Planning a wedding in Oregon or SW Washington? Check out our sister company's website, bravoportland.com
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Bridal New Year's Resolutions
You've made it to a new year in one piece, even after planning the most significant event of your life. Stressed? Yes. Tired? Absolutely. In need of a little R&R? You betcha! But with all that is left to do to plan your upcoming nuptials, who has time to relax?
Everyone realizes this is a very stressful time for you, but a new year also brings new possibilities and a chance to "start fresh". So that is exactly what we are suggesting. Here are a few "New Year's Resolutions" for the bride to be that will help you seize the moment and start the year off on the right foot. List courtesy of Wedding Planning Suite 101.
1. Don't be a Bridezilla. It's easy to get caught up in all the planning and the fantasy of an ideal wedding, and sometimes a bride can forget for a second that she's not a princess. Be kind to everyone who helps you with your wedding and try not to lose your temper if things go wrong.. This relates to the second resolution on this list, which is: 2. Accept that everything won't be perfect. Perfection is impossible, as something always goes wrong when you're planning a big event like this. The image in the magazines of a bride's flawless wedding day is a myth. Accept this, and you'll feel much less stressed and enjoy your wonderful, although not perfect, wedding. This goes for your body image too! If you're heavier than you want to be or your skin is blotchy, so what? 3. Resolve not to do all the wedding planning. Brides seem to get stuck with all the phone calls and trips to the flower shop and all of those other tasks. You don't have time for that, girl! Make sure your fiance understands that this is both of your responsibility. And don't' be afraid to delegate. Asking your friends and family to help you with tasks isn't being a Bridezilla-- it's smart planning (as long as you ask nicely, of course). 4. Stick to a reasonable budget. The bridal industry is a money pit, and you're going to be dealing with an awful lot of people who want to sucker you into buying stuff you really don't need. Resolve to think twice about added expenses. 5. Create a wedding planning schedule (if schedules don't make you crazy). If you're the kind of person who works better with detailed to-do lists, then make yourself one, complete with deadlines, and resolve to stick to your schedule. However, if to-do lists make your feel more stressed out instead of less, this might not be the best strategy. 6. Resolve to send your thank-you notes in a timely manner. Wedding etiquette isn't nearly as strict as it used to be, but this is one rule you have to follow or you'll have hurt feelings. Simplify this process with a system. As you start to receive gifts, make a master list of who sent what. You can also create a stack of pre-addressed and stamped envelopes before the wedding. 7. Be nice to your partner. It's almost inevitable that you two are going to bicker a little bit about all this stressful planning, but resolve to keep this to a minimum. Spend as much time as you can together doing something other than wedding planning. 8. Be patient with your family, including your new in-laws. Your mother might be a little obsessive compulsive about the seating chart, and your sister might be uncooperative because she's jealous. Let them be. As for your in-laws, recognize that this is probably the first major events where you'll be relating to them as family, so you may discover some of their more annoying traits. Forgive them. Understand that wedding planning can be stressful for everyone. 9. Resolve to concentrate on your new marriage, not just on the wedding. This commitment you're making is much more serious than your choice of party favors. Spend some quality time talking to your fiance about your relationship and about this big change you're about to experience together. 10. Remember to enjoy yourself. This is supposed to be a joyful occasion. Don't forget that!
Whenever we come across a new and novel idea for brides, we know it is our duty to share it with you. Traditionally, guests gave the wedding couple gifts along the line of household items to help them start their new lives. These items were essential to the young couple as they were very young and did not own any of the necessary household items to begin their new lives together. And in registering at any of the traditional retailers, the guests are subject to additional charges beyond the gift itself like the sales tax and shipping charges.
In the modern day, couples are getting married later in their lives which means they already have many if not all the things they need for a household - pots and pans, flatware, stemware, etc. Additionally, as the couples unite as a household, they will be consolidating many of their things, getting rid of the duplicate household items. So the last thing they may want is more "stuff" to have to manage and find a place to store more household items.
