Top Five Wedding Planning Ideas

June 4, 2014 1 Comment

At BHL, we love weddings, and we really love the planning of them too! Yes, they can be stressful, but with the right tools and your wedding coordinator by your side, it can be a seamless and lovely day! Today, we are giving you five tips on some of the important elements of the wedding day to consider when planning your big day.

  1. Giving gifts to your bridesmaids and groomsmen is a nice way of saying thank you for being there for you on your special day. Best time to do this? You can present the gift at the rehearsal dinner, or the morning off while you are getting ready. Take a moment to thank your girls, and grooms, to thank your groomsmen. It is also a great way to start the wedding day and have cheers and a toast to follow!
  2. Make sure that everyone in your wedding party knows how they’re getting to the wedding site and back home from your wedding! This is especially important if you’re going to be serving alcohol, and essential if it’s an open bar. If you’re worried about anyone getting too inebriated, offer free cab rides to anyone who doesn’t bring a car, or drive them home in your limo.
  3. Wedding bands are a vital part of the wedding, as they help to signify the joining of two parties. Make sure that on the days leading up to the wedding and on the wedding itself to have someone who you can count on keep track of your wedding bands to ensure security.
  4. Make sure to include healthy food options for your reception. You might have a vegetarian in attendance or someone who’s just trying to lose weight. Be sure to supply them with options they can enjoy. Vegetables, cooked or raw, and fruit for dessert, will go a long way for anyone who wants to eat something that won’t pack on the pounds.
  5. One of the most awkward moments at a wedding can be the bouquet toss. If women don’t want to get involved they shouldn’t be pressured to, so let the DJ know not to say anything to upset the guests. Take a poll before the wedding to see if anyone is really interested in participating and if not, skip it!

 

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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!

 

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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!

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Sneak Peek of TLC’s “I Found the Gown” Season 3 Episode 2

May 2, 2014 Leave a Comment

A great way to end the week is with another episode of TLC’s, “I Found the Gown”. Did you watch last week’s premiere episode? Kind of crazy right? Crazy good! We love watching this show and all the great deals the brides are finding.

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, Kerri is in search for a sexy dress that will match her big personality for her big day. Alyssa is a young mom and bride who likes to find a dress but she can not get over her baby bump. Another bride, Jasmine has her heart set on finding a form-fitting beaded gown. She hopes she can find one in her tight budget.

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

 

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Shabby Chic Styled Shoot by The Events Boutique

April 23, 2014 Leave a Comment

I seriously love my job.  I sometimes have to pinch myself as sometimes it does not even seem real. I love that I get to view gorgeous wedding details everyday and never get sick of it. NEVER! What I love more than viewing pretty things, is when I meet beyond amazing talent creating such lovely design that I can not get enough of.  I recently had the honor of meeting Christina Cruz of The Events Boutique, and this girl surprises me with every ridiculouly talented designs she creates. She surprises me with every fabulous design move, and I love it! Get ready to be inspired with this super romantic shabby chic styled shoot that The Events Boutique created together with some amazing vendors. I have to warn you, this one will distract you from your morning routine, so make some time to view the stunning images. Actually, you may view these images more than once. Or a few times.

From Christina at The Events Boutique…

My Shabby Chic look was inspired by Spring in the Garden. When I stood in the Lower Meadow, I was surrounded by roses, wild flowers, and lavender. I immediately thought of a French Countryside. That inspired me to do a Shabby Chic theme with the weathered and French style  furniture. I visited Toast Party Rentals and just fell in love with their entire inventory. Jackie the owner from Toast was AMAZING and brought my visions to life not only with her furniture but also with accessories from her collection. She really was spectacular to work with. I worked with TGIS Catering to highlight something unique they offered.  Offering their farm to table concept typical in France and European countries. They shop at farmers markets.  It was so wonderful to work with such amazing vendors by my side.

 

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Vendors:

Event Planner and Stylist:    The Events Boutique

Venue: South Coast Botanic Gardens (lower meadow)

Vintage Rentals:  Toast Party Rentals

Florist:  Flower Duet

Catering : TGIS Catering

Menu Cards: Paper Crew

Cake and Dessert Bar:  Something Sweet and Lovely

Photographer:  Kristina Lee Photography 

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The End Results: Giving Life to Your Wedding Photos

April 12, 2014 Leave a Comment

There are many things to consider when choosing your wedding photographer.  You want to be sure they’re skilled, professional, and experienced. You also want to be sure their style matches yours and that you connect. No one will spend more time with you before, during, and after your wedding day, than you photographer (with the exception of your fiancé).  But what about the end result?

