Pretty Little Details

The Land of Milk & Honey

I'm a self proclaimed shoe addict.  I don't hide it, as a matter of fact one could say I flaunt it.  It all started during my childhood.  I had an entire closet dedicated to shoes in my bedroom.  No really, the shelves were made specifically for shoes, tilted slightly with a bar to hold the heels; a beautiful way to display my ladies. And now my shoes are overflowing from my side of the closet onto Ron's side...they've even popped up in the guest closet and I have secret stash under the bed.

No shoe is too bold or bright for me.  I own hot pink shoes with an orange bow and bright orange shoes with a pink bow.  I work in finance and wear boring black, grey and blue suits to work every day so my shoes are how I express my personality.  I own more pairs of shoes then I can keep track of.

I digress....I discovered the most wonderful and amazing website this weekend: www.milkandhoneyshoes.com.

Yes, it could be described as the Promised Land. Milk and Honey offers ready to wear adorable shoes AS WELL AS the ability to design your own shoes.  YES! Design your own shoes!!!  Sadly I did not discover Milk & Honey until after my wedding.  That, of course, has not stopped me from designing no less than 6 pairs of stunning stilettos.  I am now staring at my shopping cart thinking of ways to keep my husband from looking at the credit card bill...fat chance of that happening.

I digress again.  The point of this post is to share with all you sassy and shoe obsessed brides some great ideas for your wedding day.  And don't worry, if you're not feeling creative: check out their "Ready To Wear Bridal Collection"

Add a little extra bling to your wedding day with Milk & Honey's "Sparkle"
Retails for $275
Silver Glitter with Pearl White Leather
(you customize the heel height)

For those beach brides who are afraid to wear heels (I don't blame you, nothing worse than your heels sinking into sand...)  Milk & Honey has adorable wedges that you can wear:
Milk & Honey's Bow Tied in Wedge retails for $290

And a little sneak peek at what's in my shopping cart right now...custom design retails for $260.  I used a navy blue suede and a pink knot embellishment. Super fun and preppy...ps I love the idea of navy and pink for a destination wedding in South Carolina, Georgia and even the Caribbean.

If nothing else, go have some fun designing your own shoes:
www.milkandhoneyshoes.com - A Dream Come Shoe.

Location, Location, Location!

Snowy Ski Soirees

You're probably wondering why the "south of the border bride" is talking about snow.  Not all destination weddings are of the tropical flavor...and since we're dealing with an "arctic blast" here in Houston, I've been inspired.  I thought I'd post some ideas around a snowy ski themed wedding.  If my blood weren't so thin from leaving in Houston for the past three years, I may have considered this type of wedding.

I like rustic weddings, but I also love the idea of mixing rustic with modern. I love the color scheme of winter white, black and gray...I think it's elegant and modern...but still looks amazing in a cozy ski cabin like Zach's Cabin in Beaver Creek.

If you love skiing, snow and seeing your breath, 

you need to check out this destination location. 

www.beavercreek.com

I love the rustic setting of this cabin - don't be afraid to use a bold color palette!

Here is the picture that inspired me - How fantastic is this?!

One of the best parts of a snowy soiree is that the bride can wear a faux fur jacket or shawl...love love love.

This bride, featured on www.marthastewart.com held a bouquet of ivory ranunculus, parrot tulips, and anemones, with accents of lamb's ears, blooming cotton sprigs, and tiny tallow-berry branches.

Read more at Marthastewartweddings.com: U.S. Weddings -- Martha Stewart Weddings 

This bride chose to add a pop of green with a pair of Manolo Blahniks which are just to DIE FOR!!

I love the sassy hair flower and the bold black shrug and belt on this bride 

(featured on Green Wedding Shoes):

These shoes are hot for a winter white and black wedding:

A great way to warm up your snowy soiree is to use plenty of beautiful candles and clear ornaments make excellent decor items.  The candles bathe everything in a warm (flattering) glow and shed a romantic light over the soiree.

The Knot

And add some bling to your place setting:

And we can't forget the wedding invitations - I love the silver/gray elegant letter press invitations below:

The Knot - Invites by: Two Paperdolls

Doesn't this just make you want to sit back with a hot cocoa?  What about having a hot cocoa bar and a smores station at your winter destination wedding? Yum.

