CeciStyle Launch!

There are so many great lines in When Harry Met Sally, but this warning from Carrie Fisher's character is one of my favorites:

"All I'm saying is that somewhere out there is the man you are supposed to marry. And if you don't get him first, somebody else will, and you'll have to spend the rest of your life knowing that somebody else is married to your husband."

Well, I now have to spend the rest of life knowing that Lisa "Ceci" Johnson, of the acclaimed invitation line Ceci New York, got married at my wedding. I know because her Spanish-style affair is the centerpiece of the debut issue of CeciStyle, a new luxury e-magazine launched this past weekend that everyone at Bridal Bubbly could not be more excited about. The magazine is a perfect blend of aspirational style (think bridal Vogue) and practical tips on the latest in wedding trends.

I truly don't know how Ceci will top this first issue (her wedding is THAT gorgeous), but I'm excited to find out.  Check out this sneak peak courtesy of her photographers Mel Barlow and Tomothy K. Lee.

 Stunning, right? You can subscribe to CeciStyle by clicking right here. Next week's issue is entitled "Paris Meets Morocco." I can't wait!
Alison

Ruby Feather Winner!

The lucky winner of 5 custom boutonnieres from  Ruby Feather is Megan Markowski.  Congrats Megan!

The Full Monte {Say Yes to the Dress Atlanta}

Be sure to check out our dear (and daring) friend Monte Durham featured in Sunday's Washington Post article.  We had such a fun morning hanging out with the Post reporter while Monte styled Abby Bonder, an Engaging Affairs bride!  Check it out!

Bubbly Bride Giveaway!!

As you can probably tell from this blog's name, the girls behind Bridal Bubbly are big fans of the celebratory cocktail. And now we have a whole new reason to raise our glasses! Bridal Bubbly is giving away free copies of The Bubbly Bride: Your Ultimate Wedding Cocktail Guide, a fun, informative book with dozens of recipes for signature cocktails perfect for any and every bridal situation.

The author Natalie Bovis-Nelsen is a professional mixologist, which means she knows her stuff, but she doesn't take for granted that others do. As a complete novice behind the bar, I especially appreciated her crash course in cocktails and the tools of the trade. And I was pleasantly surprised to discover Natalie runs The Liquid Muse, which Engaging Affairs has consulted before when attempting to create the perfect signature cocktail for a wedding.

From bachelorette party shots to low-calorie cocktails for the bride on a fitness regimen, this bartender's bible for the newlywed has more than 70 recipes. Five lucky Bridal Bubbly readers can see them all by winning a free copy of the book (just email weddings@engagingaffairs.com with The Bubbly Bride in the subject line to enter the contest), but we wanted to share one recipe with all our readers now.

And since it's about 90 degrees outside, my eye was naturally drawn to the Chill Pill (part of the Battling Bridezilla section of the book-- love it!):

Chill Pill (served in a champagne flute)
Lavender water (available at health food stores and online)
1 ounce lavender bud-infused vodka
1 ounce lavender-infused simple syrup
1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice
Splash DRY Soda Co. lavender soda
1 spring lavender or edible flower

Mist the inside of a champagne flute with lavender water and set aside. Shake lavender bud-infused vodka, simple syrup, and lemon juice with ice. Strain into champagne flute and top with lavender soda. Give it a quick stir and present with a sprig of lavender to sooth the senses, or with an edible purple flower.

Cheers!
Alison

Don't Miss the Hampton Paper Giveaway!

Don't forget to enter to win $100 towards Hampton Paper wedding stationery! These are some of the freshest designs we've seen for wedding paper products and some lucky reader is going to have 100 cool ones to blow on it.  Send us an email with Hampton Paper Designs in the subject line and you'll be in the running. Good luck!

Hampton Paper Designs giveaway!

For the last July giveaway (can you believe how this month has flown by!), Bridal Bubbly wanted to do something special to celebrate our blog relaunch. So we teamed up with some folks who have their own reason to celebrate: Hampton Paper Designs. 

Hampton Paper has always been a chic source for handcrafted stationary, but the company just rolled out their very own bridal line, and it’s already making a big splash in the industry. You may have seen their work in a recent issue of OK! Magazine—HPD provided the entire paper ensemble at the celebrity wedding of Jana Kramer (One Tree Hill) and Johnathon Schaech (That Thing You Do!). We’re talking invitations, response cards, menu cards, place cards, table cards, programs, and even stickers for favors and welcome bags—Hampton Paper does it all, and it’s all totally gorgeous. 

