Let's figure it out: Centerpieces

This is the first installment of "Let's figure it out" is all about wedding centerpieces. This has kind of been at the bottom of my priority list for a few reasons:

1. My reception location provides generic centerpieces (mirror with votive candles or a small white vase with fresh flowers of my choice).
2. Do people really care and remember centerpieces? I've been to a lot of weddings the past 2 years and I can remember one of the centerpieces
3. They can't be that time consuming to create, right?

I recently had a craft night with my bridesmaids and the topic of centerpieces came up. I knew I wanted to use cut wine bottles (recycled from my friend Kate's wedding) and have the table number/name somewhere on the centerpiece. We started playing around with one of the cut bottles and an empty bottle we had to see what looked best, and it was a LOT more difficult that I thought. There is a fine line between too minimal and way too much, and just adding small things like ribbon and lights made drastic changes to the look of the whole thing.

I am a wannabe DIY diva, so I have lots of ideas and I tend to like everything I see on pinterest but my execution of my ideas rarely go as planned. One of my bridesmaids has taught me the mantra of "Less is more." because it is really easy to get carried away with the lights, flowers and glitter.

My advice to to start with the largest part of your centerpiece, for me that would be the wine bottles, and consider the following:

1. Does it go with your theme and/or color scheme?
2. Does it hinder conversation at the table? (My personal pet peeve)
3. Does it look lazy? (ie: Sprinkling confetti on each table)
4. How much would it be for all of the tables?
5. Can it be duplicated?

Then build out from the largest part. A good centerpiece compliments the reception location, doesn't take up a large portion of the table, sparks instead of hinders conversation and is symmetrical. While creating my centerpieces, we experimented with varying heights, lights, ribbon, tulle and LED candles. When we finally thought we had something, I went to take a picture for my fiance and I realized that it we created something with a beautiful front, and a unappealing back.

The last thing to consider with centerpieces is who will be putting them up for you. Some people are able to put up their own based on when they have access to their reception site, but others are not that lucky. Pick out people you trust and take pictures of your completed centerpieces and leave instructions if there are extra steps (ie pulling out the battery tabs in the LED tea lights). I cannot brag about my reception site (Alpine Banquets, in Darien IL) enough, they actually will set up the centerpieces for you so that way no one needs to stress about the set up of the banquet hall.

And as always remember to give yourself plenty of time and plenty of supplies when crafting. I made bags for my bridesmaids when I asked them, and I am embarrassed by how many times I had to go back to Michael's to get more supplies.

I am always trying to make my wedding planning more fun, so I held a girls/craft night for my bridesmaids where we made shirts, worked on save the dates and played around with centerpiece set ups. We had a ton of fun and got a ton done. No one said you have to do this all alone.

--the southside bride

Tiffany Blue Wedding

I have always loved Tiffany blue, not because of the brand, but simply for the perfect blend of blue and green. When we started planning, I went in really wanting this color without realizing what a challenge it would be to actually find the color. For those of you who don't know, Tiffany blue is actually a copyrighted color which is part of the reason why its so difficult to find. Since I am a bit stubborn I've done a lot of research on the color and I hope this information will help!

Actual color code:

Tiffany blue: 60DFE5

Bridesmaid dresses:

Another Bride posted on Weddingbee a list of designers who have the Tiffany color (or something close) and I added a few more.

Aria Dress –color AquaWatters and Watters –color TiffanyJim Hjelm — color TurquoiseLazaro –color AquaKathlin Argiro –color Tiffany BlueMackenzie Michaels –color TiffanyJordan Fashions –color AquaForever Bridals– color AquaSaeyoung Vu Couture –color Tiffany
La Femme- Aqua/Aquamarine
Bill levkoff- Glacier


David's bridal has a pool which they will claim is close, and in store the color swatch does look close, but I've seen how pool looks in pictures and it's really is much more blue that expected. 

