December 2013 - Bridal Hot List

New Year’s Eve Wedding Inspired Styled Shoot by French Buckets and Kat Harris Weddings

December 31, 2013 Leave a Comment

There are styled shoots, and then there is this gold infused New Year’s Eve Wedding Styled Shoot by French Buckets and Kat Harris Weddings. It seriously doesn’t get any more fabulous than this! One can never have too much gold. We’re seriously dying over all the glitter and gold. Oh, and add an evening of saying I DO, paired with glitz, glam, and some bubbly, and it is has us busting out our party hats! Ending 2013 with a shoot as stunning as this one, has us celebrating with a whole lot of sparkle and fun.

From Sussanna Davidson of French Buckets…

Inspiration: When Kat Harris approached me about doing a styled shoot and said the words, black bows and gold with a hint of art deco, all I thought about was GOLD… I LOVE GOLD! I definitely wanted something sparkly so I thought sequins and glitter of course.

Table inspiration: I used a star burst mirror from Z Gallery. I wanted gold to spray from the center of the table. I used an all gold textured container with a mix of dark black foliage and an array of white floral. Some accents painted gold. White anemones with gold glittery centers (my favorite element). Added gold butterflies and black ribbon for the chair embellishment.

Bouquets: One simple – a mound of baby’s breath with gold and glitter tips. One Lush Bouquet with the roses dipped in gold and more anemones with gold glitter centers. All wrapped in champagne satin.

Bar: Mary’s private collection of Art deco glasses. Makers Mark Whiskey served with honey and lemon. Glasses are topped with gold flaked sugar. Champagne is a must on New Years Eve! And served on Mary’s Grandmothers antique gold mirror.
Mary also included her own china with matching coffee cups filled with shepherds pie topped with mash potatoes from Jays catering.

Vendor Information:

Bridal Stylist and Photographer: Kat Harris Weddings

Caterer: Jays Catering

Cupcakes and Cake: Jays Catering

Co-stylist Table Design: Mary Lallande and Sussanna Davidson

Florals and Bridal bouquets: French Buckets

Linens: Designer Specialty Linens

Location: Serra Plaza

Chevron Table Runner: Typologie & Co.

Paper goods: Typologie & Co.

Hair and Makeup: Amy Clarke

Bridal Dresses: Julia Lovan Designs and Kate Spade

Groom’s attire: All Saints and J. Crew

Models: Jessie and Johan

Filed Under: General Tagged With: bride, french buckets, gold, groom, Kat Harris Weddings, New Year'e eve Wedding Inspired, New Years Eve, NYE, Serra Plaza Events, sparkle, wedding styled shoot

New Year’s Eve Table Decor Inspiration from Erika’s Elegance

December 30, 2013 Leave a Comment

Can you believe that New Year’s Eve is right around the corner? We can hardly believe it ourselves. Looking for last minute party planning ideas? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Take a look at this stunning and festive table decor all beautifully crafted by Erika’s Elegance. This glamorous lovely inspiration captured by GC Photo Booth has our NYE party loving hearts in full party mode. Seriously, we are totally ready to celebrate New Year’s Eve in style! Each and every detail is so amazing.

You can create a elegant and lovely setting for your New Year’s party with these festive and crafty decoration ideas from Erika’s Elegance.

From Erika’s Elegance…

I love to throw parties and have gathering with my family and friends, that’s the planner in me. I think the key to a good party, it good food, laughter and a warm atmosphere which is what inspired me with this year’s concept. I debated on which colors to use for this year’s party. I wanted something that screamed festive yet would be warm and classic. I decided on black and antique gold with a hint of cream.

For my design, I wanted to make sure that all of my family and friends joining us would feel the love, happiness and festive spirit of the night.

First, I created chair tags with the words Family, Friends, Celebrate, Cheers, Party and Love to ignite those feelings of closeness amongst our guests. I love things to be textured so I used three types of card-stock for the textured look.

