Wedding Time Capsules – How To

Time capsules have been around for a long time and have consistently offered a fun and mysterious way to capture memories and remember major milestones. As a result, it seems only natural that couples are putting together wedding time capsules in order to succinctly remember specific moments from their wedding day. If you are planning to ‘bury’ a time capsule to commemorate your wedding, here are a few tips to get you started:

1) You don’t need a kit. Although a kit may simplify things, it is not necessary.

2) A picture is worth a thousand words. Make sure you enclose pictures from the wedding, whether it is a photobooth strip, polaroid or another form of instant snapshot. Don’t wait for the formal photos, the point of a time capsule is for it to be sealed on that specific day. Keep the pictures in airtight plastic storage bags. Be prepared, the images of  loved ones (especially those who are no longer with you) on your happy day may bring some emotional memories rushing back and you may have to take a moment to compose yourself upon opening.

3) It doesn’t have to be buried. Digging a hole in the yard may sound like a good idea but, only if you know exactly where you put it, don’t disturb it during a backyard renovation or plan to move from your current residence. It can be kept in an airtight container on the mantle, in the back of the closet or in a safety deposit box if you desire.  If you do bury it, make sure you have the location documented accurately and remove it if you move to another home.

4) Include personal notes from each other and close family/friends. You can also have a ‘Time Capsule’ station at your wedding, a place where family and friends can write notes or answer a few pre-determined questions about your future. The smaller, the better – no one is going to feel like filling out a 2 page survey during the reception. Pick one or two questions like “Where do you think the couple will live in ten years?”  or “How many children do you think they will have?”

5) Paper goods . Enclose a copy of all printed material; Save the Date, Wedding Invitation, Menu Cards, Place cards for the Bride and Groom, Engagement or Wedding announcements, and a copy of the current newspaper in the city where you live for that day.

6) Decide on a date to open. If you plan to have children, you might want to make it at a date late enough for them to help you, maybe 15 or 20 years.

7) Pick a secure container. The actual container does not have to be made of any particular material but, you might want to stay away from glass jars. Metal shipping tubes, vintage leather suitcases or a wooden boxes all make great time capsules. Keep in mind where it will be stored and for how long.

The only thing more fun than putting together a times capsule is opening one. If you plan to have a time capsule to commemorate your wedding, a little planning goes a long way and you will be surprised at how much fun you will  have, especially if you do it together!

-Penny Frulla for Bridal Expo Chicago

Wedding Shoes – Summer Favorites

There is something very special about the relationship between women and their shoes. For me, it is red shoes; anything from a light, orange-y red to a burgundy red, from a smooth patent leather to a buttery suede, I gasp every time! For wedding shoes it goes double. Almost as important as the gown is what to put on your feet. Because the right shoe will give you every reason to slightly lift the corner of your ball gown and show everyone your sassy little secret! If I had known then what I know now, I would have gladly worn red shoes on my wedding day … whether anyone noticed or not.

Without hesitation here are the hottest trends for wedding shoes for Summer 2012:

Bedazzled: Flawless, shimmering stones adorn shoes in every size, color and style. Whether completely encrusted with jewels, or merely a hint of sparkle  – get a pair and you won’t be sorry.

The Wedge – Once considered a casual style, the wedge has made it’s way into Bridal Fashion through sheer determination. That, and the fact that a wedge is probably one of the most comfortable styles of shoe if you plan to be on your feet for an extended period of time. You can have comfort and style!

 

Platform –  To add height, elongate your legs and feel like a showgirl, platforms are a fantastic solution. I various shapes, size styles and colors, platforms are everywhere!!!

Designer – The unprecedented success of the Christian Louboutin ‘red sole’ has seen an increase in designer shoe sales.  Ladies, if you allow yourself  one splurge, this should be it!!

Color – Brides everywhere are embracing the color trend and using it to express their individuality, style and love of shoes. My favorite? Something Red, or maybe even something Blue!

Can’t decide which trend is best for you? You don’t have to! This sparkle, wedge, platform, designer shoe by Benjamin Adams is dyeable in a multitude of colors and priced at under $400 retail, you don’t have to break the bank!

-Penny Frulla for Bridal Expo Chicago

 

 

Conversation Starters

Conversation Starters are the hottest thing in weddings right now. From Pinterest to Marth Stewart, almost every wedding site is abuzz with dozens of  DIY ideas to get people talking at the reception! From sea to shining sea, here are our top five favorite Conversation Starters:

Origami Fortune Tellers – A throwback to your childhood, these simple, folded paper ‘toys’ are placed at the table with various questions and answers about the couple.

 

Quiz/ Questionnaire – A few fun, lighthearted questions about the bride and groom are guaranteed to get guests talking, reminiscing and laughing.

