No More Secrets

I feel almost like I am admitting I've been cheating. It's not so bad, of course. But I have kind of been cheating on you, you dear SWOONOVERIT readers. You see, I have been - for a long long time now - building up a blog that is on one hand entirely different from this one here. But on the other, it is entirely the same.

My "big announcement" has recently been unleashed to the world: I have been pursuing photography, rather than wedding planning, for quite some time now. But do not misunderstand here: my love for details, admiration of crafty DIY projects, and obsession with stories of love has not changed. Not one bit. In fact, I plan to take everything that I have going here and continue it at my new blog. The change? A new design, lots more photos (of course!), and - obviously - a new URL.

So what am I getting at here? I'm trying to tell you that there is a whole new big bad SWOONOVERIT out there and you're going to be missing out if you don't head on over and check it out. I promise it's the same me. Just way, way cooler. I will not be deleting this blog for the sake of keeping it on hand for the archival of old posts. But, there will be no more updates here. This shouldn't be sad, of course, because, well, let's just say this will be a major upgrade.

And, don't forget to add www.swoonovertheblog.com to your Google Reader or other subscription service. I have lots of real wedding goodness on the way!

www.swoonovertheblog.com

xxox.

Soft, Sweet, Bridal Shower

Was recently sent these bridal shower photos from DeAnna Masella and loved the soft, sweet, vintage-y-ness of them all. What a lucky bride to have someone so meticulously capturing the details of even her bridal shower! I am a total sucker for details, so when I saw how many she had capturing the arrangements, food, and decor - I simply knew you'd love it as much as I did.

Laura Beth and Dillon were married on June 18th. Cannot wait to see what their wedding looked like!

Enjoy!

So sweet, right? Be sure to check out DeAnna Masella Photography for more.

Party in Miami with The Wedding Salon

Can't believe it - I almost forgot! - recently heard that The Wedding Salon is hosting a show in Miami on Monday, June 14th. The show is said to include some of the top bridal professionals like Ana Paz, Disney's Fairytale Weddings, and Saks Fifth Avenue, Bal Harbour who will be treating brides to complimentary mini-makeovers and consultations. All this plus a stellar VIP giftbag, of course.

They were kind enough to send over a promo code for readers of this blog - if you'd like to attend. Please see below - and report back with details if you go!

Happy weekend, lovelies!

Tomorrow is the day.

I've talked about it before. Probably many times before. But, my brother and future sister-in-law are getting married.... tomorrow. I'm in like utter disbelief. It truly feels like just yesterday they got engaged. But, watching their wedding planning process has been so inspiring. I've been so lucky to be involved in their invitations, envelopes, engagement session and more.

Plus, they've been the inspiration behind boards like this:

Please find listing of sources here.

But, tomorrow is the day. Finally. To two of the sweetest, happiest, most fun couples I know - I wish you a lifetime of love and laughter. I am so excited to be a part of your day in so many ways. I cannot wait to see you together as a wonderful husband and wife team, and to one day meet your gorgeous babies (don't deny it: they're coming). I love you guys more than I could express.

To everyone else, wish me luck this weekend and hope I don't trip down the aisle. I'll be a little MIA at the beginning of next week as I'll still be vacationing in Florida with my family for the event, but I'll be sure to report back later in the week with lots of details!

Happy weekend, my lovelies!

The Perfect Wedding Magazine: Real Simple Weddings 2010

So, Real Simple sent me this magazine over a while ago to review and, to be completely honest, it entirely slipped my mind. When it arrived in the mail, I read it and poured over its pages from cover to cover for, well, hours. But then I entirely forgot to tell you all just what I thought.

You see, I reviewed Real Simple Weddings 2009 last year, and I have to admit, my love of their clean design, thorough advice, and stunning pages still hasn't changed. Not one bit.

This year, Real Simple Weddings 2010 is simply chock full of beautiful inspiration and tons of wonderful advice.

For each section, there is a list of common questions and wonderfully written advice on how to deal with these issues.

My absolute favorite - the glossaries of terms. Below is one such example of the different dress types. Because, let's be honest here, most people only get married once. And, unless you are into fashion design, you likely don't know all the differences between a trumpet style and mermaid style. And, why should you?