Your photographer (provided you found the right one) is going to beautifully capture every moment and detail of the biggest day of your life, now what?  What will happen to those images?  Will they exist only on the photographer’s hard drive?  End up lost in a drawer on a CD or USB drive?  You’ve invested (yes, it’s an investment) a lot of money in your wedding photographer.  You’re paying for their time, skill, equipment, etc., so it’s important to give life to your photos through albums and other products.

There is a growing trend of photographers only providing their clients with a CD or USB drive, or even just an online gallery. Sometimes the images are straight from the camera without any culling or editing.  This is not a full service and those beautiful photos for which you spent money to be created, have no purpose. That’s not to say CDs and USB drives are bad, but they’re not the end-all-be-all. And when digital images/negatives are provided there should be more than a CD with something scribbled in sharpie.

You may think that you’ll purchase the USB drive and print your own images or create your own album, but will you really?  Do you have the time?  Do you have access to a photo lab that can print professional quality images and books?  Do you have the legal right to print those images?  These are things to consider.  We all like to do things for ourselves, but is DIY always the best option?

When choosing your photographer take a look at the products they offer.  Do they offer albums?  Are they included in their initial package or is it a separate purchase?  Are they press-printed, or do they use photographic prints (big difference in quality)?  How many photos can go in to the album?  Can you add more? Who designs the album?  An album can be a big investment (there’s that word again), but it is one of the best ways to give your photos life and for you to relive and share your wedding day.

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Be sure to find out what other products your photographer may offer. There are many great options, in addition to prints, for displaying your wedding art in your home.  Give life to your photos.

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Sneak Peek of TLC’s “Say Yes to the Dress” Season 11 April 11th

April 11, 2014 Leave a Comment

We are so excited because not only is it Friday and time to start the weekend, but it is also BRIDEDAY! The name itself suggests that we should just start our weekend NOW! We are ready for this! BRIDEDAY is what TLC calls Fridays. We LOVE this!! It means that we have a brand new sneak peek of the fabulous new  episode of  TLC’s  SAY YES TO THE DRESS .  We are pretty excited over here. We are probably going to sneak out early today, so we can start the weekend and get ready to watch this show.

If you are a SYTTD (SAY YES TO THE DRESS.) newbie, then let us tell you a little bit about this amazingly fun wedding TV show. The show all takes place at the gorgeous bridal salon, Kleinfeld Bridal in NYC. The show  goes behind-the-scenes  and uncovers the various obstacles every staff member faces to make each bride utterly happy and pleased on what may be the  most important day of her life. The show features not only bridal experts, but emotional brides, opinionated entourages, and dream bridal dresses. At the end of each appointment, the bridal consultant will ask one very important question, “Are you saying Yes to the Dress?”. The answer to this question? You will have to tune in each week to find out.

On tonight’s episode:

This episode features a bride who is very close to the Kleinfeld bridal salon. Carolina is the editor for Say Yes, and is getting married and looking for her bridal gown at Kleinfeld. She gets to watch each and every gown go by each day, and has seen her share of bridal gowns. But will she find the perfect gown to say yes to? You will have to tune in tonight and find out!

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

Special Preview

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Five Must-Do’s the Night Before the Wedding

April 8, 2014 1 Comment

 The wedding day is not any ole’ event. This is like they say, “the big day”, and it features a super detailed agenda. An agenda that starts as early as 6:00am and ends past midnight. So, it is a LONG day ahead. So just like any big event, you must be prepared and ready to go. However, this event is full of emotions and special moments. Moments like your dad seeing you as a bride, and shedding tears, to celebrating with your girlfriends moments before your gown is first put on, and then of course the instant that you say “I Do” to the the love of your life. That is a lot of emotions in one day! On top of that, there some wedding events throughout the day. Yes, having a wedding planner is key, and a must in my books, but there are a few things you can do as a bride the night before the wedding day.  We’ve got some fabulous tips to help ease the stress and day of emotions!

