Member Spotlight: Jessica Piscitelli of Jessica Pi Productions

Hair Accessories: A Bride’s Finishing Touch!

What is the easiest way to do something new and different when creating your bridal look?

Try a fabulously different hair accessory! Bridal boutiques are stocked with lots of amazingly cute new accessories this season, including collections featuring feathers, flowers, and lace accents.

To select the best look for your own wedding, consider what your wedding gown looks like. A beachy, flowing chiffon dress for your destination wedding would look beautiful with a simple flower-accented hair accessory.

A classic A-line dress could look traditional but contemporary with a lace headband.

Don’t be afraid to experiment! Another idea is to don a traditional veil for the ceremony, but switch to a fun and funky hair accessory for the reception!

For a beautiful selection of veils, headpieces, and hair accessories, visit the ladies at Blush Bridal Boutique!

What Should The Mothers Wear To The Wedding?

Nowadays, the role of the mother of the bride is changing. She is a fashionable woman who not only wants to express her personal style at her daughter’s wedding, she wants to make a fashion statement, feel comfortable, and shine like the star that she is on this special day.

Mothers (of the bride OR groom) are cherished guests of honor and often hosts of a wedding. They are NOT required to wear dresses to match or coordinate exactly with the bridesmaids!

They should also never be pressured to wear beige or to “blend into the background”. Mothers deserve to look their absolute best on this very important day. Here are a few guidelines for dress shopping for mothers:

The mother of the bride no longer has to wear a gown that sweeps the ground. Now, more than ever before, the mother of the bride is free to try different lengths. Wide varieties of hemlines are definitely available! The key is to select a length that feels both appropriate and comfortable. Traditionally, the mothers of the bride and groom coordinate their dress lengths. They are not required to copy the length selected by the bridesmaids, however.

• Mothers should not be afraid to have fun with color! Style consultants at a full-service boutique are always happy to assist mothers in selecting just the right color to compliment her features. Mothers are not required to match the wedding party (they are not senior bridesmaids!) but they should wear flattering tones that complement the overall look of the big day.

• Mothers are also free to select any type of fabric; they are not obligated to wear taffeta or satin just because the wedding party has selected that material. People often expect to see lace on the bride’s dress, but a huge trend (thanks in part to Kate Middleton) is for the mother of the bride to wear dresses with lace accents as well. A simple dress with a lace jacket or lace sleeves can be both stunning and appropriate. Other moms may choose to wear a flow-y chiffon gown, or a short satin cocktail dress. It is all up to the mothers!

• The mother of the bride can wear a strapless dress, a halter, or any other type of neckline she chooses. Mothers should feel perfectly comfortable wearing the styles they love! Jackets and wraps are options, but not required! The mother of the bride should be elegant and fashionable at her daughter’s wedding, and she should always express her true self!

When shopping, mothers are often unaware of how long it can sometimes take to order a dress and have it expertly altered. Here is a quick timeline for the moms!

Six-Nine Months Prior to the Wedding

It is time to get measured, as well as time to think about
colors and designs. Talk with a style consultant at a local boutique to find out which
type of dress will fit best your body type and flatter your skin tone.

Three-Five Months

Decide on a final dress and have it ordered, if necessary

One-Three Months

Have the final fitting of the dress and any alterations, if
needed.

For an amazing selection of flattering and contemporary dresses for moms, visit the experts at Blush Bridal Boutique!

Dressing A Pregnant Bridesmaid

Ok…you are planning your fabulous wedding when you find out that one of your cherished friends that you selected as a bridesmaid is pregnant. What should you do?

First of all, congratulate her! Absolutely do not look at this as a fashion nightmare. This is an easy situation to handle!

If you have not yet selected dresses for your girls, you need to do a little pre-planning before your big shopping trip.

For starters, figure out how many months pregnant she will be at the time of your wedding. If she has been pregnant before, maybe take a few notes on her weight and size fluctuations throughout that pregnancy. Keep in mind that this will not be an exact science; every pregnancy is different!

Next, select (with the help of your girls) the bridesmaid dress that you wish for your girls to wear. Pay close attention to the cut of the dress. If the dress is an a-line or empire-waisted style of dress, your expecting friend will be just fine. She may need to go up a few sizes, but the dress style should be ok in terms of comfort and fit.  There are a few bridesmaid dress designers that do cut maternity dresses, but most do not. Be sure to ask your bridal consultant about this, though!

If the dress is a straight, fitted cut (like a sheath or mermaid style of dress), talk to your bridesmaid who is with child. Give her the option of selecting a looser style in the same fabric if that makes her more comfortable. Keep in mind that she may just want to wear the fitted dress in a larger size, and work with a seamstress to create a look that flaunts her tummy! This is totally acceptable !