This is where Wedding Futures comes in. For the modern couple, matters like the down payment for their first home or tuition for their children far outweigh that of fine china or gravy boats. Or even paying off the cost of the wedding and honeymoon as more couples are paying for their own weddings! Wedding Futures allows you to set up a registry for all the securities you need. At registration couples select from one of five types of portfolio profiles - Conservative, Moderate, Aggressive, Green, or Socially Responsible. Stocks in each risk profile span a broad range of prices to fit every gifter’s budget.
We think you'll love these completely unique floral bouquets available through Deco Fleur. Deco Fleur specializes in dried floral arrangements. These bouquets are designed with the holidays in mind, and are generally used as table centerpieces. But as unique as they are, we think they are also a great addition to a fall or winter wedding. All the contents in the bouquet are natural, and the best part is you can use them over and over again. Now that is what we call living green!
You may have seen this couple recently featured on various TV shows and also featured in People magazine. When Jill and Kevin planned their unique wedding entrance, they never could have imagined the response they would receive. Their posted You Tube video has now received over 21 million hits and counting. If you haven't seen the video, check it out below.
Message from Kevin and Jill: We have been through a lot in life, but have come through each experience stronger and more in love with each other. Our experience since we posted the video has been incredible. We would never have expected this response to our wedding entrance in a million years.
We hope to direct this positivity to a good cause. Due to the circumstances surrounding the song in our wedding video, we have chosen the Sheila Wellstone Institute.
Sheila Wellstone was an advocate, organizer, and national champion in the effort to end domestic violence in our communities.
We are so grateful for all the love, kind words, and joy that have been shared with us from around the world. It has moved us deeply and filled our hearts.
If you would like to contact us, email jkweddinginfo@gmail.com
We rarely write about our personal lives on this blog, but there comes a time when you just need to toot your own horn once in a while. At B&E, we are much more than co-workers, we are a family. Beyond what we do in the office, we care about each other's lives, and support each other through the highs and lows of everyday life. Today I am happy to report one of those highs.
Alexis Pellegrini, who has worked for B&E for seven years, and her husband Peter, recently turned their 8 year dream into a reality. Peter, an orthodontist, opened his first solo practice in Everett, WA on August 3rd. We've watched the two of them stay focused as Peter trekked through four years of dental school at the University of Washington, and three more years for his orthodontic residency at Oregon Health Science University.
Now they begin a new chapter as business owners of a beautiful practice in Everett. Alexis, of course, remains a part of our B&E team, and it has been great to see how the skills she has learned working with us have been able to help develop Dr. Pellegrini's web and marketing materials.
We wish them many years of success!
Learn more about Dr. Pellegrini at www.everettbraces.com
Every now and again, we go on the hunt for the best wedding and lifestyle blogs. We've conveniently added some of our favorites in our "Good Reads" section. Here are a few recent additions we think you need to check out...
1. Lotus Haus -The complete lifestyle blog for all things girlie! From weddings to fashion to home decor inspirational ideas, this blog has it all.
2. Coco & Kelley - You'll fall in love with the ideas and color boards created by blogger Cassandra LaValle. Based out of Seattle, Cassandra calls herself "obsessed with style, presentation and design."
3. Poppytalk - If you are the do-it-yourself kind of bride, then you'll love the ideas and creativity of Poppytalk.
4. Karen Tran - If you love all things pretty, then you will absolutely fall for the ideas and design expertise presented by Karen Tran. Based in San Diego, Karen presents floral centerpieces that truly wow and inspire. We dare you not to fall in love.
Does the thought of savings hundreds (or thousands) of dollars on your wedding dress have an appeal? Or are you the bride who wore that magnificent gown and would like see another lucky bride enjoy it as much as you did while re-cooping some money to pay for a piece of that wedding?
This is a great site called preownedweddinggowns.com. On the day we clicked through, there were over 2182 dresses to choose from. A complete list of designers is available to select from - so enjoy looking - and think about what you could do with the savings. We selected three examples to show you.