  1. Sleep: First, and foremost, you must get a good night sleep. Yes, the nerves are totally there, and it is such a exciting day ahead, that you can not sleep. However, if you do not get a good sleep, you can not enjoy the day as much as possible. Let us tell you, you want to enjoy each and every moment of your wedding day.  To help, make sure that you go to  bed early, at least 7 hours of sleep( if possible, if not then 6 for sure). Have your close friends or family over to stay the night with you, so you are not alone, and can get that nice sleep with your besties around you. They can also help (for the most part), make sure you go to bed on time. You can take a over the counter sleeping pill like melatonin an hour before you want to go to bed. ( Do not take any prescription or something strong like Tylenol PM. You will feel really our of it the next day!). This will help with calming your body down so you can sleep more naturally, then being knocked out! You must get up the next day with a fresh look.
  2. Food: Watch what you eat the night before to even the week of the wedding. Do not try new foods, or eat anything heavy. Do not starve yourself, but eat light and healthy. Something with protein and greens are really good.  Breakfast can be a smoothie, yogurt, or cereal. Lunch can be a sandwich or salad. Dinner can be a steak/chicken with a side of veggies, and salad. Dessert: frozen yogurt with fresh fruit.  If you eat right, then you will not have to worry about anything for the big day.
  3. Breathe:  This may seem like an obvious one, but take some time to breathe! One really easy exercise is to sit down somewhere comfortable (a chair, couch, bed, etc), close your eyes, and then think of something very positive, and then breathe that thought in, hold it for a few seconds, and then breathe out the opposite thought, and breathe out the negative energy. Do this at least five times. This will help you focus on YOU, and not all the crazy things that may be going around you. It can get crazy and stressful! So make sure to take that time to relax and breathe! Trust us, it really helps!
  4. Massage: A nice relaxing massage is the key to a relaxing night before the wedding. Make an appointment way in advance, (if weekends, they book fast!), and make sure to do it at least a few days before, or the day before the wedding. If you are doing it the day before the wedding, do it early in the morning. If you go to a regular massage spa place, ask for the person you always work with. They know your body, pressure points, and YOU. You can make this into a day event with your girlfriends, or maybe even do a couple’s massage with your love.
  5. Have fun!: All the tips above may seem kind of boring and dull, so do not forget to have fun too. The night before, you typically have your rehearsal dinner, and that is a great time to spend with close friends and family before the big day.  It is a preview of the wedding day, and a chance to practice your smile, and show off your fun side! Tomorrow you are getting married, and it is okay to party! Just do not party too much or too hard. Smiles!

 

Happy Wedding Day, and Happy Pre-Wedding Day!

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Power Plays for Brides: A Tool for Brides & Their Weddings

April 7, 2014 1 Comment

Kicking off the week with a fabulous post about how to make wedding planning and married life a bit easier. Sounds pretty good right? I think this is a great way to start the week, don’t you think? I am excited to share a unique approach to wedding planning and wife life.  We always hear about how to prepare best for your wedding day and the the big day, but how about the new married life following? What ways can a bride get ready for her new life as a wife? Well, don’t you sweat it because we have an incredible woman who has launched a book, Power Plays for Brides, which provides the essential tools to having a stressfree wedding day and life as a newlywed.  Oh Monday, you are not so bad after all.

What is this book all about? 
There are so many great resources on the market to assist brides in their wedding planning process. However, Power Plays for Brides is dedicated to wives in training and is setting the course for a more productive wedding planning process and a less stressful lifestyle with your soon to be husband. This dynamic book, by Shimona Mayo, helps brides plan and design their dream wedding without cracking under the “normal” pressures. Power Plays for Brides, only a seven day read, offers twenty-seven proactive action steps and countless tips that will guide today’s bride seamlessly from one phase to the next with real wedding experiences, thought provoking worksheets and proven marriage tips. It challenges brides to proactively achieve an improved lifestyle of managing, collaborating and delegating wedding tasks, which can be incorporated into marriage.

Shimona offers invaluable and practical advice in this book. For example: “The most important thing is for you to employ a system that works best for you. By doing this, you can communicate your needs more effectively, access what you need right away, and position yourself as a solid lead for your event.” She also offers brides’ financial planning advice and practical strategies to keep grooms involved, establish a healthy internal foundation, hire an event support team, get organized, and manage communication that will last well after the honeymoon is over.

