As the year ends, it's hard not to reflect back and reminisce all of the good times I had with my assistants, clients and vendors. Even though I'm missing pictures from a few weddings, I have put together a slideshow of some of my favorite moments. Check out a day in the life of a Simply Sweet Wedding!
See an even better quality on our facebook fan page!
Ok, now on to Part II of finding your perfect dress. If you missed Part I, be sure to check it out! This is going to remind you of those magazine articles that tell you about the perfect bathing suite or pair of jeans for you body type. So here you have it.... advice based on body shape, and then on dress structure as well. Enjoy!
 |
| Monique Lhullier |
Hourglass: Two-piece and corset dresses enhance the hourglass figure. Beautiful ball gowns and corseted bodices normally work for the bust line as well. Bridal bouquets should not overwhelm. Bridal headpieces should not be overdone if the bridal ball gown is elaborate.
 |
| Pronovias |
 |
| Found On: www.hollywoodchicago.com |
Spend some time looking through bridal magazines and blogs to get an idea of what you think you like. Maybe you tend to be drawn to a certain style or designer. Tear out pictures of things you like, and things you do NOT like...those are equally as helpful!
Many of my clients ask me about tipping etiquette for their wedding celebration. If you have never planned a wedding before, how would you know?? Lucky for you, I am have shared some tipping advice for your wedding.
|
Vendor
|
Amount of Tip
|
% of Time Tipped
|
|
Banquet Captain
(The person who oversees the servers and makes sure
your guests’ food and beverage needs are taken care of) |
$50-$200
|
99.90%
|
|
Catering Manager/Director of Food and Beverage/Director of Catering
(Whomever oversees the Banquet Captain on the day of
your wedding , depending if you liked the service) |
$50-$200
|
50%
|
|
Bellman
(When he take the gifts from the ceremony sight to the
guest room or car) |
$5-$10 each
|
100%
|
|
Any Musicians/DJ
|
$20-$50 each
|
50%
|
|
Photographer(s)
|
$50-$200 each
|
40%
|
|
Videographer(s)
|
$40-$100 each
|
40%
|
|
Hair and Make Up
|
10%-20%
|
90%
|
|
Officiant
(Depending on: If they are independent , then it is less. If they are with a church/parish/synagogue, then it is more)
|
$0-$100
|
50%
|
|
Florist
(Depending on how you like the flowers and if set-up went on time)
|
$50-$200
|
70%
|
|
Wedding Coordinator Team
(Normally 5-10% of total service fee or a note of thanks for services rendered can serve to be priceless)
|
$50+
|
80%
|
Ok, so does anyone know what this Formspring thing is? Basically, it allows you to ask someone anything you want, and you can either post your name or ask anonymously. The user then logs in, reviews the question and decides whether or not to answer it and post it on their profile. I had a brief run in with Formspring about a year ago when a bunch of girls at my sister's high school started sending mean things to other people using the anonymous option....umm, talk about an open forum for cyber bullying!! I heard through the grapevine most of the girls canceled their accounts...thank goodness.
Kim and George are the coolest most laid back people ever! I was really excited and flattered that Danny from Epic Imagery referred them to me. I knew Kim, George and I were going to be a perfect fit at our first meeting when I showed up and George had a Lakers hat on, and they had the cutest dog ever, Spock (yes, from Star Trek!) tied to the patio table outside of the cute little cafe in Santa Monica.
This wedding from this past April took place at the gorgeous La Quinta Resort and Spa...it's honestly like a vacation to work there! The weather was absolutely amazing. All of Kim's vintage glassware used to hold candles on the guest tables were awesome, and the mini cupcakes were some of the best I've ever had!! Not to mention, every time I see Kim's old Hollywood glamour look, I can't help but fall in love with her more!
Check out some of my favorite pictures below....I promise it will either convince you to get married here, or plan a vacation very soon. Perhaps you can use Coachella as an excuse to stay at the resort!
The Team: Location: {La Quinta Resort and Spa} - {Cupcakes: Over the Rainbow Cakes} - {Entertainment: David Burrows Entertainment} - {Photography: Epic Imagery} - {Florist: Arrangements Floral and Party Design}
People are always looking for ways to save money without sacrificing style and quality when it comes to their wedding. Let's be honest, weddings are expensive and budgets can easily get out of control. I see it all the time. This being said, I wanted to share some great tips on how to save money on your wedding cake that I found in Bridal Guide....
-One idea is to create a "faux" cake where only one small piece is actually real, the part you will cut and eat in front of your friends and family for pictures. Your guests are then served sheet cake from the back which is far more inexpensive.
 |
| Photo Credit: Left Photos- TheKnot; Top Right Photo- Photos by Johanna; Bottom Right- Troy Grover Photography |
-The simpler the decoration, the lower the price! Things that are more labor-intensive like hand-crafted sugar flowers, fondant and detailed piping cost more. Opt for a simple design and use fresh flowers to jazz things up.
-Square cakes yield more slices than round cakes!
 |
| Photo Credit: Top Right and Bottom Left- Focus Photography, Inc.; Top Left- Scott Nelson Photography; Bottom Right- MarthaStewartWeddings |
-Not every single person will eat your cake...you can usually get away by ordering enough for 75% of your guests.
-Rich flavors like chocolate make people fuller faster! This way you can cut thinner slices to satisfy their sweet tooths. Also, things like pound cake and cheesecake also allow for cutting back since they are heavy.
 |
| Photo Credit: Top Left- Harvard Photography; Bottom Right- Huey Bui Photography; Top Right- TheKnot; Bottom Left- MarthaStewartWeddings |
-Fresh fruit is more expensive than cream fillings, so serve sliced seasonal fruit on the plate beside the slice of cake.
-Perhaps you can have your cake cut into small pieces and tray passed around to guests during dancing.
 |
| Photo Credit: Top Left- Focus Photography; Top Right- MarthaStewarWeddings; Bottom Photos- Epic Imagery |
-Lastly, avoid cake cutting fees by using the venue's in house pastry chef, the bakeries they include in the wedding package or a cupcake tower or a dessert display.
Be sure to share us your thoughts!
I can't even begin to describe how much fun it was to be a part of Kathryn and Tim's wedding...for several reasons. First, Kathryn, Tim and I all went to Loyola Marymount University together. Second, Kathryn and I were roommates sophomore year and Tim was our neighbor. Third, it was the cliche sorority (Alpha Phi) and fraternity (Sigma Chi) love story. And lastly, I love to selfishly take credit for bringing them together at a Sigma Chi date party. So throw that all together with Kathryn's handmade decor (with the help of her sisters and mom) paired with a team of fabulous vendors, it was a recipe for an amazingly fun, flawless wedding! Plus, I had a great time running into old friends from college and do a little bit of catching up.
Ok, where do I even begin? Now that my blog is up, I have the opportunity to share our weddings with a personal insight to the big day, but I have to admit I have been dreading blogging the gorgeous nuptials of Jessica and Logan. Dreading it because there is no way I will even come close to doing justice for how beautiful the ceremony was, how much fun the reception was, and how close Jessica and I became during the planning. To the point, my good friend Courtnay (an LMU alum) referred Jessica (another LMU alum) when she got engaged to Logan (yes another LMU alum). Jessica and I got along so well, she literally booked me over the phone and the rest is history. I've never met such an amazing girl, equally gorgeous inside and out, smart, motivated...all the things parents want in a daughter, and all the things a guy wants in a wife...lucky Logan!
And the last reason I was dreading this post...is I don't want it to be over! Now I don't have anymore excuses to obsess over how much I love them!!
Powered by Squarespace.
