Wedding Stories

Just in!!

2011-11-16T11:19:00.000-05:00

WeddingStories Cinema 2012 The Knot Best of Wedding award winner. Voted by brides and grooms nationwide! Thank you.

Diana + Jeffrey | Same Day Teaser

2011-10-29T09:48:00.002-04:00

Hotel Providence Wedding, Lindsay + Justin

2011-10-29T09:44:00.000-04:00

Same Day Cinema

Oceancliff Newport | Danielle + Cillian

2011-10-29T09:37:00.001-04:00

Same Day Sneak Peek

Nicole and Ryan | Same Day Cinema

2011-10-07T12:21:00.001-04:00

Wow! The Same Day Cinema presentation of Nicole and Ryan's stunning Hotel Viking wedding. Ken Maccarone and staff created a visual masterpiece that was a joy to film. Faith C. Dugan-Dubé and Peter Silvia provided the gorgeous photography of the day. Victor Rodrigues of Victor from Party Time did what he always does --dance floor packed! Konditor Meister Inc. never ceases to amaze me. Beautiful bride and groom, beautiful day.

Liz, Nuno and DJ Pauly D

2011-09-18T10:09:00.002-04:00

An impromptu stop at Waterplace Park resulted in a "Jersey Shore surprise for bride and groom Elizabeth Martins and Nuno Santos. Celeb DJ Pauly D was in the middle of his Providence concert. We talked our way onto the Terrace and got some "fist pumping" footage. Apparently Victor Rodrigues from Victor from Party Time wasn't impresssed. Lets go to the videotape. Jennifer Neves, Milestones Flowers and Lori Andrade all fantastic today.

Christina and Lee | Ocean House Sneak Peek

2011-09-16T13:22:00.000-04:00

Allison and Raymond| Boston Harbor Hotel

2011-07-25T00:34:00.001-04:00

Faith and Jeff- Rhythm of Love

2011-07-20T10:24:00.000-04:00

Tania and Todd- Salve Regina Chapel-Newport,RI

2011-07-20T10:21:00.001-04:00

A Ceremony moment.

Jessica and Michael-Sneak Peek

2011-07-20T10:19:00.000-04:00

Faith and Jeff-Same Day Cinema

2011-07-20T10:18:00.000-04:00

Amanda and Jensy-Saltwater Farm Vineyard

2011-07-20T10:08:00.000-04:00

Jessica and Michael-Sneak Peek

2011-07-07T20:44:00.001-04:00

Tiffany and Brian

2011-07-01T22:59:00.001-04:00

Kim and Roger-When Love Takes Over

2011-06-19T22:23:00.000-04:00

Same Day Edit-Sarah and James

2011-06-17T11:33:00.001-04:00

Shot, edited and played on location. Result = A very happy bride and groom.

Linden Place / Kim and Dan

2011-06-08T22:07:00.002-04:00

Kim and Dan

2011-06-08T22:06:00.001-04:00

Meredith and Alex-Newport / Regatta Place

2011-06-02T07:34:00.000-04:00

Venue: Newport Experience Regatta Place

Nerejda and Filgen-Belle Mer/ Highlight Vignette

2011-06-02T07:33:00.000-04:00

Photograher: Faith Dugan
Venue: Belle Mer

Belle Mer/ Decor and Uplighting-Nerejda and Filgen

2011-06-02T07:30:00.003-04:00

Uplighting and Design by: WeddingStories Uplighting

Venue: Belle Mer

Kara and Michael - Highlight/Belle Mer

2011-06-02T07:21:00.004-04:00

Venue: Belle Mer

Janine and Ross -Belle Mer/Montage

2011-05-23T09:58:00.001-04:00

Photog: Faith Dugan
Venue: Belle Mer

Nicole and Andy by WeddingStories RI

2011-05-23T09:56:00.001-04:00

Andy, the professional soccer player in Europe met the beautiful Nicole while playing soccer for Boston University. These two have an incredibly fun and loving relationship and this wedding was a blast. Jennifer Neves was the photographer and set up great shots for me all day--thanks Jen. She even saved the day when there was a spill on the gown. The Night Rhythm band kept this party rolling all night at Regatta Place. Golden Gate (who else!) did the flowers. So as the song says lets "kick" it off.

Jyllian and Jason-The Biltmore

2011-05-23T09:48:00.000-04:00

The Venue: The Biltmore
The Photog: Melissa Robotti
Florist: Flowers by Semia

Stef and Jon-Glen Manor Wedding

2011-05-23T09:45:00.000-04:00

Venue: Glen Manor House
Photog: DB Photograghy
DJ: Victor from PartyTime
Flowers: Golden Gate
Bride and Groom: Stephanie and Jon--fun.fun.fun!

Jen and Jay - WeddingStories RI

2011-05-23T09:42:00.000-04:00

Jen and Jay, the ultimate videographers dream couple. They have been game for just about anything from the start (see TTD session in 0 degrees earlier this year). Here is a video teaser for them to enjoy. Jen and Jay, you are one of a kind and I will always consider both of you a friend. Thank you for all your support.
Vendor credits on this great day go to: Zenobia Photography,and All 4 You DJ’S.
PS: I got the opening "ring roll" shot to stop on the first take! I swear.

Kimberly and Bobby

2011-05-23T09:40:00.000-04:00

Venue: Indian Pond Country Club
Photog: Jenni V
DJ: Nu Image

2011 Brides Choice Winner

2011-05-07T00:49:00.004-04:00

WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, is thrilled to announce WeddingStories RI has been selected to receive the prestigious annual WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 for Videography

Recognition for the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 is determined by recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 750,000 WeddingWire newlyweds. Our past clients are among those that shared their experiences on WeddingWire, the largest wedding review site in the nation.

WeddingStories RI stands among the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire community, representing quality and service excellence within the wedding industry. Awards were given to the top wedding professionals across 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, and were based on the overall professional achievements throughout the past year.

“WeddingWire is honored to celebrate the success of the top-rated wedding professionals within the WeddingWire community,” said Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “With the annual Bride’s Choice Awards™ program, WeddingWire has the unique opportunity to recognize the best wedding professionals across the US and Canada.

We are happy to announce that WeddingStories RI is among the very best within the WeddingWire Network, which includes leading wedding planning sites WeddingWire, Martha Stewart Weddings, Project Wedding and Weddingbee. We would like to thank our past clients for nominating us to receive the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011.

For more information on the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011, please visit www.WeddingWire.com.

Nerejda and Filgen-Belle Mer Decor and Photo Shoot

2011-05-07T00:01:00.002-04:00

We provided the video coverage and the uplighting at Belle Mer for Nerejda and Filgen.

A Wedding Story: Jess!

2011-01-19T06:48:00.001-05:00

This week's Wedding Story comes from a Featured Engagement Story a few months back. Remember Jess? She had her beautiful Newport wedding at the end of October and was nice enough to come back and share her day with us!

When did you get married?
October 29, 2010

Where was your ceremony? Reception?

Ceremony was at Blessed Sacrament Church in Providence and Reception was at Oceancliff in Newport.

What made you choose that reception location?

Newport has been a big part of our relationship since the beginning. “Our” restaurant (Red Parrot) is there where we go to celebrate every anniversary. We spend a lot of time there during the summer days and Newport was also the setting for his proposal. We wouldn’t think to have our reception anywhere else but Newport. We chose Oceancliff because it’s secluded, right next door to what was once known as the Kennedy Compound and we just thought it was beautiful!

What was your favorite aspect of your wedding?

Walking down the aisle of the church. I always imagined the walk down the aisle and it was everything I thought it would be. It was also important that I had a long aisle to walk down (I guess I wanted the moment to last as long as possible since I only get one shot at it). I think that was the point where I had lots of emotions running through me…sad, anxious, excited, etc.

What was the best resource you used during the planning process?
The knot

At Jess’ wedding, there were several dessert options. For one, cake of course!

Each guest got a chocolate covered strawberry with their cake and a chocolate covered apple as their placecard. There was also a 20+ pie table!

What's the one thing you would have done differently?

My centerpieces. I loved my florist…they did a beautiful job with the bouquets, etc but I was disappointed with the centerpieces…they weren’t dramatic enough…

Bridal and bridesmaid bouquets

Any advice for future brides?

Plan everything you can in the beginning so that you don’t have much to do months or weeks before the wedding. That’s what I did and I was able to enjoy the time right before the wedding instead of running around trying to get things done. Also…try to pay all your vendors at least 2 months before the wedding. This is another thing we did which felt good that it was already taken care of so that you aren’t writing checks totaling thousands of dollars right before the wedding. Also, at the reception, take the time to look around the room. Cory and I did this during dinner and it was nice to see our guests having fun, etc. It did go by fast but we do remember everything…I was expecting it to be a total blur.

Photos courtesy of Zenobia Photography Studios.

If you'd like to be a Featured Wedding Story, please email me at legallybride@hotmail.com

“I do” Ideas: Winter Weddings!

2011-01-12T06:27:00.000-05:00

This week, given all the snow we’ve been getting in the Northeast, I thought we could look at how to pull off a Winter Wedding!

For attire, keep in mind the weather! If you plan on January or February and are not in the Southern US, you HAVE to be prepared for snow. Wear (or have in the wings) sensible shoes for trekking through. Personally, I love the idea of having these handy:

And then maybe these for later on during the reception:

For hair and other accessories, I like the idea of bringing in wintry shades of blue, like these:

Also for attire, you don’t have to choose long sleeve dresses but you do have to remember a jacket! (For you AND for your girls!) Does it have to be a big ol’ North Face? No, of course not. A color coordinating bolero is the cutest option in my opinion.

For flowers, I love the winter white!

If you do prefer a pop of color, I love these deep reds.

Same goes for the bouts. Stick with the winter branches and whites. These scream winter wedding to me!

For your winter ceremony, I love the idea of it being right in front of a beautiful fireplace. How cozy is this on a cold day?

At the reception for décor, I’m thinking branches,

holiday lighting,

and, of course, lots of candles!

For placecards, I love this standing “window” seating chart decorated with candles and greens, as well as these dark brown ones, again, accented by candles.

We all know I love a themed signature drink, so how about this bright blue number in a champagne glass? Or, even better, hot cocoa!

For cakes, I think, again, sticking with whites is key. Snowflakes, pinecones or even just flowers can help to decorate.

Don’t forget to bring your color and theme ideas into your favors and menus. People will notice all these special touches.

Finally, brave the cold and take a snowy picture! A little bit of frost bite, maybe, but you’ll survive!

Did you do a winter wedding? Or do you plan on doing one? I’d love to hear some of your ideas!

