The Bridesmaid Blog
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Simply Love Studio is featuring a Bride’s Night Out educational series that is completely FREE for brides!
Join them on Wednesday, June 2 from 6:30 – 8:30 pm to learn all about planning your dream wedding with details on budget, rentals, flowers, catering and photography!
You can RSVP to info@simplylovestudio.com! Don’t miss out on this great opportunity to learn from the best of the best professionals in Central Kentucky.
Simply Love Studio
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
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
I ate lots of jelly beans while working on my To-Do list!
The most important advice my best friend gave me is to enjoy the moment! Take the time to enjoy your last few days as an “engaged” couple…you will never be that again after the big day. We are also going to take some time to have dinner with each of our parents again to convey our thankfulness for their support and love throughout this time. My parents have been truly wonderful and I will never be able to repay them for all they have done. I want to be able to celebrate with them and celebrate!
A few other things that are topping my list:
There are a few fun things I am planning as well! This week my Matron of Honor, Nancy, and I are going to Happy Hour to go over everything to make sure I am not forgetting anything! It will also be fun to relax and take a moment to breathe.
Relax!
Next Monday I am getting a massage before I start getting everything together for the honeymoon! There is certainly a lot take care of, but just keep a list going and ask for help if you feel overwhelmed. This is a time you should be joyous and not stressed. Enjoy the moment.
Happy Planning!
-Ty
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):
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
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
Most couples opt to do their engagement photos right when they get engaged, but there is really no rule saying when you should do them. We opted to wait until the weather was a bit warmer since we wanted to do them outside so we just did them two weeks ago:)
Engagement pictures can serve a few different purposes. They can make a cute save-the-date card, can be used for engagement announcements in the newspaper, could be great gifts for Christmas or Mother’s Day depending on the time of year, and give you a good opportunity to work with your photographer before your big day. Getting used to the style of the photographer will be key for your wedding day pictures. The more comfortable you are the better pictures they can capture!
Historic Gratz Park
One other idea my best friend used (and I am stealing) is to use your engagement pictures to make a unique guest book for the wedding. Let’s be honest, how many people will get out a book of just names signed? But a book of your engagement pictures with room for guests to leave a message is a keepsake you can always treasure!
More urban shots
Now, on to the setting for our pictures. Our wonderful photographer, In Retrospect Photography, met us in the historic downtown area of Lexington called Gratz Park. We walked around and used several backdrops of old homes and spring flowers and even wandered into a parking garage for a more “urban feel”. Even though urban is a stretch for Lexington:) We wore colors that complemented one another, but weren’t too matchy. Cailyn told us to be comfortable and we didn’t want to be pulling and tugging at something we weren’t comfortable in. I chose a cute, casual sundress for the first outfit. The second outfit I changed into a little black dress…still casual, but a little more dressy. I love dresses, have I ever mentioned that??
One of my faves!
We told Cailyn we only had one request for a photo. Brandon and I are both fanatical University of Kentucky basketball fans. Since one of our first times hanging out we watched the SEC Basketball Tournament we wanted to tie that in somehow. We requested to take one picture at Rupp Arena where the old basketball floor is displayed. I know, we are dorks. It was fun though and totally represented our relationship and something we love to do together!
On the old Rupp Arena floor
The best tip I can give for engagement pictures is to just enjoy the time and be comfortable so the love you share can reflect in the pictures. Enjoy your engaged time together! It flies by…trust me!!
Happy Planning!
-Ty
Clutch purses by BJolley available at Twirl Lexington
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
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
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:
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!
Ty
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
It is about this time every Spring when the sun dresses and tank tops come out of hibernation that I wish I had a naturally dark complexion…or had just gotten back from a week at the beach! But since both of those are not true I have officially started my self tanning experiment.
I decided to start experimenting early so I can have the process down pat just in time for the wedding…so I can be a perfectly bronzed bride. Luckily, one of our Twirl brides is a manager at Fusion Tanning Studios here in Lexington and offered me great advice. I have done 2 self tanning sessions so far in the Mystic Tan booth and am very pleased with the results! Here is what I found to work best:
While it sounds like a lot of hassle, it really is not. It only takes about 10-15 minutes total time. I was very reluctant at first because I had bad experiences when the spray tan first came out a few years ago, but things have drastically improved since then. I love the results and can’t wait to go again! You will feel tan and beautiful like you have just spent a day at the beach.
Fusion Tanning Studios also has bridal party packages that can benefit both bridesmaids and brides! Ask your local tanning salon if they don’t mention it!
Bridesmaid tip: If your bride has mentioned trying self tanning chip in and get her a package to try it out. It would make a great personal shower gift:)
Happy Tanning!
-Ty
With 7 weeks to go now we are turning our focus to the details of the ceremony. The big pieces of the ceremony have been put into place, but now we need figure out the little things that will make our day memorable.