Good Things To Do

We’ve got this in the bag!

Welcome bags are by no means required at Destination weddings, however I think they’re a very nice touch and pretty easy to do.  You won't always be able to greet every guest upon their arrival so a welcome bag is a great way to touch base with them right away.  You can tailor your welcome bag to any budget and many times your welcome bag can be a DIY project.  Here are what I believe are the essentials for a good Welcome Bag (or box, or basket):

*Welcome letter: Thank you guests for traveling

*Detailed Itinerary: Make sure your guests know where to be and when!

*Destination Essentials : Anticipate little things your guests will appreciate having at the destination: sunscreen and aloe gel at the beach; a bug repellant and advil are good essentials. If your wedding is in a city a subway card or bus tokens might be a nice touch. And no matter where you are, disposable cameras and personalized bottled water (or koozies!!!) are always welcome.

*Fitting treats or snacks – A taste of locally made food and drink will introduce your guests to the destination’s delicacies and get them in a festive mood!  here are a few ideas I love:

          Mexico: Mexican Wedding Cookies, Mexican Drinking Chocolates

          Jamaica – Blue Mountain Coffee

          Hawaii – Macadamia Nuts

          Puerto Rico – Plantain Chips

          Key West – ummm anything Key Lime!!! Key Lime cookies or cupcakes would be amazing!

Since your friends and family are on vacation it might be fun to provide them with a celebratory drink - a bottle of wine if you’re getting married in the wine country, rum in the Caribbean or locally brewed beer are all good ideas.

Getting welcome bags to your destination wedding is a little more tricky, but there are two ways to go about it.  Of course, the first option is to package up your welcome bags and ship them to your destination ahead of time.  However, be aware of expensive shipping costs and duty taxes…check with your on site wedding coordinator before mailing anything.  (From experience, you cannot ship your goodies to Mexico)  

Your second option is to pack the welcome bags into several boxes and have your wedding party help you bring them along as checked bags.  Keep them unassembled until you get there and then convince your maid of honor to join you for an assembly party :) 

For the treats, try to work with your local coordinator to find a nearby bakery that can provide you with the treats.  For my welcome bags, we ordered handmade Mexican chocolates from a restaurant in Playa Del Carmen, I was able to order them over email with the manager and he even delivered them to the hotel!

Whatever destination option you choose, be sure to bring along extras in case your packages get smooshed or broken along the way!

When you’re planning the look of your welcome bag, try to keep your destination in mind and make sure you keep in coordinated with your color scheme.  If you are using a monogram or a motif, make sure to incorporate that into your welcome bag.  One site I loved was www.foryourparty.com, you can buy several different sized tags and have them custom printed for you. You should also check www.etsy.com - there are many many sellers who will print custom labels, stickers and ribbons for you. 

Here are a few welcome bags that I love…

I think a pretty decorated box tied up with a ribbon is a really cool idea and I love that the welcome letter is right on top! 

Picture: Soiree by Tara Guerard

 I love the look of a jute bag for a beach wedding.  Your guests can even use the bag while they're on vacation!

Picture: Soiree by Tara Guerard

And stay tuned because I plan to dedicate a blog entry to a step by step instruction on how to create a welcome box like the one I created for my wedding...here's your sneak peek:

I'll share with you everything from how to make it to where to order all the supplies...from the contents to the sticker and ribbon!

Destination Dress

Top Tips...Tweaked.

I read an article in the latest issues of Destination Weddings and Honeymoons (Feb 2011 issues) titled "Dress Quest" that inspired this post.  The article were top tips from the editors on finding the perfect dress...so I'm tweaking them :)

1a. Consider your location.  The article suggests that if you're getting married on a beach you should opt for tea length or short gown. I completely disagree.  Just because you're getting married on a beach doesn't mean you have to limit yourselves.  If you've always dreamed of a princess gown...wear one. If you dreamed of a flowy chiffon dress...wear one.  I wore a big ol gown and I have no regrets.  I do have half the beach stuck in the hem of my dress but that is neither here nor there.  And the hem situation was mainly caused by the early morning trash the dress session (more on that fabulous experience later...).