All images courtesy of The Knot, with the exception of the last image; Courtesy of Zenobia Studios.

A Wedding Story: Julie!

2011-01-05T06:41:00.000-05:00

This week's Wedding Story is Connecticut native Julie Marshall who had a 'destination wedding' you might say. Two summers ago she put together a beautiful beach wedding in local summer hotspot, Cape Cod. I'll let her tell you more about it...

When did you get married?
June 20, 2009.

Where was your ceremony? Reception?
Red Jacket Beach Resort, South Yarmouth, MA (Cape Cod)

What made you choose that reception location?
We wanted a place that we could have the ceremony on a private beach. It was one of the few places in RI, CT and MA that had their own beach that we could more or less take over. We were able to have the ceremony, reception, and rooms for guests at the same location. And their food was really really good!

What was your favorite aspect of your wedding?
Our ceremony and cocktail hour on the beach.

What was the best resource you used during the planning process?
The girls I met on the knot!

What's the one thing you would have done differently?
We would have shopped around more for a cake baker. Our cake was delicious but didn't look exactly as we had wanted it to.

Any advice for future brides?
Remember that whatever happens during the planning and during the wedding, none of it really matters. The only thing that matters is that at the end of the day you will be married to the person you love!

I think sometimes we forget how close (and beautiful!) Cape Cod is. What a great alternative for RI brides to consider for their weddings. Thanks, Julie!

Photo courtesy of Cregg Annarino.

If you'd like to be a Featured Wedding Story, please email me at legallybride@hotmail.com

A Wedding Story: Susan!

2010-12-29T06:45:00.000-05:00

This week’s Wedding Story comes from a bride who had a fabulous destination wedding in fabulous LAS VEGAS!

When did you get married?
We were married on May 1, 2010

Where was your ceremony? Reception?
We had a destination wedding! Our ceremony was held in the Classico Chapel at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, NV. Our dinner reception was held at Canaletto, a restaurant inside the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas, NV.

Godiva chocolate favors

What made you choose that reception location?
We originally had planned a bigger, traditional wedding in our hometown. All of our plans changed when my mom got very sick about 6 months before our original wedding date of June 13, 2009. We ended up canceling our plans to wait for her to get better. When she died, two weeks before our original date, we decided to go in a completely opposite direction for our wedding. We decided to go destination so that we could keep it small. I chose Canaletto at the Venetian because it is a beautiful restaurant with private rooms that overlook the canal that runs through the hotel. I had also eaten there before and knew that the food was amazing. It was perfect for us. There was a live string trio playing in the piazza below our private room, so we turned down the music we had playing and let the live music entertain our guests.

What was your favorite aspect of your wedding?
I truly loved our reception. We didn't have the typical reception with a dj and dancing. We simply had an amazing 6 course dinner in a beautiful room. We did keep some of the traditional elements though. The best man introduced us, we had a champagne toast, and had a phenomenal wedding cake. Because we only had 22 people there, we were able to go around and talk with all of our guests, and still were able to relax and really enjoy the evening.

What was the best resource you used during the planning process?
The Las Vegas wedding forum on theknot.com! The brides there are all so helpful and sweet. Past brides have put together a list of vendors and FAQs to help new brides in the planning process. I have formed wonderful relationships with some of the brides on that forum, and they definitely made the whole process easy and fun.

What's the one thing you would have done differently?
I wish I would have gotten more sleep the night before, I only got about 5 hours of sleep! After our reception, we had plans to go and have an after party at an outside lounge at the Mirage hotel, but I literally could not keep my eyes open! I really wish I would have been able to stay up with my guests and really enjoy the beautiful night!

Cake courtesy of Cake Designs LV

Any advice for future brides?
If you are planning a destination wedding, just know that you will have to give up some control. Also, make sure you take a minute to take it all in, the night will seriously fly by.

Photos courtesy of Deacon Tyler

If you'd like to be a Featured Wedding Story, please email me at legallybride@hotmail.com

A Wedding Story: Stef!

2010-12-22T05:35:00.004-05:00

This week’s Wedding Story comes from former Rhode Island knottie, Stef!

When did you get married?
Sunday, May 30, 2010!

Stef’s hair and make-up were done by Sam Cavalope and Krystal Treanor, respectively.

Stef’s Bouquet, courtesy of Golden Gate Studios

Where was your ceremony? Reception?
We held both at the Glen Manor House in Portsmouth, RI. Our ceremony and cocktails were outside in the gardens and our reception was inside the manor.

Some indoor & outdoor views of Glen Manor House

What made you choose that reception location?

We looked at over a dozen venues in Newport, Portsmouth and Southern Massachusetts but everything was too modern or too small or held more than one event at a time. When we walked in to the Glen we knew it was the place for us! I remember both of us were speechless and just walked around the grounds in awe. It is stunningly gorgeous with their flower gardens, gorgeous water views, the bridge and boat dock and of course the beach, rocks and woods! It has a little bit of everything! The manor itself is full of marble floors and fireplaces, antique furnishings, crystal chandeliers and all things vintage! We loved having the place to ourselves for the whole day and having Katie and Don, the care takers, take care of us for the day! It truly is your home for one very special day!

What was your favorite aspect of your wedding?
Jon and I wrote our own vows and successfully made everyone cry. We wanted to be corny, emotional and just our quirky selves. I wrote my vows to the pattern of, "Love is..." and Jon wrote his to the theme of, "We work because...". We mentioned everything from our love for the Red Sox to having ice cream for dinner and being each other's best friend. It is a moment we will never forget.

What was the best resource you used during the planning process?
We actually have several friends in the wedding business and picked their brains for information, ideas and other vendors. I will also give lots of credit to The Knot and especially the Rhode Island and Boston boards. The ladies on there are so helpful and honest and are truly supportive!

Stef’s groom along with their DJ, Victor from Party Time DJ’s

Cakes from Shemry’s Cakery

What's the one thing you would have done differently?
I would of tried to wash my hands more and have had my students do the same because I had the stomach flu on my wedding day! Silly germs...I should of sprayed down every inch of my classroom the week before! Oh well, at least I have a good story to tell the grandkids!

Any advice for future brides?
Something is going to go wrong on your wedding day. It might even be several things but you cannot help it or prevent it so you just need to go with the flow. Let someone else handle it, hire a day of coordinator or a wedding planner and be totally hands off the day of. It's your big day with your husband and just enjoy him and your wedding and don't worry about your flowers not being what you ordered. No one knows but you :) No melt downs, no bridezilla moments! No one wants to celebrate that!

Photos courtesy of David Bibeault

If you'd like to be a Featured Wedding Story, please email me at legallybride@hotmail.com

“I do” Ideas: Holiday Themed Weddings!

2010-12-15T05:30:00.000-05:00

I love this time of year & I (obviously) love weddings; so what’s better than putting the two together?!? How do you pull this off without your wedding looking like a cheesy corporate holiday party? Let’s walk through it…

First off, the invitations will play a part in setting up your theme. You could choose a simple white and red themed invitation, don’t forget the ribbon!

Not opting for red? Check out these white & silver snowflake themed “Winter Wonderland” beauties from East Six

For bridesmaids, I like darker colors for this time of year. There’s always the classic black.

Or any other array of darker shades or jewel tones. I love this dark red.

For the ceremony, I love these white branches as décor for the Winter Wonderland theme.

Onto the reception… There are lots of fun & unique place card options for the holiday theme.

While I do like this traditional white and red place card look with snowflakes in the background,

I love these next two ideas! Using pinecones as place cards,

Or creating snowflake ornaments! You could have them hanging on branches for your guests to find!

At the reception, you have a few color options in my opinion.

You can stick with the classic deep red theme.

Work it into your tables and linens,

Centerpieces & décor,

as well as your cake!

Another festive option is metallics; gold or silver.

I love how these centerpiece are both made up of many different parts but don’t look too cluttered.

And, of course, silver or gold cakes.

Finally, you could stick with the Winter Wonderland theme & use whites, with touches of blue or purple.

I love the little touches of snowflakes here…

And at the end of the night… Favors of course!

I LOVE the idea of ornaments that your guests can put up each year and remember your special day by.

Another idea? Edible favors! I love these little snowmen & gingerbread man cookies!

Staying in the holiday spirit, I found these shiny silver bells that were handed out as favors with ribbon tied around them.

Finally, what better gift to your guests at the end of the year than a planner for the following year?! LOVE this idea!

Did you have a holiday wedding (or do you dream on having one)? I’d love to hear your ideas!

All images from The Knot, unless otherwise noted.

A Wedding Story: Erika!

2010-12-08T05:43:00.001-05:00

This week’s Wedding Story comes from former Connecticut Knottie, Erika, or as all you bloggers know her, Mrs. B from Life with the Bruneau’s! Here’s Erika:

When did you get married?
September 6, 2009

Erika’s Bouquet

Where was your ceremony? Reception?
Our ceremony and reception were both at The Waterview in Monroe, CT

Some indoor & outdoor views of the Waterview

What made you choose that reception location?
The lake that the reception hall is located on. I really wanted a beach/outdoor wedding, and since there aren't too many place in CT to get married on the beach, this venue was the next best thing. I wouldn't change a thing...it was beautiful!!

Outdoor ceremony décor: Fans & chair flowers

What was your favorite aspect of your wedding?
Oh boy, I don't know if I can choose just one! I would have to say it was marrying the man of my dreams/my best friend. Everything was perfect, and I couldn't have asked for a better day. :)

What was the best resource you used during the planning process?
Hands down, The Knot...especially the CT message board! I can't thank those girls enough for all the advice/support they gave me. And, I've met some amazing friends through the process, as well.

Personalized Menus & Cocktail Napkins “Ear Drink and be Married”

What's the one thing you would have done differently?
I know it sounds cliché, but, I wish I didn't stress about all the little things. In the end, it's definitely not worth it. No matter what, everything will go perfectly.

Any advice for future brides?
Enjoy every single moment of *your* day. You deserve it! It goes by in the blink of an eye...literally. Take it all in, and remember to take some time alone for just you and your new husband. Sit back and look at all your family and friends who are there to celebrate with you, and who love you. It will be the best day of your life...no matter what!

Photos courtesy of Robert and Kathleen Photographers

If you'd like to be a Featured Wedding Story, please email me at legallybride@hotmail.com

Nuptial Trends: Cookies!

2010-12-01T06:49:00.001-05:00

This week I wanted to talk about cookies! You may be thinking; what inspired this post? Well, one day I was browsing around the web and I stumbled across these social networking cookies on I Am Baker that actually made me laugh out loud! I thought “How NEAT are these!?!”

