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Jamie and Emile at Headley-Whitney Museum

July 27, 2010 in Real Bridal Parties, Tuesdays With Ty, Ty | No comments

Jamie and Emile were married on a beautiful late Kentucky spring day on May 29, 2010. Jamie lives in Los Angeles, but knew she wanted to come home to Lexington for her big day. Planning the wedding from across the country was a huge task to undertake, but with the help of Always Planned, the results were stunning! If you have not been to the Headley-Whitney Museum it is well worth a visit.

Jamie just shared these photos from her wedding with us by her photographer Harper Smith Photography yesterday and I knew I had to share them immediately! Jamie’s navy, green and accents of blue created a very classic, beautiful feel for the wedding. Her bridesmaids were outfitted in After Six Style 6553 in Blueberry Taffeta. This style suits many body types and is such a timeless dress!

Congratulations to Jamie and Emile! We wish you a lifetime of happiness!

Natasha and Morgan’s Kentucky Outdoor Wedding

July 20, 2010 in Real Bridal Parties, Ty | 4 comments

Natasha was one of the very first brides to come through the doors of Twirl Lexington. From the moment she came in her sense of style and sweet personality came through. Actually before Natasha even came in, one of her fabulous bridesmaids came in to check things out first and get an idea of what dresses we had to match the blush pink the bride had in mind!

Natasha and Morgan were married in a perfect outdoor setting in Morgan’s parent’s backyard in picturesque horse country in May. The bridesmaids wore Dessy Collection styles 2787 and 2799 in Blush. The effect was quite stunning! In fact, after seeing Carrie Underwood’s wedding pictures I think she stole some ideas from Natasha…blush bridesmaid dress, pink sash on the wedding gown, and pink kissing balls!

A special thanks to Alumbra Photography for sharing these beautiful pictures with us! Congratulations to Morgan and Natasha! We wish you a lifetime of happiness.

-Ty

Tuesdays with Ty – Thank You Notes

July 13, 2010 in Tuesdays With Ty, Ty | 2 comments

Thank you notes are an absolute MUST to show your gratitude for the outpouring of love you experienced during your wedding. While e-mail, texting, website and Facebook posts are appropriate for some things…they most certainly do not replace the kind gesture of a hand written note and should not replace your wedding thank you cards.

Some people will tell you that you have a grace period of a year to write your thank yous after the wedding, but why leave it hanging over your head for that long?? Our goal was to have them done as quickly as possible after we returned home from our wedding. We are now 6 weeks post wedding and just have a few left to write for gifts we recently received.

As for the style of your thank you cards, that is personal preference. You can have cards printed before your wedding with your new name on them, but we opted to share a wedding photo on ours. Polka Dot Papers, who did our wedding invitations, offered to do a photo card for us. One of my bridesmaids had these made by Grey Ink a few years ago and I loved the card and still have it on my refrigerator! When we returned from our honeymoon I sent her a photo and she had the cards to us within a few days. In the mean time we made sure we had recorded all the gifts given to us so we did not leave anyone out.

Deanna's Thank You Card by Grey Ink

To make the card writing more fun, we cooked dinner a few evenings and made a date night out of it. Brandon wrote the cards to his friends and family and I did to mine. The wording does not have to be anything profound…just thank them for taking the time to come to the wedding (if they did) and how much their love and support means to you. If a monetary gift was given, you don’t have to mention the amount, just that you appreciate their generosity and how much it will help as newlyweds.

In the end, it is the act of taking the time to write the note that matters most.

Happy Writing!

-Ty

Tuesdays with Ty – Wedding Day Don’ts

June 27, 2010 in Tuesdays With Ty, Ty | No comments

Like I said last week…I do not have many things at all that I would change about our wedding, so this blog will be much shorter than last week! Here are just a few tips for making your wedding day the best it can be:

Do not run late! Running late turns into stress, so do your best to be on time for everything. We were cutting it very close on time after we got our hair done and it made me a little anxious and I felt rushed to get to the venue for photos.
Have a conversation with your photographer about exactly how the picture time will go. Our photo time seemed a little scattered and we did not feel like we got all the pictures we would have liked to have done. If the photographer does not offer a check list of exact family shots you want then make sure you let them know.
If your ceremony is outdoor then consider doing the group photos really early or inside the venue. Our guests started arriving 45 minutes early and we had to wrap up our photos early so everyone wouldn’t see us before the wedding. Again, I felt really rushed and that is not a good feeling.
Do not forget to thank everyone involved for making your day extra special…this includes vendors, friends and family!
Do not forget to look around at the guests right before you walk back down the aisle to take a mental picture of who all was in attendance. Do the same thing at the reception a few times. These are memories you will treasure forever.

