Bethany Lorelle giveaway!

Today's giveaway sponsor has reduced me to a little girl wanting to play dress up. Except instead of going through my mom's jewelry box, I want to raid Bethany Lorelle's.

So shiny! And sparkly! I love how her pieces seem contemporary and vintage at the same time-- and of course, absolutely romantic. Bethany Lorelle was kind enough to answer a few Bridal Bubbly questions.

What inspires you?  

I am  inspired by the heroines of Jane Austen (who felt the empowerment of their own inner beauty by adding a simple ribbon), 18th-century France (a time when even a short walk to the market was a reason to accessorize), and the decadent glamour of Old Hollywood (Hepburn).

How would you define your style?

My style is  whimsical, chic, and playful. I love to create pieces for the modern women who loves a little vintage flair.  My favorite pieces are the ones you can wear with a little black dress, or your jeans and a tee.  

What is your favorite product from your line? 

I love the one of kind pieces that I get to create.  The creations that are a combination of the clients aesthetic and my own imagination.  Each one is unique, just like each bride is unique; and just as I hope my work inspires brides to contact me, each bride inspires a new creation from me.

What do you like most about designing for brides?

What I love most about designing for brides is getting to know them.  Creating for one of the most important days in a woman's life is such a privilege.  I am always honored when brides approaches me to create for them.  It's truly a gift that they are giving me.  I love to make all my clients happy, but making a bride happy is like the icing on the cake of my job. It's such a beauitful time in a women's life.

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

Be You.  There is nothing that makes a bride more beautiful than when she is personifying her own style.  I feel a bride looks her best when the accessories serve to complement, rather than create, her inner beauty and glow.

Thanks for the interview, Bethany! Now for the best part: Today's giveaway winner will have her pick among two of Bethany's most popular pieces, seen below:

So which lucky reader is going to have to make a very hard choice between these two gorgeous accessories? To enter the drawing, email us at weddings@engagingaffairs.com with Bethany Lorelle in the subject line. Good luck, and thanks again to Bethany for this fantastic prize!

How to contact Bethany Lorelle:

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

Website: http://www.bethanylorelle.com/

Mignonne Handmade Winner!

The winner of the Mignonne Handmade giveaway is NinjaPandaWedding.  Congratulations!  We can't wait to hear what fabulous accessory you choose!

Olio Designs giveaway!

Etsy is such a dangerous site to visit. You think you'll just browse, and then suddenly, you stumble upon something you never knew you existed but now MUST have, or life will be drab and gray and without sunshine. Case in point: these lollipop favors by Olio Designs. They are so adorable that I am now a little bit resenting all my friends who are not getting married, or having babies, or giving me some other reason to throw a party with lollipops.

So freaking cute! It's no wonder Olio is one of Martha Stewart's favorite Etsy crafters, right? 

I actually think I'd feel guilty removing these darling covers to eat the lollipops inside. Fortunately for me, nothing cures guilt like sugary goodness. And fortunately for you, the incredibly crafty and generous Meg at Olio Designs is giving away FIFTY custom lollipop favors to one Bridal Bubbly reader! To enter for your chance to win, email us at weddings@engagingaffairs.com with Olio Designs in the subject line. Good luck winning this delicious giveaway, and enjoy this quick interview with Olio designer Meg!

What inspires you? 

I am inspired by color -anything from a beautiful piece of fabric or a great piece of paper to the unique shades found in the forest or on an ocean beach.

How would you define your style? 

I like clean, simple lines and vibrant colors.

What is your favorite product from your line? 

My favorite product is my lollipop favor. I originally designed the lollipop favor as a valentine for my son to take school. I had opened my Etsy store only a few months before and decided to add the lollipop favors to my inventory thinking they would make great birthday party or baby shower favors. I was surprised when not too long afterward I was contacted by a bride who wanted to customize the lollipop favors for her wedding. Lollipop favors are the perfect favor for the bride who is looking for something fun and unique to add to her reception but wants to keep it classy!