Check out what I’m talking about…

There’s these Facebook ones…

As well as these Twitter ones!

So how can cookies be used in YOUR wedding? Well let’s explore the options…

For one, cookies can be used as placecards. Whether there are tags tied to the cookie bag or names written in icing on the cookie, both ideas are fun and unique!

Like these seen on The Knot here and here

Or these luau themed one, from The Celebration Shoppe

Cookies can also be placed at the table setting; either on the menus or napkins. Like these three themed cookies from The Knot found here, here and here.

You can also put your monogram on a cookie for a unique favor to send your guests home with. From The Knot

Another way to display cookies would be a cookie buffet! Similar to a candy buffet, different types of cookies can be put on display & labeled in differently sized jars. From The Knot

Or perhaps as an end of the night snack… cookies served with milk! From The Knot

Cookies can be used for more than just weddings though; for example Engagement Parties! These would make great favors or dessert.

I love these rings and bridal cookies from The Well Dressed Cookie

They can also be used to ask members of your bridal party to be a part of your big day!

Like this adorable Flower Girl cookie also from The Well Dressed Cookie

Cookies would also be a great touch at the bridal shower! What fabulous favors these beauties would make…

Personalize them with the bride’s name, the date or even a simple “Thank you” like these from Squidoo

I love this one from The Gum Drop Cookie Shop that uses this classic bridal phrase

Blow your guests away with a “cake” made of cake-shaped cookies! From The Celebration Shoppe

Bridesmaids from Elenis are another fun idea!

Another idea? Surprise your bride-to-be with these fun party cookies @ her bachelorette bash! Personalize them with her name and/or the date and make it a sweet treat she’ll never forget!

Bride-to-be tags from Flour Box Bakery

I love these fun unique pink and white ones from I Am Baker

Colorful corsets from Etsy

Corsets & high heels from Baking Land

Martini Glasses from Favor Studio

Our Cookies!

For our rehearsal dinner, I contemplated getting a Groom’s Cake but then considered that we wouldn’t have enough people there to justify a big cake. Alternative? Cookies! We ended up ordering “personalized” ones from local baker Holly’s Cookies.

We chose some designs that fit our personalities. I surprised my hubby by having baseball themed ones (Baseballs & NY Yankee hats). We also had pink and white dresses to go along with the wedding attire. I had made tags that said “See You Tomorrow!” along with our wedding date on them that Holly tied to each cookie.

Have you used cookies at your wedding? Or do you plan on incorporating them somehow? I’d love to hear your ideas!

A Wedding Story: Gwen!

2010-11-24T06:10:00.001-05:00

This week’s Wedding Story comes from Massachusetts native Gwen Goulet, who had a beautiful Fall wedding last year. Let's hear Gwen's story...

When did you get married?
We got married 9.12.2009

Kristin Greene of Simply Beautiful did all the makeup for Gwen’s big day.

Where was your ceremony? Reception?

We had both the ceremony and the reception at the beautiful Kirkbrae Country Club, Lincoln, RI.

What made you choose that reception location?
My husband and I are both active, outdoorsy people and we loved the beautiful view of the mountains that surround Kirkbrae. We also got a great vibe from all of the staff at Kirkbrae, and it doesn't hurt that their food is to die for!

On the top of Gwen’s wedding cake stood figurines fashioned after the night they got engaged. Gwen had been in a tutu and her hubby? Batman!

What was your favorite aspect of your wedding?
My favorite aspect of our wedding was that we were able to take time before the ceremony to take our pictures. The ceremony and the reception flew by so quickly so by doing pictures before, it gave us the opportunity to spend some time together having fun, letting loose and getting rid of the pre-wedding jitters! Later we were able to enjoy the entire reception with all of our friends and family without any interruptions.

What was the best resource you used during the planning process?
The best resource I had while planning the wedding was the small group of girls that I met on the Rhode Island page at The Knot. Some of the girls were planning their weddings at the same time while others had already gotten married so the advice and ideas were endless. I don't know where I would have been without them!

In front of her centerpieces, Gwen used baby pictures of her and her husband as their table numbers!

What's the one thing you would have done differently?
Ask more questions and don't be afraid to ask for discounts, promotions and special pricing!
Any advice for future brides?
Don't let the small things ruin the your sacred day...life is too short to worry about things that you can't change! It poured rain our entire wedding day...even during pictures but we got some of the most beautiful pictures and still had an amazing time :)

Very true, Gwen; Love your positive outlook. Your wedding pictures are absolutely stunning; it's hard to believe that it was pouring that day!

Photo courtesy of Berry Photos.

If you'd like to be a Featured Wife or Bride, please email me at legallybride@hotmail.com

Nuptial Trends: Ruffles!

2010-11-17T05:03:00.000-05:00

This week I thought we’d look at an increasingly popular trend in wedding attire: Ruffles! We’re seeing this pop up not only in bridal gowns but also in bridesmaid & flower girls dresses & accessories!

Here’s a few bridal gowns that feature ruffles in a more formal and fancy way.

source

You can also do bridal gown ruffles in a more casual way, like on these dresses.

source

And it’s not just long dresses that are showing up with ruffles! Check out these short beauties…

source

Ruffles are not just for brides, though! Here we see some ADORABLE floral ruffles for flower girls.

source

And of course don’t forget about your beautiful maids; Ruffles are IN for them as well!

source

Where do wedding trends come from? Fashion of course! Let’s check some of that fashion out…

Dresses from the Limited

and David’s Bridal

Blouses from J. Crew

and the Limited

Headbands from the Limited

Purse from Juicy Couture

Clutch as seen in Marie Claire

Handbag as seen in StyleHive

Booties as seen on Vie Couture

Tall boots as seen on Mrs Magpie

Ankle boots as seen on Shoewawa

What do you think about this Ruffle trend? Would you opt for a dress of this style?

A Wedding Story: Mrs. Hesson

2010-11-10T06:21:00.000-05:00

This week’s Wedding Story comes all the way from Houston, Texas! I’m happy to feature Mrs. Hesson of the adorable blog i.m.t.l.y. {i more thank like you}. Read on to hear more about her fabulous wedding!

When did you get married?
We got married on August 22, 2009.

Where was your ceremony? Reception?
Our ceremony was at the beautiful Second Baptist Church, where my husband and his family are members, and our reception was at The Houstonian Hotel.
What made you choose that reception location?
We knew we wanted somewhere that was close to the church we were getting married at so we started our search around there. The Houstonian was probably the 3rd place we looked and we instantly fell in love. It was just my mom and I who went to see it the first time. She had heard about it, and had been there for a work event. We loved how secluded it was. It's just a gorgeous hotel on the inside and outside. We knew it would be perfect for our big day!

What was your favorite aspect of your wedding?
Oh goodness, this is a tough one! I enjoyed everything about our wedding, other than it having to end. It was the perfect day! And while the ceremony was just wonderful, our reception was such a blast. I just loved everyone being there. My husband and I have such wonderful families and friends and almost everybody we invited was able to make it to share in our big day. It was the party of the year and it was so great to see everyone having fun and enjoying their night just as much as we were!

What was the best resource you used during the planning process?
The knot was my best friend during the wedding process. Along with plenty of bridal magazines and books that I had accumulated over the 13 months that we were engaged. I had a couple friends that were engaged at the same time that I was, so it was nice to have somebody to turn to when I had questions about certain ways to do things. And my mom. She was a gem during the entire process. We did everything together!

What's the one thing you would have done differently?
Once again, a toughie! There's really nothing I would change. The only thing I would have attempted to do different is to have allowed more time for pictures. Since our wedding was a formal, evening wedding at 7:00, it was tough squeezing all of our picture time in there. AND, I can't believe I'm going to admit to this, because I swore up and down I'd never do it (and didn't), but I think I may have listened to my photographer and considered seeing my husband before the ceremony. I know, I know. I always had that "you won't see me until I walk down the aisle!" attitude, but it would have given us way more photo opportunities and I do wish we had those.

Any advice for future brides?
Just relax! And enjoy your day to the fullest. Because it truly does go by SO fast. Enjoy every moment of the planning process all the way leading up to your big day. Because at the end of the day, you're going to MARRIED to the man of your dreams either way, and it will all be worth it! Take in every minute of it. I remember at our ceremony I just stared into my husband's eyes, not wanting to forget that moment. It's all so special.

All photos courtesy of Stacy Cross Photography.

“I Do” Ideas: Out of Town Bags

2010-11-03T06:30:00.001-04:00

This week I thought we could shed some light on how to put together your out of town bags! Where do you get OOT bags? What goes in them? Who gets them?

The first step is to choose the bag or container, and remember to think outside of the box!

You can use traditional bags or boxes, like these found here and here:

Or you can get creative; really anything goes! Here are some fun ideas:

- Tote bags that you can personalize with stencils or iron-on’s

- Pails or buckets (perfect for that beach or destination theme!)

- Personalized woven bags for eco-friendly brides

- Personalized CITY tote bags (LOVE these by the way!)

The next step, of course, is filling the bag!

Here are some ideas:

A Welcome Note; welcoming your guests to town, thanking them for traveling and telling them you’re looking forward to celebrating with them at the wedding!

Regional-themed items; handmade items- perhaps some locally bottled wine from Sakonett Vineyards, distinctive local snacks- like Del’s lemonade packets and more favorites from your towns!

Area Maps are especially helpful for out of towners who need to get to a few different spots

Entertainment Guides including restaurant or activity suggestions would be nice for those who may be arriving a day or two early and are looking for places to eat or things to do

Water and Snacks; because your guests may be first finding their bags between the ceremony and the reception and may be hungry or just need something little to hold them over before dinner at the reception! You can do personalized water labels like these:

Special Details; like a map to the reception, a timeline of the day/or weekend, information on shuttle services available, directions, list of phone numbers of family members that are available to help if needed

Travel-size sundries are always appreciated in case anything is forgotten or to make your guests feel more at home (soaps, toothpaste, aspirin)

Fun items for those guests traveling with children, including crayons & a coloring book or some mini travel games

Personalized Items for your guests to remember the day by (t-shirts, pens and coffee mugs are fun ideas!) Check out these personalized koozies

Finally, here are some examples from a few local brides!

Heather’s out of town bags

“I wrote a little note welcoming the guests on the RI postcard. Inside the bag I had water, snacks (cheddar bunnies, Cape Cod potato chips, trail mix, etc.), a tiny bottle of wine from a local winery, maps of Narragansett (with things to do) and directions to the rehearsal dinner and wedding. I bought the bags at Target and got the postcard at the Christmas Tree Shop.”

