Personal Style: Gothic, Punk, Vintage, Retro & Rockability

Weddings come in all shapes and sizes - and so does your personal style! I am all about the backyard, barnyard,  simple weddings as much as I am about the full scale, over the top, spend as much as you can weddings. Your wedding is about you - the couple! It should, most certainly, reflect personal style! These invites, save the date and accoutrements (oh my god I so love that word!) are very unique and very stylish: from Royal Steamline

Easy DIY Project

This easy, do-it-yourself project, comes from Ruffled! Download Printable Cupcake Pennants and then just print, cut, fold in half in a skewer or toothpick. Glue both sides. Simple and fun! :)

Get Married - In Times Square New Years Eve

Click Here For All The Details!

It's Giveaway Time!

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS NOW CLOSED!

I have been kind of slacking on my giveaways - not for any good reason (except that I have been waiting on the delivery of some things!). You all have been very patient! I have been thinking about this giveaway for some time and finally I got everything together to post about it. Yay.

Quite awhile ago I posted about Etsy seller LilaFrances - actually the post was "Another Fab Find" (December 6th, 2009). LilaFrances continues to make one of my favorite items - the original personalized wire hanger for brides. Since my original post, I have seen 100's of real bride photographs using LilaFrances hangers and now it's your turn to WIN one of your own! The lucky winner will also get a bride hankie on a wire hanger!

HOW TO ENTER:

• You must choose to follow my blog PUBLICALLY! 
• For a SECOND entry blog about this contest and leave an ADDITIONAL comment to let me know you did that with a link to the post (I will check!)
• For a THIRD entry twitter about this contest and leave an ADDITIONAL comment to let me know you did that with a link to the post! You can find my twitter page here

5 BONUS ENTRIES: Grab my Blog Button and add it to your page (leave an additional post with link to let me know you did this!) and get FIVE bonus entries!

That means you have the opportunity to get 8 entries into this contest if you want to win! Yay!

This giveaway will end on: October 5th at 5pm PST and the winner will be posted shortly there after!


What you win: 1 lucky winner will receive a personalized hanger from LilaFrances AND a hankie folded in the shape of a bridal gown on a little wire hanger!

Value of giveaway (including shipping to winner): $50.00


This giveaway is open to EVERYONE!!!! (I love when I have a giveaway I can open up WORLDWIDE...so take advantage now folks!) 

Blue Velvet Cupcakes

You read that right! Blue Velvet! Anyone else over red velvet? There are other colors in the rainbow you know! I came across this amazing blog this morning and I am seriously in baking mode right now! What an inspiration Heather Baird is!

You can get the recipe and how to make these amazing little guys here! But, sweet fans beware! You will find yourself spending a lot of time at Heather's blog (guilty admission inserted here - I did!). I saved quite a few recipes and am now a happy follower!

Win a Williams-Sonoma Gift Card!

Wedding Bee is offering a sponsored giveaway for a $250 Williams-Sonoma gift card! The giveaway starts today and ends on the 26th! You just need to create (or add an item to an existing registry) a Williams-Sonoma registry and tell the folks over at Wedding Bee the moment you knew your other half was "the one"! Pretty easy...and pretty fun!


Here are the details:

Monday September 20, create a registry at Williams-Sonoma. If you’ve already registered with Williams-Sonoma just add another item to your registry. Once you’ve created your registry or added a new item, leave a comment at this post on Wedding Bee with your “moment I knew he/she was the one” story. You’ll receive an extra entry if you include a link to your public registry in your comment. One lucky reader will be selected using a random generator. Pretty cool little giveaway! Good luck, friends! :)

Vegas Bridal Market - Recap!

Ok, so I finally got everything organized from my Las Vegas Bridal Market Trip! I collected so much information while I was there! Here are my thoughts and opinions:

The market was held at the Rio Hotel and once you get over to the convention area and sign in you then walk down this huge corridor. Some vendors had private rooms...but we were on a mission to get right into the main showroom. We couldn't help but glance into one of the private rooms - the 1st company we came upon was PC Mary's. They had an interesting prom gown on a model, which I admit I did not like! Bright yellow with a zebra print - but hey...it made us stop and look! I was, however, very impressed with the bridal gowns! One stood out that I really liked: style 5283. It's a princess, ball gown made of Tulle. Princess ball gowns were once very popular - and Mary's doesn't disappoint in always making one!

Once into the main ball room, where most of the vendors were showing their new lines, we were hit with bursts of COLOR! Lots of prom and homecoming dresses were on display. If you are interested in these dresses - expect lots of wild, crazy prints and lot's of strange color combinations! Also, short mini dresses seemed to be everywhere. Alyce Prom had two dresses I absolutely fell in love with:

We got to the Casablanca booth just as their bridal show was ending (a bummer for sure!) but I was able to catch the last of their couture dresses - at couture prices. Ouch. Casablanca had such affordable gowns but their prices have recently jumped up! It's too bad...because I think they make a great dress. My preference on my blog is to find beautiful dresses priced at under $1000...and that just wasn't going to happen here. :(

One of my FAVORITE companies was showing for the very first time ever in the US! They are not new to the bridal world - in fact, they are very popular in Europe and trying to "break into" the US market. The name is Lucca - Scandinavian Design. They are based in Denmark. I think they will do well here and find a permanent home. Their dresses were GORGEOUS! I was in love with quite a few of them - and they hit the mark on my price point! The representatives were so nice and accommodating. Just an overall pleasant experience with them and I would certainly add them to your list as a "must see" in person. Fabrics are rich, design and quality are top notch!!

