So last summer our floral designer mocked up a centerpiece for us (actually, it was a mock-up for another bride that I fell in absolute love with). I wasn't sure about it, so he redid it again for us a few weeks ago. I still love it, the problem is I am starting to think it does not fit with the overall look of my event. We are having a destination wedding in La Jolla, CA, and although our wedding is in October, I feel like the branches and white flowers just don't go with a Southern California wedding. Do you ladies think the centerpiece screams "winter?" I am kind of confused about whether our flowers should appear more summery, even though it will be fall by then. I am open to opinions about this. TIA!

My bridesmaids and I were all back in the Orlando Area (where we grew up) for Christmas, so I took advantage and got everyone together to shop for BM Dresses.

We went to Solutions Bridal in Winter Park and it was so much fun... A reunion for all of us & we found a fab dress!

The bridesmaid dresses we ordered are style #2107 from Saison Blanche Couture. We ordered them in a color called "cafe". The dress is super flattering on all of the ladies and we actually ALL agreed on it. I was shocked that it was such an easy decision!

Everyone was measured & put their orders in that day. They will take 3 to 6 months to come in, so plenty of time for alterations if needed.

I am having the girls wear gold shoes to match the wedding colors, but they can pick whatever shoes they'd like (or already have). You won't see much of them anyway.

Here are a few pics of the dress, but in black:

ChattyBrides please welcome ChattyBride "aylee" to the Blog planning her chic Belle Mer, Newport wedding!

But, it's been a hectic and busy time on the family front. My lovely Mr. Luby picked me up the other day and brought me to the QCC bridal show, in efforts to lift my "bah humbug" spirits. What did I do? I booked a vendor! Well, kind of. But we know who we're using for videography now, anyway. Best part of it all? The 24x30 canvas portrait of Luby and I outside of Fenway park on display at our photographer's booth. Luby was so excited, he posed along side it for pictures.

In the grand outlook of weddings, the most important part is that man who makes me smile and gets the goofy out of me. Each and every day. Well, enough of the sappy stuff. Here's the picture Dave Bibeault, our photographer used.

I know RebeccaMarie did this for her wedding shoes and I’ve seen it on one of the numerous wedding blogs I peruse on a daily basis and I just LOVED the idea of adding some blue bling to the sole of your wedding shoe to use for my SOMETHING BLUE. So off I researched more about it. I had originally thought I would get some Swarovski crystals and glue them to the bottom of the shoe and then I was on Sunshine Crafts website (a fabulous site for discounted crafts….highly recommend them…customer service is superb and prices can’t be beat! www.sunshinecrafts.com) and saw that they had stick on rhinestones in BLUE! I immediately added them to my shopping cart and anxiously anticipated their arrival!

“Southern Comfort in New England” was the theme for Pam Carton’s and Erik Hysinger’s Cape Cod wedding weekend. Pam is from the Northeast, and Erik is from the South (the two met in college at Vanderbilt University in Nashville). “The wedding was about understated elegance and comfort; it truly reflected a melding of our unique backgrounds,” shares Pam. Having spent weekends and most summers at her family’s weekend homestead in Sandwich, Pam couldn’t imagine a more perfect or intimate setting for their dream wedding.

... our mini holiday vacation has also meant time to work on finishing up desiging some of our paper goods!! What we have left to tackle are the OOT bag packets, table numbers, escort cards, our table layout diagram, and candy jar labels!!!

I've been collecting inspiration from lots of different weddings (including Chatty HJT & TDiddy!)since we got engaged way back in August of '07 and it's so exciting to see them finally come to fruition!

Remember... these are all rough drafts and may still need some tweaking ;)

Onto the goods...



Here is the graphic that will be made into a sticker for our candy bar bags...

I can't believe it's been a month since my last post, I'm such a bad chatty!:-( But the entire month of December was insanity, so glad the holidays are over, seriously! Working retail makes you hate the holidays, we see the absolute worst in people.
Anyway..SO the week FI & I headed back to IL for our holiday visit, I started calling my dress shop to set up the fitting & ordering process. I got no answer for days before sending my brother over there, only to find the store empty. Yep, I'm one of those brides. Luckily, I had only put a minute deposit on the dress, so I wasn't completely up the creek, just completely panicked. Here it is just shy of 6 months out and I don't have a dress at all!
So..the night we got to IL, I dropped FI off at the hotel and went to a few dress stores alone, really not thinking I'd find anything and I'd have to wait til I got back to RI and find something here. The first store..I don't know WHAT my size 24 self was thinking when the size 0 consultant handed me a size 16 dress and said "Oh if it doesn't zip no big, you'll get the idea" and I NODDED and went into the dressing room.
I got stuck in that dress. Of course this happens the one time I go dress shopping alone, so I had no friend to help me, I was either on own or stuck asking the stick figure for assistance. I chose to go it alone. It was SO SCARY! But obviously, I escaped it. Just be careful ladies lol!
Next store..it was a slow night and I had two bored consultants helping me. We grabbed EVERY dress they had (about a dozen) that was in my REAL size range (I insisted nothing smaller than a 20..live and learn lol) and I tried on ones that I knew were all wrong, I tried on ones I thought were alright..and then I found THIS.

Hello Chattys!

Happy December 28th!!!

There was a post earlier this month on this topic (was it  by WinterBride???) and I wanted to share as we heard SEVERAL opinions from family, friends, co-workers regarding whether or not for the Bride and Groom to take photos together before their Ceremony.

Mr. HJT and I had no problem with seeing each other before our Ceremony to take our pictures. It ALSO seemed the logical thing to do for a few reasons:

1. Family 'pose-type' pictures were taking place during cocktail hour 
2. I was sneaking off to change into my Billie dress (Mr. HJT hadn't seen her yet!) 
3. I wanted to take a few photos together wearing Billie 
4. We were being introduced as Husband & Wife with the dress change
5. Our 'Dressing' rooms at the Glen were across from each other

It is magical how the events of our Wedding day unfolded as we did not make a decision either way.

I saw these shoes at Ann Taylor and LOVED them, I am a shoe junkie. My future sister in law shares my love of shoes and Ann Taylor and suggested that to add a little flair to my wedding attire that I wear these shoes, a la Carrie Bradshaw, with my ivory wedding dress. I bought the shoes, how could you not when they were marked down from over $100 to $44.99, and I had a 30% off coupon! Any how, if not for the wedding, the shoes will definately get some use, but I thought it is a neat twist on the "something blue..." Any thoughts?