Second, I created name tags for each guest. I want everyone to feel special when they walk into our home.

Third, I wanted to pull in some of my favorite elements. I love a little touch of bling, candles and flowers. So what a perfect pairing the rhinestone candle holders that I used for vases (which I found as Michaels) and cream roses. I put a few roses in each and cut-out the words Happy New Year and put them in the floral arrangements. I think this added just the right amount of flowers without going over the top and taking away from the festive atmosphere. I added a few candles to give it a glowing and warm feeling while we eat dinner.

For a final table component, I wanted to add a little wow factor to my table. I’m always looking for something different to add to my concept to make it “Pop” as I say. This is when I found this neat little idea on Pinterest about making starburst out of Styrofoam and toothpicks. I had so much fun playing around with this idea, and I used the starburst as a place setting accent. I didn’t want just a plain old table cloth, but instead create something different to add a pop to the overall table look. This is when I created my own paper table runner! Yes the table runner is made of metallic card stock. I cut out 8 inch circles and created a pattern for a fabulous table runner.

And lastly, as we begin to count down to the near year, I created this back drop for our friends and family to gather around as we countdown to 2014. I used votive holders in clear and frosted gold. I used more of the starburst that I created. To top off the design I used 4 crackled vases and put 2013, I also cut out a 4 so once the countdown is finished, I’ll change it to read 2014 as we continue to party the night away.

The beauty of this design, is that most of the elements I used came from Michael’s. All it takes is a little bit of creativity and a lot of love.

Filed Under: General Tagged With: Erika's Elegance, GC Photo Booth, gold, New Years eve decor, new years eve party, New Years Eve party look, New Years Eve setting, NYE, NYE party, sparkle

Five NYE Looks for Wedding Events

December 28, 2013 Leave a Comment

Weddings aren’t the only time we get to stay up late and celebrate with champagne. New Year’s Eve is a time of celebrating your accomplishments and looking forward to a brand new year. It’s a time of reflection as well as a time of hope for the upcoming year. Whether you’re heading downtown to watch the ball drop, partying with some friends, or even staying at home for a romantic night, you’ll want to look extra fun for the occasion. We’ve got the goods for you to look your best and start your new year off right, and how to keep these looks rolling through to your next wedding event.

Bling it on

Glitter and sparkle is a NYE staple. The key is to look glamorous, and not like a disco ball. Skip the body glitter as well as any glitter in your blush or bronzer and go straight for the eyes. Put on a creamy primer (like MAC’s cream colour base in Hush, $20, MAC counters), contour your favorite shadows over, and give a few swipes of Urban Decay’s Heavy Metal liner ($19, Sephora) all over it. It’s buildable, so you have the freedom to be as bright as you want to be. We like the shade ‘Baked’ for a golden eye that will be remembered from the new year and through the reception. This will be perfect for bachelorette parties and more non-traditional weddings.

Lustrous Lips

Line your lips with a wax-based liner to keep them in place, and pick a color you love. Red is classic and timeless (we LOVE ‘F-Bomb’ by Urban Decay, $22, Sephora) and always a great staple to have in your back pocket. Use that liner to keep your lips together through champagne toasts on any night of the year.

Color-Correcting Primer

Do you fall victim to cocktail flush? Does a martini give you a natural blush? Fight back with a color correcting primer under your foundation that leaves the blushing to the bride. Even the medium to heavy coverage foundations can let some redness through after a few cocktails. The Clinique redness solutions primer ($21 , Clinique Counters) is fantastic, lightweight, and keeps us glowing the right way.

Baby-Doll Lashes

Lashes may be too much for the office, but they’re perfect for nights out. Look for lashes that are fuller towards the outside to give a rounding, full effect. This is fun for NYE, or any time out with your bachelorettes. If you’re not super comfortable tossing your lashes on, do a bold black eyeliner on your upper lid first. Get your falsies as close to your natural lash line as possible, and if they don’t line up perfectly use more black liner to cover any mistakes. Many people learn how to apply false lashes using this method. We love Ardell’s false lashes in ‘Wispies’ ($3-$4, drugstores).

