May 2014 - Bridal Hot List

Sneak Peek of TLC”s “Say Yes to the Dress”: The Big Day (Season 2)

May 30, 2014 Leave a Comment

We can not believe that Friday is here and that makes us happy. The weekend is here, and that means relaxing, sleeping in, spending time with family and friends, or just doing nothing! Whatever you agenda looks like this weekend, you must add some time to watch this week’s episode of TLC’s SAY YES TO THE DRESS: The Big Day. It is a special episode focusing on a bride and the days leading up to her wedding day. We love weddings and when we get to see beyond just picking the bridal gown, we are thrilled! We are literally jumping up and down right now! We can not wait to watch!

On tonight’s episode:

Bride to be, Sheena is planning her dream Indian wedding, of Bollywood meets Hollywood theme. The problem she is facing? She realizes her mother has hijacked her dream wedding! It seems that mom an daughter have different views on what the wedding should look like, and things are not easy. Her unlimited budget is still not enough to have a perfect day, as she and her mom need to agree on some detail of the wedding. Sheena must fight to re-gain control of her big day before it’s too late!

“Say Yes To The Dress” premieres tonight at 9/8c. So set your DVR’s, or watch it live tonight!

Filed Under: General

Top Five Tips for Finding Your Wedding Scent

May 29, 2014 Leave a Comment

Beauty products are part of the fun of a wedding- even if they’re beauty products you can’t necessarily see! Perfume and fragrance is an instant way to elevate your outfit and your whole attitude. Finding a signature scent or even a special event scent can be tricky, but we’re here to help.

Know What You’re Working With

Do you have your flower palette yet? Make sure that you know what scents will already be in the wedding! Pairing sweet sugary scents with a ton of flowers may drown out your scent. If you’re doing an outdoor woodsy wedding, a sweet sugary scent will contrast much more and be more noticeable. Figure out what kind of impression you want to leave- whether it’s a bold signature scent or a subtle scent. From there it’ll be easy to narrow down scent palettes.

Do Research

If you have an idea of what kind of scent you like, hit the web in search of what people are suggesting. If you want something earthy and romantic, search for scents described with those same words. Write down all your findings for when you hit the perfume counter. It’s best to come prepared so you don’t get overwhelmed!

Have a “Scent-Tasting”

Hit up a perfume counter or a specialty beauty store (like Ulta or Sephora) with your list of perfumes to try. Don’t wear a scent just yet though- spray them far away from your body and clothes onto a paper scent stick. Do your best to not let any scents linger on your clothes or skin! If they stick to you, it may alter the way you smell a scent. Bring a pen so you can write down what scents are on what stick if you need to- it’s easy to get them mixed up!

Ask For Samples

Narrow your scent sticks down to three that you like. Once you figure out three that you like, ask for samples of them. Most perfume lines send a TON of samples out to their retailers for this very purpose. Just be polite and mention that you want to be sure that the scent is right for you so you don’t have to return it later.

Take a Test Drive

Once you have samples of all of your scents, dedicate one day to wearing each one. Spritz in the morning on your wrists and neck, and keep note of how it smells on your skin throughout the day. Perfume changes along with you, so you won’t go to bed with the same scent you put on in the morning. Take note of any feedback you get on your scent and how you feel about it. Remember to take note if you need to reapply or if a light spritz is too much for you. You can even enlist a good friend to help judge the different scents. Keep in mind that everyone’s body chemistry is different, so fragrances will smell different on different people.

Filed Under: General Tagged With: beauty, bride, bridesmaid, ceremony, perfume, wedding

Blushington: Makeup and Beauty Lounge for Weddings

May 28, 2014 1 Comment

It is days like this that makes me love my job more and more everyday. Not only do I have the chance to view stylish and beautiful wedding details daily, but meeting the talent behind what makes brides and their weddings super pretty is the cherry on top. Recently I had the opportunity to attend the grand opening of Blushington, a lovely make-up and beauty lounge found in the heart of Fashion Island. This make up lounge is nestled between some of the most fashionable and stylish shops. Fashion Island is a gorgeous and popular shopping mall located in Newport Beach, California. It is an amazing place to shop, and with the addition of Blushington , this fabulous mall just got better!

