The Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain

February 25, 2010 in Angela, Wedding Venue Talk by Twirl Talk | No comments

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’s Wedding @ Eagle Mountain Golf Club

February 24, 2010 in Angela, Real Bridal Parties by Twirl Talk | No comments

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

Tuesdays with Ty – Wedding Shower Time

February 23, 2010 in Tuesdays With Ty, Ty by Twirl Talk | No comments

Friday was my very first wedding shower! My dear friend Hillary and her mother hosted “A Taste of Tuscany with Ty” at the best Italian restaurant in Lexington, Portofino.  It was only appropriate for Hillary (8 months prego, BTW) to host an Italian themed party, since her family is Italian. 

Centerpieces for Italian Themed Shower

My Place Card

Upon entering the cozy Wine Room, the centerpieces featured bright fuchsia flowers and grapes in a clear round bowl with wine corks in the bottom.  Each arrangement had Italian wedding wishes on a card as well.   The place cards were all placed in wine corks as well and had Italian sayings on them. We all enjoyed a fabulous dinner and then devoured the favors of Italian kisses, chocolate covered grapes and Italian Confetti for dessert!

Ty and Hillary at the shower

I must admit it was quite strange to be the one finally in the spot light opening the gifts and having pictures taken…but it was too much fun!!  The generosity and love you feel from your friends and family is amazing.  Hillary and Mary certainly outdid themselves and pulled off the perfectly planned shower.

Bridesmaid Tips that will make your shower outstanding:

  • Select a theme and stick with it.  It will help you stay consistent and make everything memorable.
  • Purchase thank you notes for the bride so she is prepared to send them immediately following the shower (Hillary even addressed them all for me!)
  • Have someone write down all the gifts and who they are from so the bride has it all together for thank you notes.
  • Do not go overboard on the shower games.  We just did one for the door prize…if anyone wants a copy I am happy to send:)

Bride tips:

  • Take a small hostess gift to show your appreciation for the person having the shower for you.  It does not have to be anything fancy…just thoughtful.
  • Send your thank you notes as soon as possible!  This is very important and appreciated by everyone.  They don’t have to be long, just to let them know you appreciate their generosity.
  • Savor every minute of this time!!

Happy Planning!

-Ty

DIY Spa Day

February 22, 2010 in Uncategorized by Twirl Talk | No comments

My husband asked me recently what kind of hobby I would take up if I had more time (and endless amounts of cash, of course).  I immediately answered, “Going to the spa!”

Times are tight these days, so the lavish visits to the spa for bridal parties are likely not happening as often as they used to.  So why not bring the spa to you?  Choose a bridesmaid’s house that will be comfortable for everyone, and ask each bridesmaid to bring an ingredient or two.  Here are some of my favorite at home treatments:

FACE

I found my favorite at-home facial mask recipes at hubpages.com (and they cost next to nothing since you probably have the ingredients at home)

Banana-Avacodo Facial Mask

per person: 1/2 over-ripe banana, 1/2 over-ripe avacado, 2 tbsp plain yogurt, 1 tsp olive oil

Mush ingredients together and leave on your face and neck for about 20-30 minutes.  I use a warm washcloth over the sink to take this off (mess note: drape yourself with a towel for this one and don’t walk around the house while it’s on…it’s pretty messy).  This mask leaves my face feeling so fresh and new!

Peach Facial Mask

per person: 1/2 ripe peach, 1 egg white, 1 tsp plain yogurt

Put ingredients in a blender and leave on for about 30 minutes.  I put a washcloth in the microwave for a few to take this one off – it helps loosen the egg whites, then I splash with cool water.  I love this mask because it makes my skin feel tighter (and younger).

FEET

Foot Soak

Someone taught me once to fill a shallow plastic tub with warm water and a few drops of peppermint oil and eucalyptus oil – so easy and feels incredibly refreshing. 

Then lather up with peppermint foot lotion (my favorite is the Mentha Foot Lotion at Bath and Body) microwave a wet hand towel, and wrap around your feet – ahhhhhh.

Even with a smaller bridal party, you’ll spend very little money and leave feeling pampered and refreshed.  Pop open some wine and serve yummy cheeses and veggies – what a great girls’ day!

-Keri

Introducing Chloe and Reese Bridesmaid Dresses!

February 22, 2010 in Uncategorized by Twirl Talk | No comments

“For the modern glamour girl” – we’ve got a hot new line of bridesmaid dresses for you by Chloe and Reese!

They’re such fun party dresses and can easily be worn for a rehearsal dinner or just a fabulous evening out!  Exclusively carried at Twirl in Scottsdale, these dresses are sure to please the most style conscious brides and bridesmaids. 

 

 

Twirl Lexington Dress of the Week

February 19, 2010 in Bridesmaid Dress of the Week, Ty by Twirl Talk | No comments

The new Sofia bridesmaid dress from Lynn Lugo has been all the rage at Twirl Lexington this week.  It is an elegant, yet romantic and whimsical dress.  The Sofia dress can come in a variety of lengths, colors and fabrics so it can be tailored to fit each bride’s individual style.  The slight sweetheart neckline and tulip skirt look fabulous on many different body types and with a price point of $270 it is sure to be a hit with your bridesmaids as well.  Sofia has been a favorite style of bridesmaid dress of everyone that has come in to the Lexington store since she arrived! 

-Ty

Twirl Talk Guest: XOXO Bakery

February 18, 2010 in Guest Bloggers by Twirl Talk | No comments

A quick guest blog today from a company we introduced you to awhile back, with their tasty and attractive desserts.  Now…wedding cake filled with gelato! 

