step back here and say that traditional, classic portraiture will stand the test of time and won't look dated in 10, 20, or 30 years. And classic portraiture is wonderful in is own way. But why not also embrace your own personality and tap into your photographer's creativity? To truly capture your wedding story, I suggest you consider doing both.

Image from Kiss the Groom

Image from Style Me Pretty

I'm not talking about a Trash the Dress (TTD) session. I'm talking about rocking the dress and highlighting your style and personality, while taking full advantage of your photographer's talents.

Image from Two Ring Studios

So how creative would you be willing to get with your pictures on your wedding day? What would best express your personal style and creativity?

MWAH!
~The Hindsight Bride

The Unexpected…A Classic Look at a Rustic Venue

This week's featured company is Engaging Events in Mount Pleasant, SC. A returning advertiser for the Bride's Book Magazine & www.thebridesbook.com.

Engaging Events is a wedding planning service offering consultation, coordination and design services. Lead by Consultant Cindy Zingerella, Engaging Events guides couples through the wedding planning process, creating a wedding and reception that reflects their distinct personality and sense of Style. Our expertise with design and décor enables us to add creative elements to each affair resulting in a unique event for each of our clients.

Here's a sample of their work from a wedding done this past March at Boone Hall Plantation in Mt. Pleasant, SC

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Heather and Antony were married at beautiful Boone Hall Plantation . The backdrop being the breathtaking avenue of Oaks was…

…Such a romantic setting for a romantic couple!

Their ceremony location was not one of the typical locations clients choose at Boone Hall but since they were hosting such an intimate affair, the lawn area near the historic slave homes was the perfect spot. Here, they could capture all the beauty of the Avenue of Oaks.

The Unexpected….

The design and decor was a bit of the unexpected at the Cotton Dock at Boone Hall Plantation.

Heather and Antony loved the crisp clean look of a white wedding- so we added a bit of platinum to set it off.

However, the crystal chandeliers, and cafe lighting mixed with the white fabric draping was a bit different from what you would typically

see at that location…but it worked sooooo well! This was definitely one of our favorites!

Our florist, Judy, fashioned several styles of centerpieces to keep each table unique and interesting.

Here you see a moss covered tray with white dendrobium orchids at varying heights.

We would like to thank Lowcountry Photojournalism for the great photography, Snyder Party Rentals for the Tables, Chairs & linens, Duvall Catering for the Fabulous food and of course…

Heather & Antony for letting us be a part of such a special time in their lives!

All the fabric draping, chandeliers, and gorgeous flowers are Engaging Events creations- thanks Team!

www.engagingeventscharleston.com

Brides in Boots

Image from Para Ti Nova Blog

In addition to being a Hindsight Bride, I am a consummate mountain girl. I've lived in the mountains most of my life, so I've spend a fair about of time in boots. Not cowboy boots necessarily, but snow boots, hiking boots, ski boots, rain boots, rock climbing booties.

Image from 100 Layer Cake

When I was considering shoes for our wedding, I noticed an old pair of my mother-in-law's hiking boots in the entryway. I had worn them before when I had forgotten my own boots on visits. We are a hiking family. When the mood strikes, we are apt to go for an impromptu hike at any time. More than a few time I ended up hiking in her boots.

Photo from the Hindsight Bride

They're fairly retro looking, and by retro I mean cool. I asked how old the boots were, thinking it might be fun to represent my new family by walking down the aisle in my mother-in-law's hiking boots. When she told me that she got the boots in the 80's and they were the very first gift she had received from her husband when they were dating, the deal was sealed. I wore my mother-in-laws hiking boots down the aisle (see above). So, today's post is a tribute to all the brides in boots out there.

Image from WNC Photographer Portrait of You Photography

Cowboy boots are an obvious choice for many mountain and country brides. I can totally see an old pair of cowboy boots having great sentimental value. Perhaps you were wearing your cowboy boots when you met, or perhaps you can wear your mother's or mother-in-law's boots.

Image from Style Me Pretty

Living close to Asheville, I am reminded that cowboy boots don't have to be all country and horsey. Here Two Ring Studios captures an urban cowboy vibe for this Brides Book photo shoot.

Image courtesy WNC Photographer Two Ring Studios via The Brides Book

Of course there are many options beyond cowboy boots out there. Little white lace Victorian booties are a lovely detail for a vintage wedding, and high leather riding boots add English country charm to an country estate inspired wedding. I like to remind people that western North Carolina is not always about horse farms and rustic barns. The Biltmore and The Grove Park Inn both offer grand, nineteenth century elegance for the vintage bride or classic European country charm the old world country bride.

Image courtesy WNC Photographer Blend Photography


Image from Green Wedding Shoes

Boots can also express parts of your personality. Maybe your a desert bohemian bride, industrial chic bride, or practical chic bride who lives in her Uggs--rain or shine. The point is to find a style that suits you.

