Is that a fish?

Someone shared these center pieces with me, and I did a little research and was blown away with how man LIVE FISH centerpieces are used.  I hope they find a good home after the I Do's are over or PETA is going to be ticked! LOL

Need a Tea, Shower, Luncheon Venue?

A friend of mine introduced me to this little gem in Gallatin, TN.  It is called The Chocolate Covered Strawberry!!!  Sounds good right?  Of course anything with a name like that has to rock!  I love supporting local business and they have special rooms for your Bridal Tea, Bridal Shower, Bridesmaid Luncheon, or Baby Shower.   Take the short drive out to Gallatin and check them out Monday thru Saturday 11am-3pm!!!

So I had a baby this weekend...

I may be a little MIA for a while, but I promise to come back with some new links, bloggy love, and frugal bride help!  Until then, sleep for me :)

You're FIRED!

Sooooo. Remember all those fabulous engagement, and wedding pictures my photographer took of our wedding?  Yeah, I was one of the lucky few, who actually GOT their pictures.    I have endorsed my vendor to NUMEROUS clients, and friends, and it makes me sick to endorse anyone who doesn't deliver.  I feel I have failed them more than the vendor them self.

 So, today, I take it back!  I take back the nice things I said, the endorsement, and I now WARN other brides to RUN like the wind from this vendor.  

Matthew Vietti at http://www.matthewmichaelphoto.com/  your pictures are great, but you can't take over $2,000 dollars from a bride, and only deliver a handful of engagement pictures, and NOT deliver a SINGLE wedding picture for a bride who's wedding was on AUGUST, 21, 2010, and had been paid in FULL!!!!!   This is unprofessional, and absolutely unacceptable.  You should be ashamed. There is too much talent in this town, and too much competition to run a business like this.


BRIDES if you need a wonderfully talented Photographer email me, I will give you the name of trust worthy photographers, but I don't want their name associated with this post!

RUMMY!

Need those perfect vases?  Picture frames?  Old books?  Center piece ideas?  Let one mans trash be your treasure this weekend!!!

The Jr. League of Nashville has their annual Twice as Nice rummage sale THIS WEEKEND at the Tennessee Fair Grounds.  Don't miss it, Friday and Saturday only!!!

I have a Dirty little secret!

want to know what it is?  Well, I have been married for 18 months, and I haven't cleaned or preserved my wedding gown.....There I said it out loud!   I told my mother yesterday, I have to do this ASAP, this is ridiculous.  Here I am 9.5 months pregnant with a daughter who may, or may not want to wear it someday and I haven't cleaned my dress or preserved it! OUCH, life gets in the way sometimes doesn't it?

To that, my mom told me a HORROR story this weekend about a customer of hers whose daughter took her dress to a cleaners and they RUINED IT. Can you imagine?  To add insult to injury, this was not a budget bride, this was a $5K and up dress, that was RUINED, it was a one of a kind, gone, poof just like that.  I tell you this not to scare you, but so you ask for a reference before you go through with it.  Ask friends who they trusted their dress to and ask LOTS of questions.  

Here is how the cleaning and preservation process work:

• Find a dry cleaner that advertises expert cleaning of wedding gowns. Ask the cleaner if he/she uses different solvents on gowns than on regular clothing. Standard solvents are too harsh for wedding gowns. These gowns must be cleaned with the gentlest cleaners in an acid-free environment.
  
  
• Ask if you can see the dress before it is packed. That way, you can see for yourself if all visible stains have been removed prior to storage.
  
  
• Wedding gowns should be stuffed with clean, acid free tissue. Acid-free tissue placed between the folds of the dress and stuffed in the bodice will prevent permanent wrinkles and folds as well as help stabilize the environment of the box. 

• All shoulder pads, perspiration shields, and anything else made of foam should be removed from the gown. These materials don't have a good shelf life, and when they deteriorate, they can ruin the material next to them.
  