1b. Veils...If you're getting married in a location where beautiful ocean breezes could cause your veil to whip around and smack your husband across the face (not beautiful)...you may wish to forgo the veil and choose a hair flower or real flowers for your hair.  I completely agree - it was so windy on my wedding day a veil would never have worked.  I opted for white orchids in my hair (actually, my hairdresser gave me those, total bonus)

2. Mind the temperature.  Agreed, this is very important.  If you're standing in front of the mirror at an air condintioned dress shop and you're starting to feel a little hot maybe even a little sweaty...this would not be a good dress for a beach wedding in Mexico.  If you're getting married in a cooler climate you can totally pull off heavier materials like silk satin.  If you're getting married like me in 95 degree heat on the beach go for a lighter weight fabric like taffeta or chiffon.  My dress was Taffeta and it was quite lightweight...I did not melt :) And ladies please don't forget about your bridesmaids...no one wants a sweaty hot mess of a bridesmaid and plenty of designers offer many options for materials.

3. Time it right.  SUPER IMPORTANT!  When it comes to alterations...give your seamstress the date you :LEAVE for your wedding, not your actual wedding date. Many seamstresses will even hold your dress in their shop and wait until the very last minute to steam it so you can pick it up the day before you leave and it doesn't have to spend too long stuffed in a bag.  You'll have enough stresses the few days before your wedding...you don't want your alterations to be one of them.

4. Fight Wrinkles...I didn't follow this rule, I am a bad example...  I admit it, taffeta wrinkles super easy...BUT many resorts offer a pressing service as part of their wedding package.  If you suffer from separation anxiety and refuse to let the hotel remove your dress from your room (like me) then I suggest the following:
- bring a travel steamer and steam your dress the night before your wedding
- pack your dress in it's garment bag with tissue paper
- pick a dress with lots of texture so any wrinkles you miss with the steamer aren't noticeable (this was my tactic)

5. Trust your gut.  Everyone reacts differently when they find "the one"...most important...make sure you listen to yourself over everyone else.  You're the only one who will really know which dress is "The Dress".  Most importantly, don't limit yourself.  A ball gown, a chiffon empire dress, a tea length party dress...any one will be beautiful as long as you feel beautiful in it.

And just to prove that you don't have to limit your dress selection if you're getting married in the sand...I'm posting some pictures of REAL beach brides having a blast in their dresses:

Yep that's me!

All photos are from Elizabeth Medina Photography.  I had the pleasure of working with Elizabeth, she is an absolute dream.  www.elizabethmedinaphotography.com

Pretty Little Details

Get Stranded!

I think a destination bride is an adventurous bride…a bride is not afraid to be non-traditional…a bride who makes a statement.

I LOVE when a bride makes a statement with jewelry.  I think it’s glamorous, sassy and fantastic.  With so many strapless dresses out there, why not have some fun with your necklace!

First seen on the runway…

Then seen on real brides, modern and sassy:

Photo Credit: Jason Q Tran Photography

Here’s a few I found that I love love love from Stella and Dot: www.stelladot.com (I love their jewelry!)

How amazing are these colors:

Bamboleo Necklace $228.00

I can totally see this one at a wedding in Mexico, or Morocco or Rio or I could go on and on but you get it...I heart it:

Rio Triple Strand Necklace $128.00

And this fab necklace – I can see this on a winter bride with a black white and silver color scheme maybe at a ski resort:

Want something bold but still on the traditional side:

Charlotte Statement Necklace $128

I also love love love love anything JCrew and they have great jewelry…you can layer many of their necklaces to make a truly uniquely you look J

The key to pulling this look off is to make sure your other accessories take a back seat to your statement necklace…you don’t want to over do it.  You'll also want to make sure that your dress can stand up to a bold necklace like this.  If you have heavy beading or lace on your dress you may wish to avoid this trend.

Paper Perfect

Flamingos Over Miami

This post is dedicated to Ceci New York, a stateside destination wedding and mixy matchy.  Mixy Matchy, Miami and Ceci New York equals FUN FUN FUN. 

