wedding dresses

4 Reasons Why You Don’t Have to Feel Guilty About Having a Destination Wedding

February 13, 2019 by aaadmin Leave a Comment

The first stages of planning a destination wedding go something like this: After weeks of debate with your fiancé, you settle on a location you’re both excited about. Then, you start shopping the idea of a destination wedding around to friends and family, getting a feel for which guests will be able to attend and which won’t. And finally, you’re overwhelmed with the data you’ve collected that runs the gamut of responses from totally enthusiastic to totally discouraging. Here’s the thing: You shouldn’t have to feel bad about having a destination wedding. The people you love who want to be there will find a way, and those who can’t swing it will come up with another way to celebrate your love.

Here, more reasons why you don’t have to feel guilty about planning a destination wedding if that’s what you really want.

This wedding is about the two of you, and who you are as a couple.

As much as people will try to convince you to have a certain type or style of wedding, your wedding is really meant to be a celebration of who you are as a couple. If you both love to travel and explore far-off places, it only makes sense that you’d have an adventurous destination wedding. Celebrate that, because this traveling phase of your life may not last forever.

As much as your guests love you, they won’t sign up to attend an event they can’t manage.

The reality of traveling to attend a wedding can be difficult for some guests. Some may have a fear of flying, limited budgets, or may not be able to take enough time off of work. While that’s a tough pill to swallow because you’d love for all of your friends and family to attend, they’ll ultimately make the call that’s best for them. For those guests who just can’t swing it, they’ll probably try to find another way to celebrate your marriage, either through a small dinner gathering or by sending a nice gift your way.

Your guests who are able to make the trip will have a memorable experience that feels like a vacation.

For the guests who make the trek, you certainly won’t have to apologize for treating them to a weekend filled with good food, great music, and excellent company. Though it’s tempting to fill every hour of your wedding weekend with group activities, be sure to leave some space for relaxation so your guests can fill in some of their time with their own agenda. Et voilà—guilt-free destination wedding!

You might inspire some of your friends and family to travel more than they typically would.

If you have a few guests attending your destination wedding who don’t spend a lot of their time traveling, you might be surprised by the travel bug you’ve inspired. Maybe they’ll tack on an extra few days or weeks to explore the region or a nearby place they’ve always wanted to see. You should never feel guilty about providing your loved ones with inspiration!

Recovery Kits Are the Latest Guest-Approved Wedding Trend

January 30, 2019 by aaadmin Leave a Comment

Source: Martha Stewart Weddings

Everyone loves an open bar at a wedding—until the following morning, that is. Your celebration is bound to be a moment of indulgence for at least a few of your guests, which makes accommodating your friends’ and family members’ recuperation the hospitable thing to do. Enter recovery kits. Filled with plenty of hangover repellants, these pouches and boxes are sure to come in handy, especially following that epic after-party.

To help you fill yours, we tapped Lauren Fremont of Loli Events, who’s prepped many of these kits for former clients. Her best advice? Either integrate them into your welcome gift or—her personal favorite—hand them out after the festivities as favors. “I always think that a favor should be thoughtful and useful—not a random trinket that won’t get used—so a hangover kit is great,” she says. Here, our favorite recovery kit options for any type of party.

“I Regret Nothing”

Believe us, they’ll regret enjoying those signature cocktails even less when they’ve got a bag filled with handy helpers, like ibuprofen, eye drops, and mints, says Fremont. Throwing in a midnight snack is another appreciated touch. Other good adds? Facial mist, eye cream, and a hydrating facemask, advises the planner, so attendees can feel and look their best the next day.

Before and After

Prepare guests for a night of indulgence with a bottle of water and vitamin B (it supposedly staves off hangovers!). We can’t say the supplement is foolproof, though, which is why a second bottle of water and Advil makes for an appropriate follow-up. Bonus points if you serve it all up with these cutesy labels, which you can easily DIY.

Sea Legs

Not all recovery kits revolve around alcohol. For this couple’s boat wedding, pouches were filled with anti-nausea pills to prevent sea-sickness. Come to think of it, they’d likely work just as well the morning after, too…

Recovery Box

While Fremont maintains that these kits don’t have to be big to be effective, we can’t knock these newlyweds for pulling out all the post-wedding stops. This box had it just about everything—electrolyte-restoring Gatorade, water, a protein-rich granola bar, mouth wash, eye drops, and Aleve.

Read the rest here.

Designer Spotlight: Blue By Enzoani at Ashley & Alexandria’s Bridal Boutique

January 23, 2019 by aaadmin Leave a Comment

With modern European styles mixed with traditional looks. This designer is dominating the bridal landscape. Blue Enzoani offers a beautiful modern style mixed in with an unforgettable classic look.

At Ashley & Alexandria’s Bridal boutique we are proud to offer some of the top designers in bridal. Our boutique is located in Southfield, MI but our brides come from all over the united states to find their dream wedding dress. We are happy to highlight on of our designers. In this installment of the series, we are putting the spotlight on Enzoani.

Just like Ashley & Alexandria’s, Enzoani is happy to provide each “bride with her dream wedding dress.” Our clients come from California, New York, the DMV, Atlanta, and more. We understand the importance of privacy, memorable moments, and the decision-making process when it comes to choosing a wedding dress.

Our family owned boutique invites you to make an appointment today. Your dream dress awaits. When you say “yes to the dress” at Ashley & Alexandria’s, you become a part of our family. Call 248.351.9741 today.

What Time Should Your Wedding Ceremony Start?

November 21, 2018 by aaadmin Leave a Comment

Source: Martha Stewart Weddings

Timing is Everything

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.

5 Benefits of Having a Fall Wedding, According to Professional Planners

November 7, 2018 by aaadmin Leave a Comment

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.”

You’re able to play up cozy textures and textiles.

Fall weddings and a cozy vibe go hand in hand. “Soft blankets at the ceremony can be a lovely touch so guests can cuddle up while you say your vows,” Helmstetter says. You can also use them throughout the rest of your decorations. “Heavy woods, leathers, or wool for your linens, tables, or chair covers all work well. All of these elements may feel too heavy in the spring or summer time, but are perfect to create a cozy fall wedding”

The seasonal ingredients are delicious.

You can take advantage of all the seasonal fruits and vegetables by incorporating them into your wedding menu. Consider serving hot apple cider, cocktails featuring seasonal fruits, squash-based soups, root vegetables, and seasonal flavored pies like sweet potato or pumpkin. “With so many beautiful and delicious fruits in season, it can be fun to incorporate things like figs or red pears into the design of the day. We love to add these unexpected touches to tablescapes, welcome gifts, favors, and more,” Helmstetter says.

Fall flowers are so beautiful.

Consider incorporating colorful dahlias, marigolds, lilies, and even leaves into your bouquet or centerpieces. “We love when our florists bring the changing leaves of fall foliage into an arrangement—it gives it so much more interest and subtle color than simply green leaves,” explains Leahy.

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Timing is Everything