This one is really key for me. When I was a bride, I realized most surprisingly that I actually knew little to nothing about flowers except which ones "looked pretty." Here's some help for those like me!

And let's not forget the "real weddings" displayed throughout the magazine. Tasteful. Simple. Beautiful.

And, here's what I mentioned last year and I'm so glad they stuck by. This is what makes Real Simple Weddings so different from the other wedding magazines. The entire thing is sponsored by one company - in this case, Target's Club Wedd. Why does this matter? Because most magazines are this same size and more than half of it is ads. Not so with Real Simple. Target's Club Wedd is featured on the back and only once or twice inside. So tasteful you almost don't realize there is any advertising at all.

So, if you haven't gotten the gist yet, I'd recommend Real Simple Weddings over and over again to any bride. Have you seen the issue? What did you think? Were you as impressed as I was?

The Boutique

Ummmmm, I got so caught up in, well, catching up, that I cannot believe I forgot to even mention it. You remember when I told you about The Wedding Boutique? Well, fabulous news: THE NYC WEDDING BOUTIQUE LAUNCHED LAST WEEK.

Many of you are not NYC professionals or brides, yet I still think you'd find it enjoyable to read. I mean, who doesn't love the City? And for those that are, well, you're seriously missing out if you haven't checked out this resource yet. You can find it at: www.thenycweddingboutique.com.

Enjoy!

We All Scream for Ice Cream

...well, maybe not scream. But squeal in delight? Absolutely. Which is just about what I was doing when I saw these babies.

Having a beach wedding? Outdoor wedding? Summer wedding in general? I present to you, the perfect, adorable, unique favor for your guests....

The ice cream towel. Pretty perfect, no? When I stumbled on these over at Beau-Coup I seriously could not believe my eyes. I'm obsessed. And, I'm pretty sure your guests would be too.

Have you seen any incredibly unique favors lately [either when you were browsing or at a recent event]? I'd love to see them!

Feature: Mismikado's Wedding Invitations

I have been wanting to post these for some time but hadn't gotten the chance to get some good photos of them. A long, long time ago, I donated some of my calligraphy to a contest. Lucky for me, the winner ended up being the fabulous Sebrina Schultz of Mismikado's Journey Down the Aisle. I learned over time that she had the crafty bug in her, but had no idea just how talented she was until I got these babies in the mail. Check it:

Stunning no? I love that she spared no detail. The lace on the front. The fabulous font design work, it's no wonder that Sebrina went on to open her brand spanking new business, Mismikado Creations. I cannot wait to see everywhere she goes with it! Head on over and welcome her to the wedding business world.

Plus, she just had her wedding this last weekend! So, be sure to check out her blog for all the recaps and details of the day. I cannot wait to see how it all came together!

On that note, have you seen any DIY invitations that took your breath away? Send them over, I want to see them!

Presenting: THE URBAN BRIDE

Remember when I said I had three big announcements? Well, they've take a little longer than I had hoped, but I do indeed have all three. Here is my reason for the complete lack of posts these last two weeks.... Announcement #2? The Urban Bride.

A blog about all things city-centered. City brides: welcome to your new home. We aim to bring you all the urban inspiration jam-packed into one big blog! We have some exciting things up our sleeves for the next couple weeks, so take a peek, add it to your Reader, and follow us along. And, as always, leave comments letting us know what you think! We cannot wait to bring you this exciting new outlet to share our inspirations.

Enjoy! xxox.

The Traditional in Non-Traditional

One of my favorite things is when brides and grooms do something totally unexpected at their wedding. Maybe it's not as extreme as a first dance to the Hokey Pokey. But even something totally traditional with a unique spin on it.

A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to attend a beautiful wedding where the bride and groom did just that. We've all heard of the traditional receiving line. And, from a wedding planner's perspective, they're a pain. They take forever. They're hard to predict time-wise. They usually eat into the reception time. And so much more. But this wedding, you see, didn't have just any old receiving line.

After photos, the bride and groom welcomed everyone at the cocktail hour and began the receiving line there. After hugging and welcoming each guest, the guest would proceed into the reception where the buffet was waiting for them.

