BHLDN On A Budget!

Like many women, my heart swoons whenever I step inside Anthropologie. Sadly, I cannot afford to shop there regularly, especially on a grad student budget in the middle of a recession! However, I was thrilled to recently learn that the team behind Anthropologie decided to venture into another one of my passions, the wedding world, with their new store, BHLDN.

A great feature of the BHLDN website is that it offers more than just a shopping experience for brides. It includes free interactive experiences to help inspire you while planning your wedding, and provide another great way to procrastinate ;-) For example, I took a fun quiz called "What Kind of Bride Are You?" and discovered that I am a Romantic Nostalgic bride, which was a very accurate portrayal of my vintage Cape Cod wedding. The website also offers MoodBoards, aka inspiration boards, where you can view their products based on themes or color palettes, or even create your own board!

Disclaimer: I guarantee you will love everything BHLDN offers, but like it's sister store Anthropologie, products from here do not come cheap. Since one of my goals is to provide wedding inspiration for brides on a budget, I have scoured the site and chosen the best wedding attire and accessories for budget-minded brides.

Here are 2 boards featuring my favorite dresses, that are all an amazing steal at $1600 or less!

Finally, another great way to incorporate the romantic, unique, and vintage products BHLDN offers while not breaking the bank is to carefully choose more affordable accessories for your big day. Here are my top picks:

Images from center, then clockwise from top left: Choose a lovely silk hat/birdcage veil for a vintage vibe ($120); Love coasters provide a romantic touch ($14 for 10); Don polka dot gloves for a unique look ($40); Brighten up your fete with colorful straws ($6 a pack); Eat your cake with a pair of engraved love forks ($24 a pair); Serve treats on lovely pedestals ($68-$88); Statement earrings are great bridesmaid's gifts ($66); Accessorize your cocktail hour with love stirrers ($22 for 24); Use adorable mini teapots as escort card holders ($52 for 6); Glam a simple pair of shoes with colorful pom poms! ($25 per pair); Choose simple but sophisticated letterpress invites ($26 for 8); Chalkboard vases make unforgettable table numbers ($18); Faux flowers are a great way to save money without compromising on style ($32 for 5).

New Color Combo: Charcoal & Emerald

I'm going to be a bridesmaid in a September wedding in which one of the wedding colors is charcoal. While the bride is doing a lovely combination of charcoal against soft pastels, I also love when this dark neutral is expressed with bright pops of color, such as canary yellow, featured in the image below.

However, lately I prefer unexpected color combinations. So I came up with an emerald green and charcoal palette, offset by the cool crispness of white.

What are your favorite unexpected color combinations for a wedding?

The Ultimate Prep: A Seersucker Wedding

Nothing says New England preppy like seersucker. This fabric is perfect for summer or beach weddings due to it's breathable, light cotton composition. While it's traditional color is blue, seersucker can now be found in an array of pastels, as well as neutrals such as khaki.

As soon as summer rolls around, I love pulling out my seersucker clothing and accessories, such as my vintage Kate Spade purse (also great for a bride on her wedding day!).

Seersucker would also be great as a wedding theme for brides looking to host a classic, preppy wedding. If you're fiance objects, just tell him that real men wear pastels, and he'll be thanking you when he's not wearing a traditional tux in 90 degree heat!

Finally, find some creative ways to incorporate seersucker into your wedding theme, such as customizing your wedding cake with stripes:

Cake by Cake Girls

A Pink Palette

Much to my dismay, I am almost out of my favorite perfume, Flowerbomb (which I of course wore on my wedding day). So I decided to turn my obsession with this pink perfume into an inspiration board for all you brides. This board combines a few of my favorite things (J.Crew, peonies, candy, and horses).

Happy weekend everyone!

Engagement Session Outfit

I am getting super excited to have my engagement photos (finally) taken next weekend with the great Seth Kammueller. Amidst the anticipation of the event and the process of narrowing down a place to hold our engagement session, I didn't leave much time for planning what Cape Cod Groom and I were going to wear.  Thus, we went shopping for my fiance and easily found a nice button down shirt and sweater at Express to wear with his Seven jeans and converse (he insisted), but I was a bit more difficult.  I knew I wanted a look that was classic and feminine, so I headed to my favorite store for all things girly: J. Crew. Because it's fall here in Chicago, I needed something that would keep me warm without looking bulky, so I also wanted a sleek layered look. I found this pretty blouse at J. Crew, and then a gorgeous long cardigan at Martin and Osa, another one of my favorite stores.

I bought my cardigan in a dark grey color below, which I think is really flattering against the pale pink blouse.

I love the way the ruffles of the blouse peek out from the top of the cardigan against my neckline, which is also nice because I don't have to wear a necklace. Other than my engagement ring, however, I still wasn't sure what to wear for jewelry, until I saw an amazing champagne pink pearl bracelet at JCrew, which compliments my blouse perfectly.

I didn't get this exact bracelet, but one in the same color and similar style (they didn't have any pictures of the one I bough online), so you get the idea. I also remembered that I have a pair of champagne pink pearl earrings that my mother gave me for Christmas last year, which I think will coordinate exactly with this ensemble.

I'll be completing my look with a pair of Seven jeans and my dark brown Zara suede boots.

I know many couples wear two different outfits, and I debated about doing that as well, but I'm not sure if it's worth the effort, especially since I love this ensemble, though I do have another look I could change into, just in case. I also thought about wearing a LBD with heels, for something more dressy, but then decided I would probably freeze.

How did you decide what to wear for your engagement photos, and do you think it's worth it to do an outfit change halfway through for a different look, or just stick to one outfit you really love?