Today’s (bride-to-be) needs a resource that will effectively assist in managing emotions for a stress-less wedding and marriage. Power Plays for Brides, a lifestyle for today’s bride and tomorrow’s wife, is the perfect answer!

Mayo Front Cover Art Online

 

 

About Shimona Mayo Shimona Mayo

After graduating from James Madison University in 1999, Shimona began planning corporate events for political action committees, small businesses, non-profit associations and religious organizations. Her wildly successful events included, but were not limited to galas, silent auctions, golf tournaments, college symposiums, health and wellness events, trade-shows, staff retreats, team building events, company picnics and corporate fund raisers. In 2001, Shimona began to similarly transform weddings.

Her first venture, launched in 2003, offered planning for high impact, high visibility events. Noting a need for quality, creative services to offer her brides, Shimona launched Event Design Coach in 2011, focusing on floral and event design services. Shimona’s newest venture incorporates the wealth of knowledge gained throughout her 15 year career in the event industry and will be the official starter kit for brides.

The e-book is available for purchase here, and the hard copy and kit will be available at the end of the month. So get your copy today!

 

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Top Ten Must Know’s for Planning a Destination Wedding

March 27, 2014 Leave a Comment

We are always looking for ways to make things easier for couples and their wedding day.  At BHL, we love to share all the fabulous wedding tips to make your wedding planning a bit more simple.  Are you having a destination wedding? Planning a wedding can be stressful and hard work, but having a destination wedding is another story. We are talking new sights, cultures, foods, etc that are added to the list of things to do. We really wanted to know the insight of what is means to plan a destination wedding, so we asked our dear friend, Eric Acuña  to share some tips. Eric had a destination wedding at a beautiful resort in  Cancun, Mexico,  and knows first hand about planning from far away. Here are his top ten tips for planning a destination wedding. Oh, and some amazing photos from his wedding day! Super lovely and gorgeous day. Enjoy and happy planning!

Thamer Bajjali 2012

Budget, Budget, Budget!

When planning your destination wedding, there may be a few close friends and family who may not be able to attend due to funds. Make sure to budget a reserve fund to help those important to you who may need some help. My fiancé and I ended up budgeting for the few people who couldn’t afford to make our joyous event. Money should never separate your from the people who matter the most to you.

 

Give yourself time

Planning a destination wedding takes time. With a background in the wedding industry, I made sure not to get myself stuck in a pickle. I took advantage of my 16 month engagement. This made most things run seamless and effortlessly. Nothing was rushed and my artistic side had plenty of time to create the perfect wedding. Plus, you may need to give your guest time to request vacation and plan their budget.

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Don’t rain on my parade!

Playa del Carmen is beautiful. However, there’s a time of year when Playa may not be the hot spot for a special event. When planning my wedding, I researched the best time to visit. I wanted to make sure my guests didn’t endure a storm, flood, or hurricane. Bad weather can truly effect your wedding. So, make sure to google the weather history of your wedding date.

Red Carpet Event?

Check the calendar for your destination of choice. Don’t plan your wedding during the Cannes Festival or anything else that attracts tourists and inflates prices. On the flip side, consider tourist accommodations during the off-season. Your guest wouldn’t enjoy a destination when half the restaurants are closed and there’s nothing going on?

Vacation Anyone?

Hire a travel agent!!! Yeah I know, it sounds very 1990’s but, they make everything easier. When I was in Playa del Carmen, my hotel accommodations were not in order due to the hotel’s mistake. So, I called my travel agent (www.sunsettravel) and told them my dilemma. Kelly calmed me down and told me she’d take care of everything. In only 10 minutes, my agent not only fixed everything but, she was able to make a few upgrades for the mistakes made by the hotel. Most destination hotels depend on travel agents to book their rooms, which is an advantage.

 

Know the laws

Traditional wedding? Same sex marriage? Make sure you understand the laws of your destination. After much investigation, we were informed Mexico City was the only town in Mexico at the time who legalized same sex marriage. This allowed us to come home knowing we still needed to file the appropriate paper work with the State of California. Some countries, regardless of traditional or same-sex marriage, requires the two to be a citizen for a period of time before they can marry legally in their country.

 

Who’s my vendor?

