Styling :: The Groomsmen

A few weeks ago I showed you our inspiration and decision on the bridesmaids. Now it's time to talk groomsmen. Styling the men is more difficult for me. I know when something looks good, but I'm lost when it comes to putting it all together. For women, I like to think I know what looks good on different body types and skin tones but I don't have a clue where to start when it comes to the men. Dan and I both agree we do not want to go with tuxes- it just isn't our style. We want something more laid back and casual like khakis and navy blazers, but don't want it to look to preppy. Like the ladies, I love the idea of having the men mismatched, and I found some great pictures where all the men are wearing the same vest, but different shirts, ties and/or shoes. Also, since we are not going with tuxes, it is likely the men will have to buy their outfit. I kind of like this idea because Dan usually spends about $200 to rent the tux when he is in wedding. At least the guys will get to keep their clothes. Here are some of the images I love. I'm warning you- they are all across the board. Please help me narrow my vision!

one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight

What do you think? Advice is welcomed!

Rehearsing::The big dinner

Since JB and I became engaged, we've been planning, re-planning and constantly discussing the rehearsal dinner. We quickly found out that most of the places we'd love to have our dinner either 1. Don't make reservations for parties on Friday nights during dinner time, 2. Are ridiculously far above our price range, or 3. Don't have a space large enough for our group. We aren't having a HUGE dinner...just near 50 people, but turns out many restaurants accommodate around 35-40 in their private rooms. After searching and searching for the perfect place that's meaningful to us, but also has the unique food we love, I think *fingers crossed* we've finally settled on a new restaurant near our houses, Next Wood Fired Bistro & Vino Bar. With the location decided, now it's time for us to start brainstorming the fun stuff! Here are a few of the things I'd love to do at the dinner and my style inspiration for our wedding-eve.

1.Postcards: I want postcards sitting at the tables for people to leave us notes, advice, drawings, etc. At the end of the night, JB's mom will collect them and then mail them to us, one each week until we have them all! I'd love to get one of these Pantone postcards each week. Wouldn't they make the CUTEST little album!

2. Music: It's always important to JB and I to have the music we love playing at our events, so the rehearsal dinner is no exception. At our venue, they normally have a guitarist, but we're in a separate room and may not be able to hear his music. If not, here are a few songs we have to play. P.S. The linked playlist is on Spotify, which I LOVE. If you don't have it yet, you should, you can share songs with friends, listen to basically any music you could ever imagine...it's just great.

3. My style: I bought my rehearsal dinner outfit at the end of last summer (when all the whites were on sale), but here is my inspiration for my outfit. I'm even thinking that I might wear an antique hat or headpiece, because why-the-heck not. What are you wearing for your rehearsal, are you going formal? Casual? I'm wearing a skirt and top (all in white, of course), so I guess I'm right in the middle.

one, two, three, four, five

 4. The After Party: What do you think about an after rehearsal dinner party? Have you had one, been to one? I'd love an opportunity to see a few people who weren't at the dinner before the craziness of our big day. Let me know about these later-night, after-dinner get togethers! 

Wedding Hair Bliss {in Beverly Hills}

At this point in my planning I have been attempting to lock down a photographer, DJ/band, and florist. After a lot of time and effort focusing on those things I decided to take a well-deserved break. And what better way to reward yourself than going to the salon. My dear friend, Ashley, is also my hairstylist of 5 years and the artistic director at Kenworthy Salon. When I came in to Kenworthy to get my color done recently, she and I were just chatting about wedding hairstyles and thought it would be fun to start playing with my hair to get some ideas.  (She too is getting married this year!)

Here are some Tips from Beverly Hills Stylist Ashley Bostrom on how to prepare for your hair trial:

1. The best way to prep for your bridal hair trail is to have your hair shampooed and dried the day before your appt. This makes your hair more manageable to mold into your desired style.
2. Be sure to bring pictures of your favorite looks and accessories, so this way you have a better idea of how your hair will look the day of.
3. Also another great idea is to bring a camera and have your stylist take a picture of your favorite look. Be sure to start your hair and makeup trails at least 4 months before your wedding, to alleviate stress and to make sure your favorite stylist is available for your big day!!

I also thought it would be a good idea to wear white; whether that be a white tank top, tube top, or even a cream shawl.... anything that will help you visualize how you'll look on your wedding day. I made sure to do my make up clean and natural too. Here are some photos of celebrities that we used for inspiration.... and photos of the beautiful work Ashley did on my hair :)

HOLLYWOOD GLAM

THE UP-DO THE MESSY BUN

 DOWN AND WAVY

 My favorite part about this whole experience is that there was no pressure... kind of like when I found my dress! I was relaxed, had no expectations, and most of all I had fun! Ashley and I are going to do one more hair trial in a few months, but I think I already have a favorite out of this bunch.... do you? I'd love to hear your feedback!

Have you had your hair trial yet? Do you have any extra tips you'd like to share?

Oh, and if you live in southern California and you're looking for a phenomenal hairstylist for your bridal hair, I think you know who's at the top of my list of recommendations ;)

The Ring::Modern, Classic, Nontraditional...

