After hundreds of years of weddings, I think we can agree that it has ALL been done! There is no color scheme that hasn’t been tested. No crazy dress that hasn’t been worn. No venue that hasn’t already been chosen. It’s even hard to come up with a first song that has never been danced to.

So I think the fact that it has all been done before is causing brides to strive even more to bring out their creative side. The couple brides that have the vision of an all white wedding have said to me, “I don’t know anyone that has ever done it before”. And aside from the fact that I currently have 3 brides all with that idea… they are right. It is not common to have the bridesmaids in WHITE!!!!

Aside from being different, it also gives off a very clean, crisp look. In the picture below, they even kept the theme going with the flowers. Again, not as common, but it looks great. And having the guys not wear the traditional tux… also stepping outside the box.

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You have to admit, this wedding party is looking good. They chose dresses from Jim Hjelm, Melissa Sweet and Alvina Valenta.

I’m not going to lie… when it comes time for my wedding, I may not rule this idea out! I would however, choose some fabulously bright colored, fun shoes for the girls to wear and have the flowers match. I mean, I have to at least stand out a little on my big day!

The more I see it, the more it is growing on me!

Happy Wedding Planning!

xoxo *ange

We all know money is tight right now in this lovely economy – - so, being a bride… would you rather your girlfriend be an actual bridesmaid and stand up for you on your big day – - or – - would you rather they participate in your bachelorette party weekend and simply be a guest @ your wedding?

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To me this was a no brainier, but I have recently come to realize that I might be alone on this opinion.

Being a bridesmaid can be rather expensive. You have the dress, the shoes, hair and makeup the day of, most likely a mani/pedi will be in order, alterations for the dress, the bridal shower gift, the wedding gift – and those are just the basics. All those things can easily add up.  If you add a weekend getaway to that list for the bachelorette party- that could almost double the cost.

So, the conversation the ladies were having was the bride saying she would rather her girlfriend not be a bridesmaid and just attend the bachelorette weekend. She said those are where the “funner” memories will be made.

This is where you all come in. Do you feel that the bachelorette party weekend will be more memorable than your actual wedding? And if you have a bridesmaid who is tight on money and must choose – - would you rather her choose the weekend getaway? Let me know your thoughts?

Happy Wedding Planning!

xoxo *ange

So – what is your idea of how a bachelorette party should go? I feel like there are two roads you can take.

1) Vegas Style! This is a weekend that will no doubt be hard to forget (assuming you can actually remember it). Fabulous dresses packed- 20′s cashed in for1′s – cell phones turned to silent – cameras charged and ready – human decorations to match each outfit and of course tickets purchased for those “special” shows. The nights start LATE and the mornings are hardly actually seen. You wake up hung-over, crawl down to the amazing buffet and stare at whoever is sitting across from you with a look of  “please kill me know”! Once you regain consciousness – the camera creeps out and the re-hashing beings. The whole day is spent trying to remember what actually happened and who it happened with (or to). Your stomach hurts from laughing so hard and you are literally crying the pictures are so funny! When the weekend finally comes to an end, you are all in need of a vacation from your vacation!

2) Girls Weekend! I’m thinking cabin, beach house or resort somewhere out of town with all your bridesmaids and close girl family members. You spend the weekend cooking, gabbing, drinking wine, shopping, lunching, drinking wine, watching romantic movies, laying by the pool, taking advantage of the spa, drinking wine and of course Girl Talk! This weekend is spent with those closest to you telling “remember when” stories while laughing so hard you are forced to cry. Old picture books are pulled out and no doubt the happy tears being. The girls that are married tell you all about the good times you have to look forward to and the girls that are single gush @ how happy they are for you (while secretly wishing they were in your shoes). It’s a calm weekend full of memories and reminiscing .

Either way you decide to spend your last “single” weekend – make sure you are surrounded by the people you love the most. That is where the best memories come from!