Want to feel like a million bucks? This girl does! When I stepped into this super cute and chic make up lounge, I was instantly relaxed and pampered. The staff is not only talented in their make up art, but they create an experience totally memorable. Do not know what look you are going for? Whether you are a bride, bridesmaid, or any girl of the bridal party, there is a look perfect for you. Don’t worry, they make things easy with their make up look book, which gives you some great ideas. Whether you want to look glitz and glam, or simple and casual, they can make it happen! Ready to get all dolled up? Make sure to pay a visit to this gorgeous lounge where you will leave feeling amazing!

About Blushington …

Blushington makeup and beauty lounge provides professional makeup applications at affordable prices for your special day. We offer our services on-location starting at $100 and encourage setting up a trial in-store prior to the wedding to talk through your makeup preferences. We can also add faux lashes and airbrush foundation for a flawless finish. All of our artists are trained the ‘Blushington’ way to ensure that you look your best! After all, feeling pretty is priceless!

Filed Under: General Tagged With: beauty lounge, Blushington, bridal, bridal make up, bride, Fashion Island, Make up, Newport Beach, wedding day

Five Simple Steps to Getting Into Your Wedding Heels

May 27, 2014 Leave a Comment

Are you one of the many women who suffer from high heel-phobia? Totally understandable, they can be pretty scary! From blisters to sore feet, scrunched up toes and rolled ankles, high heels can cause a whole lot of pain. We’ve been there, and we’re here to be your personal high heel coach. Say goodbye to fears of falling while you’re walking down that aisle! Soon enough you’ll be treating that aisle like your own personal runway.

Step One: Flats

Start slow! If you’re a sneakers kind of gal or do sandals year round, it’s time to get your feet into the habit of being in flats. A constructed flat is a great way to get those toes in check! We like comfy ballet flats. The great thing about flats is that you can wear them anywhere- dress them up with a pretty dress or dress them down with jeans.

Step Two: Wedges

Once your feet are more used to the feel of being in a constructed shoe, give them a little boost! Wedges give you a whole lot of surface to walk on which will help with your balance. Wedges are fantastic for summer and can be that casual boost you need to elevate an outfit.

Step Three: Heeled Boots

After you feel comfortable with the arch and angle, go for a boot with an actual heel. Aim for boots with a chunkier heel- it’ll give you more to balance on. We love boots for practicing in taller shoes because they are constructed to help you from toppling over. You’re not just in stilts with boots- you’ve got some support! Tuck jeans into tall boots for a fun weekend look and practice strutting your stuff.

Step Four: Chunky Heels

Now that you’re used to a thick heeled boot, take the plunge and try out a shoe with a thick heel. Stilettos are a more advanced move because you only have a tiny heel to support your stance, so save that one for later. If you can, do a strappier shoe it’ll give you more support and mold more to your feet. Pack an emergency pair of flats or sandals with you if you’re nervous about going out all day in chunky heels. Try this out on dinner dates just to start off with until you build up your confidence in heels.

Step Five: Sky High Heels

One you’re feeling good about thick heels, go for it and break in your wedding heels! Just remember, there’s no shame in stuffing them with insoles and wearing them around the house until you’re ready to wear them out.

Filed Under: General Tagged With: bride, bridesmaids, ceremony shoes, fashion, wedding

Happy Memorial Day from BHL

May 26, 2014 Leave a Comment

This weekend may be about all the barbecues, poolside, and beachside time, but we are not forgetting about what today is all about. Memorial day is about honoring the sacrifices that have been made for this country. Today, we are taking a break from blogging and saluting the brave women and men who fight for our country’s freedom. We pray for the families who have lost a brave soul and continue to remember those who sacrificed their lives for our freedom.