Of all the decisions I've made for the wedding, by far the most difficult and the one that I am ALL OVER the board on is the ring. Everyday I show JB ring upon ring from wide to thin, diamond-filled to etched, I simply don't have the power to make up my mind on this one. I want to be able to wear my band by itself, or with my engagement ring and at the moment (this literal moment, as I'm writing this) I'm leaning toward minimal or no diamonds (who needs 'em...have you seen my engagement ring?! JB rocked it).

My main problem is that the rings I want aren't sold in store (etsy-love), or they're not sold near me (NYC has the main stock of rings I want), so I can't try them on with my engagement ring. That's why I need your help, what do you think?

Here are some of my options in all their glory...I've tried to narrow it down to my faves, but honestly there are probably more that I may like better, or at least like better for a few minutes (my indecisiveness is RAMPANT). Because there is such a long list of possibilities coming your way, I've broken them down in to groups so that you can easily source each image. Plus, ALL of these can be ordered online and they're all well under $1,000.

P.S. Which ever ring I decide on, I will order in white gold (so no worries on the yellow v. white gold issue).

I was going to try to list my favorites from each group...but I can't even decide on that.

Clockwise from top left: one, two, three, four, five

These next ones match my engagement ring, they're made by Eidel Precious and would clearly fit well with my current ring, but I think they're just a little too classic for me. However they are SO gorgeous and sparkly!

The next set I absolutely adore. I love that number 3 is vintage, but I think it might be a bit too wide. I really love the placement of the stones on numbers two and four. I just generally like number one.

Clockwise from top left: one, two, three, four

Number three of the next four is from BHLDN and I LOVE it, but I don't know if I love it as a wedding ring or just as a ring.

Clockwise from top left: one, two, three, four

This final grouping is maybe my favorite...maybe.

Clockwise from top left: one, two, three

What do you think? Which is your favorite? Which would look best with my ring?

Who Says They Need to Match?

By now, it is no secret that I adore pink and no matter which color palette we choose, pink will play a part! That being said, lets talk bridesmaids, shall we? As I've mentioned before, Dan and I decided to have a long-ish engagement (15 months). We've been engaged for just about a year now, and we've accomplished a lot in that time: the reception venue, church, photographer, and music, just to name a few, but with less than 6 months to go, I haven't been able to decide on a bridesmaids dress. My friends like to tease me that I blog about weddings but manage to be so behind when planning my own. In my defense- I maintain that I am not behind, merely meticulous about every detail and decision because I blog about weddings. They assured me they had faith, but I know, they were concerned. Since I had a clear vision of how I wanted the flowers to look, I decided to start there.

The vision:

one, two

I also knew I didn't want everyone in the same dress. I want my girls to look great and appear somewhat natural so I wanted to give them (some) control over what they will be wearing.

 This is not the best example of the style I am going for, but I just love how fun this photo is! Photo Credit 

I love the idea of letting the girls choose their own dress, all from different designers and stores, but I worried they would not look cohesive enough. I also didn't want to offend anyone if I didn't like their choice so I decided to go with one designer and color and let each girl choose her own style. I made an appointment to see some dresses with a few of my girls and explained what I was looking for. We started trying some things on and surprisingly, everyone fell in love with the same designer, Amsale. So, it was decided- short, crinkled chiffon Amsale dresses in blush. The best part of the line we chose is that there are so many choices, literally more than 50, so each of my girls will be able to choose something that complements their own style while still staying true to my vision. Even my athletic, dress-hating, stunt actress bridesmaid approves (and even kind of likes) the dresses we found.

Here are a few photos I found of the dresses. In the examples, the dresses are the long version of the dress (we will be having them cut short) but you get the idea.

one, two

*What do you think? Too much pink? Don't worry...I can take it : ) Matching bridesmaids? Yay or Nay?

Mix or Match? {Bridesmaids' Dresses}

I’ve had a pretty clear vision on most of the details of our wedding, but the one thing I just can’t decide on is bridesmaids’ dresses. I have too many ideas and I can’t seem to narrow in on one. I love the look of mixed and matched dresses, but I also love the idea of selecting a patterned dress. I love the trend of neutral dresses, but I’m also drawn to gorgeous color. Too many options! I want my girls to be comfortable and feel great, while everyone still knows that they are my bridesmaids.

So, this is where you come in, blogosphere! I’ve put together boards of the few different directions I’m considering (the dresses are mostly just examples for now). Share your thoughts! I need the help!

1. Mix and match coral and peach:

Sources: coral & teal, coral & peach, one shoulder, embroidered, strapless, sleeveless, lace

2. Mix and match blue-grey, pumped up a bit with coral and orange accessories: 

Sources: grey girls, grey with yellow, mrs., baby doll, belted, sleeveless, lace Jewelry: 1, 2, 3, 4

3. Finally, I found this amazing dress that has both the peach and the blue, with a general light and neutral feeling. It comes in a few different cuts, I’m just not sure I want the girls in the same dress. It is super cute though, and definitely still on the table.

