I am so excited to share this post! It was a community effort to bring such a cool little project together.
Super-talented Marla J Designs contacted me about possibly reviewing her jewelry designs for this blog. Now, I’m super -picky with fashion and art, so it’s not as simple as writing a glowing endorsement about everything that comes my way. I thought to myself, "Well, let’s see" and I looked into her selection. Can you imagine how thrilled I was to find that I just loved Marla J’s designs?! Not only did I find her to be a super-cool person, she’s an all-around entrepreneur and eco-conscious businesswoman! Those are two things that speak right to my heart. She sent me some samples while I arranged a photo shoot.
I asked the lovely Miss Broke-Ass-Bride herself if she’d consider modeling, and to my delight she said yes! She’s a terrific model! I have to say, the camera loves her.
Next was finding the right photographer. I contacted the multi-talented Alexandra Breckenridge , crossing my fingers that she might be available. She agreed and we were on our way!
Oooh, so much fun!!! Check it out!
In the first pic, Miss Broke-Ass-Bride is on her way to meet the parents. A dash of old-time elegance goes a long way! Looking the part, she feels confident it will go smoothly. She’s modeling a Satin Chocolate Fascinator embellished with Black Onyx and Feathers.
At her wedding shower, it’s time to feel pretty and fun. She can goof around with her bridesmaids sporting a Silk Red Rose Fascinator embellished with Swavorski Cyrstals and Guinea Feathers.
When she goes for bachelorette night with her girls, Miss B-A-B takes no prisoners. The gorgeous Peacock Earrings highlight her eyes in vibrant green and blue. Eat your hearts out, boys!!!
Drama at the reception? Not for long!! Miss Broke-Ass-Bride puts every other girl to shame wearing a classic Ivory Open Rose Fascinator embellished with Swavorski Crystals and Coque Feathers. Completing her look are sheer White Peacock Feather Earrings , embellished with Swavorski Crystal and hung on Sterling Silver.
This all was sooo much fun! Please check everyone out individually via the links below. I’m so lucky to be surrounded with such talented people!
Jeweler – www.MarlaJDesigns.Etsy.com
Photographer – www.AlexandraBreckendridge.com
Model and Wedding Extrodinaire – www.TheBrokeAssBride.com
xoxo Siena – Follow me on Twitter
Share This
Writing about Brides freaking-out might seem taboo, but to a wedding planner who cares about you 
I feel that it might be important to talk about. Why I am inspired to write this post? Well, first, here at La Ruche we are in the midst of prepping to be filmed for the television show, Bridezilla, with clients Kathryn and Keith.
Secondly, right now in Arizona we are in the midst of "wedding season". The big bridal show just happened, many of the newly engaged women are hunting for the best deals, and at La Ruche we are walking many couples through the final stages of wedding day preparation.
With this said, I DO think that it is natural and many times very gratifying to freak-out. Okay…maybe not freak-out per se, but to at the very least put your foot down and stand-up for yourself. Below is a quick mini-guide on to how to freak out when you need to freak out, and when to know if you’re freaking-out about the right thing.
DO freak-out on someone or some vendor if or when:
- Your vendor increases your pricing from the contracted rate . A deal is a deal, so gently remind them of their obligation. HINT: Do NOT use the word "legal" or "legally" when talking to a vendor as this type of serious banter can create huge problems later-0n.
- Your Maid or Matron of Honor (M.O.H.) or Bridesmaid complains about her dress. Remind her that you do like the dress and that you hope that she can support you. Let her know that her complaining does not help, it just creates friction. If you are related to your M.O.H. or Bridesmaid ask them to be positive on your behalf. If your M.O.H. or Bridesmaid is complaining about the cost of the dress, do some fact-finding to see what they believe a reasonable amount to pay for the dress is. If finances is a real concern for them, consider offering to pay the difference of what they cannot.