We had a chance to speak with the lovely Kristin Mika, the owner of Hampton Paper Designs, about where she gets her inspiration and what advice she’d offer brides. 

How did you start Hampton Paper?  

Hampton Paper Designs was created to fill a void I noticed while shopping for birth announcements after my younger son, Jackson, was born. I was looking for a perfect balance of style and simplicity with images that were classic. I called upon a close family friend and talented artist, Lucy Borge and she started me off with several hand-painted images.  The idea of Hampton Paper Designs had always been in the back of my mind and on this occasion I just decided that the time was right to give it a go.

What is your favorite part of your business? 

Constantly expanding our available images and seeing the new ones in print.  I also love picking up custom orders from the printer.  You can’t beat the excitement of finally seeing a final product that a client and I agonized over, opening the box and seeing that it came out exactly as we had envisioned.  That is so rewarding for me.

How would you define Hampton Paper's style? 

Hampton Paper's style is actually a reflection of my personal style, simple and classic. Typically I can be found in jeans or black pants and a crisp white shirt with a great piece of jewelry.

What inspires you? 

Everything and everyone! I am constantly thinking of new images and products for the line based on my experiences and I like to think that is what helps me to keep Hampton Paper Designs growing and evolving.  Many of the images were inspired from my childhood memories such as the Magnolia and Windmill.

What is your favorite design?

My favorite designs change frequently-- I easily fall in love with new images! My current favorite is the mailbox since we are moving and I can’t wait to use it on the “Just Moved” cards.

What is your most popular? 

The Adirondack Chair. It’s a client favorite. We see it used on correspondence cards, notepads for beach houses, invitations for summer parties and for weddings.

What is one bit of advice you'd offer brides?

Hire a wedding planner! Next to marrying the right guy, it was one of the best decisions I made at the time! (Full disclosure: Laura was her wedding planner over 13 years ago!)

Now thanks to Kristin, Hampton Paper is offering Bridal Bubbly readers the chance to win a $100.00 gift certificate to be used on any of the company’s wedding stationery portfolio. To enter the drawing, please email us at weddings@engagingaffairs.com with Hampton Paper Designs as your subject line. 

Thanks so much to Kristin and the entire team at Hampton Paper Designs for this wonderful giveaway!

How to contact Hampton Paper Designs:

Website: www.hamptonpaperdesigns.com 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/.../Hampton-Paper-Designs/115995634801

Twitter: twitter.com/HamptonPaper/status/11346029530

Email: info@hamptonpaperdesigns.com

Say Yes to the Dress Atlanta Premiere Tonight!

 Fashion director Monte and salon owner Lori make brides' dreams come true! (Credit: DCL)

We are so excited about the new Atlanta version of "Say Yes to the Dress!" Mostly because we are good friends with one of the show's new stars, Monte Durham.  For those in the D.C. wedding scene, Monte has been a fixture for over 15 years.  He's done more of my brides' hair and makeup over the years than I could possibly count (and he's even done my hair for the past few years although if I don't fix it so it looks good, he won't claim me)!  We have had countless bridal adventures together (some tales too wild to tell), and I count him among my dear friends.

Monte is one of the funniest and kindest people I know.  He also tells it like it is and has a flair for the dramatic so I can't wait to see what he says on the show.  All I can say is, brace yourself, folks!  If I know Monte, it's going to be a wild ride!

A sneak preview of the Atlanta edition airs on July 30 (tonight!!!) at 9:30 p.m. eastern time on TLC and tune in for the season premiere on Aug. 6 at 9 p.m. eastern time! Then it will continue on Friday nights at 9pm. I know what I'm adding to my Friday night before-the-wedding preparation ritual where I go through my emergency kit and do escort card alphabetizing.  A little "Say Yes to the Dress Atlanta" and a refreshing does of Monte.  I know he can always make me laugh!

The show is set at Bridals by Lori, which has been dressing Southern brides for their perfect day for nearly 30 years.  In "Say Yes to the Dress Atlanta," you'll meet Southern brides of every stripe, women who Lori describes as "educated, particular, very fashionable and strong-willed."