What do you like most about designing for brides? 

Brides are so much fun to work with. They are preparing for a new and exciting chapter in their lives and I feel very lucky to play a small part in making their wedding day uniquely their own. 

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

Talk! After 11 years of marriage I have learned that the most important thing in a happy and healthy relationship is good communication.

How to contact Olio Designs:

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

MissNowMrs winner!

Happy Monday everyone!  The winner of the MissNowMrs gift card to make their life SOOO much easier is Josh Fixler.  Congratulations to Josh, and his fiance Ann!  Email us your snail mail address and will will get the gift card zipped out to you!

Anne Michelle Heirloom veil giveaway!

The moment that is guaranteed to get more happy tears than any other in a bridal shop is not, surprisingly, the first time a mother sees her daughter in a wedding dress. It's the moment when the bride first tries on a veil. Without the veil, you're a beautiful girl in a dress, but with the veil, there's no mistaking it: you're a bride, and suddenly that's very real and emotional.

When I worked in a bridal salon, I loved the big veil moment. I only wish I had known back then about Anne Michelle Heirloom, whose exquisite veils and hair pieces are some of the prettiest I've ever seen.

And now the the super talented Anne Michelle is donating one gorgeous Marilyn birdcage veil as today's Bridal Bubbly giveaway! For a chance to win the veil (pictured below: flower fascinator not included), just email us at weddings@engagingaffairs.com. Put Anne Michelle Heirloom in the subject line and let us know you want to enter the drawing. We'll pick a winner later this week.

Until then, here's the Bridal Bubbly Q and A with Anne Michelle. 

How did you get started in design?

I’ve always thought of myself as an artist, mostly interested in watercolor and ceramics.  One of my first jobs was working in a bridal fabrics shop.  While I was there I became familiar with the highest quality materials, and started following wedding trends just out of interest. It was there that I started designing and making wedding veils for clients. About a year and a half ago, I found myself with some extra time on my hands, and started making veils again and flower fascinators. I found the creative process really satisfying. It was a good place for all of my creative energy.

Why weddings?

Weddings are so pretty! I love the soft colors and materials. I love all the little details that make a wedding truly special. I really love working with brides that have a unique sense of style.  I love hearing that they love their veil, and that it really made their wedding look complete.

What inspires you?

I love small details. I read a LOT of wedding blogs, and I love a wedding that is saturated with personality from the couple.  I also draw a lot of inspiration from vintage photographs and graphic design.  I am really inspired by my materials. I don’t usually sit down to design with an end product in mind. I just use what is in front of me and start putting it together. I love to stumble on a fabulous piece of vintage jewelry and creating a piece around it. The end result can end up kind of kooky, and not for every bride, but it has a ton of personality.

How would you define your style?

I usually say it is old-Hollywood inspired, but still clean and modern.  My pieces tend to have clean lines, though I’m working on a line with softer edges and more volume.

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

Relax and enjoy planning your wedding. Don’t let it freak you out.  The best weddings aren’t perfect , they speak about the couple and tell the guests about their personalities, interests, and style.  Find little details that you love.  And lastly, find a fabulous accessory that will make your guests remember you. 

How to contact Anne Michelle Heirloom:

Etsy Store: www.etsy.com/shop/annemichelleheirloom

Blog: www.theveilblog.blogspot.com/

E. Isabella Winner!

More giveaways, more winners!  The lucky winner of the E. Isabella $50 gift certificate is Lindsey Winek.  Shoot us an email, Lindsey, and we will hook you up!

Giveaways Galore

Just when you thought there couldn't be anymore giveaways!  We just discovered Giveaway Scout, a site that lists a ton of blog giveaways.  Cool, huh? Check it out and see what other fun blg giveaways are out there!