Top Left: back/front Designer: Cymbeline Sheath Adonis Ivory Label Size: 10 / Street Size 6 Price Paid: $3500 CAD Asking Price: $2000 CAD (Plus Shipping) Condition: New with tags Listing Number: 5264 Silhouette: Sheath Neckline: Spaghetti Straps Dress Description: This is an extremely elegant, timeless and figure flattering wedding dress. You will never find another dress like this one! It has never been worn; has no alterations and the tags are still attached. It is very light-weight and comfortable to wear. It has fine, delicate lace and silk Carmeuse underneath. It is ideal for a bride who is looking for comfort with the utmost elegance and exquisiteness. It was purchased in NYC and made in Paris, France and is a size EUR 40 (which is a size 10 in North America/ a size 12 in the UK/ or a size 6 “street size”). I purchased this for $3500 Canadian dollars and would like to sell it for $2000 Canadian Dollars.
Top Right: back/front Designer: Vera Wang $4500 USD Label Size: 10 / Street Size 6 Price Paid: $7600 USD Asking Price: $4500 USD (plus shipping) Condition: Used Listing Number: 4772 Silhouette: Trumpet Neckline: Strapless Color: ivory / cream Dress Description: Vera Wang Gorgeous, fashion-forward Vera Wang gown. It list for $7600. It is a strapless trumpet gown made of ivory silk faille. Tiny pleated gores extending from the bodice to the train. The back has beautiful covered buttons down back covering zipper, fully lined with attached net petticoat, gathered fabric pull to covered button below buttocks. Vera Wang's signature black velvet bow is at knee height on the back.
Bottom Center: front/back Designer: Priscilla of Boston Size: Street Size 2 Listing Number: 4293 Style Number: 4016 Ivory Silk Asking Price: $2800 USD (Including veil and dress) Condition: Used Silhouette: Mermaid Neckline: Sweetheart Color: Ivory silk Dress Description: This dress is amazing! The moment I tried it on I fell in love. I just can't bear it sitting in a box forever, it deserves to be worn by another beautiful bride! The dress has two large bows that were supposed to be attached to the back, but I opted to have removed. I still have them and they are included. I had the dress professionally cleaned after my wedding and I also paid to have it busseled, which is shown in one picture. Please keep in mind one of the pictures attached in my ad, the dress is not pressed yet so it appears wrinkled, it was taken during my fitting but was just such an amazing shot of the back of the dress I had to include it. I accept Paypal and cash. If you are in the Dallas area you may come over to try the gown on- cash only accepted if you come to try it on. I am a street size 2-4
If you live in the Seattle area, here are two great events happening today and this weekend we encourage you to check out.
Today, May 7th!Thaw Fashion Show Thaw is Seattle's Annual fashion show and fundraiser featuring independent designers. Proceeds benefit the Huntington's Disease Society of America (HDSA) to fund social services and research.
The Details: Cocktails, noshing and thaw shop - 6 p.m. Live auction and runway show - 8 p.m.
Location: Pacific Industrial Center 2960 4th Ave South. Venue generously donated by American Life, Inc. and Ariel Development.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and chances are either you or someone you know has been affected by this disease. As women, it is important for us to be educated in early detection and personal breast health. There are many ways for you to support the efforts of organizations around the nation that are promoting breast health and cancer research. And of course every woman loves to shop, so what better way to support an incredible cause than to purchase a product that donates proceeds to various breast cancer organizations. Check out our favorites below.
This limited-edition Dramatically Different™ Moisturizing Lotion comes with a key chain complete with two silvertone charms: a Clinique 'C' and a Breast Cancer Awareness Pink Ribbon. Clinique will donate $10 from your purchase to help support The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Retail price: $35.00 and available at Nordstrom.
C.O. Bigelow teamed up with cartoonist, author and breast cancer survivor Marisa Acocella Marchetto to create special edition C.O. Bigelow classics with her fashionista activista illustrations. Created in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Cancer Vixen Kit includes all-time favorite C.O. Bigelow formulas: Lemon Cream Body Wash (1.7 oz.), Lemon Body Cream (1.7 oz.), Mentha Lip Tint in Pink Mint (0.5 oz.), Mentha Foot Tingling Foot Cream (2 oz.), and Dr. Hiosous Quince Hand Lotion (2 oz.). Retails for $29.50 and available at Bath & Body Works. Check out more Cancer Vixen products here.
