DIY Day - Guest Books...

Martha Stewart Weddings has an entire DIY section, so today I was looking through DIY Guest Books. Which I find fascinating... I want something different for our Guest Book... traditional is nice, but boring.  A simple guest book looks just like my guest list, only in a different order!  I want something that is more fun for my guests to fill out, and more enjoyable for me and my husband to read after!  So here are a few that I really enjoyed from the website.

Here is a Guest Book Quilt.

Now with this you can either have people take their patch and write what they wish, and then have them put it in a box or basket, and the quilt can be sewn together later on.  Or... you could have the quilt already made, and laid out, and your guest can write their wishes wherever they find space.  I personally like the idea of giving each person/couple their own square, and putting it together later!

This is a book set with questions...

Each table would get a small notepad with a question placed on the cover.  Each table would then fill in the book with their answers.  After the wedding, all the books can be placed together to appear to be volumes on your bookshelves.

And this is a File Card guestbook...

I especially enjoy this one.  It could become your guest book, but also your address book... Each guest/couple can fill out their contact information on one side to serve as your address book, and they can fill out their well wishes on the other side for your guest book.  Kept in its own file box, the cards can be alphabetized for easy access and viewing!

Like I said, I like different ideas...  Still looking for the one that is definitely right for me.  In a previous post I highlighted the Photo Booth and how that can be used as a guest book.  I know I will find the option that will best suit us, and you can bet that it will be different!

Happily Ever After,
Your Bizzy Bride

Wedding Dress Wednesday - Fall 2011

My apologies for missing bouquet day yesterday, but I am back today with Wednesday's Wedding Dresses!!  David's Bridal sent out their email today advertising that the new Fall 2011 collection has arrived... and in this post I would like to share with you a few on my favorites!!

These are all from David's Bridal.

This Tulle Ball gown with a pick up skirt is from DB's Oleg Cassini line, and is currently on sale for $800.

This Mikado Ball gown with Beaded appliques, is another Oleg Cassini and is also currently on sale, for $1150.

No denying where the inspiration for this gown came from... This long sleeved satin and lace ball gown retails for $849 from the David's Bridal Collection.

This all over lace ball gown with feather skirt is a Galina Signature and is on sale currently for $850.  I love the sweetheart back.

This organza split front gown with floral print inset is very different and one of the reasons I really like it... the pink floral print adds another dimension to the skirt.  On Sale for $449, its simple, but not all at the same time.

If you like the floral print, you can get your whole gown that way too.

This Strapless Printed Organza soft A-line is also on sale for $449, and is completely done in that pink floral design.

And last but not least (of my fav's, please go to the website and look at the pages of new gowns!!)...

You guessed it... new to the Vera Wang White collection... this Ball gown is adorned with a Corded lace bodice and Tulle skirt.  It comes with the shown matching floral sash, but could also be matched with the horsehair or grosgrain sash!  It's retailed at $1200, and is as fabulous as everything that Ms. Wang creates!!

So there you have it.  I urge you to go to the David's Bridal website and take a look at the new collection... they also have some new bridesmaids dresses as well.

With these new dresses I know you will live Happily Ever After!!
Your Bizzy Bride!!

My Wedding Monday - DJ!

I think one of the toughest decisions so far has been the DJ.  If you think about it, they play a HUGE roll in how your party goes... Do you want an active DJ or one who holds back? Do you want to pick all your music, or do you want to leave it up to them?  Do you want a band or a DJ, first of all?  Do you want lights and lasers, or do you want toned-down and fancy?  Its a tough decision... and we had a tough time!!  AND... we only met with a couple!

In the beginning I was attending bridal shows like a pro!  At one show I met this DJ pair that I took to instantly.  They weren't pushy, they were young, but didn't come across as amateurs... they were friendly, but playful too.  When my MOH and I walked toward their table the younger of the two gentlemen, handed me their folder... said to look at it over when I had a chance, but if I had any questions to feel free to ask.  So here I was, at my 3rd or 4th bridal show thinking, why didn't he give me his spiel? Why isn't he trying to sell me his bill of goods?  This intrigued me... So I said... "I have a question... I heard at another bridal show to ask DJ's what kind of equipment they use, so... what kind of equipment do you guys use?"

HA... The older DJ with this company jumped right in... now when I say older, I mean older than the other guy with him, but he is roughly the same age as my dear fiance.  So he steps in and says, "Let me ask you a question", with a smile on his face, "What do you know about DJ equipment?"... This made me laugh! He got me!!! I have NO CLUE what DJ equipment is, or does, nor do I care... but it started a conversation that made me feel comfortable instantly... so we laughed and talked, and he showed me the special price package for attending the show and let me on my way.