Congratulations Twirl Brides! We are so excited for you and your new adventure! We hope your Bachelorette party is a weekend you will never forget!

xoxo

The bridal party and immediate family are a given – but people are usually thrown for a loop with the out-of-town guests (especially when there are a significant amount of them). This is how I look @ it. The rehearsal dinner is the perfect time to spend catching up with the family and friends you don’t get to see on a daily basis. You can exchange the “How have you been’s”, “What have you been up to’s” even the “thank you so much for coming’s”. This dinner should be relaxed, laid back and it’s not meant to break the bank. It should not “out shine” your wedding by any means. Choose a restaurant with a great entertaining area (maybe a patio or larger private room) and in a price range you (or whoever is paying) can afford. Spend your time laughing and telling stories and catching up with everyone. This should include the out-of-towners. Keep in mind that, in most cases, they have paid for their plane ticket, their hotel room, their transportation and no doubt a wedding gift for you. The night before the wedding, they most likely won’t have plans (seeing as though they don’t live in the area) so all the more reason to include them in your rehearsal dinner.

All this time spent catching up means you don’t have to do it at the wedding. I can’t tell you how many times I have watched the bride and groom spend their ENTIRE reception walking around, thanking people for coming and catching up! The bride and groom should be enjoying the delicious food they spent months picking out – and sipping on the champange they have been toasted to with – and creating new memories on the dance floor while listening to the music from the DJ or band they just had to have. They should be a part of the wedding they created and enjoy their perfect night.

No matter how it plays out – just sit back and enjoy the moments. They are going to FLY BY! 

xoxo  *ange

The answer would be yes for the obvious reasons. I love when a bride walks into Twirl with a giant binder and begins flipping though the tabs to show me the different aspects of her wedding. The venue, the flowers, the colors of the linens, etc…etc. This is great because I get to experience the true vibe of her wedding. This makes my job easier when it comes to helping her find bridesmaid dresses because she has painted a picture of her wedding for me.

Now as wonderful as organization is, it can sometimes make the bride’s tasks become frustrating. Like many brides do before they come to Twirl, they spend a lot of time on-line and in magazines looking for their  “perfect” bridesmaid dresses. This usually leads them down one of two roads.
*The first is they have found the “perfect dress” (on-line or in a magazine). The one they MUST have.

The trouble they sometimes run into is that there isn’t a boutique in Arizona that carries a sample for her to see in person. The brides and her girls then spend lots of time trying on other dresses, but the bride just cant get the “perfect dress” out of her head. Nine times out of ten when the bride does finally find a way to get her hands on the “perfect dress”, she ends up not even liking it in person. The fabric is not what she expected… or the color swatches looked different on-line… or it doesn’t flatter her bridesmaids.  And because she didn’t really pay attention the first time around with the bridesmaid dresses because all she knew was the one she thought she really wanted wasn’t available, she is now back at square one. It is almost like a mini dream gets crushed… and when it comes her wedding, that is never good.
*The second path of organization that can bring un-needed stress into a bride’s life is when she finds a color she MUST have.

There are hundreds of color options when it comes to bridesmaid dresses, however, there are millions upon millions of colors and different shades of those colors in the world. When a bride comes into Twirl with a piece of fabric or a paint chip or a shoe and knows that come hell or high water this must be the color of her bridesmaid dresses, things can get a bit tricky. Not every color comes in every fabric. The bride will almost always find a fabric she loves and a card of color swatches that do match her must have color. She then has to decide if the dress is more important and should she slightly alter her shade of “teal”? Or is the must have color more important and should she go with a dress she likes less?

To some this may seem silly, but it happens all the time. The one piece of advice we can offer is never be 100% set on anything until you see it in person. Colors, dresses, fabrics, styles… they will always look different in person

: sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse (depending on who you ask). We hate to see brides upset or frustrated. Choosing bridesmaid dresses should be yet another fun part of the wedding planning. Especially because it involves your closest girl friends. So perhaps starting with an open mind can help bring the stress level down a knotch or two.   And as always, we are here to help in any way we can!

Happy Wedding Planning.

xoxo *ange

So this spring season brings new fun color pairings to the mix. My favorites so far are navy with fuschia. Ty – - you are so ahead of the time!

I just think these colors look so great together. And put them next to a white wedding dress… too perfect.

Perhaps you are looking for colors that are a little more bright. Another color I have seen trying to make its way back into the bridal world is a nice shade of orange paired with a deep teal/blue. Love this look. I would never describe myself as a fan of orange, but something about these colors together just work. I feel like if you threw some bold yellow-ness in there, your pictures would be amazing.

For those that are more into the “pastel” color pallet, I didn’t want to leave you out. This lighter colors I have seen thus far would be lavender paired with sage and a light blue. These colors have Easter written all over them, but are beautiful none the less.

