Ring Photos

As I have mentioned before, wedding photographs are one of the most important parts of the big day. They are the one thing you have to hold on to that you can look at for years to come. You can show your children, grandchildren, etc. 

(byshea.com)

One of my favorite new trends is taking pictures of the wedding rings. Photographers are so creative in how they present these rings. I wanted to share with you some of my favorites. 

(whiteglovephoto.com) 

(whiteglovephoto.com)

(byshea.com)

The Many Weddings Of Elizabeth Taylor:

Elizabeth Taylor has always been fascinating to me. Maybe it is because she was very generous and cared for others, or it could be the fact that she got married eight times to seven different guys. I thought it would be fun to share with you the ever changing styles and husbands of Elizabeth Taylor.

(www.glamour.com)

Her first marriage was from May 6, 1950 to January 29, 1951 to Conrad Hilton. 

(www.glamour.com)

Her second marriage was to Michael Wilding and lasted from February 21, 1952 until January 26, 1957. 

(www.instyle.com)

On February 2, 1957 Taylor married Michael Todd. He was the only husband who she didn't divorce. He died in March of 1958. 

(www.instyle.com)

On May 12, 1959 Elizabeth Taylor married husband number four, Eddie Fisher. They were married until March 6, 1964.

(www.glamour.com)

Taylor's fifth husband was Richard Burton. They married on March 15, 1964. They separated in June of 1974 but did not stay apart long. On October 10, 1975 they remarried and were married until July 29, 1976.

(www.instyle.com)

(www.instyle.com)

Elizabeth's next marriage was to John Warner on December 4, 1976. They were married until November 7, 1982. 

(www.instyle.com)

The last of her marriages was to Larry Fortensky whom she met at the Betty Ford Clinic. This pair wed at Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch on October 6, 1991. They were married until October 31, 1996.

Proposals

Proposal stories are one of my favorite things to hear. I love the creativity and ideas that guys come up with. I also enjoy seeing how hard they work at making this one of the best memories of their fiance's life. Here are a few of my favorites

• The number one is this video that puts most proposals to shame. It is a youtube sensation, so I would not be surprised if you have seen it before. BEST PROPOSAL Make sure you have sound on the computer and that you watch it start to finish. It is so sweet. 
• "My fiance and I started dating our senior year of high school. He was shy, so he wrote me a note and left it on my desk -- it was super-dorky and asked if I wanted to “go out with him, be together, or whatever.” Then he wrote, "Sorry about the note. I really like you. Jim.” Now we’re both teachers, and when I got back to my apartment one day after school, there was an envelope taped to my door. As I began to read the note, I realized I’d read it somewhere before. He had rewritten that original note, but changed it to "Will you marry me, be together forever, or whatever. Sorry about the note. I really love you. Jim.” He was waiting in my room to propose."
• After doing some online research I can across this video also. It is a pretty creative way to propose also. Creative Wedding Proposals
• Patrick told me he wanted to take me on a trip for my birthday, so I knew we were going out of town that weekend, but had no idea where.  Several of my friends actually thought that he was going to propose but I honestly didn't think it was going to be that weekend...We arrived at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville which is just breathtaking and I was completely suprised!   Saturday Patrick suprised me with a spa treatement and we enjoyed that during the morning.  That afternoon we made plans to go for a hike.  We hiked up to this lookout tower that has an incredible view of the Blue Ridge mountains from the top.  Once at the top of the tower, Patrick tells me that he wants me to take some pictures of a certain view.  When I turned back around, he was on one knee!  I could not believe it and kept repeating "seriously?"  "seriously?"  He said some really sweet things, and ask me to marry him and I said yes (obviously!)  He had the ring in a tiny bag because he couldn't keep the box in his pocket because I would notice it since he had shorts on!  I was so impressed at how he had planned the whole thing, he's actually talked to my parents a month and a half beforehand!  (This story comes from one of my friends!)

I love how personal each proposal is. It really shows the grooms personality. They are each so different and special in their own way. 

If you have a fun wedding proposal--please share with us! 

Celebrity Wedding Gowns

As embarrassing as it is, I am also obsessed with celebrities. Though I have only met a few famous people I just stand there and stare at them speechless. With this being said, of course I am going to be fascinated by what they choose to wear on their big day (or for some of them one of many of their big days.) Below I post some of my favorite wedding gowns from well know celebrities. 

(www.realsimple.com)

Priscilla Presley wore this dress on May 1, 1967 when she wed Elvis at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas. 

(www.realsimple.com)

Chelsea Clinton married Marc Mezvinsky in this Vera Wang gown on July 31, 2010. 

(www.fashion-era.com)

Grace Kelly wore a wedding gown created by Helen Rose, who also was a costume designer for MGM. She married Prince Rainier III on April 19, 1956. 

(www.realsimple.com)

This gown instantly became one of my all time favorites and it was actually inspired by Grace Kelly's dress. Ivanka Trump wore it on October 25, 2009 as she married Jared Kushner. 