Obviously, you need someone to perform your marriage ceremony and since our wedding isn’t taking place in a church we had to decide who to use. The minister from my hometown church is marrying us. Most ministers are very specific on how they want the ceremony to run, so getting this detail taken care of will help you move forward on this part of planning. In our pre-marriage counseling classes we will go through and plan the ceremony and how we want it to go with the minister.
If you want to start getting an idea of how it will go before you meet with your minister, The Knot has a good resource of program wording by ceremony and religion type. You can use this as a basic outline until you meet with your officiant to get his/her ideas. This way you can start getting an idea of what readings and music you want to incorporate and where it is appropriate.
As for readings, I think it is important to use things that are special to you and your fiance. Of course, there are the very traditional readings that are beautiful and never go out of style. However, we are going to incorporate some Bible verses Brandon used during his proposal. He had written a few very special ones about love on little cards for me. We are also going to have the readings done by couples that are special to us and in the program list how many years they have been married.
If you want a different twist, you can always pick a unique poem or short book. One of my favorite weddings I attended had a children’s book read during their ceremony called “I Like You”. It was SO appropriate because she is a kindergarten teacher. Don’t be afraid to go out of the box!
Music in the ceremony is the same…you can always go traditional and classic. There are great resources for that as well on The Knot. BUT we aren’t going traditional on the ceremony music! We are having all acoustic guitar and I am so excited! Brandon has a friend that is a musical genius, so he is in charge. We are using a few special songs (that will be revealed later) and one that was written by the guitarist we are using. I also have a dear friend, who happens to be a Grammy Nominated Artist, who is also singing. I hope it will be memorable for all.
Tip: Go to YouTube and type in different songs to see if you like them. Most anything can be found on YouTube and you might find something different!
Make your ceremony your own! It is the little things that mean the most.
Happy Planning!
-Ty
Amsale Trunk Show at Twirl Lexington this weekend!
15% off all new Amsale orders placed during the trunk show
This week’s dress of the week is visiting for the weekend with the AmsaleTrunk Show, but will soon be a part of the permanent sample selection in Lexington! This deep purple Aubergine bridesmaid dress is part of a special group of dresses by Amsale offered at a lower price point for $280 and are now available in all Amsale chiffon colors. The flower detail and deep color are both big requests by brides for their bridesmaids for fall weddings.
Full view of style G427C
Amsale style G427C in Aubergine
The food served at your wedding reception should help reflect you and your fiance’s style and tastes. What if your tastes are vastly different, you may ask?? That’s where you can (and should) build both in to the menu.
Brandon and I we decided at the beginning we wanted everything to be comfortable and relaxed for our wedding day, and that will extend to our food. Our caterer, Lundy’s Special Events, has a HUGE menu to choose from. After weighing all the options, we decided on a dinner buffet for our reception. We are trying to stick within our budget and while some may think heavy hors d’oeuvres are less expensive…think again! Since the portions are smaller, many people will eat several. If you are going this route, be sure and include some more substantial food mixed in. The bite sized menu items are all the rage with receptions this year. I love the idea, but it just wasn’t our style for the main course, so we plan on using it later in the evening.
Mini Cheeseburgers are a great choice for wedding appetizers! Yum!
So…now to reveal our dinner selections! It is important to make sure YOU are going to enjoy the food served to all your guests. Brandon doesn’t like crazy foods and I love home-style cooking, so we are doing a traditional Southern meal. Southern pork tenderloin, fried chicken, green beans, garlic mashed potatoes, salad and fresh fruit! I am getting hungry just thinking about it! We are also going to serve a “late night snack” but have yet to decide what it may be. The ideas we have been given are Krispy Kreme donuts, mini cookies and milk shooters, cheese sticks, mini milkshakes…I could go on and on!
Cookie and Milk Shooters
Food stations are also a fun idea for receptions. We considered doing this with a pasta station and hot brown station. Never be afraid to ask your caterer what your options are…the possibilities are endless! Nacho bars, sushi bars, mashed potato bars, etc. You can make the reception meal whatever you want! Just make sure everyone will eat, drink and be ready to dance the night away!
Bridesmaid Tip: Offer to take your bride out to dinner at her fave restaurant to help brainstorm her favorite foods. This may trigger a reception idea she may have never considered!
Happy Planning!
-Ty
In honor of our Lynn Lugo Trunk Show this weekend at Twirl Lexington, we are featuring the “Sam” dress in Sunshine Shantung ($270). This dress has a very classic silhouette, but the button and ruffle detail give it that something special that all brides are looking for in bridesmaid dresses! Best of all…we can totally see this dress gracing the Spring meet at the horse races or at the perfect summer party.
Lynn Lugo "Sam" dress in Sunshine Shantung
