Jackie's Wedding Planning Journey - The Big Move and a Touching Gift

The last few weeks have held some big and exciting changes for Matt and I. We closed on our new house last week, and I have never felt as grown-up as I did signing those final papers and being handed the keys to our house! 5 days later we are almost moved out of the rental house and into our home! And if that's not great enough, my cat, Soozie, has been returned to us after living with my parents for 2 years due to space issues with the dog! Matt thinks she's evil...I think she's just spoiled.


On to wedding-related posting... I wanted to share this picture of my shower, and the story of the most meaningful gift I received.

Matt's grandmother gave us this wonderful surprise - her 50-year-old China...from Japan (got that?). When Matt's grandfather was in Japan, on his way to Vietnam, he bought this China for her. He picked out the pattern and they made the 96-piece set right in front of him! She still has every piece after all these years. It was so thoughtful of her to give it to us, and the gesture really made me feel like a part of the family.

Are you registering for China, or are you counting on China - or other family heirlooms - to be gifted to you for your wedding?

Wedding Q&A Thursday - Peony Alternatives

Q: I love Peonies but I just found out that they are not a good option for my October wedding because they are not in season and will be hard to come by. I'm a die-hard Peony Fan! Are there any flowers that are similar and more seasonal in the fall?

A: Many a fall bride is temporarily set back by her love affair with spring wedding flowers. There is so much inspiration from all seasons available with little reference to the season in which the wedding is taking place, and when a fall bride is doing a lot of her planning, it is usually in the spring - when the greatest selection of flowers is available, including the lovely peony. But there are big, cabbage-y alternatives - like Garden Roses.

If you are like many many brides that we work with, I know that you probably start off your flower story something like this, "I don't like roses." I understand the compulsion to rule them out, but such a statement is usually made about Standard Roses. But there are over 100 species of Roses! And there are probably 10 (I'm just making up the number...but it's a good variety for sure) types of garden roses that look like Peonies...there's even a breed called the Peony Rose.

To set up a little comparison, these are peonies...

Beautiful! I tell ya', I know it and plan on having as many Peonies at my wedding as my little budget will allow. But these are some Garden Roses...

They are nothing like the standard rose that many expect and object to – and they are absolutely beautiful with a similar full shape and number of petals. Maybe a little smaller, but available year round.

I think that is your best best to replace out-of-season peonies. Readers, can you think of another peony alternative?

Don't forget - we feature a new question every Thursday. Do you have any questions for us? Send yours to info@triciahuddas.com and we might feature your question next!

Patterned Bridesmaid Dress

I am, generally, a fan of the patterned bridesmaid dress. You don't see it very often! And I understand the difficulties of keeping a tight look among many attendants, and so on... But as part of the right wedding, I'd love to see all of the bridesmaids in different patterned dresses.

JCrew Marbella Lorlei Dress and JCrew Printed Erica Dress in Clementine

Do you have pictures of a real wedding in which the bridesmaids wore interesting floral patterned bridesmaids dresses or dresses with different patterns? If so, send them along to us at info@triciahuddas.com.

Inquiring minds want to know...Tricia's Engagement Story

As you may have heard (or just read), Danny and I got engaged on a trip to Michigan which we planned in honor of my parents' retirement. We are extremely excited and I am enjoying the adjustment of being on this side of the table. So everyone is asking, HOW DID IT HAPPEN?

Well, the short version goes a little something like this: Danny arrived in Michigan a few days after me, and knew he wanted to ask me on the pier in Grand Haven as soon as we planned our trip. He wanted to make sure to have my father's blessing first, so he asked my father that morning, and that evening - as we took a stroll out to the pier - he got down on bended knee and asked me to spend the rest of my life with him!

It was perfect, and I am excited to plan the wedding!

Here I am, right after the proposal...

We stopped and took these great pictures on the rocks at the base of the pier, with our proposal spot in the background – The Grand Haven Pier.

Re-Purposed Wedding Flowers

Happy Memorial Day! I know, it's almost over...but it was sunny in Savannah for the first time in about 12 days, so it was hard to spend time in front of the computer. The holiday weekend kept us busy with 4 weddings, taking us right into Sunday night! So now that we've made it past that rush, we will be back to posting regularly this week.

