Is there ever a number that just screams too many bridesmaids? If you have lots of friends and want them all to be in your wedding, how do you turn one down? What's great about being the bride is, it's all up to you! However, there are a few things you may wants to consider before finalizing how many bridesmaids stand up at the alter with you.
The average number of bridesmaids in a wedding is usually between the number of four and six. That number has began to climb in recent years. Many women want a big wedding. Unfortunately, many women regret the decision of having a large wedding party after everything is set in stone. Why would someone regret having more bridesmaids, you ask? It may be a hassle. Even for the most organized person, it is tough to keep a large wedding party in unison. With lots of bridesmaids, it may mean more difficulty choosing a style of dress that everyone is okay with wearing.
Also, pick just the right number of bridesmaids that may be proportionate to the wedding ceremony size. If you have chosen to have a rather small wedding ceremony, consider having just a few bridesmaids. Imagine having approximately 40 people witness the wedding ceremony and there are 10 bridesmaids along with 10 groomsmen. It may look a little funny and unproportionate.
Next, should it be even? It is not necessary to have the same amount of bridesmaids as groomsmen. It is okay to be uneven, but again, that choice is up to you. I don't know about you, but having a picture hanging slightly uneven on a wall drives me crazy! Having one less groomsmen than a bridesmaid would definitely stand out in my mind when looking at the future wedding photos. Remember, these photos are for life.
Will having too many bridesmaids affect your budget? If you are a bride with a lower budget and are requiring the bridesmaids to purchase a dress and shoes, it may be difficult for some people to agree to be in your wedding. On the other hand, if you are this same bride with a lower budget and really want to purchase your bridesmaids dress, shoes, and accessories, having fewer bridesmaids can really decrease the dent you will put in your wallet.
Last but not least, be sure to pick bridesmaids who have the great characteristics of being reliable, accommodating, and helpful. These are your right hand chicks. Be sure they will show up for fittings when scheduled, be on time for the reherseal and ceremony, wear a dress that may not be their ideal choice and not complain, help out with any wedding details or errands, etc. They should know that accepting to be your bridesmaid means that they are willing to be there for you at your every little need all the way up to your possible minor freak out before you walk down the isle. These are the girls who will witness it all!
Picking just a few close bridesmaids is simple and sweet.
Don't put too much stress on how many bridesmaids you should have, just keep in mind you have said "yes" to the man of your dreams. In my mind, you are doing the lovely ladies you choose as your bridesmaids a favor in letting them be a part of your special day! It should be an honor, not a hassle on them.
So now I ask you, how many bridesmaids will you have in your wedding? How did you choose?
Monday, November 5, 2012
Friday, November 2, 2012
Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta
Have any of you ever watched the show, Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta on TLC? If you haven't, I must say, you are truly missing out! They show a variety of dresses and give advice to the current bride trying on dresses on how to fit her body style and what may or may not look good on her. I am a huge fan of the show and actually stayed up a whole hour and a half past my bed time last night just because I couldn't stop watching! Last night's episode was about the owner, Lori. Unfortunately, Lori recently became diagnosed with breast cancer. She had to announce her frightening news to her team members who keep the store running by meeting every brides need. The team was extremely emotional to learn about her diagnosis. I can't even emphasize how awesome of an owner Lori is. She is truly there 110% for the bride. She knows her inventory forwards and backwards and understands there is a dress that matches a brides personality. Lori is a great leader and an even better friend.
As you can see, it would be difficult to see a great leader and a great friend leave the store knowing she wouldn't be back for a while. Unfortunately, Lori is currently not working in the store in order to receive treatment for her breast cancer.
The next week a special bride comes into the store searching for a gown for a special reason that touched my heart as well as the workers in the store. Her husband and a few family members came with her to help her find her next wedding dress. This couple had been together 25 years and will be celebrating their marriage with another ceremony. Her husband is the one who is pushing for another ceremony because he strives to give his wife everything she deserves. Apparently their first wedding she wore a borrowed white prom dress, ha ha! The story does not stop here. The reason this story touched my heart so much is because she was diagnosed with breast cancer. As you can imagine this hit very close to home for all the workers at the store. What is different about this woman's story is that she survived breast cancer, but recently was diagnosed with the same disease for the second time in her life. She has breast cancer, again.
As she is looking for a dress, each one she tries on looks amazing on her! Her husbands only request is that it have something silver on it since 25 years represents their silver anniversary. Her first dress resembles this perfectly and her family feels she has found the one to say "yes" to. It was an amazing halter, silky, white gown with two different belts of silver jewelry around the bodice. So, what could be wrong with it? Her exact words were, "It's too perfect!" The workers were floored. Their eyes were as wide as can be. They have never once heard a bride comment on a dress saying it is too perfect for their needs. I was a little stunned myself.