Kick up your cardio workout in the lucy kick it tee. the kickboxing girl graphic at front and center is a lucy original design that really packs a punch. 10% of sales of this tee will be donated to breast cancer network of strength™. Retails for $30 and available online at lucy stores.
For each qualifying pink product purchased, KitchenAid will donate up to $50 to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. KitchenAid will also donate $50 for every qualifying major appliance purchased during October—National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. KitchenAid offers a huge selection of kitchenware and utensils in the signature pink colors. Check out their entire offerings here.
Dedicated to finding a cure for breast cancer, Privo® is honored to offer the 'Skotch' flip-flop. $2 from each pair sold will be donated to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation™ for clinical funding and worldwide research. Retails for $50 and available at Zappos.
Upcoming Wedding Events in the Northwest Benefiting Making Memories Breast Cancer Foundation
Here are two upcoming October wedding events in the Pacific Northwest, both benefiting the Making Memories Breast Cancer Foundation. We encourage you to check them out!
The Port Townsend Wedding Guild is proud to present the 2008 Port Townsend Wedding Show October 11 and 12. The event will take place primarily at two elegant, historic landmarks - the Manresa Castle and the Silverwater Cafe. In addition, show goers are invited to Open Houses and special offerings at a number of unique venues in Port Townsend, including the beautifully restored Chapel Bay with its panoramic views of the City and Sound, complimentary chowder and baked breads aboard the PS Express, and much more!
Brides will be delighted to know they can find everything they need to create the perfect wedding. Featuring “The Best of Port Townsend”, this year’s show is designed to be a fun festival and tour rather than a traditional, convention-style show. If brides are looking for friendly, personalized services in an enchanting, romantic seaport, their dreams are about to come true.
Along with a variety of exceptional, local wedding services, Making Memories Breast Cancer Foundation will be selling gowns to grant wishes for those with terminal breast cancer. Contemporary as well as vintage and antique gowns will be available at a substantial savings. The Making Memories Fundraiser is hosted by the Port Townsend Wedding Guild and will take place throughout the show above the Silverwater Cafe.
We've decided to throw a really big, swanky-cool party; the kind that gives you an excuse to buy new shoes. We'll have lovely libations and amazing appetizers. We'll have raffles, auctions, and jellybeans. LOTS of jellybeans.
You will truly be able to get gorgeous goods for your wedding by giving back.
Seattle's top wedding professionals have been personally invited to exhibit their services and products with one catch-- they must donate a fantastic item for our silent auction. Together with items donated by Seattle's top businesses, we will raise money for a great cause through silent auctions and raffles all throughout the evening. The items up for grabs are not just limited to pre-wedding prep, day of services, and newlyweds, there are sure to be some great goods for moms, dads, grooms, and friends!
Mark your calendar for October 23rd, 2008. You'll totally find time in your social calendar for this.
We are incredibly excited to announce that our event will be held at the Arctic Club Hotel in downtown Seattle. As one of Seattle's newest venues, the unparalleled beauty of the historic Dome Room is the perfect setting for our debut event. You'll have an opportunity to check out this great venue, as well as sample it's savory menu throughout the night. The Arctic Club is located at 700 3rd Ave. at Cherry St., Seattle, WA 98104.
5-6 pm Industry-Only Cocktail Hour Fellow wedding industry professionals and members of the media are invited to join us early for an industry-only cocktail hour. Bring your checkbooks and your generous hearts for a special hour of networking, giving, and a preview of our fabulous venue with participating vendors!
6-9 pm Silent Auction, Raffles, and Bridal Exhibition Brides, grooms, and guests are invited to sip cocktails, sample great food, take a look at the fabulous venue, bid on gorgeous goods through the silent auction, and meet our favorite vendors.
