Let Your Proposal Sweep You Off to Greece
March 04, 2010 by: Laura
Our top honeymoon destination can now be YOUR reality! If Greece is calling your name (I think I even hear it over here!), enter this contest!
OneWed.com is holding an "Ultimate Engagement Proposal Contest." Simply enter your proposal story for a chance to win a trip to Santorini, Greece AND some platinum jewelry. Who doesn't want to travel through the Greek isles and sport some new bling?!
Destination: Honeymoon!
February 16, 2010 by: Laura
January is known for its blustery days with wind chills dipping below zero degrees in this neck of the woods. Daily, we try to remember why we choose to live here! To warm us up and give us something and somewhere to dream about, our behind the curtain question last month was all about honeymoons. Traditionally a honeymoon is defined as a vacation or trip taken by a newly married couple and if you live around here, you’re usually itching to travel somewhere with a dramatic change of scenery.
A few honeymoon statistics from theknot.com (they see TONS of brides!):
Recessionista Bride Event
January 22, 2010 by: Laura
Who knew being a "recessionista" could be so popular and so chic? 45 stylish Chicago recessionistas came out to meet 6 wedding experts Wednesday night. Amidst the St. Germaine champagne cocktails (thanks Binny’s!) and plates of Spring rolls and Spanish meatballs courtesy of F.I.G. catering, engagement rings sparkled, unveiling the true reason they were gathered (although the food definitely could have been enough), to get expert advice on planning for and executing every aspect of their wedding, while sticking to a budget. Where to skimp, how to do it yourself, what to ask when booking space, how to combine finances and have the “money talk” – these are just a sampling of the questions we heard. Each expert gave advice pertaining to their wedding industry specific experience and their responses were both heartfelt and showed how they really have seen it all! After filling up on both knowledge and champagne cocktails (served generously by Carol's Event Staffing), one lucky bride took home a Groom Mojuba wedding kit and Fritz Pastry pulled out all the stops for a macaron grand finale – you have got to stop by and have some of those, they were divine!
Thank you to all the experts that answered everyone’s burning questions about budget wedding planning.
Winter Wedding Trends
January 12, 2010 by: Laura
Winter brings to mind cold, dark and bleak – especially in the Midwest, but winter has a lot to offer! It is always fun to make a snowman or go sledding or ice skating and then come in to hot chocolate (next time try it spiked with vanilla vodka – idea courtesy of Fig). It also provides a perfect, pristine background for a wedding. Not only are they less popular, which is great for the budget conscious bride, but they also allow you more options for flowers, dress fabrics and even footwear! Below are the Winter Trends we are seeing with the start of 2010:
- Silk satin: This fabric is heavier than other silks and is a great option for a gown. Once pressed, silk satin looks gorgeous and even all night long.
The Prudent Bride
January 12, 2010 by: Kyra
One of my favorite bridal shows is Rich Bride Poor Bride shown on the WE channel. The best part of the premise is guessing the amount the couple has budgeted for their wedding and seeing if they stayed on track or not. Throughout the planning process I often placed my fiancé and I in this show in order to keep myself on track with our own spending. The twist during the shopping was adding up the original retail price of each item or venture and seeing how much I saved.
Since I very much enjoy a good deal, I decided early on that I would not pay full price for anything; I kept a log sheet of my spending and savings totals all the while allocating a specific projected percentage for each category. I referred to the general bridal budgeting guides (48% reception, 10% attire, 12% photographer, etc.) and made some tweaks along the way. I learned SO much when it came to spend versus splurge and discovered the best way to save money is by doing your research and taking your time. Certainly it’s good to negotiate but you should know when to pick your battles—no one likes to work with a crazy bride.
Holiday Wedding Proposals
December 16, 2009 by: Laura
The holidays are a very popular time to get engaged; its chilly outside and you don't ever want to loose that person you cuddle up next to, you're reminded of what really matters in your life and it's all about new beginnings. We have 12 holiday proposals that guarantee a "YES!"
12. 12 Days of Love – This is a romantic variation on the 12 days of Christmas, in reverse. 12 days before Christmas begin sending gifts. Each day send a messenger to either her work or home bearing an anonymous gift. First, 12 roses, then 11 Godiva chocolates, 10 love letters, 9 scented bath candles, 8 champagne glasses, 7 CDs of sexy love songs, 6 pairs of silk panties, 5 golden bracelets, 4 bottles of perfume, 3 pairs of shoes, 2 silver earrings – and finally, on the twelfth day, you arrive in person, bearing 1 bottle of champagne, 1 very important question and 1 diamond ring.
Giving Thanks
December 10, 2009 by:
The art of the well written note…such a task for those must send thank you letters. Words are free and yet so many of us convey the language of love all wrong. I’ve read the etiquette books. I understand how to address the gift giver with Dear so and so, . Next I am told to specify with purpose how I we “plan to use the gift received”. Blah, blah, blah.
New Bridal Consultants
December 09, 2009 by:
Our newest team members have hobbies, talents and Starbucks drinks that are different as can be, but they are both bursting with energy, are always smiling and are both such fun girls they fit in perfectly! Read on to get a little glimpse of Melanie (left) and Katie (right).
Spring 2010 Wedding Gown Trends
October 28, 2009 by: Laura
Newly engaged? Looking for some new ideas/trends to try on to make you the fashion forward bride when it comes to walking down the aisle? Spring 2010 bridal is taking on a whole new look. Flirty, fun, fresh, formfitting and FEATHERS walked all over the runway in New York. The newest and most varied from past seasons' trends we spotted are:
To watch the fashions float down the runway, the Brides.com You Tube channel has all designers’ runway shows as well as interviews with some of the designers about their collections and why they picked the fabrics and silhouettes that they did. http://www.youtube.com/user/BridesDotCom
How Did You Meet Your Fiancé?
October 28, 2009 by: Laura
From Dublin to Chicago, the bar to the park, being set up to looking at your best friend in a new light, you never know where or when you might meet or discover the person you are going to spend the rest of your life with. Throughout the month of October, we asked our brides how they met their fiancés.
Before polling the brides, we all guessed that the number one way brides and grooms met each other would be in a bar/club/at a party, a social setting with a relaxed atmosphere of some sort, but we were wrong! The most popular answer we received from over 1/3 of our brides was that they met at school. We don't believe that they were all in the library, meeting by the printer, but still a surprising result.
