Lela Rose

These new Lela Rose Bridesmaid dresses are super cute. Totally something that could/would be worn again (if in a good color). I kinda want one just for fun anyway! Super cute!

Found Via The Bride's Guide

Super Pretty Bridesmaid Dresses

I saw these beautiful bridesmaid dresses by Saja via K, Tea? . . . they are just amazing. Wish I had seen them before my wedding, I probably would have looked into buying them. Maybe I should just buy myself a pretty party dress, they are just so classically pretty. I love them!!

Don't you agree?? Just pretty??

My Rehearsal Dinner Dress

Look the dress I wore for my rehearsal dinner was worn as a bridesmaid dress in this wedding! And crap there are a lot of bridesmaids!! The wedding is super cute though!(Photo by Vue Photography)

Tossing Flowers

How come most of the time when you go to weddings all the girls jump away from the bouquet, rather than doing this . . .

You get to go home with some pretty flowers . . . who cares!! I am going to share a secret (because by the time this posts my wedding will be over and it wont really be a secret anymore) . . . I am having a special bouquet made that when I toss it, it will break apart in to 5 smaller bouquets!! I don't think they will all be able to jump away from that one!!

(Images from 1. The Bride's Cafe 2. Smitten)

I'm married

Well, I guess I am officially married now, and in Alaska enjoying myself . . . so . . . can't tell you anything that happened because I am writing this about 3 weeks early, so . . . how about I show you my Bridesmaids gifts!!

So, first I bought each of the girls a necklace, all a similar design, but a bit different. And of course they had to be pearls . . . I am a June baby (and actually 3 of us are June babies, and 2 May babies - which I find odd). Anyway . . . here they are

This one we actually had the extra chain added, so that it looks the same.

(Photos by Luxe Deluxe)

These were all made by Etsy designer Luxe Deluxe . . . and I think they are absolutely perfect.

I also made little clutches for each girl in a different green fabric. I bought the pattern from another Etsy seller, Keykalou, but I increased the size of it a bit and added an inside pocket. The fabric is all from a neat little fabric shop in Portland, Bolt. If you are in the Portland area, you should go by. They have classes if you don't know how to sew already!! Anyway, I think the clutches turned out beautifully. The purple fabric is what I used on the inside of the clutches. Cute buttons huh??

(Clutch photos by me)

I hope they will appreciate them, I would use one if I made one for myself!!

Aprons for Alexa

Remember Alexa?? I made her a ring pillow?? Anyway, she decided to make her bridesmaids aprons as one of her gifts to them. I offered to help out so I just thought I would share some of the pictures of our journey in making 7 aprons. That's right 7 bridesmaids . . . and Alexa picked one of the most complicated apron patterns I have ever seen. Super cute, but a lot of work!!

This is all the different fabric for all the aprons.
The pattern!
Oh kitty helping to measure and cut!
Pinning

Pattern piece and fabric.

The apron starting to form
We even got M to help cut!!
And there is Alexa sewing with her husband (fiance at the time) helping as well . . . with my little Tumbleweed watching!
M modeling with his coffee.
He doesn't quite fill out the bust very well!

And there is Alexa in the first finished apron . . . much cuter than M!!! I wish I had a picture of all the finished aprons . . . oh well. Apparently all her bridesmaids really liked them. I think they are super fun too. Great gift idea!

Purple Hydrangea Bouquet

I love these pretty hydrangea bouquets. They are just what I want for my bridesmaids!!!

(Images from Style Me Pretty 1, 2)

Will you be my bridesmaid?

I guess I should talk about this because really it was one of the first things I did when I got engaged . . . Ask my bridesmaids to be my bridesmaids. I really wanted to do something cute to ask them, so I turned to Etsy to solve this dilemma!! I found these totally cute cards, by Dazzling Expressions:
The bridesmaid ones say "Name, I would love to have you by my side, will you be my bridesmaid?"

I also had some made for my two 13-year-old cousins who are going to be my hostesses. Those said "Name, I would love your assistance on my big day, will you be my hostess?"

And then of course we couldn't forget the Flower Girls!! Theirs said "Name, I would Love your sweet smile walking down the isle, will you be my flower girl?"

Crista was so helpful in personalizing these for me. She made them in "my colors" and exactly what I wanted them to say!! I think they are really cute, and I am really glad I had them made. I had to send most of them as I have one bridesmaid each in Missouri, Oregon, California, and Tennessee, plus one hostess in Chicago IL and one in Missouri, and of course the flower girls, but they are actually both in Missouri!! Anyway, if I was in a wedding I would love to get something like this, so totally happy!!