I personally recommend asking to see the color swatches before even trying on dresses that way you and the girls don't fall in love with a dress that you can't have. Also once you have the bridesmaid dresses you officially have your shade of Tiffany to base the colors for the rest of the wedding decorations.
 
Decorations

It's easy to get wrapped up in buying things online and then realizing once they come in that it's more of a mint green instead of a Tiffany blue. Do some leg work. Both Michaels and Jo Ann fabrics have large amounts of fabric and ribbons that are Tiffany. Wyla inc. fabrics has a Tiffany in various satin, tulle, etc
and is available in both stores. 

Invitations and Paper

If you are getting your invites professionally done then confirming the color with your designer is all you need. Again, having a color swatch from the dresses for them to work with will make everyone's lives easier.
But if you are DIY bride like me, sometimes it's difficult to find a Tiffany cardstock without breaking the bank. If you have the time, Summer time clearance at places like michael's and archivers are your best chances to get that Tiffany blue pallet. If you missed that window, just keep watching for coupons to bring those prices down. And when printing be sure to print a few testers to get your printer settings correct.

As I find more, I'll post more on the lovely world of Tiffany.

--The southside bride

When to start wedding planning?

Everyone says to enjoy your engagement before plunging into planning. But depending on the type of person you are wedding planning can be like quick sand. I told myself that I would give myself at least a month to really enjoy being engaged before starting in on the planning.

But then these top three things kept reoccurring

1. "Congratulations! So... have you thought about when the wedding will be?"
Problem: Literally, these conversations started less than an hour after I was engaged. And I get it. People find out your engaged, they are excited and they want to keep the conversation call rolling. But when you constantly get asked, its easy to start doing research on which dates would be good possible wedding dates and then all of a sudden you are looking at banquet halls and vendors and BOOM. Suddenly you went from newly engaged to borderline bridezilla.
How to fix/avoid this:  Change the topic back to the engagement. I am blessed enough to have one of the most incredible proposal stories, so it was easy for me to say "Well we aren't sure yet, but did I tell you how long he has been hiding my ring?!" Bring up little details so that way the person you're conversing with still feels as if they kept the ball rolling and you get to buy yourself more time.

2. I'll just peak at pinterest/theknot/weddingbee...just for general ideas
Problem: Maybe you just started a private wedding board on pinterest because you like wedding things, or a "dream" wedding board because well ONE day you planned to be married. Or maybe you just became engaged and you want to see what the big deal with theknot is and you create your account. Fast forward a few hours and now you have hundreds of ideas and at the moment they all seem possible so it only makes sense to discuss most of them with your beau. And then the real problem becomes either the people who follow you on social media seeing these pins and ideas and telling others what you're planning. Example: I made a fourth of july wedding board simply because it seemed like a fun idea. I get a call a week later from my great auntie asking me why I didn't tell her I picked a wedding date because its "all over the internet" and people are already planning their summer around it.
How to fix/avoid this: If you simply cannot resist the wedding websites early on in the engagement, make them private. It sounds selfish at first, but as you progress in your wedding planning you learn the less people know about your wedding plans, the easier it makes your life. I was shocked when my little 80+ year old auntie brought up my pinterest board because I never thought my relatives paid that close of attention to what I posted. I will admit that I have made a few blunders with telling too much to people early on in my planning. Early on in our brainstorming we were looking at traditional church weddings, but as my fiance and I started to lay things out, we decided to go in another direction and that change really threw some people off and actually upset them. A wedding represents one of the most intimate moments you'll have with the person you love, so why not take things slow and close to the chest.