Having a destination wedding is a once in a life time experience. My family and friends will remember our week long getaway for the rest of their lives. This is why picking the right vendors will be even more important than planning an event close to home. Could you imagine hiring a photographer who you never met? If I’m not fond of their work, do I have to pay them? Hiring vendors from the states maybe more expensive up front but, it will give you an opportunity to pick the best fit for your overall theme and look. Plus, there’s perks to flying your photographer out with your guests. I was able to negotiate with my photographer (www.petracalling.com) to take photos of the entire trip with all my friends and family. It was money well spent.

 

Scout your photo opts

When you get to your venue, make sure to scout the best photography spot with your photographer. This will help ensure your photos will be PERFECT on your special day. This will be everything you’ll  look at for the rest of your life.

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I’m not opening my own retail chain. I promise!

Can I bring my custom gifts? For my wedding, I provided an exclusive swag bag filled with must needed items. When I traveled through customs, they thought I was bringing my wedding items through the Mexican border to sell them in a retail store. They delayed me for an hour and asked me to pay a tax for each item. Looking back, I’d have all the items delivered to the resort during my stay.  This would have saved me tons of money.

Playa, Woohoo! Now what?

Most guests love to use a destination wedding as an excuse to take a well needed vacation. So make sure they have all the local hot spots lined up for them. As the host, I investigated all the local touristy sites. I knew Grandma Rosie would like to see Chichen Itza. While my college daring brother, enjoyed taking a sea-doo around the bay to swim with the Bull sharks. A simple “Local things to do list” can truly make their trip, a once in a life time experience.

Thamer Bajjali 2012

Thamer Bajjali 2012

Photography by Thamer Bajjali  from Petra Calling Photography 

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5 Ways to Calm Your Bride

March 8, 2014 Leave a Comment

Leading up to the wedding, every bride will have her moments where she is under a lot of stress. Between finding the right dress, all the plans that go into the wedding (even if you have a good planner!), and dealing with family all combines to amount to enough stress to drive anybody crazy. It’s important as the groom-to-be leading up to the big day to be there for your fiancé and make sure she is happy and as stress-free as possible. Here are five handy tips to make sure you keep your bride nice and calm!

Tip #1 : Massages. Often.

It’s medically proven that massage can be very therapeutic. It is also proven that massage also alleviates stress and prevents medical conditions that can compound stress in people. Whether it is a simple little massage of her arm, or just rubbing her shoulders while you two curl up on the couch, make sure she gets some TLC. You could really go all out and get her a bunch of sessions at a license masseuse leading up to the big day.

Tip #2 : Handle Some of the Family Stuff.

Nothing can stress out a human being like family. Sure, you love them… but you may not always like them, right? There can be some difficult squabbles to figure out and it is incredibly hard for someone to do it with their own loved ones. If possible, try to step in and take control of the situation and handle it for her. At the very least, be there for her when she needs to vent and be sure to simply let her know you are listening to her and that “yes, dealing with family sucks” is part of your responses back to her.

Tip #3 : Be Involved in the Planning… AND Execution of the Wedding

Some grooms think the whole wedding day is for the bride and that the bride takes on all the responsibility for the wedding. That’s outlandish and frankly, slightly sexist thinking. A wedding representing the bonding of two people, not just one. Be a part of the planning, be sure to give your input and constructive feedback. It will make all the difference in the world to her. And do not think that once the planning is over that your duty is then just to show up. Be sure to also be ready to assist wherever needed with the day of the wedding to make sure everything goes smooth.

Tip #4 : Hire an Experienced Planner

Out of all five  tips on this list, this is the biggest stress reliever to keep your bride calm and happy! It’s amazing that some couples think they can do it all, or just assume the venue will handle it. That is, quite simply, a recipe for disaster. Hire a professional, have that pro assist with everything from handling vendors to setup and execution of the wedding day. Have that person stress about it so all you and your bride-to-be have to do is show up and have a good time.

Tip #5 : Plan a Little Getaway Before the Wedding

This is very underrated and something to think about well in advance of the wedding day. With a few weeks to go, don’t be afraid to take a little “stay-cation” in your area and use the weekend to relax, unwind, and recharge your batteries. This is a great way to take a deep breath and make sure you aren’t too strung out for your wedding.

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