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Supportive Bridesmaids

How to Be a Great Bridesmaid

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How to be a Great Bridesmaid

When your friend asks you to be their bridesmaid it is such an honor. It comes with lots of fun, but also some responsibilities. Once you’ve said, “yes” to becoming a bridesmaid your job begins! What does that job entail, you ask? Here is exactly how to be a great bridesmaid.

Be the calm in the storm and a listening ear.

Wedding planning can cause heightened emotions. When brides are overwhelmed, things that may seem small to others may seem tragic to the bride. Sometimes we all just need a listening ear without advice or judgment. Because of that, don’t forget to ask if they need advice or just a listening ear. It’s important to be both supportive and level-headed for your friend. Whether her dream photographer is unavailable, her wedding dress is delayed in shipping, or her veil came in at the wrong length she will be grateful to have an empathetic and problem-solving friend like you. Remember, the key is to be supportive AND level-headed.

Put all important dates and deadlines in your calendar.

Wedding costs can add up quickly and you will be surprised how quickly the year of wedding planning will go! Make sure you mark any deposits needed for dresses, hair/beauty services, or accommodations in your calendar so you are prepared. Don’t make the bride have uncomfortable conversations about overdue deposits. Keep in mind there are many celebratory events throughout the wedding planning process. Engagement parties, bridal showers, bachelorette parties, rehearsal dinners, and after-wedding brunches are all important events you’ll want to mark in your calendar.

Communicate Early

Take stock of your allotted PTO days at work. We all only have a certain number of days off available each year. Look at how many you have, pronto, and let the bride know if you cannot attend any events. While the bride may be disappointed that you can’t attend every event, she will likely appreciate you telling her far in advance.

Another important thing to communicate is your abilities based on whether you have children or are pregnant. If you’re due around your friend’s wedding date, be clear with her about that. If you have children, it’s also important to communicate what you can/cannot do based on your children’s needs or schedules. Again, the bride may feel disappointed, but it’s best to be clear up-front to prevent any last-minute surprises. Moms & women are known to be excellent multi-taskers, but it is okay if you cannot do everything as long as you communicate early!

Be excited with/for the bride!

Every bride has likely looked forward to their wedding day for a long time. It always feels good to be supported by your friends, so show your friend your mutual excitement for her wedding day. While you may have opinions about how you’d plan your own wedding, allow the bride her turn to choose whatever wedding colors and details she loves. Then, be complimentary and supportive of her choices. Likely, the bride will not make terrible choices, like in the movie 27 Dresses, but be supportive regardless. Don’t forget, no matter the bridesmaid dress, you can likely shorten it and wear it again ;).

On the wedding day, be ready to jump in!

Be on the lookout for any hiccups on the wedding day. One often missed detail is fixing the bride’s train during the ceremony and pictures! Be on the lookout during the ceremony to ensure her train is fluffed and positioned beautifully so her photos turn out well. There’s nothing worse than beautiful ceremony photos, but the train is bunched up, fluff that train!

If anyone tries to begin conflict with the bride (Let’s be real, every family has that one family member.) gently whisk her away with an “important matter.” If her hair doesn’t look like she’d hoped, advocate for her, help her fix it, or talk her off the ledge by putting it in perspective. Be ready to make her wedding day as stress-free as possible.

Being a great bridesmaid is essentially just being a supportive friend.  By following our tips on how to be a great bridesmaid, your friends will be so glad they had you by their side on their wedding day! Now you are ready to be a great bridesmaid! For more wedding planning tips and inspiration, check out more Chicago Wedding Blog posts below. And don’t forget to share this with any bridesmaids you know!

everyday dishes

Wedding Registry Must-Haves

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Wedding Registry Must-Haves

Your wedding planning is off to a good start, so now it is time to create your wedding registry and fill it with your must-haves! We’ve all purchased gifts for friends from their registries, but creating our own can be overwhelming. How many plates do I need? Is China really necessary? While each couple’s style and priorities are different, there are a few must-haves we recommend you put on your wedding registry. Here’s some help to get your registry started with the most important items.

Pots and Pans Set

The number one cookware item you will use daily is your pots and pans! Whether you are a can of soup or a homemade chicken cordon bleu person, you must put them on your registry. Not only are they useful, but they are also made to last and are expensive. Many registries allow group gifts so friends can team together to give you a more expensive gift.

Bath Towels

Now that you’ll be married, it’s time for your college bath towels to become cleaning or beach towels. Register for some nice, new towels. You will be so glad you did! It is fun putting together the color scheme of your first married home together. Towels are a great way to decorate your bathroom with a splash (pun intended) of color. Pro tip: Register for bath sheets! Bath sheet towels are towels but are longer than typical bath towels, so you will be wrapped and cozy after every shower without a chilly breeze.

