Photography by Csanchez photography
Coronavirus update: How can I save my wedding?
There’s a lot that goes into planning a wedding, but one thing no one counted on was that a global pandemic would mean that many weddings over the next two months won’t happen. It’s a really stressful time! You’re worried about your health and the health of your loved ones. The last thing you want to do is to put your wedding guests at risk. You’re thinking about cancelling or postponing your wedding. But you’ve paid your deposits and signed contracts. What can you do to save your special day?
Stay calm
Right now your focus should be on making sure that you and your partner are safe. Maybe you’re under self-quarantine already or preparing for it. Give yourself time to process everything that’s happening and be kind to your yourself for the emotions that you’re feeling. Nothing about this is easy.
One thing to remember is that everyone in the wedding industry is in the same boat right now. There are many concerned people who have weddings in the next two months. You can expect that your guests, vendors, and venue will be understanding as you start your conversations with them. We are all focused on health right now, and we will understand why you might want to postpone your wedding.
Talk to your venue
If your wedding is around the corner, it’s very likely that your venue may have already reached out to you. It’s unlikely that venues will proceed with events over the next eight weeks now that the CDC had issued its latest recommendations. Talk to your venue about your options. Most will offer to apply your deposit to a new wedding date. Be sure to have one in mind – many other couples are doing the same thing right now and future dates are filling up fast.
Talk to your vendors
Once you’ve talked to your venue, it’s time to touch base with your vendors. Make sure to reach out to everyone – your caterer, florist, rentals, officiant, and entertainment. If you have a new wedding date, now is the time to share it. You can do this all in one email to all your vendors to quickly see if they are available on the new date. Make sure to ask them if their services will be affected by the new date (maybe the showcase flower on your wedding bouquet won’t be in season anymore, for example).
Check your orders
Right now it’s hard to get anything from overseas. If you’ve placed and order for a dress or ring and expect it to be shipped to the United States, you should get in contact with your seller right away. Ask your seller what you can expect and what options they can give to you to make sure you get your items.
Tell your guests
Your guests are probably expecting to hear from you about your wedding especially if they’re traveling to it. Right now most people are unwilling (or unable) to fly. Reassure them that you still intend to have a wedding but that you’ve postponed the date for everyone’s safety. You’ll need to get confirmations again from your guests since the new date might affect your guest count. That’s okay – as long as the most important people are there it will all be worth it in the end.
Feeling overwhelmed? Tell me what’s on your mind and I’ll do my best to give you advice to make the process a bit easier. Everyone in the wedding industry loves love and wants you to celebrate your special day. We are here to support you!
All About Bride Bouquets
Bride bouquets have been part of weddings since the beginning. Your bridal bouquet is the statement piece of the wedding. Bridal bouquets to florists and floral designers are the most important floral arrangement of the entire wedding. This one arrangement is featured in most of the wedding photos and is probably the only arrangement that is kept forever. Where does this tradition stem from? How many different style and trends exist ? Let’s talk flowers and bouquets !
History and meaning
Bride bouquets date back to Roman times. They were used for weddings as symbols of new beginnings, fidelity, and fertility. In the middle ages they used more herbs in their bridal bouquets. Especially herbs like Dill and garlic, Which were believed to keep evil spirits and bad Luck away. In Victorian times bridal bouquets were often used for a message, almost like secret code. Each flower sent a different message. For example:
Dasie: loyal love, gentleness, innocence.
Peonie : Happy marriage,prosperity, and bashfulness.
Sunflower: false richest
STYLES
Bride bouquets come in many shapes, designs, sizes and color schemes. They are tailored to each brides particular wedding style. Some brides like their bouquets small and delicate and other like their bouquets to be a statement piece. Bouquets can be really round, some very loose and some cascade flowers which give it a waterfall effect. Most of my brides Choose very loose bouquets. I have discovered that most brides want their bouquets to be “just right” for their particular body but yet still be a statement piece . The perfect marriage 😉.Make sure to tell your florist or floral designer how tall you are, send a full body photo or even a photo of you in your dress.
Trends
Bouquets have definitely become more trendy. In the 90’s cascading bouquets were the it thing. However I think this generation bride go for loose bouquets and have their bridesmaids boquets be smaller less elaborate versions of their bouquets. Flowers like the protea make for a statement flower brides love. For a more romantic bride peonies are a must! Dried flowers and dried grasses like pampas mixed with greenery is all the rage. Even though light colors like blush and creams will never go out of style, brides are steering more towards a “moody” look and feel. Often brides combine both which make for the perfect marriage of trendy and traditional.