- Your fiancee is absent during the planning process. Although many brides will agree that the complexity and details of the wedding may be more for the bride and less for the groom, that does not mean that it is appropriate for your fiancee to bow-out when planning discussions begin. I often tell engaged couples at wedding consultations that if one of you seems disinterested in the process it is likely because there are terms and timelines that aren’t being properly explained, explored, or understood. If you have an ongoing issue with your fiancee being involved, perhaps it is time to take a step back – without precondition – and find out what the real issue may be. There is no sense in getting married if you are dragging your fiancee to the alter.
- Your financial backers create specific conditions with their financial support. It may not be worth the sadness and heartache caused to you (and your wedding planner!) to plan a wedding that will soon be resented because of conditions that some families place on their financial support of a couple. If you know that you will be planning a wedding for others and not based upon your and your fiancee’s desires, consider eloping. Not kidding. (You would NOT be surprised at the devastation and chaos that this type of conditional financial support creates.)
DO NOT freak out on someone or some vendor if or when:
- You are on your period. This probably goes without saying (because you likely know yourself well by now), but trust me…waiting until the menstrual cycle crazies are over will 100% for sure calm you down. If you feel yourself about to call "so-and-so" to give them a good tongue lashing, instead simply write down the issues that you have with "so-and-so" and follow-up on the issue in a few days. If the issue cannot wait, ask your fiancee or your best friend to hear you out and determine the best course of action.
- You feel stress. Many times the endless knit-picking – especially to your fiancee – can send the wrong message. Instead of conveying that you are very happy to be getting married but that you are just stressed about "such-and-such", when you knit-pick and are generally morose or negative it sends EVERYONE the message that you wish you were not having to go through this experience. Instead of complaining out loud, consider practicing discipline and write a letter instead. The letter can be written to yourself – simply to complain – but after it is written you may actually feel better having expelled some of your negative energy. Even better, consider burning the letter after you write it and starting a list of the things that need to happen in order for your issues or worries to be resolved.
- You don’t have enough money. This is tricky because nearly everyone I know wants finances to be private, but when the money is tight or simply isn’t available, complaining about your financial situation to whomever happens to be listening sometimes accidentally happens. Instead of allowing outsiders into your very personal financial situation, consider taking an honest "from-the-top-down" approach to the most expensive items on your wedding list. You may find that you really don’t need the personalized water bottles, bubbles, or specialty linens after all.
I am soooooooooooooo not a relationship expert; I am an event planner. I am certainly not condoning calling-off weddings, Bridezilla moments or creating lasting family problems. I simply wanted to put into plain terms some of the real issues that may arrise and what to do about them when they happen.
Best,
Alisha Forrester Scott, Owner
La Ruche. event design studio.
Alisha can be reached by e-mail at studio@enterlaruche.com
Share This
I want to focus on a topic that is not discussed often, if at all – preparing your Bridal Suite. If you can imagine a wedding day filled with non-stop action and passion, tears, and excitement, you can then imagine the "crash" that many couples feel once they leave the reception to head back to their Bridal Suite for their first night together as a new couple. This post is dedicated to making your overnight stay "post-wedding" a comforting success. If you are unable to prep by completing the tasks described below, perhaps you can ask a trusted friend or family member not in the wedding party to accommodate.
During your planning phase, consider the following questions and suggestions and how they will relate to your post-wedding overnight accommodations experience:
What will you eat? You may have just spent eight to ten hours looking and acting perfect, and perhaps you did not feel like or did not get a chance to eat at your own reception. You’ll likely feel like consuming something light, something healthy, something without sugar or caffeine. Consider packing a meal to have waiting in the room, or better yet pre-order room service with your ideal meal. Remember, indulge yourselves…you don’t have to eat the same thing if you don’t want to! If all else fails (or you forget to plan this part) you can always just order in pizza or Chinese and be less formal. Just make sure that you are able to find napkins and plates.