2 Brides, 1 Long-Awaited, Amazing Wedding! {Bess + Alex}

Oh happy day!  After 12 years of dating, my brides Bess and Alex were finally able to make their union official.  The venue…Bess’ Aunt Mildred and Uncle Jack’s Great Falls home.  The colors…black, white and cobalt blue.

Can you guess what we love most about the photo below?  Okay, aside from everything?  LOVING the shoes and the hair feather.  So sassy!

With the brides moving overseas in early September, they decided they would incorporate travel undertones for their June wedding.  Some of these details included a Passport-style wedding program, luggage tags as food labels, and an edible globe topping their amazing cupcake tower designed by the talented Lara of Fluffy Thoughts, just to name a few.

The 100+ guests were shuttled to the venue courtesy of Reston Limousine.  Upon arriving, they were treated to ice cold water, tea and lemonade on the front patio while waiting to enter the barn area, which served as our ceremony location.   Uncle Jack is a collector of extremely rare and ornate organs from all over the world, which lined the walls of the barn.  Touches of white draping were placed throughout the barn to add a whimsical touch.  Black chairs lined the aisle and two amazing arrangements sitting atop mirrored pedestals flanked the front of the room where the two brides said “I Do.”

The brides really made the ceremony their own.  A dear friend performed the ceremony and all of the songs played were from their favorite TV show, "Glee."  The bridal party entered the ceremony to the “Somebody to Love,” both brides walked in to “No Air” and the brides exited their ceremony to “My Life Would Suck Without You.”   Keeping with the color theme, we even had a local black snake try to sneak into the ceremony. Thank you to the gentleman at John Farr who captured it and released it about a mile away from the house!

Bess and Alex took some fabulous portraits with the talented Joe from (an Engaging Affairs favorite) Love Life Images.

  

Throughout cocktails and dinner, guests were able freely roam the property and were invited to sit wherever they wished.  There were several different seating areas, each having a different feel to it.  Under the trees in the front yard, amber uplights lit the tress, white whitewashed wooden tables were scattered around the front yard with black chairs and amazing sunken floral vignettes that included wheat grass, river rocks and lush, white flowers in cobalt blue vases.  

Under the tent, the black and white checkered dancefloor was surrounded by 2 lounge areas with black and white couches.  

The pool house, where two of the buffets (and bar) were located, was lit with bright blue lighting (provided by John Farr Lighting), littered with white benches along the walls and glowed from the candles that were placed around the pool.  The back patio, where the third buffet was set up, had traditional seating in a bit more quiet setting. The bride’s worked closely with the extremely creative Patrick at Capitol Décor (we love you, Patrick!) to come up with the flower design and furniture concepts throughout the venue.   

Chris Kopec, our MC and DJ, had everyone on the dance floor and spun everything from Thievery Corporation to Lady Gaga to Ke$ha to the Black Eyed Peas.   

Thanks to the amazing team of vendors who made this special day happened!  Sugarplum Tents provided the fabulous tent and dance floor and Party Rental provided the tables, linens, chairs and tableware.  It was such a privelage to be a part of this beautiful day for a beautiful couple.  Congratulations Alex and Bess! All the best wishes from all of us at Engaging Affairs!

Christine

ACKC Winner!

The lucky chocoholic (I hope) who won the $35 gift card to ACKC Cocoa Bar (and who will be sharing with us, yes?) is Kristin Williams.  Shoot us an email at weddings@engagingaffairs.com and we will hook you up.  Congrats!

Sneak Peek from My Gorgeous Hindu-American Wedding!

This isn't an "official" photo since it isn't from the wedding photographer but I think it captures the fun of the wedding I coordinated last Saturday.  Talk about a happy couple!

The colors were so rich and saturated, and Sachi from Partyland did an amazing job with the mandap (and all the decor).  I had such a great time at this wedding!  Between the awesome music and the fabulous food and the lovely families, it was worth being on my feet for close to 20 hours.  Stay tuned for more photos from this fun wedding!
Laura