A different proposal

I love getting daily deals in my inbox and one site I use all the time is Groupon! Each day it's a new deal! I love when they offer photo deals and Edible Arrangement deals. You can't buy in bulk on this site - you usually get the option of buying 1 deal for yourself and 1 as a gift. It's great for trying new restaurants, too! Well, when Greg decided to pop the question to Dana, he thought of a creative way to do it. You see, Dana is a big Groupon fan like me. She checks her email every day to see what the Deal of the Day is. On January 5, 2011 the deal of the day was her proposal! 

Check out the entire post here....this is one of those engagements you can file under 
"most creative"! Great job, Greg! Congratulations to both....I bet the wedding is going to be fun and unique as well!

Bidding For Good

Holy smokes! I was looking at the BiddingForGood auction site tonight and they have auctions ending in the next 12 hours! If you are a bride in the San Francisco area or you know of brides in these areas there are AWESOME DEALS!!! Spread the word!

Photo Booth from The Laugh Box - 3 hours plus extras - San Francisco Bay Area
Worth $1200 Current Bid - $152.00



Luxury Limo Service from Lone Star Limousine - 3 Hours of service - San Francisco Bay Area
Worth $330 Current Bid - $157.00



Napa Valley Portrait Session with Damion Hamilton - 1 hour service plus ALL photos on a disk!
Worth $900 Opening Bid - $50.00

Sentimental Gestures

It's no secret I am a huge fan of brooches - especially when they are incorporated into the bridal bouquet! While checking up on one of my favorite photographers I found these pictures:

 

Photogapher, Murakami, caught the beauty of this sentimental gesture on Mandi and Brandon's wedding day. You can read more about the brooch and see the bride's reaction when she was given the brooch here. In this bouquet shot - the brooch has photos of the brides mom on her wedding day and the mom's mom (the brides grandmother) on her wedding day. How special is that??! What an amazing keepsake too! I just wanted to share this because I thought it was so sentimental and special! Do you have plans of incorporating anything in your own wedding using pictures of your mom's or grandmother's? Share your ideas with comments!! 

Deluxe Bridal Appointments

So I hear the new "trend" in bridal gown shopping is setting a "Deluxe Appointment" with the salon - IF they do it. For a fee, the bride and her party can attend a private appointment where light refreshments will be served...appetizers, wine, cheese and crackers, champagne...you know the deals and frills. So, how much is a private appointment you might be asking? Looks like the typical price range is $100 - $150. The bride may or may not get a goodie bag filled with all kinds of things she needs - like a gift certificate off her dress OR the maids dresses. I have heard the discount offering would sometimes cover the cost of the appointment fee so that is a PLUS! Let's look at what else is a plus: You are the main focus, you don't have to worry about being left while someone else needs help, you get 1 on 1 attention, you get to know the people helping you and...well it's like your own little party in the bridal store...just for you! Normally these appointments are booked after-hours or when the store is closed.

What's wrong with this? Should bridal salons charge to give you service - isn't that what most salons offer as a means to get your business? The answer should be Yes. But, looking at both sides, it is the LEVEL of service you are paying for. And I have to say....I am not opposed to paying for better service! Are you?


I would stay at a 5-star resort over a budget motel....How about a nice bottle of Pinot Grigio...compared to Strawberry Hill?  Truth be told I can't afford the 5-star resort but I would find a 4-star for sure! haha.

So, what do you guys think?

• Would a Deluxe Private Appointment appeal to you?
• Would you pay to have this level of service?
• Would you pay only if you got money saving offers
• Has anyone reading this blog ever done this? What was your experience?

Here's my take on it...and remember I owned my bridal salon for 5 years! I LOVE THE IDEA! Here is the reason why...being able to focus on just one bride and give her everything I possibly could would be the best thing I could do for my customer. During normal operating hours you can not focus on only one customer...other customers may come in, the phones are ringing, people are walking in, etc etc. The other plus side to me on this is that shopping at a salon for this dress for this day - it's pretty personal and you are going to work with those people for about 6 months (order time - to delivery time - to wedding time). This is an excellent way to get to know each other! I always said that I was sad when the days came for my brides to say "I do" because that meant I wouldn't be seeing them, and that made me sad! So, anyway, I really think this is a perfect service...and if the store is savvy enough to offer a discount or credit for the amount of the appointment onto your purchase....well this appointment is a no brainer...BOOK IT! :)

Trash the dress....Really?

I have to admit, when I first heard of this my first thought was "Really?"! Then I looked into it a bit more and I thought "Wow...that is pretty cool!" It was hard to get past the concept of actually trashing a dress though! I then started seeing people refer to this as "Cherish The Dress", "Romance The Dress" or "Encore Photography" and each of these terms made it seem a little bit more classy...more artistic. I think when you come up with a new concept, you really need to choose your words carefully! I don't see these photographic opportunities as destroying a dress (although wait till you see some photos!). My view on it is...this is a great way to get some amazing photographs - photos you would not necessarily get on your wedding day...photos you really will cherish and love. You have spent at least 10% of your wedding budget on your dress (maybe more) so you should get as much use out of this dress as possible! I have seen some crazy images and I have seen some truly beautiful photos. Doing this type of session can be anything you want...the beach, the mountains, the snow, a field of wild flowers...the possibilities are endless!

