Gown of the Day

After Six

style # 6532
This gown is actually a bridesmaid dress! It's a cost effective way of achieving a bridal gown look for a fraction of the cost. This is a great option for last minute weddings, destination weddings, or for second weddings. Bridesmaid styles most always come in white and/or ivory. The one above is shown in white with an ivory lace panel.

For more information, please visit After Six's website.

Forget table numbers...

...they're so yesterday! Why not table cakes?

What a cute (and expensive!) idea. I have seen photos of a friends wedding where each table was given a cake that represented the bride and groom in a certain area of their lives. One was decorated with childhood photos of the groom, one the bride, one was themed in a favorite vacation spot of the couple, etc. This can prove to be very costly, however, it's a gorgeous and fun design element while also being a great conversation piece to get people moving around the room.

You may be able to use a dummy cake to offset the costs of mini-cakes at each table. What is a dummy cake you ask? A baker makes your wedding cake with only the bottom layer being edible. You cut into it as you normally would for pictures and such, but your guests feast off of sheet cakes in the back, or in this case...their individual cakes. The rest of the cake looks completely edible and is designed with fondant over styrofoam or other material.

Bridesmaid Dress of the Day

Alvina Valenta

Style # AV9847

Visit Alvina Valenta's website for

color information and availability

Bridal Gown of the Day

Gown of the Day
Adele Wechsler "Natasha"
Natasha is part of Adele's "Eco-Couture" collection, "for the bride who cares about the world in which she lives."

Please visit Adele Wechsler's website for more information.

Questions? Let us help you answer them!

Is there a question that you can't seem to find and answer for? From etiquette to centerpieces, send us your question to Shannon@aBelleSoiree.com and we'll feature it on a new blog post.

Day-of vs. Complete Coordination

A Belle Soiree offers both day-of packages as well as complete coordination. So how do you choose which one is right for you?

For the bride who has time on her side, we recommend our day-of packages. This provides little involvement until the actual day of the ceremony. Depending on which package you choose, we can make vendor recommendations, visit the ceremony and reception locations, and provide limited coverage on the day of your event. These packages are our most cost-effective and begin at $650.

If you are a busy bride with a job, kids, or just have a busy lifestyle than our complete coordination is best suited for you. We step in from day one and do it all. We assist in budget planning, interviewing vendors, making recommendations, finding locations, reviewing contracts, allow unlimited meetings, help with design aspects, and so much more. This is offered to brides with a budget of $20,000 or more and begins at $2,000.

For more information contact us at

Shannon@aBelleSoiree.com

Which registry is right for you?

Registries have gone hi-tech and with the internet, it's easier than ever to spread the word about all of your wedding wants. While it's improper to include registry information with the invitations, having a wedding website and posting the information there is best. You can also spread the word in your bridal shower invitations, but leave the registry out of the wedding invites. We'll highlight many different registries in this post.

Department Stores
You've got your obvious choices that make gift-giving easy for all of your guests. Department stores offer everything from clothing, perfume, linens, dinnerware, hardware, appliances, and more.
Macy's Wedding Registry - Bloomingdales Wedding Registry - Sears Wedding Registry

Neiman Marcus Wedding Registry - JCPenney Wedding Registry - Dillards Wedding Registry

Specialty Stores

For those of you looking for a particular favorite retailer or only interested in items from a specific store, here is the list for you.

Tiffany & Co. Wedding Registry - Bed, Bath, & Beyond Wedding Registry - Crate & Barrel Wedding Registry

Linens & Things Wedding Registry - Williams Sonoma Wedding Registry

Restoration Hardware Wedding Registry - Wal-Mart Wedding Registry - Target Wedding Registry

Waterford Wedding Registry - Amazon.com Wedding Registry - Tupperware Wedding Registry
Mikasa Wedding Registry - Kohl's Wedding Registry - Fortuoff Wedding Registry - Cuisinart Wedding Registry - Cooking.com Wedding Registry - Unica Home Wedding Registry

Honeymoon Funds

The new trend among registries is using a honeymoon fund registry. Here, your guests can contribute money to your honeymoon fund or purchase individual items for you. Guests can purchase a champagne and strawberries reception, pay for a room upgrade, pay for shore excursions, and much more.

The Honeymoon Registry - The Big Day Registry - Honey Fund Registry - Marriott Honeymoon Registry

Donate your bridesmaid dress!

