All Things Wedding From Wedding Stationery to Bridal Wear

Okay, I know – I know! – I’ve said plenty of times that the details don’t matter, it’s about the relationship, blah blah blah. And it is. I absolutely do not rescind that sentiment. However, one still kind of needs the details.

As you know if you’ve read anything about me, met me, or probably seen a picture of me, my Detail Nemesis is clothing. Luckily, I’ve got that whole wedding dress thing figured out, and my custom-made-from-Etsy suit should be arriving in the mail in a couple of weeks. In the meantime, my Detail Nemesis is more specific: shoes.

I have written many a post on shoes, and “is this one okay? How about this? Here is what I really like.” And I am always met with someone saying, “THAT IS THE WORST IDEA YOU EVER HAD,” or “They have to be white!” or “Do what you want, but I think those don’t go,” or “I’m saying they’re fine with my words, but my wrinkled forehead and sneer indicate that I have other feelings.”

I bought these shoes, because I loved them…

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and then I realized that the heels were just too much for me. Luckily my sister also loved them and she is their new proud owner.

Then I found these shoes…

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… and then I saw their price tag. Oh well.

But you guys – I finally did it. I found some shoes.

I was being stubborn and insisting that I could find one pair of shoes to wear with both dress and suit. This was hard because 1. I have no idea what my suit actually looks like, and 2. No one approved of any of my choices for both outfits.

Then, in a freak occurrence, I found some shoes that I liked and of which various family members approved:

And I was all prepared to be happy with these. They’re nice enough, they’re comfortable, they were only $30… and then I found these:

Oooh Pretty Shoe!

Shoe, I find it pleasant to look at you.

You make me feel silly and happy, Shoe.

Friends, readers, friendly or less-friend people of the Internet, please don’t tell me you don’t like these shoes. I am too faint of heart to continue my search, and honestly? I really, really like these shoes. They are a little bit oxford-esque, which I really like, and still feminine. They have the teeniest, tiniest wedge (see picture here) and they’re way comfortable. I am so happy.

So the plan is to wear these with my suit (which is dark brown and will be here in a few weeks/a month) and wear the Rocket Dogs with my dress. Though I strongly suspect that I will end up barefoot, and I am quite happy with that.

What is your Detail Nemesis? Or even your clothing nemesis? Guys, I can do tank tops, I can do shorts, I can even do dresses, but if they’re not Chacos or Keens, shoes are not my friends.

This article was originally posted onWeddingbee.

The Pin Cushion Wedding Party has a bit of a gender bias. We’ve snagged ourselves a lot of ladies, and seem to scare off the men. In fact, we have 6 females in our bridal party (3 on my side, 3 on Mr. PC’s) and only 2 males (1 on each side). We love our bridal crew, lopsidedness and all.

Our bridesmaids and groomswomen deserve to wear awesome dresses at our wedding (though perhaps a slightly less awesome dress than my own would be acceptable). The six ladies have fabulously different bodies. And different skin tones. And different hair color. And very different heights (two people under 5″ [I chose ’em to make me look taller in comparison]).

It was a daunting challenge to pick out a dress that would flatter all of the ’maids. But when I face a challenge, I buck up, square my shoulders and attack it head on… no… wait. That must be some other bee. This bee tends to slump over, wave a white flag and pass the challenge off to some unsuspecting victim. Like my bridesmaids and groomswomen.

I asked the ladies to choose their own dresses. I gave them the loose guidelines of 1) stay within our wedding colors, 2) no long dresses, 3) please don’t look like you work at A) a strip club or B) a nunnery. That was pretty much it. And, watching the ’maids’ reactions, you would have thought it was some great act of selflessness on my part, and not a brilliant scheme to pawn off my difficult decision on someone else.

Here are the decisions that I didn’t have to make, I mean, here are the dresses they’ve bought so far:

Groomswoman L has a smokin’ red dress from here (with detachable empire waist for baby-nursing [or showing off your goodies {though that breaks guideline 3}).

