Grouper Tournament Win

So as you all know Andy and I love fishing. Every Sunday we try to take the boat out off the west coast and try to see who can catch the most fish. Well while I was working at a wedding, Andy entered a fishing contest and won Biggest Grouper on the First Day of the Tournament. I am so PROUD (and still a little upset I wasn't there). Here's a picture of my little winner:

Wedding Cake Trends

A new trend is to break away from the traditional 3-tiered wedding cake and to create something with a little more edge. Here are some of my favorites:

Samantha and Matthew

I am so excited that Samantha and Matthew's wedding photos are finally up. The couple looks stunning and the pictures are breathtaking! Thanks to Greg from Greg's Gallery for capturing Samantha and Matt's most memorable day.

Here are a few of my favorite images, check out the rest under the Featured Couples section of our website:

Photos by: Greg's Gallery

Florals by: Marguerite's Florist

Wedding Planning by: celebrate!

Wedding Guest List

While planning your wedding, one aspect that may be difficult is deciding who and how many people to have on your wedding guest list. Whether you'd like to have a big wedding or a small one, here are a few tips to try and help you keep your guest list narrowed down to the numbers that you'd prefer.

1. Start with percentages: assign 50 percent of the guest list to the bride and groom, and then 25 percent to each set of parents.
2. Give parents their number early: before your parents start inviting friends & family members, create specific guidelines for them to follow.
3. Create tiers: place each guest into a relationship category with family members in the top tier, close friends in the second, and colleagues and other friends in the third. After creating this list, start cutting back from the bottom of the list up.
4. Do the one-year test: ask yourself if you've seen or spoken to this person within the last year. 
5. Selectively offer invites with guests: try to only give "plus guest" on the invitation only if you have socialized with the couple.
6. Consider having a small wedding: consider having a wedding with only family members and close friends, and then having a cocktail party after the honeymoon with all of your friends and colleagues. 

Wedding Dress Terms: Silhouettes

Here is some terminology to know when you go wedding dress shopping.

A Line - tapered or tight fitting bodice, with a close fitting waist that slowly tapers to a flared hem.

Antebellum - dress with a tight fitting bodice, with a natural waistline that dips two inches to a point in the center front.

Asymmetrical - fabric falls to one side from the natural waistline.
Ballgown - an off the shoulder bodice accented by a natural waistline with a lavish, full skirt.

Blouson - drooping fullness in the fabric from the bodice to the waist, gathered at or below the waist.

Bustle Back - a gown with an exaggerated fullness in the rear of the skirt, built with a pad or frame. This is often done with a bridal train for easier movement at the reception.

Drop Waist - the bodice may be loose, tapered, or tightly fitted, with the waistline of the dress dropping several inches below the natural waist.
Empire - small, scooped bodice gathering at a high waist with a slim yet full skirt. (A raised waist is a waistline that is about one inch above the natural waistline, which may or may not be an empire waist.)

Princess - slim fitting bodice and skirt with vertical seams flowing from the shoulder to the hem of the skirt; accentuates the waist but does not hug the body.

Sheath - narrow, body hugging style without a waist.

Romantic Quotes

If you are in need of some inspiration for your wedding programs or vows, here are some quotes that might help you to better put into words the feelings that you and your loved one share. Real Simple Magazine picked these quotes to be there top ten favorites. Enjoy!

"Once in a young lifetime one should be allowed to have as much sweetness as one can possibly want and hold." - Judith Olney

"To love abundantly is to live abundantly, and to love forever is to live forever."- Henry Drummond

"To love deeply in one direction makes us more loving in all others."- Anne-Sophie Swetchine

"Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for a while, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same."- Flavia Weedn

"You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give."- Kahlil Gibran

"Love doesn't make the world go 'round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile."- Franklin P. Jones

"We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures."- Thornton Wilder

"In the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, for in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed."- Kahlil Gibran

"Have a heart that never hardens, a temper that never tires, a touch that never hurts."- Charles Dickens

"To love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides."- David Viscott

Wedding Dress Terms

This week we are going to explore all those terms professionals use when it comes to your wedding dress to help you understand this crazy wedding planning world. This week we will learn about wedding dress fabrics, silhouettes, and necklines.

Invite Your Guests With Style

Your first impression of your wedding to your wedding guests is your wedding invitation. Your invitation should not only let them know all your wedding details but should let them know the style, theme, and whether or not this is a formal wedding. Here are some of my favorite invitations from our Invitation Website:

A fun idea!

A different and unique way to add some fun to your wedding reception is to incorporate a candy buffet. Candy buffets can be a great way to add some color to your room. You can match the buffet with the theme of your wedding or go for the funky style with lots of colors. I love candy buffets when all of the jars are different sizes and shapes. This makes for a true modern theme that is a great conversation piece as well as a deliciously fun wedding favor!

This was one of my favorite candy buffets that we have had at our weddings so far. It had such a variety of colors, flavors, shapes and sizes. It was so unique and the guest had a great time with it!

Amanda's Inspiration Board

Don't you just love the natural vibe this wedding is going to have? Jen, Stephanie and I cannot wait for this beautiful day in January.