So, let's start with the "OMG! IS THAT REAL?" photo. This is pretty wild, to say the least. I think it's safe to assume that your dress will most likely never be the same again after doing something like this! ***And I better insert this warning, just to be on the safe side*** Please do not attempt to do this!

So. Ouch. This photo is very eye catching. To some, it might embody what trashing a dress means. It was taken by a photographer who is very well known for his "Trash the Dress" photo shoots. He is a pretty amazing photographer - so very creative! You should check out his work here: John Michael Cooper/ altf.com. He is based in Las Vegas, NV. Here is a link to his blog as well!

This photo was taken in...where else? Hawaii. Beautiful. If you are having a get-a-way wedding and heading out to Hawaii - imagine doing an Encore photoshoot before your honeymoon ends? Hawaii is one of the most beautiful places to take pictures so you have so many options. On Maui there is a stunning Lavender farm, also you can find a beautiful winery on Maui...you have plenty of choices - not just the beach but heck they also have the most amazing beaches! To see more work from Choco Studio go here!

Speaking of beaches - right? WOW. This picture was just amazing! The ocean, the dress...the sky. All of it was stunning to me! This photo was shot at Majestic Colonial Resort, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. I need to vacation there after seeing this! There were more amazing pics from this photo shoot. Check them out here!

 

  

I saved my favorites for last. I LOVE THESE PICTURES! They were taken in the New Forest - which is located in England (sniff sniff...so far away!). Everything about this photo shoot I loved. In fact, I am a total fan of the photographer: Murakami. I have looked at several bridal parties they have photographed - and seriously I am having major envy issue! The photo opportunities in England are just all stunning and beautiful. I would - in a heartbeat - schedule a photo shoot in the New Forest if I could. It also doesn't hurt that I am in love with this dress. I wanted to include it in my Think Pink blog post - but it was over my price criteria. It is the Victoriana by Maggie Sottero. Just a stunning gown. She would be mine if I was getting married today! But, back to the photography! Check out Murakami - if even just for some ideas!

Think Pink!

It's another dark, cloudy rainy Southern California day....not that our weather compares anything to "snowmageddon" but still I needed something to perk up my day. I started my search for Pink Wedding Dresses. Pink is a perky, pick-me-up kinda color right? I didn't have much luck. Don't get me wrong I found LOT'S of pink wedding dresses but I narrow down my search criteria when posting things on my blog. For one, posting a $20,000 wedding dress is ridiculous. I mean, seriously...who would pay that much for a dress? Obviously, someone or Oscar wouldn't still be in business. My search criteria is usually under $1000 dollars. Here are my finds:

This dress is from the modest collection called Bliss. It is made by Bonny. This dress has the BEST price of all. Retail price of $578. The style number is 2803

This was my #1 pick for a couple of reasons - a.) I think it would look great on different body shapes b.) it is a beautiful pink color and c.) price price price! With a retail price of $598 this was one of the most affordable, pink dresses I found.  It's from Bonny and the style number is 749.

 

 

This dress is from Impression. The style number is 2975. The pink color looks more mauve to me but I loved the embellishments and the bodice. I found it priced at $675 on House Of Brides, which is why I included it here. The MSRP on House of Brides claims this dress is $1125...can't verify that but because of their price it's worth checking into!

 

I found one more dress from Bonny that fit my criteria. The dress is style 912 and it was priced at $778. Not bad for the dress - I am not a big fan of dropped waists - I don't think they look great on too many shapes - especially not one like mine! haha. But, the beadwork on the top of this dress is gorgeous!

My final pink dress is another I found on House of Brides. This gown barely made it into my price criteria at $1073 on House of Brides. They claim the MSRP is $1500. I liked this one a lot. The lace was very romantic. It's from Mon Cheri and the style number is 110233

Miss Pug's Pawfect Wedding Is Hosting a Give-A-Way!

A new blog I am following has hit a milestone - over 100 followers!! Congrats to you Miss Pug! She is celebrating by offering a Name Change Express give-a-way! Since I have yet to change my name (oops! I am bad) I would hope none of my readers would follow my footsteps...well at least on this ONE thing! So, head on over to Miss Pug's Pawfect Wedding blog and check out her nifty wedding planning journey and don't forget to enter her give-a-way! She will be taking entries until the end of the day Wednesday, February 10th (midnight eastern time) and will announce the winner at some point on Thursday.

Seeing Red! Beautiful Red Wedding Dresses!

The sun has been missing for a week in Southern California...and cabin fever is starting to set in! I seriously need a pick-me-up! Something to brighten these dark, cloud filled days. I have also had Valentine's Day on my mind - who couldn't? In every store you went in right after Christmas they had valentine items already on display! It reminded me of a dress that I fell in love with years ago. I am not sure about this but, to my knowledge, it was the very 1st mainstream red wedding dress to hit the market...it was a BEAUTIFUL silk gown made by English designer Ian Stuart. It was nicknamed "Valentine" for obvious reasons! It was a stunning gown in person (I had it in my store and actually sold a few of them to bold brides!). Ian Stuart set the bar though...