 

 Guest questionnaires about the bride and groom

 

 Scrapbook Guest Book –  To pull this off, designate a friend or family member to take pictures of guests with a polaroid camera  as they enter your reception and another to print the photos (yes, they still make polariod cameras). The photos are placed in a guestbook photo album so the guests can sign or wrote a sentiment next to their photo and everyone gets their own page!

 

Table Markers– For each table, find a creative use for the number. Example here 5 things you didn’t know about the bride or groom, or 6 places they would both like to visit, 7 relatives that you may not know. Each one is sprinkled with information about the couple, their family, their friends and everything in between.

 

For each person who has replied “Yes”, find an old photo of them to put on the place card. The older the picture, the better. If you met your best friend in grade school, using that picture will certainly spark some conversations!

For each of these very creative ideas, there is a lot of work involved. Folding paper, printing out questionnaires, preparing place cards or guest book pages. Doing-It-Yourself is not for the faint of heart. If you can’t tackle it alone, you can always ask for help! Perhaps you will have more fun with a bridesmaid or two, your mom(s) and a glass of wine!

-Penny Frulla for Bridal Expo Chicago

HOT! HOT! HOT! Trends in Hair 2012

There is always a new trend on the horizon when it comes to fashion, and hair is as much (or more) a part of fashion than your clothes. The perfect gown will be an epic fail without the right hairstyle and when you are walking down the aisle, you don’t need your hair to look like it was caught in a time warp.

 Braids. Loose or tight, perfectly coiffed to look somewhat messy, braids are a beautiful way to keep your hair securely off your face. The number one choice is the French Fishtail, a variation of the classic French Braid using only two strands of hair and weaving them in a herringbone fashion.

Ombre. This gradation of color has been very popular this year in gowns, flowers, cakes and now in hair. You can go light to dark or dark to light but, the important thing is GRADATION of color – not a definite line where one color starts and the other one ends. Rather than making your ends look brittle and dry, for some reason the lighter tips give your hair bounce and pizazz. Go figure!

Homemade Curls. Both nostalgic and modern, this girlish and quirky hairstyle gives off a laid back air. If you already have curly hair you can learn how to style curly hair here. Although it is best suited for longer hair – it works beautifully with the right shoulder length cut.

Retro Glam. Want to look like a movie star from the 1930’s? Try a super glamorous, retro style either half up, to the side or all down. Smooth as silk, no fly-aways, perfectly coiffed, this style is the utmost in elegant and not a casual look. If you choose this style, remember the makeup needs to be in sync with the same decade, smoky eyes do not apply here.

Choosing the right hairstyle for your wedding is an important decision. tTy out different styles until you find the look that suits your personal style  the best and do’t be afraid to experiment with something new as long as you have time to correct it if it doesn’t work out. Remember – trends are great…. but, the classics never die!

-Penny Frulla for Bridal Expo Chicago

Veils Are Back!!

Just a few years ago women were ditching the veils to go with a simple ribbon headband adorned with crystals of some sort. Although beautiful and perfectly acceptable, there is nothing (including your gown) that will make you feel  more like a bride than the perfect veil. Not the big, poofy veils you may remember ( or have seen in photos from the 1920’s, 1950’s or last seen in the 1980’s, but a more toned down version featuring details from the gown that frame the face to make your wedding ensemble  picture perfect.

Yes, ladies – veils are back and they are modern, sophisticated and you should definitely have one.

Instead of buying two gowns, purchase a long veil that has detail on the train – maybe even longer than the gown itself.  Then, after the ceremony when you remove the veil, it will be an entirely different look.

Try layers of shorter veiling for a flirty, retro look.

Fingertip veiling with exquisite detailing makes a very elegant statement.

The style of veil is up to you. Keep in mind the style of the wedding, your gown and your headpiece. Whether you are going for Art Deco, Old Hollywood, Retro Chic, Vintage or Ultra Modern, the right veil will not only help complete the overall look but, also transform the  woman in a  white dress into a bride.

-Penny Frulla for Bridal Expo Chicago

Having Trouble With Bridesmaid Shoes?

All women love pretty shoes. Maybe not sky-high heels, maybe not stilettos, maybe not even a dress shoe. I can name 5  women that are crazy for Uggs and others that can’t wait for summer to wear sandals. The fact is that finding a shoe that all of your bridesmaids will like or even be able to wear is difficult. Never fear, there are many solutions but first there are some points to consider:

Are the shoes going to be seen? If the dress is long, no one will notice different shoes. If the dress is short, you will have to ‘step’ in and make sure that everyone wears the same color or style… or that they are somehow co-ordinated to suit your wishes and the style of your wedding. This is your call. With a short dress, you have the opportunity to use the shoes as a statement piece, something to spice up a LBD (little black dress) or give a pop of color!. Of course if the color selection gets to be too much, you could always go with gold or silver.

