Last Minute Bride

In conjunction with Just Wenderful and Better Than Naked Vintage & Handmade, Valentino's proudly presents LAST MINUTE BRIDE! There are always last minute details to be filled in order to make the Wedding Day perfect, so that's why local businesses are banding together and bringing the last minute bride's one-stop bridal shop!.

Available to Brides that day are FREE hairstyle samples, bridal beauty packages, private pampering parties, spray tans, day-of coordination, candy buffets, handmade garters, stationary, handmade and vintage beaded bridal bags, wedding photography, cake bakery, florist and more!

This is a FREE EVENT!

Local Vendors include:

Better Than Naked Vintage and Handmade

Just Wenderful Event Planning & Design

Katy Carrier Designs

Shannon Lee Images

& More

Must we tell you why you need to come?  The hair stylists will play with your hair, you can find your bridesmaids' gifts, and hey, do you have your garter yet?  This is an event supporting handmade items and local vendors.  Visit our Facebook page HERE and RSVP!

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Finding Yourself.

Personal/ business post.

So, we're in the process of re-branding and giving the site a whole new look!  It's a bit overwhelming to have to decide on an image that you think conveys what we're about but we're THISCLOSE!  I can't wait to be able to show it off.  I love pink and green but I think I got carried away the first time around!  Heh...

Going to Making Things Happen with Lara Casey reminded me of my 7th grade math teacher Mr. Green who always went off on tangents about lemmings.  Don't be a lemming.  Be yourself, be unique.  Not only is this what it's about in general in life but it's a major point in business.  What do you offer that other people don't?

Looking within myself and the awesome couples I've had the privilege to work with, I've decided to take on a new little side project with Stacey Steffe of Better than Naked.  I've known her for a couple of years and feel so honored that she came up to me for advice and basically a proposition!  We're going to be holding a series of small events that will eventually lead to something bigger.  Happy to say we're making things happen!

This is who we're NOT!

Hah!  So keep an eye later today yo!

MIlk Glass Love

Ever since I found my super secret thrift shop near home, I've fallen in love with milk glass.  As a matter of fact, my small collection was used at a baby shower this past weekend.  Then I saw this yesterday and it just reaffirmed my love for it.  So pretty, simple, and yes...affordable!  Su-per affordable.

Via Style Me Pretty

A pop of color, a pretty runner, and some pretty blossoms.  SWOOOOON!

 Via lyouxo

And they don't have to match! 

Source

I love!

Happy Friday!

I've been meaning to share this picture from Erin of Dandelion & Grey.   She does styling & design and I just love her taste!  I met her at one of the networking events sometime in the beginning of this year and she's such a lovely lady!  This picture was actually of her wedding photographed by Heather Gilson of One Love Photo.

Have a great weekend!  I sure am!  Anyone going to Unveiled?  If you are, flag me down!  I'm also attending a super HAWT shoot this Sunday for one of my couples; more of that to come!

Bridal Wear

This week, I’ve decided to take another look at all the beautiful gowns from Fall Bridal Week. The fall shows took place in October 2009, showcasing gowns for the Fall 2010 lines. When I initially saw the dresses I was soooo overwhelmed with the all the goods that I couldn't really take them all in! So, I thought I would revisit the photos and see which gowns I still love. Hands down, my favorites this year are from Reem Acra’s Fall 2010 line. Take a look…

This one truly made me gasp!

What can I say???…sheer indulgence! My favorite trend that can be seen in many of this year's gowns are the incorporation of colors like beige, pewter, and tan. I also really love the look of belted & sashed dresses.

Vera Wang

Fall 2010 Collection

Monique Lhuillier

Fall 2010 Collection

Just because I looove Monique Lhuillier, I thought I would include these 2 beauties from the Spring 2010 Collection!

That's Amoré!

This lovely couple renewed their vows last week and let me say it was very well deserved!  They've been together for 18 years and have totally withstood all kinds lumps and humps life's handed them.  They met when she was 15!