Today, just sharing some re-purposed wedding flowers from the weekend to brighten your day! I know that people think "what will I do with a huge centerpiece arrangement at my house?" when they are offered flowers at the end of a wedding. But if you take a few minutes to break them down and make small arrangements in your own vases (or jars, or glasses) at home, one centerpiece could translate into fresh flowers all over your house the following week.

BleuBelle Bridal Sample Sale

Don't miss the BleuBelle Bridal Sample Sale Saturday, May 23!

Save up to 75% off on designer gowns from 10 am - 6 pm.

I was able to check out some of the incredible dresses today, and it is worth the visit!

Good Luck!

Tricia Huddas & Co. Real Wedding: Colleen and Mike Part 3

The dance floor was packed all night at Colleen's reception. The venue, Till Midnight took care of a lot of the details; and Colleen was particularly lucky that they use black linens as their standard, which is what she wanted to use.

As you can see her decor was Black and Red – Colleen loves red roses so the look was carried throughout the wedding. The bridesmaids wore a simple black Ann Taylor dress and the groomsmen were clad in classic black tuxes with red ties. We used a damask logo on all of her wedding invitations, programs and menu cards – Colleen even found black damask votive candles that could not have been more perfect.

For Colleen and Mike's first dance their good friend and groomsman, Tim Obbink, serenaded the couple with the song Follow Through by Gavin DeGraw.

Tim comes from a truly musical family. His mother was the pianist for the ceremony, and Tim stepped in for the lighting of the Unity Candle and played the piano and sang I Will Be Here by Steven Curtis Chapman. It gives me goose bumps just thinking about how beautiful and touching it was!

The band, Mac Daddy, let Mike and Colleen join them for a song! I am not sure how we didn’t get a picture of that, but I know it is out there in the world of YouTube – probably better that it stays that way! Mike was great on the drums, but Colleen’s tambourine skills need some work

Colleen loves sweets so there had to be a significant dessert bar. In addition to the cake made my our Mom, they served chocolate mousse, brownies, lemon bars and in honor of Colleen – Cupcakes (Mike's nickname for Colleen).

The evening went …wait for it…'til midnight, and I think had we kept the band going, the guests would have kept on dancing well past - the true sign of a spectacular evening.

Here is my new fiancee and myself relaxing after our spin on the dance floor.

It was a great night and Mike is a welcome addition to our family! Cheers and congratulations again Colleen and Mike!

Photography provided by: Kelli Wiseman – Clever Creations Photography

Favorite Bridesmaid Accesory - Headbands

If I had to choose one accessory trend to last forever, it would be the headband. I am a side-part, long bangs gal, so I love headbands anyway - but right now there are so many great embellished headbands on the market it's mind-blowing. For your wedding, I can't think of a better way to complete a coordinated look for your bridesmaids than with an embellished or custom headband.

Here are some of my favorites from just a quick search. There are a lot of them out there. A lot of etsy shops will customize them for you, and it would even be a fun and (probably) simple DIY project. And, ok, the Jennifer Behr headbands pictured are really expensive...but it's inspiration right!

Clockwise from top left: JCrew, Jennifer Behr, Feather Brain, Motley Handmade, Ruffles and Sprouts

Tricia Huddas & Co. Real Wedding: Colleen and Mike, Part 2

Colleen and Mike's wedding day started off like most, slow going after a fun rehearsal dinner the night before, but excitement all around because the big day was finally here. The girls' day started in the salon getting hair and make-up done. We enjoyed Mimosas and conversation as we primped, and the location could not have been more convenient because the salon was located in the same building as the reception venue, Till Midnight.

My siblings and I are pretty much half Irish, half German, but our mother would lead you (and has led us) to believe that the Irish part is the only one that counts. My sister, in honor of our Irish heritage, had her hair done in an up-do that mimicked a Celtic knot. Check it out!

After the salon, we returned to the house to quickly grab the wedding dress and the flowers. The men were lounging around playing videogames in case you ever wonder what they do while the girls are primping! Then we were off to the church where Colleen’s friend Kate, thoughtfully, had food and drinks ready and waiting for the us, making surethat we had some lunch. Always a good idea, because in the rush of getting ready, girls can easily skip eating and that just leads to a bride or bridesmaid passing out mid-ceremony! Yikes!

