Happy Feet

So you've found the perfect pair of shoes to wear on your wedding day.  Congratulations!  Some brides find this to be a challenge, factoring in heel height, style and comfort.  For other brides, it's love at first sight and that purchase was secured months ago (you lucky girls!).  No matter the case, once you've selected your footwear, I suggest thinking a little about how the shoes wear on your feet.

To make sure you two fit perfectly together, it's a good idea wear them around your house to get used to the fit and heel height.  If you are wearing hosiery on your wedding day, make sure you also wear some while you practice, too.  A "trial run" will also help identify anything you'd like to correct.  Maybe your heel is slipping a little out of your shoe when you walk, or your foot is sliding forward a little causing your toes to feel a bit cramped.  Perhaps you've noticed that when you stand for some period of time, you tend to focus your weight on the balls of your feet. This is especially typical with brides getting married outdoors - many girls shift their weight so their heels don't sink into the dirt.  Not to worry, there are simple solutions to help alleviate some of those inconveniences.

In my daily life, and even on my big day, I use Foot Petals.  I just love them!  I've found their line of products to be superior in fit and comfort compared to products in the drug stores.  The self-adhesive inserts come in a variety of sizes to cure your foot ailment, from your heels to your toes and everything in between.  The surface is soft and smooth, making the extra padding feel more comfortable and natural.  Also, the slim inserts add cushioning without being too bulky so your foot doesn't feel swollen or appear to be squeezed into your shoe.

You can purchase the products individually or in a set, like the Stiletto Survival kit or the Runaway Bride package in white!  The kits allow you to pick and choose what you need to make your shoes their most comfortable on your big day.  And if you're anything like me, you've probably got some other shoes in your closet that could use some additional cushioning so the extra inserts won't go to waste.  ;)

Real Life Bride: Week 38

The wedding is less than 100 days away now and that might sound far still, but I remember when my good friend was at 99 days out (Macy's wedding registry gives you a lovely little countdown via large red numbers on the registry!), and now she's been married for over a month and it seems like that was just yesterday! So I definitely think these last few months are going to fly by.

We are waiting to receive our invitation envelopes back from Laura (calligrapher/sister) and the assembled invite suites from my mom. In the meantime, we've been searching for and purchasing vintage stamps for the invites, trying to stick to ones selling at face value. We've actually found some really cute ones including some with airplanes (Ryan has his pilot's license) and various wildlife. Wouldn't it have been smart to have saved all of the past "Love" stamp editions?! But who thinks of that before they are engaged!

We are on target to get the invitations in the mail the first week of August or so with our invite list finalized at 109 guests - just 9 people over the venue capacity! - and while we're sad that we can't invite everyone we might have wanted to, we are very much looking forward to our small-ish wedding and definitely love our intimate venue.

In addition to our wedding invitations and print materials, Laura offered to design the rehearsal dinner invitations for Ryan's parents. We went through a few different proofs (having Ryan relay his mom's vision to me who then relayed it to Laura took a bit of fine tuning and tweaking!), but ultimately Laura came up with a design that we all love...of course...so those are going to print soon as well.

We've also continued to collect our dinner plates for the reception and various items for the reception decor - lots of little details to pull everything together!

Pucker Up, Buttercup!

Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm

I don’t know many brides who aren’t interested/on a quest for healthy and smooth lips in their wedding day photos. Especially in the summer months when higher temperatures and moisture loss can cause cracking or peeling, getting a gorgeous pout can take a little extra work. But with a little prep work in the weeks or months leading up to your Big Day, you can be on your way.

I’m loving this product from Jack Black (not the funny guy!) and here’s why!  I’ll get to the therapeutic benefits in a minute, but the first thing I noticed about this lip balm was the taste.  Available in two flavors, including Lemon & Chamomile as well as Natural Mint (with avocado oil, shea butter and green tea), I opted for the Lemon Chamomile first.  It reminded me a slightly sweet lemon scone, which is one of my favorite things, so that was a big selling point. But that isn’t even the best thing about Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm (here’s where I get to the good-for-you stuff).  It’s also enriched with superior skin conditioners and antioxidants!  The emollient balm soothes and relieves dry, chapped, irritated lips, giving you a soft canvas to start building your blushing bridal lips.  It’s a soft balm, unlike waxy sticks, allowing it to penetrate quickly to provide instant relief.  Plus, it offers broad-spectrum sun protection with an SPF of 25 and protects your lips from high temperatures.  Woohoo!  