Filed Under: General Tagged With: happy Memorial day, memorial day, Monday, the troops

Sneak Peek of TLC’s “I Found the Gown” Season 3 Episode 5

May 23, 2014 Leave a Comment

The weekend is here, and it is a three day weekend! Yippie! Even better. We are super happy over here, and can not wait to start the weekend BBQs, beach days, or just some relaxing at home. But before any sunbathing or firing up the grill, we have a brand new episode of TLC’s, “I Found the Gown”. Get ready to start the weekend right!

This show is amazing and full of surprises. If you have not ever seen the show, well let us tell you all about it, and hopefully you will get hooked just like we did. This show features a lovely married couple, Rick and Leslie DeAngelo (we LOVE them!), who own VOWS, a discount bridal boutique in Boston, Massachusetts. They provide brides high-end designer gowns with very affordable price tags. Selling these deeply discounted bridal gowns for 50-80% off retail is no easy task. Rick and Leslie search high and low in factory attics, boutique back rooms, and department store warehouses across the world to score these sought-after looks for less. Each episode will follow their journey to find these amazing treasures, and then back at the shop to share them with three brides and the VOWS consultants.

On tonight’s episode: Bride-to-be, Sarah’s critical aunt threatens her dream dress vision. Meet bride, Dana who is having a hard time finding a dress that will match up to the gown she found online. Then, there is bride, Jarivette who has only 3 weeks until her wedding day. She has some help from her son to do the dress hunt for her.

Will each of these brides find the bridal gown of their dreams for a great price?

TLC’s ” I Found the Gown” airs Friday at 10/9c. So set your DVR’s, or watch it live tonight!

For more information on TLC’s : “I Found the Gown” please click right here

Filed Under: General, TV Shows Tagged With: affordable bridal gown, bridal, bridal gown, bride, I found the gown, Rick DeAngelo, sneak peek, TLC, vows, wedding

Five Tips for Planning with Long Distance Bridesmaids

May 22, 2014 Leave a Comment

Is your bridal party scattered across the state? Across the nation? Never fear, Bridal Hot List is here! It’s very common to have bridesmaids who aren’t in town. Maybe they’re your besties from back home or your college roommates who left for a new city. Whatever the case, it happens and you know it doesn’t lessen the friendship! The distance may pose some challenges, but we’re here to help. Consider us your bonus bridesmaid!

Schedule Touch Bases

Sure it may feel a little formal, but it’s necessary for keeping everyone up to date! Set up Skype or facetime dates with anyone you can’t grab coffee with at the same time every week leading up to the wedding. It’s good if you have some sort of agenda to go over- dresses, shoes, bachelorette party details, whatever it is you should have some idea of what you need to discuss. Let her know that the talks will be totally wedding-based so she has some idea of what’s going to happen. It helps you both be prepared and keeps you from digressing.

Use the Buddy System

If you have more than one long distance bridesmaid in the same city, say you have a few bridesmaids from your hometown but you live farther away, have them buddy up. Have them keep each other accountable to any tasks they’re responsible and to be there for each other. If your bridesmaids are more spread out, ask for help from your maid of honor. She may have more time to track down long distance bridesmaids and can help out with scheduling or wedding questions. Plus, you’ll get the chance to have your bridesmaids bond (which we love!).

Be Accessible

If you can, be able to facetime or Skype in when your bridesmaid goes bridesmaid dress shopping. If she has any questions, be there to help her. It can be hard to get ready for a friend’s wedding from afar (particularly if there’s a time difference between you two!), so do what you can to be there for her. If you have an email address set up for your wedding, have it go to your phone so you can field any questions remotely.

Help Plan When You Can

Be flexible, but know that you’ll probably need your bridal party at least a few days before the wedding, if not a whole week. If your long distance bridesmaid can’t afford that many days off work, schedule the big events to have her there. Be involved in her travel plans so you know what to expect when she’s around. The more connected you two can be in planning, the more smoothly your plans will go!

