In, wedding dress, celebration of our second blogaversary (yay!), this week has been all about giveaways, giveaways, giveaways. You've probably noticed.
Well you have just eensy-weensy bit of time left to enter all of these amazing contests and I definitely don't want you to miss this amazing opportunity.
Here's a quick round up of all of the great contests that you can still enter:
Head over to the Wedding Window contest for your chance to win a free 12-month hosting term at Wedding Window including premium planning tools and 75 MB of Audio/Visual space. There will be two winners... so you have double the chance to win!
Next up on the giveaway list is a chance to win a gorgeous custom veil from Chaviano Bridal Couture. Annette is a Southern Weddings, wedding dress, favorite and she is even making a veil for Katharine's wedding so you know her work must be superb!
The girls at Southern Weddings (especially Emily) refuse to believe this hub-bub that hand-written letters are going extinct. We believe that everyone should send out personal thank you cards often. It just gives us warm fuzzies whenever we get them! In an effort to bring back the art of the thank you card, we are giving away 50 custom thank you cards from Mika 78.
You aren't going to want to miss this one! Enter to win a classic vase from Wedgwood. Wedgwood China serve as great heirlooms, which Emily can attest to. Win your heirloom here.
Mmm, no blogaversary giveaway week is complete without a chocolate giveaway. To make matters even better, these aren't just any chocolates. These are some of the best chocolates we have ever tasted from Delysia Chocolatier. Hurry! Enter now!
Last but certainly not least, be sure to enter the Cufflinks 2 Wear contest for 5 pairs of cufflinks. That's a lot of cufflinks! Enough for all your groomsmen!
Okay, y'all have until 11:59 tonight to enter all of the stellar giveaways. My advice to you is to enter every single one of, weddings dresses, them!
Good luck!
For, wedding dress, Yvonne + Kevin, the hometown sweethearts who swapped "I dos" at the Oliver Family Farm, the fun was all in the details. Case in point: the fabulous fashion + beyond-awesome getaway cars – er, vehicles. The bride and her attendants donned summer-worthy J. Crew frocks and sandals while the gents cleaned up nicely in salmon-colored slacks, navy blazers and customized sneakers. And check out the hot ride the bride + groom hijacked on their way to the ceremony. Genius! Jenna Walker Photographers documented the couple’s Pennsylvania wedding, and was good enough to give us enough images for two posts. More soon!
How did the two of you meet? We are from the same small town in New Jersey, and have known each other for years.
Describe the proposal. We got engaged at, A-Line Bridesmaid Dress, home on a cold winter evening in front of a cozy fire.
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Country-cool, laid-back and fun.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: Rather than hire a videographer, we decided to commission a painter to paint the wedding live as it happened. Frenchy is a live performance artist who paints acrylic on canvas. The guests enjoyed watching the painting come to life and those that wanted to could help put paint on the canvas. The best part is that we have a priceless memento of our amazing day! Another favorite detail was the wedding favor: jars of honey supplied by the bees from the aviary on our property. We also really liked the escort cards, which were tied to antique horseshoes with ribbon.
Tell us about finding your weddings dresses: Easy! I chose the Erica gown online from J.Crew. I didn’t even try on one wedding dresses prior to choosing it!
If Yvonne, wedding dresses, + Kevin don’t look like the epitome of a happily married couple, I don’t know who can. They are in lurve, and I love it! Murphy and Klein Floral Studio provided the backyard-inspired floral arrangements, and Jones Scones delighted guests with spread of gourmet cupcakes. And yes, the newlyweds did commission a proessional painter in lieu of a videographer to capture the play-by-play of their ceremony and reception. The result? A masterpieces the couple will cherish forever. Visit Jenna Walker Photographers’ blog to see the original post from the weekend – and speaking of weekends: we hope y'all had a great one!
Describe your wedding flowers: Understated, natural and unfussy. The hand-tied bridal bouquet featured white cosmos, white ranunculus and white scabiosa. My bridesmaids carried a simple mix of cymbidium orchids nestled in green and white cosmos. Each of the guys had an orchid boutonniere, green for the groomsmen and, Strapless Prom Dresses, white for the groom. The cocktail tables had silver mint julep cups full of Queen Anne’s lace. We used hay bales covered with madras fabric for seating at the cocktail hour.
Describe your wedding cake: In lieu of a traditional wedding cake, we served gourmet cupcakes displayed on a tiered cupcake stand. Flavors included red velvet, pumpkin spice and chocolate ganache. Delicious! No one could eat just one.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? It’s impossible for us to choose just one. We remember and cherish every moment of the day that we spent with each other, friends and family.
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? We didn’t write our own vows, but my favorite part was when Kevin accidentally repeated after the Reverend when he wasn’t supposed to!
What’s next for you as a couple? Starting a family.
Congratulations to the happy couple! A-Line Bridesmaid Dresses, We wish you all the best as newlyweds!