  
• Also, avoid packing your gown with plastic or metal buttons, pins or buckles. You should NEVER keep mothballs or crystals near your gown, since the chemicals in these products can ruin the fabric over time. The gown may be wrapped in muslin and folded neatly into a cardboard box.
  
  
• Never hang your wedding gown for long-term storage and never seal the box completely. The gown will need proper air circulation. Once your gown is cleaned and boxed, store it in a closet or under a bed.
  
  
• Don't put the gown in a hot attic or a cold basement. Extreme temperature changes can also damage your gown.
  
  
• Don't be afraid to take your gown out of the box and look at it from time to time. That way, you'll be sure the most important dress of your life is successfully standing the test of time. The gown should be refolded to prevent permanent creases and white cotton gloves should be worn while handling the gown to prevent oily fingers from making contact with the fabric.
  
  
• The cost of professionally cleaning and storing your dress can range from $75 - $600, depending on its size, fabric and detailing.
  
   
  No other garment will ever mean more to you than your wedding gown. Whether you choose to pass it on to your daughter or simply keep it as a permanent record of your wedding day, your gown deserves special attention. By cleaning and storing it properly, you will have a lasting and well-preserved memento that you can treasure forever.

Ripped from the Headlines!

Goodwill plans second annual wedding gala!!!

The event will be held Saturday from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. at the Goodwill store in Rivergate.

The Wedding Gala is a fun event and an opportunity for brides with varying budgets to find the gown of their dreams for a fraction of the cost. In addition to wedding gowns, bridesmaids' dresses, mother-of-the-bride/groom dresses, flower girl dresses and even prom gowns will be for sale. All of the gowns, most of which have been donated by bridal salons throughout middle and west Tennessee, will be priced under $400.

Street Tuxedo has also donated tuxedos for this year's event. Last year, more than 500 people attended the event in its inaugural year, some traveling from as far away as Missouri. To see some of the dresses and tuxedos that will part of Saturday's sale, visit Goodwill's Wedding Gala Look Book

 

Hot Hair!

Have everything planned?  Good, have you scheduled your run through for your hair yet?  NO?  Good, here are a few trends in 2011 Wedding Hair.

There are no clear trends in hair styles, although wearing the hair in long romantic waves or loosely pulled back are popular choices for brides with long hair. Hair ornaments such as hairpins, brooches, and hair vines made with crystals, pearls, rhinestones, and/or silk flowers are also popular.
Beautiful tiaras and combs made with either rhinestones, crystals, or pearls have been the trend for many seasons and seem to be getting smaller as more crystal-embellished dress styles take center-stage. Some brides are placing their veils directly on their hair or using a single silk flower for a simple, classic look. Visit this hair gallery for hundreds of hairstyle ideas.

FREE photos!!! No for real FREE!

Do you want FREE photo's at your wedding rehearsal, rehearsal dinner, or maybe your Photo Booth?  Yes! you say?    How you ask?  Well my good friend, Nashville's own, Whitney Walter is your woman!   She is kicking off her photography business and wants you to be her subject!!

Give her a holler today @ whitney.mclure@gmail.com


P.S.  She can even hook you up with a great deal on centerpieces using 100's of glass vases and flowers. 

Spring Brides, take it from her!

My friend Stephanie is not only stunningly beautiful but she is brave!  She braved the Tennessee Spring elements and created a beautiful back yard wedding, with all the eloquence of country club wedding.  Read her story here  to see how she coped with tornado sirens, heavy rains, and MUD, all while wearing a Monique Lhuillier gown!

I do take two?

Thinking about renewing your vows?  Or having that wedding you never had?  Here are a few etiquette rules you should read up on from I DO! Take two!
  
Vow Renewals are not second weddings.

This an opportunity to reaffirm your marriage vows and love of one another, or perhaps a chance to have your marriage blessed by the church.

Bachelor / bachelorette parties?

These parties are typically thought of as your “last night out as a single person”, so, as tempting as it may sound, the fact is that the last hurrah ship sailed a long time ago. You are a married couple.

Shower with love, not with gifts.

When it comes to vow renewals, encourage friends and family to shower you with love and support, rather than gifts.

