Ask a Bride: Stacey's Jewish Wedding in Florida

Hello, and welcome back for another edition of "Ask a Bride."  This week, we talk to bride-to-be Stacey, who is planning her Jewish wedding in Florida while living in NYC. She share some highlight from her wedding planning process thus far!

SASsy: Hi Stacey, congratulations on your engagement!  How has the wedding planning process going for you?

So far so good! I have 14 months to plan, since the time I got engaged so it was busy at first locking down the big stuff, and now it is a little quieter until it gets closer. Also, my mom has been helping a lot since the wedding is in Florida, where my family lives.

SASsy: Giving yourself enough time to plan is something that we've heard a lot from brides so we think 14 month engagement is perfect! Where and when and how large will your wedding be? 

My wedding will be in Palm Beach, Florida in March. We are expecting about 175 people.

SASsy: Planning a wedding out of state can be challenging, how have you gone about managing all of the details long distance? 

My family has been very helpful throughout the process. Especially my mom. She just helped plan my sister’s wedding 2 years ago, so she is a pro now! My fiancé and I fly down every few months, so when we are down there, there is a lot of wedding planning going on.

SASsy: I bet!  I'm assuming you picked your venue on one of your trips to Florida. How did you know your venue was perfect for your wedding? 

We saw about 5 venues the one we chose was the last one. We just felt it when we saw it. It was so different and beautiful. Just felt like us.

SASsy: Have you selected your dress yet, and if so what styles were you interested in?

Yes, I got a strapless A-Line dress!

Strapless A-Line bridal gown Stacey is keeping her dress a surprise!

SASsy: How many stores did you go to before you found the gown? 

I went to 4 stores,  3 in Florida and 1 in NYC. I ended up getting the dress at a store  in NYC.

SASsy: What has been your biggest challenge so far in planning your wedding? 

Right now it is keep the guest list down. Once the families combined all their guest lists, we realized we were a bit over (even considering those who wouldn’t come). Our venue is not that big, so we need to make sure we land at the right number.

Managing the guest list is one of the most common wedding planning challenges

SASsy: What did you find to be the most helpful resource when choosing your vendor?  How did you evaluate your vendors? 

We went mostly by word of mouth (friends and family who knew of past weddings and events). We evaluated based on location, size, appearance, food, price, and what felt the most ‘special’.

SASsy: Are you incorporating any Jewish traditions into your wedding?  if so, can you share with us what you will be doing?


Doug and I will be incorporating a few Jewish traditions into our wedding. During the ceremony, we will be getting married under a Chuppah which is a marriage canopy that symbolizes the couples first home. 

Jewish Chuppa

Doug will also be doing the traditional breaking of the glass (stomping on glass). There are several interpretations of why this is done from the reminder of the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem to  symbolizing the love of the couple and how fragile it can be so it must be cared for and not broken.

Stomping on a glass at a Jewish Ceremony

SASsy: What have you enjoyed the most about being a bride-to-be? 

All the excitement of what is to come. The planning has been fun, but a bit stressful, but in the end I know I will be married to the most amazing guy so it is all worth it!

SASsy: Do you have any surprises planned for your guests? 

The venue itself will definitely be a surprise for our guests as it is so different.

SASsy: What’s the best piece of advice you can share with other brides- to-be? 

Don’t sweat the small stuff. In the end everything will be perfect. People get so caught up in the craziness sometimes and forget what the wedding is all about…getting married.

We will be sure to follow up with Stacey after her big day in March! 

Coming soon:

Monday: Hot or Not- vote whether you think the dress is hot or not both here on the blog and on Facebook

Wednesday: Wedding Dress Wednesday- We pick one of our favorite dresses and post on our Facebook page

Thursday: New blog post will be out!

Be sure to follow us on Twitter (@TheSASsyReport) to keep up with everything bride!

