Bridal Boutique
At Ashley and Alexandria’s Bridal Boutique, we have some of the top designers in bridal. We like to highlight some the the beautiful collections that we offer our brides. We do this through our Designer Spotlight Series. In this edition, we highlight Eddy K Bridal.
[Read more…] about Ashley & Alexandria’s Designer Spotlight: The Elegance of Eddy K Bridal
Source: Martha Stewart Weddings
There are a number of factors to consider as you finalize your wedding-day timeline, including everything from the availability of your venue to the time needed to set up and the layout of your space. Before deciding on a start time for your ceremony, you’ll want to consider the logistical details and your personal preference.
Venue Rental
All venues have rules for how long and how late their event spaces can be occupied, and much of your wedding-day timeline will be based off these rules. For example, if you only have the venue for five hours and you know you want to party until ten o’clock, you’ll likely begin the ceremony right at five o’clock to maximize your time. Private estates and some more boutique properties might give you the option of the whole day, allowing you to start earlier.
Sunset Matters
If you’re planning an outdoor ceremony and cocktail hour, you might opt to base your timeline around where you’d like guests to be during sunset. Many couples prefer to have a sunset cocktail hour, but it depends on the time of year and how late the sunset is. For instance, during late fall in California, you could easily set your wedding ceremony time for five o’clock, kick off cocktails at 6 p.m., and head to dinner in the gardens just in time for sunset at 7 p.m.
Season
A peak heat outdoor ceremony is something the majority of couples want to avoid, so you probably wouldn’t plan on getting married outdoors between noon and 3 p.m. in the summertime. In the winter you’ll want to shimmy the timing up a bit earlier so that your outdoor vows don’t take place too close to nightfall.
Alternative Hours
Of course, there are many couples who prefer to go with alternative ceremony times. For instance, some swear by the romance of a sunrise ceremony while others might opt to exchange vows at the very end of the night during a New Year’s Eve wedding. It’s really a matter of personal preference and taking the whole wedding day timeline into consideration.
Source: Martha Stewart Weddings
Fall weddings have been gaining popularity over the last few years, and for good reasons! Autumn celebrations offer unique color palettes, seasonal ingredients, and bold florals. We asked two top wedding planners—Shannon Leahy and Beth Helmstetter—to share the benefits that come with choosing a fall wedding date. Here, the two pros share their top five.
You’ll get unforgettable photos.
It’s no secret that fall foliage provides a vibrant backdrop for your wedding photos. Highlight the colorful leaves by taking photos beneath voluminous trees, incorporate pumpkins or leaves into your photos, or taking advantage of the fall breeze that makes your veil flow during your portrait session. “In the Northeast you see all the beautiful oranges and yellows of the maples,” Leahy says. “The aspens in the mountains of Colorado and Wyoming are on fire—it’s a stunning time of year for outdoor photos!”
It’s the perfect time of year for an outdoor ceremony or reception.
“You can typically count on cooler temperatures and less direct sunlight, which is amazing for guest comfort. They get to be fully present for the ceremony rather than thinking about how hot they are or if the sun is in their eyes,” says Helmstetter. Leahy agrees, adding that your guests will appreciate being able to spend time outdoors without feeling hot and sticky. “No one wants to be sweating through their formal attire, so waiting until the fall ensures that your guests will enjoy an outdoor wedding in the crisp cool air.” [Read more…] about 5 Benefits of Having a Fall Wedding, According to Professional Planners
Source: Martha Stewart Weddings
The anticipation when you start to open a wedding gift is high: Will the contents of the box be that deluxe coffeemaker that brews lattes and espressos you registered for, or could it hold the gorgeous stand mixer you loved the moment you saw it in the store? The box is open, the tissue paper unfolded, and you lift out the gift: It’s…an electric cheese grater. What? Why? You don’t come across as a person who needs voltage to grate her Parmesan. But bad gifts happen all the time, so be prepared for what lies ahead. Here are more presents that are generally unwelcome.
Anything that’s not on the registry.
Why veer off to the Land of Non-Registry Gifts, where the temptation to buy odd appliances and statues of farm animals is as strong as an ocean current? Buying a gift from the bride and groom’s registry is the way to go. It’s easy, it’s quick, and it’s a guaranteed winner. They picked out some items they really, really like, put together a list, and told people about it. Gift buying couldn’t be easier.
