Haute hair accessories

One of my personal favorites for fabulous hair jewels and veils is designer, Sara Gabriel. One look at her collection and the following words come to mind: fresh, fabulous, vintage, couture.

Sara is a joy to work with, and during my time at Something Blue, I've had the honor of meeting her and her team from Colorado. Everything is totally custom and even personalized. One of my favorite veils is the one shown below, Grace.

What a fresh and fun concept! To incorporate your monogram into your veil not only makes a great statement but is quite timeless.

Another personal favorite of mine is called Wendy. It's so vintage!

Hard to tell from the sketch, but it's SUCH a stunner!

For more information on Sara's veils and accessories, visit her website at http://www.saragabriel.com

It's Bridal Fashion Week!

It's that time of year again...time for all the best designers to showcase everything fresh and new for their 2009 collections.

One of our sources mentioned that strapless gowns are few and far between this season. Many are going for a portrait, off-shoulder style neckline. Gowns with more tradition in the front, but sleek and sexy in the back.

These gowns won't start hitting the stores until early next year, and pictures won't be available online for a few weeks.

Check back soon to view some of our favorites from NY Bridal Fashion Week!

Bridal Gown of the Day

Moet by Matthew Christopher

Sparkling as a flute of champagne, this elegant silk satin organza dress is intoxicating! The strapless empire bodice and full trumpet skirt are adorned with sculptural, multidirectional bias strips. A triple overlay flutters down the modified chapel-length train, completed by covered buttons all down the back. Available in off-white, white.

This dress is absolutely STUNNING in person. Matthew's dresses are so flattering to the female figure. For more information, visit MatthewChristopher.com

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