***The blog is moving to our very own website! Brideswithsass.com coming very soon, stay tuned for updates***

Ask A Bride Pt II: Danielle's Wedding on Lake Lanier

 Hello SASsy Friends and welcome back for part 2 of our Ask A Bride series!  Danielle was married in the fall of last year in a beautiful wedding on Lake Lanier in Atlanta, GA.  Danielle followed one of the latest bridal trends and wore two very different wedding gowns. She shares with us how she created and pulled off the spectacular wedding of her dreams!

 SASsy: Danielle, you recently had a beautiful wedding on a lake in Atlanta, what key features did you consider when choosing your wedding venue?

My husband and I both wanted to have a wedding that was very laid back, yet beautiful. My maid of honor Brandee told me about the recent remodeling of Lake Lanier Islands Resort, so we decided to go check it out. When I saw the beautiful wedding venues they had to offer I immediately knew it was where I wanted to say “I do”.

    SASsy: What was your biggest challenge when planning your wedding?

One of the biggest challenges for us was creating the guest list. My husband has a very large family, so it was a challenge to decide who we would invite. 

I felt like a complete stalker trying to get everyone to RSVP by the deadline! And despite my best efforts, we still had a few guests show up who weren’t invited, as well as guests who did not show up even though they RSVP’d saying they’d be in attendance.

SASy: I loved your pink and damask color scheme, what was the inspiration behind it?

My favorite color is pink and I wanted to use a bold shade, so I decided on fuchsia. As I was looking at wedding reception designs online I came across a red and damask color scheme reception, and I decided the damask pattern would look fabulous with fuchsia!

 SASsy:What did you find to be the most helpful resource when choosing your vendor and planning the details of your wedding?

I relied heavily on reviews from past customers. My mother-in-law had worked with Christine from Perfect Petals for her daughter’s wedding, so we decided to use them as our florist.

I had planned on using my photographer, Jessica Horwitz, ever since I saw the gorgeous wedding photos she did for my friend’s wedding. I kind of just came across my other vendors, but I did make sure to look at their reviews before signing a contract with them.

SASsy: Wedding planning can be very stressful and all brides need a good support system. Who did you rely on the most for support during the planning process?

When I wasn’t bugging my husband about the planning process, I leaned heavily on my bridesmaid, Brittanie. Anytime I was stressed out or just needed advice I would call Brittanie and she was always willing to listen!

 

    SASsy:I remember you tweeting that all of your bridesmaids actually agreed on the dress! Please tell me how you achieved this?

When I went to look for wedding gowns, I also looked at bridesmaids gowns. I knew I wanted a dress that would look good on all my bridesmaids, so I decided to go with something that flowed. 

I found one designer in particular whose dresses I liked, so I sent my bridesmaids an email asking them to pick their favorite three dresses from that designer’s website. Once I had all their choices, I narrowed it down to the top 3 (several of their selections were the same), and then we chose the dress they liked the best.

    SASsy:You wore two dresses that were very different, but both equally as gorgeous. Were you planning on wearing two dresses initially?  Did you find yourself torn between in two different styles of dresses so you decided to go with both? (Personally, I am torn between 2 very different styles so this advice will help me too!)

Originally I had no intention of buying two wedding gowns. When I went to try on dresses I found two that I loved. One was a full gown, the other mermaid style. Both of the dresses were reasonably priced, so I decided to buy them both, one for the ceremony, one for the reception. 

 

I ended switching my reception dress later on, but I’m definitely happy I got both. The ceremony dress made me feel like a princess, the reception dress made me feel sexy!

    SASsy: The pictures of your bachelorette party looked like you guys had a great time.  What did you do and where did you go?

My bachelorette party was awesome! I had a bridal shower at a restaurant earlier in the day. Then I met up with my friends and bridesmaids at the Twelve Hotel. From there, we rode in a stretch Range Rover to a club and had a fun night of dancing! Some of the girls stayed at the Twelve Hotel that night for a sleepover!

SASsy: What was/were the most special moment(s) from your wedding for both you and your husband?

The most special moment from our wedding would definitely be the reception as a whole. Everyone had such a blast dancing and mingling! It was exactly the way we wanted it to be…a big party!

