Bridal & Formals by RJS takes pride in offering the best selection, lowest prices and excellent service. If you are looking for a fancy showroom, this is not the place for you but if you are looking for a great deal on your wedding dress, contact Celia to learn more. Oh yeah - mention MWS and receive $25 off wedding gown purchases over $400!!
On Saturday, I attended the Bridesedge.com bridal show and thought I would recap for those who were unable to attend.
If you are a bride seeking a bargain or looking to plan a million dollar wedding on a $20K or less budget - this show was a must-attend! It offered a great assortment of budget-friendly, Nashville wedding vendors. It was not crowded so it was easy to chat one-on-one with your vendor of interest. The vendors were very nice and welcoming, perhaps because they weren’t exhausted from chatting with thousands of brides:) Everyone was smiling and friendly… how refreshing!
Here’s the best of what you missed:
Cakes by Shara - This was my favorite treat of the day! Simply cute, cute, cute! Loads of talent. Check out this custom cake designer, who’s big on style and taste.
(These cookies and mini cakes are great for bridal showers!)
Amber Leaf Events - What drew me to their booth was the extraordinary table setting pictured below. It was simply breathtaking and would leave your guests speechless. After drooling over the table, the owner told me more about the venue. Amber Leaf is an all-in-one venue that can accomodate up to 250/300 guests for wedding ceremonies and receptions. They can handle everything you need - from decorating to catering to the rehearsal dinner. Love it! I can’t wait to see the venue in person but it sounds like a great option for a bride seeking to minimize her stress. It is located in Gallatin, which isn’t a bad drive.
Myrick Studios - Not quite an option for the budget bride but absolutely stunning work. His images remind me of a fairy tale because they seem to pretty to be real - wow! Mike is a Nashville wedding photographer filled with talent. He looks like a cuter, younger version George Michael and has a laid-back personality. (Your bridesmaids will appreciate him as eye candy:) Visit his site and see for yourself. *Disclaimer - If you are a budget bride looking to splurge - check him out; otherwise, don’t tempt yourself. (Hey - dont want you going in debt for your wedding…but if you have to, this is one splurge item.)
Silver Strings - Linda of Silver Strings had the biggest personality of the day! She welcomed me into her booth and kept me laughing. She is a wedding musician and she seems to love what she does. One thing that really stood out is Linda’s willingness to work with her brides. If she doesn’t know “your favorite” song, she will learn it. That’s rare!
Frozen Moments Photography - Kay is another great photographer with an awesome personality. This guys seems to really “get” photography. And, his wife is really sweet so I am sure they will take great care of your wedding party/parents.
Hampshire Photography - A relatively newcomer but a great value! He offers three packages under $1000. Since he is a newbie, he is willing to work with his brides to ensure they get great pictures without blowing their budgets.
Dream Cakes Bakery - Olivia is the owner of this home-based business. She was the first booth I visited and her cake reminded me of a grandmother’s - simple yet tasty. Her cakes are a great value and she offers a wide range of unique flavors. Her ”Cookies and Cream” and “Elvis” cakes sound yummy. (Schedule a tasting and please invite me!) That’s Olivia with her wonderful cake pictured below. (She wasn’t expecting me to include her in the picture!)
Larrivieres On The Square - This caterer offered the best white chocolate bread pudding ever. I am not a fan of bread pudding but I couldn’t get enough of theirs. While I still can’t pronounce their name, I know it must be French for “yummy”.
Some of the vendors highlighted above are great for budget brides, others are appropriate for all budgets. Check them out and see what you like and what works for you.
Remember, with MyWeddingSecretary.com - you never miss anything going on in Nashville that involves weddings!
As we prepare for non-stop bridal shows, I thought I would provide a few quick tips to help you prepare.
- Wear comfortable shoes!
- Bring pre-printed name/address/email labels to provide to the vendors you like.
- Know your budget for each category before you go so you can focus on vendors in your budget.
- Ask each vendor for their “bridal show” special; usually they honor these specials up to 30 days after show. This gives you time to consider them without feeling rushed.
- Come ready to snack. There are always great samples.
- Bring your friends and have fun!
- If your friends / family aren’t available, look for me and we can hang out together! (That’s me to the right:)
The wedding planning season kicks off in January and I am getting a bit too excited. There are at least 6 bridal shows in Middle Tennessee between now and February. You can’t go to them all so what’s a girl to do? Well, I have created a simple cheat sheet to compare the shows based on your budget and preferred shopping experience. Hope this helps…
Wedding Budget - 3 basic types:
Bargain Brides who I have nicknamed the “Bargain Blingers”
Moderate Brides who I like to call “Designer Divas”
High-end brides aka my “Couture Chicas”
Shopping Experience - 3 ways to compare:
Target - large and vast selection, many people in aisles, long lines to “check-out” the goods, but something great for everyone
Banana Republic - more personal experience, select, quality, established vendors, not as crowded but fewer vendors
Neiman Marcus - more one-on-one experience, fewer vendors but filled with fabulous finds for luxe brides
I have never attended this show but it sounds like a great one to attend if you live in the Clarksville area. It offers some interesting classes and giveaways that I haven’t seen at other shows.