Sources: Whitney Deal 

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Earring Inspiration {something other than rhinestones}

My main wedding jewelry (other than my completely gorgeous engagement and wedding rings), will be worn on my ears. I'm not wearing a necklace, but I really want to play up my some ear jewels (JB likes my ears, so it works out nicely). I've never been super in to sparkly, rhinestone like things (unless it's a full sequin/glitter/rhinestone dress...then I'm in), but I've ALWAYS loved rocks...I even had a rock collection when I was little. Because of this, I absolutely adore the geode jewelry that I keep seeing. Specifically the gold dipped geodes, ugh, I could own a new pair for everyday of the year. However, I just can't decide if for my wedding earrings I should wear something white/ivory/neutral or if I should add a little color. What do you think? Here are a few of my favorites...

Clockwise from top left: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven

Do you have a favorite? Have you seen good geodes anywhere else?

P.S. I know the third pair are pearls, not geodes, but I love them, so I couldn't leave them out.

Bling in the New Year!

Christmas and New Year's are a very popular time to get engaged. So to new readers, congrats and welcome to the wonderful world of wedding planning! The first question most brides get is, "Can I see your ring?" It is such a fun time to show off your new rock! So, new (or old!) brides- what does your ring look like? Did you go classic? Modern? Antique? Custom? Personally, I fell in love with a band and could never find it as a setting, so my wonderful fiancé had one custom made at Washington Diamond, near Washington D.C. They were amazing to work with! I was so surprised! Did you pick out your own ring? Or trust your man to do so?

I snuck on my wedding band when Dan wasn't looking! :)

Here are some other beautiful rings (and creative ring shots!) for your enjoyment!

clockwise from top left: 1; 2; 3; 4

So share with me what your ring story or send a picture to me (madelinepage@gmail.com) and next week I'll show them all off! Let's bling in the new year right!

Dress Update #1

I am calling this update #1 since, long story short, I did not purchase a dress while home for the holidays. So there will have to be an update #2 (and maybe a #3 and #4…). Although shopping was fun, after visiting three different wedding dress stores, I found the process COMPLETELY overwhelming. I really thought I was going to be a lot more decisive and just know more immediately whether I loved or hated a dress. Of course there were a few dresses that I put on and knew immediately that it was not THE dress. But those were the exceptions. For the most part I felt every dress I tried on was very pretty, and I could be happy in it on my wedding day. Thrilled? Maybe not. But happy – sure.

I think after watching WAY too many episodes of “Say Yes to the Dress” I really thought I would have that moment where I would look in the mirror and feel butterflies in my stomach. I would look over at my sister and my mom and they would be pulling out the tissues. The consultant would look at me and say, “Is this your dress?” I would then respond emphatically “YES!” without a single doubt in my mind that this was the dress I was meant to walk down the aisle in.

Well, that didn’t happen.

But I did come out of this experience with some concrete learnings. Namely, I need to listen to my gut. There was one dress I tried on that my family loved – and I did too. But there was something telling me it wasn’t the one. Finally, after a second visit to the store to talk to the seamstress about the dress, I randomly found out that a high school friend wore it to her wedding, which immediately ruled it out for me. After making the decision not to buy it, the biggest sense of relief washed over me. It wasn’t THE dress and I knew it and I should have listened to my gut from the beginning.

Anyway, I am going to take a couple weeks off to cleanse my palate. Next week I am going with a friend to look at a dress that she has her eye on for her wedding. Maybe that will reignite a desire to look for my dress. But for now, I need a break!

Anyone else experience something similar? Were you expecting a “Say Yes to the Dress” moment, but it didn’t exactly turn out that way? I would love to hear about it!

P.S. Sorry for the not so great pictures – we were trying to be covert!

Putting On My Face...Bridal Beauty

While I'm still on the fence about what to do with my hair, I have a pretty clear vision of how I'd like my makeup to look on my wedding day.  I normally just wear black eyeliner, mascara, and some lip gloss.  In keeping with with my 'I want to look like myself' mentality, I would do barely there foundation with my signature black eyeliner on the top lid, with maybe a slight winged out tip.  I don't usually wear lipstick, but I've heard it's a good idea for pictures, so I may consider it.  But I do really love just a nude colored lip.   I also want to wear fake eyelashes, something I haven't done before - but I love how fancy they seem. And if you can't be fancy and long-lashed on your wedding day, then when can you?!  :)

I've only ever had my makeup done professionally once, so I don't have a ton of experience with it.  I'm scouring pinterest, and sites like the beauty department to get ideas.  I'll definitely be printing out pictures to bring with me to the salon.

I'm a little behind on the hair and makeup trial, so I need to get that scheduled, since we are at the 3 month mark.  Eeeek, so much to do still!

I love this look on Christina Hendricks - simple, but gorgeous. I dyed my hair red about a year ago, and I'm still getting used to switching makeup-colors that compliment my hair color.

1, 2, 3, 4

Are you having your makeup professionally done?  Has anyone had a makeup lesson, and then done your own makeup on the wedding day?  It might be nice to learn how I should be doing my makeup.  I know a lot of places are using the airbrushed foundations now, so I may give that a try too.  Did you love your makeup on your wedding day?  Did it translate to pictures like you thought it would?  If you have any tips I'd love to hear them!