The Bridesmaid Blog
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Get excited… BLUSH by Jim Hjelm is coming to Twirl in Chandler May 7-9 for a trunk show. With trunk shows comes discounts! Does it get any better? All new orders placed over the weekend will receive 15% off!
All the dresses from this line will be in town – - you have to come check them out! They are fabulous!
Call to make your appointment now – - trunk show weekends book up fast! 480.722.0000.
We can’t wait to see you!
Happy Wedding Planning.
xoxo *ange
Hands down, this has to be one of my favorite dresses! I know I have said that before… but this time I really mean it. Now although this dress is not new, it is stunning none the less.
This beautiful, strapless dress with a sweetheart neckline is to die for. Jenny Yoo has truly out-done herself. It is the kind of neckline that will flatter everyone. The knotted detail at the bust adds just enough without being too much. The chiffon fabric makes the dress elegant without being too over the top. This dress is easily dressed up for a wedding, but can then be dressed down for a nice night on the town. The simple way the dress flows in layers toward the bottom is just beautiful. Not only is it fabulous to look at, it is equally as fun to wear (or so I have been told).
Now, what is even more amazing about this dress is that it is also available as a bridal alternative dress. Can you imagine this dress on a bride for a beach wedding? Perfection.
Now the fabrics are different between bridesmaid and bridal – but the eye catching style remains the same.
You just have to stop by our Scottsdale location to try it on. You won’t be disappointed. (Jenny Yoo – Mira)
Happy Wedding Planning!
x0x0 *ange
So my pick this week is style # 5038 by Jim Hjelm. This stunning, luminescent chiffon, floor length gown is just too fabulous to not mention. It could be the color that draws me to it (emerald), but non the less, every time I see someone try it on, I fall in love again. I just can’t get enough.
It is a natural waist, which can sometimes be harder to wear, but I have seen many different body types try this dress on and I think it has looked great on them all. The double ruffle cascade and flower detail that runs down the left side it what sets this dress apart from the rest. It is eye catching, but not enough to draw attention away from the bride. Although I am a huge fan of the emerald color (shown above), I really think this dress would look great in many of the luminescent chiffon and basic chiffon colors.
You may just have to see it in person to agree. It’s @ our Scottsdale location waiting for you. 
Happy Wedding Planning.
xoxo *ange
So I thought it would be nice to change it up a bit for this Thursday. I wanted to introduce to you a fabulous catering company we have a great relationship with: Put A Fork In It. Not only is their food amazing (I know this first hand), but so is their all around service. They are a great “One Stop Shop” when it comes to weddings. Alison, the Catering Manager, is wonderful to work with for all your wedding details: from venues to linens to DJs to florists. Put a Fork In It has wonderful relationships with with many vendors across the greater Phoenix area. They truely take care of you from start to finsh. And I promise you’ll have a lot of fun with them along with way.
What a great wedding season we have had so far for 2010! Great weather and great parties! As I watch every bride and groom try and outdo the last wedding they attended or saw in a magazine, I must again emphasize less is more! Great weddings are ones that keep it simple and classy. Making a good choice on linens and floral pieces can really turn what starts as a standard wedding into a unforgettable one…..but remember, having a good time with your friends and family is what matters most! Don’t waste too much time on long drug-out dinners or endless photo shoots……get a great DJ and have fun! Eye popping colors have been big this spring season….check out these pictures for more ideas for your day! All were planned by Put A Fork In It Catering in Phoenix. Full event planning, food & beverage catering and everything in between. We take care of your day so you don’t have to worry about a thing! Congratulations and Enjoy!! Alison – Catering Manager for Put A Fork In It
We love Put A Fork In It! Happy Wedding Planning.
xoxo *ange
I love watching wedding color trends change with the seasons. This past fall, teal and eggplant were killer. I am a big fan of both those colors myself, but i’m always excited for what’s to come.
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
The Desert Botanical Gardens is a fabulous wedding venue located in the heart of Phoenix. You can dine under the stars, then dance the night away under delicately lit mesquite trees.
There are a few different locations inside the gardens where you can host your ceremony and reception. My three favorites are below.
One option for the ceremony is the Dorrance Hall followed by the Boppart Courtyard for the reception.
This area is very large and can accommodate up to 300 guests for a sit down dinner.
Another option is the Ullman Terrace, Eliot Patio and Webster Auditorium.