The ceremony was at Central Wesleyan Church in Holland, Michigan on a beautiful September day! The thing I miss most about Michigan - other than my family - is having a true Fall. Colleen and Mike chose to see each other before the ceremony so we could spend the cocktail hour cruising around town in a stretch hummer to take pictures. They still kept that moment private and just the two of them and the photographer were there. Honestly I have no preference on the couple seeing each other before the ceremony, but if they do I always encourage it to be kept private and special. Kelli with Cleaver Creations Photography took the couple out to the gazebo on the property for pictures and the wedding party followed behind a few minutes later.

Here are some pictures of the wedding party and ceremony. Colleen could not have looked more beautiful that day, and Mike just seemed so happy! I will follow up with the reception tomorrow!

Mike's friends don't stay serious for very long, so we are lucky for the shots we did get- this was their man bouquet! Don't ask!

I love this shot - Mike waiting on his stunning bride!

Keep Your Wedding Registry Glassy

...with Simon Pearce. The greatest.

Jackie's Wedding Planning Journey - July Weddings bring May Showers...

This past weekend was my first bridal shower! My fiance, Matt's, family hosted a ladies-only brunch for me in Florida - our home state. The food was amazing - homemade chicken salad croissants, fruit, muffins and a dessert table to die for! Matt's Grandma makes Czech pastries, I believe they are called Kolacky, that are filled with apricot, prune, pecan or cream cheese filling. So good that I am willing to admit that I ate 50 of them over the weekend - so much for my pre-wedding diet! I took pictures, but they were with my mother's camera. As soon as I can teach her to upload pictures, I will post them.

When this whole wedding planning journey began, it was strange to think that anyone might want to throw me a bridal shower. I figured I would have one, but that's as far as it went on that subject. "Y'all"....I sure did underestimate Southerners' fondness for parties and themes!Between May 9th and my wedding I have four to attend. I don't know the details on all of them yet, but I will share the next one - which I do know about - and some interested wedding shower themes I have encountered recently as a guest.

Next up for us is a couples shower thrown by my generous friend Tara! She's hosting a low country boil in our honor, which is much more Matt's thing than tea and brunch, haha. I'm excited to have Matt and the guys join in on the celebrations! If you're looking for a great couples' shower theme, try a "Stock the Bar" shower. Each couple brings a bottle of liquor to help the happy couple become well-situated hosts once they are married!

Yum..Low Country Boil.

Whether you search all the blogs for themes, or just use your imagination and information about the couple's likes and personalities, there are unquantifiable variations on the traditional bridal shower to keep the betrothed hopping right up until her wedding, such as...

Monograms and Mimosas - a friend of mine was recently thrown one of these! Everyone brings a gift with the bride's new monogram or the couple's future monogram. This is a great shower for younger wedding guests as the gifts can be small, like cocktail napkins with the couple's last initial, or maybe an LL Bean beach bag.

Around the Clock - guests are given a time of day on their invitations and asked to bring a gift that would be used at that time of day. This is another great couples' shower idea as the gifts can stray from the traditional registry items. The happy couple may receive a subscription to the New York Times or another "morning paper," for an a.m. gift....and, I dunno, a Blu-Ray DVD player or other must haves for a great "movie night" for a p.m. gift. The possibilities are endless with a shower like that.


Readers: Do you have a really inventive wedding shower idea or theme to share?

Wedding Q&A Thursday - Consumption Bar Budgeting

Q: Since we are doing a consumption bar, the [venue] won't give us the cost of the alcohol until after the reception. Is there some sort of estimate we can plug in to get a better idea if we are going to be within our food and beverage minimum and budget?

A: There sure is! But let me start by defining "consumption" bar for readers who may not be this far along in their planning yet and may need to know the distinction in the coming months.

Consumption Bar refers to how you are billed for the alchohol served at your wedding. Under a "consumption" set-up, you will be billed for exactly what your guests drink. Drinks will be tallied by the bartenders and you will be billed after the reception. While most venues offer this option in addition to a flat, per-guest, rate, restaurants - in my experience - tend to use this method exclusively.

For planning purposes, it is less than ideal to have a (possibly big) chunk of your costs undetermined due to the consumption bar system. But you can absolutely estimate in order to have some reference point when entering into a f&b contract. The industry standard (and this is general event, not purely wedding) is to estimate 2 drinks/person in the first hour and 1 drink/person per hour for the rest of the event. The thought is that some people will drink more (you know who you are, guy who dances with your thumbs up at every wedding); some will drink less or not at all.

