The wedding dress!!

Photo courtesy of John & Joseph Photography.

Photo courtesy of John & Joseph Photography.

What gets more attention from the women at a wedding than the wedding gown? Nothing, of course!! Little girls dream about where they want to get married, they wonder about the flowers they will carry and the food that will be served. But more than any of that, they fantasize about the DRESS they will wear!!!

It’s so important to find just the right wedding gown when you get married! You deserve to feel like nothing less than a princess becoming a queen as you walk down the aisle to marry the love of your life. Sometimes you might try on dozens of dresses before you find just the right one. But you just know it when you do! That magical moment when you put the dress on and turn around to look in the mirror, and think, “this is it!!”

Source: 200Shop

I personally believe that your wedding dress should reflect you and your personality. Some of my favorite gowns were not the traditional white at all, but colorful and unique. But for this blog post, I decided to pick out some gorgeous, more traditional white wedding dresses that really caught my eye.

 

What's in bloom?

 

Spring is blooming everywhere (well, almost anyway!) and so are FLOWERS! I have a soft spot for bridal bouquets and that especially counts in the spring. There’s always so much color and creativity this time of year. We start seeing new arrangements all over the place and I just get all goose-pimply and warm inside at the same time!

Photo courtesy of Christine Farah Photography.

These are some of my favorite seasonal bridal bouquets that I have seen recently. In a lot of them you see these soft, warm pastel colors with splashes of bright color that just make everything pop!

 

Photo courtesy of Jill Thomas.

Some arrangements are leaning towards the more natural, adding things like long branches with leaves and berries for a rustic, bohemian beauty. Like this cheerful yellow bouquet:

Photo courtesy of Tex Petaja Photography.

Here’s another really unique bouquet! This one includes feathers!!! I absolutely love how creative and outside of the box this is. I can only imagine how many other possibilities there are for feathery floral arrangements.

Photo courtesy of Carla Ten Eyck Photography.

And look at this!! These bouquets have a totally vintage feel by creating them entirely from old keys and fabric. Not only is this totally outside the box, but you could keep these mementos of your special day forever and they would never droop or dry out on you.

I love this last one with the cute little succulent! So pretty!

Photo courtesy of Michelle Warren Photography.

Spring is here, and so are spring weddings!

Photo courtesy of Ellie Grover.

One of the best things about spring are the beautiful weddings that the season brings. Just like a marriage, spring symbolizes a new beginning. The fresh start of a journey together, as the couple begins their marriage hand in hand. But not just that, they’re also sweet and light, and often full of nature and flowers, and sometimes set outside. Let’s face it: spring weddings just feel so good!!!

Photo courtesy of Ellie Grover.

Photo courtesy of Ellie Grover.

Photo courtesy of Ellie Grover.

Photo courtesy of Ellie Grover.

When I came upon this wedding on Green Wedding Shoes, I fell in love. The rustic, bohemian beauty of it just made my heart melt. All of the woodsy, earthy inclusions of nature to both the wedding and the reception were just perfect. It does a wonderful job of echoing the personalities of the laid-back bride and groom.

Photo courtesy of Ellie Grover.

Photo courtesy of Ellie Grover.

Photo courtesy of Ellie Grover.

The handmade feel of everything from the invites to the centerpieces to the table settings just really set the stage. The Union Hill Inn really was the perfect choice of setting, and they decorated it so elegantly! As they say: it’s all in the details. And oh, what details!

Photo courtesy of Ellie Grover.

Photo courtesy of Ellie Grover.

Photo courtesy of Ellie Grover.

But more than anything, I love the expressions of the couple in each of the photos. You just feel how happy they are and you want to celebrate with them. Okay, okay. Simply everything about this wedding is just stunning!

Photo courtesy of Ellie Grover.

Photo courtesy of Ellie Grover.

Photo courtesy of Ellie Grover.

Wedding + Circus = Sweetness

Photo courtesy of Studio 6.23.

Sometimes you come across a wedding that is so different, it just stops you in your tracks. Not different as in “wow, that’s so crazy that I can’t understand why anyone would want a wedding like that!” But rather, “Wow! They really put their personality and heart into their wedding and did something that was completely unique to them. How sweet!”