(www.weddingdersses.com)

Jackie Bouvier married John F Kennedy on September 12, 1953. This was just about eight years before she would become one of the most famous first lady's our country has ever had. 

(www.realsimple.com)

Katie Holmes chose a classic Armani dress when she wed Tom Crusie on November 18, 2006. 

(www.realsimple.com)

Mariah Carey wore this over the top Vera Wang gown with a 27 foot train on June 5, 1993 when she wed Tommy Mottola. 

CANDY! CANDY! CANDY!

For those of you who do not personally know me, I have to admit something. I am totally obsessed with candy. With this being said, it is pretty obvious that I love the idea of having a candy bar or buffet at your reception. No matter what the age group of your guests are, candy is always a fun gift.

www.etsy.com

Buying varieties of candy is something that is easy to price hunt for. I found a couple of different websites who sell wholesale candy.You also have to use common sense, some of the items are actually more expensive then what I see at the Dollar Tree. Just make sure you look around before committing to one company. 

http://www.thedior.net/articles/amy-atlas-events.html

 The different vases and bowls on the table are something you can find at antique shops, yard sales and discount stores. Keep your eyes open for these items. You may be surprised where you will find them.

http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/wedding-reception-yellow-candy-bar--yellow-candy-bar--project-wedding

If you do choose to have this at your reception, make sure there are a couple sugar free options for those who cannot have regular candy. 

Rustic Weddings

 It used to be when someone mentioned a farm wedding our minds automatically went to “redneck.” But one of my favorite trends of the moment is outdoor rustic weddings. I think this is a great way to show creativity and the fun side of the couple. Since they are in a more non traditional location they have a larger pallette to work with.

First I wanted to share with you some of my favorite locations across the Carolina's:

This is a big oak tree in Tanglewood Park located in Clemmons, NC.

This location has so much natural beauty and would be perfect for an outdoor wedding. If this does not suit your style, Tanglewood has a variety of other great wedding and reception locations throughout their park.

This is the magnificent Dairy Barn in Fort Mill, SC. 

Photography by White Glove Photo in Charlotte, NC 

The Dairy Barn does give you the barn feeling, but as you can tell it is still really nice. 

The is Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden in Belmont, NC

Photography by White Glove Photo in Charlotte, NC 

This is a great spot because you can have the ceremony in one spot and the reception in another. 

I found some cute decorations that would bring the whole day together!

I just LOVE these candle holders. The seller allows you to choose the colors you want. The set is for 25 for $200. What a great deal! 

Search TheArtOfChic on etsy

This is the perfect way to show off your new initials! You can special order these letters with different colors and  sizes. 

Search AStylishDesign on etsy

These are a fun alternative to the normal lighting. These not only provide light but also are great decoration.

This is another fun addition that you can order with your specific colors. They are a cheap and easy but look great! Check out the above decorations at www.etsy.com

Photography Advice

According to the August edition of Brides magazine, the average couple spends $2,097 on their photography. I wanted to give you my advice on wedding photography and ways to make sure that you are satisfied for years to come.  

First off, find out your photography style. There are three types of wedding photography: Classic, photojournalistic, and artistic. The classic style is what we know as the more formal photography. These are the posed pictures of the wedding party and family members. Photojournalistic is a really relaxed style that catches every aspect of your wedding. The photographer is not going to be telling you to pose a certain way, they just capture the moment. The artistic style is the unique photographs that have different angles, lights and colors. First find out what your photographer specializes in, and make sure that you express the style you like.

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of buying your photography rights. This means that you can print out as many pictures as you want whenever you want and the photographer is not in charge of reprinting them for you. If they do not offer the rights to their pictures, then there is a red flag.

Compare pricing and “goods.” Find out what you are paying for. Are you only paying for the photographer to show up the day of? Or does your price come with albums. Make sure you check out multiple photographers to make sure that you are getting the best deal. The best advice you can get is from your friends and family. If you loved their photographer make sure to get the contact information.

I personally think that photography is the one thing that a couple should not cut cost on. With that being said, just because they have a reasonable cost does not mean their work is not good. Just make sure you are happy with their work before hand.

Cutting Wedding Costs

Even though it varies for different locations across the country the average wedding cost has now raised to $27,800. For most of us, that is a huge number. From my experience thus far I have compiled a list of simple ways to cut costs for the big day.

• Cut down on your guest list.                                                                                         Clearly, this is the most obvious thing you can do. My best advice is to really think about who you are inviting. If it is someone you cannot imagine spending your big day without then you are in the clear. When you are cutting the list down beware! It is easy to step on toes and to hurt feelings. Sometimes it is easier to suck it up and send and invite instead of starting off on the wrong foot with your soon to be mother-in-law.  

• Consider having your wedding on a Friday night or Sunday.         This significantly cut costs for the reception venue. When I first heard this mentioned I thought it was out of the question, but I see it more and more with couples.