Powder for Pictures

There’s going to be flashing lights all night, and it won’t all be from fireworks or the dancefloor. Weddings and holidays are always highly photographed, and you want to be sure you look your best for both. Skip dewy looks that will look greasy for matte looks that will look polished. Have a pressed powder on hand for any oily patches, and dust your face with an HD powder before you head out for the night.

Filed Under: General Tagged With: bachelorette party, beauty, ceremony, event, holiday, makeup, NYE, party, wedding

TLC’s “Secret Wedding” Hosted by Cat Deely

December 27, 2013 Leave a Comment

Before you run off to enjoy a lovely weekend, we wanted to share some exciting news! You know we are a huge fan of TLC’s wedding shows right? We love them! While some of our favorite shows have taken a break, we kind of miss all the wedding fun we love so much on BrideDay on TLC. You can imagine our excitement when we received a wedding surprise in our inbox. Yep, TLC is teaming up with TV personality star, Cat Deely to surprise a special bride with the wedding she’s always dreamed of in the one-hour special episode “Secret Wedding”. Our wedding loving hearts are full of joy and happiness. So what is this “Secret Wedding”?

Sara is a budget saving bride who thinks she is being featured on a TV show about pulling off her rustic chic wedding for just 10k. However she is in store for the surprise of her life, as secret wedding plans are made to give her the wedding of her dreams. Who is behind the scenes with all the wedding plans? TV personality Cat Deeley is working with her fiancé, family, and friends to transform her DYI barn wedding into the rustic wedding of her dreams she really wants but can’t afford.

The team sneaks around to plan every detail of the ceremony and reception. From the dress and menu, to the flowers and cake, they want to create Sara’s wedding fantasy.

On the morning of the wedding, all is revealed as Sara meets Cat for the first time and discovers that things are not what they seemed. As one breathtaking surprise follows another, Sara is honored by her fairy tale come true. She realizes the extraordinary lengths her fiancé and loved ones have gone to in order to bring her wedding dreams into a reality.

You will not want to miss this very special episode on a “Secret Wedding”!

“Secret Wedding” is on tonight at 10/9c. So set your DVR’s, or watch it live tonight!

Filed Under: TV Shows Tagged With: bridal, bride, Cat Deely, FRIDAY, Secret Wedding, TLC show, wedding, wedding show

Three Romantic Places to Propose in Orange County, California

December 26, 2013 Leave a Comment

The holidays not only bring holiday cheer, but a whole lot of love and romance as well. Looking for a romantic place to pop the question to the one you love? You know, the one that is your main squeeze, your everything, the love of your life? Then check our fabulous list of places in Orange County, California.

Disneyland: If you are a total Disney fan, and enjoy Disneyland with your loved one, this is the perfect place to propose. There are so many fantastic spots in the Disneyland Resort to choose from. In front of the magic castle, on main street, or maybe choose a ride that is favorite for you both. However, my favorite is at the Blue Bayou, the intimate restaurant inside the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. Yes, proposals at restaurants may be very traditional, however this is not your ordinary restaurant. Its inside a ride! A classic Disneyland ride which is a total Disneyland favorite. The Blue Bayou is super romantic and makes for an amazing ambience of nightfall, hanging lanterns, and lovely sounds. Make it a magical time!

Beach: Southern Orange County is home to some of the most gorgeous beaches. Laguna Beach, San Clemente, Salt Creek Beach, or Newport Beach are all fabulous beach towns with breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean. You can not go wrong with any of these lovely beaches. Plan out a date night, go to a restaurant for dinner, and then take a romantic stroll on the beach. Once it is sunset, stop off one of the lifeguard towers and pop the question.