Take this moment to look out at the crowd before you walk back down the aisle.

Tuesdays with Ty – Wedding Day Do’s

June 22, 2010 in Tuesdays With Ty, Ty | No comments

Now that it has been a few weeks since our wedding, I can think more clearly about what advice to give to other brides and bridesmaids. I was so emotional about everything for a while after the wedding…and admittedly even a little depressed it was all over.

View from the back where Dad and I waited to walk in.

Here are a few of my favorite things or the “Do’s” I would suggest:

Do spend the night before with family or friends. It was so nice to wake up at my parent’s house and be able to relax that morning with them.
If everyone is going to the same salon, go early and hang out while everyone is getting their hair and make up done. Plan for mimosas and brunch and just enjoy everyone.
Have your photographer join for salon time. I think we had some great shots just hanging out together. Brandon and his guys played golf that morning and the photographer joined them for a bit as well! Capture every moment!
DO have a person serving as your wedding coordinator. Even if you can’t afford someone, have a friend that is organized help out. Ours was invaluable! She took the dresses to the venue and made sure everything ran smoothly for the wedding and reception.
Do have someone video the wedding ceremony for you. Once I started down that aisle it is all a blur, so it was nice to watch everything and remember it all.
If you are willing to buck tradition a tad, I would recommend having a special moment together before the wedding. For us, Brandon had my bouquet at the spot where we were getting married. I came out of the front doors of the Carrick House and met him there. It was so nice to see him and relax before there were going to be 250 eyes on us. We did all of our pictures before and it made us so at ease for the wedding.

Bridal party pictures before the wedding

If you are having an outdoor ceremony, offer a beverage to your guests. We had tea and lemonade stations and it was a huge hit in the heat! We also had our programs printed as fans to help keep everyone cool as well.
Brides – if you can get to a spot in the back of the ceremony to watch all the music and everyone be seated I would recommend it! Standing at the back watching it all come together with my dad is one of my favorite memories.
After the ceremony have a spot to meet your bridal party before everyone goes into the reception. We had the Carrick House designate an area with drinks for everyone so they didn’t have to wait in line. It was fun to hang out and take some fun pictures!
Save your cake topper and eat it when you get home from the honeymoon. We hardly got any cake at all, so this was great! We are going to have a fresh one made next year for our anniversary:)

Our cake by Martine's Pastries

Before you leave your reception, have your coordinator pull your parents out first to a special area so you can properly say your thank you’s and good-byes.

I have WAY more Do’s than Don’ts, but I will share those next week!

Happy Planning!

-Ty

Twirl Lexington featured in Business Lexington

June 15, 2010 in Tuesdays With Ty, Ty | No comments

Twirl Lexington was recently featured in Business Lexington and we couldn’t be happier! The story is called “A Well Planned Proposal” and was in print on May 28, 2010. It is now available online as well at the following link: http://www.southsidermagazine.com/Articles-c-2010-05-27-92864.113117_A_wellplanned_proposal.html

Business Lexingtonreached out to us a few months ago asking to do an article. Meghan Mando came by for an interview and did a fabulous job writing the story and conveying the special attention Twirl pays to brides and bridesmaids.

Just had to share! I’ll have more pictures and wedding advice next week:)

-Ty

Guests at you Rehearsal Dinner

June 14, 2010 in Angela, Bridesmaid Tips and Advice | 3 comments

Recently I have been asked by several brides, “Who are you supposed to invite to the rehearsal dinner”? My answer usually is, “well, this is your wedding – - so whomever you want”. But if you look up wedding etiquette (and this is what I have always thought myself) – the answer is: the bridal party (bridesmaids and groomsmen), immediate family and out-of-town guests.

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!

Memory Lane

xoxo *ange

Tuesdays with Ty – Last week as a single lady!

May 25, 2010 in Tuesdays With Ty, Ty | 1 comment

This time next week I will by lying on the beach with a banana daiquiri in my hand and my HUSBAND by my side! I cannot believe this is the last time I am writing Tuesdays with Ty before the wedding. Time has certainly flown by and I am so excited for this weekend! I have enjoyed sharing my journey with everyone. Don’t worry…I’ll be back to update you with photos and wedding day do’s and don’ts after we get back from the honeymoon:)

I thought it would be fun to re-cap my fun wedding week attire with everyone! Brandon keeps asking just how many dresses I will wear because I keep parading out with more for him to critique. My excuse is that I will only get to be the BRIDE once and I want to make the most of it.

Beginning on Thursday I plan to start wearing white…because I can. We do not have any particular event on Thursday other than set up for the rehearsal dinner, but I plan to wear a super cute white sun dress my mom found for me in California!