What will you drink? First, something hydrating, then perhaps something soothing. Whether a cup of tea or a night cap, have your favorite beverages and the proper equipment (ice, cups/glasses, tea, etc.) waiting for you in your room. Keep in mind that if you order alcohol from the hotel bar you can expect a price mark-up of literally at least 100% – A $35 magnum of Grey Goose will be marked-up as high as $100 – so plan accordingly.)
What will you listen to or watch? (Hint: not TV)…but maybe a movie you both like playing in the background? (Will you need a DVD player?) What if you want to listen to a favorite CD, or what if you have packed along your mp3 player and some little speakers (will you need your charger or batteries?)?
What will you want to smell? Soothing scents can enhance nearly everyone’s experience, no matter the situation. Consider bringing along some scented candles, incense, or room fragrance. Soothing scents such as lavender or vanilla will help your post-wedding transition.
What will help you to relax? Perhaps your idea of relaxation is popping open a beer, or perhaps you are anticipating sore feet and muscles. To relieve a day’s worth of stress consider scheduling an in-room double massage for you and your sweetie. Believe me, there are companies that offer this in-room service – be sure to ask your concierge for a referral. (Don’t feel bad if you both find yourselves totally unwound and napping during the massage!) If a professional massage is out of the question, give each other a little rub-down (at least your feet!).
What type of lighting is present? Candlelight is most flattering, white (holiday) lights are magical. Whatever your lighting preference consider using dramatic lighting. There is a chance that the room you are staying in has adjustable lighting (which means no extra work for you), so be sure to ask. Important: if you are going to bring candles make sure that you bring candle plates or holders to catch the melted dripping wax…you don’t want to have to pay for room damage. Also, make sure that they have a fire extinguisher in the room (or at least nearby) for unforeseeable emergencies.
What will you want to wear? If you have packed something sexy to ‘play’ in, don’t forget to pack something new and comfortable to sleep in. Sleeping in your ‘everynight’ pajamas is not exciting, so consider purchasing a new pajama set…it will make your first married nights sleep a huge and special success.
Take a nap. Seriously. Whoever "invented" sex immediately following post-wedding may have been unwilling to discuss the sheer exhaustion which tries to infiltrate most newly married couples bedrooms. Before you both completely unwind for the evening, consider setting an alarm or scheduling a wake-up call with the front desk, and then settle down for a nice mid-sized nap. Once you wake-up you can shower or bathe and then begin the next phase of your night together.
The formal wake-up call . Perhaps you have brunch with your family scheduled for the next morning, or perhaps you are both going to get a massage. Be sure to call the front desk for a wake-up call, or be sure to pack and bring your own alarm to set, or have one of your friends call your hotel room. You won’t want to oversleep if you have plans for the next morning.
Do Not Disturb (DND ). If you end up getting into bed late (and waking-up late) you won’t want to be disturbed by the hotel staff trying to clean so be sure to place the DND sign on the door and enjoy. Another form of DND will be to hold your phone calls (call the front desk to request this), or simply unplug your hotel room phone. Don’t forget to turn-off your cell phones. You’ve earned a night together without any outside interruptions.
Enjoy your first night together!
Best,
Alisha Forrester Scott
La Ruche. event design studio.
You can reach AFS by e-mailing: studio@enterlaruche.com
Share This
Don’t be afraid to voice your opinion. Just because you want to make the people you love happy does not mean you have to cover up what you think and feel. If you really don’t like orange as your main wedding color, but your mother-in-law to be keeps telling you it would make everything look even better, then just tell her the truth. Of course, you don’t have to be mean about it! Simply tell her something like, “I’ve given it a lot of thought and I really just think the color pink (or green or blue, etc.) would reflect our personalities more.” If she keeps talking up orange, you know you tried and don’t have to feel bad when you don’t use orange on your big day.
Don’t be afraid to put your foot down. It can be hard, it’s very true. But putting your “foot down” is something you need to learn sooner or later! Do you just plan to pay for an overpriced cake? Are you going to “just this once” let your mother decide which dress (or tux) you’ll buy (or rent) or what flowers you’ll use? What about wedding party members that don’t like the way you have the day scheduled? You’ve put a lot of time and effort into making your wedding day the way you and your love want it (we hope), so don’t let other people change your mind or make you second guess yourself. Put that pretty little foot down and say “NO”!