Hiking Trail: If you are a nature person, and you share this with your loved one, a hiking trail is a pretty nice place to express your love. Laguna Beach’s Top of the World Laguna Beach’s Top of the World is a beautiful spot with stunning ocean views. Enjoy a hike surrounded by nature’s best, and end with a gorgeous view of the ocean. Get down on one knee and ask the love of your life to marry you!

Please share with us your proposal stories, we love to hear them!

Filed Under: General Tagged With: couples, engagement, love, orange county, orange county proposal ideas, Orange county romantic spots, proposal

Happy Holidays and Season’s Greetings from Bridal Hot List

December 25, 2013 1 Comment

Good morning lovelies! It is gorgeous Christmas morning here at BHL headquarters in Southern California. We are taking a break from blogging today to wish all of you a very heartfelt Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. We hope that each and every one of you has a very blessed day full of happiness, love, laughter, and joy with friends, family, and loved ones. From our family to yours, Merry Christmas!

Take a look at some of our favorite holiday inspirations:

Christmas tree: We love this Christmas tree. It is not over the top, but simple, and the best part is that is it Disney inspired. Do you notice the ornaments are shaped with a very iconic Disney character?

Holiday Centerpiece: We fell head over heels in love with this over the top centerpiece. Glamour and chic meets California love. What a beautiful fusion which makes for a fabulous centerpiece for a holiday party. Super stunning!

Holiday inspired TableScape: Gasping over this tabletop. This table has all the holiday charm adorned with glitz, glamour, and elegance. We can not get over how fabulous this table looks. Don’t you just want to sit down and have dinner here? You will feel like a Hollywood star! If we could, we would eat at this table for every meal.

Happy Holidays- BHL staff

Filed Under: General Tagged With: BHL, bridal blog, Bridal Hot List, christmas, happy holidays, holiday season, wedding blog

Five Groom Holiday Gift Ideas

December 24, 2013 Leave a Comment

It is a lovely Christmas Eve morning here at BHL, and we could not be any happier. We are lucky and thankful for the beautiful weather we get to enjoy here at BHL headquarters in sunny Orange County, California. We may have to step outside and enjoy it for a bit! During this time of year, many are heading to malls or shopping online for gifts for their loved ones and friends. Today is where we see many last minute shoppers finalizing their gift list. If you are a bride who is getting married this month or next, you may be looking to find the perfect gift for your future husband. Let’s be honest, it is not always easy to find a gift for a man, and then add holidays to the mix, and it can be really tough. However, with the holidays, it can also be one of the best times to shop for a groom’s gift. There are tons of sales, and new items to choose from. If you are having a December or January wedding, a holiday type of groom gift can be a great type of gift to buy for your groom-to-be.

Here are a five great holiday gift ideas:

A Day of Golf

Guys love to golf, so getting a round of golf for your husband-to-be can be a very thoughtful gift, especially if you make it for two and tell him to take his best man along. It’s a great gift on behalf of the bride to both the groom and the best man and allows them to bond like guys like to do. Many golf courses actually have great deals on sites like Living Social and Groupon, so there is no need to break the bank. It’s really the thought that counts and letting your betrothed have some guy time while playing golf can be a very thoughtful gift to give.

Skiing / Snowboarding

If you live near the slopes, golf certainly won’t be an option this winter. What can be an option is a day on the slopes, along with a new set of skis or a new snowboard. This outdoor activity is one that you and your beau can enjoy together, or, if you want him to have some guy time, get him two lift tickets for him and his best man for an enjoyable time.

Brewery Tour

Guys enjoy their beer and in many parts of the country, there are micro-breweries that offer tours. This is a very thoughtful gift if the guy in your life enjoys his beer and this is a perfect activity for “the bros” to enjoy together. In Southern California, and in San Diego in particular, the Stone Brewery remains as one of the most popular sports to get tours, do beer tasting, and enjoy their restaurant.