 This dress can probably still be found today if you searched hard enough on the net! It even came with the matching choker! Thinking of this dress brought me back to another dress - in RED. This one is a little different though - and not mainstream at all.

This delectable, sweet candy dress was made with 1000 Lindt chocolate balls! This dress was called the Lindor Dress and debuted in December of 2007! When I remembered this dress it brought a HUGE smile to my face! Mmmmm...

While thinking about this post I stumbled across a few things I also felt I needed to share! I found the most amazing photographer - Rosie Parsons. Oh why, oh why do you have to live across the pond? I seriously fell in love with her work! You have to check out her blog! Lovely!! And look at this photo she shot of this gorgeous red tea length gown:

These days almost every wedding designer out there has a red dress in their line. They are amazing, striking wedding gowns that only the bold would wear! I love them all. Back in the day that lovely Ian Stuart gown would set you back about $1800.

Here are some other options from Bonny that are between $800 - $1150...

 

This dress is by Maggie Sottero. I have seen various prices on the net for it but I just loved the color and the tulle.

 

And if you plan on being a Red Hot Bride...well then of course you must check out this fab website that is dedicated to just red wedding gowns! Warning: If you were just THINKING of red and you go to this site - you will leave with your mind 100% made up! It's awesome!

What a Great Time!

Well, we survived our Girls Road Trip! It was a great trip (from Southern California to Phoenix). The only sad thing is when you are done helping your friends and seeing family...you have to say goodbye and come home! :(

The weekend started off by attending the bridal show being held at the Convention Center in downtown Phoenix! Talk about PACKED! Wow. Wall to wall people and vendors! I was amazed at the number of photographers at the show. (*note to promoters...you should limit the number in each category!) Sliding off topic for a little bit there...We got to sample some food, sample some cake, sample some make up and hair ideas and sample cake...oh I said that already, right? Whoops! Must have passed by that vendor twice! :) haha.

We got some information that our friend may find useful, but overall we went for the experience and well, I will admit...it would have been awesome if she won one of the dresses being given away every HOUR!!

The next day we stopped in a shop called "Yes I Do" in Chandler, AZ. What a GREAT little shop this was! We have been to many...trust me when I call a shop GREAT it is well deserved! The owners and helpers were so nice....went out of their way to help us and make sure we were all ok - including our 2.5 year old flower girl!!If you live in this are and you are getting married I urge you to give them a try (and your business!). They were AWESOME!

 

The shop is located at: 71 West Boston Street, Chandler

Arizona 85225 Phone: 480-821-6789

Email: yesidobridal@gmail.com

http://www.yesidobride.com

 FINALLY, it looks like the dress choice was down to two!

This is Joli Bridal style 4007

This is Casablanca Bridal Gown style 1912

Getting a little excited now to see which dress will win! I like both of them for various reasons! But, I don't want to throw out any bias so I will refrain from discussing my favorites until the bride announces her's! :)

Brides Come In All Shapes and Sizes (and so do dresses!)

I am so glad that the bridal industry has a new view on plus sizes. Dresses are now designed to fit our curvy, voluptuous figures! Long gone are the days where choices were limited, styles didn't accent the body or you had to have a dress made. Now plus size brides have many choices - the key to finding the right dress for your body type is accentuate what you like most about yourself and play down the things you don’t like! Here are a few different styles that would work with different body shapes...

(click on image to view larger)

A special "Thank You" to Bonny for allowing me to use these images!

Modest Gowns That Won't Break The Bank

Looking for a modest, affordable gown? Well, fortunately, many of manufacturers are starting to pay attention to modest brides. There are tons of beautiful, modest gowns out there now for brides to choose from...without breaking the bank! Here are a few gowns I found and they all retail under $850!

(click on image for larger view!)

A special "Thank You" to Bonny for allowing me to use these photos

Adorable Flowergirl Dress

A bride I am working with sent me a request for information on a flower girl dress - I checked out the photo and thought it was a super cute dress so I had to share it! My bride has ordered her wedding gown and bridesmaid dresses with me and I am crossing my fingers I will be able to help her with this adorable dress from Watters and Watters. Style 48298 - Ivory tulle knee length dress with wisteria duchess satin cumberbund sash. Tulle and feather flowers on skirt.

A special "Thank You" to Watters and Watters for allowing me to use their image

True Confessions of a 3 Dress Bride (Part 1)

Many people may not know that I had 3 wedding dresses - but hey...why not spill the beans for everyone to know? I have worked in the bridal industry since I was 18 and have seen 1000's of dresses how was I ever going to just pick ONE? I found my "dream dress" which was Bonny style 443. I loved the sleeves and the A-line style and thought it would be super flattering! I purchased the dress and was totally thrilled when I tried it on for the 1st time! It was everything I had wanted....I was a lucky girl! :)