You can’t make all of the people happy all of the time. If you’re a people-pleasing person, you’ve hopefully already come to terms with this. You really can’t make everyone happy all of the time (even though you may try and try). It’s just not possible. All you can do … is do your best! Make the decisions you feel are right and stick to ‘em. If someone gets upset about a tiny detail, you did what you could and that’s that. Don’t let yourself feel bad about it!
You may regret or resent not fighting for what you want. If you don’t at least try to get what you want (within reason) for your wedding day, you may regret it. If you end up with flowers you didn’t like (but your mom did) and bridesmaids dresses that just weren’t that great (but your girls loved them) and your hair…well, let’s just say you can’t believe you look like this on your wedding day (but your stylist said it will be perfect), you may be overcome with disappointment – on one of the happiest days of your life. And the last thing you want to be thinking about as you walk down the aisle (or as you’re waiting at the end of it) is how you should have just said “No” to this or that or “Sorry, but we’re doing this instead”.
Bottom line : It’s your wedding. It’s true. If you and your man (or woman) are happy, then that’s what really matters.
Just a few more tips:
-Don’t really feel comfortable stating your opinion or saying no? Hire someone to do it for you. That is just one of the many ways a wedding planner can come in handy. If you feel comfortable enough telling her (or him) what you do and do not like, she can help you get what you want and save you from putting up with those things that you don’t want.
-If there are a lot of people around when you’re trying to make a decision, it can get rough and tricky to say what you really want to say. For instance, if you’re meeting with your florist and mom, future MIL, and three of your BM are there (and they all want different flowers), ask if you can chat with the florist alone for a few minutes (or tell her you’ll call her back with the final order). This way, you can be honest without being afraid of hurting anyone’s feelings.
-Do some wedding planning alone or with only your future spouse. You can make decisions together. After all, the wedding is a reflection of the two of you.
Share This
So many fabulous things out there to dream about and search for and try on and purchase! But where to begin? Let’s think about it logically.
Vera Wang
Often, The Gown determines just about everything else. If you REALLY want to tie the day together, you’ll consider the event space (ceremony and reception locations) when deciding on the style of your dress, not just your body type and personal preferences. But after you have found The One, what’s next?
Grace Footwear
We’d start with shoes. They will be needed for alterations and may or may not be seen under your dress, so they are important to consider (especially if being seen). Also, they will determine if you’re two or three inches taller than normal and how much pain you’ll be in at the end of the night (only half kidding!). Details in your shoes (and of course, your dress) may be things you’d like to reflect in your other accessories.
Altered Bride
On to the veil! Now you know how simple or intricate your dress and shoes are, so look into finding a veil that compliments them! Generally, the more simple the dress, the more wiggle room you have for a fancy veil. Long, short? Classic, chic? Blusher or no blusher? Knowing what it is paired with will narrow down your choices.
Kenneth Jay Lane, Photo by Michael David Adams via Brides.com
So now you have the big ticket items (between the above you’ll want to find undergarments – don’t forget about those!). Time for the little things! With the overall look, what kind of jewelry would look best? Lots or little? Intricate or simple? Not every bride needs earrings, a necklace, and a bracelet! If your gown has a fancy neckline, consider skipping a necklace altogether! Sometimes less truly is more.
From the oh-so-fabulous Chlorine!
And don’t forget about the baubles and doodads like a clutch to in which to keep all of your must-have wedding day items!
What was (or has been) your favorite thing to look for/shop for/try on/purchase for your wedding day ensemble? What else would you consider essential to any bride’s wedding day look?
Share This
Getting married is one thing. Planning a wedding is another. We will just assume you are getting married for the “right reasons” and that you’ve put all that serious thought into the life-changing decision. On to the “fun” part!
