Skip links

Call us: 248-351-9741

Ashley & Alexandria's

Bridal Boutique

Header Right

SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT

Main navigation

Detroit wedding store

How Grooms Spend the Morning of Their Wedding

by Leave a Comment

Source: Brides

Grooms Spend

Most brides spend the morning of their wedding hanging out with their bridesmaids, sipping coffee or mimosas, and getting pampered and glam prior to their walk down the aisle. But what about the guys? How do grooms spend the morning of their wedding? After all, most don’t take nearly as long to get ready, and are left with quite a bit of time on their hands.

To find out, Brides asked real grooms how they spent the hours before their ceremony. From last-minute errands to cocktails and everything in between, here’s how grooms spend the morning of their wedding.

“I woke up, showered, shaved. Then ordered room service and watched TV until I realized I lost my tie, so a few of us had to run out to the nearest mall to get a new one. Then we came back and I wrote my vows on a piece of a notebook paper.” —Scott, 32 [Read more…] about How Grooms Spend the Morning of Their Wedding

Awesome Groom’s Gifts for Your Future Husband

by Leave a Comment

Source: Martha Stewart Weddings

We’ve all run into an imaginative rut when thinking of gifts for our loved ones. There’s even more pressure when you’re shopping for your groom, especially if it’s for a present he’ll open on the day that you’re getting married. If you decide to honor the tradition of surprising him with a groom’s gift on your wedding day, it should be a bit more special than your average birthday goodie. But don’t stress! We’re here to make your hunt for the perfect present as easy as possible. [Read more…] about Awesome Groom’s Gifts for Your Future Husband

Five Entertainment Ideas for an Unforgettable Intimate Wedding

by Leave a Comment

Source: Bridal Pulse

Intimate Wedding

Having a small guest list doesn’t mean you have to think small when it comes to entertaining your guests. Whether you’re dreaming of a reception that has your guests dancing to the sounds of a live wedding band or you prefer something more subdued like a jazz trio during a cocktail reception, there is no reason an intimate wedding should make you scale back on your wedding entertainment plans.

In fact, with all that money you’ll save on having fewer guests, it will be easier to pull out all the stops when it comes to entertaining your guests. Here are just a few ideas to get your juices flowing:

Mix and mingle artists like close-up magicians are a, well, magical way to dazzle, break the ice, and move the conversation into free-flow mode. Perfect for drinks receptions and wedding breakfasts, where they’ll perform to small and not-so-small groups.

Post-ceremony refreshments? Yes please! A pop-up cocktail bar is a quirky way to stay lubricated. Your bartender can design bespoke cocktails for – and named after – the happy couple, and stock all your favorite beverages.

Solo singers come in all forms, from classical to jazz, swing, and even singer-guitarists, and make a breath-taking accompaniment to your ceremony, drinks reception and breakfast. For a fuller sound, opt for a duo or trio vocal harmony group.

Acoustic bands can be chilled or lively, from fun folk to smooth jazz – the choice is yours! They’ll wander among your guests and some will take requests, perfectly tailoring their set to your crowd.

Stylish and sophisticated, classical musicians like harpists or string quartets can turn their hand from masterpieces to modern chart tracks and movie hits in an instant. They’re perfect mood-setters for your ceremony and ambient atmosphere at your drinks reception and wedding breakfast.

6 Important Tasks to Budget Time for on the Morning of Your Wedding

by Leave a Comment

Source: Martha Stewart Weddings

budget time

By the time your wedding day arrives, you’ll likely have the timeline for the ceremony and reception broken down into 15-minute increments. But what about the hours before the ceremony starts? There are several important tasks you’ll need to budget time for on the wedding morning, and having a clear timeline that spells out what you should be doing (and when!) can make everything so much easier. Here, six essential big-day to-dos that you should carve out time for on the morning of your wedding.

Getting Ready

Showering, having your hair and makeup done, and getting dressed take a surprisingly long time on your wedding day. You can typically factor in about one and a half to two hours for hair and makeup, but it’s always smart to ask your artists for their own timing estimates after you’ve finalized the look during your trials. Getting dressed usually takes another 30 minutes, as your photographer will probably ask you to stop and pose for photos throughout the process. Add another 15 minutes at the end for last-minute hair and makeup fixes and gathering your accessories.

Eating Breakfast and Lunch

While you don’t necessarily need to set aside blocks of time for each meal, it’s crucial that you eat both breakfast and lunch on your wedding day. Between the adrenaline rush you’ll feel throughout the day and all of the physical activity of standing, dancing, and greeting friends and family, you want to be sure you’re well-nourished and hydrated.

Enjoying a Little “Me” Time

If you’re able to set aside an hour or two for yourself on the morning on your wedding, your brain and your body will thank you for it. You don’t have to be entirely alone if you don’t want to be, though. Take a long walk with your maid of honor, attend a yoga class, or get a massage with your mom. Whatever your chosen relaxation technique, be sure it’s something you truly enjoy so you can start your day off stress-free.

Changing Hotel Rooms

Most couples choose to have either the bride or the groom get ready in the room they’ll stay in on the wedding night. If you’re not setting things up this way, or if you have to change rooms or check into a different hotel on the same day, be sure to set aside time for the transition as it could take as long as half an hour.

Read the rest here.

The Wedding Beauty Routine You Should Start 1 Month Before the Big Day

by Leave a Comment

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.