The important thing is that your bridesmaids all feel good about how they look for your wedding, so be supportive of her dress decision.

If you already ordered dresses for your bridesmaids, you may need to contact your bridal shop for some creative solutions. They may be able to change the order and obtain the dress for your pregnant bridesmaid in a larger size. If it is too late to do this, simply ask the bridal shop to order some extra fabric. A skilled seamstress will be able to alter the dress appropriately if material is provided! This may cost a few dollars, but it will probably be less expensive than ordering a whole new dress!

For an awesome selection of bridesmaid dresses, check out the fabulous dresses at Blush Bridal Boutique!

Wedding Gift Shopping Made Simple!

Have you heard the news? There is a whole new way to deal with wedding gift selection!

Officially launched earlier this year, Tailored.co is changing the way people shop for weddings as the first online personalized shopping
site where brides can discover and purchase products and services that match their unique style and budget.

Tailored is the ONLY place online where brides can find and collect inspiration, browse wedding products hand-selected just for them, create lists of their favorite finds, and share their picks with family and friends, all in one place – an online bridal resource to discover, shop, share!

Tailored is a members-only platform where brides not only discover new brands and up-and-coming designers, but also get personalized recommendations on products and services based on their taste, budget, and wedding-planning needs.

The personalized experience begins at sign-up with a quick and easy interactive quiz. Unlike other inspirationally driven platforms, all of the items and services that are shared on Tailored can be purchased, allowing users to easily buy the items that are inspiring them. With over 160 affiliates, Tailored will offer the largest wedding catalog online – proud to feature products from such national retailers as Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, The Knot, and Sandals Resorts, among many others!

In addition to aggregating personalized recommendations, Tailored creates a platform where brides can follow users with similar tastes and engage with their family and friends to gain instant feedback through sharing their curated lists. An easy way to keep the entire bridal party involved without dragging the crew all over town!

Find your bridal style with Tailored.

Website: http://tailored.co/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/GetTailored
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/tailored

For all your wedding planning questions or event services, The Bliss Collection is your source for Northern Virginia’s finest wedding professionals.

Awesome Bridesmaid Gift Idea

According to Brides magazine, the cost of being a bridesmaid in 2012 can really add up! Your selected girls often spend over $1000 in order to purchase a dress and shoes, have proper alterations, have professional hair styling and makeup  application, contribute toward showers and bachelorette parties, and buy gifts.

It is important for a bride to keep in mind that bridesmaids absolutely deserve many thanks! But, of course, not all brides can afford pricey thank you gifts for the girls.

One gift idea that I absolutely love actually serves two purposes. Monogrammed vases will provide your cherished maids with a convenient place to put their beautiful bouquets during the wedding reception (thus enhancing your wedding reception decor), and they serve as lovely gifts.

Some brides place the vases around the wedding cake for a dramatic floral display, while others simply place them at the gift table or on the head table. In any location, this idea allows brides to get just a bit more mileage out of the flowers, while the bridesmaids receive a gift that they can actually use!

If giving your girls monogrammed vases does not seem like quite enough, you could, of course, add other gifts. I love the idea of just giving the vases, waiting a week or two, then sending the girls thank-you flowers to display in the vases! They will feel appreciated and surprised at this thoughtful gesture.

For all your wedding planning questions or event services, The Bliss Collection is your source for Northern Virginia’s finest wedding professionals.

Wedding Gown Fabrics 101

Buying a wedding gown can be a very intimidating process. While it is often best to shop in a reputable bridal boutique that employs well-educated bridal consultants, sometimes a bride should do a little homework first!

Before shopping, be sure that you have a clear vision about where and what time of year your wedding will be held. It is important that you have some concept of what fabric weight will be appropriate for your event.

As you shop for your perfect gown, it is very likely that your sales consultant will be referring to some of the following fabrics:

Any season

Silk: The most common, cherished, and priciest wedding gown fabric, silk is a smooth and soft natural fiber.

Satin: Very common in wedding gowns, satin is a densely woven silk with a lustrous sheen on one side. 

Duchesse Satin: More affordable than pure silk satin, duchesse satin is a lightweight blend of silk and rayon (a less-expensive, synthetic fiber).

Charmeuse: Lightweight and soft, charmuese is a satin-like fabric with a slightly more subdued luster.

Shantung: A plain-weave silk or cotton fabric, shantung is notable for its rubbed, rough texture. 

Dupioni: Dupioni silk has a similar finish to shantung, but with a thicker, coarser finish and a slight sheen. 

Silk Mikado: A blended silk, silk mikado is usually heavier than regular silk.

Taffeta: A crisp, smooth, and light-weave fabric with a slight rib, taffeta is made from silk or synthetic fibers.

Moire: A heavy silk taffeta, moire is noted for a subtle, wavy design.