Image from Style Me Pretty

Image from Elizabeth Anne Designs

Image from Perfect Bound

And of course, boots are at their core infinitely practical. Snowy weather, rainy weather and the call of the ski slopes all call for a different boot. My advice is to not be afraid to wear a functional boot with your wedding gown.

Image from Charlotte Geary Photography


Image from My Kate Parker Wedding

Image from Catherine Hall Photography

Unique Ways to Wear your Mother's Dress

Will You Wear your Mother's Dress?

Image from Elly B Events

This bride did! And oh how absolutely gorgeous! No? But not every bride can fit into her mother's dress. Or sometimes the mother's dress does not fully survive the passage of time. Or, not every bride wants to wear her mother's gown; she wants her own.

Remember when Khloe Kardashian married Lamar Odum after a whirlwind three week engagement. Remember how excited her mother was to help her plan? Remember when her mother pulled out her own wedding gown, carefully preserved and offered it to Khloe. Remember when Khloe laughed at it, making her mother cry? And remember when sister Kim tried on the gown and showed their mother, trying to lighten the mood and appease their mother?

Image from MyStyle.com

When I saw that episode, my heart went out to the mom. She had carefully and lovingly preserved her gown with the thought that, one day, one of them would want to wear it. On the other hand, I'm not sure *I'd* be terribly excited about donning that big poufy frock either. It's sooooo 80s, and not necessarily in a good way...at least not yet. (We might have to give it another 10 years or so before that kind of 80s retro comes back into vogue.)

Nonetheless, many brides like the idea of somehow incorporating their mother's dress into their wedding. So what's a bride and her mother to do if it just that simple? A few ideas have surfaced across the wedding blogosphere. Check out how these real brides got creative with their moms' wedding gowns.

From The Brides Cafe

"Jennifer had a seamstress take the lace from her mother's wedding gown to make a cover for the bible used at the ceremony!"

From WeddingBee Pro:

"Jenny's lovely gown was custom-made at L'ezu Atelier in Beverly Hills. The rosette on the neckline and lace along the back of the dress were salvaged from her mother's wedding gown."

From Perfect Bound:

"The bride, although smitten with her Vera Wang gown, also chose to wear her mother's wedding gown for the latter part of the reception. The vintage lace tea length dress was handmade by her mother's grandmother in 1962."

And the Mother of them all! From the Southwestern Bride:

"The Bride had a Lazaro Gown and had a seamstress in Beaumont create several heirloom pieces from her mother’s wedding gown. Her veil was custom made with the appliqué’s that were on her mother’s veil, and the lace that trimmed the train on her gown lined the entire outside edge of my veil..."

"...The Bride [also] shortened the length of her mother’s wedding gown and wore it when they left their reception."

"Handkerchiefs for the Brides sister and godsister, mother, mother-in-law and herself were made out of extra lace from her mothers gown."

So if you or your mother have long envisioned that you walking down the aisle in her dress, but it's just not feasible, think outside the box, and consider incorporating her dress in other ways.

Wearing White is a Choice, So is Wearing Color!

A few months back, I wrote a post on Hindsight Bride about wedding trends I was loving. The very first trend I was lovin' was colorful dresses. By and large, I found most of those images on more offbeat and indy sites. But oh how things have changed in a few short months !

Image from Martha Stewart Weddings

Case in point. The mainstream maven of beauty and elegance, Martha Stewart, has this month featured a sweet, colorful, NYC, Carnival-themed wedding in her print magazine, Martha Stewart Weddings. In typical Martha fashion, it was beautiful, with every detail meticulously and creatively attended to. However, what was atypical was the brides dress. A gorgeous peach-colored, couture gown. Let me say that again, a peach-colored...ok, that's it, nuff said.

Color is everywhere! And not just on the runway, but also in the blogoshphere, donned by real brides. Some real brides are wearing just a blush of pale color. Pale pinks, champagnes, and dusty blues overlayed with white lace all make elegant and romantic gowns.

Image from the RecycledBride.com


Image from WeddingWindow.com



Image From Elizabeth Ann Designs

Other real brides are going for a stronger pop of color:

Image from 100 Layer Cake

And still others go for a classic, little black dress look:

Image from A Mountain Bride

Now that's not to say the runway isn't popping withcolro! Vera's Spring 2010 collection was full of color:

Above Image block from Vera Wang Weddings

And her fall collection continues to add interest to the classically white gown by incorporating bold black accents. I just love the black gloves!

Above Three Images from Vera Wang Weddings

So if you're the type of bride that has trouble wearing white--which, let's face it, is a hard color for many of us to wear--or if you just want to add interest to your gown, consider wearing a gown with some color. Whether soft pale romantic colors, or big bold modern colors, it is no longer so difficult to find a wedding gown in a color other than white.