Bridesmaid J bought a sweet eyelet dress from here.

Groomswoman Q bought a sexy satin dress from here.

And Bridesmaid S picked a fab flowy green dress from here.

As I assume most of you are over the age of 5, and thus, can add single digits, you probably noticed there are only 4 dresses shown and we have 6 bridal party ladies (if you are under the age of 5, I congratulate you on your extraordinary ability to read and navigate the internet). That is because two of our female attendants are still looking for their perfect dress. And though we are only a few weeks out, knowing those 2 are still dress-less doesn’t raise my blood pressure even 1 point (okay, maybe 1 or 2, but that’s it!). The gorgeous dress choices that the others have made leaves me confident that the last two dresses will be amazing as well. (And if not, all the better my own dress will look in comparison, right? [I’m just asking for bad wedding karma here]).

The decision to hand off the dress picks to the ladies has been win-win. I have less to worry about and the girls might actually find something they will wear again, and in a price range that doesn’t give them a heart attack (I’m just thinking about my friends’ health here, people).

How did you pick the dresses for your bridal party ladies? Or are you joining me in waving a white flag on that decision and giving up full control?

This article was originally posted onWeddingbee.

***First, a disclaimer: So much has been happening as we are approaching W-Day, that I barely have time to breathe, let alone blog. Sister Pudding has been on my case about it, but I hope that the hive will be a little more understanding. I have tried really hard in the past couple of weeks to check in at least once every few days, and will continue to do so until the wedding. ***

This post is about SHOES. Judging by the comments on past shoe posts like this one and this one, this topic gets the hive buzzing. And despite the fact that this post should have been written about a month ago, who am I to rob you of a good shoegasm?

Like many, many brides before me, I have recently become a two-shoe bride. I really couldn’t afford to be a two-dress bride, so the shoe dilemma had to suffice to fuel my need to be indecisive and paranoid.

Remember my original shoes? They were these lovelies from Badgley Mischka:

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If you remember correctly, these shoes didn’t floor me. Don’t get me wrong, I really liked them. I just knew that they were not the most special shoes that I have ever worn, and I really wanted my wedding shoes to make a statement, a la Mrs. Cola. So, I kept the shoes, but I also kept looking. And one day, while doing another aimless internet search, I stumbled upon these:

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They were definitely “special”. But in a good way, or a bad way? I showed them to Mama Pudding. Her exact words (in a loose translation by me) were, “those are some stupid looking shoes.” Sister Pudding said, in her politically correct way, “I would never wear them.” But I just couldn’t let them go without seeing them for myself. And with free shipping both ways from endless.com, I had nothing to lose!

When the shoes came, they were too small (note to North American shoe retailers selling European shoes: a size 39 European is not a size 9 North American. The last digit of the European size does not correlate to the American size in any way!). Nevertheless, I knew that I loved them. I exchanged them for a bigger pair, and nervously took them to Canada to be scrutinized by Mama and Sister P.

To my surprise, in real life everyone loved them! They are a perfect match for my wedding dress, and the overall feel of our wedding. Sure, they are over the top. Sure, I will never, ever wear them again. But for me, that’s kind of the point: these are once in a lifetime shoes.

Were your shoes practical, or over the top? Did you purchase shoes that others around you hated at first? Which of the two pairs of shoes above do you prefer?

This article was originally posted onWeddingbee.

Everyone knows it can take the bride a while to find her perfect wedding dress, but guests at the ceremony may also have trouble finding themselves an outfit.

Offering some advice on the subject, Perfect Wedding magazine editor Helen Webster said that prom-style frocks are perfect for summer nuptials.

This is because they can be worn to more than one event if a lucky lady receives several wedding invitations and can be accessorised in different ways.

She suggested that women "pick a dress in that style with a plain fabric – maybe a pale pink, one of the nude tones which are quite big on the high street at the moment".

These are often strapless and feature a full skirt and sweetheart neckline.

To bring some colour to the outfit, Ms Webster suggested adding a sash ribbon or bright corsage and shoes. Similarly, a beaded shrug can also be used as a cover-up.

