National Book Lovers Day!

Can I do a bit of self-promotion on National Book Lovers Day?  I hope you will scroll through my books featured below and find a little bit of inspiration for your next celebration!

Seven Years Ago Today!

Seven Years ago today I married a really wonderful man!  Happy Anniversary Justin!

I can't let the day go by without thanking our parents for such a beautiful wedding.  Here are a few of my favorite photos from our wedding ceremony:

Photography by Stephen Karlisch
Click here to order The Wedding Workbook: A Time Saving Guide for the Busy Bride which I wrote after my wedding planning experience!

I hope you can join us tonight at Oscar de la Renta for a Bridal Event. I will be answering your questions and signing copies of my book! Click here for details and don't forget to sign up for my newsletter to stay in the know about our upcoming events.  See you there!

Picking the Perfect Wedding Dress

My wedding gown laid out and ready to be steamed and put on!  I remember the excitement I felt when I walked into this room and saw it waiting for me!  I love seeing the reflection of one of my bridesmaids in the mirror!  I wish I knew which one it was!

My sister, Kari, is about to head out to her first bridal fitting after selecting her dress.  I am so honored that she asked me to come with her and I can't wait to see her in the gown!  It got me thinking about what a big deal it is to select that one dress that you dream about for years and years!  For some, it is simple.  They have had a vision of what their gown will be like since they were in the second grade.  For others, that vision is not as clear and selecting just one can be terrifying!  It is an important decision and one that you will reflect on for years to come.  Here are my tips for choosing the perfect wedding gown:

- After you are engaged, start browsing through the bridal magazines and tearing out images of dresses that you like.  You might notice a pattern in the styles, designers, and cuts that you are pulling.

- Be sure to try on all of the different shapes and cuts that the professionals at the bridal boutiques suggest.  Even though you may think a trumpet style will not work on your body shape, the pros are experienced and their knowledge and ideas might surprise you!  Be open minded and make it fun!

-Gowns can take anywhere from four to ten months to deliver and you might need to leave time in there for fittings and alterations as well.  Be sure to shop early and explain your deadlines to your boutique sales team.

-Make an appointment.  Most Bridal Boutiques work by appointment only so set aside some time and book  an hour or so at a few different places.

- Set a budget before you shop!  Ask the shops for the price range of the dresses they sell when you call to make an appointment.

- Take your trusted tastemakers with you but believe in your own reactions too.  Invite your mom, sisters, bridesmaids, or friends to go with you when you first try things on but don't let them talk you into something that just isn't you.

-Take shoes that are similar to the heel height you plan on wearing on your big day.  They really do make a difference!  After you select your dress and purchase your wedding day shoes, take them with you to your fittings so that the length can be measured appropriately.

- Take photographs!  Ask your mom or bridesmaid to take photographs of you in the dresses that you are considering.  They will help you look back and remember the little details that made one dress stand out from the others.

- Don't buy on your first visit.  Think about the dresses that are your top choices and sleep on it.  Go back and try them on a second time before you place your order.

- Keep the dress style appropriate to the time, season, style and location of your wedding.  A ball gown is not going to look right at the beach!

For more of my bridal tips, you can order my Wedding Workbook: A Time Saving Guide for the Busy Bride. 

Beautiful Bridesmaids

Picking the perfect bridesmaid dress is not an easy task.  There are not a lot of styles that suit everyone and chances are, not all of your bridesmaids have the same body type or coloring.  Here are few tips to help you make the right selection:

-Start with the color.  Pick a color that will complement the season and time of day of your wedding.  If you are getting married in the morning or afternoon, a lighter color is appropriate.  If you are getting married after dark, a darker and more dramatic shade will look great!  

Here are some seasonal favorites:

Winter - Silvers, blues, holiday reds and greens.

Spring - light pastels

Summer - vibrant hues like bold oranges and lemon yellows

Fall - browns and rusts, red and black

-Select style and length. The big trend now is to dress your bridesmaids in cute short dresses.  I love that look for an informal wedding but I also love a long gown for a black tie wedding.  Ask yourself what the style of your wedding gown will be and make sure the same word could describe your bridesmaid dress selection.  Is it traditional, formal, informal, edgy, trendy, classic, preppy, sexy, beachy, or fun.