Shanna’s out of town bags

“We had four out of towners, all on my in-laws side. We sent them a brown box filled with a Dunkin’ Donuts gift card, mug, a Mesa 21 gift card (our favorite restaurant) and some of the essentials – like water, chips and sweets. We also included some sweet bread and muffins from my family bakery. I tied it pretty with a gold ribbon and card.”

Holly's out of town bags

Holly’s OOT bags included local favorites like Autocrat Coffee Syrup and Cape Cod potato chips and were packaged in reusable bags from Whole Foods.

Jennifer’s out of town bags

“The big grey envelope has pamphlets I made with info about local restaurants, things to do (museums, zoo, etc.) and also DIRECTIONS. One whole page was directions to and from the two hotels where the room blocks were, directions from both hotels to the church, from the church to the Casino, and from the Casino back to both hotels. I will say this - no one got lost!

As far as what went in the bags, we got the tourist magazines, some hot chocolate packets, lemonade packets, organic lollipops, water bottles, postcards, and a postcard with info on the After Party brunch at my ILs' house.”

Jennifer’s OOT bag pictures courtesy of Melissa Robotti.

Tana's out of town bags

Tana’s OOT bags included some local treats, waters & snacks, local restaurant guides as well as a welcome booklet!

Last but not least, my out of town bags!

We chose to use traditional beach pails (shovel included!) to go with our Rhode Island theme. On the front of the pail, I attached a note that said “Welcome to our Wedding Weekend Love, Jay & Jen” with little pictures of a whale and a lobster. Inside the buckets were an issue of the magazine Rhode Island Monthly, 2 bottles of water, an “I Love Rhode Island” shot glass, Rhode Island postcard, a toothbrush & toothpaste, a packet of tissues and a handful of snacks (including some local favorites)

I’d love to hear what you did for out of town bags; please share!

A Wedding Story: Lindsay!

2010-10-27T06:30:00.001-04:00

This week’s Wedding Story journeys from a backyard beach to a fabulous city landmark. Lindsay and Tom exchanged vows at the home of a family friend overlooking the water in Bristol RI, then gathered up their bridal party into a party bus and trekked up to Boston for an elegant affair at the State Room. Read more from Lindsay and check out these gorgeous photos…

When did you get married?
June 26, 2010

Bride’s bouquet

Where was your ceremony? Reception?
Ceremony: Private residence, Poppasquash Road, Bristol, RI. Reception: State Room, Boston, MA

What made you choose that reception location?
The view was spectacular and it offered the atmosphere and vibe I was going for.

Favor cards; with that spectacular Boston view in the background

What was your favorite aspect of your wedding?
The great time that everyone had! (including me and my husband)

What was the best resource you used during the planning process?
The Knot

Guest book of engagement photos

What's the one thing you would have done differently?
Nothing!

Bridesmaid bouquets

Any advice for future brides?
It's not as stressful as everyone says...until a few weeks before the big day. Remember to have fun at your own wedding!

Photos courtesy of Relive Photography.

If you'd like to be a Featured Wedding Story, please email me at legallybride@hotmail.com

“I do” Ideas: Honeymoon Ideas (Part 4 of 4!)

2010-10-20T06:29:00.001-04:00

For the final installation of honeymoon ideas, I thought we could look at some ideas a little more closer to home, right here in the US! There’s lots of beautiful places in our country that make for great getaways!

Continental US

California

“Find yourself here”

Sue S visited California with her husband last year for her honeymoon. She says “We went to Northern California. Marin County is beautiful. I LOVED Muir Woods! Stinson Beach has a great laid back surfer type vibe. We loved taking drives up and down the coast line in our rented convertible...especially to Point Reyes National Seashore! Beautiful. The convertible really made the trip. Oh and riding the cable cars in San Francisco wasn't bad either.”

Activities and sights to check out include: San Francisco (Fisherman’s Wharf, Pier 39, Alcatraz, Golden Gate Bridge, Ghiradelli Square), San Diego (Sea World, San Diego Zoo, Sicilian Festival, PETCO Park, The Big Bay, Legoland), Los Angeles (The Getty Center, Dodger Stadium, Paramount Studios), Sacramento (Railroad Museum, Discovery Park), Hollywood (Wax Museum, Universal Studios, Walking Tour, Walk of Fame, Hollywood Sign), and more!

source

For more info on California, visit here.

Florida

“Discover your Florida side”

Tana, who honeymooned in Florida last May, says “We went to Orlando, FL specifically Disney World. Jim and I are not beach people but we wanted to go somewhere warm, where we could eat great food, enjoy incredible wine, have fun, and swim with dolphins (my only request!). Orlando, FL has all that and more. We stayed on Disney property and had a great time exploring the theme parks as well as eating some of the best meals of our lives and enjoying a leisurely 10 day trip. The entire time we were there we were treated like royalty because it was our honeymoon.”

Activities and sights to check out include: Orlando (Walt Disney World, Sea World, Busch Gardens, Discovery Cove, Universal Studios, Kennedy Space Center, Everglades National Park), Miami (South Beach, festivals, trendy nightlife, Art Deco district, Little Havana), Fort Lauderdale (beaches, Las Olas Boulevard, gondola rides on the canals), Key West (watersports, nightlife, beaches, historic sites), Panama City Beach (deep-sea fishing, amusement rides, beaches, exciting nightlife), and more!

source

Courtney B visited a different area of Florida for her honeymoon. She says “We took a mini-moon to Key West, it is so great down there, you totally feel like you are on a tropical island but you're still in FL.”

For more info on Florida, visit here.

Las Vegas

“What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas”

Activities and sights to check out include: Stay in some of the largest hotels (17 of the 20 biggest hotels in the U.S. are in Las Vegas), see a show (ranging from the Blue Man Group, Cirque du Soleil, magician David Copperfield, performers Celine Dion, musicals Jersey Boys, The Lion King, comedians David Spade, Chelsea Handler), place your bets at the casinos, visits the shops at Caesars, and more!

source

For more info on Las Vegas, visit here.

South Carolina

“Made for Vacation”

Activities and sights to check out include: Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand Beaches (over 100 championship golf courses, tennis courts, outlet malls, live musical theatres, nightclubs), historic Charleston beaches (Bull Island, Folly Beach, Isle of Palms, Kiawah Island, Seabrook Island), Hilton Head (42 square miles with broad beaches, nine marinas, over two dozen championship golf courses, largest outdoor, tented wine tasting event on the East Coast), Fripp (3.5 miles of beach, two championship golf courses, tennis courts, kayaking, seaside water park) and more!

source

For more info on South Carolina, visit here.

New York City

“I {heart} NY”

Activities and sights to check out include: Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Rockefeller Center, Central Park, Metropolitan Museum of Art, see a Broadway show, Times Square, American Museum of Natural History, Greenwich Village, Chinatown, Museum of Modern Art, concerts, comedy shows, shopping galore and more!

source

For more info on New York City, visit here.

Where did you go for your honeymoon?

That wraps up all 4 segments of Honeymoons; I hope you were able to get some ideas for your own special trip!

A Wedding Story: Rachel!

2010-10-13T06:30:00.001-04:00

Today’s Wedding Story comes from Rachel, of the adorable blog Rachel & John. Rachel hails from Canada and is here to tell us all about her big day last August. Here’s Rachel:

When did you get married?
August 30th, 2009 (After 9 and a half years of dating!)

Where was your ceremony? Reception?
We had our ceremony and reception at the same place: Liuna Gardens in Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada.
What made you choose that reception location?
We knew we wanted our ceremony and reception at the same location. It's always been my dream to have a beach wedding at our family cottage. Unfortunately with the size of our families, that just wasn't an option. Liuna Gardens is right on Lake Ontario. Even though it doesn't have a sand beach, it still has a beautiful lake front area with beautiful gardens and a view of the lake from the reception hall. We also thought the staff at Liuna were great. We told them what our budget was and they made it work without pressuring us to spend more money.

What was your favorite aspect of your wedding?
Do I have to pick just one? Well, finally being married was a great feeling! The love we felt not only from each other, but from everyone who came. It’s such an overwhelming feeling.

What was the best resource you used during the planning process?
Wedding Bells. It’s like Canada’s version of the knot. Not only do they have inspirational ideas and real weddings to look at, but they also have vendors listed by area. That’s how we found our band. A runner up would be my mom. We planned the wedding from Alberta, so my mom was the one who ran around looking for wedding venues and buying centerpiece supplies.

What's the one thing you would have done differently?
We didn’t turn to face each other during the ceremony, we just stood side by side. I think I would have liked to be looking at John head on, instead of out of the corner of my eye. But other than that, there isn't anything I would change!

Any advice for future brides?
(1) Let people help you. Ask people to help you. People want to be involved in your wedding, so let them!

(2) Choose functional favors. You wouldn’t believe how many people came up to me thanking me for giving them a favour that they could actually use! We gave out heart shaped measuring spoons.

(3) On the wedding day I told everyone I was done making decisions and that I didn’t want people asking me questions all day. It was so nice to just enjoy the day and not have to worry about anything!

Wow I had never heard of “Wedding Bells” before; I will definitely have to check it out. Thanks for the tip, Rachel! And I love the idea of a “wedding day point person”!

Photos courtesy of Rachelle Rousseau.

If you'd like to be featured as a Wedding Story, please email me at legallybride@hotmail.com

Wedding Wednesdays: Honeymoon Ideas (Part 3 of 4!)

2010-10-06T06:11:00.000-04:00

This week we have the third installment of Honeymoon Ideas. We’ve already gone over “Tropical” and “Local”. Now we have a few places on the other side of the Atlantic!

For Part 3 we have:

Transatlantic!

Italy

“Italy is a dream that keeps returning for the rest of your life”

Kelly S honeymooned with her hubby in both Italy and France. About Italy, she says: “We got to enjoy the beautiful black sand beach, the delicious homemade pasta, and the excellent wine.”

Activities and sights to check out include: Rome (ancient monuments, medieval churches, beautiful fountains, museums and palaces, excellent restaurants and nightlife, the Vatican), Venice (most beautiful and romantic city, Piazza San Marco, wandering along the canals), Florence (Medici palaces and gardens, famous paintings and sculptures, Duomo, Baptistery), Milan (stylish shops, galleries, faster pace, artistic and cultural heritage, La Scala), Naples, Verona, Turin, and more!

source

Christine M visited both Italy and France as well last October for her honeymoon. About Italy, she says “breathtaking, your eyes don’t stop!”

For more info on Italy, visit here.