Why do you think she said this? It was simple. That dress didn't resemble her. That particular dress didn't resemble her life story. Her thought on the dress is this: She isn't perfect, her life has been far from perfect, so why would she pick a dress that makes it look like her life has been perfect?! Are you still struggling to understand? Don't worry, I was pretty lost at this point too! Keep in mind, her husband still hasn't heard the explanation either.
The next dress she chose to try on was a strapless gown with tousled sideways layers around the bodice, which led to even bigger cut off layers around the bottom of the dress. Her husband thought she looks absolutely fabulous, but still didn't understand why she didn't like the first dress, the "perfect" one. When she began explaining how the dress suited her life, there was not a dry eye in the studio...or my room! She began with the statement, "I'm not perfect, so why would I want a perfect dress." She explained how the tousled layers showed her life story. She has had many layers and battles to over come. The bottom of the dress, with it's many cut up layers, resembled the struggles she has gone through. The battle she put up against breast cancer, and the next battle that was ahead. She liked how big and poofy the bottom was simply because when you drew back all the layers it was attached to one smooth piece. By watching the show and seeing the expression on her face while explaining the smooth piece may have made it her favorite part of the dress. "At the end of the day", she said, "I have my many layers, but I know that one solid piece underneath will always be there." That one solid piece was a resemblance of her family and her husband. Her rock and her backbone. She couldn't believe how much they all had gone through together, but was so very grateful for all of them being there for her through all of her struggles and layers of imperfectness. Once the explanation was finished, once again, there was not a dry eye in the studio. Her husband and family began to understand and saw the beauty of the dress that resembled her life and who she was. After a few moments, this woman said "Yes" to her dress!
Her dress that she said yes to looked similar to the one below:
I'll leave you all with this, be thankful for what you have and don't always look for what is perfect. I never knew a wedding dress could tell that big of a story. Keep this story in mind when you all go dress shopping. It will make you appreciate the smallest little details.
As you can see, it would be difficult to see a great leader and a great friend leave the store knowing she wouldn't be back for a while. Unfortunately, Lori is currently not working in the store in order to receive treatment for her breast cancer.
The next week a special bride comes into the store searching for a gown for a special reason that touched my heart as well as the workers in the store. Her husband and a few family members came with her to help her find her next wedding dress. This couple had been together 25 years and will be celebrating their marriage with another ceremony. Her husband is the one who is pushing for another ceremony because he strives to give his wife everything she deserves. Apparently their first wedding she wore a borrowed white prom dress, ha ha! The story does not stop here. The reason this story touched my heart so much is because she was diagnosed with breast cancer. As you can imagine this hit very close to home for all the workers at the store. What is different about this woman's story is that she survived breast cancer, but recently was diagnosed with the same disease for the second time in her life. She has breast cancer, again.
As she is looking for a dress, each one she tries on looks amazing on her! Her husbands only request is that it have something silver on it since 25 years represents their silver anniversary. Her first dress resembles this perfectly and her family feels she has found the one to say "yes" to. It was an amazing halter, silky, white gown with two different belts of silver jewelry around the bodice. So, what could be wrong with it? Her exact words were, "It's too perfect!" The workers were floored. Their eyes were as wide as can be. They have never once heard a bride comment on a dress saying it is too perfect for their needs. I was a little stunned myself.
Why do you think she said this? It was simple. That dress didn't resemble her. That particular dress didn't resemble her life story. Her thought on the dress is this: She isn't perfect, her life has been far from perfect, so why would she pick a dress that makes it look like her life has been perfect?! Are you still struggling to understand? Don't worry, I was pretty lost at this point too! Keep in mind, her husband still hasn't heard the explanation either.