Tickets to the Big Game

Another activity that guys enjoy is attending sporting events. Football season is just about over but if your guy’s team is in the playoffs and money isn’t an object, you can score him seats to the game by visiting some ticket reselling sites like StubHub. The tickets (make sure you get two!) will come out of nowhere and it’ll be a shocking gift he won’t see coming and absolutely love. Alternatively, you can look into basketball or hockey games, or even see what sports are playing at the local University (college basketball is VERY popular).

Nerdy Tech Gift

Boys love their tech toys and video games, even if they are in their 30s or even 40s. A thoughtful gift could be a new tablet, which can fit many different purposes – an eBook reader, a web browser, a video game device, and much more. Some tablets are actually quite reasonable and under $200, but if you do have the budget there are some that are really amazing. Both the Kindle Fire HDX and the iPad are two of the tops tablets sold today. Another great place to look for gifts for the nerd in your life is ThinkGeek.com as they have a ton of hilarious nerdy gifts that your future groom will absolutely love.

Filed Under: General Tagged With: christmas eve, groom, groom gift ideas, holiday gifts, wedding

Elopement Inspired Styled Shoot from Hope Stanley and Nancy Orozco

December 23, 2013 Leave a Comment

Holiday season is not the only season in full swing. This time of year is all about the romance and new loves. I am talking about engagement season. Yep, there is something about the holiday season which sparks love into the hearts of couples. I love this time of year so much. I love the mix of celebration of the holidays and newly engaged couples. What a wonderful time of year indeed. In celebration of engagement season, I am excited to share this super romantic and lovely elopement inspired styled photo shoot. It is not an engagement session, however it so beautiful, I could not wait to share this one. All gorgeously styled by our friend, Hope Stanley, and behind the lens, Nancy Orozco to capture it all. Oh my goodness, the images are to die for. I have always been a fan of simple, intimate, and classical weddings. And this styled shoot has all those details and more. Can I talk about the bouquet for a second? It is a completely over the top, and oversized bouquet with the loveliest mix of colors and florals. I LOVE this bouquet. Floral Riot is seriously a floral genius. I can not get over how gorgeous the bouquet is. It is a perfect compliment to the bride and her gown. SWOON!

You will want to sit down for this styled shoot. Go ahead, grab your morning cup of joe, and enjoy!

Stylist, Hope Stanley tells us…
We wanted it to have the intimacy of a couple who ran away to be married in a small town. The bride is from Spain so we wanted to have a classic European feel of a small village in the country. Scripps college served as the perfect background.

Location: Claremont college

Bridal Stylist/Concept Stylist: Hope Stanley

Photographer: Nancy Orozco

Florist: Floral Riot

Wedding Gown: Mary Me Bridal

Stationary: Humdesign

Cake: Matchbox Kitchen

Hair and Make up: Melissa Samayoa

Groom’s Attire: Friar Tux Shop

Models: Jon and Lucia

Filed Under: General Tagged With: bridal, classical wedding, Elopement, european style wedding, Hope Stanley, marriage, romantic, styled shoot, wedding, wedding styled shoot

Seven Beauty Tips to Prepare you for Wedding Festivites

December 22, 2013 Leave a Comment

Good morning Sunday goers. Whether you are attending a holiday party, engagement affair, bridal shower, or any pre-wedding event, you want to look your best. But choosing the right beauty products can be somewhat difficult. With so many products available, it can be almost impossible to know which beauty products are right for you. We are taking a break from prepping for the holidays to provide seven tips to help you choose the products that work best for you.