Different drinks are usually given a general price like - Beer is $4.oo, wine is 5.50, mixed drinks are $7. I usually use the cost of a glass of wine in my calculations, because it is in the middle and consumed by a lot of people at weddings.

Some people get nervous and think "but my friends drink a lot." To that, I still say to use this formula. It is only an estimate.

Surprise! It's David's Bridal!

I stopped by David's Bridal last week with one of my brides, and I was really surprised by what they have going on there! I was living about 3,000 miles from home when I got engaged and during one of my Mother's visits she was really anxious for me to try on dresses even though I wasn't ready yet and didn't have appointments at any bridal salons. So I agreed to go to David's Bridal and just look. That was about 4 years ago...and it was not nice. Everything was beaded and bedazzled to the extreme - I think to mask the fact that the fabric was cheap and would not look nice on it's own. That was then...

But now, I was really impressed. I'm not turning traitor to my own *slight* brand obsession or the value of expensive dresses...but it was so refreshing to see that there are beautiful dresses out there for every budget. My companion did not end up getting a dress there, but I was watching one young woman and her mother shop and I'm pretty sure I saw a "this is it!" moment between them with this dress.

I think the real find, for me, was the bridesmaid dresses. There were countless styles, in a great variety of colors, and they seemed to be of very good quality. Throw in the fact that David's Bridal is EVERYWHERE and you are dangerously close to making it just as easy to be a bridesmaid as it is to be a groomsman renting a tux from Mens Wearhouse! I know....it's scary, right?

My bride actually is planning her wedding around a great color scheme from the store's catalog and I'm in in love with it.

So, lesson learned - give second chances, open your mind, allow yourself to be surprised.

Those who can't wed, plan....

Bull! Tricia got engaged this weekend in Michigan. Congratulations to Tricia and Danny!

Jackie's Wedding Planning Journey - My Budget Saving Tips

Happy Friday to everyone! Sorry for the lack of post last Friday. Working two jobs, planning a wedding, volunteering...I was just plain exausted!

To make up for it, I'll give you a small update before moving on to this week's blog - I met my wedding hair stylist, Jenny, for the first time last Wednesday. I figured I should start having her cut my hair since she is doing my updo for the wedding. I LOVED her. She gave me really adorable side swept bangs. I never thought I could pull off the bang thing, but I love them. Pictures to follow.

There's no good segue - so let's just move right from my bangs to my budget. To begin, I am AWFUL with money. By "awful" I mean I love to spend it. If it doesn't go directly into my 401k, it gets spent. The first thing I did when Matt proposed was promised myself and my parents that I would do better, especially when it came to spending the thoughtfully-saved money that my parents generously gave me for the wedding.

Since my parents and some of their friends read this blog I won't give out exact numbers. But to give you an idea of the budget that I am working with, so that you take my efforts seriously and don't think I have some bottomless well of money, let's just say that if the average cost of a wedding in Savannah is $12,698 to $21,163 (according to http://www.costofwedding.com/), my budget is within those numbers.

With budget on the brain I started planning by reading magazines, websites, and blogs. There are so many neat, original, exciting ideas out there - except when it comes to strategy for saving money! You see the same tips time and again - get married in the off season, get married on a weekday, DIY everything, use flowers in season, etc. As far as those tips go, I had to get married in the summer so my friends and family all had vacation, many of them are teachers. I don't want to get married on a weekday and I don't have time to do and make everything myself. I will say I am pretty much using flowers that are in-season, but that is just because I happen to like summer flowers. Ok, so that's it? That's all I can do?

Here are some tips that I discovered through experience, and think might be helpful to you:

1. Give yourself a budget for each individual vendor and line-cost before you start setting meetings and spending. Know how much you can spend on each aspect of the wedding instead of just having 1 grand total. If you don't, things will add up VERY quickly, and before you know it you will be over-budget. And if you sign contracts before realizing that, you may be in serious trouble. Being up front with your vendors will also make it easier for them to make suggestions and work with you. For example, if your florist knows you only have $x amount for bouquets, she will know what flowers will work with your vision and price point and which ones to avoid. Use a spreadsheet, or you can use a budget program like the one they have on The Knot - it is free to register and calculates how much you should aim to spend on each vendor based on your total budget and average wedding expenditure. It also gives you the option to customize the categories - so if you know you are not paying for, say, transportation, you can delete that and add something like your bridesmaids' hotel rooms instead.