The next dress she chose to try on was a strapless gown with tousled sideways layers around the bodice, which led to even bigger cut off layers around the bottom of the dress. Her husband thought she looks absolutely fabulous, but still didn't understand why she didn't like the first dress, the "perfect" one. When she began explaining how the dress suited her life, there was not a dry eye in the studio...or my room! She began with the statement, "I'm not perfect, so why would I want a perfect dress." She explained how the tousled layers showed her life story. She has had many layers and battles to over come. The bottom of the dress, with it's many cut up layers, resembled the struggles she has gone through. The battle she put up against breast cancer, and the next battle that was ahead. She liked how big and poofy the bottom was simply because when you drew back all the layers it was attached to one smooth piece. By watching the show and seeing the expression on her face while explaining the smooth piece may have made it her favorite part of the dress. "At the end of the day", she said, "I have my many layers, but I know that one solid piece underneath will always be there." That one solid piece was a resemblance of her family and her husband. Her rock and her backbone. She couldn't believe how much they all had gone through together, but was so very grateful for all of them being there for her through all of her struggles and layers of imperfectness. Once the explanation was finished, once again, there was not a dry eye in the studio. Her husband and family began to understand and saw the beauty of the dress that resembled her life and who she was. After a few moments, this woman said "Yes" to her dress!
Her dress that she said yes to looked similar to the one below:
I'll leave you all with this, be thankful for what you have and don't always look for what is perfect. I never knew a wedding dress could tell that big of a story. Keep this story in mind when you all go dress shopping. It will make you appreciate the smallest little details.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Halloween Wedding
How do you get into the spirit of Halloween? Maybe you set up a few decorations around your house/apartment? Go to a Haunted house? Or even, go to a pumpkin patch with your loved ones? If you are a die hard fan of Halloween, would you even consider planning your wedding around this holiday?
For those who are extremely involved and intrigued by the spookiness of Halloween, there is a perfect wedding theme for you, Halloween wedding! Just by searching the web I cannot believe how many people actually throw a Halloween wedding. Maybe I am more traditional than I thought and simply assumed every woman wanted a white wedding dress. I have officially been proved wrong. Some of the wedding dresses shown to go along with a Halloween themed wedding are extremely unique and definitely go along with the theme! Check these out:
The most popular dress colors include black, orange, and red. If you are still one who must have her white wedding dress and also love this theme idea, do not panic. You could wear a white dress and include one of these colors within your dress; or, wear your stunning white dress and incorporate the theme within the bridesmaids and decorations. Below shows the whole bridal party as an example with the bride remaining in a white wedding dress.
For those who are extremely involved and intrigued by the spookiness of Halloween, there is a perfect wedding theme for you, Halloween wedding! Just by searching the web I cannot believe how many people actually throw a Halloween wedding. Maybe I am more traditional than I thought and simply assumed every woman wanted a white wedding dress. I have officially been proved wrong. Some of the wedding dresses shown to go along with a Halloween themed wedding are extremely unique and definitely go along with the theme! Check these out:
The most popular dress colors include black, orange, and red. If you are still one who must have her white wedding dress and also love this theme idea, do not panic. You could wear a white dress and include one of these colors within your dress; or, wear your stunning white dress and incorporate the theme within the bridesmaids and decorations. Below shows the whole bridal party as an example with the bride remaining in a white wedding dress.
I bet you that wedding was one to remember. I'm loving their masks. What a perfect accessory for a halloween wedding.
Next, what creative ways can you decorate for this uniquely themed wedding? There are many things that go along with the holiday. Skulls, pumpkins, spider webs, fall leaves, dark roses are just a few. It is your choice of what to include. Below are a few examples to get your brains thinking.
Are your brains ticking with ideas now or what? All these pictures are actually making me consider having a Halloween themed wedding! Is it just me? I never thought this many people would be into the Halloween theme let alone have this many ideas for it. So creative and unique. Truly one of a kind.
Anyway, enough about how stunned I am. I bet you all want to know where to begin. Good question! Let's begin with a fabulous invitation to show all of your guests when and where you will be celebrating. However, with a theme like this, you must invite with style! :)
The best Halloween invitations I found with great designs and a great price were at zazzle.com. Let me know what you think!
Now that we went over Halloween themed wedding dresses, decorations, and invitations what's left? It is time for you to begin planning your fabulous Halloween themed wedding with all of these creative ideas for next year!
Happy Halloween everyone :)
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Wedding Crashers
True thought...How many people do you think actually do this?:
I bet most of us have seen the movie Wedding Crashers and truly love it! Although that may be more of an extreme wedding crash, how many people secretly crash a wedding just for free food, alcohol, gifts, and just a fun night out? How would you ever find out if they are a wedding crasher? Would you throw them out or let them stay? So many questions to be considered.
Last but not least, have any of you actually experienced a wedding being crashed? What is your epic story?
I bet most of us have seen the movie Wedding Crashers and truly love it! Although that may be more of an extreme wedding crash, how many people secretly crash a wedding just for free food, alcohol, gifts, and just a fun night out? How would you ever find out if they are a wedding crasher? Would you throw them out or let them stay? So many questions to be considered.