Now, no one says you have to go with “The Trends” – - but it is always amazing to me that trends really do exist. Having multiple brides, that don’t know each other, each choosing from the same color pallet – too funny!  Whether the bridesmaid dresses are all the same color with the flowers tying the other colors in, or perhaps each bridesmaid is in a different color (my favorite)… the new spring colors are great!  I can’t wait for the dresses to start to come in so I can visualize it all even more!

Happy Wedding Planning.

xoxo *ange

All brides wear white… its kind of fun to set yourself apart by adding some color into the mix. Plus it makes the pictures fun and ties in the whole color theme the bride is working with.

Theses days it is very common for the bride to let each bridesmaid wear a different dress – same color… but different style for each girl. We call this a “family” of dresses. This is a great way to let each bridesmaid’s personality shine through while also insuring they are comfortable throughout the night. But what about those brides that like the clean, crisp look of all her girls matching? Turn to the shoes! Perfect. Tie in a color that matches with the wedding color theme… and let your bridesmaids get creative. This way if their feet are killing them by the end of the night, at least they can’t blame you.   The more stunning the shoes… the more probability the feet will be in pain come 8pm!

Now beach weddings of course break the rules. Heels are impossible in the sand and wedges can cause sprained ankles… so, in most cases the bride turns to flip flops. I think depending on the bridesmaid dresses, this is a very fun, cute idea. Some may even choose to go barefoot for the portion of the wedding that takes place on the actual beach.

One idea that is completely new to me (that I heard about over this past weekend) is a “Shoes Optional” wedding…. and not on a beach. Hum… interesting I must say. The bridal party will all be barefoot for the entire wedding… and to spice it up a bit, they are going to invite their guests to join in. As much as I love being barefoot, I think I prefer it in the comfort of my own home (or a beach of course). In a case such as this, I may opt for the stunning, yet painful heel. But I do love when new ideas cross my path… so props to this bride! I am looking forward to some pictures.

I do have to hope though, that the bride will make sure her girl’s toes are up are par! 

However the bride chooses to dress the wedding party’s feet, I hope she keeps it true to her and her personality. A little twist is what separates her wedding from all the others.

Happy Wedding Planning!

xoxo *Ange

The first one that comes to mind and is a must is your “First Dance” song. Some couples make this song “their song” – which usually means it was the first song they heard together on their first date. Or maybe the first song they danced together to. Or in some cases I have seen (heard) it be a song with a message that represents their relationship. When my best friend got married, her “First Dance Song” was called “Looks like we made it” by Shania Twain. It couldn’t have fit their relationship any more perfect than if the song had been personally written for them. I like this idea the most. This way while people are watching you share your first dance, they can listen to the words tell a story about the couple. I have been to one wedding where their “First Dance” song was the first song that came on the radio on their first date. To this day I don’t remember the name of the song or who it was by, but it was heavy metal and I can imagine very awkward to dance to (considering how awkward it was to watch them try to dance to) and there was clearly no “special message”.

Once you have the very important “First Dance Song” taken care of, it’s time to move on to the equally important “Father Daughter Song”. I understand not everyone is close to their fathers, or perhaps their fathers are not around to share in this special day… but the weddings I have been to the Fathers have been present and this dance has been special. Being a HUGE country music fan (largely in part because of the story that most country songs tell) there are several songs that come to mind for this particular dance. Tim McGraw’s “I Loved her First” or perhaps “Butterfly Kisses” by Bob Carlisle (which has been re-done several times by country artists such as Garth Brooks).

The one thing that is kind of a bummer is that there are SO many songs out there… but some how only a handful of them make the list for these two categories of wedding songs. Before my best friend got married, she had a few of us over and we spent hours trying to help her find her “perfect” song. We sat around her kitchen table with her i-Pod plugged in, our lap tops on hand and a box of old CD’s we hadn’t seen for years. We opened a bottle of wine and spent the whole night coming up with different songs that brought back memories for us… but also told stories that related to my friend and her soon to be husband. We had so much fun. I think involving your bridesmaids in this task is a great way to get different opinions and they will no doubt come up with songs or artists you may not have come up with on your own.