I believe that to some extent, everyone wants to be original when it comes to her wedding. It can be difficult to come up with original ideas when you get inspiration from magazines and tv and the Internet (and let me tell ya’, there is a LOT of wedding stuff out there). Then throw in designers that lead and follow trends and a few vendors that lack a bit of creativity, and you’ve got bland, done-before wedding that’s more ew than you! How do you avoid such a catastrophe? A few things to keep in mind:
If it doesn’t reflect you and your personal style, it’ll be less memorable. Ever been to a wedding that was just so/so? You don’t really remember it much because there wasn’t much that tied the day to the Bride and Groom. Letting your personal touches show throughout the day will leave your stamp, and will be something that your guests will remember.
Think outside of the ring box in everything from fashion to food to decoration. Working with a tiny budget? You don’t have to spend lots to get something “unique”. Buy simple dresses and spice them up with hand-made accessories or “extras”. Get a simple cake and add your own personal decorations. Reception centerpieces don’t need to be made up of flowers and candles! And you definitely don’t need to serve chicken and green beans for dinner!
Do what feels comfortable to you…and most of your guests. Love your pooch to pieces? Insist that Fifi walk down the aisle as the flower girl, or Fido as the ring bearer? Do it! Always dreamed of getting married beneath the stars, late at night? Don’t let anyone stop you. As long as it’s what you want and something that won’t make your guests uncomfortable (ie asking all your guests to throw on an air tank so you can tie the knot under water….probably asking a lot unless they are all diving enthusiasts), go for it. If nothing else, it will be memorable.
Don’t be afraid to go for something a little unexpected. Just because your brilliant idea isn’t “traditional” doesn’t mean it won’t be fabulous!
Keep a secret or two from your family, friends and guests. Thinking about making your grand exit in a helicopter? Planning on singing a song for your new spouse at the reception? Go for it! If it doesn’t happen, no one will know!
image form Susie’s Scrumptious Sweets
Share This
Happy Monday! This is a short but sweet post of a poem from a beloved poet of mine, Anne Bradstreet. This would be a sweet note to send your love just before you walk down the aisle, the day after your wedding…or on your 50th wedding anniversary. You get the idea.
If ever two were one, then surely we.
If ever man were lov’d by wife, then thee.
If ever wife was happy in a man,
Compare with me, ye women, if you can.
I prize thy love more than whole Mines of gold
Or all the riches that the East doth hold.
My love is such that Rivers cannot quench,
Nor ought but love from thee give recompetence.
Thy love is such I can no way repay.
The heavens reward thee manifold, I pray.
Then while we live, in love let’s so persevere
That when we live no more, we may live ever.
Share This
I love these! Though I call them “pumpkin skirts” or “pumpkin dresses”, I’m pretty sure the proper term is a dress or skirt with a “bubble hem”. They are fun and flirty, but not too “out there”. You can tie them into many themes (and by themes I mean wedding “vibe” or the overall feel you’re going with)! Go wild!
Charles Nolan
Ulla Maija
And perhaps a little something for the bridesmaids or rehearsal dinner:
Vera Wang
Neiman Marcus
*GOOD DEAL!* Forever 21
Share This
Loosely pinned up, with a flower tucked in just so. Formal but not fussy.
Photo by Matthew Jordan Smith
Fresh and breezy, perfect for a beach bash or late afternoon soirée.
Photo by Daniela Stallinger
A bouffant style ‘do with a few loose curls on the side,
Photo by Kevin Cremens
A low bun is perfect for keeping the hair out of your face. It’s girly yet formal.
Photo by Kevin Cremens
Probably my favorite style right now! Classic, elegant. With bangs framing the face and a sparky accessory or a headband, you just can’t go wrong! A veil can be attached near the top of the head (before the “puff” begins) for a retro look or closer to the neck (this placement would be best for a veil that won’t be going over your face) for a more modern look.
Photo by Peter Buckingham
Photos from Brides…I’m obsessed! SUCH great examples.
Share This