When it came time for the DJ discussion with the Fiance, I told him of these guys I met... He said we could give them a shot, so we took the drive down to New Rochelle to meet them!  Eric was our guy from Big Apple Entertainment, and he even remembered me from the bridal show... he said, "Yeah I remember you, you wanted to know about our equipment!! hahaha"... Fiance got a kick out of this too... So we sat there with him for over an hour just talking about ourselves and about our wedding and what we want our reception to be like... and he made us feel very comfortable, and confident that he was the right guy to be our MC/DJ.  He didn't try to oversell himself, he didn't push extras that we didn't want, and he understood that its going to be OUR day, not his SHOW!!!

BUT... Fiance didn't want to jump at the first DJ we interviewed... so we met with another company that was recommended by another one of our vendors.  This company was just as good as Big Apple, and although we felt comfortable with him as well, it was almost too comfortable... for instance, this guy was going to have us pick ALL our music for the night... call me crazy, but if I don't know a thing about equipment, I don't know a thing about picking music either... Leave it up to me and the whole thing would be Dave Matthews, Pearl Jam, and Jack Johnson... Plus, he was a little vague on what exactly we would be getting, where as Big Apple had a specific package that explained everything thoroughly.

We were still torn as we liked both individuals equally... but we discussed it at length and took in advice from others and decided to go with the guy that we felt understood US as a couple, and that we knew would be able to take the reigns and do the job without making it a chance for him to shine... He's also the guy that we decided we would invite to family BBQ... that's how comfortable we were with him, and how much fun we thought he was... (back story... the 3 of us have a lot in common too that we learned during our meeting) so it just kinda worked...

So there you have it... how we came to find our MC and DJ from Big Apple Entertainment.  They work out of New Rochelle, NY... and here are a couple pics from their website...

That guy there in the center is Eric!! He just looks fun, right??

After the big day, I will give a formal endorsement... but as of right now, I highly urge you to give them a chance, and talk to them if you are in the market... they can be as high voltage or calm and cool as you want them to be... and everywhere in the middle as well!  I cant wait for them to bring the party to our big day, and I just know deep down that we made the right decision!!

Happily Ever After
Your Bizzy Bride

Favor Friday - Crafty Crayons!!!

I had no idea what to post for favors today... I wanted something different... something new... I couldn't find anything in my usual search spots... and then I thought... ah heck with it... I'll go see what is on Off Beat Bride, maybe I wont do favors today... and there it was... "Crafty Crayon Favors Can Be Customized for ANY Wedding Theme"... SOLD!!!

Here is what they highlighted... (LOVE the lego guys)

They gave cute ideas to get those silicone ice tray molds in whatever shapes you want, melt down some crayons, and bam... customized...

So this had me looking, and I found MORE ideas... Here on the Frugal Family Fun Blog, they show how they make multi-colored heart-shaped crayons... and package them up!!

And, of course... Etsy has an entire shop!!! The ZeeBree Shop... Here are Butterflies that come in a set of 6 for $6.95

Here they make CUPCAKES!!!  6 to the set with different color bases... packed in a bakers box for $7.50

These adorable rings come in a set of 8 for $4.50, in the color you choose!!!

I think these DIY or simply BUY crayon favors are a cute idea... if you are having a fun themed wedding, I think it would add a cute personal touch... especially if you are going for a more young, fun, trendy vibe!!  If they aren't right for your traditional, elegant wedding, why not incorporate them for your shower??

A side note... these can also be done with soaps if you think crayons are too "childish", but we can jump into that next week!!! :-)

Happily Ever After with a splash of color!
Your Bizzy Bride!

DIY Day - The Program Alternative

I started looking for alternatives to the wedding program.  Sure its nice for your guests to know the names of the people involved in your wedding, and when you have a church wedding, its good to see the "itinerary" for the ceremony, the readings and whatnot... but if you are having a quick ceremony with only a few attendants in your party, do you really want to spend the money on printing out a bunch of programs?  Half the time they end up on the floor or in the garbage, and though I am not a huge eco-positive person, I don't like to waste!!!

I first came across this idea... printing your program on a fan for that hot summer wedding... this way the program is functional as well as informative. (courtesy of The Knot)

Cute, modern, and like I said, functional...

but, still could be a waste... so then I found this... from Off Beat Bride

Make a huge sign with your bridal party information... this is great for the wedding without readings and a big to-do ceremony.  It allows for your bridal party to be recognized, and you can customize it and personalize it, however you want!!! I love it... its a DIY in disguise!!!