Thank God!!!

So . . . I talked a couple days ago about my bridesmaid dresses. I ordered them from a store down here is Southern California partially because of the price ($115), but also because I thought it would just be easier for me because I would be able to pick them up and get them to everyone and all that jazz. My other thought was to order them from a store up in Portland. There is no sales tax in Oregon, so I thought they might be cheaper. When I called the store up there they told me the dress was $175! That is a huge difference! They said they might be able to match my price and they would call me back. In the meantime I made my decision to order them down here. Well . . . now I am so glad I did. My mom sent me this article, titled "Bridal Shop Leaves Some Brides in a Bind." Please if you are getting married in Portland DO NOT order from Tres Fabu!!! Brides would pay for their dress, the store would tell brides everything was fine, but in reality they wouldn't have even ordered the dress!! I cannot even imagine going through this. Absolutely horrible. I am appalled!!

The article mentions checking with CitySearch and the Better Business Bureau before doing business with anyone. Especially anything for your wedding. It is the one day you want everything to go right!!! So girls . . . check with the Better Business Bureau!! And read this article and be upset!!!

(Image from KATU)

Finally we have Bridemaid Dresses!!!

So, I have been looking at Bridesmaid dresses for awhile now. And of course there are lots of issues. First, non of my bridesmaids live anywhere near each other. One is in Tennessee, one in Missouri, one in Portland, Oregon, and one in California (with me). Second, they are all different body types, which I guess isn't completely unusual, but I have one that is very well endowed in the chest area which means we have to make sure she can get a dress that will fit those babies in as well as straps so she can get the proper support! Very important as all us girls know!! My biggest problem is that I tend to like strapless dresses and there really aren't as many strapped dresses out there (what is that about anyway?). Third, they are all way over priced. I don't think it is ok to ask these ladies to shell out $200+ for a dress. I was really trying to keep the dresses in the $150 range at the highest!!

So this dress that I finally found is strapless but the bridal salon said it would be super easy to add straps. Here it is:

(Images by Mori Lee)

I love that this image is in the actual dress color. Chocolate brown! The only difference is that I am going to have a sage green sash (removable). I hate to say it but I really do think this could be worn again. It is not so bridesmaidy that you couldn't wear it to another wedding, or date night with the boy. I don't know, I think it is prefect! Plus, the best part, it was only $115!! Now we all know that that is a big lie too. You end up paying for shipping, extra fabric, sales tax, or $30 more for any dress over a size 18 (which in real sizes is about a 14 - aka not that big). Oh well, I think it is still a good deal compared to $265 before all the extra whatnot!

Here are some of the others I looked at. I was trying to find some that came in similar designs but one with straps and one in strapless so the girls could choose. And there are some others that I just liked!

(Images by Watters)


(Images by Watters and Mori Lee)

(Image from Alfred Angelo)

I was very interested in this last one because it was also only $115! But the girl at the store was very honest and mentioned that you could see everything in the dress (very clingy), so we decided against it!

Anyway, I think we got the perfect dress! I am very happy with it, so I hope the girls will get their deposits in soon so I wont have to worry about it anymore. Man it feels good to get things off the "To-Do" list!!

Flower Girl Dresses

Excuse my french, but who the hell would buy a three year old a $200 dress? (as seen in BRIDES magazine)

(Image from Calabrese)

Yes, it is a very cute dress, and yes every little girl would look fabulous in it, but $200, I am not even spending that much on my bridesmaid dresses!! What is wrong with this dress from Target?

(Image from Target)

Or this one?

(Image from Target)

These dresses are both $17.99! Now that is the price to pay for a 3-year-olds dress. Plus it is not so over the top that they wouldn't be able to wear again.

Now, with that all said, I do love this dress:

(Image from TinyTotDressShop)

It is a lot more than I want to spend, $59.95, but I love it. I love the color. I love the flower. I love the flowieness. It is just too damn cute. I guess I am going to keep my eye out. Maybe it will go on sale, or maybe I will find something I love just as much. A fellow bride mentioned to me that there will probably be some cute dresses for sale after Easter. What a fabulous idea and totally true. People dress their kids up all kind of cute at Easter. So I guess I will be off to Babies-R-Us in April!!