The compact size also makes it perfect to take with you on your honeymoon travels, keeping your lips in tip-top shape for those pics as well.     

Bride & Bloom Real Couple

We've been busy with a capital "B". I'll try to get everyone caught up over the next few weeks on our happenings around the studio in between our upcoming weddings which are taking place literally all over the world...First, up, though, we have been awaiting the wedding of Sugey and Josiah, the amazing couple that is working with the Bride and Bloom magazine to share every step of their wedding planning process. We are lucky enough to be their planner and are loving every minute of this opportunity. Below is a picture of the couple taken by Steve Steinhardt, along with their Nautical Chic inspiration for her wedding day. We have an amazing team on board for the wedding which will take place in September in Santa Barbara and I can't wait to share all of the details as they unfold. In the meantime, please visit Bride and Bloom's website to learn all about this couple!

Real Life Bride: Week 37

A few weeks ago when we went to LA and purchased our wedding bands, we also met with Beth to start going through the details of the wedding. As someone who likes to plan things in advance, it's really important to me to have as much worked out before the month of the wedding as possible. This can be difficult when all of the vendors have multiple clients with weddings/events before yours! So Beth has kindly warned me of who we will be able to finalize things with in advance, and who we will have to wait until two weeks out to get the final details squared away.

During and since our meeting, though, we have been able to cross off quite a few things on our checklist:

- We decided on ceremony music and processional order.

- We created and sent to our moms for approval a must have photo shot list - there are a LOT of must-haves, but we don't want to forget any family or friends!

- We decided on signage/printed materials for the reception and Laura even agreed to start working on it in advance! (We do still need to choose a printed program format and create all of the wording for that.)

- The invitations have been printed and my mom is working on the envelope lining.

- I sent Laura the final guest list for envelope addressing which in now underway.

- We've purchased a few items for the reception decor to fit in with the theme

- My mom found a dress that she likes AND ordered shoes!

- Ryan's mom purchased her dress for the wedding as well.

- I purchased a dress for the rehearsal dinner (on sale, woohoo!).

- My mom came up with a cute idea for the guest book that she will be making herself!

- Beth worked on our timeline for the day and we decided that it will be best to rent a limo to transport the bridesmaids, my mom and myself, Ryan's parents, the groomsmen, Ryan and my dad, and then his brothers' wives and children all to the venue throughout the day for getting ready and photography.

So we are just moving along, happily checking things off the list!

A Rosé By Any Other Name

During the warm summer months, I love sharing a glass of wine with friends and family in our backyard. With the heat, a cold white wine seems appropriate, but sometimes I want a little more complexity like a red wine. My solution? A Rosé. I think there is just something so inviting, slightly feminine, and always fun about a pink drink. Now, I'm not talking about "White Zin" here. I'm referring to a delightful blend of red and white grapes, resulting in an easy-on-the-eyes glass of wine. Most Rosés vary in sweetness, with some resulting in a dry finish and others slightly sweet on the palate. Perfect with BBQ, spicy foods, or on its own, a chilled Rose is the perfect way to cool things down. 

Pink Truck Pink Wine

This offering from Cline Cellars is one of my personal favorites. It's a little sweeter than most
Rosés with strong notes of strawberry, raspberry and pomegranate. Juicy orange notes make for a delicious, bright finish. Pink Truck is a blend of Zinfandel, Grenache, Mourvedre grapes and is a winner every time. Budget friendly at around $10 per bottle, Pink Truck would be a great addition to your summer engagement party or during the cocktail hour of your reception.

Laeticia Vineyard & Winery makes a delightful Brut Rosé sparkling wine. Made from a blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc, this sparkling wine has sweet notes of strawberries and cherries, and soft citrus notes that freshens the palate. Add a little color to your toasts by offering "pink champagne" and see your guests faces light up. 