This prompted me to look a little further... I like this idea, but want a little more formal... At The Unique Creative Hip Blog, I came across this little gem!!!

Its pretty, colorful, neat, and everything a program needs to be!! And its a chalk board!!

Today's blog post has a duel function... not just is this a cool DIY project, but it is also something that I will be adopting for our wedding... though slightly different, and quite frankly, possibly even more unique... I have not yet found it anywhere else... but I plan to do this program alternative, but instead of a chalk board, I am going to have my future MIL (who is an excellent artist) PAINT our program on a large canvas.  We will display it on (hopefully) and antique easel in the ceremony pavilion!  She will paint gorgeous flowers and make it totally summery with our Greens and Purples!!! I am super excited about it!!

You might be thinking about the guest who LOVES to have keepsakes from your big day, and who may even be into the whole scrapbooking idea and who will go home wishing they had a program to commemorate the day.  I am one of those people who have kept the programs of every wedding I have ever been to.  But this STILL works!!!  You can take a picture of it!!! Hello!!! :-)  So not only will your awesome photographer get a great shot of it... but your guests can take pics too!!!

I love it... and I cant wait to show you ours next year!!!

A little D.I.Y, and a little us!!!
Happily Ever After!
Your Bizzy Bride!

Wedding Dress Wednesday - Not So Much!

I thought today I would highlight a designer whose style I do not particularly understand... and generally don't like... To each his own... this is purely my opinion... FOR ME... I am not a big fan of Monique Lhuillier.  I know she is a major name in the bridal gown world, but she's just not my style!!  Yes Reese Witherspoon just wore a custom Lhuillier, and I like the soft pink, but then you saw the dress from the front, and it was the dreaded CORSET!!!!  I'm sorry, but I do not like this look.  Not for a wedding... Half of the corset style dresses look like the designer forgot to complete the dress. Almost like there is more fabric that should be there, but that is missing... and it almost looks embarrassing... like "oh my god, she's missing half her dress... that poor girl"

Exhibit A:

(moniquelhuillier.com)

There is PLENTY of fabric with this dress... even the "modest" lace bodice... but then suddenly you look closer, and its a corset top... do you want to go modest or not?? make up your mind Ms. Lhuillier! Why show the boning?? I just don't get it...

Exhibit B:

Again... modest sleeve... but a fit and flare silhouette and the boning corset bodice... which, not for nothing, totally minimizes the bust and therefore looks ill-fitted!  Just put some silk or chiffon over that boning and make it a complete dress.

These two are from her bridal line... there are MANY other scary gowns, like this one



I mean really, who would even wear that??

But then I came across her Bliss line... and here I was able to find gowns with a completed bodice, and beautiful silhouettes...

I love this... the straps are gorgeous, the skirt is pristine, the bodice is elegant... and its just nice!!!

This one, although a strapless, is beautiful!! The skirt is amazing, the embellishments classic... its a pretty gown.

So all in all, this makes me even more confused... I've seen she can make pretty gowns, but what is her obsession with the corset bodice... I would 85% of her gowns have the corset bodice... and for some reason brides think its a good look... maybe if you are getting married in a club... but to me, maybe I am more traditional than I thought, but to me... its not a good look!!

Like it or not, that is my opinion... if you know anything about bridal gowns, you could probably guess that I am not a fan of Pnina Tornai either... but we can tackle that another day!!!

I just see these gowns, and I'm confused and felt the need to share... I hope no takes offense... if its a look you like, then go you... but I would prefer to hide that boning from guests!!! If I wanted them to see me in my lingerie, I wouldn't spend the money on a gown!!!

Happily Ever After (in a more traditional gown)
Your Bizzy Bride!

Bouquet Day - The Boutonniere Alternative

I've been showing you many alternatives to the bridal bouquet, so I thought that today I might highlight the boutonniere alternative... I found all these funky ideas on m favorite site, Etsy.com.

Lets start with the Peacock feather... This is from the Rationale Etsy Shop.

It's simple, its elegant, its certainly colorful, and I like it... the little pearl stick is a nice touch, and its multi-functional as it serves as the pin for the lapel!! At $12.75 its a steal!