-Uniformity is key. Uniformity is important but that doesn't mean that all of your bridesmaids need to be in the same dress.  You could do the same color and let each bridesmaid select her own style.  You could also do the same style in a variety of different shades.  You should also ask yourself if you want them all in the same shoes, same jewels, and same accessories.  

-Organize the purchase. Send each of your bridesmaids a letter telling them how excited you are. Include as many details about the wedding as possible.  Send them hotel information, schedule details and a sentence or two about each one to introduce them to each other.  You should also include a list of everyone's names, addresses, emails and telephone numbers so that they can connect before the big day.  Also send them a sheet with the details of the dress and the information for ordering it.  Remember to include some specific deadlines for them so that they remember to get it done!

-Don't worry about them wearing it again! They never will.  That is why I love www.ruffleswap.com  It is so clever!  Two sisters got together and started it so that bridesmaids could sell their like-new gowns to other gals who would not remember it as a bridesmaid dress!  

Bridal Buzz!

I hope you will join me on Saturday the 25th of September for a Bridal Open House at The Linen Boutique on Lovers Lane.  There are some amazing vendors participating in the great Bridal Show and the first 25 guests will receive a gift bag valued at $700!  Amazing!
I will be signing copies of The Wedding Workbook while you are registering to win an amazing Bridal package!  See you there!

Do I need to take a gift to an Engagement Party?

Barbara Mercer wrote in from McKinney, Texas to tell me she was invited to her first engagement party and she wasn't sure if she needed to take a gift.  Its a great question!
Technically (according to Emily Post) you do not need to take a gift to an engagement party but more and more people are doing so these days.
It used to be that an engagement party was more of an announcement party.  The parents of the Bride or Groom would host what would look like a typical cocktail or dinner party and then announce, after all of the guests had arrived, that the couple was engaged.  Of course, now this type of announcement is typically done on FaceBook and word travels too fast to make a surprise announcement.
It is certainly not "bad etiquette" to take a gift to an engagement party but do keep in mind that you will have opportunities to shower the Bride and Groom with gifts throughout their engagement period and again at their wedding.
If you really want to take something, I suggest that you take something thoughtful such as personalized stationery (they will have a lot of notes to write in the coming months) or sentimental.  Many brides have not yet registered for the gifts they want so you will need to use your imagination and come up with something meaningful.  Of course, my book, The Wedding Workbook: A Time Saving Guide for the Busy Bride, would make a great engagement gift too! ;-)
If the Bride has read an etiquette book she will be sure to open the gifts that are brought to her engagement party AFTER her guests have left and write notes of gratitude within the following two weeks.
I hope this helps Barbara!  Have fun at the engagement party!

Tips for Bridal Registries

My sister just got engaged!  We are so excited and there has been a lot of wedding talk!
Kari was asking me a million etiquette questions about her Bridal Registry so I was inspired to put together a few tips:

• Once you are engaged, it is never too soon to register!  Many people like to send a gift when they learn of the engagement and others like to purchase your shower gifts from your registry.
• Before you go to register, take a look at the items you already have and that your future spouse already has.  In many cases, you will already have certain items that you can continue to use.  If you both have good working toasters, there is no need to register for another one.  Instead, select something off the beaten path like a waffle maker!
• Take your future spouse with you to register but be sure to discuss your tastes and desires before you shop.  Ladies:  Be sure to schedule this on a day that does not a major sporting event on the television!  You will absolutely not have your future hubby's full attention. 
• Be sure to register for more than you really need in a large variety of price points.  Make a real effort to include many affordable items on the registry.
• My sisters was really stressed out about having a registry at more than one place.  I think it is important to have more than one registry as your guests may not have access to that store or they may not like shopping there.  Register at at least two places but no more than four.
• Do some homework on the stores that offer registries.  Most of them will let you return or exchange anything that did not turn out as you expected but be sure to ask about their policies. Many will also give you a discount when you purchase the remaining items that were not given to you as gifts.  For example, if you got ten of your plates but needed twelve, they will offer you a discount to purchase them!
• My Wedding Workbook: A Time Saving Guide for the Busy Bride has a section that is all about your bridal registry.  I hope it helps!

Booksigning

Please join us for a booksigning at the amazing Azure in Dallas.  Hope to see you there!