2. Decide what details are most important to you. For one bride it's amazing photography that she can't live without; for another it is a designer dress. Whatever it is that you must have, figure it out right away. If it involves a splurge, plan on that by choosing where you will cut back on another aspect of the wedding to make it possible. Throughout my planning, I have found myself saying, "oh, this is so important" or "I must have this," about many things - but if I really sit down and think about what I'm talking about, I usually realize I don't need it to enjoy my wedding day. For example, I am sure that whatever bowls AVIA - my reception venue - will provide will be suitable for putting out candy....no need to buy the amazingly cute ones I found at Home Goods! haha!

3. Make the extra effort to search for deals. This works especially well if you have a longer engagement, but still works in a shorter time frame. I had 9 months, so not quite enough time to wait for spring sales on some things, but I still ended up finding great deals. Toward the end of the year I went shopping for my gown. I figured maybe it worked like cars - you know, clear out the 08's and make room for the 09's! I ended up with a gorgeous LaSpose gown that was marked 50% off. Also, it was a discontinued sample, so they knocked off another 10%, making this dress a definite budget-saver purchase for me. Also keep in mind that many craft stores compete and may offer price-matching. Keep an eye out for that. Price matching is an amazing barganing tool.

4. Ok, so this is the most important...Keep in mind that this day is about you publicly announcing your love for another person and telling the world that you want to spend the rest of your life with them. Your guests are there to celebrate your marriage, and love for one another, not the custom-made, pink, sparkly ribbon on the favors....

Do you have a great money saving idea? Let us know at info@triciahuddas.com

P.S. This weekend is my very first wedding shower. My future Mom(in-law) and Grandma are hosting it in Florida and I am so excited! I consider myself very lucky to already have a great relationship with them, and I am so honored that they are taking the time to give me a shower!

Wedding Q&A Thursday - Guest Room Blocks

Q: I received a room block agreement from the hotel [that I'm recommending for my guests] that asks for my credit card information and says I will be charged for any rooms in the block that are not booked! Is that right? Is that normal?

A: I will start by saying this - You are a smart and savvy bride - you read that room block contract before thoughtlessly handing over your credit card number and signature. You will go far in wedding planning and in life!

As for the room-block arrangements of which you speak...Is it right? I can't judge. This system may not be right for you, but the hotel has a reason for using this system and it's certainly more about protecting them and less about hurting you. Is it normal? It's not abnormal. There is a lot of variation among hotel chains and independently-run properties in how they manage guest room blocks for weddings and group accounts. Here are the basic systems that I've seen and some terms and conditions.

Definitions - "Hard" vs "Soft" Blocks

A "hard" block means that a hotel is actually holding the number of rooms in your block for your guests, which can be reserved for the agreed-upon rate. Scenario - The entire hotel becomes full 3 months before your wedding, but your guests have only blocked 2 of the 20 rooms in your block. The remaining 18 rooms are still available to your guests because the hotel has held them from the public. They will not become available to people outside of your party until the deadline for reservations in your block - generally 1 month prior to the wedding.

A "soft" block is more like a rate agreement. Your guests can reserve the number of rooms in your block (sometimes not specified in a soft block) for the agreed-upon price. However, the hotel is not holding those rooms from the public. In the same scenario I described above, your guests who did not make their reservations yet would be out of luck - the hotel is sold out.

Financial Responsibility and Minimums

To go back to the specific question we are addressing - your commitment to the hotel, in exchange for a room block, differs from hotel to hotel. Some hotels charge you nothing for a room block, and make no limitations on the minimum rooms that need to be reserved to avoid charges. But these no-obligation agreements are quite often soft room blocks, so read the agreement carefully and know the terms of the block so that you can fairly assess the extent to which it fulfills the needs of your guests.