Now in all fairness, I would almost guarantee that @ some point, you will attend a wedding and hear the same song that you heard at a wedding the year before during one of these two dances. Does it really matter though? I don’t think so. In the moment that the song is playing, and the two people are dancing… all that matters is the happiness that theses people are sharing and the beautiful message or story that is being told by the song. If you do like one of the more popular first dance songs, perhaps you can make it your own by having it sung to you by someone important to you instead of using the DJ version. Little touches like that can turn something that’s “already been done” into something that is yours.

I am going to leave you with the “First Dance” link below. I know you have all seen it a million times… but I think it is just too fun and fabulous to not mention!!! I am not going to lie… depending on who I end up marrying, if they are “cool” enough… I many just reenact something like this myself.

First Dance Song

Happy Wedding Planning to you all! I hope you have fun going through old song books and current popular albums in search of your perfect wedding songs.

xoxo *angela

The first being New Year’s Eve! How amazing is that! Everyone is always looking for a fun and fabulous place to bring in the new year… what could be better than YOUR wedding? I’m thinking a later ceremony followed by a reception that rocks you all into the New Year. I can’t think of a better way to bring in the New Year then with a new HUSBAND and being surrounded by all those you love the most. For this wedding I am thinking platinum, full length bridesmaid dresses.  When I think New Years, I think silver.  I feel like it could go one of two ways. A) Something sexy, classic and elegant (like this beautiful dress by Jim Hjelm) or

maybe this gorgeous dress by Melissa Sweet or

B) Something fun, flirty and a little different than the “norm” (like this sassy dress by Watters)

The second of the three dates that stands out the most to me is Halloween. Now, just because you are getting married on Halloween I don’t think it has to be dark and creepy nor do your colors have to be black and orange. I think there are a lot of fun ways a bride and groom can incorporate Halloween into their wedding. Black bridesmaid dresses are the way I would go! Vineyard and Jim Hjelm show some fun ones in this picture.

The third of the three dates that stands out to me is Valentine’s Day! This day is already an extremely romantic day… add a wedding… what could be more romantic than that? For a Valentine’s Day wedding… as cliché as it sounds… I’m feeling red bridesmaid dresses! I don’t think short or long really matters… just think RED! I love this dress by Watters.

Priscilla of Boston also has this full length, beautiful dress below shown in red.

I really do love hearing about all the different and creative ways couples choose to make their days unique!

No matter what day the bride and groom choose to make their special day… I hope its amazing!

xoxo – Angela

Ever since I can remember, I have always envisioned my wedding HUGE! I’m talking everyone I know and then some. But over the past years I have had the pleasure of experiencing  these “HUGE weddings first hand. As much fun as I have being a guest, I sit back and watch the bride and groom move from table to table thanking people for coming, repeating the line, “It’s so good to see you” and never actually seeming to snag enough time to enjoy their food, or drinks or even the dance floor. There are hugs to be given and hand shakes to be exchanged – and with a wedding this size, it could take hours.

All this has caused me to re-evaluate my “HUGE” wedding dreams. I have begun to wonder how people can get away with this though. Having a smaller wedding and truly only inviting those closest to you. Then it hit me – DESTINATION WEDDING!

I can’t even count the number of brides in the past month that have said they were having a destination wedding! These ladies are brilliant! They are clearly a few steps ahead of me. You can still invite the large number of guests you would if you were staying in town , but realize that not everyone will be able to make it (work, kids, life… whatever). Those that are closest to you (whether they are friends or family) will figure out a way to be there. Another way to keep the idea of a smaller wedding within reach would be to consider a smaller bridal party. It is easier to coordinate with the travels – and you can, in some cases, help your bridal party pay for a portion of their “trip” (something that might not be possible if you had 8+ girls). It could become your wedding party gift (which would be so helpful). For the other girls, if they are your close friends/family, they will no doubt still attend.  A perfect example of this was Keri’s wedding (one of Twirl’s owners). She decided to do a destination wedding – and opted to not have all 16 of her closest friends in her bridal party. All of her closest friends were of course still in attendance, but she chose to only have her future sister-in-law and best friend stand up for her. It was Perfect!

So aside from creating a smaller wedding, it becomes a mini vacation with everyone. The groups can split up the couple days before the wedding. Girls can do their girl stuff and the guys can do their guy stuff! Then everyone can come together for the wedding and have a wonderful time. The bride and groom can enjoy their wedding as much as their guests…with all their guests.

Regardless of where you have your wedding or how many people attend, this is your day! I hope it’s one to remember!

xoxo