3. I've had this planned out my entire life, if I just hurry up and get it all done I can enjoy being engaged after. 
Problem: You have been talking about your wedding since before you can remember. And you may have even had a lot "planned" out before you even met your better half, an insert groom here wedding plan. Maybe you are even like me and had a wedding spread sheet with real numbers, names and outlines done before you were even engaged. But you learn pretty quickly, that a wedding really shouldn't be planned in less than a month (unless absolutely necessary). The planning is really part of the fun and rushing just leads to quick decisions you may not be able to change later.
How to fix/avoid this: I wish someone told me to start over with a blank slate. I went into planning with my spreadsheets, pinterest dream boards and high expectations and blindsided my fiance who still was on a high from pulling off our epic engagement. He lovingly told me his was overwhelmed and then it hit me. It's his wedding too. We started planning with laying out a budget and making a top 3 list of what mattered to the both of us. Even though I may not be doing everything I laid out when I was 18, I believe by taking our time with the planning has made this all more fun. The current problem we are facing is the wedding checklists, because we are both the kind of people who look at those as a challenge. There are days when we have to talk about it being unrealistic for me to make and store all of my centerpieces now since we will be moving before the wedding.


I recommend taking at least a month to just enjoy yourselves as a newly engaged couple. The wedding timeline can wait! As I said early on planning is like quick sand, you may not even realize how deep you're getting into planning until someone calls you out on it. And when you start planning, start with the budget and be realistic with it. This way when you sit and make your priority list you can really focus on needs vs wants.

Start it right and have fun with it!
--the southside bride

Changing things up a Bit

Hey Lovlies,

I'm changing things up a bit since I really am going to become a Southside bride in July!

From here on out, I am going to try to write more about my current experiences instead of just mash ups and advice. (but since I love making mash ups, I might throw one in every now and then)

I want to try to help others who are tired of reading the same old tips on how to save money on your wedding day. Some of us just realistically can't have a wedding under 50 people, or even 150 for that matter, so all of the "weddings under 10K" blogs, books and websites don't apply to us. What if the most important things on your and your significant other's priority list is being surrounded by the people you love?

We are inviting 200+ to our wedding because we have a ton of people who we truly love and want there on our wedding day. We are saving money in lots of other ways and I hope my future posts help give the bride with the big guest list and small pocketbook hope.

Let's walk this path together!
<3 thesouthsidebride

Wedding Photo Pose checklist

Thanks to sites like pinterest it's now incredibly easy to find and share ideas for wedding pictures. But sometimes that can be a bit overwhelming and what if you forget to do one in the moment? Here's some easy tips to make sure you get the perfect smiles you want.
1. If you're still looking for a photographer, pick out 10~15 poses and bring then with you when you interview them. You'd be surprised at how picky some photographers are when it comes to things like using your own props, sparklers our different camera effects. If they seem hesitant, move on. They consider your wedding to be an expansion of their work, so their own judgments on color, angles and poses can outweigh your wants.
2. If you have a photographer already, print out a medium sized checklist of poses you want. Remember a photographer will take hundreds of pictures, so a list of 20+ really isn't crazy. Plus with a larger list, if a few are skipped do to time or the photographers bias then at least you have a good chunk of pictures you like in the mix.
3. Try for a good mix. Some people are strictly traditional or only candid but most of us are somewhere in between. Even if you are leaning one way over the other, be sure to have just a few shots of the other side of the spectrum. This way when you're showing off your pictures everyone looking at them will be pleased and you will have a more complete collection of moments from the wedding.
4. Do something fun. Be it sexy, just for the two of you shots or silly faces with the moms. There is something about staged entertainment that will leave you laughing for years to come.
5. Let the bridal party pick a few poses. These people are the ones who have probably seen the best and worst of you and your other half. Shots showing off your relationship with them will surely be part of the favorites

Smile big
-the southside bride

Finding a Dress for the Bridesmaids

The time of having every one of top ladies wearing the same exact dress is over. Our best friends come in a variety of shapes and sizes and asking them all to wear the gorgeous strapless above the knee dress isn't just unrealistic but a little unfair. You should want everyone at your wedding to feel as beautiful as you do.
So what's the best way to go about it?