Bed Sheets

Speaking of sheets, you won’t want to forget to register for quality bed sheets! We recommend cotton sheets for spring/summer and flannel sheets for fall/winter. Cotton sheets will breathe and not hold in your summer heat making for a more comfortable night of sleep. In contrast, microfiber sheets will hold in your heat, so we don’t recommend those. Flannel sheets are so cozy and perfect for the infamous Chicago winter windchills!

A Clothes Steamer

This one might surprise a lot of people. You may think, “Why do I need a clothes steamer when I already have an iron?” Well, let me tell you! Many an event and weddings have been saved by my inexpensive clothes steamer! A bridesmaid forgot to iron her dress? Steamer. The groom ironed his pants wrong? Steamer. Table cloths laying strange on the tables? Steamer. Trust me, it’s the gift that keeps on giving. Every household needs a clothes steamer!

Your Everyday Dishes

Unlike China dishes that you only use about once a year, your everyday dishes will be used, you guessed it, every day. Because of how often you will use them it is important to register for quality everyday dishes. Read reviews and ask questions, don’t just go by looks. We recommend registering for 8 place settings. If you are not registering for China dishes we recommend registering for 12 place settings. These dishes will ideally last for decades, so be sure to choose a pattern and color you know you will still like in a few years.

Have you registered yet? Which of these items were on your must-haves list? Would you add something else? Tell us in the comments below. For more wedding planning inspiration and advice check out more Chicago Wedding Blog posts below. Happy Planning!

Home Decor Wedding Gift

Wedding Gift Ideas

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Wedding Gift Ideas

Every couple appreciates receiving monetary gifts from their wedding. However, some wedding guests can’t afford a large monetary gift. Here are some wedding gift ideas newlyweds are sure to love!

First Idea: Artist Rendering Of Couple’s Photo

As newlyweds begin their lives together, they will need to decorate differently than when they were single bachelors or bachelorettes. Photos and artwork of the married couple is a great gift. But if you’d like to make the gift more special, get an artist to hand paint or design a caricature of a favorite photo of the couple  or even one of their engagement photos and have it framed. This is a great gift for a range of budgets depending on the size or skill of the art. A meaningful keepsake perfect for the couple to decorate their new home.

Second Wedding Gift Idea: A Funded Date Night

This gift can be done many ways. You could give a gift certificate to their favorite restaurant in a basket with a bottle of nice wine. Give a card written in calligraphy that you will pay for a date night of their choosing and place that certificate in a photo album for their wedding photos. A gift certificate to a spa or hotel is also a great gift for a quick getaway. This is a great way to treat a newlywed couple nomatter what your budget may be.

Third Gift Idea: Special Home Goods or Decor

Most people will not splurge to get themselves nice home decor. Purchasing a special item for the newlyweds’ home you know they’ll love is a generous gift. Maybe you know the couple LOVES Crate & Barrel, but is very frugal. Purchasing them a gift from that store would be a meaningful surprise for them. Home decor or serverware is a great gift especially if the couple loves to have friends over.

Fourth Gift Idea: Contribution To A Charity In Their Name

Some couples have a cause they are passionate about. A beautiful way to support them and their passion is by making a donation to a charity close to their hearts for them. This is especially meaningful if the couple has lost someone close to them from an illness. Some charities sponsor children others rescue animals. Choose one close to the couple’s heart.

Fifth Wedding Gift Idea: Holiday Decor

We’ve discussed how couples love to decorate their new home. Giving decor for each holiday will be a useful and fun way for couples to decorate their new home. Keep in mind which holidays the couple celebrates, or if they have a favorite holiday. If they love Christmas, you can throw in extra Christmas decor. You can also put in holiday glasses, plates, or serverware to accommodate extra people at holiday gatherings.



What physical wedding gifts have you given? As a couple what would be your favorite gift as above? Let us know! For more wedding planning advice, tips, & tricks check out the blog posts below!

4 Cute Wedding Shower Ideas

Unique Wedding Shower Ideas

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Unique Wedding Shower Ideas

The fondest memories of many people’s wedding planning process are the fun parties, showers, and celebrations with friends and family. From bridal or wedding showers to day after the wedding brunches these events have so many theme or decorative options. One of the first engaged celebrations you’ll have is your wedding shower. Here are some unique bridal or wedding shower ideas you probably haven’t seen yet.

1. Have the guests bring a photo of them with the bride/groom when they were young and now to create a meaningful keepsake photo album.

