Finding My Dream Wedding Gown...

Probably one of the most fun parts of wedding planning is shopping for the wedding gown. With the advent of so many reality shows dedicated to brides-to-be finding their perfect wedding gowns, there is a lot of expectation that comes with these appointments.

I am no stranger to the experience of wedding gown shopping. For 10 months I worked as a bridal consultant at the largest bridal salon in New Jersey, Castle Couture. It was truly a magical experience and the scenes created from Say Yes to the Dress are just as real and exciting in person.

But this time I was on the other side of the appointment. Finally I was the bride and it was my time to shop for the wedding dress of my dreams. I went back to my old place of business and brought with me my mom and my sister. It was an experience that we've been dreaming of and talking about for years. Two is the perfect number of opinions as well, it's not too overwhelming but it offers some great perspective.

I often joke about the stamina I had to wait so long into my engagement to finally go wedding gown shopping. I got engaged on December 8th and made it all the way to March 22nd before slipping into a wedding dress. It was fantastic though, because in that time I was able to find a venue, book other vendors and have a solid foundation for what the wedding would be like. It also gave me time to do research and have firm ideas in what I was interested in trying on.

I came in with 3 buzzwords for my consultant: traditional, classic and elegant. I had in mind two styles but was truly open to trying anything on. Of course I had my Pinterest pictures out and ready and that gave my consultant a great visual of my overall taste. She also let me walk around the salon and pull some dresses too, which I really appreciated.

When we started getting the first dress clipped, I could tell immediately that this would be the dress to beat. It was spectacular to say the least. I practically ran out of the room to show my family and it couldn't have been longer than 30 seconds before my mom and I were crying. I could not believe how perfect the first dress was. I was so relieved that I found something I actually loved so much. We tried it with a veil and it just solidified the whole look for me.

But it was the very first dress and it's always a good idea to try on a few others before committing. Plus it's also so much fun and you should never rush the appointment, after all, how many more chances in life will you get to do something like this?

We tried on a few other dresses, all of which were beautiful and there was at least one that I also really loved. My mom and sister gave great feedback and were so positive and encouraging during the whole process. It was so fun seeing other silhouettes. Since I wasn't locked into trying on only one style, it was really important to get a taste of everything, all the way from a ballgown to a mermaid. But that first dress just spoke to me. I could actually see myself walking down the aisle and getting married in that dress.

Finally we put it back on and matched it with a great veil and side comb. It was so exciting to put the whole look together. If you have the time to do it, I definitely recommend selecting everything all at once.

My sister asked me if this was the dress and I laughed nervously. I loved this dress but I think it's a little scary when it's time to make the decision. It's a gown that I've dreamed of my whole life but to actually say the words is harder than you might think. But in my heart I knew it was right so after a moment I said "Yes, this is totally my dress!"

I am so thrilled to have had such a positive experience and to have shared it with my mom and sister makes me feel incredibly blessed. My advice for anyone about to start this experience is to stay open-minded and positive. Wear a strapless, nude colored bra and nude colored underwear. Wear heels similar in height to what you would wear on the day of your wedding. Think of general buzzwords that capture your style. Try on different silhouettes, get a taste for everything. Also have your hair and make up done extra nicely so you can see the whole look come together.  But most of all have fun, laugh and enjoy every moment, because these are the moments that you look back on and cherish forever.

Bridesmaid Monday: How Many Bridesmaids to Have

Happy Monday everyone! A big decision you have to make as a bride is choosing who to ask to be in your bridal party. You've probably got a ton of girlfriends, family members, co-workers that you would like to ask and it's definitely difficult to bring it down to a handful of people. So how many should you ask?

Think about the affair you're having. Is it an intimate destination wedding? A large cathedral wedding? Your guest list really determines the number of your bridal party, you don't want a disproportionate amount of people on the altar to the rest of the wedding guests.

If you're having between 30-50 people, having a maid of honor and one bridesmaid is definitely the best way to go. Between 50-120 people consider 3-4 bridesmaids. 180 is the average number for wedding guests so for an average wedding think about having 4-6 bridesmaids. A larger wedding with over 200 people means between 7-10 is appropriate. But try to stay under 10, a large bridal party will without a doubt overwhelm you.

Check out next Monday's post for more bridesmaid tips!

Ceremony Sunday - How to Work with Your Church for your Wedding Decorations

Dave loves to tell me this story of when he worked at his church there was a wedding being set up for the next day. The wedding coordinator and her team wanted to tape flower arrangements to the side of the pew to make the aisle very beautiful for the procession. Unfortunately the church did not allow for flowers to be taped on the pew because it could cause damage to them, the wedding planner had not checked ahead and was now in a bind.

Before this happens to you ask your priest/pastor/reverend what their policies are if there are any regarding decorating the church for the wedding. Some churches are more flexible than others and most are always willing to work with you to make your day perfect.

If your church isn't okay with flowers/candles being attached to the pew a great alternative is to have flowers and lanterns lining the aisle (shown below). It creates a very romantic look and still gives the church a special wedding touch for your day.

RECEPTION DECOR

RECEPTION DECOR: Feather Centerpieces

Not really into the idea of having flowers in your wedding decor? Feathers as wedding centerpieces can be a great alternative! They're non-traditional, fun, whimsical and can add a touch of character to your wedding!

Bridesmaid Monday

IT'S BRIDESMAID MONDAY!