Paris, France

“Paris in the Springtime”

Kelly said about France: “We went to Paris because I always dreamed of going there for my honeymoon. We loved all of the history, the sightseeing and of course, the food.”

Activities and sights to check out include: Luxemburg Gardens, Notre Dame Cathedral, The Louvre, walking tour of the Marais, The Eiffel Tower, Moulin Rouge, Montmarte, Bateaux Mouches Paris boat tour, Champs-Elysées and the Arc du Triomphe, Rue Mouffetard, Pantheon, and more!

source

Christine M who also visited France says “ROMANCE, ROMANCE, ROMANCE! The landscapes/views are amazing!”

For more info on Paris, visit here.

China

“One World, One Dream”

Activities and sights to check out include: Beijing (Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, the Great Wall, Temple of Heaven), Hangzhou (China’s “Paradise on Earth” full of gardens, tranquil temples & pavilions and historic streets), Qingdao (most famous for their internationally exported beer, Tsingtao), Shanghai (Yu Garden and Bazaar, The Bund, the French Concession, Xin Tian Di, Jin Mao Tower) and more!

source

For more info on China, visit here.

Australia

“There’s Nothing like Australia”

Activities and sights to check out include: Sydney (spectacular harbour, world famous Opera House, wander the streets of The Rocks, kayak under the Harbour bridge, walk the sea-sculpted cliffs from Bondi to Bronte), Melbourne (famous shopping precincts, cute cafes, swanky bars, secret art spaces and off-the-beaten-track boutiques), Cairns (snorkel and dive at the Great Barrier Reef, white water rafting, Daintree Rainforest), Brisbane (cruise down the Brisbane River, ride a bike through the City Botanic Gardens, abseil the cliffs of Kangaroo Point), and more!

source

For more info on Australia, visit here.

Mediterranean Cruise

“A Feast for the Senses”

Lea M and her hubby took a Mediterranean Cruise for their honeymoon last September. She says: “The best part about the cruise is that you get to see so many amazing places, and your hotel moves with you. You never have to worry about what to eat because they have everything you could imagine. We viewed the trip as a once in a lifetime opportunity - who knows the next time we will be able to take that amount of time off and have the money and the health to travel Europe like that.”

Ports of call range from: Barcelona Spain, Nice France, Florence Italy, Rome Italy, Dubrovnik Croatia, Venice Italy, Split Croatia, Naples Italy, Athens Greece, Mykonos Greece, Ephesus Turkey, Provence France, Amsterdam Holland, Bruges Belgium, Vigo Spain, Lisbon Portugal, Gibraltar UK, Cherbourg France, and more!

source

For more info on Mediterranean Cruises, visit here.

Where did you go for your honeymoon?

Stay tuned in a few weeks for part 4 of Honeymoon Ideas!

A Wedding Story: Jessica & Tracy!

2010-09-29T06:04:00.000-04:00

This week’s Wedding Story is actually 2 bride-to-be’s whose big days are rapidly approaching! Both Tracy and Jessica are getting married in October! Since Tracy’s wedding comes first, we’ll start with her.

Tracy, who is an active “Knottie” and is actually the Moderator of the Rhode Island Knot Board, is getting married this coming weekend! Here’s Tracy:

When are you getting married? October 1, 2010

Where is your ceremony? Reception? Both the ceremony and the reception are being held at Linden Place in Bristol, RI

What made you choose that reception location? We fell in love with the nostalgia of the mansion (have you seen the spiral staircase?), the beauty of the gardens, and the charm of the carriage house. My fiance's band (a 20-piece non-marching marching band) played a wedding here and he loved it. Once I saw it, I fell in love as well. I am also excited to march down to the Bristol waterfront bars for the after party!

What aspect of your wedding are you most looking forward to? I am so excited to see everything come together and to have everyone Steve and I love enjoy it.

What has been the best resource for you during the planning process? The Internet! There are so many blogs and websites (theknot, Style Me Pretty, 100 Layer Cake in particular) devoted to helping brides that it can make one dizzy. But Google has been my best friend.

How is your wedding going to be unique? We have a lot of personal touches. Our friend is officiating. Steve's friends from college are in a tuba quartet and they are playing the music for our ceremony (um, Final Countdown by Europe for the recessional--played by 4 tubas--LOVE!). Our good friend is DJing the cocktail hour. The tables are named after places Steve and I have traveled. Our "guestbook" will consist of vintage postcards that guests will be able to jot down their thoughts (or favorite travel spots). They will then place them in a piece of vintage luggage.

Any advice for future brides? Don't research TOO much! Sometimes over-searching can make you question your entire vision. Also, ask for help. Often.

Photos courtesy of Olivia Gird Photography.

Next up we have Jessica. Jess was a bridesmaid in my wedding on 9/5/09 and got engaged 4 days later when we were on the honeymoon on 9/9/09! Remember her Tiffany – themed bridal shower a couple months ago? She's been planning for a little over a year and is now only a couple of weeks away from the big day!

When are you getting married?
Next month

Where is your ceremony? Reception?
Ceremony is at Blessed Sacrament Church (this is where my parents exchanged vows over 27 years ago); Reception is at Oceancliff in Newport.

What made you choose that reception location?

It was very important to us to pick a place that only focused on 1 event for the day. What I mean by this is that Oceancliff has only 1 ballroom so there is no way they can have two weddings going on at the same time. Also, Newport is very special to us because we go there every summer and one of our favorite restaurants (Red Parrot) is there which we always go to to celebrate our anniversary! Cory also wanted something on the water and I wanted something secluded… Oceancliff has both of these qualities. It is also somewhat historical being right next to the Kennedy compound and all. (I love the Kennedy’s)!

What aspect of your wedding are you most looking forward to?
I have a couple things that I am most looking forward too! One is walking down the aisle during the ceremony. This is my favorite part of all weddings! I cannot wait to see the look on Cory’s face! Secondly I am looking forward to taking pictures with my bridal party! We have an amazing photographer (Zenobia Studios)…she takes very candid shots and I think she will make it so much fun!!! I am also looking forward to the reception…I cannot wait to see the ballroom all decorated in fall color florals while enjoying the food and of course the company!!

What has been the best resource for you during the planning process?
Hmmm… I’m going to have to say at first it was Theknot.com but since I am very much into weddings, I did not use a lot of resources. Luckily Jen and I have the same taste with many things so I was able to use some of her vendors that I loved the outcome of which eliminated a lot of research/resources for me.

How is your wedding going to be unique?
Well…I’m not sure it will be unique but here are a few things that I am doing that may not be as popular as the ideas used in the more traditional/average wedding. I am having a photobooth which is becoming more popular nowadays but its still unique because not many people (guests) have seen this at a wedding. Since it is a fall wedding we are having a selection of 20 flavored pies for dessert (along with my cake). My bridesmaids are NOT wearing the same dress…they all have a dress by the same designer, all the same color and all floor length but different styles to go along with their personalities! And just our family alone is unique…haha.

Any advice for future brides?
You want my true advice?...ELOPE! This sounds so negative I know but Cory and I were lucky in a way that our parents were able to pay for our wedding. The only downside to this is that they thought since they are paying that they should have a say in EVERYTHING. It was mostly on one side that we had a lot of fights pertaining to the guest list. They also not only were giving us their opinions but kept repeating their ideas OVER AND OVER that we had to keep reminding them that this is OUR wedding and not theirs. I have always dreamed of my wedding day and have been looking forward to it since I was 7 (like many girls) but after realizing how difficult it was with some family members, and how much it strayed away from what Cory and I really wanted, we both said if we were to do this over again we would get married ourselves either away on a vacation or at town hall.

Photos courtesy of Zenobia Photography Studios

Hopefully Tracy and Jessica both come back after their weddings to tell us about their big day and share some photos so we can see how all of their ideas came to fruition!

If you'd like to be a Featured Wedding Story, please email me at legallybride@hotmail.com

“I do” Ideas: Honeymoon Ideas (Part 2 of 4!)

2010-09-22T06:17:00.001-04:00

For the second segment of Honeymoon Ideas, the category is Tropical! Perfect for couples who want to relax on the beach and enjoy some romantic sunset dinners. After all the wedding planning, that’s exactly what we wanted! Here are a few ideas; along with where we went (Aruba!)

Tropical

St. Lucia

“Live the legend”

Cara C. went to St. Lucia for her honeymoon last July and says “The beaches were beautiful, the water was clear and the staff at our resort were very friendly.”

Activities and sights to check out include: beautiful beaches, ATV rentals to explore the countryside and banana plantations, biking tours, hiking the mountains to Cactus Valley and Pigeon Island, horseback riding, whale and turtle watching, diving and other water sports, Botanical Gardens, yachting, golf, night clubs, street parties and more!

source

For more info on St. Lucia, visit here.

Aruba

“Feels Like Home”

Melinda M. honeymooned here and she says “It was a short flight and the water is so clean and blue and the food is fantastic!” I totally agree Melinda. There are so many beautiful beaches and delicious & unique restaurants!

Activities and sights to check out include: beautiful beaches, California Lighthouse, downtown shopping, snorkeling, The Natural Pool, Baby Beach, sunset sails, diving, windsurfing, kayaking, helicopter rides, horseback riding, ATV rentals to explore the island’s caves and goldmine ruins, a variety and plethora of delicious restaurants, deep sea fishing, casinos, take a ride on the Kukoo Kunuku the Aruban barhopping party bus, and more!

source

For more info on Aruba, visit here.

Caribbean Cruise

“The Caribbean is a real treasure trove when it comes to cruising”

Heather M describes why it was a great option for herself and her husband: “We cruised the Carnival Freedom to Key West, Grand Cayman and Jamaica. I don't swim and my husband doesn't like this beach so a cruise was perfect for us. On sea days, I sat by the pool while he played at the casino and we enjoyed dinner and shows in the evening. We walked around and explored Key West, hung out on the beach in Grand Cayman and toured Dunn's River Falls in Jamaica.”

Ports of call range from: St. Kitts, Belize, Barbados, Colombia, St. Lucia, St. Thomas, Bahamas, Panama, Mexico (Costa Maya, Cozumel), Florida (Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, Key West, Miami), Jamaica, Louisiana (New Orleans), Aruba, St. Maarten, Costa Rica, Honduras, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Grenada, Antigua, British Virgin Islands, Curacao, Haiti, Bonaire, Bermuda, Grand Cayman and more!

source

Christine M also took a cruise for her honeymoon, saying “My husband and I took a Caribbean Cruise for our honeymoon - we think its great way to travel and we woke up somewhere new every single day (no days at sea) = we saw 6 islands (plus Puerto Rico, where the boat left from). It would cost a fortune to island hop via airplane and stay at nice hotels on each island, so we also found it to be a cost-efficient way to visit numerous places on one vacation.”