    SASsy: Were there any funny or unplanned moments that made the wedding even more memorable?

My sister Denechia was one of my bridesmaids and she definitely made the night memorable. She’s the type to have fun no matter where she’s at. Another funny moment was the dance-off between Denechia, my brother Chris and my husband’s friend Chris. It was super entertaining!

    SASsy: If you could do anything differently, what would it be why?

It sounds cliché, but there is actually nothing I would change. The wedding was everything I imagined and more!

    SASsy: What’s the best piece of advice you were offered as a bride that you would like to share with other brides to be?

It’s your big day, so do whatever you want to do (within reason)! Don’t let anyone else’s opinions interfere with what you want. If there’s a time to be selfish, this is it! LOL!

I would like to thank Danielle for contributing to this week's SASsy Report.  Do you have bridal questions or a product that you would like to see featured in The SASsy Report? If so, leave comments and I will be sure to follow up with you! 

Be sure to like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/thesassyreport

Follow on Twitter: @TheSASsyReport

Ask A Bride Pt 1: Ashley's Memphis Wedding

Hello SASsy Friends, I hope everyone had a great Fourth of July holiday. When planning a wedding, everyone seems to have endless and usually unsolicited, advice for brides to be.  For brides, it can be quite overwhelming, but the best way to get advice is to ask others who've recently been down the aisle.

This week, you will meet two very different brides Ashley and Danielle.  Both ladies were recently married in two very different style weddings.  These ladies have survived the trip down the aisle and were excited to share their advice with The SASsy Report.

Our first bride is Ashley, who had a beautiful wedding in June of this year.

SASsy: Hi Ashley, could you please share with us your favorite part of wedding planning?

This question is rather difficult since I found wedding planning to be harder then I originally thought it would be.  My favorite part was probably creating my wedding board on Pintrest that allowed me to keep track of all the beautiful things I saw and ideas even though I wasn’t able to use them all.

SASsy: I believe you live in DC but your wedding was in Memphis.  Was the long distance planning difficult, if so how so?

    I am from DC originally but moved to Memphis a month before I got engaged.  I decided to plan my wedding in Memphis instead of DC for a few reasons 


 I thought the stress of wedding planning would be too much to do from a distance, and since I currently live in Memphis I wanted my friends and family to have the opportunity to see where I live now and what my new life is like.  


SASsy: What criteria did you use when selecting vendors?

    I got recommendations from people that I thought had good taste and I used vendors that were responsive.  I was extremely surprised by how so many people in the wedding industry were not responsive to phone calls, emails, and voicemails.  The vendors I used were were easy to get in touch with,  and more importantly, stay in touch with.



SASsy: What were the theme and colors of your wedding and how did you incorporate them throughout the wedding?

    I didn’t have colors in the traditional sense. My bridesmaids wore a grey/silver dress, my flowers were white and green, and we have silver/grey accents.  I wanted to keep things neutral and elegant without feeling like there was a particular “theme.”

SASsy: When shopping for your gown, was there a specific style you were looking for?


I actually designed my gown myself.  I knew what I wanted my wedding gown to look like but wasn’t sure if I would find it.  My earliest criteria were sweetheart neckline and mermaid silhouette.  On my first trip shopping I swooned over a Lazaro mermaid and a trumpet Pronovias. 


 On my second trip shopping, I drove to Atlanta from Memphis to go to several stores.  However, the drive took longer than I expected and I missed all of my appointments except for one.   My bridal consultant asked me what I wanted my dress to look like, and I pointed to three different parts of three different dresses.  


They said they could make the dress how I wanted it and voila. I had found my dream dress.  The final product was a sweetheart neckline, mermaid silhouette  with tulle extending beyond the dress, with a low v-back.  

SASsy: Was there one specific aspect of the wedding that was more important to you than others, if so what was it?

FUN!   At the end of the day, I wanted everyone to drink, laugh and dance all night.  We played a lot of contemporary music instead of just Motown and top 20 hits that you get at most weddings and people were on the dance floor with a drink in their hand the whole night.

