Bridal Registry Essentials

Have you and your fiance registered for wedding gifts yet?  Completing your bridal registries is a highly recommended activity on your wedding planning checklist.  We suggest registering so it takes some of the guess work off your guests when they graciously buy your wedding gifts.  Your guests want to buy you something you want and need in the colors that work for you and your new home together; going off a list that you made is very welcomed etiquette for your family and friends. 

The Registry Essentials - what every bridal registry should have included (unless of course you already have these things!):

♥ Cooking: KitchenAid Mixer (as my own sister-in-law has informed me, a wedding is the perfect time to get one!), Knife Set, Cooking Ware, Bake Ware and Bowls, Dutch Oven, Cooking Utensils, Kitchen Appliances you don't own or want to update (blender, beater, chopper, coffee maker, toaster, toaster oven, panini press, crock pot, etc.)

♥ Dining: Casual and China Dinnerware, Stemware, Glassware, Silverware, Table Linens, Salt/Pepper Shakers, Serving Bowls/Platters 

♥ Nesting: Bedding, Towels, Bathroom Accessories (shower curtain, soap dispenser, rugs, etc.)

♥ Home Decor: Frames, Vases, Lamps and Lighting, Mirrors, Candleholders, Centerpiece Bowls, etc.

♥ Playtime: Camping Equipment, Grilling Items, Picnic Baskets, Yard Games, Board Games, Luggage, etc.

You can register at a common retail store like Macy's, Target, or Bed, Bath, and Beyond either in store or online.  You also have the option to register on a website that pulls from different stores like http://www.myregistry.com/. 

For more information on registries contact us at http://www.vintageandlace.com/!

Have a great day!
Heather

*All images are from Macys.com and compiled to make collages.

Vintage Bridesmaid Dresses

Selecting your bridesmaid dresses can be a difficult task because there are so many options, not only in colors and style, but in the overall look.  You can have your bridesmaids where the same dress of the same color, different dresses of the same color, same dress but different colors, similar overall style, etc.  There are so many options I wish I could design a different wedding style, vision, and color palette every weekend.  Today I would design vintage-inspired bridal parties with different dresses in complimentary colors for spring or summer weddings.  I'm pulling my inspirations today from ModCloth, an online retail store at http://www.modcloth.com/.


Purple Color Palette:

Golden/Yellow Color Palette:

Soft Neutrals Color Palette:

Mint or Soft Green/Blue Color Palette:

Contact us at http://www.vintageandlace.com/ for more inspirations.

Have a great weekend!

Heather

Bridal Style in Color

Since the Victorian era bridal gowns have been available primarily in white or ivory; however, wearing a colored bridal gown was common prior the mid 1800s. Recently some of the top designers are expanding their color horizons to create a new trend in our generation.  Designers like Vera Wang, Watters, and Monique Lhuillier are including blush, grey, and light green gowns in their collections for 2012. 

 Blush, Oatmeal, and Peach: A soft color for a bridal gown that can bring out your natural skin tones.


Olivia Gown by Wtoo from watters.com

Grey and Light Blue: A modern option for a bridal gown. 

Pleated Fantasy Gown by BHLDN from http://www.bhldn.com/

Light Green or Tea Green: a natural, fresh color for brides.

Harper by Vera Wang, photo from http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/

Some designers are even showing bolder colors like black, red, and purple on their runways. 



photo from apaperproposal.com

Would you wear a bridal gown in one of these colors for your wedding day? 

Happy Wednesday!

Heather 





Pocket Wedding Invitations

If you are looking for something a little different from a traditional wedding invitation, consider a Pocket Invitation.  This style is a unique way to organize your different enclosures for your mailed invitations.  With a traditional wedding invitation you would include the card for your invite, the RSVP card and envelope for return responses, possibly a reception card and direction card which could all be in an inner envelope beyond the addressed envelope.  That is a possibility of six different items within your invitations.  The pocket invitation allows you to organize all your cards and pieces of information within a pocketfold.

photo from http://www.cardsandpockets.com/

There are several different varieties of pocket invitations.  You can do a vertical fold that opens upwards, a single fold that opens once to the side, a foldover pocket that has a tri-fold, or a square pocket with a diagonal pocket inside.  You can also add different embellishments to your invites like ribbons and layered cardstock.

invitation photos from http://www.mygatsby.com/

Pocket invitations can be printed, ordered to print at home, or be DIY assembled.  There are many sites available online where you can select the best method for you.  We like Cards & Pockets, http://www.cardsandpockets.com/, for DIY invitations and MyGatsby.com for custom wedding invitations.

For more information or ideas on wedding invitations, don't hesitate to contact us at info@vintageandlace.com.

Have a great week!
Heather

Boisterous Buffet or Polite Plated: Which Wedding Reception Style is Right for You?

Weighing the pros and cons of a buffet vs. plated reception is a heavy task.  While the jury is still out on which is best, here is what I have learned about each to help you reach a final verdict.  First up, the buffet option:

Pros:

-Usually less expensive (though not always!)

-Provides a greater selection and give guests more control over portion sizes and food likes/dislikes.

-Guests don’t have to choose between chicken, steak or fish; they could have a little of all three!

-If you are behind schedule, buffets are more forgiving than plated meals.

-Items are more consistently served at the right temperature

-Some guests can have seconds while light eaters won’t waste an over-filled plate.

-Getting up gets guests mingling!

-Works well for large groups… IF the buffet tables are double-sided, well stocked, and guests are called up by table – calling tables ensures guests won’t stand in an ultra long line.

-A great option if the reception site is located a distance away from the kitchen, such as outdoors.

Cons:

-Takes up a significant amount of space in a small room.

-Can be awkward or unavailable for very small weddings.

-Some guests frown on the casual mood of a buffet.

-Long lines are a possibility.

-Guests at the same table might reach the buffet line at different times causing a greater variation in actual meal times. In other words, while one guest is just sitting down to eat, the person sitting next to them may already be finished.

-While a buffet set up can be quite elegant, the food on each plate won’t be picture perfect

-Some guests do not like to get up from their seats and it can be difficult for elderly or handicap guests to navigate the buffet line.

-It is hard to gauge exactly how much food you will need so I always suggest calling lighter eating tables before you invite your hungry college friends to fill their plates.

Stay tuned for Part II to learn about the pros and cons of plated receptions!

Photos: thevegasweddingplanner.com; tobyhoogs.com