How To: Polish Your Party

G'day my lovely ladies! Tis' time to fill your heads with dreamy details of your delightful day! On my recent flight to Atlanta, I thumbed through The Knot magazine and couldn't help but drool over some party details that are original, timeless, and oh...so awe-inspiring. As always I searched for snapshots and summaries and now it's your turn to take a peek. Shall we?

Having an outdoor wedding? Near water? Or does your groom just love boats? Purchase (or borrow) an old canoe or rowboat, fill it with ice and top it off with your favorite beer! (Side note: keep an eye on the groomsmen, they will surely find a way to row it to their own private island)

This is one I adore! These paper cones holding flowers are shabby chic at its finest. Design these to hang on pews or chairs along the aisle. Purchase hollow craft cones for less than one dollar and cover in your favorite scrapbook paper. Add ribbon, buttons, and cloth flowers to amp up the DIY look.

'Circus-esque' banners are a big trend right now. They are whimsical, vintage, and all-together awesome! To make it all-the-better, you can make them yourself!

Purchase craft paper or burlap fabric (cut and glue to ribbon) and you got yourself an original art piece! Place these on the bride and groom chair, behind the head table, or at a photo booth for your guest.



You will be receiving plenty of cards full of well wishes (and hopefully some moo-lah) so purchase a vintage wooden box to hold them during the reception. I found this Hires Root Beer box on Etsy.com for only 30 bucks!  

Time to top off this post with some wedding advice from your guests. Consider designing a Mad Libs card for your friends and family to fill out. These will certainly induce laughter and can be easily put in a scrapbook to keep forever! Certainly sensational, Undoubtedly unforgettable.

I am here to tell you this: Be the Belle of the Ball and Damsel of the Details! Hope you had a wonderful Easter weekend and sassed out in your pastels and prints.

Love your-

Nashville Native, Raggin' Cajun, & Mississippi Queen

April Showers Bring May Flowers

Let me make this perfectly clear, this girl loves some flowers! - For my birthday, holidays, anniversaries, or really any reason at all (let's get serious). Throughout the past weeks of blog research I have stumbled upon photos of my favorite table decorations and bouquets and it is time to share them with you! Let's get started...

(I am eatin' up the white table mixed with iron chairs. And, how budget-friendly are the awesome plants?)

How perfect would this bouquet (flower: anemones) be with a simple white and black color pallet for your traditional, southern wedding? I can just see it now, he in a black tux and I in a white ball gown (sigh).

Now, you know I am always thinking of ways to save and this centerpiece is adorable and affordable. The little splash of color is just enough to get me giddy.

Let me introduce you to my favorite bouquet I have come across yet. Cotton branches, Caramel Antike garden roses, magnolia leaves and pods, and green crape myrtle berries (this all sums up to be ah-mazing). Pair this with a sophisticated antebellum wedding and you are sure to get some jealous stares from mean Aunt Mildred.

Perfect in every way.

Hope you are having a wonderful Thursday and don't shun me for blogging so late. See you Sunday lovers!

Not my typical video post but this couple seems so in love that I just ate it up. And, let's get real...Emily loves some Converse.

A Day Late & A Dollar Short

Hello beautifuls! As much as I would love to post today, I am currently visiting the beau in Louisiana and tonight is my last night (tear). I am going to take advantage of this amazing weather and kick it with a movie, popcorn, and maybe a little wine. Interviewed with a great wedding venue today so keep me in your prayers tonight for good news tomorrow. See you on the flip-side!

'Louisiana Meal' -Blair Thrall

"Who says you're not perfect? Who says you're not worth it? Who says your the only one that's hurting? Trust me, that's the price of beauty. Who says you're not pretty? Who says you're not beautiful? WHO SAYS? " -Selena Gomez

Sealed with a Kiss

Belles beware, my detective skills are in full force today and I am ready to share my findings! During my morning meditation (OK, more like thoughts over Fruit Loops and E! News) I started to think about the quintessential wedding traditions and why we do them. So, let's get started, shall we?

Father of the Bride (walking down the aisle):

Long before women's rights and the 1920's, brides were literally handed over by their fathers. Women (often at birth) were bound to one man and later in life were 'given away.'

Seating for Families:

A marriage in ancient times would be set to bring order and peace with warring clans (aka, intrusive in laws). To prevent the claws from comin' out during the nuptials the families were seated on opposite sides of the church.

Bride Standing on the Left:

According to ancient bridal books (you caught me, there's no such thing) it was common for the bride to be kidnapped and held for ransom. To protect the blushing 'booty' the bride was placed on the groom's left in order to leave his sword-hand free in case he had to defend her. So stinkin' noble, right?

Meaning of Wedding Bands:

The Greeks believed that the forth finger on the left hand has a vein that leads directly to the heart. The circle shape represents eternal love and adoration.