Weddings are sentimental for the friends and family of the soon-to-be married couple. That sentimental feeling comes from your friends’ and families’ happiness and pride for you. Celebrate the love your friends and family have for you. It is something special you will always have to look back on as you start your married lives together.

2. Menu Trivia

Everyone has played couple trivia games, but have you played couples’ favorite food trivia games? Nope? Now’s your chance. Have the engaged couple’s favorite foods at the shower and have everyone guess whose favorite food is whose. This is a fun way to eat yummy food and learn fun facts about the couple the other side of the family may not know.

3. Wedding Shower Playlist

Ask the couple for each year they were dating to give you ‘their’ songs. Create a shower playlist of songs from when the couple first started dating until now. You may need to add to it a bit, but ‘their’ songs will give you a guide.  Music brings back so many memories. What better way to celebrate a couple’s relationship journey than to go through a timeline of their favorite music together? Keep the playlist to give to the couple later to keep.

4. Have each guest to the shower bring a bead they feel best represents the couple to create a meaningful piece of jewelry or decoration.

Having unique keepsakes to remember these special celebrations will be treasured long after the wedding is over. Think friendship bracelets from middle school, but better and more meaningful. Have each guest put their bead into a sealed envelope with a short note on why they chose their bead. Later have the couple open each one so they can read how much they mean to each of their guests. Later, string together the beads for the couple so they can hang it in their home, or wear it as a reminder of their friends’ and families’ love and support for them.

There are so many posts about ideas for bridal or wedding showers. We hope these ideas give you some unique, new inspiration. There are many ways to tailor a couple’s bridal or wedding shower to their interests. Use what is meaningful to them and blend them with this inspiration and your unique ideas. Happy Planning!

Bridal Shower Princess

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For every bride there’s a bridal shower! Why not have a bridal shower princess? The bride is the center of attention anyway and as any princess is, she deserves a beautiful and magical shower to celebrate her wedding.

The easiest princess theme that comes to mind is, of course, Disney! There are a plethora of princesses to choose from. Is the bride more Ariel, Belle, Aurora, Mulan or a mix of all of them? You can mix and match any Disney themes in your bridal shower. What could be more perfect than “happily ever after” for all these fairy tale princesses? You can choose one princess to focus on or why not include them all?

Something to think about that might cut down on budget is: does your bride have a favorite princess? If so, you can tailor the shower to that princess. Otherwise, you can just do a general Disney theme. From the cupcakes, to plastic (looking like glass) horse and carriages, to glass slippers as name card holders. The creativity is endless for a bridal shower princess theme!

And, of course, what shower would be complete without games? These can remain Disney themed or you can go with regular ones. A fun game is having people find the hidden mickeys, or having guests guess which sidekick belongs to each princess. If you know your guests, or certain guests, would love to dress up as Disney princesses that could be a fun addition. The bride herself may even want to participate and dress up as her favorite princess. Hershey kisses can be used as “happily ever after kisses” and with a bridal shower princess theme you can use bold, bright colors! Have fun and use your imagination with this one because it’s perfectly acceptable!

Vendor Spotlight Boutique Bites Fine Catering

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Boutique Bites is a Chicago-based luxury catering firm that serves up food that is equally as delicious as it is beautiful. Started in 2008 by owner Elaina Vasquez, the concept is food that looks almost too good to eat and when you check out their site, you’ll know exactly what we mean.  Elaina’s blog boasts intricately designed dishes that are inspired by her love of fashion (we particularly were intrigued by a purple chip with a scoop of caviar that mimicked a similarly decadent runway look!)  And the theme can be seen throughout much of her other creations- mini burgers in Louis Vuitton-inspired print boxes, and bites that are so rich in color they themselves could be featured in Vogue Magazine.

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Vendor Spotlight Boutique Bites Fine Catering

Some of our favorite sample items that had us drooling? How about Lobster Mac n’cheese in mason jars? Mini pot pies, tapas stations, and luscious caprese bites are just a few of the signature items that you can customize for your specific event. Boutique Bites can service large weddings and galas to intimate dinner parties and bridal showers. And not only are they spot-on when it comes to of-the-moment cuisine, but their affair with tablescapes and food styling put the entire look of their process ahead of the rest.  We aren’t just talking one-note catering here. This place has shown their styling chops with themes ranging from high-end luxe, to rustic and natural and even creates the most beautiful artisanal cheese display we have ever seen! Vendor Spotlight Boutique Bites Fine Catering.