The Gelato Spot is excited to introduce to you our new division of sweets: XOXO Bake Shop. We offer gelato/ pastry wedding cakes, gelato (ice cream) bar, or individual custom desserts for your special day. We encourage you to come in to one of our 4 locations for tastings and details for cakes and desserts. Contact Lynette Dollen at 602.430.3012 or lynetted@gelatospot.com for appointments. Here are a couple pictures of our wedding cakes.

Also, stay tuned for our bridal shower desserts and cakes in our next post!

 

Teri and Danny’s Wedding in Rancho Santa Fe

February 17, 2010 in Real Bridal Parties by Twirl Talk | No comments

Teri and Danny were married at the beautiful Inn at Rancho Santa Fe in Rancho Santa Fe, California.

The girls wore the fabulous “Stella” dress from the Thread Collection, and they totally rocked it! The dresses perfectly complemented the Bride and Groom’s vintage garden themed wedding, and the wicker color was just right against Teri’s cream colored wedding gown. The best part of this dress is that it looks great on all body types, including the two pregnant bridesmaids (bet you couldn’t even tell!)

Teri and Danny’s day was a complete DIY wedding planned by the bride along with the help from her wonderful family and friends.

The beautiful pictures below are courtesy of STUDIO Castillero.

Teri and Danny - we wish you a lifetime of happiness!

Tuesdays with Ty – Planning the Honeymoon

February 16, 2010 in Tuesdays With Ty, Ty by Twirl Talk | No comments

On these cold, snowy days in Kentucky I am longing for tropical breezes and sunshine!  What better time to plan our honeymoon??!! 

Since we were pretty much snowed in yesterday, Brandon and I started researching honeymoon spots and weighing our pros and cons for each location.  Where do you begin, you may ask??  We started with deciding what kind of trip we want…a relaxing, tropical get-away where we can lay on the beach with a few good books and not worry about anything other than what fruity daiquiri to try next or where to eat that night.   There are lots of options out there depending on what type honeymoon you want.  We won’t have more than a week due to his work schedule and mine with Twirl, so somewhere far, far away isn’t ideal for us.  We are sticking with somewhere within a 4-5 hour flight so the relaxation can begin right away!  That being said, we will end up in either Mexico or the Caribbean!

There are TONS of great options out there for helping you plan if you are doing it on your own.  You can always go the Sandals All-Inclusive route – they have tons of great locations and know how to treat honeymooners.  My best friend just went to Sandals St. Lucia and loved every minute of it.  There are usually local representatives you can speak with about different options and they will help tailor your trip to exactly what you want.

Travelzoois another great website for deals on trips.  Yesterday I found a trip to Playa del Carmen Mexico to a great resort for a heck of a deal!  I also found a 6 day trip to the Amalfi coast of Italy for an unbelievable price.  If we had more time, believe me we would be in Italy!  My suggestion if you find any hotel on a deal website like this is to look it up on TripAdvisor and read the traveler reviews on everything.  You can usually get a good feel of how the resort will treat you, how the food is, etc.  That way you can make an informed decision on your trip.  Expedia and Orbitz usually are a big help when looking for deals as well.

In the end, it just comes down to what you and your fiance want out of the Honeymoon experience.  You can make any budget work and have a fabulous trip!

Bridesmaid Tip:  Sign up for Travelzoo or other travel website “Deals of the Week” to keep your eyes open for deals to send your bride for her honeymoon.  Any little bit of help is welcomed when trying to plan everything.

Bridesmaid Gifts

February 15, 2010 in Bridesmaid Tips and Advice, Jenni by Twirl Talk | No comments

Just the other day Keri and I were talking to a bride about what to get her bridesmaids as a gift.  We sat there and reminisced about the gifts we have been given in the past and came up with a few that we think were just fabulous. 

Jewelry – This is probably the most popular gift.  After all it is necessary to accessorize when wearing your bridesmaid dress.  Dressing it up is half the fun.  For a variety of inexpensive and cute options we love Forever 21. 

If you want to coordinate your jewelry with the color of your dresses our favorite is Liz Love Collections.  She has so many beautiful stones.  With a swatch of your bridesmaid’s dress you could match them perfectly.  We even had one bride go the extra mile and she asked Liz to design a different pair of earrings for each of her girls to suit their individual personalities.  

Clutch – This was my most favorite gift.  I received this lovely brown clutch embroidered with delicate flowers for my friend Jenn’s wedding.  I still have and use it today.  It was so nice to have something to put my lipstick, etc in for the night.  I don’t know what I would have done without it.  

Shoes – Who wouldn’t love to get shoes as a gift?  We have seen it all.  Even a bride who bought her girls the most amazing bright red Manolo Blahniks.  Our favorite bridesmaid shoe designer is Blue Tux Shoes.  They are reasonably priced and have many cute strappy options to choose from.  Another fun option is to buy some flip flops or ballet flats for your girls to wear during the reception.  We love the personalized look of Phat Flops for flip flop options or for ballet flats, designer Dessy. 

Bridesmaid Dress – Many brides worry and fret over asking their girls to pay for their bridesmaid dress.  So some decide to make that the gift.  I love this!  Especially when it is a cute style that someone can wear again – what a great gift. When doing your wedding budget factoring in an extra $1000.00 might not seem that bad in the whole scheme of things.  And your girls will be forever grateful. 

- Jenni

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