Photo courtesy of Studio 6.23.

That’s what I thought when I saw these photos on Junebug Weddings, and that’s why I simply had to share. As much as I love wedding trends and the simplicity and elegance of what’s usually in style, when I see something like this it really touches my heart. Each couple has their own likes and dislikes, special memories, inside jokes, and passions. They have those personal things that remind themselves of each other.  When a couple finds a way to integrate all of those beautiful things into their wedding, it only makes their union all the more touching.

Photo courtesy of Studio 6.23.

In this wedding, Margaret and Corey turned their special day into a circus! They brought in a Ferris Wheel and an elephant and had the ring bearer dress up as a “ring bear”. The bride and groom are both artists and photographers, and love beauty and creativity. They wanted to shy away from the traditional wedding experience and create a laid back outdoor celebration that would really make their guests feel relaxed and at the same time be a reflection of their personalities. They call their wedding their “first art project together.”

Photo courtesy of Studio 6.23.

Photo courtesy of Studio 6.23.

Photo courtesy of Studio 6.23.

Photo courtesy of Studio 6.23.

Photo courtesy of Studio 6.23.

Photo courtesy of Studio 6.23.

Let your hair down!

Photo courtesy of Yvette Roman.

You know, one of the most fun things about being a bride is the hairstyle. You really get the chance to completely dress your hair up and just feel like a queen. And there are SO many different things you can do with your hair!! (Depending on the hairstyle that you already have, of course.)

Short, medium, or long, there are endless options. You can curl it or keep it straight, braid it, let it fall loosely around your shoulders, or twist it up in spirals and pin it. And then you get to dress it up with clips, ribbons, flowers, or things that sparkle. Like everything else at your wedding, whatever you end up deciding is ultimately a reflection of your unique personality and style.

Photo courtesy of Lea Ann Belter.

 

Photo courtesy of Luna and Chloe Weddings.

Photo courtesy of Christian Oth Studio.

Some brides like to go for a whole new look and will even dye their hair – but beware, unless you’ve done this color before or really know what you’re doing, I wouldn’t do it too close to the wedding. You want to make sure your hair is just right for your big day. And – if you want to get really creative – you could even pair an amazing updo with a chic hat, if the wedding called for it! The only limit is your imagination.

Photo courtesy of Melissa Schollaert Photography.

Photo courtesy of NLC Productions.

Flowers are definitely IN this season, especially now that we’re moving towards spring! It seems that everywhere you look, there are blushing brides with flowers in their hair. Some of them are really fancy and ornate, and others are simple, subtle and elegant. I think the combination of flowers with the right veil are just beautiful.

Photo courtesy of Color Collective.

Loving What We Do

I absolutely love what I do, there’s no doubt about it. It really is a dream job, being a wife and a mother and at the same time pursuing my passion for pattern, paper and color. Even though it's not always easy (there are bumps in any road) I feel so lucky to be on the road that I’m on! Especially when exciting things happen, like right now. BG is expanding to new office space!! I couldn’t be more excited, and of course I had to share with you, beloved blog reader. It’s always a thrill when hard work and passion pay off and you get to take another big leap forward.

You know, I read something recently on the Envelopments blog – our paper good supplier, and it really struck a chord within me. Deborah Hefter said so eloquently what we BG Girls feel as designers, that I don’t think it’s possible for me to say it any better. So even though I don’t usually break out the quotes, I just had to on this one! It was TOO perfect not to. Every time I read this, I get all warm and fuzzy inside, right down to the tips of my toes.

“As invitation designers we are continuously in the habit of falling in love. A new font makes us swoon; a new pattern can cause our heart to skip a beat, while new colors and textures can make us tipsy. We daydream of pairing stock with type, color and texture. We are hunters and gatherers, always looking for the next meal.

And while we can be fiercely loyal and committed in every other way, you could say that in our own sumptuous world where inspiration is always on tap, we are happily and unequivocally “paper ho’s”;  we love ‘em and leave ‘em and love ‘em again.” 

-- Deborah Hefter (Read original blog post.)