Your Wedding Advice - StrictlyWeddings.com Blog

Do you have a good overview of the Bridesmaid’s responsibilities?

As a Bridesmaid you have a strong supportive role you must play during the entire wedding experience. Although the Maid of Honor may be there for the bride, your friend will also need your comfort and opinions as well.

Pre-Wedding

• If the bride asks about helping her with ideas on where to have the wedding, help her with scouting around and going to the different places. It may be a great idea to drive so she can focus on each location.
• If you have great penmanship it is always nice to volunteer to address at least some the invitations if the bride agrees. Many times a bride may outsource her invitations but if they need to be addressed by the family, your help will be key in reducing the load of tasks to complete.
• Your friend may need help in ordering and choosing decorations and favors, your opinions may be helpful in making decisions for narrowing down choices and making sure the decorations are in on time for the wedding, shower and bachelorette parties.
• It is a major treat to go with the bride when she is shopping for her wedding dress. She may even invite you to be involved in picking out the Bridesmaid Dresses. It is very important to help make sure the dresses are ordered and arrive in enough time for alterations!
• Make sure to pick up your bridesmaid dress in a “reasonable” amount of time in case of additional fittings.
• Help Plan the Bridal Shower with the Maid of Honor as well as the Bachelorette Party!
• Attend and help out during the rehearsal dinner. Many times the bride, groom and their families are pre-occupied, which is where you can save the day by being supportive.

Wedding Day

• Assist the bride in getting into her dress and makeup.
• Ask if the bride needs anything (food, water, etc) all the way up till the time she is walking down the aisle. She will really appreciate it!
• Assist the other bridesmaids wherever needed (and if you happen not to like any of them, keep it to yourself and be courteous).
• Help make sure the bride has privacy if she needs some quiet time before the ceremony.
• Be the witness in the signing of the marriage license, which is an honor!
• Take some deep breaths and walk slow when you walk down the aisle since it is common to speed up.
• Always look for the unexpected since it is common for the most uncommon things to happen (i.e, something falling down at the alter). If you are close enough, fix what needs to be fixed so the bride, groom and their families can focus on the ceremony.
• If you are single, make sure to mingle and have a great time at the party! It is mandatory to catch the bridal bouquet!
• If you are with your partner, make sure to dance and socialize since it means a lot to the bride and groom (when they have time to sit down) to see their friends having and creating a good time for themselves and the other guests.
• Last, but not least, provide moral support and be a great listener throughout the process since it is a very wonderful and “positively” stressful time for your friend. You can really make the difference!

twobirds Bridesmaid at Stanley Korshak Bridal Salon

Stanley Korshak will have the twobirds bridesmaid line at their Bridal Salon through Saturday, March 5. You won’t want to miss looking at these unusual bridesmaid dresses. Call for more information – 214.871.3611

Twobirds is a bridesmaid dress company that marries a bride’s vision with her bridesmaids’ happiness. The line consists of ONE dress that wraps over 15 ways to flatter women of all shapes and sizes so women can wrap the dress in a style that flatters her body best. With no alterations required, girls can wear the dresses again and again, thus killing two birds with one dress!

Heidi Elnora 2011 Wedding Dress Collection

Heidi Elnora’s journey into the world of weddings began when she graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2002. Upon graduation, Heidi designed children’s wear for Carter’s in Atlanta. It was during this time that Heidi auditioned and was selected for season 2 of Project Runway. After the show and four years at Carter’s, Heidi decided it was time to make her dream of designing wedding gowns a reality.

In November of 2006, the brand heidi elnora was created back in Heidi’s hometown of Birmingham, Alabama. Heidi stays true to her roots by taking a handmade approach when it comes to designing her gowns, which are known for their polished lines and attention to detail. Garment artisans in both Alabama and Georgia craft all heidi elnora gowns and veils by hand.

(more…)

Featured Chicago Engagement Photographer: Exposing the true personality of the bride & groom

With some people you just have an immediate bond. That’s how we felt when we first talked to Jai Girard about becoming one of our Chicago Wedding photography partners.

Jai, the person, is as beautiful as the art that she creates. And, to us, and to her brides, what Jai creates with her photography IS a work of art. She has the gift of making her brides, and even us non-brides, feel like you are the center of her focus. It’s all about you! And it shows in the exquisite wedding and engagement photos that she shares so generously with StrictlyWeddings.com.