SASsy: I heard you came up gave out BBQ rub as a wedding favor.  That’s one of the most creative favors I’ve heard of!   How did you come up with that idea?

Wedding favors are tricky because it’s not really an area you want to spend a lot of your budget on, but if you are going to spend any money on wedding favors, you want it to be something that your guests will actually keep and not just throw away.  


Memphis is known for its dry rub, I love to cook and my husband loves to eat BBQ.  I figured it would be a cute idea and something people could actually get some use out of.  I was able to get cute jars from Michael’s at a great price and a friend’s family owns a catering company that I got the rub from.  It went over well with the guests and I’m really glad I did it.


SASsy: Did everything go according to plan, or were there a few unplanned moments that made the wedding even more enjoyable?

I had a hair catastrophe two days before my wedding and ended up getting my hair done three times before it was right, I got 4 emails the day of my wedding from people who RSVP informing met that all of a sudden they would not be in attendance, and the church didn’t have the communion ready during the ceremony and we had to wait for someone to run and get it and bring it in the sanctuary.  


In the grand scheme of things, none of that impacted my day and things were wonderful.  Just be prepared for problems to happen, but don’t let them detract you from the point of the day - starting a life with your spouse and the love of your friends and family.

SASsy: If you could do anything differently, what would it be and why?

I would have given myself more time.  I got engaged at the end of September and got married the first weekend in June.  Because of the holidays, I only really had about 6-7 months to plan a wedding for 150 people.  If I could do it over again, I’d give myself more time because I thing I would have enjoyed planning my wedding more if I didn’t feel so rushed.


SASsy: What advice you would you offer other brides to help them through the wedding planning process?


Give yourself enough time to plan so you don’t feel rushed and overwhelmed.  The process can no doubt be overwhelming, but giving yourself time to savor the moments and made thoughtful decisions is important.  


Also, wedding planning is a dictatorship. You are the dictator. That doesn’t mean you need to be a crazy bridezilla. It does mean that you are going to get a lot of input from everyone around you and it is important to remember that it is your day so do what you want.  


I would like to thank Ashley for helping out with the blog this week.  If you have any questions or topic suggestions, please leave comments and they could be featured in an upcoming edition. And be sure to check out Part II of our Ask A Bride series on Thursday!


Connect with The SASsy Report:
Twitter: @TheSASsyReport
Pintrest:http://pinterest.com/thesassyreport/ 

SASsy & Sophisticated Bridals Vol. 3: Vendor Feature The Blessed Bride LLC

Hello SASsy friends, I hope everyone is having a wonderful week thus far.  Planning to get married is one of the most magical times in a woman's life.  She's been blessed with the man of her dreams and having parties thrown in her honor as she prepares to embark on her next journey in life becoming a wife.

Our guest this week is Angela Reed founder of The Blessed Bride LLC (TBB) wedding and event planning company based in Atlanta, Georgia.  Angela shares with us the inspiration behind the creation of her business and gives us a sneak peak into her southern belle bridal shower.

SASsy:   Angela what was your inspiration behind creating The Blessed Bride LLC? 

TBB: The inspiration behind The Blessed Bride© (TBB) came to me during my own engagement season.  I coined the phrase for myself during that time!  I truly feel that the Lord led me into this venture. 

Regarding my background, for many years prior to my engagement, I have planned events, small and large; from weddings and showers to reunions and concerts.  I would also have to take into account my years of being in the wedding industry as a flower girl, junior bridesmaid, and bridesmaid!  I’m certain that I have Katherine Heigl’s character beat in “27 Dresses!”

Angela Reed of The Blessed Bride LLC.

SASsy:  Can you describe the services offered by The Blessed Bride?

TBB:  TBB offers full-service wedding planning and coordination services.  In addition, we specialize in proposal planning, engagement events, as well as anniversary celebrations. 

We value building relationships with our clients. From the moment a gentleman is ready to propose through the couple’s first anniversary; we want to make those moments special and tailored specifically to the couple! 