Why was this so brilliant? Because enough time elapsed between each guest speaking with the bride and groom that there was never a line for the buffet. Guests just grabbed a plate and were able to walk right up! Brilliant? I think so.

So, how did you or are you going to mix it up? Considering a receiving line? I recommend this!

Milk and Cookies

I have to admit, the idea has been around for a while. But, the first time I heard of it I think I gasped aloud at its brilliance: milk and cookies.

Maybe you plan on dancing so much you need a midnight snack. Maybe you just aren't into the cake thing (in which case, don't tell me - I'm obsessed!). Or maybe you just want to send your guests on their way with a little treat.

Whatever the case, I'm nearly obsessed with the milk and cookies idea.

You could have cute little shotglasses of milk.

Via Event Accomplished.

Or use them as a cake replacement.

Via Big Fat Cake.

Via Big Fat Cake.

My favorite? The attendant serving them on a tray to the guests on the dancefloor.

Via The Flirty Guide.

Whatever way you go about it, the milk and cookies idea is inexpensive, tasty, and incredibly cute. Fingers crossed I can convince one of my next brides on this!

Have you seen this or something like it? What were the guest's reactions? Or, are you planning to do this?

A Sad Goodbye, A Happy Hello

This is an announcement that I should have made a long time ago. But, somehow, for some reason, I just couldn't do it. Perhaps I couldn't bring myself to face the reality of it. Or I didn't want to disappoint. But, a while ago I began re-routing my calligraphy shop to this very blog. Why, you ask?

Well, I have many other things to be excited about. And with a big move and a lot of other projects to tend to, calligraphy was never the light of my life. Don't get me wrong - I loved it. But mostly, I loved it because I loved my clients - not the work. Sometime in January I spent one weekend writing over three hundred envelopes and designing two maps, and, quite literally, I lost feeling in the tip of my thumb. Unfortunately, I still do not have it completely back today - though it has gotten better. Thankfully, this has not affected my ability to write in any way. But it is frustrating and certainly weighed on this decision.

To my current clients: please rest assured. I will still be completing ALL OF THE ORDERS that I have already booked. This announcement is only being made so interested clients know that I am no longer accepting orders. Your already booked orders will still be processed and delivered on schedule and just as planned!

For those that were interested in my work, I would love to refer you to the ever-fabulous Penned & Pretty.

Jessica, owner and calligrapher, opened her doors just before I did last year and has a fabulous style and impeccable taste. Check out her beautiful blog and fall in love with her work. You won't be disappointed.

But, please don't feel sorry about this decision. I assure you - it was made with much excitement and enthusiasm for what is to come. It will be good. I promise. Oh yes, and rest assured that the SWOONOVERIT blog isn't going anywhere. Yet.

Big Announcement: Part I of III

Big announcement, you ask? Part I of III? Crazy, I know. I have three big announcements. And, assuming all goes as planned, will be making them one at a time over the next three weeks. One of them involves the mystery clues I've set along the way. But, I'm saving that one for later, my friends.

Today I bring to you a project that I've been working on with the lovely Meghan Magritz, also known as The City Bride. Over the past six weeks or so, we've sweated, cried, laughed, and obsessed over a concept that we believe will make a difference. We want to see wedding professionals across the country come together to help brides and grooms create the wedding of their dreams. We want to pull these wedding professional geniuses out of the crowd and deliver all their tips and advice in one spot. One blog for every city. So a New York City bride can read one spot to find all her favorite vendors inspiration, real work, tips, and advice. We bring you: The Wedding Boutique.

It's so complex however, that trying to explain it all in one simple blogpost just won't do it justice. Please, please, please hop on over to our website - The Wedding Boutique - to find out more about the project and how to get involved. It is, after all, a concept that changes everything.

Also, you can follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/thewedboutique

Shoot us an e-mail: info@thewedboutique.com or amanda@thewedboutique.com

Or give us a call: 215.882.0857 (Meghan) or 215.588.9472 (me)

So, what do you think? Leave a comment here, or better yet, over there - giving us your feedback. We can't wait to hear it!