Sun dress for Thursday

Friday I will have 2 wardrobe changes. At 11:30 that morning I will be surrounded by all the special ladies that are a part of the wedding for my bridesmaid luncheon at Circa 1840 in my hometown, Georgetown. For the occasion I will wear an ivory dress by Chloe & Reese sold at Twirl. Later that day, I will change for our rehearsal and dinner. Since we are doing a Fiesta theme, my dress is not white…but the festive Shiloh dress in fuchsia and ice blossom print by Thread, also sold at Twirl!!

Bridal Luncheon Dress by Chloe & Reese

: Rehearsal Dinner Dress by Thread

Now, for the wedding day! 3 wardrobe changes total! The time before the wedding will be spent at ChaCha Salon and brunch at Josie’s. Every person that has been in a wedding before knows that you need to wear something that doesn’t go over your head when you are changing. So, while in Nashville on my bachelorette party I found the sweetest white strapless dress that is comfy and perfect for the wedding day.On to the wedding attire! As you may remember, I am wearing my mother’s gown (with new life and style breathed into it). I am giving you a sneak preview of mom in the original 1976 gown. Of course, I cannot post what it looks like now until after the wedding, but I love it and it is so special.

Ty's Mom in the original 1976 gown

For my final wardrobe change of the evening, I will change into a fun short, ivory reception dress by Lynn Lugo (also available at Twirl) after we cut the cake and do our first dance. I am seriously obsessed with this dress!

Reception dress by Lynn Lugo

On Sunday morning we leave bright and early for the honeymoon and again, I plan to wear white! Well this one is white and black and has fun flowers at the bottom, but still! I will be Mexico ready when I get on the plane!Happy Planning!

-Ty

Tuesdays with Ty – The Marriage License

May 11, 2010 in Tuesdays With Ty, Ty | No comments

18 days. That is how many days we have left before the wedding! I cannot believe how time flies and how quickly I know these next 18 days will go by. So, on Monday, Brandon and I headed downtown Lexington to get our marriage license!!

Having a marriage license is required in order to officially be married on your wedding day. Getting it does not mean you are married, just that you are legally allowed to be married. The license becomes official after the ceremony when both the bride and groom sign it with your witnesses and the officiant. After that it is filed and then you get your marriage certificate in the mail a few weeks later!

Getting our marriage license at the county clerk's office

So here are a few tips on what you need to know for getting a marriage license in Kentucky (you can search your city for local requirements):

Both bride and groom must go together to to the County Clerk’s office to apply for the license
The license is valid anywhere in Kentucky
Both of you must have a valid ID with you (driver’s license will do)
The license is valid for 30 days after it is issued, so make sure you don’t go too far in advance
There is a fee ($35.50 in Kentucky) and you have to pay with an in-state check or cash, so be prepared
They will give you the license – we are taking ours to our preacher to keep and remember to bring on the wedding day. He will take care of getting it signed and mailed back in.
You will get the official certificate in the mail a few weeks later. You need this in order to officially change your name!

Enjoy this day together and your last few weeks of being engaged! We went to stock up on honeymoon beach basics afterwards:)

Happy Planning!

-Ty

Organized Brides

May 10, 2010 in Angela, Bridesmaid Tips and Advice | No comments

Does being more organized make planning your wedding easier when it comes to bridesmaid dresses? I really think this can be answered both yes and no.

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

Tuesdays with Ty – Bachelorette Bash

April 27, 2010 in Tuesdays With Ty, Ty | No comments

Since most all of my friends are already married and never get out on the town anymore everyone was looking forward to getting away and having a fun girls weekend!! My Matron of Honor, Nancy, is the ultimate planner. We started talking bachelorette weekend not long after we got engaged. We threw around some ideas, but really there was no doubt where I wanted to go…Nashville, Tennessee!! It has a super fun music scene, great restaurants, shopping and is only a 3 hour drive. Since I used to live there it holds a special place in my heart.

Nancy worked with Elizabeth Henderson of Polka Dot Papers to come up with the CUTEST invitation ever. She also included an itenerary and cost info to all of the other girls with the invitation.

Bachelorette Party Invitation

We started off driving down together and checked into the chic Hotel Indigo. After settling in we went to ultra yummy Lime and had the best margaritas and sangria ever! From there we hit the town for some live music and dancing at Tin Roof and Legends Corner. Twirl Girl, Angela, sent me the cutest sash to wear out (pictured below)!! It was even personalized in our wedding colors! Thanks, Ange!

The Future Mrs. McBrayer and Matron of Honor, Nancy

Sunday was a day of brunch and shopping at the best spots in Nashville. We decided to fore go another night out on the town and have a slumber party! We ordered pizza, sipped champagne and had my “personal” shower. It was just what we all needed.