Kissing the Bride:

In the Roman Empire, a kiss between a couple symbolized a legal bond ("Sealed with a kiss.") They believed that a kiss was a way to join each others souls. (And, a side note...please don't play tonsil hockey during your wedding. Grandma didn't sign up for a preview of the honeymoon.)

Now, although your beau may not be equipped with sword and shield on your big day, these traditions define what makes weddings so special today. So as you walk down the aisle to stand on the left, put that pretty round ring on your forth finger and seal it all with a smooch.

xoxo.

This couple is featured on my 'Today's Inspiration.' They are excellent photographers and might be the cutest couple I've never known. Check out their website by clicking on the logo above. Just fantastic!

Troy & Aimee's engagement (Troy Grover Photographers)

 Precious engagement story of Rylan and Mali.

Please tell me Antique & Estate jewelry gets you as giddy as I do! Take a gander at Walton's Antique & Estate Jewelry blog.

Walton's is located in my hometown of Franklin, TN and are always getting great new pieces! (obsessed).

How adorable is this couple? Her reception dress is just presh! 

Photography by: Jose Villa

First Impression

Mandy Lynne Photography

This weekend I facilitated a recruitment workshop for 120 sorority girls. Now, those who aren't familiar with the ins & outs of sorority rush there is one thing we are sure to drill and that is...how to make a first impression. So it got me thinking, what would I consider the first impression of a wedding?

Invitations are no longer just an invite; they are decorated cardstock that should tell a story, your story. Now, hear me say this...I don't want you spendin' an arm and a leg. A five piece invitation kit is sure to impress but is sure to join the scraps in less than a month.

So let's talk options. I love maps. If you are having a wedding in a tourist hot-spot make a map of not only where you'll wed but also hangouts you & your groom frequent (sports arenas, zoos, lake fronts).

Plantation (old south) weddings make me weak in the knees so if this is your plan, consider highlighting your venue with a hand sketched card. There's nothing I love more than a new drawing of old oaks.

Now, I am sure you'll all agree that there's nothin' better than a good love story. A timeline of a couples courtship tucked in an envelope would have me smiling and tearing up all at the same time. The invitation below pulled at my heart strings and is worthy of some Ooo's and Ahh's.

Now to top it all off, ponder your postage! Below are Martha Stewarts suggestions for (1)Garden Weddings, (2)City Celebrations, (3)Beach Parties, & (4)Mountain Nuptials. Simply put...love, love, love.

Remember, these can be inexpensive. Ask an artsy friend to draw you out a map, Photoshop a picture of your venue, or get a card company to make one example and color copy the rest on thick cardstock. Quote to leave you with:

To impress I suggest to request all the best.

'Save' the Date! (adorable)

I Kneed Your Love

                                                                                                                                                                  Grant Isaac Studio

                                                                                                                                                                                      

Tonight, at a sports bar with two women...I hopped on my soapbox as we discussed engagements. As we talked about their engagement stories, I exclaimed my requirements. They are simple and sweet and non-negotiable...

(1) Ask for my father's blessing

(2) Kneel on one knee

Yes, it is 2011 and I am aware this isn't the "old'n days" but if you want to call me old fashioned go right ahead! There is something kind and romantic about the beau you love, offering you the choice to spend the rest of your life with him. Today, only 60 percent of men do this...so hear me now fellas, step it up and kneel it down!

" Carry Kleenex "

Phindy Studios

Now that I am in my twenties, made mistakes, and learned valuable lessons I can now say, without rolling my eyes, she was right. Mothers are a precious gift that temperamental, teenage girls (world on the brink of ending) can take for granted. So, as an ode to the women who told us so, I have chosen to share a delightful and heartfelt story of a mothers experience watching her beautiful daughter shop for a wedding dress!

                "When we arrived at our first boutique, it was a bit overwhelming. As we sat in a sea of wedding dresses, the bridal assistant quizzed Lauren on all the wedding details and her budget. Soon they were pulling dresses and Lauren put on her slip. It was in that moment, as she began twirling in the white slip that a lump began to grow in my throat. The time was here, no turning back...my girl is about to become a princess. As the assistant, Caroline slipped the dress over Lauren's head, the tears were instantaneous. At that moment, the twenty-two year old faded away, and my little five year old was playing dress-up in a tiny white wedding gown and veil. I knew immediately that this was 'the dress.' One hour and ten dresses later, Lauren also knew she had found her dress, and it was that very first dress."

Do you have advise for future mother's-of-the-bride?

                "Mom, carry Kleenex with you! Trust me, you're going to need them. And mom, you had your chance to choose your dress, let her have her chance."

Lauren, age 5

Thank you Mrs. Cindy Poché for sharing your story! I know Lauren is so lucky to have a mother like you on her side!

Belles of the Ball Gown

Carolina Herrera

After a week of fighting a virus I can't pronounce, I am back...and loaded with dresses to share! I purchased the Martha Stewart Weddings magazine tonight and started thumbing through the many ads and crafty creations. 