I am obsessed…with a capital o…with Ceci New York.  Her designs are AMAZING.  One thing I love the most is that her collections provide a bride with every piece of stationary needed for the big day and beyond…but they aren’t matchy matchy…they’re perfectly, chic-ly, uniquely coordinated and mixy matchy. Ahhhh I love them. 

Check out this amazing collection for a bride and groom who tied the knot in Miami Florida:

Collection Designed by Ceci New York (www.cecinewyork.com)

The custom made collection is described by Ceci:  Overindulgence was an understatement for this extravagant Floridian wedding set on Fisher Island, Miami. Etchings of flamingos and calligraphic flourishes help to illustrate the lavish setting for their wedding. Elaborate fonts and distinctive patterns further set the mood throughout their invitation booklet. Two color offset printing in Teal Blue and Gold with splashes of Flamingo Pink.

I mean who wouldn’t want to receive these amazing invitations?! Even the stamps are coordinated! (want to design your own stamps? www.zazzle.com) And can we discuss this amazing color scheme.  All around cheers and applause from me – beautiful and FUN!

I think Mix and Match stationary means you’re a couple who is willing to have a little fun with your paper!  Seek out patterns, motifs and designs in your chosen color palette that work well together, and give each element in your bridal suite its own unique look.  Don’t forget to think about Wedding Day stationary (itinerary, program and seating cards) as well as after the big day stationary, like your thank you notes.

Location, Location, Location!

When I first got engaged (on the beach, after a wonderful day of lounging in the sun) we immediately started thinking of places to get married...Mexico, Jamaica, Virgin Islands, Figi (that was my husband' first choice)

I found location to be the biggest most time consuming decision I made.  No really, picking a dress was a cake walk compared to picking our location.  Here are my tips for helping to pick a location:

Envision your event: 

    - Chic City Event or Island Wedding?

    - Intimate and low key or invite everyone? Kids or no kids?

    - Budget Budget Budget.  It's important to set your budget BEFORE you start looking at locations 

Deciding on a destination:

     - Ease of getting there...passport or no passport? Plane, train and a boat or just a plane?

     - Expense...be mindful of your guests budgets and set a target price range for the resort/hotel/villa. 

     - Total Travel Time...some locations have limited flight/airlines which could make travel difficult for guests.

        If your heart is set on a location like this, consider looking into Charter flights for guests.

     - Ease of marrying there...do the research! Some locations have residency requirements

       (Mexico has a requirement of 4 days, England is 7 days for legal marriages).  You may also look into 

       marrying legally at home and having a "symbolic ceremony" at your destination.

Hire a Travel Agent.  This is my number one tip.  Once we had narrowed it down to Riviera Maya Mexico, I was faced with hundreds of options: large resorts, small resorts, modern resorts, authentic resorts, all inclusive, european style, not inclusive and haciendas...oh my.  It can be incredibly overwhelming.  Which is exactly why I enlisted the help of a travel agent who specialized in destination weddings.  My travel agent was able to share pictures of the resorts and personal experiences with working with their staff to plan weddings.  Bottom line: a travel agent can get you the inside scoop AND help you work with the on site coordinator.  If you're worried about budgets...the travel agent doesn't cost you any money and guests can often benefit from unpublished specials that travel agents have special access to. 

Match your style. Are you a modern stylish couple?  Are you laid back?  Do you like the authentic old world style?  I like to look at the pictures of a resort's lobby - I think it gives a great indication of the style of the resort.  

Here's a few from my favorite resort chain: Preferred Resorts: Dreams, Secrets, Zoetry & Now Resorts:

Here's chic and modern: Now Jade Riviera Maya Resort:

Here's authentic, oozing with Mexican style and bright colors: Dreams Tulum Resort

If this is your style - don't forget about villas or haciendas!

And here's the one we chose: a balance between modern and authentic, laid back but still nice: 

Dreams Riviera Cancun:

(I admit it, I'm pretty in love with this resort...and Dreams resorts in general)

Now of course I don't recommend you choose a resort based solely on the lobby picture, I just think deciding on a style will help you narrow down the many many resorts out there :)  You'll want to do your research, reach out to the on site coordinator and request wedding pictures....I'll share tips on working with the location you decide on later :)