I have been in the mood for Spring lately.  Something different:  better weather, tanner skin, flip flops, and bikinis (ok, maybe I'm not quite ready for bikini season considering I'm writing this post eating an Oreo!).  While I'm waiting for these things, I'm occupying my mind-vacation time searching for new products or wardrobe updates eager for something new.  I've posted a few items I've found recently that I have purchased or want to purchase.  Thought I'd share: (from top left)

(1) this is a pendent I spotted on Etsy.com.  It's called Autumn Kiss and there's something I love about this vintage piece.  I think it reminds me of the way love should feel. (2)I found this next necklace at Antrhoplogie.  I am simply loving multi-strand necklaces with a hunk-of-chunk of something.  In this case a bright pink flower.  It just makes a girl feel pretty.  (3) I've been drooling over this citrus orange jacket.  Dude, it's from Target!  It's so cute on and comes in a kelly green color and also this sunshine-y yellow.  But, I am just drawn to the orange jacket.  I love the shops where fresh flowers are sold outside and you can grab a small bouquet on your way home from work.  I image myself wearing this jacket and stopping to pick up flowers and skipping home.  It just makes me feel happy!  (4) This is not so much about the color or cut of this bikini (although very cute), it's about the designer.  If you haven't heard, I'm shouting this from the top of the sand dunes (we don't have mountains here!)...Spanx now has swim wear.  A bikini that makes you look skinnier?  Well, pass me another Oreo!  Genius, this company!  (5) I am dying to try this.  For all you mascara lovers and in particular, DiorShow addicts, this is their new mascara, called DiorShow Extase Mascara.  I love the brush.  It's tiered and replicates the tiered couture dresses of the House of Dior.  Plus, mega volume and definition.  Sign me up, it's a no-brainer.  (6) I just got this last weekend from Pish Posh Patchoulis in Rosemary Beach, FL.  It's the best bath store EVER!  A tub of shea butter body cream and scented to your liking.  I am a girl of warmer scents so I customized my body cream to the scent of Madagascar vanilla and earth.  If you like sandalwood, you'll love earth.  It's a nice marriage of warm and sweet with an earthy smell.  (7)  oh, this one is good!  The All Nighter Hair Powder, it's like a dry shampoo only powder so it doesn't have that build-up feel.  For thin and/or fine hair, this is a great volumizer.  For everyone else, it's a substitute for the dirty hair days (you know, the days in between washes).  The best part, comes in a variety of shades for your hair color and it's a true match, so you don't have to play the pigment matching game.  It's a Rachel Zoe pick, and anything that she endorses, I'm on board.  I love her!  (8) Another pretty necklace!  I must be feelin' the accessories lately.  This one is a Sorrelli.  I once had a love for them, then disowned them when I saw everyone under the sun wearing their necklaces, and now love them again.  I'm such a traitor, I know, but they have earned their respect from me again.  This necklace is amazing; interesting, chunky, and full of hardware that I just love.  I'd wear this with a tank top and jeans or with a cute, summer dress.  I've missed you Sorrelli.  Welcome back. 

Have something spectacular to share?  Email us at info@marrymeatthebeach.com.  P.S. I'm looking for a fitted denim jacket to wear with spring dresses.  Lemme know if you see a great one out there!

Phil-up on wedding memories- This day, of any day in your life, will fly by.  Remember to stop.  Breath.  Be in the moment. 

Lay out some “ground” rules- now, I’m not one to hammer out the rules to everyone, quite the contrary.  However, on the wedding day, the bridal party must remember to mind their p’s and q’s and maintain some sort of civil behavior and stay on task.  I’ve been involved in weddings where there was pure matrimonial mayhem and not relaxing for anyone.  Last year, I handed out itineraries to my friend’s wedding party.  All the groomsmen laughed at me but guess what stayed in the inside pocket of their tux jackets and kept them on time for every event?  Awe yeah, that’s right! 

Easy on the eyeshadow- From this self-proclaimed beauty advisor, I like to suggest to brides that now is not the day to rock a dark, smoky eye.  Wedding makeup is more about defining the eye so that your eyes “pop”.   Clean, well-defined eyes look timeless in photographs. 

Tip your top hat-  After all is said and done and you’re back from your honeymoon still smelling of suntan lotion, don’t forget to send out thank-you cards.  My friend and I sadly joke that written communication is a lost art (and no, we are not referring to text thank you’s)!  It’s in good taste to send cards to everyone who contributed to making your wedding a success (including the vendors) not just those who gave gifts. 

