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Fairytale French Wedding Courtesy of The Left Bank Chicago

When our ideas and creativity are challenged, we look to our partner at The Left Bank in Chicago and their Everything But The Dress Blog for ideas they’d like to share with our readers. Once again, they came through. Below is their dream French wedding:

As avid Francophiles, we would love to host a fairytale French wedding. Become a true princess bride and rent a luxury French chateau in the heart of the Loire Valley, just two hours outside Paris.  The Chateau de Guerinet is a breathtaking castle filled with spectacular French  architectural details. If you’ve ever dreamt of a wedding in France, you must set your eyes on this property that offers amazing rentals for an intimate French wedding.

Here are our picks for must wear jewelry to your French Wedding.

Our exclusive “Les Beaux” tiara

The Parisienne Chandelier Earring

The Duchess Cuff Bracelet

For other jewelry ideas, please visit their web site to view their beautiful Wedding Jewelry. You also have the convenience of purchasing online!

Here at StrictlyWeddings.Com, we are loving the Butterfly Theme for your Big Day

Who would have thought that butterflies are a hot trend for spring and summer weddings? But one of our own, Jordan Payne of Jordan Payne Events said that the trend began in 2009, but it’s “really” going to be hot for spring and summer weddings in 2010.

At getmarried.com we found this advise on the “butterfly theme.”

… keep the looks light and colorful. If you are having your wedding based on all kinds of butterflies, choose pastel or bright colors for the bridesmaid dresses. Should you prefer a certain kind of butterfly over others (like a Monarch), then choose colors based on that (shades of orange and black).

Accent colors on bridal gowns are becoming trendy. Choose one with light sparkles or a sash or ribbon to complement the wedding colors. Tiaras with rhinestone butterflies are a beautiful touch to a bridal hairstyle. Jewelry for the bride and bridesmaids easily incorporates a butterfly theme:

• Pendant necklace (James Avery has a lovely butterfly necklace in sterling and gold)
• Hair clips
• Charm bracelets
• Stud earrings or dangles with butterflies

The flower girl dress offers the most options for incorporating a butterfly theme. You may find some little girls’ dresses that have butterflies embroidered on them, or choose a simple white dress and place wings on your girls’ backs.

Men’s clothing should match the bridal party colors as well. Informal wedding attire might include a tie that features butterflies. More formal wedding attire could do traditional tuxes, but have a small cloth butterfly pinned into the boutonniere.

Ceremony Decorations

• Have the butterfly theme worked into your ceremony decorations and accessories.
• Have invitations and programs printed that incorporate butterflies on the front cover.
• Use a unity candle that has butterflies incorporated into the large middle pillar.
• Fabric butterflies can be wired into virtually any floral arrangement

Butterfly Wedding Cakes

• Using a wedding cake topper that has butterflies in it is an easy way to put butterflies on your wedding cake.
• You could also have your decorator make gumpaste or royal icing butterflies and affix them to your cake.
• Place sticks with butterflies on the top into cupcake wedding cakes.

Make a more unique centerpiece by having a butterfly net hang from the ceilings down over the tables (be sure to check with your reception site for rules regarding ceiling hangings). Have fake butterflies affixed to the sides of the netting and “hanging” in the center of the net using a wire.

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We found a few additional ideas for the Butterfly wedding theme:

Release live butterflies at your wedding - Wish Upon a Butterfly, Amazing Butterflies; Swallowtail Farms
Butterfly Wedding Accessories

And if you’d like to find examples of Butterfly Weddings just search Google! You will be amazed (or at least we were)!

This image came from WedSmack.com under Favorite Ideas

Tips for Ordering the Right Size Wedding Shoe

We know that we just talked about buying colored, wedding shoes, but one of our partners – Left Bank Jewelry – had this great blog post that they encouraged us to share. Whether you’re a bride or a bridesmaid, finding the right wedding shoes can be tricky. Keep these simple tips in mind when you’re searching for shoes to make your shopping as enjoyable as possible.