Pajama Party Personal Shower

It was the most wonderful weekend filled with friendship and laughter. I cannot thank my friends enough for taking the time away from their own families to travel to Nashville to celebrate with me.

Bridesmaid Bachelorette Party Tips:

When planning, think of what the bride will want to do. My friends chose all of my favorite things and it was absolutely perfect. If she’s not into going out…then plan a night in!
It does not matter what you do or how much money you spend, it is the time together that will be remembered the most.
Make something memorable – my friends all chipped in and made me a picture book of us through the years. My Matron of Honor headed up the project and collected pictures and made the book online. It is priceless and I will always treasure it:)

Happy Planning!

-Ty

Bridesmaid Gift Ideas from Twirl Lexington

April 22, 2010 in Just For Fun, Ty | No comments

With all the summer weddings right around the corner it is time for Brides to think about how to repay their best friends for all of their love and support. What better way than to get them an adorable clutch or jewelry as their bridesmaid gift??

Clutch purses by BJolley available at Twirl Lexington

Clutch purses by BJolley are available at Twirl Lexington for $40 each. If you don’t see a color that matches your bridal party you can let us know what you are looking for and we will find a fabric that will work for you! These are also perfect for mothers as well!

Jewelry is also a longtime traditional bridesmaid gift. SallyB jewelry is also available at the Lexington location. SallyB has some unique pieces from pink freshwater pearls to chunky vintage inspired pieces and can also personalize styles to match your bridesmaid dresses.

Vintage inspired jewelry by SallyB

Blush and Bashful Freshwater Pearls by SallyB

Give your girls a gift they will treasure for many years to come:)

Happy Gifting!

-Ty

Ty’s Bridal Party Preview

April 21, 2010 in Real Bridal Parties, Ty | 5 comments

Ruffle detail of Thread Stella Dress

It is official…I am now OBSESSED with the bridesmaid dresses I just received!!! Since we have a whole 38 days left until our wedding I couldn’t resist sharing these gorgeous dresses with you all a tad early! They are the Stella dress by Thread in Fuchsia Matte Silk (Mini length). Now just picture them on 6 beautiful girls holding ivory peonies in front of a big white 1800s mansion on a late spring day in Kentucky. Oh. My. Gosh. So excited!

Thread Stella Dress in Fuchsia Matte Silk

Tuesdays with Ty – Bridal Portraits

April 20, 2010 in Tuesdays With Ty, Ty | No comments

As you may or may not remember, I am wearing my mother’s wedding dress. It is finally finished undergoing the major renovations and is beautiful! My sister-in-law even started crying when she saw it.

I decided to book an extra session with my photographer, In Retrospect Photography, with just me to do some bridal portraits BEFORE the wedding day. This way you get to wear your dress an extra day and get to do a trial run with your hair and make-up!!

The biggest reason I decided to do this bridal portrait session is to be able to display a picture of my mom in her dress and me in her dress at the reception. I plan on putting them on the cake table. That way everyone can see the major changes we made, but how special the dress still remains. This would be a really neat idea even if you aren’t wearing a family wedding gown.

Here are some Bridal Portrait tips:

Schedule appointments for your hair and makeup. Do a similar look that you want for your wedding day. That way you can see if you like the look in pictures before the big day when there will be no “do-overs”.
Pick a beautiful location and one you wouldn’t have time to go to on your wedding day. We went to Shaker Village here in Kentucky. All the Spring trees and plants were in bloom…gorgeous!!
Take a blanket or old sheet with you to put under your dress to keep it clean if you are going to be outside. You can hide it in the pictures with the dress.
Pack a couple bottles of water with you and maybe a little snack if you think you will be gone for a while.
If you have your make-up done ask if you can take the powder with you and return it the next day. That way you can touch up if needed.
Take your mom or maid of honor with you – it is a special time of wearing your dress for the first time! Have them enjoy it with you:)

The Grounds at Shaker Village where we did the portraits

Obviously I cannot post my pictures yet, but enjoy this time and enjoy your pictures!!

Happy Planning!

Sunday Soirees at Shelia Bayes Fine Jewelers

April 16, 2010 in Twirl Announcements, Ty | No comments

Calling all Kentucky brides…Shelia Bayes Fine Jewelers and Jacki Allen Wedding and Event Planners have teamed up to offer free bridal seminars once a month through August! The first event is this Sunday, April 18 from 1:00-4:00 pm at Shelia Bayes Fine Jewelers located in The Shops at Lexington Center, 410 West Vine Street in Lexington.

This weekend’s event will feature Bridal Gowns by Bridal & Formal, Photographer Ian Lozada and Wedding Planner 101 by Jacki Allen. Each bride also gets a fabulous gift bag!! YAY!

Happy Planning!

-Ty

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