Be Thankful

It’s hard being a part of an event from afar- this girl’s got to have put in some work to be a part of it all! When you’re thinking about your bridal party gifts, think about something for her. Maybe a nice webcam so you two can skype or an airline voucher so you can see each other soon. Be thoughtful, she has had to be very thoughtful on her end as well. Being a part of a wedding is stressful as is, but adding travel on top of it makes it a bigger deal. Let her know that you appreciate her. Remember, manners and a ‘thank you’ go a long way.

Filed Under: General Tagged With: bride, bridesmaid, ceremony, communication, Maid of Honor, organizing, planning, wedding

Laguna Beach Engagement Session from Jaime Davis Photography

May 21, 2014 Leave a Comment

I will always be a fan of beach engagement sessions. I guess it has to do with growing up in Southern California and being a total Cali girl. I love the beach, and can not imagine living anywhere else. The same is true with this super adorable and sweet couple. They love the beach and chose Laguna Beach, California as their spot to capture some of their lovely moments as soon to be newlyweds. You can tell how much this couple loves not only the breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean, but each other. Their love is so obvious with the stunning images all captured by our very talented friend at Jaime Davis Photography. These images are so amazing, that I kind of want to sneak away and head to Laguna Beach for a bit. Enjoy this e-session and fall in love with this gorgeous couple and their day at the beach!

From Jaime Davis Photography …

I had an amazing time capture Mollie and Brenton’s love story. Mollie went to Australia to become an Au Pair and next thing you know she finds her soul mate. These two even scaled some crazy rocks for me, now that is trusting your photographer! I got some amazing shots and had a blast getting to know these two better before their big day!

Filed Under: General Tagged With: bride, engagement session, groom, Jaime Davis Photography, laguna Beach, orange county photography session, wedding

Top Five Tips for Writing Your Own Vows

May 20, 2014 1 Comment

Writing your own vows has become more and more popular over the last few years, and with reason! It’s a great way to express how you feel and what your relationship is like in a personal, honest way. It can also be one of the most challenging, important tasks you can take on while organizing a wedding. Don’t let this task be daunting though, it’s completely doable! We know it can be hard to express how you feel, and we’re here to help.

Look Back Before You Move Forward

Before you even start drafting, go through photo albums (aka, Facebook for most of you!) of adventures the two of you have taken. Look back at your favorite times together, look back at your engagement photos. What made those times special? Were your favorite times together when you were doing something daring, like exploring a new city? Or was it something creative, like painting or building something together? Zero in on what moments in your relationship made you really fall in love with each other. Take notes on when you felt most in love and connected to your special someone. This will be the basis for your vows.

Find Your Theme

Once you’ve gone through your favorite times together, go from there. Think about what kind of couple you are together. Where your best moments romantic? Adventurous? Silly? Daring? Whatever it is, keep that word in mind while you write. This will be the key theme in your vows. Every couple is different, so it’s good to play to what makes you special as a couple.

Think Big and Narrow it Down

Once you have a vow, write it down and write different key examples down underneath it. It can help to write out specific stories under that word. Of course, keep it to G-rated and non-embarrassing stories (your parents will hear it- keep it family friendly!). From the stories, think about those special moments when you looked over and realized this was the person you were going to marry. Those special, intimate moments are the ones that make or break a couple and are a great source for your vows. Think back to them and think about what specifically you felt and what made you feel that way (are you feeling warm and fuzzy yet?).

Get Organized

Now that you have a love theme and some special moments to back it up, throw it all together! It can help to type things out as bullet points. If everything is typed, you can move sentences and bullet points around without having to cross things out, erase things, or get out more paper. Remember to open by addressing the vows, then go into the relationship. You can go into what your fiance means to you, what your love means, how you make each other feel, how you’ve changed each other’s lives, etc. Figure out what’s most important to you and work from there. Organize all your bullet points in order of what flow you feel would work best. Do you want to tell a story, then go into its’ impact on your life? Do you want to start with a generality then go into what you mean to each other? Go with what feels right until it sounds right to you.