Remember when I showed you the awesome shell bouquets for that beach wedding my friend Meg will have ;-)... well here is what she can do for her groom, with this starfish boutonniere from the Frittsrosenow Etsy Shop...

perfect for the beach theme... and you can get the ribbon in various colors to match your day, all for $35.

The next two are also from the Frittsrosenow Etsy Shop... the first is crazy different, and could perhaps go for that foodie fiance who is perhaps a chef?!?!

Again, you can choose the color ribbon that you fancy... a knife, fork and spoon... haha, its perfect!  Fear not, they are miniature, so they wont be weighing your man down, and it wont weigh down your wallet at $40 either!

This next one is a definite favorite, being pretty addicted to scrabble, myself... part of me wants to put scrabble tiles all over my wedding... even my man!!! hahaha

And... you guessed it... the ribbon is customizable... and get this... so are the tiles... you can do the LOVE as seen above, or you can personalize with your initials (as seen below)... you can choose up to 5 tiles...

And these fun scrabble themed boutonnieres are only $35.

And finally... a totally different alternative... a pin... from the Creativebyheart Etsy Shop...

You can choose from 12 different color ribbons... and the bead in the middle can be changed as well to be pearl, glass, ivory or white.... and at only $12, how can you say no??  Though to be honest, if you want it even more customizable, you could probably figure out how to make your own!!  Sometimes you can take on too much DIY stuff... so if you can do 12 bucks... just go with it!!!

So there you have it... Etsy finds in the boutonniere alternatives arena!!  I think they are fun... my traditional fiance probably wouldn't be down for any of it, but hey... its fun to see!! and hopefully i have supplied you with some food for thought!!

It is my goal, after all... for all of us to live Happily Ever After
Your Bizzy Bride!

MY Wedding Monday - Save the Date

I told you I would let you know which Save the Date we picked.  So here it is!! From Magnet Street.

YAY!!!! We liked number 2, as much as the rest of you... BUT we felt there was a little too much going on... so we went with this one... I cant wait for them to come in, and I cant wait to send them!!!

Short post today... but tomorrow we talk boutonnieres!!!

Hoping you live Happily Ever After
Your Bizzy Bride

Favor Friday - Eco Friendly

Having a wedding where the color scheme is green and purple allows me to find some interesting things when I do Google searches for "Green Wedding".  Today... when I typed in "Green Wedding Favors", it came back with Plantable Card Favors... We did these for my MOH's bridal shower, and they were adorable AND a big hit... I thought today, I would highlight a couple of good sites for you in case you wanted to do the same!

Probably the most versatile site, as usual, is The Knot Shop.  They can be personalized to suite you needs. When you add them to your cart, you are given the option to add text, pick the shape and the color.  You can buy these for $11.95 for a package of 12...

Here is the chosen text and the Heart design with white paper...

Choose your design

Choose your seed paper color.

The knot also has Seed Bookmarks for $11.95 for 12, which I really like!!!

They have Post Cards... ($11.95 for 12)

and... This Bucket of Love that comes with the seed papers, a personalized tag, and the tin pail ($78 for 50, and $138 for 100)

Another site is Daisy Days, which is where we got my MOH's... Here they have bags of paper confetti.  They come with 350 petals per bag and cost $19.95.  The more bags you buy, the better the deal.  You can pick from white to assorted colors.  You can separate them into groups of favors, or sprinkle them on tables, or have a tin with them for people to take.

They too have the cards that can be personalized... and range in prices of $1.65 ea. for 25-99 and $1.55 for 100+.

If you are really into the Ecological, "green" favors... I would say that Daisy Days is the way to go.  They have plantable gift boxes, bags of seeds, these seed cards, and biodegradable products beyond imagination!

So in case you are confused, when you get home with your seed favor, (remove back card if it came with one) and plant it.  Water them as you would any seed, and wild flowers will grow.

These are perfect for the bridal shower... but can also be done cute for the wedding itself!!!

I hope you enjoyed!! See you tomorrow for quite the wish!!!

Happily Ever After,
Your Bizzy Bride

DIY Day - Save the Dates!

I have been chomping at the bit to make our Save the Dates for the wedding, especially when I found the BEST site for Save the Date magnets.  Magnet Street Weddings has an enormous amount of options, and each one is fully customizable, right down to the text and the colors!  As we know, I love customizing!! Especially with my colors.  They even offer "free" personalized samples, meaning you can put all your colors, text and photos, and they will make one for you and send it out.  They do charge you $6.99 for this, BUT, when you place your order, that price is taken off.