The Webster Auditorium is the perfect area to bring out Arizona’s charm. One-hundred and fifty guests is the ideal size for this section of the Gardens.
The Amphitheater is actually the location where Jenni Hailer, Twirl’s Owner, held her ceremony ten years ago this May.
She and her husband Jace chose the Desert Botanical Gardens for several reasons. First off, they are both Arizona Natives and thought it would be a true representation of their home state. Being born and raised in Arizona they have grown to truly appreciate the beauty of the Arizona desert and wanted the backgrounds of the night to reflect what they treasure so much. Aside from the beauty, they loved that during the cocktail hour, their guest could walk the gardens and take in the sights. This was perfect for their out of town visitors. Their favorite part about exchanging their vows @ the Desert Botanical Gardens is getting to return there every year for their anniversary and take in the beauty again and again. How cute and perfect is that!
Now, with all these beautiful, natural backgrounds, bright colored bridesmaid dresses would be amazing. Arizona has gorgeous sunsets (as we all know) so I really feel that bringing in the colors of the sunset with your bridesmaid dresses would make for some stunning pictures. Short and flowie or long and elegant, I really think that with a venue as beautiful as this one, you just can’t go wrong.
One little extra that can be added to the ceremony and/or reception are hand lit Luminaries. They easily add a touch more of romance to an already breath taking event.
With so many different areas to choose between on the grounds of the Desert Botanical Gardens, there is something perfect for everyone. Your wedding at the Garden will no doubt be an unforgettable event.
Check out the winning wedding couple for the Garden Wedding Giveaway to be held this 10/10/10. They have an amazing story!
xoxo *Ange
I can’t go any longer without mentioning my FAVORITE goodies EVER @ Twirl – Whateverz!
You can get as creative as you want! It’s great!
Here is how it works:
1) Pick an Item:
Cosmetic Bag – Spa Wrap – Tote – Slippers – Tank Tops and T-Shirts – (to name a few)
2) Choose a color
There are tons of colors to choose from!
3) Select your font: both color and print
This makes it even more unique
4) What do you want your goodie to say?
It’s all YOU!
These are the best gifts ever! The Spa Wraps are great gifts for the bridesmaids for the day of. You can have them embroidered with “Bridesmaid” or their names… nick names… initials… anything goes!
These are all great gift ideas for any occasion. Come to Twirl to place your order! It’s time to get Creative!!
xoxo *Ange
There are so many ways to make your wedding unique these days. One of my favorites is when the bride wears fun, sassy shoes.
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
As most of you probably know, Twirl’s exclusive jewelry designer is the fabulous Liz Love of Liz Love Collections. Liz has three different lines she focuses on: “In Love” which is her fashion jewelry, “True Love” with is her bridal jewelry and we can’t forget “Baby Love”, which is her baby jewelry. Samples of these lines can be viewed through her website www.lizlovecollections.com or at either of our Arizona Twirl Locations.
What I find super exciting is that Liz has now started to expand her lines with some of the amazing pieces below. Now, keep in mind, just like our bridesmaid dresses, everything you see by Liz Love Collections can come in a different color, size, style, etc. Whether you are looking for something simple for yourself, or something over the top for a gift, Liz can create it. It is a blast to sit down with her and talk colors and styles, knowing that what the two of you are coming up with will be unique to only YOU. Gold / Silver… Long / Short… Earings / Necklaces… Bracelets / Anklets — you dream it: Liz can create it. Another great thing about working with Liz is that she’ll meet you right in our store. If you are desigining jewelry to be a part of your wedding, it is great to have the designer’s swatch books right in front of you so you can take color guessing out of the equation.
More recently we have had brides come to us wanting very simply bridesmaid dresses with the intentions of including some super fun, stunning jewelry. I love it! When all the dresses look the same, it is a great idea to have each girl in a piece of jewelry that matches her personality, and came from the heart. Bridesmaid jewelry is a great way to say “thank you” to your bridesmaids for being such wonderful women. With the fun jewelry, like the ones pictures above, it is a given that the girls will be wearing it out again (and hopefully thinking of you when they do)!