So we've talked about what to do with the bridal gown, now what about that bridesmaid dress crammed into the back of your closet that you're NEVER going to wear again? There's something for you girls too. It's called The Glass Slipper Project and it is based out of Chicago.

How does it work? There are plenty of girls who dream of their senior and junior proms but never have enough money to afford the perfect dress for them. This is where you come in! With your donation of your bridesmaid dress, you can help a girl make her wishes come true. This is a fabulous project that is always in need of great donations of dresses, garment bags, accessories, and makeup for these deserving girls.

For more information on how you can help, please visit:

http://www.glassslipperproject.org

Thanks for helping others!

-WedChick-

What to do with the dress?

After the wedding...what to do with the dress???
You've spent so much time and not to mention money, getting the dress of your dreams. The big day has finally passed and now you're stuck with a gorgeous gown hanging in your closet. Gone are the days of saving the dress for your daughter to wear. Let's face it, times change and so does style. By the time your daughter grows up she might have grown out of the possibility of wearing your gown. We'll discuss a few ideas in this article.

Trash the Dress
I know, you're sitting there reading this thinking "What the HECK is she talking about!!!" Many

brides are opting to get the most out of their dress and their pictures by doing what photogs call a "Trash the Dress" shoot. This can be as simple as taking pictures in the ocean or as down and dirty as going mudding on a four wheeler in your couture creation. If you can imagine it, it can be done. It does make for some really fabulous and fun pictures that your friends and family will never stop talking about, but it's not for everyone. Don't fear though...depending on the fabric your gown consists of most can be cleaned even after a trash the dress session is all over with.

Donate It

Making Memories has a program entitled "Brides Against Breast Cancer." Throughout the year, donates dresses make their way across the nation and are put on sale for local brides in the area. All monies received from the sale of the gowns goes towards preventing and treating breast cancer. If you're interested in donating your gown to this amazing, worthwhile cause or even donating a few hours of your time to volunteer, please visit their website by clicking here:
Brides Against Breast Cancer-Making Memories

Preserve It
Even after reading our other suggestions, you still would like to preserve your gown...we understand! Just make sure you leave the preservation to trusted, certified professionals. We've heard stories of girls who opened their gowns years later to find nothing. This in fact happened to tv show host Leeza Gibbons! Did the dress disinegrate or did it never actually make it into the box? Who knows. One thing is for sure, you do not want this happening to you. Simply leaving it to hang in it's garment bag will destroy the dress due to harmful gases the bag emits. Talk with the bridal shop where you purchased the gown to find out if they have someone they work with directly.

Ciao for now!

-WedChick-

Why hire a wedding consultant?

You've seen it done on television and you wonder if it's something worthwhile that you can afford? The choice to hire a wedding consultant is one that should be a part of your planning process from day one. In this article, I'll explain the benefits and things you should consider when choosing to hire someone to help you on your dream day.

There are so many out there, how do you choose the right one? Wedding consultants are special people with a love for the romance and intimacy of the celebration of one of the biggest days in someones life. They sometimes hold special certifications and memberships through organizations such as the Association of Bridal Consultants (ABC), that require a certain level of proficiency. Most will offer complimentary consultations to learn more about you and to tell you about their company and their services. You should meet with a few consultants and pick the one you felt the greatest bond with.

Wedding Consultants spend a great deal of time networking and establishing strong relationships with quality vendors in your area. By doing this, they can attest to the finished products and ensure you not only great work but at a great price. Some consultants have special pricing worked out with vendors and pass the savings onto you.

Consultants help you in meeting with vendors, establishing a budget, creating timelines and schedules, payment of vendors, choosing a location, handling out of town guests, reviewing contracts, and most importantly they are there with you on your special day.

Some girls can handle most of the details themselves but are looking for someone to take control on the day of their wedding. This is often called day-of management. Most consultants will offer this service and may include it in a package. This is cost effective for the bride who needs minimal help. For brides needing help throughout the entire process, full coordination services is the best way to go. Full coordinating can cost you anywhere between 10%-15% of your total budget.

In short, it's best to leave the planning up to the professionals. What happens if your photographer quits the day before the wedding? Trust me, I've seen it happen. What if your cake gets demolished during delivery? All these things a consultant will know how to handle without causing you extra stress and worry on your big day.

Check the web for local bridal professional organizations that will refer you to qualified consultants. It helps to also stop into a bridal shop, cake baker, photographer, etc. to find out if they have reccommendations as well. Often times these vendors have worked with these consultants and can tell you first-hand just how they are.

Good luck and happy planning!
-WedChick-