Something that suits the giver but not the couple.
Monogrammed towels are lovely but very traditional. So are crystal candlesticks and fine china. But if the couple has a very informal lifestyle where personal lettering and shiny things are of no interest, the gift giver is better off getting them the wind-surfing lessons they registered for instead.
Re-gifted items.
Oh yeah, it happens. There are brides and grooms who’ve found a “Merry Christmas, Judy” tag stuck to a box of napkin rings or a toaster in a yellowed box that looks like it’d been sitting in the basement for years. Everyone likes to save a buck but giving someone a gift you’ve rejected is just wrong.
“Cute” his-and-hers gifts.
If an engaged couple truly wanted matching aprons or bathrobes, they would’ve registered for them.
Artwork.
Surprised by this one? The reason it ranks as a worst gift is because no one is gifting a Matisse or Warhol—the newlyweds are more likely to get a kitschy painting of kittens dressed as pirates. Unless the gift-giver knows the taste of the couple extremely well, they need to step away from the wall art.
A bounced check.
This gift is just as embarrassing for the couple
Source: Brides
The wedding is officially just a handful of weeks away and it will be here in the blink of an eye. When you hit the one-month countdown—a moment that seemed so far away when the wedding planning begun—everything is pretty much in place, with just a few finishing touches remaining on the to-do list. The same can be said about your wedding beauty timeline, as just like every checklist tied to wedding planning, there are still a few more to-dos.
So let’s get to it, below!
Get Strands Camera-Ready
Now isn’t the time to get creative with your hair color. New York City colorist Rita Hazan says you should tell your colorist what look you’re aiming for about two months before the wedding. Then, she says, “I like to touch up a bride about two weeks before the big day so color or highlights look natural and fresh straight through the honeymoon.” If you want to tame frizz or coarseness, go for an in-salon keratin treatment a month out. “This can be a game changer if you’re having a destination wedding in a humid place,” says hairstylist Mylo Carrion at the Rita Hazan Salon. “Plus, your hair will be totally low-maintenance on your honeymoon.”
Brighten Your Smile
There’s nothing like the prospect of wearing a white dress to make you want to bleach your teeth. Dr. Lana Rozenberg DDS at Rozenberg Dental NYC recommends the Zoom! QuickPro whitening treatment for brides with limited time. “This is a perfect treatment for the bride with a busy schedule since it is super fast, taking only 10 minutes in the office including the application of the whitening gels and instructions,” she tells Brides. One treatment can result in a smile that’s four shades lighter and will last for up to six months. Even if you end up pushing perfecting your smile to the bottom of your to-do list, rest assured you can still dazzle with those pearly whites on your wedding day. “Brides can have this done just a few days before the wedding—including the day before—since there is no downtime and no sensitivity after the treatment,” says Dr. Rozenberg.
For an at-home option, Matthew Messina, an assistant professor of dentistry at the Ohio State University, recommends a drugstore kit, such as Crest 3D White Strips, although in-office whitening “is more obvious and takes the patient homework out of it,” according to Messina.
Get Serious About Your Sleep
Getting a solid night’s sleep is easier said than done, especially for busy brides-to-be with a million things on that to-do list. Use the final month before the wedding as an excuse to focus on those precious eight hours and make it a priority turn down at a decent hour. “This might require prioritizing exercise and avoiding sleep-busting habits like binge-watching TV before bed or drinking caffeine late in the day,” says Casper’s in-house sleep expert Theresa Fisher. Whether you need a new pillow, a chic silk sleeping mask, or a sound machine, do what you have to do to get those Zzzs in.
Amp Up the Workouts
If you’ve been on your health journey for a few months now, it’s time to step it up. “If you are working out three days a week, add a fourth. If you are working out a couple of times a week, add an extra workout or two,” suggests Anna Kaiser, founder of AKT in Motion. It’s all about what works for you—however, the main rule of thumb in the few weeks leading up to the big day according to Kaiser is, “Every workout should get and keep your heart rate pumping for at least 70 percent of the workout.”
Read the rest here.