WEDDING TREND ALERT! Hen Parties

What is a Hen Party you ask? Well for those in the UK, there is no question but for Canadian and U.S brides-to-be a Hen Party or "Hen Do" is essentially a bachelorette party. Many brides are aware of and participate in parties to celebrate the bride-to-be however, what is on trend now is turning your Hen Party into a vacation for the gals!

Hen Party Despidalia specializes in bachelorette parties, private and original in Barcelona. They take care of the shows, dinners, accommodation; everything a bride-to-be and her party need. Despidalia is #1 in Barcelona for Spanish girls, and have now hit the international market! Who wouldn't love to go on a vacation with their besties to celebrate one of the most exciting events in their life?! This is one of those experiences that if I could go back and do things over again I would have planned a Hen Party away with my bridal party to create unforgettable memories that you don't often get the opportunity to take advantage of once you start building a family with a house and kids...

When you get married life changes, in a lot of ways for the better but I'm not going to lie... you are going to experience challenges too. A trip with the girls can be that experience that doesn't always happen but grounds you in who you are as an individual and celebrating all that is you and the next big life stage to come. You can make the trip as simple or extravagant as you desire. One of my favorite things about Despidalia is the "Build Your Hen Do" section.  I like just playing around with all the options to imagine the get away I could have! Maybe when the kids are a little older and money is less tight I will plan my Hen Party as a celebration of my accomplishments in marriage ;)

 

Let the adventures begin... You totally deserve it. Weddings are something worth celebrating with your friends!

And don't forget customized bachelorette T-shirts are a must when celebrating! T-Shirt Studio prints personalized t-shirts among other things and one of their most popular items are sets of shirts for hen nights, stag and doe's, or even bridal party personalized tees. You can simply use the templates already created for your pre-wedding parties or you can get your creative juices flowing and design your own!

I would love to hear your plans for pre-wedding celebrations and if you have already had a Hen Party what were your must do's?

Life is worth celebrating!

Wedding Quickie! - The Name Says it All with Hire Waiters!

So, regardless of being Canadian and loving to support and feature other Canadians and their businesses, I also just love finding great artisans and wedding services from around the world. One that is not always thought of but can significantly decrease the stress of pulling off an amazing DIY wedding is hiring wait staff to assist with serving food and drinks, setting up a bar service, cocktail bartenders, and cleaning and tidying up after an event.

Hire Waiters is a service that offers just that; based in major cities in Australia (Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane) Hire Waiters provides you with professional service when you need to hire waiters and waitresses for your special event. 

Just imagine how it would feel to not have to worry about which one of your family members or friends is in charge of bringing out more food when needed or clearing a pile of used dishes out of the way from the table settings of your DIY backyard wedding. How great it would feel to not have to think about any of the logistics of food and drinks or cleaning up as the evening goes on and just enjoying the time with family and friends celebrating your special day.

Hire Waiters isn't just for weddings, they offer professional wait staff services for any special event including engagement parties, birthdays, anniversaries, corporate functions, and dinner parties. If this sounds like the perfect addition to your wedding or special event just click on the chosen location and fill out the form to get a free, no-obligation quote for the service you need!

 Now, just sit back and relax... it will all be taken care of!

Wedding Quickie! - Get Your Feet Beach Wedding Ready with Bare Sandals!

Spring is finally here!! Which means it's time to start thinking about getting your feet out of those warm socks and boots and let them see the light of day. For those planning a destination wedding in the coming months or a summer beach wedding you are probably thinking about your scheduled pedicure appointment and the perfect shoes for your wedding on the beach. Well, if you don't have them sitting in a box at the bottom of your closet yet look no further. In this Wedding Quickie I have the most perfect sandal option for your wedding day!

 

Bare Sandals specializes in handcrafting barefoot sandals, foot jewelry and anklets perfect for your beach wedding. All orders can be customized specifically to fit your wedding colors and theme. Bare Sandals production takes place in the US, and they believe in providing their customers with top notch quality products to make their special day on the beach as unforgettable and unique, as they are. Bare Sandals has an amazing team eager to make each bride's day special down to the last little detail... what you wear on your feet.

 Click this image to contact Bare Sandals with Questions or Custom Orders!

I have fallen in love with these sandals and regardless of already being married I will be getting a pair for everyday summer wear at the beach and on hot summer's days. 

I love the vintage look of these Aster Barefoot Sandals in their Flora Collection! There are so many collections to choose from I could easily find a couple different pairs to go with a variety of summer looks.

Bare Sandals just launched their new Goddess Collection; it features 16 brand new beautiful designs with stunning Swarovski elements!

Bare Sandals are a perfect alternative to typical footwear on your special day. Why wear shoes when they can go barefoot and experience your special day from head to toe?

Now go get that pedicure!