 Let your hair down.

The renewal ceremony is more of a simple, understated, private affair. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule. If you are recreating your original wedding ceremony, all bets are off.

 Attendants become attendees.

Did you realize that attendants are basically witnesses? it is better to simply invite them as guests.

The only thing given away is your love.

Fathers typically walk the bride down the aisle during weddings, this doesn't seem appropriate for vow renewals because the couple is already married.  When it comes to reaffirmation ceremonies, the husband and wife could walk the aisle together or she should walk alone. While the couple’s children and grandchildren accompany her down the aisle, a procession is not necessary for this ceremony.

The traditional reception dances will be different.

The father/daughter dance just doesn't seem right, does it? After all, the wife has been living with her husband for some time. So, while you many not want to include all those traditional dances as part of your reception, you could still dance a couple’s first dance which will signify the first dance of the next phase of their life together.

Not so much a wedding cake as an “anniversary’ type cake. 

The reaffirmation cake is sometimes recreated from the couple’s wedding, including the topper.  However, this should be more of an 'anniversary' type cake.  So, including writing on the cake would be appropriate.

Toss out the garter and bouquet toss.

You’re not alone if you find these traditions more than just a bit silly for a married couple.  Would you believe that both of these customs began as a way to keep wedding guests from tearing the bride’s clothes?!  It was viewed as good luck to snatch a piece of her clothing. Perhaps you can create a new tradition of your own, instead.

 ***Read up on your renewal, or second wedding before you start planning, you may be budgeting for things you just don't need! 

 

Boro Bridal Ball!!

Do you read Ms. Cheap?  You should!  She is a lover of weddings, I have sang in both her daughters weddings with the Concert Choral of Nashville, and she looooves to promote FREE events for brides.

Yesterday she posted:

Stones River Coun­try Club and I Do Wed­dings are host­ing the sec­ond annual Boro Bridal Ball Sat­ur­day, Feb­ru­ary 26 from 11 a.m to 3 p.m.  This free event is open to the pub­lic and will fea­ture some of Mid­dle Tennessee’s pre­mier wed­ding and event ven­dors. For more infor­ma­tion see  www.theborobridalball.com.

PSA

Warning PSA post!

Do you live in Nashville?  Have you seen the folks on the street that are selling newspapers?  The paper is called the Contributor.  What you may not know is these folks are NOT homeless, they used to be.  They are not selling free papers, they had to purchase them for .25 cents and they sell them for $1.00 and the profit is theirs to keep.  

Here are a few more things you may not know about these folks:

• The Contributor is sold for $1.00 and they can not solicit tips, or solicit donations for The Contributor by any other means.
• They can not SELL THE CONTRIBUTOR UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS AND/OR ALCOHOL.  
• They agree to stay off private property without permission
• Their badge, sign, and official contributor gear (bags, aprons, shirts etc.) are the property of The Contributor and must be worn at all times.
• The Contributor strives to be a paper that covers issues surrounding homelessness and poverty – while providing a source of income for homeless and formerly homeless individuals.
• While vending, they agree not to sell any other goods, services, or products

So, next time you see one someone selling these papers, think twice about that moring latte and help put a smile on their face! 

No flowers? NO Problem!

Want to shave a few THOUSAND dollars off your budget?  Then knock flowers off  your list.  Now, you will still need a bouquet, corsages, and boutonnieres, but save THOUSANDS off your budget when you for go flowers in your centerpieces.

Also, some centerpieces can even double as favors.  Rummage through goodwill's tea cups, and plant your own home grown centerpieces today!!!!

Here are a few ideas:  (PS i love the birds nest)

Google your wedding!

I mean you have 'googled' youself, your fiance, his family, your family, etc.  Why not google your wedding?  Google has broken into the wedding world, they just do it all!  Their website has lots of tool to help you save time, stay organized, and plan your big day.

Happy Valentines Day!

Its here Cupid's big day!  I'll leave you with some slammin' Valentines Day inspiration boards.