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Vendor Spotlight Boutique Bites Fine Catering

We’ve all heard of farm to table. This is more like runway to plate: elegant and gorgeous, but with tastes to match.  We all know the seemingly difficult decision of choosing a caterer and using a venue that requires off-site vendors.  With so many choices in a city known for its high standards in culinary excellence, Boutique Bites put us over the top with its wide range of options and regardless of scale, their impeccable attention to detail and presentation. Rarely does a vendor come along that you know your guests will ultimately be raving about for years to come- this is one of them! And while we are dying over the creations on their sample menus, we can’t wait to see what custom tastes they can create for new clients! Needless to say, we are bookmarking their blog as we speak!

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Vendor Spotlight Boutique Bites Fine Catering

Grammy Fashion Round Up

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Brides are notorious for looking to the runways and red carpets for wedding inspiration. Whether it’s hair and makeup looks, or new trends in formal wear, the celebs never seem to disappoint and offer plenty of ideas for real wedding looks. This week’s Grammy Award ceremony was definitely a big night for fashion and while the music industry folks tend to take more risks in their clothing than the typical award show goers, there were a few looks we just know we will be seeing brides interpret for their big day.  And the women weren’t alone… the men were some of our favorites! So if you or our groom are looking to really bring it with your ensembles for your wedding, look no further. We are bringing you the best of the Grammys right now!

Grammy fashion

While there a few ones NOT to follow, we just loved some of our favorite songstresses and their choices for Sunday’s show. The regulars like country glamazons Carrie Underwood and Faith Hill stunned in black (the color of the season) while the delightful Nicole Kidman chose a sweet, gold Vera Wang number for a night with husband Keith Urban proving yet again that a HUGE trend for all formal wear is metallic!  But who can fail to mention, America’s sweetheart, fresh off of her Super bowl smash performance, Beyonce, wearing a refreshingly simple black and white (hello colorblocking!) jumpsuit by British designer Osman.  What a perfect look for a rehearsal dinner or bridal shower.  Teaming up a perfectly masculine look for a shower or dinner is a great balance to strike with your ultra feminine Bridal look. We love the idea and are adding “ look for jumpsuits” to our Spring to- do list.

men grammy

Of the risk takers, we found a few to be our faves. Rihanna looked stunning in a custom red Alaia gown. Although the sheer paneling might be a bit much for a wedding look, the shape and of course the RED is going to be another trend we see over and over come this wedding season. And it wouldn’t be a true fashion round up without the queen of the Grammys carpet, Ms. Jennifer Lopez in a leg baring one shoulder gown by Zuhair Murad.  This look could be super modern and sexy in white , perhaps with a more conservative slit. Paired with her dewey perfection of a face, the look was a huge hit!

Rihanna gown

And then there were the boys. And really when it comes to the man of the night, I don’t think there is any question that Justin Timberlake stole the show. First he brought sexy back, and now he’s bringing back classic, gentlemen’s dressing by rocking black and white loafers, pocket squares and who else but a Tom Ford classic black tuxedo – definitely a 2013 fashion trend. Also mimicking this look was his pal (and stage-mate) Jay-Z with both donning the timeless look and a nod to Old Hollywood with traditional cummerbunds. Could this be a return to the rat pack era? We sure hope so because JT has never looked (or sounded) better. And we must say, as a wedding blog, when it comes to Mr. Timberlake, marriage has never looked better!

Timberlake Tux

 

 

Groom Trends for 2013

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Huff Post Weddings is a fabulous resource for nuptial news brought to you by The Huffington Post, one of our favorite sources for news of all kinds.  So this past week, when they sited new groom trends for 2013, we sat up and listened- as anything to do with grooms always seems to catch our attention. Let’s face it, even though you are one half of the main event, you aren’t exactly considered the star of the show, so for the groom, we are totally following this new trend of having your own influence infused with the theme of the day. As far as the Huff Post is concerned, here are some of their favorite new ways for the guys to show off their style, along with some of our own ways to make it your own.

Bourbon Bars: We know all about the signature cocktail, and while that still reigns supreme, we are loving the new take on theme bars. For the scotch or whiskey loving guy (or gal) these stations are perfect for educating guests and allowing them to sip something they may never have tried before. Holding a mini tasting of your own before the wedding is a great way to share your favorites with your guests when the big day arrives. It’ also very interactive, and a great way to take a chic dance break and strike up a conversation with someone new over a select glass of premium hard liquor.  This idea is perfect for just about any event from a black tie country club wedding to a backyard southern BBQ rehearsal dinner.

bourbon bar

A Bryan Photo

Co-ed Bachelor Parties: Okay, so before you guys all start to freak out and kiss your freedom goodbye, combining your “last night of freedom” with your soon to be new wife, is pretty genius especially when mutual couple friends are involved. These days, going to a wedding is a real commitment of time and money. From the sick days you forfeit to gifts for bridal showers and engagements, by the time the bachelor party rolls around, things can get pretty dicey in the money department. We like the idea of being able to bring your wife of significant other with and making a mini vacation out of the trip. There’s plenty of time for you to go your separate ways (spa days for the girls and casino trips for the boys.) Meeting up with the ladies for fancy dinners and days by the pool sounds like a great balance especially for the couples who are well out of their twenties and jut want to have a great time minus some of the debauchery.