 I am truly blessed to have my husband, Patrick, serve as the director for The Gentleman Groom©.  The Gentleman Groom© division of TBB offers advice and preparation to guys planning to propose.

Angela and her husband Patrick

SASsy:    How should brides decide on a theme for their wedding?

TBB: Prior to discussing themes, I always suggest that brides make a list with her fiancé about their mutual interests; things that they absolutely love…and things that they can absolutely do without! 

From that point, the bride can move forward with deciding what elements will best reflect their style.  Consider colors and how they will appear in contrast with the selected venue.  Think about incorporating elements that are truly specific to your tastes.  

Purple and Gray Color Inspiration Board from theknot.com

SASsy:  When looking for a wedding venue, what are the most important things for a bride to consider?

TBB: A bride should definitely feel a connection with the venue of choice, thus I strongly suggest visiting venues in person prior to making a deposit! 

While touring the venue, you should be able to visualize your wedding from start to finish.  Many times, budgets become an issue when brides are looking to select the perfect venue.  Consider what the venue has to offer that is included in the cost.  

Chateau Elan  Atlanta, GA

SASsy:  What advice can you give brides to help them choose the right vendors?

TBB: Building relationships can go a long way when selecting vendors.  During our wedding season, the photographer that my husband and I selected has grown to become a wonderful family friend! 

Reviews and referrals are key in deciding upon vendors.  Browse images of weddings from family members, friends, and co-workers and ask if they would refer their vendors to you.  Quite often, many vendors will honor a referral credit towards your wedding, thus saving you more money! 

I strongly discourage going with a vendor because they may be the least expensive.  Quality work comes from quality vendors.  Consider that piece of advice also when selecting wedding vendors.

SASsy: As a wedding planner, what are the most common challenges and questions from brides?

TBB: One of the most common challenges I’ve encountered has been when brides are trying to meet everyone’s needs but their own.  Yes, everyone wants a beautiful wedding, but if that means you are busting your budget to suit others, that’s not the way to go. 

 I have also come across brides who have carried the weight of the wedding party on their shoulders!  Trust in your planner that they will see that everyone is taken care of, informed of their duties, and ready to roll on your wedding day. 

SASsy: With so many options available for brides, which resources do you recommend for brides to get ideas for their wedding?

TBB:   With the introduction of Pinterest, Twitter and other social media forms, it is now easier than ever to gather ideas for your wedding.  I suggest using those options, in addition to good ol’ magazines! 

Check out bridal magazines from your hometown

Sometimes, vendors and manufacturers will offer details and images that cannot be found online within bridal/wedding magazines.  Wedding reality television shows are booming!  Although they do provide entertainment beyond measure, I suggest that brides stick with visuals from the web and printed materials.

SASsy:  How can brides achieve the wedding of their dreams and still stay within their budget?

TBB: A key point to maintaining a wedding budget is to know how to get the most ‘bang for your buck!’  If you are a fan of flowers and greenery, look for venues with those elements that already exist (i.e. botanical gardens).  This will save your floral budget a tremendous amount of cash!  

Brooklyn Botanical Gardens Brooklyn, NY

If you prefer more architectural elements, visit museums and historic centers.  This can also add an attraction to your wedding that gives guests something to do during the transition from ceremony to reception.  Beautiful churches are always a wonderful venue staple for brides who prefer an indoor wedding setting.

SASsy:  Your own bridal shower was a very classy Southern style event with big hats and all. How did you come up with that idea?

TBB:   I am a true southern Georgia gal!  My mother has one of the largest hat collections I’ve seen!  Her love for hats has definitely passed onto me.  Hats instantly add a touch of classic, southern sophistication to a shower or social event.  The southern themed shower truly captured a part of my personality.  I also hosted a hat-themed birthday brunch a few years prior, so anytime I can add a hat, I’ll do it!

Angela's big hat southern bridal shower

SASsy: In your own experience as a bride, what was your favorite part(s) of your wedding?