 

A Dream Wedding Gallery in Santorini, Greece by Studio Kristo

I have dreams about celebrating an anniversary in Greece and you will too after seeing the work of Studio Kristo providing award-winning photography in the studio and on location for over 15 years! While browsing through Kristo's gallery I began daydreaming about exploring the unique architecture in Greece and basking in sun all the while re-connecting and remembering all of the things I love about my husband.

I have featured a variety of wedding photographers on this blog, all with different styles and from around the world. With Kristo, I am in awe of his compilation of texture and color in this naturally beautiful setting. The lighting in his photos are spot on and he creates a dream like image that you just want to be a part of.

If you are planning a wedding in Greece or want to capture the moments of a honeymoon away I would highly recommend you get in touch with Kristo to be a part of that special day. You can contact him HERE!

One day I will be there...

 

Bri's Beloved - What Does a Pink Mouse Have to Do with Weddings?

Since planning my own DIY wedding and getting married we celebrated the arrival of our first child in 2014. As a new parent it is easy to become one track minded thinking solely about your child(ren). This is why today's post is full of cuteness! In this Bri's Beloved post the cute factor is going to be increased for your wedding with some adorable handmade flower girl dresses!

 Now here is where the Pink Mouse comes in...

Pink Mouse Kids is a passion come to life by Karyn who has been designing and selling handmade kids clothing on Etsy since 2008; as well as, an experienced seamstress who has won awards at the Appalachian State Fair and have also been featured in Model’s Life Magazine. Karyn personally designs the items in her shop at her home studio and spends the time ensuring each item is professionally crafted to be durable enough for little boys and girls to wear over and over again. All items are 100% made in the USA. 

Whether you are looking for a traditional white tulle dress, a spectacular dress full of colour, an indie style maxi dress or a simple cotton earthy dress, Pink Mouse Kids has many styles to suite any wedding vibe. Typical sizing for these custom dresses are 2T-8 however, custom orders are welcome; you can send Karyn a message HERE with whatever you are looking for.

 Have fun shopping for the littles!

Wedding Quickie! - iDO Decor Options App

After this Wedding Quickie! you are going to want to download this app and try it out for yourself! As you know there is an over abundance of wedding apps available ranging from "saved my life" when planning a wedding to "totally useless". Well here is one that will come in handy when you begin planning your wedding decor, especially your reception! Todd Hadaway with The Cover Girlz have created an App called iDO - Decor Options which allows users to select chair covers, sashes, knots, table linens, napkins and change the color or material to then visualize the overall look in the reception space with the use of the camera. 

This app is available on both iPhone and Android phones along with tablets! You can find it by searching "iDO Decor" in an app search on your phone. Click on the video below to see how it works; the most exciting part is after making all the selections you can visualize it live in the room with your camera and you can even take a screenshot to share with your wedding party.

iDO - Decor Options has just been launched so you can follow along with the latest news on the iDO Facebook Page and download it here:

For iPhone
For Android

iDO will allow the bride and groom-to-be to see several different views of the decor concentrating on the table linens and chairs covers; while using the app you can change:

- Chair Cover Material and Color
- Sash Material and Color
- Table Linen Color
- Napkins Color
- Table Set Up
- Background

The background can be turned off and the table and chair covers will appear to be in the room you are standing in; then take a picture and share it, as simple as that! This will save you from bringing in a variety of linens to the venue to try to envision what it will look like using just one table or chair to get an idea. I know this app is going to be a useful tool for brides-to-be and can't wait to see how it expands as a wedding planning tool!

You can turn this...

 Into THIS!

Now go download that app!

 

WEDDING TREND ALERT! Up Lighting

I have been MIA for a couple months as life with a toddler is so unpredictable; however, a midst the sleepless nights and toddler meltdowns I have been keeping an eye on the latest wedding trends as wedding planning is a fantasy passion of mine. When I think about this DIY wedding trend I am taken back to 2009 when my brother got married! They had a relaxed DIY backyard wedding and in a big willow tree they had these awesome white lanterns hanging from the branches. Pair that with sparklers and they created a whimsical and carefree feel.

This wedding trend alert is all about up lighting, you can create a whimsical outdoor wedding easily and under budget to fit with your DIY wedding. Here are a few glimpses real wedding blog features that did just this!!

 

 

Now that you are swooning, you are probably wondering how to go about getting this look!? Well, I have the answer for you ;) 

RENTTHEBIGDAY.COM is a startup for nationwide wedding rentals. They are a family owned company who keep their operating costs low to ship items such as up lights, chair covers and more to use on your special day for a fraction of the retail price to buy. The most amazing part about RENTTHEBIGDAY.COM is that they provide free shipping both ways!!

To learn how RENTTHEBIGDAY.COM works click HERE! Then head on over to their products for rental and start planning your stunning wedding decor. With the steadily popular trend of DIY outdoor weddings up lighting is a must have decor item and this is the perfect place to rent your lights at a fraction of the cost of buying them, not to mention the hassle of reselling them or storing them for years to come.

Here are some of my favourites!

 Now, get planning!