Singing the blues away

Socks!: It wasn’t too long ago that the famous younger brother of the Kardashian girls, Rob, decided to design his own line of socks for the discerning gentleman with a flair for fashion. His reasoning was that guys have way less options for switching up their outfits and when it comes to statement making accessories for the big day- sock are a perfect option. Grooms are opting for stripes in every color and bold prints that make a real statement. We love this look with gray suits or less formal looks. They add a personal touch and some whimsy too!

socks

Shopbop.com Wedding Boutique

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Shopbop , for those of you just being introduced to the upper echelons of online shopping is a leading online retailer that focuses on fashion forward contemporary finds. Perfectly curated by their team of stylists, editors and buyers, the site has everything from well known labels to up and comers who are hitting the fashion scene hard. With the target demographic is somewhere is the 21-35 range ( although their reach goes from beyond that age group) it seems only fitting that their latest venture is dressing the bride from head to toe for her big day and beyond.

Since online shopping has become so prevalent for the busy working girl, Shopbop, has found a huge and loyal following of customers who love their speedy shipping, great return policy and close enough to real life descriptions that you almost always keep your purchases.  Their team of expert fashionistas take sizing charts and quality control to a whole new level that keeps those obsessed with their picks coming back season after season.

Badgley Mischka Bridal

So it wasn’t long until this genius e-commerce house got smart to the shopping habits of brides-to-be. Especially those brides looking for variety in a sea of the same dresses and accessories stocked at bridal salons.  While some stores have exclusives with designers who like to keep their gowns in one select store per market, Shopbop offers many of these same designers under the same roof.  Names like Badgley Mischka, Marchesa, Temperley London, J. Mendel, and Zac Posen, just to name a few, can be seen side by side for comparison in what can only be viewed as the best of the best going head to head for your vote.  The amazing part is that all of the sizes are ready to wear and as for the return policy? It’s the same! And better yet? The dress arrives at your door perfectly wrapped in some of the finest packaging around. Now if that isn’t high-end bridal service, we don’t know what is!

Zac Posen

Besides a plethora of gowns for the very glamour, modern, or classic bride, they also offer a huge selection of amazing statement jewelry, handbags, hair accessories and shoes.  You can even outfit your entire wedding party in one of their just as fashionable bridesmaid ensembles. If that weren’t one-stop shopping enough for you, then consider all of the events from showers, engagement parties, and the rehearsal dinner that you simply must find the perfect dress for. Shopbop has that covered too. Alongside their gorgeous display of shorter white dresses, you can peruse the entire site for the perfect outfit for any event.

So jump on over to Shopbop.com and start pulling your looks for the big day. Be sure to sign up for special offers like their annual holiday sales where the more you spend, the more you get! And happy Shopping!

How to Use Your Engagement Photos

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Nowadays, many couples are getting engagement photos. What exactly should you do with all those great shoots you paid for? Here are a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing.

Save the Dates

If you are sending save the dates, you can use the photos to personalize this classic wedding stationary. One of the most popular options is a magnet featuring a great photo and the wedding date. Magnets are awesome because people are less likely to lose them.

Timothy Whaley & Associates – Photographic Artists

Alternative Guestbook

Instead of a traditional guestbook, you can frame an engagement photo and have guests sign the border. Instead of storing a guestbook in the attic or basement, you can display the signatures on a wall in your home. You could choose your favorite picture to frame or create a collage of photos.

Wedding Website

The internet has changed the face of wedding planning. Now, you create a wedding website to share with friends and family. Engagement photos are great way to showcase your personalities and love for each other on the site.

Table Numbers

While taking your engagement photos, include props that feature numbers. You can then frame the photos to use as table numbers.

Gifts

Parents, and other relatives or close friends, love pictures. Most people give a wedding photo as a gift, but you could also frame and wrap one of those gorgeous engagement photos.

Decorate

Modern couples love to personalize their wedding events. Use the engagement photos to decorate the bridal shower, rehearsal dinner, ceremony site, or reception venue.

Hazelton Photography