The reason I included this as a DIY post, is because with the amount of customizing and personalizing that can be done with these, its like doing it yourself... which I love... though, I have to admit... when it came down to choosing which one to get, I had 6 that I just couldn't decide between... options are good, but if you are like me, be careful... it could cause decision making to be difficult.

With that said... I presented my top 6 designs to my dear fiance and asked him to choose, he was then able to get it down to 2 and then we just went with our gut!! (we do that a lot)... so technically we already picked the one that we are ordering, but I want to share with you 4 of our top 6, and get your opinions as well!!! Next Monday, on MY wedding Monday... I will share our decision!!

Ok lets go!!! So again, all these designs were made possible by Magnet Street Weddings and all the photos of us were taken by the talented Robert Yaskovic of Yaskovic Wedding + Portrait. (his amazing photos also made it difficult to make a decision... we liked them all, and couldn't decide between 7 of them for the SD!

Here they are, in no particular order... I numbered them for voting purposes only!!!

#1

I inked out our actual date and last names in case we have stalkers that we don't want to crash the wedding!!! hehehe :-)  And yes... Eat, Drink, and Be Married is a nod to my favorite musician, Dave Matthews, with a bit of a twist... it will hold NUMEROUS places for our wedding!!! hehe...

#2

I love these pictures!!! hehehe, but who am I kidding... i love all the pictures!!!

#3

Another fantastic shot!!!

#4

Don't you love them??? I do... even though we decided last night, I look at these again, and wonder if we made the right decision!! haha... Johnny laughs at me cause at the rate I'm going, I would never decide!!!

Another awesome thing about Magnet Street... they sell invitations too!!! Some of the Save the Dates have matching invites as well, which is cool if you want to coordinate everything!!

I can't wait to get them!! I'm so excited!!! :-)  Hope you enjoy! and let me know what you think!

Happily Ever After,

Your Bizzy Bride

Wedding Dress Wednesday - Judd Waddell

EDIT at the bottom!!!

Today, my favorite blog day, I would like to highlight a fabulous designer, Judd Waddell.  Architecture student turned fashion designer, Judd has worked for Carolina Herrera, created the "Occasions" bridesmaids line for Jim Hjelm, was Design Director for Galina Bouquet, and also launched a line for Couture Bridal.  The dresses that I want to highlight today are from his own collection that can be seen over at JuddWaddell.com.

My favorite site, and every brides, TheKnot.com provided me with details and great photos to share.

The first dress is a strapless ball gown made of silk satin-faced organza and Alencon lace.  It has a sweetheart neckline and a deep navy blue sash around the waist.  Available in White or Ivory, this gown runs in the $5000 and up range!

My favorite things about this gown are the various lace accents.  The piece that cascades across the sash, the lace that highlights the bottom of the skirt and of course the bodice.  Another thing I love is the gathering of the skirt.  Its a striking gown, and paired with the gloves, its just beautiful.

This next dress is another strapless ball gown with a sweetheart neckline.  Made of Peau De Soie (a medium weight smooth, silky fabric with a satiny finish, also called Duchess Satin) and Alencon Lace, it is available in White, Champagne, and Cream.  It retails in the $3000 to $5000 range.

Again, I love the lace... but I also love that full skirt... the satin and beaded embellishment just under the bust adds a stunning look to an otherwise simple, yet elegant, gown.

A favorite design, as you know, this is a Judd Waddell one-shoulder gown!!  A sheath silhouette with an asymmetric waist, this gown is available in white or cream.   Made of Peau De Soie, Alencon Lace, and Tulle, it retails in the $3000 to $5000 range.

Love the lace one-shoulder... love the neckline, love the skirt!!! Just love, love, love!!! :-)

And last, but not least... FULL LACE BACK!!!! I have no idea what the front looks like... but I do love the back of this dress!!! A dropped waist made of all Peau De Soie, with a full lace back, this gown is available in White or Cream and retails in the $3000 to $5000 range.

I wish I had more information on this gown, and might make it a mission to find a picture of the front.  The light blue sash looks detachable, but I cant be sure.  That back is stunning though!!  If anyone finds more pictures of this gown, please let me know!!!

I FOUND IT!!!!! The FRONT!!!!

Here it is from the front... I LOVE IT!!! and yes, the sash is interchangeable!! As the one pictured is in cream! LOVE the straps... Love the lace on the bottom of the skirt... and I love the silhouette!! So glad I found it!!

Happy Wedding Dress Wednesday!!! :-) I hope you enjoyed, and I hope, like me, you live Happily Ever After!
Your Bizzy Bride!