Shopping Experience - ? Target/Banana Republic
Bride Budgets - ? guessing Frugal Fashionistas and Designer Divas, let me know if I’m wrong
This is not really a bridal show but more a…well, showcase. It does not get more up close and personal than this unique shopping experience. I will also have a booth at this show so please say hello! I’ll have goodies at this show too:)
Shopping Experience - Neiman Marcus
Great for Designer Divas and Couture Chicas
The bottom line is - get in where you fit in as now there is something for everyone. Find a show that caters to your desired shopping experience and budget. There are so many talented Nashville wedding vendors so attend the show of your choice and know you really can’t go wrong as long as you’re having fun.
Did you get engaged on Christmas Day? If so, Congratulations! We can’t wait to hear all about it! Send me your story and I will highlight it here for hundreds of Nashville brides to see!
Over the next few days, I will share some tips for newly engaged, Nashville brides-to-be. I’ll keep them short but helpful because the wedding planning dash usually kicks in…oh, about 20 minutes after you say “yes”.
First things first:
1) Enjoy now, plan later
We get SOOO excited and start wedding planning immediately, which can adversely impact our relationships. Take a few days to enjoy one another before making any major decisions. Grooms often tell me that after the proposal, the relationship was put on “hold” and the wedding became the #1 priority; the relationship suffered. Don’t forget about him - as he is part of the reason for the season. (Sorry, heard that so much during Christmas that I thought I would use it one last time:)
2) Think “marriage of the century” over “wedding of the year”
Who doesn’t want a remarkable wedding? But, as my good guy friend stated, “It is better to have a million dollar marriage and a $5 wedding versus a million dollar wedding and a $5 marriage.”
As brides, we focus a lot on planning a wedding and sometimes neglect to build our marriage. With all of the pretty and tasty things vying for our attention, it is easy to lose focus. My advice is to seek wise counsel early and build a strong foundation. This is a important life decision, much more important than finding the perfect gown. Take time to find the right counselor - through your church, friends or health plan. Your church or place of worship is a great place to start. I also have a short list of pre-marital counselors in my vendor directory.
3) Set a budget and don’t budge!
Before you pick up another bridal magazine or visit another wedding planning website, set your budget. Work with your fiance, your parents, whomever is helping fund your big day and create a realistic budget. Consider what is important to you in the long term (buying a home, having children or paying off debt) and whats important for your wedding day. Set a budget that is comfortable for both of you BEFORE you set a date or fall in love with the wedding gown of your dreams:)
Take it from me. It is easy to blow your budget. Once you visit one bridal show and see all of the amazing cakes, artistic photography and breathtaking venues - your budget will be tossed out the door. However, blowing your budget could impact your relationship and your ability to reach long term goals. Many brides regret overspending but few regret underspending. Set a budget and try to stick with it.
Budget effects everything so I will share more budgeting tips later:)
I created My Wedding Secretary to help Nashville brides enjoy their entire wedding planning experience. I do a lot of the research so you have more time to share with your beau and loved ones. If you need help, I am an email away.
While you’re out picking up last minute Christmas presents, be on the lookout for great deals on presents on your wedding party. Regardless of your budget, now is a great time to find gifts for your parents, your maid of honor, groomsmen, flower girls, etc. From packaged perfume to wedding party jewelry, everything is in pretty little packages and available at even prettier prices.
Here are some sample sale ideas I came across. You’ll thank me closer to your wedding when you realize you saved 50% by buying ahead.
If you are thinking about creating a website for your wedding, you absolutely should.
- It’s a fun way to share your planning.
- Your family and friends will love it!
- It is a helpful way to keep folks informed.
Plus, many of my bridefriends regret not creating one.
I used Wedding Window to create mine. Loved them! They offer tons of templates, ranging from classy to modern to fun. Plus, you can update your design/colors based on your wedding theme. It was user-friendly so I was able to create a fabulous website in no time. (My guests thought I designed it myself!) It wasn’t free but I loved their designs and it was worth having a url that I created and was easy to remember.
There are many other good options, like ewedding (my second runner-up) or wedding tracker. Want a free one? Check out other wedding planning sites like Perfect Wedding Guide or Brides Edge which offer them free when you register.
There are generally three options when it comes to creating a website for your wedding:
1) Free template website - free options that offer basic designs, a longer url for your website address (something like www.weddingchannel.com/ashleyandjohn)
2) Fee template website - more premium design options, more features, you usually choose the url and you can keep it short (like www.ashleyandjohn.com)
3) Custom site - very premium price, usually designed by a graphic artist who tailors it 100% to you
So, instead of having dear Aunt Sue interrupt your bridal luncheon, simply direct her to your wedding website for directions and more!