Last but not least, have any of you actually experienced a wedding being crashed? What is your epic story?
Monday, October 15, 2012
The Engagement Ring
Do you see a potential engagement in your future?
Have you thought about what style of ring you want?
If not, do not panic! There are a variety of styles and cuts of diamonds that may strike your interest. Each of these styles and cuts look particularly different while placed on the ring finger. How exciting does that sound? "Placed on the ring finger!" Picking out this ring or hinting to your hubby about what you like is extremely important. An engagement leads to a wedding, a wedding leads to marriage, and a marriage, with any luck, is for life. This ring is a symbol to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for better or for worse, and forever. So what type of ring should you choose?
First be thinking about his budget. The average amount spent on an engagement ring is about two months of your man's salary!! Good thing we're the ladies and we wear the bigger diamonds ;). Seems to me guys are not as picky with their rings.
Since we've already covered cost, next, consider the 4 C's. These include cut, color, clarity, and carat. The perfect cut of a diamond makes it sparkle like no other. Depending on how it is cut, the light makes the diamond look lighter or darker. The cut is known to be either shallow or deep. One that is just right is what makes diamonds so unique and rare. The second 'C' is known as color. A diamonds color has significant impact on it's value. Three different colors can be noted, colorless to near colorless, faint to very light yellow, and light yellow to fancy. Usually the colorless to near colorless has more value and will most likely be more expensive. However, it may be worth the price, not many women strive for a yellow diamond engagement ring. The third 'C'is clarity. Clarity is pretty self explanatory. The clearer the diamond, the more clarity it has. Adiamor suggests to look under a 10X magnification in order to detect any blemishes. Lastly, the fourth 'C' stands for carat. The carat of a diamond is essentially its weight. Be careful with this one! Two diamonds that weigh the exact same could have completely different values depending upon the other three C's. Generally, however, the heavier the diamond, the greater it's cost will be.
The different shapes of diamonds available include:
Have you thought about what style of ring you want?
If not, do not panic! There are a variety of styles and cuts of diamonds that may strike your interest. Each of these styles and cuts look particularly different while placed on the ring finger. How exciting does that sound? "Placed on the ring finger!" Picking out this ring or hinting to your hubby about what you like is extremely important. An engagement leads to a wedding, a wedding leads to marriage, and a marriage, with any luck, is for life. This ring is a symbol to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for better or for worse, and forever. So what type of ring should you choose?
First be thinking about his budget. The average amount spent on an engagement ring is about two months of your man's salary!! Good thing we're the ladies and we wear the bigger diamonds ;). Seems to me guys are not as picky with their rings.
Since we've already covered cost, next, consider the 4 C's. These include cut, color, clarity, and carat. The perfect cut of a diamond makes it sparkle like no other. Depending on how it is cut, the light makes the diamond look lighter or darker. The cut is known to be either shallow or deep. One that is just right is what makes diamonds so unique and rare. The second 'C' is known as color. A diamonds color has significant impact on it's value. Three different colors can be noted, colorless to near colorless, faint to very light yellow, and light yellow to fancy. Usually the colorless to near colorless has more value and will most likely be more expensive. However, it may be worth the price, not many women strive for a yellow diamond engagement ring. The third 'C'is clarity. Clarity is pretty self explanatory. The clearer the diamond, the more clarity it has. Adiamor suggests to look under a 10X magnification in order to detect any blemishes. Lastly, the fourth 'C' stands for carat. The carat of a diamond is essentially its weight. Be careful with this one! Two diamonds that weigh the exact same could have completely different values depending upon the other three C's. Generally, however, the heavier the diamond, the greater it's cost will be.
The different shapes of diamonds available include:
I apologize if you cannot read every shape available above. The different shapes/cuts include round, princess, radiant, emerald, oval, pear, asscher, flanders, heart, cushion, marquise, old minder, and trillion.
Now to find out which shape will look best on your finger.
Long Fingers: Round rings are often the most flattering. Marquise, pear, and oval shapes make make the finger look longer, which may not be what a woman is looking for. Therefore, long fingered women, I suggest sticking with the round ring. Lucky for you, the round diamond is the most classic diamond out there. It is known to never go out of style.
Short Fingers: Pear or teardrop shapes may be the most flattering for your fingers. A round shape may make your fingers look even shorter, and big rectangular rings tend to overwhelm short fingers.
Narrow Fingers:Thicker bands with possibly a smaller stone may help make your fingers look a little wider. However, avoid heart-shaped stones and quite possibly a round stone.