Focus and Make it Count

Just remember if you’re feeling overwhelmed- this is all a labor of love (literally!). It can be very easy to be overwhelmed when you’re sharing something as intimate and personal with not only your partner, but with your friends and family. If you need help, look up some vows online or watch videos of ceremonies for inspiration. Read as many love letters as you can. Just keep it all about love and if you get frustrated, take breaks. Something as special and personal as vows deserve time and care. Keep it focused and don’t cut corners. This matters and it’ll be the most important love letter you ever write- make it count!

Filed Under: General Tagged With: bride, ceremony, groom, love, vows, wedding, writing

Top Three Southern California Honeymoon Spots

May 19, 2014 Leave a Comment

It is always hard to come back from a lovely weekend and start another week. What a drag right? Well, we still have the weekend on our minds too, and that is why today we today’s post is all about weekend getaways. If you are looking for a short honeymoon trip, and something super romantic, yet close to home, then we’ve got you covered! Get ready to pack your bags and head out to your “staycation honeymoon”. Yep, you do not have to travel too far to have a romantic trip with your love. Take a look at our top three favorite spots in Southern California to honeymoon. All of them are in the downtown areas, and what can we say, we love downtown cities!

Downtown San Diego: San Diego is one of the most beautiful cities in California. What is great about this city is that there are so many things to do, and great places to see! Out of all the places in San Diego, we love the downtown area the best. Downtown San Diego has everything in one spot! From amazing restaurants, hip bars, fabulous hotels, a fantastic ball park, to the sands of the breathtaking beaches. Here is a sample itinerary: Take the train (the train ride itself is super relaxing with stunning ocean-views!) to the heart of downtown, and check in to one of the many lovely hotels. Once you check in, take a stroll down and eat at any of the many places for lunch. There are some pretty darn good places to eat. Our favorite spot? Oh, that will be another post another day! Ask your desk concierge, or yelp it! After eating, you can head to Seaport Village, which is a tourist spot, but has cute little shops to browse, and can walk along the gorgeous oceanside. Holding hands and enjoying each other is perfect! If the local San Diego Padres Baseball team is at home, you can attend the game that evening. Following that, you can head to a local bar, or head back to the hotel, where some of them will have live music to enjoy. The next morning after breakfast, you can check out the historic USS Midway Museum, or take a walk to the harbor and have a romantic picnic. Take the train back home, and do not have to worry about traffic and can relax and browse through the weekend photos together.

Palm Springs: We can not get enough of Palm Springs. Within 1-2 hours of Los Angeles, San Diego, or Orange County, this fantastic dessert destination is the perfect weekend honeymoon location. We personally like to stay in downtown Palm Springs. Stay at one of the many lovely and quaint boutique hotels close to downtown. Most of the hotels have pools, because as you know, it can get pretty hot. But that is the best part! Pool parties, or just relaxing in one of the cabanas. As soon as you enter Palm Springs, you already feel relaxed. Things to do with your love? Go the pool, lay out, and relax! When is cools down, you can head to the downtown street where all the restaurants are. Whatever your craving, you will find it! From romantic spots, to funky and cool places, downtown Palm Springs has some great options. It is just fun to walk around downtown and check out the stores, and eat some fabulous food. Best thing about Palm Springs and why it is our choice for a honeymoon spot? Just that you can do absolutely nothing but eat and lay out at the pool, (throw in a couple’s massage and spa day in the mix), and you have yourselves a pretty amazing honeymoon!

Laguna Beach: One of the most gorgeous and iconic spots in Orange County, California. Staying in Laguna beach is like a newlywed paradise. We do not even know where to start with this location, as it is really perfect. y at Hotel Laguna or The Laguna Beach Inn, as they are two great hotel locations. Not only do these hotels have breathtaking ocean views, but they are steps away from the beach, restaurants, park, and art museums. After some sunbathing all day, and a lovely dinner, make sure to take a walk and enjoy the beautiful sunset. That in itself is so romantic, that you will want to live in that moment forever.

Whatever destination you choose, make it your own, and make sure to enjoy every moment! Pack your bags and go!

Filed Under: General Tagged With: bride, groom, honeymoon, southern california, staycation, vacation, wedding, weekend getaway