need a wedding dress?

Finding the perfect dress is difficult.  As a picky shopper, I know the frustrations of walking around from store to store for hours and coming away with nothing.  Too expensive.  Too big.  Too "typical".

Well if you're in the hunt for one, maybe this is the dress you've been looking for.  Please take the time to check out this beautiful dress by Maggie Sottero.  It originally retails for about $1200 but my friend is willing to sell it for much cheaper.  Size 0. Tags attached. Made 3" shorter. 

You can check out more pictures on this website: http://maggiegown.shutterfly.com/.

Please email me at belovedevents@yahoo.com or comment on this blog if you're interested!  As always, thanks for reading!

Maggie Sottero's mission is to make dreams a reality for every Maggie Sottero bride by delivering innovative designs, superior quality and best-in-class service.

wedding cakes gone wrong...or right?

This post should probably be titled "Inspiration: I don't event know".  You'll understand why in a little.

One thing I've been saying lately is that anything goes on your wedding day -- it's your wedding day.  So go ahead, break the rules and go non-traditional.  Be unique.  Have a Nike shoe wedding cake and be proud of it!

However, the other day I was looking at Cake Wrecks -- they've documented many wedding cakes, and it's made me reconsider the "do anything you want rule."  I mean, extra points for creativity and having a cake probably no one else will ever have (EVER), but maybe there's a line we need to draw for ridiculousness...

I'll let you decide! Here's a few of my favorites.

Yes, you're on a boat, but I'm pretty sure you're not mermaids...Image credit: Jet City Cakes

It's the leaning tower of...cake? I think your wedding day is stressful enough -- now you have to worry about your cake falling over!

I'm a fan of bright colors, but there's a line I have to draw.

This looks like layers of rocks. Enough said.

"And that's why you always let the groom have his cake." -- Cake Wrecks

Yes.  That's live fish in champagne glasses.

This is just a small sample -- go check out Cake Wrecks!  It's hilarious!

strut your stuff

So when you typically think of the colors that a bride can wear on her wedding day you think...

White. Ivory. Silver (maybe?). Red? Purple? ...

Seem strange?  I mean, the first time I saw a bride in grey I'll admit I was a little shocked.  But the more weddings I've done, it seems that all the rules of what we consider "traditional" for weddings are slowly being broken, including the "bride has to be in all white" rule.  It seems that color has been sneaking its way into all aspects of the bride's attire (I mean how could we resist, colors are great)! 

Of the many ways color has been incorporated into bridal attire, my favorite trend are shoes, especially the bright colored ones (I'm a big fan of bright colors)!  I may be slightly biased -- I have a pair of purple ruffle booties that I LOVE, but also, I think colors are a way of communicating your personality (i.e. bright = loud, happy, excited, optimistic).  And it's just one more way to make your wedding day special!  So if you decide to opt for the not-so-typical bridal shoe, be sure to hike up your dress a little and show them off on your big day!

Image Credit: Natalie Moser, TOMS Shoes - Jessica Hill Photography

Image credit: Cory Parris Photography

Image Credit: SimplyTwo Photography

inspiration: Home Depot

It's not everyday that I walk into Home Depot and find inspiration for weddings.  Nor do I walk into Home Depot, really, ever.  Maybe I should start checking out hardware stores more often -- I may find some hidden gems.  So the other day I went with a friend to Home Depot to simply get some nails to hang up some pictures in my house.  Nothing special.  My friend, on the other hand, was looking for something more unique: chalkboard paint. 

I had always heard of it -- but I don't think the excitement of the paint really hit me until I saw it.  Not only did they have classic black chalkboard paint, but they also had one you could tint different colors!  Legit.  If you know me at all, I get excited about, well, pretty much everything.  Literally, it does not take much.

Anyways, I was inspired to share all the creatives ways you can use this paint in your event or wedding -- menus, favors, signage, escort cards, table numbers.  It's a great (and cheap!) DIY project for a bride on a budget.  Simply find someone with cool handwriting and you're in business!

I absolutely love these escort cards!  So creative!

Spice up a black background with bright chalk colors!

I think that says it all!

 
So who's going to be getting some chalkboard paint soon?  I sure am!

wedding cakes: Nike Edition

I read a lot of blogs -- especially ones about weddings, everything and anything related to weddings.  Photography. DIY projects. Flowers. Cakes.

One of my favorite things to do is come up with creative ideas for my friends' weddings that uniquely capture their interests and personalities.  Some people have their own weddings planned out in their heads.  Not so for me -- I only got so far as my color scheme, and even then I'm unsure.  But other people -- I'm all for coming up with creative ideas.

I have a friend who loves shoes -- and when I say shoes, I mean Nike Jordans.  She's even gone so far to describe them as "sexy."  So the other day, when I was looking at Sweet and Saucy Shop's blog and came across a Nike cake, I was stoked!  And they even happen to be her wedding shoes too (yeah, she's got all white Jordan elevens).  Let's just say I was extremely excited and sent this to her immediately.  Who says you can't have a Nike cake at your wedding? Goodbye 3 tier round cake, hello Nike! Check out this awesome cake!

Check out more pictures on their blog!


What creative twist will you take to make your wedding cake special?

connie + chi

Love is not bound by time. And therefore...

...it's never too late to get married.

I think it's safe to say that my dad and his college roommates had been waiting for Chi to get married for a long time.  Even as a kid, I remember hearing them constantly wondering when it was going to happen -- it was literally all I knew about Chi.  So when the day finally came it was nothing but celebration amongst old friends.

Of course, I was also excited because it was another opportunity to gain some wedding planning experience.  If there's one thing I've learned in this journey -- it never hurts to offer to help.  You may get more than you bargained for, but it'll be worth it.  And that's precisely what happened.  I offered to help day-of, and I ended up being one of the official coordinators along with my godmother, Elaine -- got listed in the program and everything :)

This wedding was a lot of "firsts" for me.  First time making a wedding timeline.  First time running a rehearsal.  First time setting up a reception by myself.  It was the transition from being just a wedding assistant to the wedding planner, and one step closer to my dream career.

If I could describe this wedding in one word it would be simple.  The day was dedicated to celebrating Chi and Connie's marriage. There was no bridal party or groomsmen.  Dinner was served uninterrupted (no toasts, bouquet toss, dancing).  The favors were ferrero rocher (they were a big hit among the kids who walked around the reception hall trying to get as many as they could). 

The more weddings I attend the more I realize that elegance can be achieved without spending a lot of money.  One easy tip is to use the same flowers in your reception as you did in your ceremony.  This saves you the cost of ordering additional floral centerpieces!

Here are some pictures from their beautiful day!

The happy couple!

Me and the beautiful bride!  Thanks to Connie for letting me plan your wedding!

inspiration: floating candles

It's a fact that floral centerpieces can break your budget if you're not careful. As I was looking for inspiration for a Christmas fundraising dinner I'm planning, I came across these beautiful floating candle centerpieces.  Not only are they beautiful, but they cost a lot less than a bundle of flowers!

Cranberries are a creative addition to Christmas decor