Grey/Silver bridesmaids gowns can actually be a great contrast in your wedding color scheme! Whether you imagine having red or yellow in your wedding, grey can really make those colors pop while also being very easy on the eyes!

Happy Father's Day

In honor of Father's Day here's a great wedding tip! Before you leave for the ceremony take a picture of your dad when he first sees you as a bride. It's incredibly special, sentimental and a great memory to look back on. Happy Father's Day to all the great dads out there!!

BRIDAL STYLE SATURDAY

BRIDAL STYLE SATURDAY: ILLUSION NECKLINES

CELEBRITY BRIDE OF THE WEEK: KATE MOSS

CELEBRITY BRIDE OF THE WEEK: KATE MOSS

Kate Moss married Jamie Hince on July 1, 2011 in an opulent ceremony that boasted romance to the max! Her custom John Galliano designed gown was effortlessly simple but had symbolism in the beadwork "of a mythical phoenix” says the designer. I am also obsessed with her Juliet style veil!

RECEPTION DECOR

RECEPTION DECOR: Black and White and Bling

Creative Ways to Ask Your Bridesmaids

From LaurenConrad.com

5 Creative Ways To Ask Your Bridesmaids:

Ask with a card. Create a custom card that proposes the question. (If you want to keep it easy, check out BHLDN—they have a nice assortment of “Will You Be My Bridesmaid” cards.) Along with the card, you can also present each of girl with a small piece of jewelry from one of your favorite jewelry designers; every bauble can be different to reflect each maid’s personal style. Asking with a card is a simple and sweet way to pop the question.  

Surprise adventure. Whether it’s asking your maids out to brunch and surprising them by popping the question or doing a day at the spa, taking your girls for an unexpected outing and asking them all at once is a great way to invite them to be a part of your big day.

Provide a prep kit. If you consider yourself a crafty gal, this might just be the perfect idea for you: Put together a “bridesmaid emergency kit” for each of your girls. Fill each kit with all the necessities they will need to not only get you down the aisle in one piece (blister bandages, fashion tape, eye drops), but also some items to help them maintain their peace of mind (aspirin, gum, a mini bottle of bubbly). Then present each of your girls with the kit and ask them to be your bridesmaid!

Say it with something sweet. Who doesn’t like an excuse to indulge in a yummy cupcake? When I spotted this DIY on how to make ombré cupcakes in a jar on Marry This, I just knew I had to share the idea… Invite your girls out to brunch and place a cake jar at each of their place settings…once they sit down and realize what’s in front of them they will be pleasantly surprised!

Hang it out. Order personalized hangers (you can find dozens of them on Etsy) for each of your would-be maids. Add a special touch by attaching a handwritten note to each hanger upon delivering it to your girls. The best part? All of your maids can hang their bridesmaids dresses from the hangers on the day of the wedding…can you say cute photo op!?

CEREMONY SUNDAY

A great way to decorate your ceremony is to make an elaborate floral design down the aisle. This technique suits an outside wedding perfectly! Might not be ideal though if you wanted to have flower girls!

BRIDAL STYLE SATURDAY:

BLUSH WEDDING GOWN

(By Vera Wang available at David's Bridal)

CELEBRITY BRIDE OF THE WEEK: GWEN STEFANI

Nowadays blush wedding gowns are a huge trend in bridal. But back in 2002 when pop superstar Gwen Stefani married Gavin Rossdale she made the ultimate statement with her John Galliano gown but having the bottom completely pink.

Since then celebrity brides like Reese Witherspoon, Anne Hathaway and Jessica Biel have married in blush or added pink to their wedding gowns as well!

Dare to be different and true to your style when picking your wedding gown!

WEDDING CAKE WEDNESDAY:

GOLD AND LACE EMBROIDERED WEDDING CAKE, VERY REGAL AND GLAMOROUS!

RECEPTION DECOR:

An all white color palette can be clean, elegant and the epitome of bridal! The centerpieces are made up of roses, orchids, and hydrangeas with hanging crystals giving the decor a full blown romantic feel!

CELEBRITY BRIDE OF THE WEEK: JENNA DEWAN-TATUM

Jenna Dewan-Tatum married the sexiest man alive in July 2009. Her custom made Reem Acra gown perfectly complimented the fairy themed wedding which was designed by celebrity wedding planner, Mindy Weiss. And now they're about to have a baby =D

WEDDING CAKE WEDNESDAY:

Thank you Becky for finding this website!

This design, by Lisa Marie Kincaid, started with a simple vine—and grew from there! Fondant cake with sugar-paste clematis, dark chocolate vine and sugar balls.

Click here to see more beautiful wedding cakes: http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/1ChUmk/www.brides.com/wedding-ideas/wedding-cakes/editorial-pick/2008/01/the-50-most-beautiful-wedding-cakes?fb_action_ids=10200303858342634&fb_action_types=stumbleupon%3Ashare

RECEPTION DECOR:

Cherry blossoms utilized in the reception space can make a room feel like an enchanted garden! If the arrangements are tall like they are in the picture, it can also fill the space very easily.

CELEBRITY BRIDE OF THE WEEK: KHLOE KARDASHIAN ODOM

Anyone else who is a die hard Kardashian fan can agree that Khloe and Lamar's relationship is the epitome of a whirlwind romance. Within a month of just meeting each other they were walking down the aisle! T This lavish wedding was put together in only 9 days by the bride’s mother, Kris. The bride and her bridesmaids wore gowns by Vera Wang, a friend of the family.

Wedding Cake Wednesday:

Just the right amount of purple