the fairmount bride

A Purple Punch

I have an appointment to talk with a potential florist this coming Wednesday and was poking around on InStyle Weddings  to collect ideas for center pieces.  I am still a bit undecided on a specific color scheme, we are having a neutral color palette for our wedding party, my girls in chocolate brown, and the men in tan.  What I do know is that I want bright, and vibrant colors.  Magenta's, Wine's, & Raspberry's are a few that pop out in my head.  I saw this arrangement, and loved it!  Not only do the colors fit my desire for vibrancy, but we are going to be using rectangular tables, and this design would look awesome!  It is so simple and clean, and I love how it is long and sits low.  And purple?  Hmmm, I'm intrigued...

(photo from InStyle Weddings)

The Impending Nuptials

I thought it fitting that I fill in a few blanks regarding my upcoming wedding on October 25th of this year.   My fiance and I are from Philadelphia, and love our home town, but when it came time to planning our wedding, we had one word in mind, DESTINATION!

We began to search out potential sites, until one afternoon I stumbled upon a real wedding on The Knot that took my breath away.  I saw these pictures, and I knew that this was what we were looking for!

It is the The Ribault Club, which is located on Fort George Island, FL.  I knew that when I saw that big oak tree, we had to get married underneath it.  Upon further research, I found out that Ft George Island is one of the barrier islands, and is right next door to Amelia Island, a gorgeous vacation spot about a half hour from Jacksonville, in northern Florida.  It was perfect!  We wanted a destination wedding, it will be an easy locale for our guests to get to, and presents a southern charm that will give our special day something completely beautiful and unique! 

I contacted Leana Gallagher, who runs Amelia Occasions, and put the wedding planning in process.  She is awesome, and I have definitely needed her help, given that I am not only planning a destination wedding, but a destination wedding at a venue where all the vendors have to be brought in!  So many decisions, so much to do, but loving every minute of it! 

1st and 2nd photo from The Knot

3rd photo from Amelia Occasions

A Clutch Move

A great accessory for any bride on her big day can be her bag.  It shouldn't be too big, no need for the same size tote you use on a daily basis!  It's a perfect time to minimize and actually only bring what's necessary.  A lipstick, compact, a hanky, and off course a mint!  This Celestina clutch caught my eye. It's not for the classic bride, probably something for someone a bit more funky.   It's actually made of stingray, which gives it amazing texture, and I really like the color.  I think is an absolutely unique and fabulous choice! 

Celestina Banyabes Clutch from Net-a-Porter

To Placecard or Not to Placecard...

Recently, I was in a conversation with girlfriends regarding the use of placecards at my reception.  I told them we are having stations, rather than a sit down dinner, and I was not using placecards.  Why would I?  The feel of our wedding is more laid back, we don't want a the formal feel of people being assigned to one table over another.  In addition, we don't necessarily want everyone to sit down at one time to eat, the food will be out all evening, so when people are ready they can sit at any table and grab a bite.  Apparently, that was the wrong answer!

They were adament, we need to put placecards out so that people know where to sit.  Their point being that it can get awkward when guests don't know a lot of people, where should they go?  I countered with the argument of being the single person, put at a table where you don't know anyone.  Whose right?  We both are.  For us, we opt to not have the formal feel that placecards may create.  However, I think at other weddings, placecards are beautiful and make complete sense.  I think they can add a great decorative element, tying in the colors of the wedding, and allowing a little personal touch from the bride and groom.  And if I were to choose to have placecards, I would definitely look to these to draw some ideas...

 

Amazing color...

There is something really sweet and romantic about the dragonflies.  I also really like the floral drawings on each..

I like the simplicity of the cards, and the use of fresh flowers to add some color on the placecard table...

So classic....

(All photos from www.theknot.com)

Thank you J.Crew!

Bridesmaid dress shopping, as I have learned, can either be a piece of cake, or an experience similar to what I would imagine walking over hot coals would feel like!  In this day and age of so many different body types, it is extremely hard to find a style of a dress that is going to look good on everyone.  Especially when each of your bridesmaid's will give you a laundry list of styles, colors, and cuts that they refuse to be seen in... 

This is where J.Crew comes in and saves the day!  They offer a great selection of dresses, in so many different styles and colors, that it is virtually impossible to not find something for everyone.  Now, I know they offer bridal services, but for those who don't want to deal with the fuss (i.e.-me!), you can have your girls order a couple of different sizes, even styles, try them on and easily return the ones you don't choose via mail, or just take them to the store.  Here are just a couple that I fell in love with...

This color is amazing, and I love the fuller skirt...

I think this neckline would work for so many different women, and I really like how the sash accentuates the waist...

Hello Audrey Hepburn!  I love the classic look of this dress...