The next step away from no-obligation room blocks is a minimum reservation requirement. Some hotels require that a minimum percentage of the rooms in your block be reserved, or you will be charged for the un-met portion of that minimum. Scenario - You have blocked 20 rooms. The hotel requires 25% of the block be reserved. If at least 5 rooms are booked by your guests, you are clear. If, however, only 4 rooms are blocked, the hotel will charge you for the 5th room to cover the minimum.

Finally, at the other end of the spectrum from a no-obligation block, is full responsibility. Under such an agreement, you are responsible for your entire block being filled with guests. In such an arrangement, there is often an out-clause stating that if the hotel is completely full, you are relieved of your obligation to pay for the remainder of rooms in your block. However, it is still important to be thoughtful in calculating the number of rooms that your guests will need when entering into any room block agreement that leaves you with the financial responsibility for some or all of rooms that go unused by your guests.

Room Block Tips

• Limit the number of hotels at which you create room blocks to 1 or 2 hotels.
• Provide room block information to guests as soon as it becomes available - such as when you send out the save the dates - and keep reminding them as reservation deadlines approach.
• Check on the status of your room block at least once a month. If the hotel doesn't have an online booking page that allows you to check on the reservations in your group on your own, call the sales representative for an updated list of reservations under the block. If your block is filling up quicker than you expected, you may be able to add rooms if you know far enough in advance!

Tricia Huddas & Co. Real Wedding - Colleen and Mike, part one

Colleen and Mike were wed last September in Holland, Michigan. This post is a long time coming, but I am just able to get my hands on the pictures. I am home in Michigan this week, and after many requests, I just had to get the images myself...from my family...as it was my little sister’s wedding and who else can I make a comment like that about!

I was not only the maid of honor, but also the wedding planner – a weird, but fun, position. It was different to be “working” the wedding, pulling both duties – I can usually get away with more comfortable shoes, but at this wedding I was running in heels all night. But I also got to enjoy a cocktail or two, not something I partake in when working! I come from a family of four kids – two older brothers and my younger sister, who is the stereotypical “baby of the family," so I picked on her as much as I could growing up and still do – it is my job isn’t it?

For as long as I can remember, she and I have grown up with opposite tastes. We have a similar style, but our color preferences have always been different, so her wedding involved a lot of biting my tongue when she decided on a bold black and red affair – I am much more subdued in my choices. Bold colors and all, the wedding was beautiful and a true success!

My mother is a real DIY person and decorates cakes on the side for friends and family, so most of the items for my sister’s wedding were designed and created by me, my mother and sister - from the invitations, programs and place cards, to the wedding cake! We even put my Aunt and Dad to work on the weekend of her bridal shower to assemble the invitations that I had designed!

Here is a sneak peak of some of the details and keep checking back as I will post all about the wedding day! Don't forget we do travel for wedding planning!

Here is me and my beautiful sister on her wedding day!

Photography by Kelli Wiseman – Clever Creations Photography

Wedding Color Inspiration - Wall of Ribbon

Check out the wall or ribbon at Savannah Florist, Kiwi Fleur - Vicki admits she has a bit of an obsession with ribbon. I would say she just has a well-developed appreciation for color!

Tricia Huddas & Co. Real Weddings - Great Shot of Katie and Wade

Katie and Wade were married on Saturday at The Mansion on Forsyth Park. They were a really special couple. The groomsmen cried during the ceremony which is always a good sign. But I think the warmth and love that this couple share was actually captured perfectly in this shot - captured by Teresa from Memories n' More Photography, and staged by the afternoon breeze. Katie's chapel-length veil was picked up in the gentle cross-current and seemed to hug Wade.

I'd also like to mention that Wade is a musician and he professionally recorded acoustic guitar versions of Canon in D and the Wedding March for use it the ceremony. They were the prettiest versions of the songs I've ever heard. It's so amazing when talented people include their craft in the wedding festivities.

Free Honeymoon!

PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com is running a Honeymoon Giveaway contest beginning today, May 1 and running throught June 30, 2009!

The winner will receive a $2,000 Marriott Honeymoon TravelCard, redeemable at any Marriott hotel, anywhere in the world. And that TravelCard can be used for anything at the hotel including room nights, spa treatments, golf, and even breakfast in bed! Marriott has over 3,000 hotels in amazing spots like Hawaii, the Cayman Islands, London, Paris, and Thailand…just to name a few.

Brides can enter once per email address per day using the contest entry form.