If you have a hard time getting your eyeliner to stay put, you can apply eyeshadow after you put on eyeliner. You should lightly put your shadow over your eyeliner with a cotton ball. This will seal the application of eyeliner and it will last longer and not run.
Invest the extra money in a set of quality makeup brushes. Remember, these tools will be touching your face every single day. Spending more on these brushes can get you a set that will last for years. You should also pick up a bottle of brush cleaner, which is to be used regularly, at least twice per week. This removes dust and bacteria.
Before you apply makeup, moisturize your face lightly. Moisturizers are great for your skin but also help spread your makeup evenly. Without a moisturizer, your makeup could appear to be blotchy. When you want to look good all day long, this is the best step to start with.
You can use coconut oil as a more affordable and all-natural alternative to expensive face moisturizers. Coconut oil provides you with a soothing moisture that easily goes through your skin. In addition, it also makes you look younger because it helps to eliminate lines and wrinkles. Coconut oil can also help eczema, psoriasis and it will fight acne. It has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal agents to aid with this.
Vitamin E plays a vital role in beauty. It can serve many different purposes. Vitamin E can help keep skin healthy and soft. Get a lotion that contains vitamin E for your nails if you tend to break them easily.
Select a curling iron, one size smaller than the curls you desire. This will help to ensure that your curls don’t get limp or fall out after you put all the work into curling them. They will be a little tight at first but after you finish, gently run your fingers through them to break them up, and then hair spray to perfection.
Your skin is constantly changing from day to day based upon your age, hormone levels, climate, and even our daily activities. As a result, you should be aware that your skincare and beauty regimen should be flexible enough to change in order to adapt to the needs of your skin.

Filed Under: General Tagged With: beauty, beauty tips, bridal, Bridal Hot List, bride, holiday season, wedding, wedding blog

Five Tips on How to Be Stress-Free During the Holiday Season

December 21, 2013 Leave a Comment

The holidays can be a stressful time of year. All the shopping, holiday festivities, family visiting, and decorating can get a bit much. All of those things are fun, but sometimes there seems to be not enough time to do it all. Add in wedding planning, and then it can be really stressful. Even if you have hired yourself a wedding planner, (cheers to you by the way!), there can be some of those stressful days during the holiday season. We’ve got five tips on how to cope with stress:

One of the things that you can do when you are feeling anxious is to go to the spa and get a massage. This will help to reduce the amount of knots that you have in your body so that you can maintain your flexibility and reduce the strain that you feel. This is seriously a great way to pamper yourself, while reliving all that stress. Make it a day and enjoy!
You can reduce your high levels of stress by reading a book. When you read, your mind wanders into a fantasy land, where you are not troubled by the different pressures that will cause you tension. Buy a book which is really fun like a mystery novel, or pick something from the best sellers bookshelf. Just try to choose something that is not related to weddings. You will see that reading book can be quite relaxing. If the weather is nice, maybe take your book outside on the patio/backyard, beach, or park.
In order to keep your stress level under control, it would be wise to try to find something along the lines of a hobby that you can engage yourself in. Maybe take a class, like a exercise class, (yoga, cycling, zumba, etc) that can really put your mind at ease. Working out is one of the best ways to get rid of stress. Another idea is to go to an art class, or cooking class, or anything that you have a passion for.
Try to get as much sleep as you possibly can during the course of the day, regardless of how much you have to work. Lack of sleep will result in increased stress levels, which can limit your productivity and hurt the way that you feel. Aim for 8 hours of sleep a night to feel your best. If you have a hard time falling asleep and dreaming of wedding planning all the time, maybe read your book in bed, or listen to soft music. The idea is to get as much rest and sleep as you can. When you are working with a lot of wedding details and decisions, sleep is your friend. Well, your wedding planner is your friend too.
When you are feeling overwhelmed and are dealing with a great deal of stress, it is important to learn how to breathe. Emotions like anger, sadness, frustration, or any negative feelings can cause stress. These types of feeling can happen during the holiday season AND if you are in the middle of planning a wedding. When you feel any of these type of emotions, take a moment to breathe and imagine you are breathing the emotions out of you. Awareness of what triggers stress is the first step to tackling it and breathing will ground you in the moment and make you aware of what you are feeling. Just always take a moment to take a step back, breathe, and then continue.

Hopefully these tips can be helpful during this wedding holiday season.

Filed Under: General Tagged With: bridal, bride, groom, holiday wedding, holidays, stress-free tips, wedding, wedding day, wedding planning