Wide Fingers: Marquise shape may be the most flattering style for short, wide fingers. Also, a round stone placed in a larger setting is also flattering for wide fingers. The idea with this type of finger is not to have too much skin showing on each side of the ring or fingers may look even wider.
Large Hands: Lucky you! You are the ones that can pull of the massive stones! Those small stones out there may just look lost on your finger. Larger rings with a bigger band and stone are perfect for your hand.
Small Hands: Small heart-shaped, oval, round, or square stones are all flattering for small hands. Keep the proportion of the ring small.
As you can see, not every shape is mentioned above. Therefore, one major thing to keep in mind is that these are just guidelines. Do not get upset if your favorite shape of ring is not listed under your style of finger/hand. A person with large hands and short fingers may need to find different styles than small hands and short fingers. Overall, it is really your preference as to what ring style you are most comfortable with wearing every day for the rest of your life. Personally, I suggest trying each style on your finger to see it for yourself. You may actually fall in love with a style you never thought you liked. If you already have your heart set on a particular cut, clarity, carat, and color...well, you're way ahead of me!
As for me, I have fallen in love with the pictures of the heirloom halo design
and the princess cut design
Now I'll turn to you for answers! What is your dream engagement ring? Or if you are already engaged, first congratulations, and second, tell me about your ring! Did you and your hubby go pick it out together or was it a complete surprise?
Also, what do you think is the most popular engagement ring shape? (round, heart-shaped, princess, marquise, etc.)
Friday, October 12, 2012
Cutest Proposal Video
If you have never seen this video...you must watch it now!! This video pretty much sums up every girls dream on how to be proposed to! It is a flashmob proposal in Downtown Disney. Let's see if you tear up :)
Was that awesome or what? Tell me about your dream proposals or the way you were proposed to!
To watch more proposal videos visit YouTube.com
To Pay or Not to Pay For Bridesmaids Dresses
Let's be real, not everyone is made of money. So, how do you decide if you will pay for your bridesmaid dresses or not? Essentially your bridesmaids are doing you a favor by being present in your wedding. However, weddings are already expensive enough, can you afford to drop a few more grand (obviously depending on the price of the dress and how many bridesmaids you have) on dresses that you won't even wear? According to The Wedding Bee 16% of people believe you should pay for the dresses, whereas 84% say you should not. Do you feel less pressured now?
Selecting your bridesmaids is no random process. You have chosen these women specifically because they have been closest to you for quite some time. I imagine you have multiple memories together and plan on more memories to come. They may be your best friends, sisters, etc. I can tell you from experience, they will be honored to be your bridesmaid, help you with any detail of wedding planning possible, and cannot wait to stand up at the alter to witness you marry the love of your life! These women have just as much love for you as you do for them. Having them pay for their bridesmaid dress should not be a problem.
So how do you ask? Don't worry so much! You're obviously not in danger of being rude if you are worrying about this. The easiest way to go about asking them to pay is to be open about it. When you all go dress shopping and find a particular one you all like, it's okay to say to the group, "Do you girls think this one is going to be too expensive for you?" Some of your bridesmaids may have already been in other weddings and understand the way things work. If you have a newbie bridesmaid that is on edge about paying, the other bridesmaids can explain that it's the norm for bridesmaids to pay their own way when it comes to dresses (and possibly accessories). If you are genuinely concerned that being in your wedding may be a financial burden for one of more of your bridesmaids, look for dresses that are relatively inexpensive. Or, find a color your like and have them select the style, spending as much as they see fit. This may be the perfect way to select a dress if you would like your bridesmaids to all have different styles, yet the same color. If you still would like them to all have the same style of dress, be sure to compromise together, making sure they all feel comfortable about the amount being spent on the dress. Remember they are spending this money for your wedding. Be sensitive, understanding, and ready to accept the fact that some may not be willing to spend too much. However, like I said, they are your best friends and will most likely do anything for you. To be honest, I be they will be too excited to even think about price!
My best friend who I have grown up with my entire life recently asked me to be in her wedding. I can't even explain to you how excited I was when I opened her letter. If I remember right, I was literally jumping with joy. I have not found out yet if the bridesmaids purchase their own dresses, but that is not even on my mind. I am just extremely excited to be there for her and to watch her get married to her man!
If you do decide to pay for your bridesmaid dresses, that's wonderful! They will be extremely appreciative and still be by your side for every event. Just remember, the price of a wedding escalates extremely fast. Do what is best for you! Your bridesmaids will still love you no matter what decision you make.
So now I will ask all of you, what do you think? Will you pay or not pay for your bridesmaid dresses?
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