For more info on Caribbean Cruises, visit here.

Fiji

“One of the friendliest nations on earth”. Fuji is made up of 333 islands, some inhabited, most not.

Activities and sights to check out include: bike riding, village visits, sand dunes, motor cycling, firewalking and Meke Show, trekking, sky diving, parasailing, surfing, island hopping, kayaking, Pearl Farms, snorkeling, exciting dining and nightlife, whitewater rafting, outlet shopping, hot air balloon flights, and more!

source

For more info on Fiji, visit here.

Hawaii

“The People of Hawaii would like to share their islands with you.”

Holly A. visited Hawaii for her honeymoon last October and says “We chose to go to 2 different islands---Kauai and Maui. We wanted to go to a tropical paradise where we could relax but go on some pretty interesting adventures as well. Plus, it was one haul of a trip to get out there--we spent 2 weeks there because we knew it might be a few years before we go to go back out there again.”

Activities and sights to check out include: Hawaii’s Big Island (Kailua Village, coffee plantations, downtown Hilo, Hamakua Coast, rainforests, botanical gardens, sandy beaches, snowcapped mountains, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park), Maui (beautiful beaches, whale watching, scenery in Hana, Haleakala sunrises, Iao Valley State Park, shopping and dining in Lahaina), Lanai (no traffic lights, romance and privacy away from the crowds, opulent resorts, rock formations at Keahiakawelo, 4-wheeling along Munro Trail), Molokai, Oahu, Kauai and more!

source

For more info on Hawaii, visit here.

Where did you go for your honeymoon?

Stay tuned in a few weeks for part 3 of Honeymoon Ideas!

A Spin on the Bride’s Bouquet!

2010-09-17T06:21:00.000-04:00

A bride-to-be friend of mine showed me her idea for her bridal bouquet a few days ago and I was blown away! I had never seen anything like this before and HAD to share it! The pictures come from the incredibly talented Etsy seller, Lionsgate Designs. These are bouquets made of many, many brooches.

What do you think? Would you ever use one of these? Have you ever seen one?

For the avid-DIYer’s, would you make it or buy it?

A Wedding Story: Rebekah!

2010-09-15T06:18:00.001-04:00

This week our Wedding Story comes all the way from Oklahoma! I love seeing how brides in different areas of the country throw their weddings, don’t you? Today we have Rebekah from Life with the Edwards…

When did you get married?
July 18^th 2009

Where was your ceremony? Reception?
Our ceremony was at our church, Quail Springs Baptist Church in Oklahoma City, Ok. It was really important to me to get married there. Our reception was at Castle Falls.

What made you choose that reception location?
I had found Castle Falls a year and a half before we were ever engaged. It has the castle which is actually a restaurant, and then it has the large Grande Hall and it had this romantic feel to it. I also loved the garden area. It made for great pictures! I loved that we had the option of going outside to the gardens.

What was your favorite aspect of your wedding?
Hands down, it was the ceremony. We picked out every detail of how we wanted it to go and we were also able to pick how we wanted our vows done. We wanted traditional vows, but we had a few different versions to choose from. I loved the quiet moment between Dylan and I after our unity candle. We have no idea what was said during that time, but it meant so much for us to be able to catch our breaths and to really take in that we were actually on our way to being married!

What was the best resource you used during the planning process?

I loved looking at wedding blogs. I also used The Knot and Martha Stewart online for ideas. I can’t forget wedding magazines too. I had dozens of them. I loved just getting inspiration from them even if I didn’t end up using it. Also, talking to other brides who were also in the wedding planning process helped a lot! I got to hear first hand what worked for them and other helpful tips.

What's the one thing you would have done differently?

There really isn’t anything that I would change for my wedding. We had planned out everything perfectly and it all went really smooth. If I had to choose one thing, it would have been to push my wedding back a couple of hours. We got married at 2 pm and started getting ready at 9 am. It seemed like plenty of time, and it was, but we got ready at the reception site, and then had to drive to the ceremony. Even though we weren’t crunched for time, I still felt a little stressed about that. I think I would have liked it to be a couple hours later just to ensure that I didn’t have to be rushed.

Any advice for future brides?
Don’t stress about the little things. It isn’t worth it. It really is just one day and there is no point in stressing out when you should be enjoying it! My bridesmaids kept telling me all day to take mental snapshots of everything. I didn’t want to be a bride who was so flustered that I didn’t really remember anything because of how fast it all happened. I’m so glad that I didn’t get stressed. It’s the most important day of your life, but it really is just one day in the thousands that you’ll have with your husband.

Photos courtesy of CaitPhoto.

If you'd like to be a Featured Wife or Bride, please email me at legallybride@hotmail.com

"I Do" Ideas: Honeymoon (Part 1 of 4!)

2010-09-08T06:17:00.001-04:00

This week I thought we could explore some ideas for honeymoons. (Thanks to Kara for suggesting this fun topic!) I’ve come up with 4 categories: Local/cost-conscious, Tropical, Transatlantic and the Continental US. Over the next 8 weeks, we’ll touch on all of the categories (with a few Wedding Stories sprinkled in between!)

First up:

Local / Cost-conscious

Kennebunkport, Maine

“The Place to be all Year”

Activities and sights to check out include: gift shops, whale watching, sailing excursions, Blowing Cave, Spouting Rock, summer home of Pres. Bush, Cape Porpoise “The Quite Side of Kennebunkport”: Goat Island Lighthouse, fish markets, galleries, lobstermen on the pier, Goose Rocks Beach: kayaking, canoeing, Fine Living Festival (celebrating fine food, art and wine), Christmas Prelude, “Walk the Port” Local Appreciation Night, and more!

Source

For more info on Kennebunkport, visit here.

Martha’s Vineyard

“The Vineyard” Best time to go: June through August. Martha’s Vineyard consists of six towns: Vineyard Haven, Edgartown, Oak Bluffs, West Tisbury, Chilmark, and Aquinnah.

Activities and sights to check out include: beaches, bike and hiking trails, kayaking and canoeing, red clay Aquinnah Cliffs, street fairs, fireworks, farmers markets, the Agri-culture Fair, golf tournaments, art and music festivals, Flying Horses Carousel in Oak Bluffs (the nation’s oldest operating platform carousel), five lighthouses, and more!

Source

For more info on Martha’s Vineyard, visit here.

Nantucket

“There once was a man from Nantucket…” Nantucket has been named a National Historic District and has architecturally changed little since the 17th century, as seaside cottages and old-fashioned lamps still line its streets.

Activities and sights to check out include: beaches, biking, boating, fishing, whaling, sailing, festivals (including the Arts Week that starts Labor Day weekend, the Christmas Stroll, the Daffodil Festival in April, the Wine Festival and the Film Festival in June), golf, museums (including the Whaling and Shipwreck museums), antique shopping, handcrafted jewelry and more!

Source

For more info on Nantucket, visit here.

Block Island

"One of the 12 last great places in the Western Hemisphere." Block Island consists of one town: New Shoreham. It is the smallest town in the smallest state in the US.

Bride Heather says: “We enjoyed massages at Koru Eco spa, a movie at the old Empire Theater and wonderful dinners at The National and The Spring House (also where we stayed).”

Activities and sights to check out include: beaches, moped and bike rentals, horseback riding, fishing and boat rentals, kayaking and canoeing, sailing and parasailing, shopping, The Nature Conservancy, carriage rides, lighthouses, nature trails, art galleries, The Farmer’s Market, bird watching, snorkeling, and more!

Source

For more info on Block Island, visit here.

Cape Cod

“The Cape”. Cape Cod, Massachusetts is divided up into four sections commonly referred to as: Upper Cape, Mid Cape, Lower Cape and Outer Cape.

Activities and sights to check out include: beaches, golfing, bike trails through the sand dunes, drive-ins, boardwalks, art galleries and centers, sculpture gardens, mini-golf, outlet malls, wineries, Hyannis Harbor, JFK Museum, Sandy Neck Beach, Mayflower Beach, The Flying Horses Carousel, Buzzards Bay, Woods Hole, Lewis Harbor, and more!

Source

For more info on Cape Cod, visit here.

Where did you go for your honeymoon?

Stay tuned in a few weeks for part 2 of Honeymoon Ideas!

“I Do” Ideas: Personalized Photo Candles!

2010-09-03T06:43:00.000-04:00

Yankee Candle has come out with personalized candles that I think are SO cute for either a wedding morning (with an engagement picture) or for a fun post-wedding gift! You can upload the picture as well as add text and a date. These personalized candles can be found on their website here.

Not into photos? Yankee Candle also carries a “Wedding Day” candle, which can be found here.

This is the one I had on my wedding morning:

Has anyone ever ordered one of these personalized photo candles? How did it come out?

Amanda, Jensy and The Vineyard

2010-09-02T08:42:00.003-04:00

The Venue: Saltwater Farm Vineyard
The Photog: Studio 1923
The Bride and Groom: Amanda and Jensy

A Wedding Story: Justine!

2010-09-01T06:07:00.002-04:00

This week's Wedding Story comes from Justine Tobin. Now living in Georgia, she had her big day at a beautiful state park in Bristol, Rhode Island. Justine keeps a blog, titled Tobin Inc*; On it you can see more wedding photos as well as the artwork she creates. With that, here's Justine...

When did you get married?
June 7, 2009

Where was your ceremony? Reception?
Ceremony: Colt State Park Bristol, RI; Reception: McGovern's on the Water Fall River, MA

What was your favorite aspect of your wedding?
Besides family and friends…I would have to say the butterfly release*

Butterflies were in Justine’s theme of her whole day including in her bouquet and on her programs.

What was the best resource you used during the planning process?
The best resource was The Knot and friends

What's the one thing you would have done differently?
The one thing I would have done differently was hire a professional videographer...It wasn't in our budget and we had some family members record but I wish we had a professional.

Any advice for future brides?
Advice for future brides is stick to you gut, be nice to everyone helping you but honest. Keep things simple but true to what you want. Have fun this is an exciting time for you and you will never forget it. Stay organized and keep in mind your time frame. I know this is alot but that about sums it up!!

Very true advice, Justine. Staying organized is SO key. I remember buying multiple wedding planning organizers and eventually scrapping them all for my own ~~control-freak~~ personalized binder; a place I could keep all my vendor contracts, style ideas and photo inspirations.

Photo courtesy of Tony Avila.