I've always, Knee Length Prom Dress, pushed for a week long celebration of my birth, but it always gets paired down to a single day. Thank goodness that we celebrate Southern Weddings Magazine's birth week. We celebrated our Second Blogaversary in style with a week of fantastic giveaways. All birth weeks must come to an end (until next year) but I wanted to squeeze one more day of Blogaversary excitement in to announce the winners of all of our many contests:
We asked readers to send us their favorite memories of their significant other for a chance to win a 12 month subscription to Wedding Window to make their very own wedding website.
Congratulations to Amanda H and Sydney D!
One of my favorite memories of my dear and I was right after he proposed--we were so excited! Most people would break open a bottle of champagne, or spend a night on the town, but the first thing that we wanted to do was to go get, wedding dresses, celebratory ice cream cones. We go back there all the time, not only because the ice cream is delicious, but because we always like to reminisce about our wonderful, and very "us," engagement celebration.
April 5, 2010 | Amanda H
I am a girl who truly enjoys anything special. I am easily amused, lucky for my sweetie. My sophomore year of college (we had just started dating), the flu attacked me. When I get sick, I really get sick. I did not look like hot stuff- skin was broken out, my hair was a mess, my nose was dry and red and I was totally rockin' the sweats. Lucas (previously noted as 'sweetie'), asked if we could spend some time together but I let him know that I was a walking viral plague and that he probably did not want to see me. He played it cool and said we would hang out soon. Well, not a hour later I hear the doorbell ring. I hesitantly went to the door, and who do I see? You guessed it; 'sweetie'. Insecure as I was, I found strength, Sheath Prom Dresses, to open the door and let him see my zombie(ish) features. He answered, "Hello beautiful." That was all it took and I was ready to say "I do!" He had my favorite smoothie in one hand and a single rose and 'The Little Mermaid" (my FAVE movie of all time) in the other. I will NEVER forget how special and beautiful he made me feel when I had previously felt like death. From that moment on, I knew that he was a keeper!
Chaviano Bridal Couture has some of the best veils around! Traci has been selected as the winner of a custom veil from Annette at Chaviano Bridal Couture:
What a wonderful giveaway! My gown is ivory satin with a wonderful vintage-y art-deco lace inset, and I'd love just the right veil to complement it. In my mind's eye I see a float of ivory net, wafting to my fingertips, with gorgeous lace accents that evoke that 1930's Hollywood glamour feel. It should complement the dress and the vintage jewelry, yet have an elegant and unique personality of its own... think Rita Hayworth glamour coupled with Katherine Hepburn sass. :-)
It looks like the Southern Weddings editors aren't the only ones obsessed with Mika78! Hannah S. will get 50 custom thank you cards. She chose the Botanicals design from Mika 78 as her very favorite.
First on the website and first in my heart, my favorite design is Botanicals. I love the simple yet elegant feel of the plain white with just a, Sheath Prom Dress, peek of color peeking over the corners. I also love the way they are held together with the Victorian style monogram print in the center. It is the perfect blend of antique and modern.
Did you register for china? We posed this question for the chance to win a gorgeous classic crystal vase from Wedgwood China. Congratulations to Randi E., who was selected as the winner (and has, coincidentally, registered for china):
We registered for china so that we could have nice dishes to use for sunday dinners, holidays and special occasions. We registered at Macy's for the Wedgewood "Golden Bird" collection. I can't wait to start getting some of the pieces in!!
I am a humongous chocolate fan, so I am super excited to announce that June W. will get 25 favor boxes from Delysia Chocolatier (that's 50 pieces of chocolate) for her special day. Lucky, lucky. Plus, she provided tips on the correct way savor chocolates:
Having worked in a gourmet chocolate shop, I think it would be a great addition to my wedding! Our date is November 21, 2010, and I think I, Special Occasion Dresses, would be a great recipient bc I truly know HOW to appreciate chocolate. Did you know you're never supposed to chew it!? Press it between the back of your tongue and the roof of your mouth and let it melt. Enjoy!
In addition, Delysia Chocolatier has a special offer for Southern Weddings readers! Readers will get a complimentary 9-piece signature collection if they place an order over $400 by April 19th. This is perfect for the newly weds to enjoy in their room with a glass of champagne. If you would like to take part in this special offer, please email Nicole at nicole@delysia.com.
Cufflinks 2 Wear offers amazing cufflinks to add that little something to the groom's attire. We asked readers to tell us why their man is the best. Congratulations to Rachel L. and her yo-yo pro groom. They will get 5 pairs of cufflinks for, Special Occasion Dress, all the groomsmen (who hopefully can also yo-yo like pros).
My groom is the best because:
1) he buys me a bottle of wine and draws me a bath when I have a bad day
2) he moved all the way to Georgia to support me in school
3) he can yo-yo like a pro
4) he has the most hilarious sense of humor I've ever seen!
Last but not least, we had a special photo caption contest on our Southern Weddings Facebook fan page for the chance to win a copy of the very first issue of Southern Weddings Magazine. It is completely sold out other than the few copies that we have kept in our private stock.