You can also get a similar effect by serving a Kir Royale. Add a touch of Creme de Casis to your favorite sparkling wine, a raspberry garnish, and poof! Instant crowd pleaser.

I always think the most fun part of wedding planning is the tasting. So, if you decide to serve a rosé to your guests for one of your events, and you're having a hard time deciding which bottle to serve, I say do a trial run! Get a couple different bottles that you're trying to decide between and invite your friends over for a little tasting party. I'm confident you, and they, will find it's some of the most fun "work" you'll do during your wedding planning...

Real Life Bride: Week 36

A few weeks back I posted about our engagement photo session. It was a blistering day with lots of wind and freezing temperatures...well, freezing for Santa Monica ~ it was probably low 60s. Anyway, it was really cold but we (actually me, because Ryan was happily wearing jeans and long sleeves!) toughed it out and went ahead with the shoot as planned despite the wind.

We got our photos back from Steve Steinhardt and we could not be happier! They are so "us" and by far my favorite thing about them is how he captured us naturally. It was such a good experience and made me so comfortable for the upcoming wedding photos. So now...here is a sampling of our shoot!

Real Life Bride: Week 35

Our invitations have gone to print, and let's just say there are advantages to being "in the biz." No, not show biz...the wedding biz! When it was time for our letterpress vendor to work on my invitations, my mom personally visited the shop on a Saturday to make sure everything came out according to proof & plan. She even tooks some pictures of the process, and since most of us haven't seen a letterpress machine, I thought it would be fun to share!

{here Jesse is actually running my plates through the printer}

I think what most people don't know {or at least I didn't} is how many "plates" go into letterpress invitations. Every imprint on the invitation has a plate that gets pressed onto the paper. The creation of these multiple plates is what makes letterpress so expensive compared to other forms of print. Many plates can be combined to create one cohesive look - and apparently my set hit a new record for LH Calligraphy!

The most exciting picture for me though was the one with my name on the plate - yes, I'm getting married to Ryan and these are our invitations!

So the benefit of having a personal relationship with the printer would have to be the fact that we had one sample printed and my mom was able to take that piece home and mail it to me to see if everything was just right. And with a few minor tweaks, it is sure to be just right.

I can't wait for the invitations to be completed and for our guests to receive them. Laura's work isn't just a wedding invitation, it's a piece of art and I'm so glad to have our wedding become part of her collection of work.

On another note, we received the rest of our engagement photos and can't wait to share them with you next week. Just a hint as to our reaction to them...Steve Steinhardt is amazing!!

My Aching Feet

Recently, a bride was on the quest to find just the right shoes to wear with her wedding gown, and like many brides, she was having a difficult time finding a stylish AND comfortable pair of shoes to wear down the aisle.  You see, this particular bride has a low arch to her foot and likes to wear arch supports in her shoes for comfort and cushioning.  She started with the brands found at many local retailers, but they weren't quite right.  Well, by personally having some of the flattest feet seen by many shoe sales people, I knew I had a solution for her - and without the expense, and time - of custom-made orthotics. 

SuperFeet Arch Supports for Women's Dress Shoes

Designed specifically for women's feet and dress shoes, SuperFeet High-Heel inserts have been a welcome addition to my dress shoes.  The thin, light-weight inserts fit easily into just about any pair of high-heels.  The unique design redistributes your body weight so it's no longer completely resting on the ball of your foot (can't you just feel the relief already?).  They also add stability by placing the full foot in contact with the bottom of the shoe, and without getting too science-y on you, they align your body, giving the user a more confident posture.  And best of all, no trimming is required, taking the guess work out of cutting them down to size.

Now, these inserts need a shoe with enclosed heel to fit properly and stay in place, so unfortunately,  they won't work with sling-back or mules.  Available for women's dress shoes of all heel heights, the inserts cost around $20.  

(ps: in addition to dress shoes, SuperFeet also offers inserts for athletic shoes, which I use in my running shoes and oh, what a difference!)

So if you have found a gorgeous pair of wedding shoes and need a little something extra to make them a bit more comfortable, these little inserts can make a big impact for a lady that's going to be on her feet all day and dancing all night long.  Just be sure you purchase early enough so you all can acquainted with one another.