P.S. don't you love the Chocolate brown with the deep red in board #2.  That is a combo I would have never thought to put together, but it is beautiful!

Valentines Day!

Beth @ Eat.Drink.Smile posted these earlier this week, and I think you should make them for your honey this Valentines Day!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

Makes approx. 3-4 dozen. Recipe from Love and Olive Oil.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup milk or soy milk
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
14 oz dark chocolate candy coating

Directions:

Beat butter and sugars in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add milk and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt and mix on low speed (or stir by hand) until incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips.
Cover and chill dough for 1 hour.
When dough is firm enough to handle, form dough into 1″ balls and arrange on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Place sheets in freezer and let chill for 30 minutes.

Melt chocolate candy coating in microwave according to package directions. Using toothpicks as a dipping tool, dip cookie balls into candy coating to cover. Tap on side of pan to remove any excess coating, and return to waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Chill until set. Store, chilled, in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Thanks William and Kate!

To be a 2011 bride is rough why?  Because you wedding is going to be held to the same standards and a couple other folks getting married this year.  You know Prince William and Kate Middleton. Since William and Kate's wedding will leak little to no detail before their big day, there is noway to know if you are copying their style, dress, reception, etc until April 26th. 

So what's a bride to do?  Nothing, you can take it all in stride and keep these things in mind.

>Obviously William and Kate are going to have a grand, big do.
>Your wedding will have the same meaning.

>I don't think it will steal anyone's thunder.
>Your supposed to be the princess, and now you have a real princess to compete with.(eye roll)

I'm Baaaaacccccckkk!

So I didn't fall off the face of the earth totally just logistically. I have been stuck in the black hole of the United States (Arkansas) and finally made it home Friday night.  What a trip.....Let's just say no one should make a pregnant lady fly anywhere at 32 weeks where there isn't food service!!! 

Being stuck without food got me thinking about all the fun "food trucks" we have in Nashville.  Think about incorporating them into your laid back couples shower, rehearsal dinner, or reception. 

Here are a few favs in the Nashville area:

1. The Grilled Cheese Truck (you're excited right?)

a gourmet grilled cheese truck serving anything from their turn on the classic sandwich to delicious soups and salted caramel pudding cups

2. Mas Tacos (The Nashville Original food Truck)

a truck that delivers delicious Mexican street fare to your East Nashville or 12th South neighborhood

3. Pizza Buds (Nashville’s one and only pizza truck)

 Nashville’s one and only pizza truck, serving up warm slices and pies using veggies and toppings from Nashville Farmer’s Market. 

 4. Jay Jay's good food truck

Chef Jason McConnell, who also owns the popular Red Pony Restaurant and SOL Restaurant in Franklin, is bringing the popular concept of a food truck to Middle Tennessee.

5. Mere Bulles Catering Truck (the restaurants on wheels)

 massive kitchen (by food truck standards) and can churn out piping hot food right there and then so everything is even fresher and tastier.

FORE!

I am working with a close friend and Bride to Be on her November nuptials.  She and the Groom have decided on a very intimate 100 person wedding to celebrate their big day.  The Hermitage Golf Course just a quick hop from Nashville looks to be the perfect place for them.

Here are some quick facts about the Hermitage Golf Course:

• The indoor banquet room will seat 150 people. (Included in the rental are 18 60" tables and 150 black and gold chairs. Also included are 6' banquet tables for cake tables, gift tables, etc.).
• The outdoor covered pavilion will seat up to 200 people. (Included in this rental are 18 60" tables and 150 brown wooden folding chairs as well as 6' banquet tables for buffets, gifts, DJ's, etc. This area also comes with a wood burning stone fireplace).
• The Rose Garden is a fully landscaped 40X40 area designed for wedding ceremonies. (It comes with 150 white chairs. A tent is available for rental).
• Also included with your rental; use of the house PA system, Bridal party and groomsmen changing area, access to areas of the golf course for photos. 

For pricing and more detailed information contact: Kara Torphy 615-847-4001 ext. 101