Happiest Planning and Happy Groundhog’s Day!

~The Wedding Girl

There's a wedding coming to Emerald Grande and you're invited!  Vie Magazine and Emerald Grande are giving away (let me repeat that:  they are GIVING AWAY) a wedding, valued at $30,000.  Register to win your dream wedding here http://www.viezine.com/givies/givie.php?2.  The winner will be announced on February 14, 2010 (could that be any cuter?!) at Commanders Palace in Destin, FL.  Good luck ladies!! 

Ceremony Venue: Bayview Terrace

Reception Venue: Bayview Room

Photographer: Forever Photography by Kylene

1. Shop around for discounts on gowns.  Typically, high end designers are the only gown dealers who do not put their gowns on sale, as most are timeless.  However, many gown designers do!  Check with local stores or online to shop last season's gowns.  Also, check for local truck shows, sample sales, or discontinued designs.  These gowns can be as much as 70% off. 

2.  Off-season/mid-week specials:  Many beach vendors offer off-season rates (Nov-Feb) on wedding packages (i.e. wedding coordination services, photography, etc.). Similarly, venues and lodging facilities are often less expensive during these same months.  Some resorts offer discounted (or free) rooms for the bride and groom during the off-season if getting married on the resort.  Check around for deals.  

3.  Flowers:  There are many times when a flower is unavailable or harder to order (read:  more expensive).  Plan your floral arrangements around seasonal flowers to keep the cost down.  Another option, use less expensive flowers for the flower girls and toss bouquet.  Same rule of thumb applies to food.  Select foods that are in season and/or locally grown/caught. 

We'd love to hear your great ideas, just add your comments below.

Happiest Planning~

To get the most up-to-date trends, we went straight to our pros to find the latest in beach wedding trends for 2010. 

Jewel tones continue to make a bold statement in 2010Victoria, Carillon Weddings:

"After a few years of casual beachy style,with seashell themes, brides are getting more glamorous!
Rich jewel tones, purples, golds and navies are being used with a mix of linens that have a decidedly metallic look. Rich copper, burnished brass, and pewter tones look fabulous in outdoor settings!"
 
"Another trend is a resurgence of the classic and "oh so elegant" white and ivory palettes for the decor. The new classic style layers many textures and shades of ivory linens and overlays for an interesting and modern look. Minimal florals in distinctive glass containers are perfect for a clean, simple yet formal style, that works so well for the bride who wants her wedding to be relaxed but gorgeous! A pop of hot color, be it orchids, maids dresses, or escort cards, can add just enough "beach" for the modern bride."
 
"Along with this more refined style, I am seeing a return to the seated dinner. Many brides are opting for the elegance of having a fine dinner served to their guests, complete with poured wine service. The outdoor settings makes dining under the stars, the perfect combination of classy and cool!"

Erica,  Pure 7 Studios:  Brides come to us looking for things different as far as photography is concerned. They want an artistic perspective as far as shooting style and post-processing of images. They are looking for modern, unexpected album designs and cover options. They want to push the boundaries, letting the photographers capture their day in a non-traditional way, creating heirloom quality images.

Margie, Bella Flora:

*Blue is coming in strong. Priscilla of Boston has a Cobalt Blue and other dress colors seem to be more brilliant blue. More blue flowers are requested as well (i.e,  hydrangea, delphenium, scabiosa, muscari,  tweedia).

* Pale yellow is a surprise to me for dresses for 2010,  but I love it,  and encourage pairing with green flowers,  or white/blue.. we're even doing a few with a palette of soft pastels, carefully chosen, depending on the shade of yellow.  

* Probably my favorite color trend is jewel tones.  Gorgeous dresses in deep fuschia, purple, scarlet, with flowers in those deep tones have really ruled our autumn weddings, and I see this going well into winter and spring, and in late summer. I'd love to see these dramatic colors and themes year round.

* Unusual flowers is also a trend I have noticed,  trying to get away from "traditional" bouquets and arrangements, and using more anemone, poppy, phlox, godetia, Star of Bethlehem, cosmo, hellebores, nerine lily and many  more.  Brides are getting educated on flowers, thanks to the many wedding magazines and on line wedding resources.

* Being a florist,  unfortunately,  we have seen that other than the bridal party flowers,  brides are seeking less expensive alternatives for their ceremony site, and receptions.  However,  any floral company that has been in business for awhile generally has established a deep inventory of lanterns, candles, draping,  and various props that can provide a fabulous decor, and save lots of money.