We'll be watching with ya'll!
Laura

A Sweet Inspiration Board

Photo credits: bowtie (Snippet and Ink), candy buffet (Martha Stewart Weddings), couple (Ruffledblog.com), bridesmaid fashion (A Southern Wedding), ring (Weddingaces.com), place cards (Brides.com), centerpieces (A Southern Wedding), child attendants (Utterly Engaged)

We put this board together as inspiration for those who love the bright candy colors of summer (or who just love candy)! We did a great wedding a few years ago with a candy theme and it was so much fun! Candy-flavored martinis rimmed with Pop-Rocks and crushed lemon drops, an elaborate candy store display and desserts passed on lollipop sticks.

Even if you don't have a sweet tooth, these fun colors can be great for summer weddings.  We've always loved mixing orange and pink with bright yellow. These colors are so perfect for the sunny days of July and August.  We also love the melon shades of these bridesmaids' dresses. So fun and flirty. We hope you enjoy this fun inspiration!

Ruby Feather giveaway!

I once overheard a bride gush to her friend that she'd fallen in love with a gorgeous "Oscar de la Hoya" dress on sample sale. This girl was so sweet and genuinely excited,  I just didn't have the heart to correct her. (Besides, maybe legendary boxer de la Hoya does design wedding dresses on the side. I don't know his life.) 

The point is, you hear a lot of funny things in this business. When I asked another bride if she would be wearing a veil on her wedding day, she replied, " Obviously. Without a veil you're just a girl in a white prom dress." It's an interesting theory, right? Personally though, I'd be more inclined to believe the gender flipside: that without a boutonniere, the groom is just a guy in a tux. 

Boutonnieres add instant style and pizazz to a wedding. And unlike bouquets, which are almost always made of flowers, bouts give you the opportunity to think a bit more outside the box. 

Ruby Feather thinks outside the box. Her designs are show stoppers unto themselves: colorful, charming, and perfectly executed. Using artificial blooms can be tricky, but Ruby pulls it off each time, and the happy client is left with a memento of their wedding that will last a lifetime. (Also, the wedding planner in me loves that her boutonnieres won't sag, droop, or break at the stem at any point during the day.)

Before we get to today's truly phenomenal giveaway, we wanted to you be able to hear from

the creative mind behind Rubyfeather, Rebecca Singleton. 

How did you start your business?

I've always been making things and being crafty! Ever since I was very young. I had made some wedding boutonniere a hair pieces for a friend and just decided to set up an etsy shop to see how it would go. It all took off from there! I love seeing the orders come in and seeing what new adventure you have ahead for you with colors and fabrics, etc! It's so much fun!

What inspires you?

All the other crafters on Etsy!!! They are amazing. I love anything handmade - that someone put so much hard work and effort into something for you to love, It just makes it all the better.

I love when I put 2 colours together and it just works!!! And of course nature. Who couldn't be inspired by nature!

How would you define your style?

I love the vintage styles and all things antique and retro. I like my crafts to stand out and look unusual or different. Why would you want to look like everyone else?!

What is your favorite color combination for weddings?

I'm currently working on boutonnieres for a client with beautiful purple and blues with some silver and they are looking amazing, but really and truly it's nice to work with a variety of colors. Sometimes I have some crazy bouts with orange and pink and green and a week later I might be working on ivory and gold. I enjoy the variety.

What do you like most about designing for brides?

Being part of their wedding day. Customers put their trust in you to come up with something that will add to the whole look of their wedding and that is really satisfying. I like that they have something handmade and almost like a keepsake of their special day. It's like love has gone into the item already before it even gets there!

What would be one piece of advice you'd give a bride? 

Go for something different. I think so many people just do the same as everyone else and it's nice for guests to look back and remember something unusual or different from the day. There may be things that they have in their head and they think, "Nah - that's too crazy."  Do it!!!!

Thanks, Ruby! Today's giveaway winner will get five custom wedding boutonnieres, compliments of Ruby Feather. How great is that?! To enter to win, just email us at weddings@engagingaffairs.com with Ruby Feather in the subject line. Good luck!

How to contact Ruby Feather:

Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/rubyfeather

Alison

Olio Designs Winner!

The winner of the 50 custom lollipops from Olio Designs is Sara Raffel.  Congratulations, Sara!  Shoot us an email and we'll hook you up!  Thanks to everyone for entering.  Another great giveaway in about an hour--hooray!