Wellies Under Your Dress?

Ok, this might sound crazy, but I'm considering getting a pair of Hunter boots to wear under my wedding dress while outside. Although I bought a pair of navy heels, I realized that satin peep toes might not be the most practical shoe to wear outside for traveling and pictures during the middle of winter in New England.  As I want to take photos outside and don't want my nice heels ruined by the mud or snow, and need a new pair of rain boots anyways, I thought, why not get a pair to wear under my dress? I think it could make for some cute pictures as well, and I love that Hunters are available in a plethora of adorable colors (though I would probably order traditional navy ones to match my colors).

Even better, I found cute shiny boots and white ones to go with your dress! The colorful shiny ones would also be great for bridesmaids to wear as well, particularly if it happens to rain on your wedding day. As the Boy Scouts say, always be prepared!

I though maybe this was a weird idea (and perhaps it still is), but I felt that I could validate my craziness if I found other brides who wore these at their wedding. To my surprise, I did a quick google search, and found another bride who had the same thought as I!

So what do you think? Am I totally crazy? Or is this practical footwear for me as a winter bride to keep my dancing shoes clean and pretty?

The Knot Wedding Shop Sale!

Hey peeps. Hope everyone is having a lovely and productive weekend! Here is a little deal for anyone out there shopping for their wedding. The Knot's Wedding Shop is offering $10 off orders of $10 or more using the code BRIDECASH.

They are also having a huge sale! I just ordered wedding bubbles on sale for only $5.99 for a pack of 48, and got personalized navy ribbon to adorn them and other accessories for only $19.99 (origninally $39.99). Yay recession specials!! Better act quickly, as the offer is only good through tomorrow!

My Clutch!

As I promised to share with you all the purchases I've made for my big day, here is another item I'm really excited about! I had this gorgeous bag custom made for me by Robin of UPSTYLE Design, another great Etsy vendor. I told her I was looking for a navy bag to go with my wedding colors, and said I would love to incorporate a brooch or embellishment onto the bag to fit with my vintage theme.  Instead of a brooch, she sewed the embellishment onto the bag, and I think it looks just lovely. It is so sparkly in person, and reminds me of a snowflake, which will be perfect for my winter wedding!

Here is the real life picture of the bag:

Vendor I Heart: Plum Pretty Sugar

Oh, the wonderful world of Twitter.  I have to thank Cape Cod Groom for recommending I set up a Twitter account for this blog, as it has connected me to so many fabulous vendors in the wedding industry, not to mention the all of the fantastic brides and grooms out there.  I mainly set up the Twitter account for fun, and to follow other bloggers that I admire, but I never imagined that there would be people out there who would start reading this blog because of it.  I have to say, I'm shocked by how many great, creative brides and vendors there are and how quickly I've become connected to them via Twitter!

Thus, you can imagine my surprise when a vendor actually approached me, telling me she admired this blog and hoped to be featured on it!  I was really touched, and decided to check out her work asap, so I headed over to her Etsy shop, Plum Pretty Sugar.  I was shocked to find so many great things in her shop that I really had trouble narrowing down my favorite choices!  I adore her tunic dresses and robes for their ethereal, floral design, but I'm also a huge fan of her accessories.  Her pajama sets, tanks, and matching headbands and pony tail holders are so preppy chic! Any of these items would make great bridesmaids gifts, as they always say you should give your bridesmaids gifts they will actually want to use after your wedding.  I guarantee any lucky lady who receives one of these robes will be wearing them for a long time after your big day.

Lastly, don't get too sidetracked by her great clothing and loungerie.  I thought she only made apparel, but then I discovered that she also designs accessories for the home! Her duvet covers and matching shams are truly hidden gems that are so gorgeous and affordable, I'm just dying to redecorate!  Wouldn't it be great to have a new bedroom set for your first night as a married couple?

(Click on images below to view larger)

Vendor I Heart: Designs by Krissy

I used to be a fan of classic, understated jewelry.  Lately, though, my tastes have evolved and I'm loving statement jewelry.  Especially since I'm planning a wedding with a vintage vibe, I also love jewelry that incorporates this theme by including antique pearls, brooches, cameos, etc.  Designs by Krissy creates jewelry that is perfect for your entire wedding party, and she will custom make pieces to suit your style and wedding theme.  Her jewelry is just so elegant and timeless, I could see everyone wearing this, regardless of age.  I've been looking for a bracelet to wear on my wedding day and I think I've found the perfect vendor!

Vendor I Heart: Emma Gordon London

I have a fantastic find today for all you ladies out there.  Of course, I found this vendor on Etsy.  But before you commit me to rehab for my Etsy addiction, you have to check out Emma Gordon London's fabulous collection of accessories.  Her handmade handbags are to die for, and would be a fun, chic compliment to your wedding dress.  If I didn't already have my wedding handbag, I would be ordering one of hers, stat.  And unless you want your bridesmaids drooling all over yours, I recommend ordering some for them too in your wedding colors (yes, she even makes custom bags *swoon*).  Plus, her matching headbands just scream Upper West Side chic (hello Gossip Girl).  Seriously, what are you waiting for?

Vendor I Heart: The Garter Lady

I have a great Etsy vendor to share with you today.  The Garter Lady creates custom, handmade garters using lace, organza, satin and silk, to ensure that you have a beautiful and unique garter to wear and toss.  Many of her garters are also adorned with vintage brooches, charms, bows, flowers, and even feathers, and most garters can be created in your custom wedding colors! She is always happy to create plus size garters for clients as well. With an enormous selection and prices ranging from just $10 to $210, I guarantee even the most picky bride will find something suitable!