• Book a venue that lets you bring in your own catering and beverages.                                                                                                                                    When you choose a place that makes you use their services, you have to agree to pay whatever they want. There is not much wiggle room. They usually have outrageous minimums that you have to meet. When you are able to bring in your own caterer you can price hunt. If you are able to bring in your own beverages, you can bargain shop for those too. Buying buy the case will really save

• Skip the liquor and stick to beer and wine.                                       Instead of having a full service bar, it is okay to just have beer and wine. If you really want liquor there but do not want to foot the bill, consider having one signature cocktail. 

• Choose flowers that are in season.                                                                          By choosing flowers that are in season, you are automatically cutting cost dramatically. A lot of times you can go to a florist with a specific budget and they are able to show you how to get the most bang for your buck. 

For more tips or questions feel free to contact me at thecarolinaweddings@gmail.com or on twitter thecarolinawed

Hair Pieces

  Okay, so I have let it me known before: I LOVE veils. I think it is such a great part of the wedding tradition. But I do know that veils are not  for everyone and some people simply do not want to wear one. For those ladies, I am posting some of my favorite veil alternatives. 

There are so many other options. Anything from flowers, or headbands to a simple clip. This is something that needs to match your style of dress, and your personality. 

  (www.usabride.com)                        

      (tilldeathdesigns on etsy.com)                    

                    

                  ( Love Me Always Anne Marie on theknot.com) 

 

         (Creme de Luxe by Amy's  bridal on theknot.com)

(Everything Angelic on theknot.com)  

       (Roxy's Jewelry on theknot.com)

These are also great ideas for ladies who wear a veil during the ceremony, and want to have something more simple in their hair for the reception. 

Bridal Jewelry

The jewelry you choose to wear on your wedding day should depend on one main factor, YOUR DRESS! The amount and type of jewelry you wear should depend on how intricate your dress is. If you have an over the top gown, you do not want your jewelry to outshine the dress. If your dress is simple, then you can step it up with some fun jewelry. 

I have found a variety of bridal jewelry that fits all styles and price ranges. 

  
 (ericabapst on etsy.com)  

(mommagoddess on etsy.com)

Another fun jewelry idea is to use it as your "something borrowed." My sister wore her soon-to-be mother inlaw's earrings and our grandmothers ring as her wedding jewelry. It is a nice way to incorporate family members. 

( Bella Bleu on theknot.com)      

        (Model Bride on theknot.com)

Jewelry is a nice way for you to be able to show your personality and character. You can do so much with the jewelry you wear. 

Alternatives to bouqets:

I do need to admit something, I am obsessed with wedding blogs. I love going through and seeing everyone's creativity. Recently I have noticed a newer trend with bouquets. At first I was not sure about this-- but after seeing how different brides carried out the theme, I love it. 

There are so many non traditional options to flowers. Above you see that the bride has chosen to have her bouquet made of different shades of paper. 

Feathers are also a newer trend. More then ever, I hear of peacock themed weddings. 

         

Buttons, broaches, and jewels are something fun that you are able to make unique! 

Not everyone loves flowers, so I wanted to point out the other options out there. 

Favorite Wedding Gowns!

As I anxiously wait for the fall season of newest wedding gowns to come in, I am going to share my three favorite gowns from past seasons. I love each of these gowns for different reasons. Not only are these three of my favorite gowns, they are also three of my favorite designers. I have had a chance to try on and check out each of these dresses. So I can guarantee that they are just as beautiful in person and all are very high quality.  

First we have Allure Bridal's 8751

I have been in love with this gown since the moment I saw it in their catalog. The unique lace is what first attracted me to it. There is the perfect amount of "bling" on the dress and it just screams classy. 

Another reason I love this dress is because it is suitable for different body types. I have seen it on very small figures, and curvier women. The belt brings your waist in and  the back does wonders for the booty.  

For more information go to Allure's website.

My next choice is an up and coming fashion that I just LOVE. It is a Liz Field's 9101. This dress has many positive aspects about it. First, it is great for girls who cannot decide between lace or beads. The top of the dress has intricate beading and the skirt is lace and tool. 

Once you leave the ceremony, you can drop the skirt, and now you have a party dress. It is still fancy enough to wear to the reception! You really are buying two dresses in one. 

This dress also looks good on a variety of sizes. As you see, the skirt is detachable so you can move it higher or lower; Whatever you are most comfortable with.  The great thing about Liz Fields is that they are very easy to work with, and will allow you to make some changes to dresses. They also do not charge for plus sizes! 

For more information go to Liz Fields website. 

Last but not lease is Maggie Sottero's Isadora. 

Like all Maggie Sottero dresses, this is just stunning. It intricate attention to detail is really shown in this gown. You may be able to tell, but I love sweetheart cuts. This dress also is great because it has the satin top and the lace bottom. 

As you can see in the picture, this dress brings the waist in and is very flattering for the bride. I like this dress because for those who want a train, it has the perfect length. It is not too long and overwhelming, but you can still have the traditional train. 

For more information go to Maggie Sottero's Website.

I love so many different wedding gowns, these are just my current favorites. I am sure when the new dresses come in, I will have more to add to the list!