Tag Archives: bridalexpo luxury

What Is Your Aisle Style?

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The music begins, the bride enters the venue, everyone rises as she begins the trip down the aisle. Everyone turns to face the back of the venue, and all simultaneously turn as she passes their seating area. All eyes follow her as she makes the trip down the aisle to until she reaches the point where she will meet her future husband to recite their vows.   Not much has changed for the journey down the aisle in hundreds of years. That is all about to change.  You’re asking, “So, what’a new in wedding aisles?”. Everything. As weding become less about what s expected and more about what best expresses each couple, someone very clever came up with some innovative and groundbreaking aisle ideas.

Spiral Seating – Best for (but, not limited to) outdoor venues.Arranging th seating in a spiral fashion allows more movement throughout the crowd so everyone can get a close-up look ot the bride. It is a more informal, casual approach and definitely one that will hold your guests attention. Not to mention, everyone gets a front row seat!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Center Stage – Arranging the chairs in a thater-in-the-round fashion will give everyone the same exact vantage point. This is also best for outdoor venues and can seat dozens of people in a manner where there is no overcrowding and no one has to overextend their neck too far to see what is going on. Topped off with a canopy in the center, this is  fantastic opportunity to show off your lavish or simple decorating touches.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Standard– Of course the classics never die! You can’t go wrong with the traditional aisle where seats are neatly arranged in rows, this will undoubtedly never go out of fashion.  When choosing pew or chair decor, remember that people will need to be able to enter the rows easily. Candles may seem like a good idea but, only if they are inside of  lanterns or some other protective covering. Consider artificial candles that silmulate the real thing to perfection, compete with flickering light. The worst thing would be to have exposed flame in a confined area with yards of silk and tulle.

Couples today are using every avenue available to them to express their individuality and to figure out the best way to make their wedding suit ther persnalities. Sometimes changeing things this ingrained in history and tradition causes arguments and criticism among concerned family members. This is code for some people (parents) don’t like change. If you are one of the pioneers of a Spiral Aisle then, be prepared for some heated discussion and/or criticism. Remind them gently that this is your choice and “Change is good.”

-Penny Frulla for Bridal Expo Chicago

A Unique and Special Wedding Dilemma

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In the back of your mind you know he is going to propose any day. Maybe he is waiting for a special event, maybe he is waiting for a certain holiday or maybe he is still picking out the ring. You have merged your lives already and perhaps bought a home or moved in together. It is all happening, and it’s all good. Then, unexpectedly you get the news that you are not only going to be husband and wife, you will also be ‘Mom & Dad”. SURPRISE! Now, what?  Basically you have two choices, get married ASAP or wait until after the baby is born to tie the knot. Either option has a multitude of pros and cons.

Option #1) Get married right away –

Pro – You can have a smaller, more intimate gathering with just your closest friends and family. This way you don’t have to worry about who to invite and who to cut from the list,  the list is your nearest and dearest only.

Con– Most couples begin planning their wedding well in advance and can still experience difficulty getting vendors and booking a reception venue. Booking even a small venue at short notice can be tricky. Be willing to compromise and consider a Sunday or Friday event.

Pro- You can find a beautiful gown now that designers have recognized that a lot more women are getting married while they are expecting and not hiding it from anyone.

Con – You may not be feeling your best and trying on clothes is the last thing you want to do. (This goes away in the 4th month and euphoria kicks in)

 

Pro – If you plan quickly, you can get married before most people even know you are pregnant and avoid answering a lot of pesky questions. 

Con–  Who cares what other people think? This is your life, not theirs! 

 

Option #2)  Wait until after the baby is born.

Pro – Your child can be a part of the ceremony and weddings are about family, after all.

Con – Children can be unpredictable, even tiny ones.

 

Pro – You will have plenty of time to plan your dream wedding and spare no expense.

Con – Babies are expensive and your priorities change after giving birth , you may not want to spend a lot of money on a wedding.

 

Pro -You can wear that strapless mermaid dress after you’ve lost the baby weight.

Con – You can’t predict how your body will change and how you will feel about those changes, especially if you are breastfeeding.

 

For some women, getting pregnant before they are married is a source of shame and embarrassment, even in 2012. For some, it is a statement of fact and nothing to hide. Speaking from experience, I had no reservations about being 6 months pregnant at our (casual) wedding, I have no shame that one of the great loves of my life was born 3 months after his father and I tied the knot, I don’t think my son cares or even wonders if this is normal or not. This is our family – there is no normal. How you handle the news is a personal decision and one that should not be made without a great deal of thought and consideration but, don’t wait too long or you won’t have a choice. If you are pregnant with twins, may the force be with you – you will need it!

-Penny Frulla for Bridal Expo Chicago

 

 

Love Is In The Air – Celebrity Engagements

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There must be a little “Love Potion # 9” in the water supply because this past week has given us a rash of celebrity engagements. From pop stars to sports legends,  from the unlikely to the hopeless romantics, it is obvious that 2012 is starting out to be the year of matrimony.