Research conducted by Direct Line recently revealed that guests spend an average of £294 on preparations and wedding gifts for the big day.

Click through for a top of the range list of beautiful wedding dresses

This article was originally posted onHitched.

It’s going to be a busy couple of weeks for the Starfishes! This upcoming weekend we are heading to the Jersey Shore for Shower #1. FMIL Starfish is hosting a bridal shower for us at a beautiful waterfront restaurant. Then Shower #2 is the following week at a cute New England Inn, hosted by the Starfish Bridesmaids and Starfish Mom.

So what does a girl wear to a Jersey Shore shower and a Boston tea party? I’ve looked for weeks for white dresses, I have some crazy idea that I need to wear white to every wedding event. I thought this for our engagement party too, and ended up in silver. Well, after many shopping excursions, I only found one white dress, which I can’t wear for both showers.

So here’s what I’ve come up with. I love them both, but feel like the “rope dress” isn’t bridal enough.

I love the back on this one!

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Other than being white, I had one other thing that I wanted from the dress—I have to be able to wear it again! Luckily, I love them both and they are perfect summer dresses that I can wear a lot over the next few months. Can you can guess what dress goes with what shower?

Did you have trouble finding a dress you loved for your shower? Anyone else feel the need to wear white to everything?

This article was originally posted onWeddingbee.

When it comes to walking down the aisle, the wedding dress is likely to be the most important frock for any bride.

However, one author has suggested many women are starting to get more and more excited by the thought of their going-away outfit.

Writing for the Telegraph, Celia Walden explained this is the dress the bride puts on when she leaves to go on honeymoon with her new husband.

While wedding dresses can often be "rigid satin columns or great tulle puffs", the going-away frock is "less constrained" while still having romantic symbolism, she stated.

Designer Allegra Hicks told Ms Walden: "The fun of the going-away dress is that it can be as expressive and exotic as you like and in any colour, shape, or material."

Shelly Vella, fashion director at Cosmopolitan, recently suggested that because of the recession, this winter's fashion trends are likely to be simple but with an unusual twist.

Click through for a top of the range list of beautiful wedding dresses

This article was originally posted onHitched.

Despite the fact that by the end of November I had a pretty good idea of what I was looking for in a wedding dress, I didn’t actually plan to go shop for one until March. I was really excited to plan lovely adventures with my bridesmaids involving me trying on lots of amazing dresses followed by brunch.

I didn’t get any of that.

Nope, I found my dress by accident when I wasn’t even looking for it. I was shopping with one of my bridesmaids in early January, a full 11-and-a-half months before my wedding. We were poking around Second Time Around, a consignment store in Yorkville when I found a dress that looked almost exactly like what I was looking for.

I tried it on and it was lovely.

I’m not actually going to describe it or show pictures before the wedding as I want to preserve the “drama of the bridal arrival”, as my mom would put it, but suffice it to say that it fulfilled each and every one of my criteria. The one part I can talk about though was the price. This dress cost $300 (Canadian) tax included. That’s right, it cost less than half of what I was expecting to pay. Amazing.

While I loved the dress I was pretty hesitant about buying it. I’ve been known to get buyers remorse and I really couldn’t afford to have buyers remorse with my dress. I also really did want to experience the whole ritual of buying a wedding dress, so I had to consider the fact that I’d be missing out on that.

In the end though, it was a really easy decision and I left there with the gorgeous dress. While I’m a bit sad to have missed out on all those dress shopping outings, I’m thrilled to have an inexpensive dress I love. I’m also thrilled with the fact that it’s a second hand dress for environmental reasons. I wouldn’t have had an issue with buying a new dress, but this is just the icing on the cake! Plus, how cool will it be to tell my grandkids that I bought a vintage wedding dress? Unless that’s really uncool in 45 years…

Did anyone else find their dress unexpectedly? Did you miss not having a “traditional” dress shopping experience?

This article was originally posted onWeddingbee.