* The good news about flowers is that we haven't really seen an increase in stem prices in the past year, with the exception of higher demand flowers i.e., peony, lily of the valley, orchids.  Wholesale buyers are being more cautious, and are requesting that Wedding and Event floral companies place orders at least 2 weeks in advance to lock in the best prices.

* A trend I don't recommend, is brides trying to do everything themselves, that are not familiar at all with the beaches, and pulling together all the vendors, rentals, etc, alone.  We've seen some disasters!  We advise brides to be very careful in choosing their vendors.  There are a lot of "pop up" vendors that should be avoided out there.  I ask brides to make sure their vendors are Incorporated,  have at least $1 million in liability insurance,  and provide references.  Local vendors in our area are happy to recommend other companies they  have worked with.  A "day of" wedding coordinator, that will provide a preferred vendor list is a very wise investment, and takes the worry away.

Have a question/comment about wedding trends?  Leave us a comment below!

The wedding was held at the Seaside Chapel.  I have to admit, before the wedding, I have personally seen thousands of photos from various weddings held at the chapel.  But there was something different about the chapel on this day. The chapel was no longer "work related".  This was my dear friend's big day and the chapel took on a whole new meaning.  It was filled with 200 of their closest friends and family eager to see the bride and groom make their commitment to one another.  Her proud father walked the radiant bride down the aisle to a beaming groom.  What an amazing gift we were given to witness the joining of families.  I'm ecstatic for Stephanie and George and the life they are embarking on together, but sad that I will no longer be able to blog about her wedding!     

Congrats and best wishes to the new Mr. and Mrs. 

I joined my friend, Stephanie (see blogs below) for her bridal session yesterday.  She was so lovely.  I wanted to slip into a gown myself, not because I want to walk the aisle just yet, but the idea of having your hair and makeup done and wearing a gown is a girl's dream.   I was thinking that maybe I would just buy a wedding gown just to wear around the house (is that weird?!).  Maybe I could wear it to clean the stove (if I ever cleaned the stove), go to the grocery store, or wear it to watch my daughter play soccer! 

Stephanie was stunning as I watched her swirling and twirling all over the beach in her wedding gown and veil.  On our way home, I mentioned to her that, from my experience, many brides choose not to take bridal photos, which prompted me to blog on that issue this morning. 

1. A bridal session is a great time to do a "dress-rehearsal": Hair, makeup, shoes, veil, etc.  It's even important to try on the appropriate undergarments pre-wedding and spending enough time in the dress to make sure all these pieces work together and that there are no unexpected wardrobe malfunctions!  Should any of these be not-quite-right in the dress-rehearsal, there's still time to adjust them before the big performance.
2. Get comfy with the photog- By this time, most couples have completed an engagement session with the photographer.  However, for you to look your absolute best in front of the camera, a bride needs to be relaxed.  The more time you spend with your photographer in front of his/her lens, the better.  (oh, we also provided cocktails for our bride.  That helps, too!).  It's also a great time for the photographer to be able to understand the best angles for the bride (which is all angles, if you're my friend Stephanie! awe!!!), learn what makes her comfortable, how to get her to relax, and overall body positioning to capture the best picture possible. 
3. It's a lovely gift for family and hubbies. (Side story...) While on the beach, 2 Coast Guard helicopters flew over us.  We imagined the groom-to-be was going to parachute out of the helicopter while doing a triple back flip into the water in his scuba gear, swim to the shore, and, (standing in his Superman cape), would kneel down just to admire his bride-to-be.  Or we can just frame a picture for him, whichever is easier!  What can I say, it was funny at the time!
4. Free up time on the wedding day- if you've ever been involved in a wedding, you know that there is A LOT going on during that day.  There will be plenty of pictures taken, however, if the bridal shots are taken in advance, this can free up some time that the photographer will spend post-ceremony taking pictures of just you.  (So, instead of taking 150, the photog will only take 100! ha!)  More time for you to enjoy the wedding and reception and less time saying "cheese". 
5. One more chance to wear your gown!  Enough said.
6. Proof to your future grandchildren, that yes, you were smokin' hot on your wedding day!  

Many photographers either include this in a package or can be added on ala-carte.  Ask to see former bridal portraits and get their opinion on why this is essential for your wedding day. 

Happiest Planning~

Jamie

The Gossip Column is here! Join us and share all your juicy gossip for fab beach weddings!  Once you sign in, be sure to upload a pic of you (or of you and your honey) and be entered to win an engagement photoshoot with HBB Photography!