Britney Spears – Engaged to Jason Trawick, released the news via Twitter. Her Neil Lane engagement ring was custom designed with the help of Jason to look like a mini-tiara. Wishing that third time is a charm for the pop princess. Although this is her third trip down the aisle (if you count the Vegas debacle) there is no reason she can’t don a bridal gown again. In fact, wouldn’t she look stunning in this gown by Ines di Santo?

 

 

 

 

 

Matthew McConaughey popped the question on Christmas day to his longtime girlfriend Camila Alves. This previously confirmed bachelor was giddy as he notified his fans, also via Twitter. This couple looks great every time they appear on the red carpet and for all his shirtless antics, Matthew cleans up nicley in every  tuxedo he is photographed wearing. Can you inagine how fabulous Camila would look in either of these couture classics by Yumi Katsura? 

 

Steven Tyler of Aerosmith and more recently, American Idol fame, also popped the question over the holidays to his girlfriend of 6 years, Erin Brady, with a 5 carat ring designed by his personal jeweler, Loree Rodkin. Tyler is a Rock and Roll legend so I would guess the most important part of his celebration will be the music. The lineup will likely include some of his dearest R& R friends… maybe Bon Jovi since he is still alive and kicking?

Justin Timberlake and Jessica Beil reportedly became engaged over the holidays and if recent photos are any indication, couldn’t be happier. JT has long been a style icon for twenty-something men and is always willing to take a fashion risk. Will he go traditional tuxedo or something edgy? Jessica Beil, known for her stunning figure as much as her acting ability will stop traffic  in anything she wears.  This gown by Jorge Perez would certainly do the same, proving the back of the gown is just as important as the front.

Michael Jordan (#23)  proposed to Yvette Prieto over the holidays with a ring  that is reported to be in the 7 figure range. No photos, yet and still no reports as to where the wedding will take place. Having a line of his own  tuxedos in the 1990’s gives Michael the ‘home court’ advantage when it comes to selecting his attire for the wedding. Although now defunct, the Michael Jordan Tuxedo Collection took the 199’s by storm… much like he did.

Other recent celebrity engagements include Wynona Judd, Chris O’Brown (from the Bridesmaids movie), and LeBron James. There certainly are a lot of high-profile engagements. Personally, I cant wait to see them unfold because if there is anything I love more than a wedding, it is a celebrity wedding! Best Wishes to everyone who got engaged over the holidays and here’s hoping your ‘happily’ is forever after!

-Penny Frulla for Bridal Expo Chicago

The Must-Have Color for 2012? …… Tangerine Tango!

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The Pantone Institute has issued their trend report for 2012 and the must-have color for all things beautiful is Tangerine Tango. Pantone is an American company that has been producing standardized color matching systems since 1963 for fashion, art, graphic design and commercial use. If you are wondering how this is relevant, think of it like this; you go to a store to buy a blouse and the ‘blue’ one really pops out at you. You are afraid to buy it because you will never find anything to match and you will be stuck wearing this blouse with a black skirt until you tire of it. Not to worry, since Pantone’s inception, they have provided color matching to designers who refer to this system to create their new lines. So, that ‘blue’ blouse is really ‘ocean blue’ and you will literally be in a sea of it at every department store. Each color and even multi-colored prints are matched, jewelry is matched and every designer has consulted Pantone to create their collection based on this color  which is found on a fan-out card system just like the ones at the paint store.  Before the Pantone system, grey was grey and blue was blue, you had to match it yourself and Good Luck! You carried a blouse around looking for a print that had even the lightest hint of that color and the search could last longer than the blouse.

Now, thanks to Pantone, every floral designer will have access to Tangerine Tango Ribbon, bridesmaid designers  have Tangerine Tango fabric, accessories will be created to compliment Tangerine Tango. Invitation desingers using Adobe have access to the same Tangerine Tango  in their palette and if you opt for dyed to match shoes, all you have to do is tell the shoe professional “Tangerine Tango” and you will almost certainly be assured a match. Although you may not want to be in Tangerine up to your eyeballs, you will have the option.

So why Tangerine Tango #17-1463?  Tangerine Tango is a spirited reddish orange, which provides the boost needed to recharge and move forward in Spring. Traditionally an Autumnal hue, tangerine has become a year round winner since it is both exotic and friendly, sophisticated and seductive. According to  Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. “ Reminiscent of the radiant shadings of a sunset, Tangerine Tango marries the vivaciousness and adrenaline rush of red with the friendliness and warmth of yellow, to form a high-visibility, magnetic hue that emanates heat and energy.” The bonus is that Tangerine compliments so many colors; hot pink, lime, yellow, brown! It is hard not to get excited about a color this dynamic.

 

Without further adieu, we present Tangerine Tango in all it’s glory:

-Penny Frulla for Bridal Expo Chicago