Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Buying the Perfect Wedding Dress!

Hi everyone!!

I recently bought my wedding dress, and I wanted to give some advice that I have learned from other brides, and also my own recent experience!  

I did buy my dress a little early (about eleven months before my wedding), but since my sister lives out of state, I wanted her to be there for my appointment, and it just happened that when she was in town, it worked out for everyone to go.

Before my appointment, I'll admit I looked at hundreds of wedding dresses online.  I went into the appointment with an idea of the style I wanted.  I also went in with an open-mind, however.  Even though I thought I knew the exact style I wanted, I still tried on other styles.  I was surprised at how much I liked the other styles I tried on!

I made an appointment at a salon called 'All Brides Beautiful' in Hudson, Ohio and a consultant worked with me throughout my entire appointment. I told her my budget, what style I liked, and what style I didn't like.  Since we already chose our venue-which is very modern- I knew I didn't want lace, or anything vintage-looking (even though there were many beautiful lace dresses, especially Jim Hjelm!)

It's important to pick a dress that fits your venue/feel of your wedding.  If you're having a rustic backyard, or beach wedding, a huge tulle ball gown might not be the best option. Your dress should reflect your wedding.

Dress by Rivini. (not mine)

I trusted my consultant to find me the right dress. It's very important to trust your consultant during your appointment. They will be extremely knowledgable of all of the dresses in the shop and the prices of each dress.  My consultant actually did show me a dress way out of my price range, which I wasn't happy about, but I'm lucky I didn't fall in love with it! Always check the price before you decide if you like it or not! Also, don't purposely try on a dress out of your price range, even though it's beautiful.  You will most likely fall in love with it, and you'll be disappointed when it's twice your budget. A cheaper dress most likely won't compare once you have something so luxurious on. 

Dresses at the shop I went to were definitely on the higher end. However,  I knew I wanted to spend more to get a higher quality, designer dress (I bought a stunning Rivini gown). I also discussed it with my fiancĂ©.  We agreed that my budget was acceptable, even though it was a bit tough saying my budget out loud!  I am not, however, saying you need to spend $5,000 on a dress!! It's all about what's a priority in your wedding budget.  Do you want to spend a little more on a dress, or do you need a massive five-tired wedding cake? It's all about your priorities! 


Hope this helps you when you pick out your wedding dress!

XO, Val


Sunday, July 6, 2014

Hidden Wedding Costs.

Hi everyone!


Today I want to talk about hidden wedding costs.  It's good to think about this in the beginning of your wedding planning process, so you can account for the extra cost right off the bat.  


1. This one is no secret, but you must account for tax for EVERYTHING!  If it's a legitimate business, there's going to be tax. Most halls, or caterer's will charge 18% of food costs, so you have to factor that in.  If your wedding dress costs $800, it actually doesn't. Theres tax on that, too. Aim for a dress thats closer to $700 if you want it to end up being $800.  The important thing is that you're prepared for these costs ahead of time!

2. Tips: You're most likely going to be tipping a few of your vendors throughout the night of your wedding.   

3. Something else brides sometimes don't think about is bridal party gifts.  It's not like you have to buy all your girls designer bags, or jewelry with real diamonds (that would be amazing, though!) but factor in a couple hundred dollars, or more depending on how many girls you have.

4. Hair and makeup trials: It's always a great idea to get a trial for your wedding day hair and makeup! However, the trial will be its own separate price. This could be an extra $150 you weren't accounting for. Try to plan your makeup trial on the day of your engagement pictures, so you can get a good feel for how it will look on your wedding day, and in pictures!

5. Postage: Some people forget about postage when it comes to their wedding. It's also not just the wedding invitations that require postage.  You need to account for save the dates, rsvp cards, and thank you cards. Try to keep your invitations light, so they require less postage. 

Thanks for reading! Hope it helped! 

XO, Val.