9-10 pm Closing Treats Pick up the goods you've bid on, and stick around for another glass of wine and our final treats of the evening
Do you have your new party shoes on yet?
The family's first trip to Disneyworld. A long overdue family reunion. A second honeymoon with your husband.
It can take $4000 to grant one wish for a small family of 4, let's grant 12!! Our goal is to raise $50,000 to grant wishes for stage IV breast cancer patients and their families.
Please join us to toast to this wonderful cause that celebrates life and love and the fabulous spirit of giving! It’s an evening not to be missed, where the most stylish way to give is to get!
While browsing the online store of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) we came across a unique find that we'd like to share with you. Take a look at the below silver diamondless ring designed by Alissia Melka-Teichroew. There are no diamonds in Alissia Melka-Teichroew's rings, simply a thought-provoking silhouette imitating the conventional Tiffany setting. Wearers create their own traditions, meanings, and stories. The Diamondless ring retails for $125 and is made of sterling silver. But, if silver just isn't your thing, the same style is also available in acrylic.
Candles add an extremely elegant touch to your wedding. In low light, the gentle flicker of candles sets the stage for a romantic evening. But, unfortunately, due to safety concerns, many wedding facilities do not allow candles to be used on site. So what are you to do if you had your heart set on a hundred flickering lights?
Meet Ashley Danae Designs. Ashley Danae Designs creates flameless candles that are made of wax and have a deliciously light vanilla scent. The candle’s "flame" flickers like a real candle, but instead of burning down to the wick, you need only a fresh pair of batteries to recharge their light. Unless you walk right up to the candle and pick it up, you have no idea the candle is not real and the best part is you'll never have to replace it.
Ashley Danae's candles also come in a wide variety of colors, patterns and styles. Just check out some of the samples below.
We found a really amazing company located in Portland, OR called Lucky Crow (great name) that creates the most charming and reusable gift bags we've ever seen. At banquetevent.com we are all about recycling and doing our small part to preserve the environment. So when we hear about a company in the industry also doing their part, we just have to share them with you. Check out the many options Lucky Crow offers from tiny to large in fun and funky colors.
Choose from tons of different fabric selections. Lucky Crow even offers organic options.
We think you'll love these charming, and eco-friendly kitchen and house ware products from a company called Blossom Creations. Blossom Creations is dedicated to environmental sustainability and reducing the impact we have on the environment. To achieve this, we are dedicated to doing the following:
Using only 100% recycled paper and card (with the highest post-consumer waste content available)
Using hemp, organically grown cotton, and other alternative fibres
Printing with water and vegetable based inks
Using Environmentally Sustainable Design, Manufacture, and General Business Practices
Check out their eco-friendly products below including an apron (top left), napkins (bottom left) and kitchen towels (right).
Getting married is such an exciting time in a couple's life. Not only are you vowing to love and cherish, but you are also committing to join two personalities together in one household. Now is the time for you as a couple to create your own personal style together. This is your clean slate to start fresh with a whole new home and interior design and we've found some wonderful, albeit unique, home decor items we think you just might like. After all, you pride yourself on being unique as a couple and are all about setting trends among your group of friends.
We'd like to introduce you to some everyday home decor items with a twist. Below we'll post some images of these items. See if you can guess what they are made of. Find the answers below the image.
Item #1: The Placemat
You may not believe it, but this intricately woven placemat is made of recycled candy wrappers. That's right, if you look closely you'll see the familiar logos of the tasty treats you've been eating for years. This placemat is fun, playful, totally recycled, and calorie-free, to boot! Pick yours up for $26 at VivaTerra.com.
