Reality TV in Nashvegas.

 I've never really been one to want to be on TV, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to help out a friend. I hinted at the fun in Monday's post. My dear friends at The Bride Room were asked by TLC's What Not to Wear to provide their AMAZING gowns & models for an ambush they put together for local wedding florist, Brocade Designs. The idea was that there would be a fake bride, fake wedding party, fake groom and fake wedding. All to surprise their victim, who thinks this Monday wedding is for a bride and groom who will be separated days later by the groom leaving for Iraq - hence the Monday wedding at the Hermitage Hotel.


The modeling segment was not done, so who knows if I will make the edited version. Let's just say there is opportunity cost in everything! (and I could really go off on that - TLC didn't have much respect for the models who took off work, got baby sitters and sat around all day without having the couth tell us we wouldn't be a part of it - instead they avoided our questions.) I needed to leave before they filmed the final segment, so I may not get my 15 minutes of reality tv fame. But, I digress...

As the bridal party takes their places, the bridal march started and no one walks down the isle - it gets REALLY awkward. THEN, Stacy enters as the bride, {She was a hoot} to make the surprise. I kept thinking, what if the joke is on me? I would have died. Really. If it were me. not that I think I need a makeover.

Some pictures of the beautiful mock bridal party and the Hermitage Hotel. What a great day for a makeover.

Gown: Monique Lhuillier

Maids: Lela Rose

Tuxedo's: Street Tuxedo 

Photo credit: From Street Tuxedo

The Fake Wedding!!!

Photo credit: Street Tuxedo

Isn't the Hermitage Hotel Beautiful?!?

Photo credit: Street Tuxedo

The four episodes they filmed in Nashville will air sometime in September. I can't say enough how much The girl's at The Bride Room and the crew at Street Tuxedo are an asset to Nashville's bridal community. They are, indeed, the cream de la cream of bridal fashion in the music city.

Choosing Your Wedding Invitations.

If you are thinking about your wedding invitations, you probably already had an appointment to find the gown of your dreams. It's a similar experience with similar questions you need to answer. Think about the time of day you are getting married. Formal or causal? Church or beach? Your invitations should tell the story of what guests will experience.

Color is an obvious detail. The invitations you used to get - white and black engraved formal script - are now colorful and personalized. Use your colors, a specific flower or a monogram to personalize your paper details.

Layers, ribbon and embellishment can set off your invitations in a big way. Consider your budget since these can also set off your budget in a big way. Beautiful stationary can be simple.

Some other things to consider when it comes to your invitation budget: postage and components of your invites. The more layers and embellishment you add, you could also be adding more postage. It's hard to get away with an invitation that costs less than $.61 to mail. Square invitations are very popular but usually need to be hand sorted and therefore are more of an investment to mail.

The components of your invitation can be very informative for your guests.  Obviously there is the invitation part. The next more important component is the response card. These can be pre-stamped postcards or cards slide into pre-stamped envelopes. Accommodation cards and directions are helpful if you are having a destination wedding or many guests traveling from out of town. Destination weddings are also starting to have welcome receptions for their guests instead of rehearsal dinners. It's important to include this information and find out who will be attending. Maps of the area or the resort are nice to have for your guests. This can be helpful for out-of-towner's to know where the closest grocery store or coffee shop is to make their stay more enjoyable.

Picking your invitations tells your guests a lot about your wedding and your personality. Hand made, layered and embellished invitations will make your guests excited to see you and your groom walk down the isle on the big day!

Color Career Counselor

Can your favorite color help choose your career? CareerPath.com has a tool that may help you choose a path. From their site: The Dewey Color System® is now the world's most accurate career testing instrument. This report based on your personality traits indicates your two most enjoyable day-day-day occupation skills.

My results were pretty spot on:
I am definitely impulsive with my words...something I try to work on everyday. Sensitive to others and pretty intuitive. What was most was "constantly learning something new". That is very true. My boredom gets the best of me most of the time, and I am always looking to learn or do something different or new.

My career suggestions are close as well. I currently work in marketing and graphic design + I love decorating and anything that is crafty or creative.

What is cool about this test is that it gives you a second category. Again, my results:
This, I guess, is where the entrepreneurial part of me comes in - which I am glad that they are secondary traits. I've been told I'm a pretty good negotiator. (It's gotten me a few raises in the past!)

Take the test here...what are your results???

Bridal Shows...Yay or Nay?

Came across an article this morning regarding Bridal Shows.

Bridal shows can be great to compare vendors if you use them correctly.

1. Start early in your wedding planning. I think attending bridal shows soon after you are engaged is key. It is a great way to find vendors.

2. Sign up for freebies! Who knows...you could win a free honeymoon trip. BUT, make sure they are giving it way during the show...it could be a scam to get your contact info and make you insane by emailing you 3 times a week, even after you are married.

3. Check our your vendor choices after the show. After finding your vendors, check for references and the Better Business Bureau. They might have a great booth and show a few of their best pieces of work, but that may not be the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

4. Get ideas. Bridal shows are a great place to get ideas to incorporate in your own wedding. Not all of us can afford to pay someone to make table arrangements for each table at your reception, but with a little inspiration, you can make it your own and put in a little DIY elbow grease.

Thoughts Reception Venues for the Do It Yourselfer's.

A HUGE factor in wedding planning with a budget is your guest list. The more people, the bigger space, the more food, the more beverages, the more etc. So, think about how many people you are inviting. Things you need to think about when looking at reception venues:

- To save money, have your ceremony and reception in the same location.
- Hold your ceremony/reception on an off day such as a weekday, Friday or Sunday.
- Ask your venue to make an itemized list of everything that you get when you book a reception there.
- Can you bring in your own food and beverages and are you required to use a licensed caterer?
- What are the kitchen facilities like?
- Do they have tables and chairs included in the price? Are there enough for your guests? (and what do they look like?)
- Do they have table linens, plates or flatware included in the price?
- Overall, how much work does it need to make it what you want? And are you willing to put in the elbow grease and ask for help?
- Do you have a group of local friends and family to help you pull it off?
- Do they have adequate coat check and bathroom facilities?
- What's the cancellation policy?
- Will they allow you to bring your own liquor? This is a HUGE plus!
- Is there room in the wedding venue for a band and/or dancing?
- Does the wedding venue already own a sound system with adequate speakers or will that need to be rented?
- Is there a space for the bride and groom to change and/or relax?
- Where can your guests park? Are there extra fees for parking? Do they have valet parking?
- Are candles or other open flames allowed?
- If its an outdoor location, do they have any backup plans for rain or other inclement weather? If not, is there a place that you can put up a tent?

Martha Stewart Weddings on Hiring Coordinator's.

It's fashion week! And every bridal salon in the nation flocked to NYC to see what designers have come up with for brides next year. Here are some words of advice from Darcy Miller, Editorial Director of Martha Stewart Weddings magazine regarding hiring wedding coordinators. Couldn't be more true. Martha Stewart Weddings is holding a 15th Anniversary Party at The Plaza (!) and even she hired someone to handle the details. Follow their updates to see what bridal fashion trends you will see soon!