Tulle: A fine, starched netting made of silk, nylon, or rayon, tulle is often used for skirts and veils.

Crepe: A soft silk fabric with a gauzy texture and a crinkled surface.

Peau de Soie: French for “skin of silk,” peau de soie is a satin-faced silk or synthetic fabric with a dull luster, fine ribs, and a grainy appearance.

Warm weather fabrics

Chiffon: Soft, sheer, and transparent, chiffon can be made from silk (more expensive) or rayon (more affordable). Due to its delicate transparency, chiffon is often layered and is popular for sleeves, overskirts, and wraps.

Organza: A sheer, stiff fabric of silk or synthetic material, organza is similar to tulle, but less coarse and more flowing. 

Illusion: A fine, sheer net fabric, illusion is typically used on necklines or sleeves.

Georgette: A sheer, lightweight fabric, georgette is made of polyester or silk with a crepe surface.

Eyelet: Featuring open-weave embroidery, breezy eyelet is typically associated with spring and summer.

Cold weather fabrics

Brocade: A popular winter fabric, brocade is a Jacquard-woven (a type of loom) fabric with an ornate raised design. Brocade is a popular winter fabric. 

Damask: Similar to brocade with raised designs, but lighter in weight.

Velvet: A soft, thick fabric with a felted face and plain underside – typically a winter fabric.

*Fabric descriptions based on information from The Wedding Book by Mindy Weiss.

For All your wedding planning questions or event services, The Bliss Collection is your source for Northern Virginia’s finest wedding professionals.

Wedding Thank-You Note Etiquette

We all know how important it is to be gracious and show wedding guests that we appreciate them! I recently chatted with Michael Brandon, who created the website www.thank-you-notes.com about common mistakes that brides make when writing their formal thank-you notes. Here is what he shared with me:

The bouquet has been tossed.  The honeymoon is over.  Finally, the chaos surrounding your wedding day has subsided.
Time to sit back and relax…

Not quite yet.  Your wedding adventure isn’t truly complete until the last thank you note has been dropped into the mail.  Even worse, thank you notes are fraught with lots of possible etiquette mistakes.

Most Common Mistakes:

Taking Too Long To Send Them

I get it.  You’re busy.  After you get married, your life usually goes through a lot of changes.  First you’ve got the honeymoon.  That’s at least two weeks. Maybe you’re moving in together or to a different city altogether.

It matters not.  You have to find the time to get those thank you notes in the mail. Your guests bought you gifts, and helped to make your special day special.  Sending out your thank you notes needs to be at the top of your priority list.

How long is too long?  Emily Post says three months and I’m inclined to agree with her.  If you can’t get it done in three months, you’re not busy, you’re putting it off.  You don’t want Aunt Patty looking down her nose at you come Christmas time.  Just get it done.

Not Personalizing Them

I understand the temptation.  At one point it seemed like a good idea to invite 400 people, but now that you have 400 thank you notes to write… not so much.

Unfortunately, you need to personalize each note, and mention how much you love that pasta maker they got you.  Make sure your husband is sharing the load, and it won’t take too long.

There is an article on my website about  wedding thank you note etiquette that  provides some great advice for making the process of personalization easier.  For example, consider utilizing a spreadsheet to keep track of which notes have been written, and who gave you what.

Not Handwriting Them

You may not have touched a pen in years, but you’re going to have to pick one up for your thank you notes.  It’s OK if your handwriting hasn’t improved since 5th grade.  It just needs to be legible.

Why is handwriting your note so important? Simply put, handwriting is more personal. I still keep every handwritten letter that I receive.  You can glean so much more by looking at someone’s writing.  You can see the patience and care that went into the note.

Thank you notes may be the last remaining form of communication where handwriting is important and necessary.  But, it’s not going anywhere any time soon.

Forgetting Someone

No one likes to be forgotten.

If Jack and Jill Jones gave you the box set of The Office for your wedding, your thank you note to them needs to read “Dear Jack and Jill Jones”.  If it just reads, “Dear Jack Jones”, don’t be surprised if Jill starts skipping out on your dinner parties.

Unlike the rest of the faux pas’ on this list, this one usually occurs by accident.  But, accident or not, you want to avoid it at all costs.  It would be better to not send a note at all, than omit someone who cared enough to attend your wedding and buy you a gift.

Thank you so much for the advice, Michael! I suppose I owe you a thank-you note!

For all your wedding planning questions or event services, The Bliss Collection is your source for Northern Virginia’s finest wedding professionals.

Selecting the Right Hotel For Your Destination Wedding

Destination weddings are gaining popularity for a variety of reasons. Selecting the correct hotel to assist with wedding accomodations is critical as a couple plans this type of event.