 

 

Where is the wedding?  Outdoor and indoor weddings have different shoe requirements. Also if the ceremony is outdoor and the reception is indoor, make sure the shoe can transition comfortably. For an outdoor setting a wedge heel will guarantee your shoes don’t poke holes in the turf, if your wedding is on the beach, you can opt for no shoe at all  and if your wedding is a  lavish affair in a luxurious location – the shoes should be formal, no matter the heel height.

 

What time of year is it? For a winter event, I would stay away from summery sandals and cork wedges. Pumps with either open or closed toe work nicely, so do mary janes, or ankle straps. For something completely unique – how about boots? (Cowboy boots do seem to be the trend with this choice)

 

For me personally, I would pick the shoe first and find a dress, location and time of year that matches.

-Penny Frulla for Bridal Expo Chicago

Thinking of a Thursday Wedding?

I know what you’re thinking. Who (on Earth) would want to have their wedding on a Thursday? People have to get up and go to work the next day not to mention travel for out of town guests… this is the idea of an insane person. Wrong, this is true and it is all based on statistics. Of all of the most recent trends in decor, fashion and menu, the Thursday wedding tops them all, barely beating out the second most popular trend… the Monday wedding. What?

Over the course of the past few years, couples have opted for a more lavish wedding and a postponed honeymoon. As a result,  weddings are  becoming three-day weekends.  Before you make any snap judgements, remember that Thursdays and Mondays are going to be considerably cheaper, they are not going to be booked a year in advance and  you can get the vendors you want.  You can use the savings for the extra special touches you would probably never afford otherwise.  Then, the party doesn’t have to end at the end of the night  – you have the rest of the weekend to do  BBQ, brunches, after-parties, sporting events, or sightseeing with your family and friends.

If saving money doesn’t appeal to you, it might appeal to your loved ones; consider that airfare and all other travel accommodations will be less expensive as long as there is a Saturday stay-over.
 
Maybe our society is not yet ready for Thursday or Monday weddings but, I think a 3 day wedding weekend sounds like a great way to spend time with all of your guests and not be so completely stressed out on one day. Of course it also means shopping …to ensure you have just the right outfit for every event and that is always a good thing!
 
-Penny Frulla for Bridal Expo Chicago
 
 

Aisles With Style

What, exactly, are aisle markers? They are the decorative adornment that designate the width of the aisle during the wedding ceremony. They can be big, small, floral or otherwise but, whatever you do –  don’t overlook them since they can add  style and pizazz to an otherwise boring ceremony location or accentuate the existing decor and theme to the max! Aisle markers are the perfect way to bring lush greenery to the ceremony and coordinate them with all ofthe other elements of the wedding.

Make sure you can walk past them, see over and around them and guests can easily get in and out of chairs next to them.

Or, if you decide to go big –  make sure the aisle is wide enough for the piece you are using. A piece like this can be used to make a grand statement 

 

Candlelight is beautiful but, our suggestion is to opt for flameless candles so that guests won’t catch fire when scooting past them.

Stay away from anything too skimpy or it may look like an afterthought.

Whether the theme is merely the color or the type of flower, using that for your aisle markers will bring the whole picture together.

Choose colors that compliment the venue 

You do not have to have something on every single row,  every four to five rows is sufficient.

Lastly, remember to ask your florist if the aisle markers can be used at the reception, and make sure that is priced into your floral package.

Aisle markers have become one of the hottest design elements at weddings in 2012, if you haven’t decided on them… now is the time to do it!

-Penny Frulla for Bridal Expo Chicago

Whats New? Tablescapes!

If you have never heard the term tablescapes, don’t feel bad – it is a relatively new term. “Tablescape” is  used to describe not just the centerpiece  but, instead the overall design of the table, the landscape of the table. Hence – ‘table-scape’. Tablescapes are about bringing the entire wedding into one spot and focusing on how all of the elements of color, style and theme fit together. It is about using the components of your wedding to  complement one another in one spot: the table.

Designing the perfect tablescape can be complicated and trying to squeeze all of your colors and themes into very few objects can be quite tricky. Although I have never personally heard of anyone’s head exploding , I think it is quite possible in this case.

Keys to a stunning tablescape: 

Pay attention to the entire table – not just focusing on the centerpiece. 

Use  favors in the design scheme of the table.

Incorporate table and seat markers  into the design.

Instead of traditional white dinner plates – use colorful or patterned china to bring out the colors of your event.

If patterned china is out of the question, consider using decorative charger plates to accent your design

Compliment the food choices with your design choices.

Remember – although you are ‘landscaping’ the entire table, it doesn’t have to be cluttered or over-the-top…. it is about details. Making sure each ribbon, each flower, each plate,  tiny element is just right and perfectly proportioned to suit your needs.

For more inspiration, call 847-428-3320 or visit our website at www.bridalshowexpo.com and use the code FB to get complimentary tickets  to a Bridal Expo Luxury event in your area.

-Penny Frulla for Bridal Expo Chicago

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