You've got mail!

In today's world we communicate through phone, emails, Facebook and the like to send a quick hello, or invite our friends to an event on Facebook - it's easy, it's convenient.  

Life is often too busy to write a letter or send a card in the mail...but I still think there is something special about getting a colorful envelope with a beautiful hand written address that stands out from all the other monotonous bills in my mailbox!  I get excited even...someone sent me something! Who could it be? What is it?? 
 

Your wedding invitation is a keep sake of your special day and the first glimpse that your guests will get to see!  Your invitation should reflect your style, your personality and should exude the happiness and excitement that you're feeling about marrying the one you love.

Wedding invitations have really taken on a new concept over the last few years...instead of plain white cardstock with black script ink you could literally have any medium or color to inform your guests that you're getting hitched and they're invited.  Many couples choose to include details from their wedding day in the design - theme, colors, flowers all reflect the overall style and personality of the invitation.

Whether your style is traditional or really out there have fun with your invitation!

The First Look

One of the biggest decisions couples have to make when planning their schedule for their wedding day is whether or not they should see each other before the ceremony.  Couples weigh out the pros and cons, and decide what works best for them.  Things they may consider are how important it is to them to wait to see each other at the end of the aisle, or how important it is for them that their guests not have to wait around for hours between the ceremony and the reception.  Everyone has a different opinion on this matter, and we’re here to tell you ours.

We planned our own weddings both as brides and as photographers, so we feel like we can give you the inside scoop from both perspectives.  It just so happens that we both chose to do a ‘first look’ and see our soon to be husbands before the wedding.  By doing this we were able to take our time with photos, enjoy the experience, and not worry about how long we were taking while our guests (especially the ones that traveled from out of town) tried to find something to do.  A first look can be just as special, if not MORE special, as seeing each other from down the aisle.  If you are more private people, a first look gives you the chance to enjoy that big moment without 150 sets of eyes on you.  Sometimes the first look is the only moment the couple has completely alone on their whole wedding day.  When you see each other you can hug, you can tell your new spouse how awesome they look, you can tell them how excited you are for the day, you can tell them how much you love them.

Kristen and Ike chose to do a first look on their beautiful wedding day last June and these sweet photos give you a glimpse into their special moment.  Ike waited for Kristen in the middle of the street, Kristen quietly got out of the limo, walked up behind him and gently tapped him on the shoulder to let him know she was ready.  The moments to follow were so sweet and tender we almost had to reach for some Kleenex.  There was hugging, kissing, laughing and so many “I love you’s”.  Ike and Kristen had a moment to find out how each other’s mornings went, how they were feeling and all those nerves they were feeling earlier floated away when they comfortably stood hand in hand in the middle of that street.  Such a sweet and special moment they were able to share privately while we quietly worked our magic around them.  Once they had filled each other in on their respective mornings we took the chance to snap a few more formal pictures and then off we went, with just the two of them to a few photo locations that would be special for just the two of them.

You can see more of this wedding on our blog HERE.

And while you don't seem them in these photos of the first look, we still want to send a shout out to Bloom who did the gorgeous flowers for this wedding!

Flowers that speak for themselves.

Each bride comes into a Florist with the same dilemma. They have beautiful flowers in mind, or know their style, colors, etc., but now have to find out the price, and make their budget and flower choices work together.

Here are a few tips from Megan Lynne Floral Design to help you with this process...

1. Have a plan.
When making an appointment with your florist, have an idea of what you are looking for. If you're not a "flower person", bring some pictures of bouquets that you like, swatches of fabric or accessories for your big day. This can really help give the florist an idea of what you are looking for, keeping you both working on the same ideas.

2. Be flexible.

Have some options, colors and favorite flowers in mind, but be flexible. This allows us to suggest the flowers that are in season, the right color and the best price when you need them, which can help you save more than you think. Most of the time, the end results are so similar, if not the same, even some of our brides can't remember the changes we suggested compared to their first idea.



3. Find a professional.

There is nothing more disappointing than not having quality products at your wedding, and flowers definitely need to be high-quality to handle the long day ahead of them. Find a florist that focuses on the care and attention that weddings need. Not all florists handle their flowers the same. Look for their past work, ask them for a schedule on your flowers, go and see them working on your bouquets before your wedding if you can. Remember, there is a reason that they do the work for you, so that the end result is stunning and worth it! Poor quality flowers always show, and high quality flowers always stand out!

4. Spend your money where it matters!

Your bouquet is something that you will see in your pictures for years to come. Don't you want that memory to be a sweet one? If you are on a tight budget, spend your money on an amazing bridal bouquet and ask your florist for advice on making the rest match with more affordable options. There are lots of great (sneaky!) ways to get the look you love for your bridesmaids while keeping the budget in mind.



5. Personal touches you'll always remember.

There is something so special about adding personal touches to your bouquets. Lockets with a picture of a loved one, your Grandmother's broach, lace from your Mother's dress, anything! It's easy to add in these sweet touches to your wedding flowers, and they help make your day so perfectly personal.

6. Be brave!
Think outside the box. If you love pearls and lace, add them to your bouquet! If you have your heart set on a lush bouquet of succulents (as below) go for it! This is the time to express yourself and let your style show. Don't think that you have to have the same bouquets as everyone else. Choose what you love and go for it! It's YOUR day.

 8. Ask questions!
Don't forget, your florist is there to help you. For most brides, they don't have any idea on how their wedding planning should go, so ask. Really! We are here to help. There are no questions we haven't heard (believe me!) and we would love to help you make your day all that you hoped for.

(Most photography courtesy of Jack and Ruby Photography and Lani Elias Fine Art Photography, both members of the Southern Suite.)