Bridal bouquets are the cherry on top of the perfect bride. There are so many different styles colors and options how do you choose?! Maybe you can incorporate flowers that have meaning to you and your partner almost like the Victorians did. Try going with a bouquet that is proportionate to your body ( ask your florist ). Get to know your style as a bride, remember you are getting to know this part of you and your choices may surprise you. Make sure you have your designer make a bouquet you don’t want to toss. This is the arrangement you will hold as you walk down the isle to your fairytale and will remember always.
LGBTQ+ And Getting Married in 2019
The wedding industry is evolving and becoming more diverse and inclusive. Ever since gay marriage became legal in all 50 states four years ago the LGBTQ+ community no longer is invisible. Over time, it became more common to see non-straight narratives in advertisements and more industries have shown their support, but unfortunately we still have a long way to go. This dawned on me one day as I experienced what it is like to feel uncomfortable while looking for a wedding vendor. Still, there’s a lot of positive things that have happened over the years so here’s a little of my experience. I also included advice for those of you who are in the industry on how to become a better LGBTQ+ Ally.
Photography by Juan Saco Mironoff
Mr. & Mrs.
One thing I always thought was tacky were the Mr. and Mrs. signs – at least until I walked into a store and saw Mr. and Mr. gift bags. I had never seen them casually displayed anywhere before. It’s nice to see how inclusive the market has become. Now, you see cards for same-sex couples, cake toppers, all types of merchandise that never existed before. But as great as it is to see more inclusive items, sometimes they can still make people uncomfortable. A venue I visited had a Mr. & Mrs. sign hammered to their wall. As a same-sex couple (speaking for Jeremy and myself) it’s not a problem to see something like this, but when it’s permanently attached to the wall it shows my partner and I that you never thought to cater to same sex couples. So if you yourself own a business, keep in mind if you have novelty bridal items such as Mr. & Mrs. and no same-sex selection it looks as though you are not an ally or comfortable working with same-sex couples. Just something to keep in mind – a little effort goes a long way.
Say yes to the dress
One scary experience for same-sex couples is showing up to a vendor meeting with your partner and having the vendor look at you in shock. I had an experience like this that I want to forget, but it happened to Jeremy and me. I made the mistake of not mentioning my fiancé was a man. Luckily, we have mostly had vendors greet us with open arms, and so have other same-sex couples we know. Jeremy’s cousin was afraid of poor treatment when calling to reserve slots for her and her fiancé Nicole’s wedding dress fitting. She wanted to mention that they were a same-sex couple on the phone to one bridal shop but before she could say it, the associate asked if they were and made them feel totally comfortable. This made them feel good, because there is always a fear someone might make you feel unwanted. No one wants to made feel different or ashamed for who they love.
Photography by Manolo Doreste
Gay wedding
Some people get so excited when they hear about gay weddings. Their curiosity gets the better of them. They ask things like: Who is the bride? The groom? Is it the same as a heterosexual wedding? The answer is none of that matters. All weddings are the same, it’s two people are taking a vow to be together forever. It’s not a gay wedding – it’s a wedding. Most traditions are the same but same sex couples tend to be a little less traditional. In the LGBTQ+ community we try and be inclusive with everyone. We try not to label everything and everyone in masculine/feminine terms. So let’s shy away from assuming it’s always bride/groom. Instead ask: Are you the bride? And your what’s your fiancé’s name? Do this instead of handing over a form to fill out with the words bride and groom printed on it.
Photography by laylledigitalmedia
The key to being an ally is simply showing a bit of support. Treat the LGBTQ+ community with the same respect as one would for any other couple. We are all human and I am a firm believer that we are here to love. Let’s break away from our old school thoughts of only man/ woman weddings. Not everyone is the same, and together we can make the world more inclusive and an overall better place.
4 Gorgeous Wedding Dresses And The Dreamer Who Created Them
Photography: @findinglightphotography
Dress @dorasasu
Florals @thebridecandy
Planner @ohmyoccasions
Hair/makeup @tashymariemakeup
Model @camicuesta_
Stationary @tintaypulso
Venue @penthouserw
Dora Sasu is a wedding dress designer born and raised in Romania and now residing in Miami Florida. Dora’s soul is as beautiful as the wedding dresses she designs. Her story is written in her dresses which she has named after the people she loves. This is a story about 4 dresses and a childhood dream turned reality. Let’s get to know her and the dresses she creates.