We’re all about inspiration which means that we get pretty excited to bring you delightful little decor ideas, chic new wedding day styles, and some of the most fabulous designers in the industry… and Jennifer Salzman is just that. Not only are we in love with her gorgeous gowns, we’re totally inspired by her glamorous, elegant style. We’ve been in obsessed with her jaw-dropping dresses for awhile now, but we’re beyond thrilled to now welcome her into our Fashion Look Book.

Jennifer Salzman’s dresses are showstoppers… actually they’re beyond that, they’re completely unforgettable. Each has it’s own dramatic flair… from Swarovski crystals to french lace and ruffled skirts to bubbled tiers… every single detail of these gowns is totally stunning. If you’re seriously craving these lavish looks, head on over to the look book to browse through more of her fabulous styles. And if you’re dying to get into one of these beauties asap, it just so happens that Jennifer Salzman is having a sample sale right here. And who said the perfect dress was hard to find?!?

Welcome to the Look Book Jennifer!

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This article was originally posted onStyle Me Pretty.

Every bridezilla wants to look goddess glam on her wedding day. Flowing fabrics paired with gold or silver ropes and soft touches instantly transform a bride from lowly earthling to Venus. The key to these luxurious gowns, aside from the billowing fabrics, is the color. They are usually not pure white, but have warm undertones that complement every complexion.

Strapless Goddess Dress

Keep the hair, makeup and other accessories in the same goddess theme. Wavy hair, loosely pinned back with a few curling tendrils framing the face is all you need. As for makeup, a gold hue for the eyes, pale lips and sun-kissed skin tie your look together.

Definitely de-accessorize! Less is more when you’re going for the goddess look. Try a light drop earring or necklace, nothing more is needed. Think Momma Mia.

The Ultimate Goddess

It takes definite work to look like a bridezilla goddess! But it’s oh-so worth the effort.

Both dresses can be found at Nicole Miller.

This article was originally posted onBridezilla.

At Barney’s the other day I saw them. My perfect wedding earrings. Yup. I didn’t even know such a thing existed, but there they were. Cool, vintage, colorful and just wonderful. Kinda like these:

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For the record these are not the exact ones that caught my eye at Barney’s (damn Flash sites!) but some similar ones from the same todiefor jeweler, Larkspur and Hawk.

Anyhoo I noted the brand and hopped in the elevator.

By the time I got to my car I had convinced myself that they could probably be my wedding treat to myself. I figured they were probably a few hundred bucks. Sure, they’d be a splurge, but they were awesome.

Yeah. I looked them up. It never bodes well when something doesn’t even have a price listed. The comparable ones by the same jeweler? Between $2000 and $4000! Say whaaaaa?

They are not precious stones people. They are glass. Some are topaz or amethyst. And foil. I don’t think they’re even real gold. Nope. They’re silver. And that vintage look? Um that’s because L&H does both actual vintage and modern/vintage designs. Yes, I am just whining because I can’t afford them. Not even a little bit.

Enter Etsy. Music Swells. I swoon. Or something like that.

It took a little searching but I found some nearly identical earrings on Etsy. Well, better than identical, actually. I found some awesome, colorful, tear-drop shaped vintage glass, super fantastic bling bling earrings to rock on our wedding day. On a dime, too.

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Pretty pretty right?

Screech. Only problem? As some of you may know I kinda have a thing for yellow gold. No really. You can read about it here and here. So these earrings would be damn near perfect if only they were yellow gold.

Kinda like this:

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Why yes, those are MY wedding earrings newly plated in yellow gold and a freakin’ fantastic example of just how effing awesome Etsy sellers BeyondtheRockz really are.

Seriously. Al & Caroline were super quick to respond, super nice, AND they plated my earrings for a mere $10! I could not be happier. So go check ‘em out, but promise not to buy everylastpieceofamazingvintageglass that they have squirreled away because I might want to do earrings for my bridesmaids, hear?

What kind of jewelry are you wearing for your wedding day? Anyone else going for bright bright baubles?

This article was originally posted onWeddingbee.