Item#2: Decorative Bowls
You'll never guess what these handcrafted decorative bowls are formed from. Inventive natural sculptor Margaret Dorfman brilliantly transforms edibles into luminescent vessels. Building her bowls slice by slice from fresh produce, Dorfman presses each one into durable parchment, which she hand-shapes to resemble large, bright undulating flowers with vivid repeating patterns. Invisibly coated to maintain their vibrant translucent colors, the bowls comfortably hold a votive candle in a cup. The bowls above are made from Zucchini, Papaya and Beets. Retails for $42 and available at VivaTerra.com
Item #3: Glassware
These may not be as difficult to figure out, but boy are they innovative. Chalk one up for originality for this fun glassware. Comes with white chalk to write on, then erase and re-label as often as you like. The wine and beer glasses are great for a party as guests can write their names on their glass. You can also write expiration dates on the labels for the storage containers. Retails for $6-$12 and available at Cost Plus World Market.
On May 18th, we will be having a Toast of the Gowns Fashion Show at the Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville, Washington to benefit Women's Cancer Research.
La Belle Reve will be donating 25 gowns to our Toast of the Gowns Fashion Show.
John Curley of Evening Magazine will be the emcee and auctioneer. There will be a silent auction and wine tasting reception followed by a live auction fashion show. La Belle Reve Bridal in Bellevue has donated 25 evening gowns to be auctioned off and our models include Christine Chen and Miss Emerald City.
We'd like to introduce you to a company impacting the awareness of eco-friendly alternatives in the wedding industry. Meet greenKarat whose mission is to provide consumers with an ecologically and socially responsible jewelry alternative to those who are concerned about the effect of gold and gem mining on the earth's eco-system. greenKarat sells recycled gold jewelry and offers tons of choices in wedding bands. greenKarat states that there is enough unused gold above ground to satisfy the jewelry industry for the next 50 years.
greenKarat even offers you a trade-in for your unused gold jewelry. All you have to do is contact greenKarat and they will provide you with shipping instructions. Then once they receive your gold piece, they will let you know its worth and tell you how much store credit you will receive. Just make sure the gold you send is pure 10k, 14k or 18k gold. And remember, these recycled pieces will be melted down, so don't send anything with sentimental value.
We all want to do our part to preserve the planet for future generations. In fact, our generation has the potential to make the greatest impact on preserving the Earth in all of history. What better day than on Earth Day (April 22, 2008) to step out and make a difference. One voice can change the perspective of thousands.
We found these great graphic tee shirts that express the values we represent and happen to be rather stylish. You've heard of wearing your heart on your sleeve....well, now its time to wear your cause on your chest.
Enter to win HGTV's Green Home Giveaway. One lucky person will win a new GMC Yukon Hybrid and this beautifully furnished eco-friendly home in Tradition Hilton Head, S.C. It could be you!
Many women and men in today's society are vegans. Being a vegan is a lifestyle for most and not just a small part of one's day. So when it comes to high fashion, especially with shoes, its extremely difficult to find designer clothes made of alternative synthetic materials without compromising style. After all, many shoes are made of animal products such as leather, suede, crocodile skin, etc. That is until now. A new line through shoe designer, Te Casan, developed by actress Natalie Portman, offers high fashion shoewear made from entirely synthetic products.
And boy are they cute! Check out two of our favorites...
Deborah Lindquist has been in the eco-fashion industry for over 20 years, she is the godmother of eco-fashion and uses materials like hemp, recycled kimonos and cashmere and organic cotton lace. Deborah features a Green Wedding fashion line with eco-friendly options for brides wishing to plan a green wedding. Her gowns range from $800-$3000.
Deborah has dressed Sharon Stone, Gwen Stefani, Keyshia Cole, Demi Moore, Hilary Duff, Jessica Simpson and Charlize Theron.
Banquet & Event Resource, Inc.
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best resource guides, websites and tradeshows. Visit our wedding planning website today for the most comprehensive wedding resources available today on the web for the Seattle area and beyond.
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Whenever we come across a new and novel idea for brides, we know it is our duty to share it with you. Traditionally, guests gave the wedding couple gifts along the line of household items to help them start their new lives. These items were essential to the young couple as they were very young and did not own any of the necessary household items to begin their new lives together. And in registering at any of the traditional retailers, the guests are subject to additional charges beyond the gift itself like the sales tax and shipping charges. 