So enjoy this sampling of just a few of Jai’s Engagement Photos. They’re fun, dramatic, unique and all show off the artistic touch of Jai Girard.

Wedding Trends – Custom Wedding Candy Buffet Bars

Jackie Sorkin, the woman behind The Hollywood Candy Girls and Custom Candy Buffet Bars is amazing.

Jackie didn’t initially set out to be the Don of a candy kingdom – she did what any smart, savvy, quick thinking business woman does – she saw an opportunity – and she took it. She saw a demand where she wasn’t seeing much in the way of product and so…she created it and Custom Candy Buffet Bars was born. (more…)

Featured Wedding – Alyson & Daniel

Our Chicago photography partner, Jai Girard, who’s supplied so many of our wonderful featured weddings, has added a new favorite.

From our bride … “Daniel and I both went to Indiana University. We met when I was A Freshman, yet didn’t started dating until my Sophomore year. I always knew that Daniel was the one because he always went over and beyond with me on everything. For example, a few weeks into dating, he surprised me outside my college class with a Starbucks in hand and a ride home during a rainstorm.

We began planning our wedding long before we were engaged, always knowing it was going to happen eventually. Our ceremony was the most amazing part of our wedding because of the tradition of being married by the same rabbi as my parents in the same spot 30 years later. The Willow Tree served as the Chuppah and it was the most magical and beautiful thing I have ever seen.

Everything about the day was absolutely incredible, and perfect. We could have done without the major rainstorm, but everyone was too busy dancing the night away to notice!”

Dress Designer –  Amsale
Floral Designer –  ArtQuest in Highwood, IL
Shoes – Manolo Blahnik
Photography – Jai Girard
Venue – Ceremony was at the bride’s Grandparent’s backyard in Highland Park, IL underneath the same willow tree that her parent’s were married 30 years before.
Reception – Chicago Botanic Gardens at the McGinley Pavillion
Catering – Chicago Botanic Gardens catered the event
Entertainment – Dan Hayes Band
Wedding Planner – Lindsay Stein Cohen at Designer Events Chicago
Cake – Rolf’s Patisserie

Siri Bridesmaid Dresses

Siri is recognized as the first in the industry to make short dresses so popular for bridesmaids. It was in 1998 when the Siri dresses began to be selected from boutiques by bridesmaids who didn’t want to “look like a bridesmaid.”  Since then, Siri has very successfully designed and become known for bridesmaid dresses all around the country.

For the high-end bride, Siri brings the finest quality of fabrications and workmanship. A leader in bridesmaid fashion, Siri continues to bring the latest styling to bridesmaids dresses that are available in a multitude of colors and fabrics. Their desire is to design a bridesmaid a beautiful dress that they can wear again, whether for a summer afternoon or a cocktail party. (more…)

Ideas For Planning A Garden Wedding

A garden-themed wedding can be the perfect option for brides who are planning to have their reception and ceremony in the spring or the early summer. This is a time when the flowers are in full bloom, when butterflies, bunnies, and all sorts of animals come out into the world again, and when the weather is lovely and the sun shines down. Whether you are choosing to have your wedding actually outside in a garden atmosphere or you are trying to create a garden feel inside, there are numerous options to make it a truly memorable occasion.

(more…)

Romona Keveza Trunk Show at Stanley Korshak

The Bridal Salon at Stanley Korshak will have a truck show February 25-26 for the Romona Keveza Couture Collection and March 4-5 for “Legends” by Romona Keveza Collection. Call for more information and appointments. Direct line: 214.871.3454 | Main line: 214.871.3611

Mark Ingram Bridal Events – March

Listed below are many wonderful bridal events taking place at Mark Ingram Bridal Atelier in March. It’s by appointment only, so please call 212.319.6778.

March Bridal Events

March 2-Vera Wang Trunk Show

March 3-5 Junko Yoshioka Trunk Show

March 8-9-Rose Taft Special Occasion Trunk Show

10-12 Anne Barge Trunk Show

14-16 Lela Rose Trunk Show

24-26 Monique Lhuillier Trunk Show