If you'd like to be a Featured Wife or Bride, please email me at legallybride@hotmail.com

Amanda and Jensy--and The Vineyard

2010-08-31T22:32:00.004-04:00

The Venue: Saltwater Farm Vineyard
The Photog: Studio 1923
The Bride and Groom: Amanda and Jensy

“I do” Ideas: Bridal Shower

2010-08-25T07:31:00.000-04:00

This week, I thought I’d share a recent bridal shower I helped throw for one of my friend’s whose wedding I’m in in October. The shower was held at Cafe Nuovo in downtown Providence. (They also do weddings by the way, that are Gorgeous!)

Since the bride loves Audrey Hepburn, we decided to do a Tiffany themed shower. For starters, we found Tiffany blue boxes from Accent the Party. We used them as both placecards and favors. For placecards, we printed out the names and table numbers of each guest and attached them to the top of the box. For favors, we put a pearl bracelet in each box.

On the placecard table, we filled oversized martini glass vases (you can get these at crafts stores like Michaels or JoAnn Fabrics or even Christmas Tree Shop) with Tiffany boxes / pouches and pearls to serve as decor. Those boxes are a great way to add a punch of color as soon as the guests walk in.

At each table, we chose to display pearl & teal necklaces as the centerpieces. Along with each centerpiece, we framed a B&W picture of Audrey Hepburn along with a teal number to serve as the table numbers. Here they all are:

At each place setting, we put a “Bridal Bingo” for guests to play along while the bride was opening her gifts. The first guest at each table who won Bingo took home the centerpiece at that table. (Note to party planners: When making Bridal Bingo on your own, remember that EACH sheet has to look different. Something I had not thought about when starting to make them. You can use sites like this one or others that can make this game for you… much easier!)

We also put a “Thank You!” bag of personalized M&M’s at each place setting. These are a fun way to add a pop of color to your table setting. You can order them from here and they are available in tons of colors!

The whole table set up

Some more Tiffany decor items we used to decorate around the cake table.

We had an absolutely fabulous cake courtesy of Sin Desserts in Providence. Besides making beautiful and delicious cakes, what’s so cool about Sin Desserts? Jennifer took pictures of the whole cake-making process so the bride could have the step-by-step pictures of her cake creation! You can see some of the photos on her blog.

The bride wore teal and as her maids, we decided we would all wear black (like Audrey would) with pearls.

The waiters at Cafe Nuovo served mimosa’s to the guests as they arrived.

Cafe Nuovo also made menus for each guest (in our color scheme!) that said “Jessica’s Bridal Shower Luncheon”

On the invitation, we asked all of the guests to wear their pearls to go along with the theme. Everyone participated; it was so fun!

We did a game where we asked the groom a bunch of questions before the shower and then the bride had to guess what the groom answered. For every answer that she guessed wrong, she had to put a marshmallow in her mouth and keep it there! Since she did so well… After the game, we had a honeymoon bag waiting for her as her “prize”.

We filled it with travel-size items she’ll need for her honeymoon as well as Mr. & Mrs. luggage tags and Bride & Groom passport holders! You can find all of these items at Michael’s Arts & Crafts Store.

And that’s it; what do you think?! I’d love to hear any Bridal Shower themes you’ve thrown or seen; always looking for new ideas!

A Wedding Story: Ali & Tracy!

2010-08-18T06:14:00.002-04:00

This week we have 2 Featured Brides! First up is Ali, all the way from The Gem State… that’s right, Idaho! (Did you know that Idaho gets it nickname because nearly every known gem has been found there? Pretty cool, huh!) To hear more about Ali, check out her fabulous blog: a pair of aviators.

When did you get married? June 19, 2009

Where was your ceremony? Reception? Both were held at the Idaho Botanical Gardens.

What made you choose that reception location? Three reasons: one, Elliot proposed to me at the gardens; two: both of us have always wanted an outdoor wedding, and; three, we had private access to the entire location for the ceremony and reception.

What was your favorite aspect of your wedding? Elliot and I each chose passages of literature to read to one another during the ceremony. The passage Elliot chose was more beautiful than I could have ever imagined, and I cried like a baby. Oh! and Elliot's best man/best friend, John, delivered an incredibly moving speech. Everyone was weepy after that.

What was the best resource you used during the planning process? Blogs! Especially Snippet & Ink's inspiration boards!

What's the one thing you would have done differently? I would not have forgotten the programs at home!

Any advice for future brides? Spend more time preparing for marriage than planning your wedding.

Ali’s wedding photos were courtesy of one of her friends.

Next up, we have the fun and fabulous blogger Tracy from Then I Got to Thinking… Tracy’s a California bride that got married on a pretty fabulous day if you ask me, 9/5/09. Here’s Tracy to tell you more about her big day.

When did you get married?
I got married on September 5th, 2009.

Where was your ceremony? Reception?
My ceremony and reception were both at the gorgeous Arden Hills Resort in Fair Oaks, CA.

What made you choose that reception location?
We had a pretty large wedding (about 350 people) and we wanted to find a place everyone could fit comfortably. We also wanted to stay somewhere that we could have the ceremony and reception at the same place so people wouldn't have to drive. The property is beautiful and we thought it just fit us. They also have a gorgeous villa on site that all of my girlfriends, mom, MIL, and sisters stayed in... it was so great!

What was your favorite aspect of your wedding?
My favorite aspect of my wedding (besides, of course, the man I married) was my dress. I have a unique style and I wanted something non-traditional. When I put the dress on, I knew it was the exact dress I had always dreamed of. Very few people knew what my dress looked like, so when I walked down the aisle, it was a surprise for a lot of people. I also loved my shoes... well, the story behind them, too. My husband bought them for me to wear - they are the blue Manolos from SATC.

What was the best resource you used during the planning process?
The best resource was my wedding planner, Kendra Pfeiffer. She was absolutely incredible. I knew what I wanted, gave her all my ideas, and she brought them all to life. The days leading up to the wedding, I did not have a worry in the world... I just showed up and everything was magical!

What's the one thing you would have done differently?
I'm not sure I can think of anything I would do differently... I was pretty shocked at how well it went. I just wish it wouldn't have gone by so quickly.

Any advice for future brides?
The only advice I really have is to make your wedding unique to you and your fiancé. We had so many fun things that fit us, and we made the entire day about our love. One of the things I looked forward to the most of all was giving him letters I had written him for over a year before we got married. Every hour the day of our wedding, different people delivered him hand written letters from me that I had written at different points in our relationship. I strongly suggest writing him a letter to read the day of... it was special. (Not to mention, he was already teary eyed before I walked down the aisle!)

Photos courtesy of Ford Family Photography.

If you'd like to be a Featured Wife or Bride, please email me at legallybride@hotmail.com

Nuptial Trends: Garden Theme!

2010-08-11T06:00:00.003-04:00

This week, I thought we could look at how to pull off a Garden Themed wedding. I have never been to one of these weddings but I imagine they’d be beautiful, romantic and well, pretty green. This topic came from a friend who’s helping her sister plan a Garden Theme wedding for next July in Long Island; I’m always open to ideas so if you ever have one you’d like to see, feel free to let me know!

First off, I imagine these garden weddings would have to be outside. Possible backdrops for the ceremony are well, gardens for one, or even just trees or a lake.

For outdoor weddings, I love cute little signs pointing the guests in the right direction. You can do a fancier printed sign in your color scheme or even write with some chalk on a piece of wood.

Another way to point guests in the right direction is lining up a row of lanterns. “Follow the yellow brick…lantern.”

Another ceremony decor option is hanging up moss letters with your initials. The more you do that incorporates nature and flowers, the more this theme will show.

For the aisle, I like the idea of hanging flowers or potted plants adorning the pews.

A ribbon-decorated basket filled with ceremony programs is another way to bring in any accent colors you may be using.

Having an outdoor wedding in the middle of the summer? Protect your guests from the heat! Options include:

Fans at each chair,

parasols in a basket,

and refreshments! If you don’t have a catering staff available to serve lemonade as your guests arrive, a bucket of ice and bottled waters will also do the trick!

For your flower girl and ring bearer, make sure their baskets are adorned with an abundance of flowers and moss.

For the bride, a more casual dress would work best; as opposed to a beaded ball gown. I love the idea of a floral pattern, like this one from J. Crew.

Whether you choose an updo or not, I think a flower in the bride’s hair is a nice touch to the garden theme.

Speaking of flowers, bouquets should showcase lots of greens!

Also, incorporate your accent color into the flowers. Here we have pops of pink and purple.

For the bridesmaids, I chose to focus on different green options but really I think you could make any color work. Well, maybe not black. I’m having trouble envisioning a black garden themed wedding, but it does not mean it’s impossible! It’s YOUR day; anything goes.

For a fun vibe, I love this almost muted lime green color, very bright. For a slightly more formal look, I like this lace halter option, very romantic.

One way to have your MOH stand out is to have her in a longer dress like these girls in the light sage green. Another friendly and fun option? Have your girls pick their own dress to flatter their body types; or in the case to the right, in different shades!

A neat way to incorporate the theme into your pictures is to use props! Posing in front of trees and carrying parasols make for fun pictures to remember your day by.

Onto the reception…

For place cards, I love the casualness of these green cards hanging on the “clothesline”. Another option, using apples! Fruit is a fitting nod to your garden theme.

Other ideas are to use floral-patterned place cards or tack them to a sheet of moss.

I love the way this gold (probably spray painted) birdcage is used here to hold cards.

Another way to use birdcages (or even lanterns) are to have them as part of your centerpieces, along with candles, flowers or even fruit.

Other centerpiece options would be large displays of flowers, the more greenery the better. (Bird nest optional)

For table numbers, I found this bird and nest one that screams garden/nature, but for a more subtle look, a simple green floral pattern works well.

For cakes, I found so many options that had me think “That’d be perfect!” One of my favorite looks would be a relatively simple cake with a few LARGE flowers adorning it.

Another option is a cake decorated with MANY tiny flowers; either in white or an accent color.

A simpler cake would be an all white one with fresh cut flowers along the base and/or on the top. And of course, we can’t leave out the bird nest option…

Another way to tie in the theme is through your signature drink. You could make it green, or other accent color, or even tie in nature like this one, called “Apple of My Eye”.

Finally, for favors, I found these throw blankets. What better way to send your guests off from your garden themed wedding than with a blanket they can use for their next picnic?

Have you ever been to a garden themed wedding? I’d love to hear about it!

Do you like reading Wedding Wednesdays here @ Wedding Stories? If so, please vote! Thanks!