Congratulations to Daniel C! Check out his caption:
A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E. That's, wedding dress, really the only word that even comes close to capturing the fabulosity of our youngest Watercolor models and their furry friend. Photographer Jeff Holt was on hand to document the magic, and as Jeff might be the biggest dog fiend I've ever met, I'm sure this wasn't one of his toughest assignments. Both little ladies are sporting Twigs & Honey hair pieces -- I only WISH I could pull off this style as chicly as they did!
My favorite part about working with Jeff on his Watercolor Palette was that he was really into his shoot. He didn't just show up at the end of the day and fire off a few shots. No, he was at our side first thing in the morning, iPod dock and tunes in tow, setting up tables, folding napkins, and wrapping twine around and around tiny mason jars. He was an all star, and I think it shows in his images.
Lastly, I just have to give a shout out to the bottom left image. It had been a loooooong day of shooting, and when the rest of us finally called it quits half an hour after the sun set, Jeff and stylist Joy were still hard at work setting up and executing one last very complicated shot. I really have no idea what they were doing in photography terms, but it involved lots of pinpointed flashes and repeated exposures. Regardless of what went into it, the end result is pretty magical, don't you think?
Credits: calligraphy strips by MM Ink; Ball Gown Bridal Dresses, bike basket garland by Dolci Odille; banjo and bee boutonnieres by Fritts Rosenow; beeswax candles from Beau-coup Favors; macarons from Paulette and Sucre; bee bowtie by Southern Proper; tree trunk cake stands by Jessica Johnson; bee skep sculpture by Middleburg Folk Art Studio; pound cakes from Janie's Cakes; dark chocolate caramel cookies from Sucre; cake flag banner from Baumbirdy; "give luck" reusable fabric gift wrap from Chewing the Cud; rentals from Nationwide Tents N Events; linens from La Tavola Linen
As a reminder, NONE of these photos are featured in the latest issue! Snag your copy now to see the rest of the goodness!
Beth + Jon, wedding dresses, were going for earthy and rustic with their West Coast wedding, and I’m willing to bet there are few more appropriate venues than the Rancho Las Lomas. Other details that helped give their wedding, photographed by Joel Austell and planned by Jesi Haack, a romantic, natural feel: olive-hued bridesmaids frocks (David’s Bridal) and burlap-wrapped bouquets (also Jesi Haack). My favorite details, though, are the groom’s sweet gum boutonnière and the moss-filled drawer that held the couple’s wedding cake. For her walk down the aisle, Beth wore the very first dress she tried on: a classic princess gown from David’s Bridal. Sweet and Saucy prepared the couple’s pistachio crumb cake and drool-worthy dessert table. We'll take one of everything, thank you!
How did the two of you meet? Tell us your, wedding dress, story. coffee shop + box of white powdered donuts + Jon & Beth = the beginning.
Describe the proposal. Our engagement came as such a surprise to me. It was a few days before Christmas and Jon was over wrapping presents. My cousin and I had to run a few errands, but Jon insisted on staying behind to finish wrapping presents for friends and family. When I got home, Jon snuck up behind me and handed a handmade card. He was sending me on a scavenger hunt! With my family following my every move, I followed his clues all throughout the house. For the final clue, Jon had cut out footprints and I followed them to a ladder in my backyard. So I climbed on up.
I was living ten minutes away from Disneyland, and I have always said I want to watch the fireworks from my roof. He told me my surprise was to watch them. So we cuddled up for the show. (He had timed everything perfectly down to the very first colorful firework.) As the fireworks ended, I kissed him and told him thank you for such a sweet surprise. I stood up to climb down from the roof when I saw the entire lawn below us was lit up in Christmas lights saying, "WILL U MARRY ME?” I was so excited that I still wonder how I didn’t fall. Then he got down on his knee and asked me to marry him. (I said yes.)
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Earthy, rustic and warm.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: Other than starting about five minutes late, the wedding went off without a hitch. Our dream of a warm, rustic wedding was incorporated into every aspect and completed exactly how we had envisioned.
Tell us about finding your wedding dress: My dress was the first and only dress I tried on. I saw it online so I grabbed my mom, got in the car, prayed it was a great fit and bought it that day.
Describe your wedding flowers: We used fresh seasonal flowers and other non-traditional plant material in different shades of green and brown. The bouquets were wrapped in burlap and jute twine, and we used real tree stumps as vases for the table centerpieces. The guy’s boutonnières were made from twigs and moss with a spiky seedpod from a liquid amber tree. The whole feel was rustic, as if gathered straight from the forest.
Describe your wedding cake: Picture perfect! We served a pistachio crumb cake that sat on top of a vintage, moss-filled dresser. It was mouth watering scrumptious!
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? When meeting with certain vendors, it was hard not to feel like they thought we were the black sheep of all weddings. We had our ideas, some of which were not easily visualized, but we stuck to what we wanted and didn’t cave to what other’s thought our wedding should be like.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? The most memorable moment was Jon singing all the words of our song in my ear during our first dance.
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? We both wrote our own vows. Without knowing what each other had written, we both said how cool it was to be able to marry our best friend.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? We are really looking forward to our new life together. We plan to do some traveling and to someday start a family.
Three cheers and a lifetime of happiness for the happy couple! We wish, Wedding Shawl, you both the best.