• Don’t wait until the last minute. Shoes might need to be ordered in for you in better size and color. Especially if you’re searching for a summer wedding, which is the most popular time, shoes may become back ordered with the manufacturer.
• Go later in the day. Feet tend to slightly swell throughout the day and going later ensures that the footwear will fit you at your “widest.”
• Ask for help. Go to a shop that has a large selection and personal service. Give your associate the size you normally wear and be open to suggestions.
• Try on the shoes you’re interested in, or at least try on shoes by the same designer. Each one is different and sizes aren’t standard.
• If you can’t make it to a shop to try shoes on, check out the designer’s website for a size chart and measure your foot.
• Don’t by the wrong size because you think your feet will “swell” or the shoes will “stretch out” If your shoes are too big, you will be uncomfortable.
• Always try on both shoes. Everyone’s feet are naturally slightly different, so it’s important to feel them on both feet.
• Have fun and don’t get too serious. Shoes should always been fabulous and fun.

Any other tips you think we missed or things that helped you shoe shop?

Wedding Event – Tablescapes and Trends – February 25

Packing Tips for your Honeymoon – Bliss or Bust?

There are some people who are simply natural born packers, and know how to make the most of their closets on wheels. We look at some tips to help you make the most of the space which you have available to you.

1. Do your laundry a few days before you go so everything will be clean and ready for action. It is a good idea to have button-down shirts professionally laundered, pressed, and bagged at the dry cleaner so you can just pop them into your suitcase.
2. Start making your packing list a week before you leave. By starting early this gives you time to add items and take items off as you lead up to when you are going to leave.
3. When selecting items from your wardrobe, you should think coordinating solids, wrinkle-resistant micro fibers, such as Lycra, nylon, spandex and Tencel. Pack shoes which are versatile. Also remember that light-colored fabrics show stains, but they are cooler than dark clothes.
4. One of the ways of avoiding wrinkles is simply to roll or wrap your clothes in tissue paper. You can also lay clothes in the suitcase on their hangers and in plastic dry cleaner bags.
5. Don’t even bother taking shoes or clothes you’ve never worn before.
6. Stuff your socks and underwear into your shoes or purses. This will help these items keep their shapes.
7. If you have a luggage set, pack everything inside your second-largest bag, then put that bag inside the largest bag. This gives you the extra space for all sorts of goodies you buy while you are on honeymoon.
8. A good idea is to pack items which can have more than one use. Such as: a hair dryer with a curling iron attachment, an alarm clock and radio, a calculator and translation guide.
9. When you’ve stuffed your bag to the max, zip it up and tap it on the floor a few times to make extra room.
10. The golden rule of packing: don’t overstuff your bags! Over stuffing usually leads to exceeding airline weights and extra fees.
11. Unfold belts and wrap them around the inside of your suitcase.
12. Share bathroom basics like toothpaste, shampoo, etc.
13. Place any liquids, such as shampoos in an extra plastic bag. The altitude can cause these items to leak, and you don’t need to arrive to find everything coated in a layer of shampoo.
14. Pack your suitcase with heavier items on bottom, lighter ones on top.
15. Pack all your valuables, one change of clothes, non-perishable snacks, a small bottle of water, and your minimum toiletry needs in your carry-on incase your luggage gets delayed.
16. As soon as you arrive at your destination, unpack and hang up your clothes.

Photo courtesy of Scott Hagar Photography

Strike a Pose! Wedding Photos – More Dramatic, Edgier

There are some tricks that you can adopt to look better in your wedding pictures irregardless of whether it’s a professional photographer who poses you or your uncle or auntie whose instructions is limited to “say cheese!” By knowing some tips and secrets, and spending time in front of the mirror practicing before the big day, you can help look your best for your wedding pictures.

