It started with a sketch....

I have always been into Fashion. When i was little i would take my moms clothes and pile them on trying to imagine myself as the glamorous woman i would grow up to be. My first job ever was dressing mannequins at a trendy store in the mall. I would spend hours putting everything together and always getting praise, and in trouble, for not following the corporate mandatory guidelines.

If i was at all artistic i think i would have ended up a designer. Unfortunately I can't even draw stick figures. When i purchased my wedding gown i was very pleased to receive in my packet, along with the intimidating payment schedule, a copy of the original designers sketch of my gown. I thought it was so beautiful and different. I've actually framed the sketch and it sits in my room on my makeup mantle.

Here are a few 2009 looks and how they went from the drawing board to the runway.

Enjoy!

Ines Di Santo

Vineyard


Badgley Mishcka Bride

Priscilla of Boston

Jenny Lee


Claire Pettibone


Melissa Sweet


Kenneth Pool

All images are courtesy of www.Brides.com.

Although Im Asking Truth Is I Really Dont Want Your Help!

A dear friend of mine is getting married next year on 8.9.10. yes I know super cute and super cliche, but still SUPER CUTE.

Anyway she's having a destination wedding and so she and her fiance went to a bridal expo that was being held in her wedding city last weekend.

She came back SUPER excited, because why??? She found her venue!!!!! Yay! She sent me the link and described everything she saw, what she loved, how great the food was etc, etc, etc. So in my head I've already started making mental plans. What to pack, when I'd need to leave, taking time off from work, making sure The Huzz does the same, saying i'll loose 15 pounds (i have over a year it has to be possible c'mon). I immediately fell in love with the choice and became attached to the idea.

Yesterday she says "I'm back to looking for a wedding venue.... (sigh)."

I was in shock, well "What happened?"

"My Mr. Right decided that he wanted something bigger... something more country. This was Friday's discussion... We spoke last night and now he's in love with a new place."

uhhh excuse me??? I would so be ready to fight. We visited the place, took the tour, began negotiating the contract, including must have menu items and now you say you dont like it?

I guess gone are the days when brides said this is want i want and grooms said "whatever you want hun..."

I must admit The Huzz was very hands on and very opinionated. There were things that i really wanted that i had dreamed of my whole life that he shut down with the quickness. Like a pink wedding. He said and i quote "over my dead body." Since he would have been no good to me dead I compromised and went with red. But I really didn't want to.

On a side note my friend did go on to say "It's actually a pretty nice place. Similar to the first. Just more outsdoorsy... I must admit that I like it too." I guess i have a new place to become attached to now.

But seriously ladies, how much input is too much from your groom? Is there even such a thing as too much??? Do you really care about his opinion??? I know you say it out loud but in your head are you just like "SHUT UP! I LIKE THIS ONE??" Now that your planning is he into it or could care less? Are you ready to strangle him or is he an angel? Or was he or is a a "whateva..." man?

M.I.A.... literally

I guess its hard to say the wedding is not over when with returning to work, being a newlywed, and having a new born, there seems to be little time left in the day to be "wedding obsessed".

With all the craziness in my life i am promising to blog more often... just enough so that this site doesn't end up in the "blog graveyard".

I guess during my lunch hour today i will have to get things cracking again... Wish me luck.

What's for dinner?

Having amazing food at your reception should be a part of your top three musts for your wedding. Guests will always remember the extravagant cocktail hour and decadent dinner that they enjoyed on your wedding night.

So whether your having a small intimate affair with just your family and closest friends or a huge ball for 400 guests just be sure that the reception venue will be serving up a meal your guests can never forget.

Photosource: The Old Kent Barn

P.S. ALWAYS INSIST ON A TASTING PRIOR TO PUTTING YOUR MONEY DOWN. Although my reception venue had great food, we booked prior to tasting the food (we assumed that we would be able to taste closer the date scheduled by the venue to make our finl selections). When we called to arrange one, we were told they "No Longer Offer Tasting Opportunities." And by then, they'd already been paid more than 50% of my non-refundable total payment. Needless to say we were pissed off. Don't let that happen to you. Ask about the tastings up front and be sure that whatever they say is put in writing. It very hard to choose from a 30 page menu with 1 million selections just based on a 9 word descriptions for each item. Trust me...

Resolutions

Every year I make a mental list of things I want and usually by the time my birthday comes around in February I usually can't name one thing. Except for loose weight which has been on the list for years.



This year, my first year as a married woman, I have actually taken the time to write 5 things down that I plan to accomplish and I've put them in frame. The frame will sit on my desk at work hopefully reminding me that this year, a new year, needs to be different. Except for loosing weight, its still my number 5.

It's Party Time!

Here's hoping all of you have a Happy & Prosperous New Year!

Remember all you party animals BE SAFE!

The Shoe Hunt

A fellow blogger, and friend in my head, An Atlanta Bride, is on the hunt for her wedding day shoes. Oh no big deal you may all be thinking. Just Google Bridal Shoes, there are thousands of pairs.

Unfortunately these shoes must be glamorous (ok do-able), fashionable (easy), neutral or white/ivory toned because we don't actually know what her dress looks like (piece of cake) and... flat (oh dear...).

That's right I said flat. Sounds like an oxymoron doesn't it? Let's see A Bride is to Flat Shoes as Micheal Jackson is to

A) Talented
B) Icon
C) Musical Genius
D) Sane

That's right, lets here it for D) Sane. It's just not gonna happen. BUT because she is so resourceful, and super sweet and because her blog is very addictive, I decided to try to see what I could find. Father help us...

Here's what i found:


Uhhuh NOTHING! There wasn't 1 flat shoe that spoke to me. And I can only imagine if this is how I feel , what she must be going through??? Not good.

Now I remember her saying that shes about 5'7" and he's about 6' so she can do an itty bitty heel. So I saw these...

Photosource: be creative photography

But of course they were on someones blog, and the person commented on the photo not the shoes. And obviously, with my luck, the post is from 2006! So uhhh that leaves me with nothing once again.

Wedding obsessed as I am, I sat down and started to think it over. Atlanta Bride, you should definitely get 2 pairs of shoes. 1 that you can walk down the aisle in and take pictures with Mr. Wonderful and the other for any other instance in which someone might get a look at your feet. Or dare they get a shot of them.

And yea, I know, we are supposed to be minding the budget and all. But honestly how will we get the awe inspiring shoe photos like these:

Photosource: Shoe Crazed Blog

Photosource: Jason Angelini Photography

Photosource: Angelica Glass

Photosource: VCS Photo

With shoes that look like this????



Ummm no. It's not happening.

So get a pair of white satin shoes like these pair by Steve Madden which aren't too bad. I think the heel is listed at 2 inches. And buy the shoe clips that you raved about so that we can feel a little bit better about how they look:

Photosource: www.endless.com

Photosource: Absolute Audrey

But please, please, please for me, and the true Fashionista I imagine you to be, get a pair like this:

Photosource: W Magazine

So that when you do post your wedding pictures I can oooooh and ahhhhhhh at every little detail. Even your shoes.

:)

Good Luck! I hope you can find something soon.

To learn more about An Atlanta Bride as she Plans Her Wedding to Mr. Wonderful read along with me every day here: www.jessicaralph.blogspot.com.