Styling and planning @socoalicea
Photo: @ericamelissa_
Floral design: @rodristudio
Venue: @thetemplehouse
Makeup & Hair: @katytc
Headpiece: @roxlynch
Model: @camicuesta_
Dress: @dorasasu
The Lilian
Dora has been sewing by hand since she was seven years old. She would sneak into her mothers closet and take old clothes so she could sew dresses for her dolls. The Lilian dress was named after Dora‘s mother. Dora’s design style is sexy and elegant. So to reflect her mothers graceful reserved persona this dress is the most modest of her collection. The beading of the dress has no sparkle but adds beauty and texture to the entire dress. Lace is in homage to how delicate her mother was. This dress defines elegance with a subtle approach – her rendition of her mother as a dress.
The Isabella
Dora received her first sewing machine at 14 years old. In high school she wore her clothes and people would ask her where she got them. This is the age where she started to get paid to make clothes for other people as a side gig. Growing up in Romania there wasn’t many options for clothing so it was interesting for her to see who had a different style of clothing from other parts of the world. The Isabella was named after her cousin she admired for her style which she described as sexy and Italian.
The Michelle
Throughout her life, Dora has never stopped sewing. Even in college or when she was waitressing she would sew on her breaks. She later moved to the United States where she eventually started working for a production company that produced weddings and other events. This is where she was inspired to create wedding dresses. The Michelle was named after a friend of hers she cared for very much. Michelle felt very lonely and Dora understood the feeling as they both left their homes in Romania to build a new life in the United States. Even though Michele is an introvert, Dora made the Michele dress sparkle so that it could bring light in to her life and make the sadness go away. Almost like the night sky even in its darkness the stars still sparkle.
The Viorela
Designer wedding dresses are mostly hand beaded and sewn. This was a talent Dora honed over years of sewing. So she started doing photo shoots for her dresses. The more she created, the better she got and the more innovative her dresses became. The Viorela was named after her father Viore. Dora met her father later on in life and discovered that he liked to sew as well. In fact he loves unique styles and patterns like she does. He would often get his clothes made and designed for himself. She took this into consideration when creating this dress/pantsuit and made it interchangeable. This is her favorite of the collection and is three outfits in one. The pant suit comes with a train and a skirt that turns it in to a dress.
Photography: @findinglightphotography
Dress @dorasasu
Florals @thebridecandy
Planner @ohmyoccasions
Hair/makeup @tashymariemakeup
Model @camicuesta_
Stationary @tintaypulso
Venue @penthouserw
Dara started designing dresses full-time a year ago. I think what I love most about Dora’s collection is learning about her story. I think it’s amazing when a dreamer makes their childhood dream a reality. Dora’s devotion for sewing her whole life has manifested beautiful dresses created with love for brides to be. When you wear one, it’s as if you’re wearing love itself. Not only has she made beautiful dresses but touched the hearts of all the women who wear them.
The Mermaid Bride
The Mermaid Bride
IG: @Mermaid_jules
Photography @thestory
Many of us have seen Little Mermaid. As a child I would flip my hair just the way she did in the movie in my bath tub splashing water all over my bathroom (poor mom). So you could only imagine what I felt when I discovered a bride of mine was a professional mermaid! I became one of her biggest fans and would stalk her instagram on the regular.
IG mermaid_jules
I remember the first time I spoke to mermaid Jules. She was everything you would expect a mermaid to be like. She was bubbly , sweet , and very pretty. She has a pink mermaid tail , her hair was long , and she wore crowns made out of seashells. Anthony her fiancé definitely resembles a prince. Anthony was a tall, dashing, dark haired gentleman. The both looked like they came straight out of a fairytale.
What does a mermaid Choose for her wedding? A seaside wedding of course! Starfish were placed on every table, pearls were added to her bouquet and a mini starfish in Anthony’s boutonniere . Her colors were blush pinks, pearly whites and light shades of greens.
On the day of the wedding I wore my Little Mermaid shirt. I must say it was a hit, especially for my bride who noticed it immediately. What does a mermaid wear on her wedding day? A dress with a seashell top, pearl necklace , and a smile that made the entire ocean sparkle with her. When she walked down the aisle her dress flowed as her bare feet hit the sand. Hair blowing in the wind she married her prince in front of all of their her loved ones. It was a happily ever after straight from a fairytale.
#MermaidSquad
Look closely at the petals in her bouquet!
Fun Fact : Mermaid Jules made her dress!