For more informtaion on Liz Love Collections, check out her BLOG!
xoxo *Angela
Last night the fabulous ladies of both Twirl Scottsdale and Twirl Chandler attended the Burning Love party hosted by Phoenix Bride and Groom Magazine. The beautiful Scottsdale Resort and Conference Center was were the party took place. The room was decked out in a “love” theme with a splash of Hawaiian. The food was delicious and the atmosphere, filled with other industry members, was just too fun. It’s always great to see other industry members and hear their new, fun ideas and stories.
All in all, the Twirl ladies had a wonderful “girls night out”. Thanks to the Phoenix Bride and Groom Magazine for letting us be a part of the fun.
xoxo *Angela
Rachel and Seth were married @ the Brophy Chapel in Phoenix, Arizona. Their fabulous day was coordinated by wedding planner Victoria Canada. Melissa Jill is the amazing photographer behind these stylish and fun pictures.
Rachel’s girls wore dresses by Vineyard (style # 1415). They look so beautiful and the color is just perfect!
How cute are these purple shoes that Rachel wore with her wedding dress.
Congratulations Rachel and Seth. We wish you a lifetime of happiness.
xoxo *Angela
How does one decide their perfect wedding songs? There are so many choices!
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.
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 Sanctuary is one of those hidden treasures found tucked away in the small city of Paradise Valley. (It is actually just down the way from the Montelucia which was our venue choice last week). The Sanctuary is located on McDonald just west of Scottsdale road, right up against the ever fabulous Camelback Mountain.
The views alone make this resort and spa one of the most beautiful wedding venues in Arizona.
This ideal wedding venue can do events for an intimate group of 15 guests all the way up to a rounded group of 150. The beautiful outside lawn used for the ceremony is so perfect. It captures the beauty Arizona has to offer.
While planning the wedding, the bride and groom are always thinking about what their guests can do when they don’t have wedding activities planned. Both before and after the couple says their “I Do’s”, there are lots of activities for their guests to partake in all around the resort. The Sanctuary has a great location, especially for those that enjoy outside recreation activities.
This venue is for sure worth a visit. If not for your actual wedding, it is an equally perfect location for a romantic dinner with you soon to be husband or perhaps a girls weekend with all your bridesmaids. It has something for everyone.
xoxo *Ange
Jacqueline and Jacob exchanged their vows at the Eagle Mountain Golf Clubin Fountain Hills, Az. Their fabulous pictures were taken by photographer Cassandra Heiser. Jacqueline’s stunning bridesmaids wore dresses by Jim Hjelm (style #5935 in Scarlet).
Now I have to share a story with you that Jacqueline shared with me. The day of her wedding, after confirming earlier that same morning, Jacqueline’s makeup artist did not show up. Can you imagine? After several un-returned phone calls and messages, Jacqueline accepted that he would not be coming and realized she would now be doing her own makeup for her special day. It all ended up working out, and as you can see from the pictures she looked beautiful, but talk about un-needed stress. She did say a bridesmaid came to her rescue by having extra lashes for her to use! Way to be prepared! To add to the crazy day, when she finally got to her husband, she was filling him in on the day (true agravation coming though in both her tone and choice of words) only to realize that her husband had his mini mic on and everything was caught on tape by the videographer! It’s so nice that Jacqueline was able to laugh all this off and focus on what that day was truely about – her and Jacob!
Congratulations to Jacqueline and Jacob. Thank you for sharing your day with Twirl (and your stories)! We wish you all the happiness in the world!
xoxo *Angela
The Montelucia Resort is located in the heart of Paradise Valley on Tatum and Lincoln. If you are into gorgeous backdrops for your pictures, what could be better than Camelback Mountain! Below is a picture of the Valencia Lawn which can obviously be used as the perfect location for the ceremony.
Once the couple is offically husband and wife and its time to move onto the reception, their Valencia Ballroom is absolutely picture perfect.
One of my favorite aspects of this resort (when it comes to weddings), is their ability to do the long table, formal setting. You will have to take the time to google this amazing table setting (Castillo Lucena, Formal Setting). I think it would be so fun to do if you had a smaller wedding. And if not the actual reception, it’s a great place (idea) for the rehearsal dinner.
One thing that is so nice about having your wedding @ a hotel, is the convenience it creates for your out of town guests. Not only do they get to attend the beautiful wedding @ this amazing venue, but they can also stay there as a guest and soak in all the amazing amenities.
This is one of those places you have to see for yourself. If you are still looking for your venue, it’s worth the trip!
Happy Wedding Planning.
xoxo *Angela