Seriously, I look up to them!  I hope to fight off arguments with all my soul til we kiss it off like they do!

I was a guest so I wasn't on duty and these snapshots were taken by me!  My hubs was the best man and made a great little toast for his big brother.  (Good job, baby!)

Congrats again you lovebirds!

Happy Friday!

So I didn't know which picture of the last e-session Mimi Nguyen posted on her blog to choose.  This background looks unreal so this ended up the winner but really you must see this session on her blog HERE!

I met Mimi back in January when I went to the Making Things Happen Intensive.  She's such a sweet girl, thanks for letting me share this one Mimi!

Utterly Engaged Design Contest

We had the privilege of having our tablescape photographed by Jasmine Star so you know I have to share more pictures!

Katy, Melinda, and I went through so MANY ideas, haha.  From a certain idea that we may do for fun coming up, to using paper flowers, to our final design: using plexi-glass.  The challenge was to use industrial materials to build a tablescape.  The mastermind behind our plexi-glass is Melinda from Cake Goodness.  Not only does she make some pretty top notch cakes but she can whip up some plexi-glass boxes like no other!

We worked around the colors from the BBJ Linen napkins we used.  Shout out to them!

You can see the plexi pretty well here!

Gorgeous anemone mini cake!

Not only were some flowers hanging, but we used paint chips from Home Depot to make our name cards.

The whole event was pretty amazing!  We got to vote in these:

 We were lucky number 13!

The great Flashdance to entertain!

Mint Photo Lounge for the funny pictures like so:

The Stick Pig!  My favorite:  Maple Cinnamon!

Thanks again to the ladies of Utterly Engaged!  Henny, Lucia, and Eva!

Not Just for St. Patrick's!

I had another inspiration board I was going to put up today but why not work on something inspired by a couple who's tying the knot next month.  She's the cutest, down to earth bride with an awesome marine hubby-to-be!

Items in this set:
Green Wedding Ideas | The Wedding Chicks
Boutonnieres - GREEN!!! - ASHLEYW44's Pink Wedding by Color Blog, $15
Jam. 12.5 oz., $7.50
Toulon Planter | Anduze Pots | - Ballard Designs, $4.95
mindless musings on my average life: pretty green bouquet plus...

Mostly green plants, very few flowers!  The venue alone makes me want to get married all over again!  A little over a month to go!

ETSY Love!

I love ETSY. No, I really love ETSY! Vendors on this site have seriously helped brides by taking the guesswork out of finding incredibly cool wedding favors on any budget. When looking for favors for any occasion, I try to find items that guests will really love and be able to use. Here are just a few of my current faves that can be purchased through ETSY. If you truly love to D.I.Y., you might even try making them yourself!

Nature Favors

Adorable birdseed hearts! I can’t stress enough how much I LOVE these favors. They are beautiful, eco-friendly, and completely unique.

ABSINTHE Custom Print

Everyone has their own favorite bottle of inexpensive wine right? You can easily turn it into a gift for your guests by adding a customized label. If your favorite is more than a few dollars, you can keep your budget in control by giving it as a family favor rather than an individual one. Better yet, take advantage of the 5¢ Wine Sale at your local BevMo to stock up!

DivineLionesss' Shop

As another eco-friendly option, these tiny moss terrariums make adorable favors! There are countless ways you can customize small terrariums with plants, moss, or succulents.

Happy Friday!

So excited that Utterly Engaged Issue #008 is out!  Come see the tablescape that we created!

CLICK HERE to see more!  Next week I'll post some more detail shots captured by the awesome Jasmine Star!

Nom Time!

 Don't you just want to eat up all those juicy pear jelly bellies?

Here are a couple pictures from the Backstage Bridal event last Sunday courtesy of Desi Photography. 

A Sweet Treat Table inspired by this board by Tami Brown.

Yum!