1. Picking a color and fabric

This is one is the most popular options for when you still want everyone to look alike but respect the fact that everyone has their owns tastes. You could take this a step further by asking them all to stay around the same length too and a lot of people who realize right away that everyone is in a slightly different dress.

2. Sticking with traditional

If you ask a younger girl to draw a wedding party she would probably put all the bridesmaids in simple but elegant floor length dresses with some sort of strappy top. This look has always been a staple for bridemaid dresses because all body types can wear a simple gown like this.

3. Let them choose

Sometimes you have to take a step back and realize that despite being this be the biggest day of your life, it is still just a single day in the rest of your new life with both your husband and the girls at your side. Why not let them pick out their own dress to rock out on the sideline of your wedding day? You could of course ask them to keep a general color scheme in mind if that's important to you, but you might be surprised how happier a girl is in her own clothes.

4. Everyday Dresses

This kind of goes along with letting them choose. I LOVE the maid of honor dress I wore in my best friend's wedding this past August. It was a latte colored peplum dress and I rocked it. But, no matter how hard I try, I just can't find another occasion to wear it too without looking like I just came from a wedding. So gather the girls and hit the mall. I actually recommend chain retail stores for an idea like this (JCP, Macys, etc) because if one girl finds an awesome dress in her size, its more likely that you could order the other bridemaid sizes online. This also is sometimes a cheaper alternative for your bridemaids who are already investing a lot in your wedding.





Now if having them all wear the same dress is really important to you that is FINE. To be honest, that is what is probably going to be happening with my own wedding because I'm so darn picky. But I love the idea of having options and pretending I'm not as much of a perfectionist as I am.

Happy Shopping
--the southside bride

New trends in Bachelorette Parties

Lately when you hear bachelorette parties, images of strippers, drunken ladies, tiaras, penis-everything accessories and bars. Its said that this current practice came about during the women's rights movement, when women started celebrating as they saw men do before the big wedding day. But lately, a lot of Bachelorette Parties are taking a step away from the drunken parade and towards more sophisticated and personal approach.

Wine Tasting
When the bride to be is a Vino-aholic, getting a bus/limo and hitting the wine trails for a day or weekend is an amazing way to get everyone to loosen up and enjoy themselves while traveling about instead of just taking shots all night at the bar. If there aren't any wine trails around, have a bottle party where everyone brings a bottle to share and spend the night laughing and sharing your favorite stories of the bride.

Scavenger Hunts
You might need a little more input from the bride or groom for this one but it is sure to be something the bride and guests remember forever. Create a photo scavenger hunt that take the guest to places that have some strong meaning towards the bride and groom, (location of first date, favorite fast food place, etc). Be creative, have people take a picture reenacting the proposal, dancing at the bar or just being silly. End it at a bar or restaurant where you can bring a laptop, upload all the pictures too it and share it all with the bride. You will all learn lots more about the bride and it is sure to be a blast.

Traveling Sisters
With movies like the Hangover and Bridesmaids, there is a push to actually leave the state and go somewhere to have a crazy good time. Be that Vegas, Napa Valley or Miami, be sure to be realistic and clear it with your bride and the small group ASAP. A lot of hotels are starting special rates for Bachelorette  and Bachelor parties so be sure to get the best price on wherever you are heading!

Spa me up
There are very few people that will turn down a day of relaxing and massages, especially after spending the last months planning a wedding. Spend a weekend in a relaxing spa atmosphere or find a company that does house calls! Your guests will leave feeling refreshed and pampered after a day or evening of a spa treatment.

Rocking Out
Is the bride's favorite band coming to town? Get the girls together, get a great group rate on tickets and get ready to rock out! Your bride will be overjoyed for the chance to sing along with the band and the group will just add to that positive energy.

No matter what you do be sure to talk to your bride. There are a lot of times where the MOH picks out her favorite bar and start making shirts covered in candy, when the bride just wants to curl up and chat with her girlfriends.

Happy partying!
--the southside bride