Might I say...big thumbs up to Ms. Stewart. Unlike the cheesy prom magazines, I loved every dress that was advertised (granted these included Monique Lhuillier and Oscar de la Renta). No matter the name, they proved to me this - timelessness and elegance is how to dress to impress in 2011!

Christos

Each page was filled with beautiful draping, intricate belts, lace and sweetheart necklines. Mix them all together and it's better than buttered biscuits from Loveless Cafe! So here are a few of my favs...Let me know your thoughts! 

Ivy & Aster

Love Never Fails.

Mad for Monogram

As you all know, I am a professional sorority girl. And with that, there are three things that I have come to love. Sperry Top-Siders, Vera Bradley planners, and everything monogrammed.

This morning I received a text from Ms. Christa D'Amico asking me for thoughts on an engagement gift for a friend and it got me thinking. On that special day the blushing bride gains a lasting love, lineage, and a new last name. Now it's time to give her something to show off her new addition. So here is what I've come up with...

She will surely be swamped with 'thank-you' cards after the wedding so consider purchasing a personalized stamp that she can use on envelopes & the top of blank note cards.

I have absolutely fallen head-over-heels for monogrammed pendants! These have been spotted on trend setters like Taylor Swift and Lauren Conrad and, not to mention, are flippin' fantastic!

Wait! It doesn't stop there! For a few other monogram must-haves take a look at nautical note cards, party plates, cute coffee cups, and decadent decanters (all at a price you'll love).

So Shakespeare begs the question, "What's in a name?" Well, ol' guy...I have a good answer to that. A stinkin' cute monogram! Until Monday greets us again belles!

Watch Your Elbows, Lady

This weekend I attended the Who's Who in 'I Do' Bridal Show at Generations Hall in New Orleans, LA. So, I am here to bring a few tips on how to brave the crowds, get good information, and what to expect.

Ladies, if you are not a bride...don't hesitate to march yourself right on in! Borrow your momma's ring, slap on the 'bride' sticker, and be a princess for the day! Grab a glass of complementary champagne and enjoy the unending cake samples. There is sure to be a fashion show to catch or centerpiece displays that are meant for your gawking.

Brides-to-be, there are a few things to have prepared before entering the room of bridezillas (yes, they will use elbow force if you are in their way of a desired booth). First, although I am sure you will want to look cute and sophisticated...wear comfortable shoes. Second, print out a page of labels that include your name, contact information, and wedding date. You can simply paste these on sign-in sheets at booths you are interested in hearing more about. Third, bring a camera! There are cakes, centerpieces, and dresses that you will want to remember for later. Take an idea and make it your own! And lastly, don't...and I repeat don't drag your fiancé to these things! It is a room full of overwhelmed women...ooing and ahhing, pushing and shoving, and they simply don't want any part of it. You can bring information home and discuss it over a beer but please don't torture the man.

Most of all, have fun! Take advantage of the multitude of photo booths and take your time to take it in. We're girls and we like this kind of stuff. It is your turn to be Who's Who in I Do!

Happy Love Day

Hello belles and gents! As you all know it's Americans day for L.O.V.E. and I was lucky enough to fly to NOLA to see mine. As I always post on Mondays it shall have wait until tomorrow. Have a wonderful day, eat lots of chocolate, and tell someone you love them! XOXO.

A new way to Save the Date...L.O.V.E.

Beach Bum Belles

                                                                                                          Photography: Tim Melideo

Alright belles, let's talk honeymoon wardrobe! Now, this is assuming you are going to a tropical destination and plan on gettin' your tan on...I have found a few affordable and adorable pieces you & your gent will love.

1st thing's 1st...bikinis with a touch of damsel. A white and frilly suit by Victoria's Secret will look great with your sun kissed skin! Keep your dresses colorful and fun and be sure to protect your freckled face with a woven fedora and consider a long men's top as a cover-up (like the blue & tan top from J. Crew).

You are sure to have a few sight seeing days so be sure to have appropriate foot wear. TOMS are cute, comfy and delightfully charming! Couple them with a pair of cuffed denim shorts and a bright top and you are sure to be the belle of the beach!

Most importantly, have fun and soak it all in! This will certainly be a time in your life you will never forget. XOXO.

Banana Republic Fedora: $39.50, Red Canvas Classic Toms: $44.00, Forever21 White Lace Dress: $28.00, Modcloth.com One Shoulder Dress: $44.00, Gap Cuffed Denim Shorts: $55.00, Forever21 Red Mini: $25.00, J. Crew Cover-Up: $74.00, Etsy.com Uma Jewelery Necklace: $25.00, Victoria's Secret Bikini: $38.00

Look for Less

J.Crew Black Strapless Dress: $350.00                                      Old Navy Black Strapless Dress: $30.00
Banana Republic Turquoise Necklace: $250.00                 Ralph Lauren Turquoise Necklace: $78.00       
Total: $600.00                                                                                             Total: $108.00