Weddzilla Guru Awards

All images courtesy of the Knot

Lauren and Joe

2010-08-04T21:13:00.001-04:00

Since Lauren was our featured wife this week --lets take a quick look at her beautiful wedding last year. Enjoy the clip and read Lauren's feature right below this post.

A Wedding Story: Lauren!

2010-08-04T06:17:00.001-04:00

This week's Wedding Story is from Lauren Gemma. Currently residing in South Carolina, Lauren is a Rhode Island native who had her 2009 wedding in the lovely Ocean State. With that, here's Lauren...When did you get married?
July 24, 2009

The flowers for Lauren's wedding were all provided by Golden Gate Studios.
Where was your ceremony? Reception?
Ceremony was in the Fairview Room at Quidnessett Country Club, and the reception was also at Quidnessett in the Narragansett Room.What made you choose that reception location?
Quidnessett is a beautiful venue! We have been to several weddings there and each one was a blast. The food was always excellent, grounds were kept in great condition, and the staff always seemed friendly. You definitely get your money's worth with Quidnessett. The entire staff is so easy to work with; we were very pleased with how much they helped us execute all of our wedding plans!What was your favorite aspect of your wedding?
Having most of our family and friends with us, all in the same place, on one of the best days of our lives was very special. Once the big day arrived and all the planning was done, it was so much fun to sit back and watch everyone have a blast.

Lauren and her hubby took black and white photos in various locations with large white cardboard numbers in hand to use as their table numbers - a very creative and personal touch!What was the best resource you used during the planning process?
By far it was The Knot. I used that web site almost every single day! I was able to find vendors, reviews, create my guest list, and the girls on the RI board were great! They gave so many honest opinions and ideas that really helped me while planning my wedding.What's the one thing you would have done differently?
It actually doesn't have to do with the wedding day, but with the honeymoon plans. We used a timeshare that we exchanged for our honeymoon. Because it was a timeshare, we had to go from a Saturday-Saturday. Since our wedding didn't end until midnight on Friday, it was a little hard to get up for a 4:30am ride to the airport to catch a flight. We had a blast and were too excited to even really think about it at the time, but if we were to do it again, not on a timeshare with scheduled days, I would have definitely taken a day to unwind/relax and left on the Sunday or Monday.Any advice for future brides?
I know it seems as though it will take forever for your wedding to finally get here, but trust me, it comes faster than you think! Enjoy your time being engaged and have fun with all of the planning! At times it will get super stressful, especially at the end when you feel like you can't possibly make one more decision, but keep thinking about how much fun it'll be and how amazing it will be to see everything come together on the big day! Get whatever DIY projects and whatnot done early so you don't have to rush at the end. Pay attention to small details, but if something doesn't get done, I promise that no one else will notice on the big day. Make YOUR decisions, stick to them, and remember that at the end of the day, the only thing that will matter is that you and your hubby will finally be married!

I agree with you, Lauren. If possible, it is beneficial to take the day after your wedding to sleep in, relax and recap your day with family and friends. We had a brunch with our parents and out of town guests and got to hear everyone's stories and points of view of the wedding night. When we left for our honeymoon the next day, we were refreshed, rejuvenated and ready to head to Aruba!

All photos courtesy of John Lovgren.

If you'd like to be a Featured Wife, please email me at legallybride@hotmail.com

Like reading Wedding Stories? Don’t forget to vote on the Weddzilla Awards!

"I Do" Ideas: The Mens Attire!

2010-07-28T06:30:00.004-04:00

This week I thought we could take a look at the different choices the groom and his men have for their attire.

Well where do we start? How about with the "traditional" groomsmen look: Tuxedos! A pretty common look is black tuxes with a vest and tie (or possibly a bow tie). Here, we have the groom in a lighter vest than his men and also a different tie to have him stand out.
Perhaps you'd love to have your guy in a tux but his unique style screams otherwise? By letting him pick his shoes (or other accessory) to his liking, you can come to a compromise. I went to a wedding once where the groom had given each of his groomsmen different color custom Air Force One's! It was a fun way to show their personalities. These guys opted for Converse's:
Now let's explore other options...
For one, suits! There are khaki or tan suits that are great for a summer wedding, or perhaps in a warmer locale.
There's also gray suits. These are slightly dressier than the tan suits but more casual than the black tuxes. This groom opted to add a hat for a fun twist.
Another suit color option is brown. This works lovely for Fall weddings. In this wedding, the groom chose an ivory suit to stand out amongst his men.
With all of these suit and tux options, don't forget to bring in your color scheme via a tie, bow tie, ascot and/or pocket square!

For a more casual look (with a "preppy" touch) try khakis, a white dress shirt and a blue blazer!
For an even more casual look, lose the jacket all together! Wearing matching shirts, ties and khakis still give the men a uniform look but in a much more relaxed setting.
For an island wedding or perhaps a backyard wedding, the most casual of options is a matching shirt with a pair of khakis. Here the groom wore a white button down, while his men donned teal shirts.
What we did for our wedding...
We did the "traditional" black tuxes for our more formal wedding. All of the men wore black vests and ivory shirts. (Speaking of ivory shirts... Don't forget! If your dress is anything but bright white, you will want your men in ivory shirts as opposed to white shirts. No one will notice that they are ivory instead of white, but if they were white and your dress was ivory, your dress would look "dirty".) The ties were of the Siena Paisley Collection by Jean Yves.

My husband wore the bali tan paisley tie (that was actually much more silver than tan!) with the matching pocket square.
The groomsmen wore the light fuchsia paisley ties and pocket squares.
Don't they look sharp all together?
The Dad's wore black paisley ties with ivory pocket squares.

All inspiration pictures courtesy of The Knot. My pictures courtesy of Zenobia Photography Studios. The men in my bridal party got their tuxes at Carl Anthony Tuxedo in Cranston, RI.

What did your groomsmen wear on the big day? I'd love to hear about it!

Don't forget to vote for the Wedding Stories blog at the Weddzilla Guru Awards! Thanks!

A Wedding Story: Sara!

2010-07-21T06:15:00.011-04:00

This week's Wedding Story comes from Sara Seals, from southern Massachusetts. Two summers ago she got married at Providence College (where her and her husband met!). With that, here's Sara...

When did you get married?
August 17, 2008

The morning of the wedding, Sara had her hair and make-up done by Gina Joubert and Krystal Treanor, respectively.Where was your ceremony? Reception?
St. Dominic Chapel @ Providence College (ceremony), Kirkbrae Country Club (reception)

What made you choose that reception location?
We fell in love with the gorgeous view! It also helped that they were in the process of renovating KCC when we went to visit the first time!

Sara opted for a cupcake tower style cake - how fun and unique!What was your favorite aspect of your wedding?
Getting to spend time with my mom working on all of the DIY projects!

Sara's DIY place cards
What was the best resource you used during the planning process?
Definitely The Knot! It was great to chat with other ladies about their planning process, use the site as a sounding board/feedback, and share the highs/lows of wedding planning!

Frey Florist did all of the flowers for Sara's wedding.What's the one thing you would have done differently?
Spent more time looking at wedding dresses. In the end, I did love my dress, but I wish I had tried on more of a variety of styles to really know it was "the one!"

During the cocktail hour, Sara joined her band for a surprise performance of a couple songs! Needless to say, her friends and family (and husband!) went crazy when she snuck behind the keyboard and started playing "Love Song".
Any advice for future brides?
Don't sweat the small stuff, because it's not worth it! Make sure you have at least 1 person to help you stay organized (either a parent or a good friend). Remember that a wedding is just a day...marriage is for the rest of your life! Most of all, have fun and enjoy the whole planning process!

Having a point person to help you stay organized is excellent advice, Sara. My Mom basically knew every detail about my wedding planning. It was SO helpful having someone help keep you on track to plan your dream day!

All photos by David Bibeault Photography.

If you'd like to be a Featured Wife, please email me at legallybride@hotmail.com

Stef and Jon

2010-07-14T08:08:00.001-04:00

For all you Wedding Wednesday fans--this weeks segment appears right under this video clip.

Venue: Glen Manor House
Photog: DB Photograghy
DJ: Victor from PartyTime
Flowers: Golden Gate
Bride and Groom: Stephanie and Jon--fun.fun.fun!

Nuptial Trends: Red & Blue!

2010-07-14T06:01:00.003-04:00

This week I thought we could look into a color palette trend that happens to correlate with the recent holiday: Red & Blue!

Check it out:

How to pull off this look...

In terms of bouquets, you can do either red or blue flowers; or a combination of both. Some popular red flowers for weddings are carnations, roses, chrysanthemums, dahlias and peonies. For blues, popular wedding flowers are blue anemones, cornflowers, hyacinths and even blue hydrangeas!

Here are a few samples:

One way to bring the scheme into your ceremony is to add a colorful aisle runner!
Other ways are chair covers,
or pew decoration!
Some ideas for the cake... you could do blue icing with red accents,
blue icing with red flowers,
or white icing with red AND blue flowers!
Another sweet dessert option is cupcakes,
or perhaps cotton candy! (Or a candy buffet!)
For centerpieces, you can use any of the flowers listed earlier either together in one arrangement or in individual vases.
You can also utilize one color for the flowers and then bring in the other color with ribbon or other accents.
For the men, I love the look of a blue tie with a red bout! A classic combo!
Bring your ring bearer into the color scheme with a red or blue pillow with the opposite accent. Like this adorable one:
For the girls, I personally love the look of blue dresses with red flowers. You can do aqua dresses,
or a darker, azure blue.
A way to bring the red in? Add a sash! Or even red shoes!
If you want to do a neutral color dress, you can bring in color with a pashmina, or even a bright necklace!
Signature drinks are a fun way to add color to your cocktail hour. Check out Stirrings to learn about some unique blue drinks, like a blueberry daiquiri or a Lady Bleu!
You can tie the color scheme into all of your paper products, ranging from menus:

Programs,

Escort cards,
and Favor tags!
Finally, for extra touches of color during your reception you can add lighting,
colorful napkins or accents,
chair decor,
table numbers,
and colorful seating!
Where do wedding trends come from? Fashion, of course! Check out these Red & Blue trends at:

Nordstrom,

Old Navy,
Macy's,

and Nine West!

What color palette did you use (or are you planning on using) on your wedding day?
I'd love to hear what you came up with!

All images courtesy of The Knot or websites listed.

Stephanie and Jon

2010-07-13T09:19:00.004-04:00

Venue: Glen Manor House
Photog: DB Photograghy
DJ: Victor from PartyTime
Flowers: Golden Gate
Bride and Groom: Stephanie and Jon--fun.fun.fun!