TBB:   Where do I begin?!  I really enjoyed planning with my then-fiance’, Patrick.  He brought a different point-of-view to things, which incorporated some of the more memorable moments from our wedding weekend.  We really enjoyed hosting our rehearsal dinner aboard the Savannah River Queen Riverboat.  What a fun way to kick off our wedding weekend!  Guests were able to celebrate with us, and enjoy themselves while cruising down the Savannah River. 

Patrick and I also enjoyed incorporating our wedding party into our first dance!  This opened the floor for the guests to start the party after dinner.  During the ceremony, we took communion and received a special marriage blessing from my parents, which was a very special and intimate moment for us to share before the Lord with our family and friends as witness.  And, of course, we had the best wedding party ever!  Our family and friends created memories that will last a lifetime!

SASsy:    What is your favorite piece of advice to give to other soon to be brides?

TBB:  Stay centered and focus on your marriage, not the wedding!  Many of the couples whom I have consulted with have also begun their premarital counseling process.  I encourage them to pray about the union in which they are about to enter, in addition to simply enjoying their engagement season! 

Another valuable piece of advice:  Communicate with your fiancé every step of the way.  Many times, guys are pushed out of the wedding planning process due to a brides’ excitement about “her day.”  On the contrary, the guy proposes, thus he starts the wedding planning process!  Even if you have a “keep that wedding magazine away from me” type of fiancé, at the least, keep him up-to-date and informed of obligations designated to him and his groomsmen on wedding day.

I would like to thank Angela for contributing to this week's blog.  If you would like more information on The Blessed Bride LLC please check out her website www.theblessedbride.com or follow her on twitter @theblessedbride.

Next week will begin our "Ask a bride" series featuring Ashley who threw a beautiful Memphis wedding with the perfect favors!

Keep up with The SASsy Report:

Twitter: @thesassyreport

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheSaSsyReport

Pintrest: http://pinterest.com/thesassyreport/

Bridal Discount Alert!! 40% off Wedding Snap

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Wedding Snap will be featured in an upcoming edition of The SASSy Report.  Be sure to check back for more deal alerts and a new blog post next Thursday!

SASsy & Sophisticated Bridals Vol 2

Hello SASsy Friends and welcome to SASsy & Sophisticated Bridals Vol 2: Designer Feature Edition!

This week I interviewed up and coming accessories designer Citizen LMS by L. Marissa Scott for her take on the latest trends in bridal accessories and how to achieve the bridal look of your dreams!

SASsy: Hello, and thank you so much for being a part of The SASsy Report this week.  To start off our  interview, I would like to hear all about your favorite trends in bridal fashion and accessories.

Citizen LMS: It’s been a really exciting year in bridal fashion and it seems more and more that the average bride to drawing additional inspiration from couture runways to add a little jazz to the traditional bridal look.

One of my favorite trends is adding pops of color into your accessories, whether it’s a bracelet, shoes, or a clutch. Adding that extra element not only breaks up the monochromatic white, but also adds a little unexpected whimsy to any look.

The second trend that I’m seeing a lot of, and love is the birdcage veil, hair combs, and bridal headbands. The birdcage veil is a throw-back to vintage glamor and makes a definite statement. Headbands or bridal combs have the same nod to vintage glam and are just as stunning but a bit more subdued in tone.

The final trend that I’m swooning over, is wedding gowns in different colors. My favorite being Monique Lhuillier’s beautiful ballet inspired blush dresses in her spring 2012 collection and Vera Wangs’s dark romantic collection for fall 2012 that features nude and black gowns of tulle, silk, organza, and chiffon. 

 Monique Lhuillier 2012 Blush Wedding Dresses

SASsy: Do you prefer a more classic and traditional bridal look like Kate Middleton's or do you lean towards a more contemporary look like Carrie Bradshaw's from the Sex and the City movie?