The dress on the live model is called "Charlotte". It comes in a light ivory with black swarovski crystals or you can choose a soft rose swarovski crystal. The retail price would be about $950.00

The dress on the left is named "Dina". This gown is in their couture collection. It was one of my favorites because of it's fabric - Silk Dupion! Awww....love it. It wouldn't be for every bride - it has a high slit going up the front of the skirt and it's very fashion forward. Price tag is a little steep at about $1350.00 - but again it's silk! The gown on the right, however, is stunning in person! It's Silk Satin and has a light Platinum silk satin band. The crystal brooch tying it all together is stunning in person! The retail price on this gown - about $815.00!! What a deal. They will be gaining more US stores (right now there is only ONE store in NJ selling them!)...so keep your eye out!

We also stopped by the Bonny booth! I didn't have a lot of time to chat with the girls there - they were pretty busy! I did snap a few pictures:

Most of the gowns I saw at market had flower details, ruffles and lots of bling! This dress is a more conservative style but still with a little edge to it - not too plain with the pretty flower details! The retail price on this dress should be about: $695.00

Here you can see some of the "bling" I was talking about! The beading really caught my attention on all of these dresses! Very intricate patterns and very expensive looking! This style was from the Essence line and the retail price will be about $1075.00.

You know me...and my love for anemones! So, this dress takes the cake in my opinion! :) 110% love it. The black band detail, the flower....the ruffle bottom....the silhouette. Love it all. My favorite dress by far. I say this easily because if I was getting married this would be my dress. For sure! :) Retail price $905.00. Can't wait to post this dress up on a design board with my anemome flowers....black shots....just wait! You will love it! Just be prepared! Ruffles galore! No more plain skirts!! Yay! Well, don't get too excited...some of the dresses still have the plain fabric full skirt!

I do have more to share - lots of shoes, accessories, and SHOES! We must discuss shoes next!!

A Hallowed Affair

Since Halloween is fast approaching I thought I should do a little post with fun Halloween wedding items! Some of these were cute, some funny and some actually pretty scary (for a wedding!) but in the spirit of the holiday - and if you are planning a Halloween wedding how unique would these items be?

Halloween Gothic Coffin Ring Bearer Pillow Til Death Do Us Part $29.99

Vintage Inspired White and Black Lace Flower Girl Petal Cone Basket - $15.00

DAY OF THE DEAD WEDDING CAKE TOPPER - $40.00

Wedding Flower Bouquet Satin Fabrics - $140.00

Halloween Gothic Cross Bones Skull Here Comes The Bride Flower Girl Ring Bearer Sign $29.99

Back From Vegas!

I returned safe and sound from the Las Vegas Bridal Market....my pockets a little bit lighter but, with a bag full of information from the market! I will be working on a post later so stay tuned! I saw gowns from a company that is new to the US Market....and I can't wait to share about them. I really loved their gowns and the details. I also have some fab goodies to giveaway! More on that later....

Massage for a cure

Help beat breast cancer on September 14th with a $49 massage. On September 14th,  Massage for the Cure returns to raise $500,000 for Susan G. Komen for the Cure . But the only way this can happen is with your help. Find a local  Massage Envy and see if there are any openings! Limited appointments are available. Schedule your massage today.....I know I will be doing mine!!


Brides all need a moment to breathe! Wouldn't this be a great way to do it? :) Also, check out http://bridesagainstbreastcancer.org/!

Viva Las Vegas!

PHOTO CREDIT

It's Bridal Market time once again! I am hitting the road to attend The Las Vegas Bridal Market! This is the market where manufacturers show off their new lines - on this trip it will be all about Spring 2011. I have also been invited to attend an exclusive VIP performance by Lady Antebellum at Caesars Palace! Oh boy...this will be one of those trips where what happens in Vegas doesn't stay in Vegas because I will be reporting back on this exciting trip and all the things I loved!

Not your usual guestbook!

My friends are always on the look out for unique wedding items for me and today a friend came through with flying colors! She let me know about Etsy seller bellapuzzles. This seller makes one of the most unique guestbooks I have ever seen! The truth is it isn't even a book....it is an actual puzzle! The master puzzle maker is Lara Braithwaite and she has been making puzzles for over 5 years. She named her business after her daughter...but you can read all about how puzzle making became her passion here. This is truly one of those items you will cherish for a lifetime! Lara also wrote a great blog piece that you can read here!

I love days where I am not looking for anything in particular and then come across something I love! Today was one of those days! I was just simply browsing and came across Etsy seller craftypagan. I happened to view these lovely Fall table numbers ($5.50 each) and then headed right over to her Etsy store:

What I found when I got to her store was an array of lovely hand stamped vintage tags, cards and more! Her prices are, in my opinion, are very reasonable. Her store definitely deserves a visit - and once you see her beautiful items, I am sure you will agree! 

Thanks-Set of 6 Gift Tags-Vintage Style, Stamped and Layered $7.65

A Little Yummy...Handmade Gift Tags Set of 6 $7.65

Vintage Style Table Numbers French Postcard-Hand $5.50

The other items I loved were the kraft handstamped goodie bags! She has them designed for Alice in Wonderland and Halloween but I am pretty sure you could convo her to set up a design for you! They would be perfect for a candy buffet!