• Point Your Toes
  • You may think a pointed toe doesn’t matter because most wedding gowns cover your feet but it does make a difference.
  • Avoid planting both your feet together while flat on the ground. Move a foot to point your toes by doing this; you are shifting your weight to your back foot, which will cause your hip to shift. This hip-shift makes you look curvier.
• Turn Your Shoulder at 45-degree Angle to the Camera
  • If you turn your body slightly to the right or left, you will appear slimmer in the photo. Generally speaking, your entire body should never be square with the camera but slightly side-on, usually 45-degree or more.
• Relax Your Shoulders
  • People tend to tighten and raise their shoulders when they are nervous and this causes a couple of problems. It makes your shoulders appear narrower, your neck shorter, and worse, it creates a look of tenseness. (Not a happy bride pose!).
  • To be able to do this pose, you have to concentrate on relaxing your shoulders let them fall naturally.

• Keep your Elbows Away from Your Body
  • Unless you are super-slim, pose with your elbows slightly away from your sides. If you pose with your elbows touching the sides of your body, your body will look as wide as the elbow-to-elbow dimension, not to mention that if you have upper arms that are not toned, it will get squished and look even bigger.
  • Just move your elbows slightly away from your sides, creating just a small separation between your body and your arm, people will notice the cut-in of your waistline in your photos and this makes your torso appears slimmer.
  • Learn this pose with care. When you are moving your elbows outward, make sure that you do not lift your shoulders (which we already know, is not a good thing). Also you only want to move your elbows slightly away from your sides – too far out and you’ll look like you’re doing the funky chicken!

• Make Your Eyes Appear Larger
  • Usually, it is not flattering to tilt your head back because your chin becomes more prominent than your eyes. Lower your chin by a fraction of an inch.  This will bring your eyes closer to the camera than your chin and mouth and makes your eyes appear larger. Just a tiny lower – too much lowering and you might cause a double chin. Practice in front of the mirror.
• Relax Your Forehead
  • When trying to accentuate their eyes, brides will open their eyes wide. In the process of doing this, they raise their eyebrows which creates a “surprised look” and a wrinkled forehead.
  • Keep your eyes and forehead relaxed in order to look more natural. Practice your facial poses in front of the mirror till you are familiar with the movements.

Photos courtesy of Jordan Payne Events and Table 4 Weddings.

Society Language – Designer Prashe unveils 2010 collection – Jan. 22 at Ghostbar

Designer clothes are not on everyone’s budget, but one of our brides may be looking for something special to wear during the honeymoon or it may be a fancy party for the bride and groom, whatever the interest, check it out. (Note that an RSVP is required.)

Wedding Shoes – a colorful statement or new wedding trend?

If you’re looking to do something a little different for your wedding, have you considered wearing colored shoes instead of matching your wedding shoes to your wedding dress? It’s a trend that’s catching on in more ways than one, and even better, you can wear your shoes again after your wedding day.

Spice up your traditional dress, if not with colorful shoes, then consider ribbons, rhinestone shoe clips or a colored under slip. Color should not be a faux pas! It IS your wedding, so you get to pick what kind of bride you are.

You can match the color of your wedding shoes to your wedding’s colors and theme, your bridesmaid dresses, your favorite color (go purple!), or as the “something blue” in your traditional getup. Whatever you decide, when you look back on your wedding photos it will be with a smile whenever you see that sudden burst of color peeking out from under your wedding dress!

Green Shoes’ photograph courtesy of Jordan Payne Events. Shoe clips’ photo courtesy of The Left Bank Jewelry, Chicago

Jeweled Tone Wedding – Chicago’s Mike and Lexi

Chicago photographer and StrictlyWeddings.com partner Rick Aguilar shared these photos of his good friend’s wedding. The couple, Mike and Lexi, chose streamlined looks. Lexi wanted to make sure her bridesmaids looked fresh and cool (check out their shoes!). No beige or white. Lots of black all night. Lexi is a jewelry designer and knew that purples and jewel tones were the right fit for her wedding. One very fun touch was the candy table designed by Linda Alpert.

Photographer: Rick Aguilar Studios

Location: Chicago’s W City Center Hotel.

Wedding Planner: Magnificent Milestone.

Florist: Scarlet Petal.

Cake: Take the Cake.

Wedding Gown: Ungaro.

Dallas’ Lavish Luncheon and Bridal Soiree February 27