Citizen LMS: I think I’m a mixture of the two, but I lean more towards Carrie’s sense of style in that I love mixing vintage with contemporary. What I love most about Carrie’s style is her bravery. It takes guts to be able to wear a bird on your head proudly while everyone around you is guessing what it is. You either love it or hate and her character has always seemed to exude “I don’t need anyone approval I wear what I love”…a bit of a style rebel if you will.

 Christina Wu Contemporary Gown with Traditional Touches

SASsy:  So for brides who love Carrie Bradshaw's "rebel" style,  what would you recommend them do to complete their look?

Citizen LMS: I think it depends on the style of the dress and what your comfortable wearing: My general rule of thumb is if you have a dress that’s strapless or some sort of modified sweetheart neckline go for a statement necklace or statement earrings.

 Try one or the other; wearing two together at such a close proximity to one another will make the look a bit clunky. Also don’t be afraid to try wearing multiple bracelets on one arm. The simpler the dress the more avenues you have to play with your accessories. If your dress is more embellished then I would suggest just going with a gorgeous hair comb and/or earrings.

Elaborate Wedding Dress with Simple Earrings

SASsy: For brides interested in a more traditional look, how can they still look young and fresh while keeping with bridal traditions?

Citizen LMS: I think with a traditional look, the fit is super-important and you want to look for lace details done in an unexpected way. For example, Marchesa’s 2012 spring collection features some of the most gorgeous lace applications done over barely-there tulle. It’s a nod to vintage elements but done in a modern way.

 Marchesa Lace & Tulle Wedding Dress

For accessories I would say keep it simple and clean as to not compete with the elements of the gown. To help you look young, try make up that brings brightness to the eyes, blush that brings dewiness to the cheeks, and pink/nude lip that looks fresh, natural, and has a bit of shine.

SASsy: How can brides on budget  but wanting a super glam look achieve this without breaking the bank?

Citizen LMS: My two suggestions are secondhand/vintage shops and DIY.  Trying to find beautiful accessories can put a huge dent in your budget and one way to combat that is to check out secondhand/vintage shops for broaches, hair clips, and earrings. It’s a great way to find one-of-a-kind pieces at a fraction of the cost.

You could even raid your grandmother or mother’s jewelry box for pieces as well! If you still can’t find the items that catch your eye or if you come across something you love but the clasp is broken, try getting a few pin or bracelet/necklace closures from your local Michael's. Most of the time all you have to do is replace the jump-ring that attaches the broken closure to the jewelry with a new one. For more labor intensive project try perusing a few DIY Bridal blogs on the net.

SASsy: Traditionally, a bride should have something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue.  Accessories are a great way to get all of these!  What are your recommendations?

Citizen LMS: Accessories are a totally efficient way of covering those bases. Something borrowed and old could be a piece of jewelry from someone in your family and the something blue could be your garter.

SASsy: Final question, what is the best piece of advice you can offer brides, as they get ready for their big day?

Citizen LMS: The only advice I could give is to drink in every moment you can as you get ready for your big day. I’m sure its stressful and brutal dealing with the millions of balls you have to juggle but take some time out to just breathe and take it all in, a happy bride is a beautiful bride! Congrats to all you lovely brides to be and have a blast coming up with your wedding looks!!

I would like to give a huge thank you to L. Marissa Scott for contributing to this week's post.  Please be sure to stop by her blog, citizenlms.blogspot.com and follow her on Twitter @CitizenLMS for the latest updates on her designs.

Coming Soon on The SASsy Report:

• Ask a Bride: Danielle- she had a beautiful wedding in Atlanta, GA and flawlessly pulled off 2 very different dresses
• Vendor Feature:  The Blessed Bride - full service wedding planning and event design company
• Ask a Bride: Ashley- A Memphis wedding with the perfect guest favors
• Bridal Salon Review: NYC
• Bridal Fashion Review
• What Bridesmaids Really Think About Their Dresses
• Ask a Groom- my own groom to be will be interviewed by a guest writer

Want to see your bridal questions answered on The SASsy Report?  Leave your questions in the comments below and I will answer them in next week's blog!


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