Travel expert and hotels.com blogger Nicole Hockin (TravelWeekly, USA Today, NYTs, Rachael Ray Show, O, Oprah Magazine) has compiled a no-stress checklist for choosing the perfect hotel for any wedding celebration.

Here is what Nicole had to say about this important decision.

As we have become a more mobile society, its not only “destination” weddings that require accommodations and entertainment for out-of-town guests. Asking friends and loved ones to travel to the hometown from which the bride or groom grew up, or to the town or city in which they met, or merely the town that the happy couple now resides still requires effort for a large portion of wedding guests so choosing the right hotel is just as important as selecting the celebratory venue.

Tips For Choosing a Hotel For Your Wedding Celebration:

Reserve Room Blocks: Most large hotels won’t require a financial commitment to block off 10-15 rooms. It’s a good idea, once you have your wedding weekend locked down, to block rooms at more than one hotel to give guests a choice of rates and rooms. This comes in extra handy when you want to keep Grandma away from some old fraternity buddies. The key is to keep in close contact with the hotel’s event manager, so as guest counts change both sides can adjust quickly.

Convenient Location: Look at how convenient the hotel is to your event venues, restaurants, activities and points of interest. Does the hotel have a spa or partner with one nearby? These are the types of things you want to ask BEFORE you commit to housing your guests there.

Hotel Shuttle: Many hotels offer complimentary shuttle to nearby locations. Make sure you book a hotel that can help transport guests to and from the airport or wedding venue and coordinated activities.

Package deals: Consider having the rehearsal dinner, reception and next day brunch all at the same hotel or resort. By hosting multiple wedding events at the same hotel, you can often get discounted rates or packaged deals. Most hotels also offer the services of a wedding planner and caterer to help you select the decorations and menu.

Welcome Bags: Hotels are happy to help you give your special guests the VIP treatment. Create welcome bags for the hotels to distribute as guests check-in. If most of your guests are from another area, they may appreciate tasting locally produced snacks or perhaps include toiletries not provided by the hotel.

Bridal Suite: Ask about the bigger suites for the bride’s and groom’s parties to be able hang out and have enough room to get ready for the big day. It’s a nice touch for the wedding parties to be able to get ready together. Be sure to order a pre-celebration treat for all to share.

Kids Suite: Sometimes it’s hard for guests traveling with their children to really have a good time. Book a suite in the hotel for the children of your hotel guests and hire a professional sitter to care for them, in case any of the kids lose interest in the reception and need to leave. That way, their parents can enjoy the party. Send an email out in advance of the wedding to families that might want to take advantage of this so you can properly prepare the babysitter and stock the suite with appropriate snacks and crafts.

Earn Points: Here’s a great incentive from Marriott Hotels for couples considering a destination wedding: Marriott Rewardsmembers who book a qualifying destination wedding by December 1, 2012 to be held no later than December 31, 2013 will receive 100,000 bonus points, in addition to the base points of up to 50,000 with Rewarding Events for a total of 150,000 points. Then the only decision is where to redeem them for an unforgettable wedding getaway.

Thank you for offering your expertise to us, Nicole!

For all your wedding planning questions or event services, The Bliss Collection is your source for Northern Virginia’s finest wedding professionals.

Changing Your Bridal Look For The Wedding Reception

Someone asked me this week if it was acceptable for a bride to completely change her look for the reception celebration. I answered with a definite “Yes!” Once all of the formal group pictures are taken, it is completely acceptable to switch looks for the reception!

Here are a few ideas:

1. The bride could, of course, change from her long gown to a shorter, funkier dress that is easier to wear while dancing. A whole new dress is not mandatory, but for some brides, it is a fun idea! I definitely recommend keeping dress #2 in the white or ivory color family in order to stay visible throughout the event. Also, keep the second dress choice classy and appropriate. Just because there is dancing at the reception does not mean the bride should put on her clubwear!

2. Add a pop of color or sparkle by switching accessories! Whether or not the bride switches dresses, she can add a bit of pizazz to her look with a change of belts, jewelry, hair accessories, or shoes! If adding a pop of color, be sure that it coordinates with the overall wedding color scheme.

3. Don a new do! If the bride wears her hair in a complicated up-do for the ceremony, she could switch to a looser side ponytail for the reception. For a variety in the wedding pictures, create a reception hairdo that is the opposite of the wedding ceremony hairdo.

4. Switch to comfortable shoes! If you know that the sparkle-y stillettos you wore for the ceremony are not practical for dancing, buy some pretty (and equally sparkle-y) flats for the reception! Please don’t be that bride that changes into cheap rubber flip flops (unless you are literally on the beach).  And do not walk around in bare feet at your reception!

If none of these ideas appeal to you, just freshen up your ceremony look, bustle your train, and enjoy your party!

For all your wedding planning questions or event services, The Bliss Collection is your source for Northern Virginia’s finest wedding professionals.