Get to Know Ashley

I noticed I've had a lot of new readers in the past couple of months, so I figured I'd do a get to know me post. Leave me a comment with any questions that you might have about me, my fiance, or wedding planning and I'll do a post later in the week answering them all. You could also email me questions at navybaby1113 (at) gmail (dot) com if you don't want to post here.

I'd also love to hear you idea about any posts ya'll would like to see, so feel free to send those my way too.

Hey Lady Shoes Giveaway

I just won a pair of bridal shoes on Project Wedding and I need your ladies help picking which pair I should get. Here are my favorites. You can click on the name to see more pictures of each shoe.
Pucker Up


TwinkleToes


Champagne Goggles


Princess Buttercup.
I would get these with the blue ribbon.


Daddy's Girl
If you pick this one, tell me which color you like better.

Monograms

I had some girl on the knot make me a monogram a while ago, but I wasn't 100% sure that's what I wanted, so I worked with WeddingMonograms on etsy to make me a couple more. She has a lot of already pre-designed monograms that she can enter your information into, or she can create you a custom monogram (this is what she did for me). She'll also give you a couple revisions so that it's 100% perfect for you.

Here are a couple she designed for me. There are some more that I love, but they have our last name, so I can't show you those. Sorry!



This last one will be the one I'm using on our aisle runner. I love it!

"Something Borrowed" by Emily Giffin Review

I rented "Something Borrowed" by Emily Giffin from the library because I had heard so good things about it. Let me tell you, it is a great book. One of the best I've read in a while. I read the entire book in one day. Normally it takes me months to finish a book. I can't wait to read the next book, "Something Blue"

Here is an excerpt from Borders website:
Something Borrowed tells the story of Rachel, a young attorney living and working in Manhattan. Rachel has always been the consummate good girl -- -until her thirtieth birthday, when her best friend, Darcy, throws her a party. That night, after too many drinks, Rachel ends up in bed with Darcy's fiancÉ. Although she wakes up determined to put the one-night fling behind her, Rachel is horrified to discover that she has genuine feelings for the one guy she should run from. As the September wedding date nears, Rachel knows she has to make a choice. In doing so, she discovers that the lines between right and wrong can be blurry, endings aren't always neat, and sometimes you have to risk all to win true happiness. Something Borrowed is a phenomenal debut novel that will have you laughing, crying, and calling your best friend.

Everyone should definitely read it. It might make you worry about your fiance for a little while, but it's definitely a good read!

Davids Bridal Bridesmaids Dresses

One of my bridesmaids and I are going to shopping for dresses next week at David's Bridal. Here are a couple I'm going to have her try on. I haven't decided yet whether we're going to get pool, rose petal, or champagne dresses. We'll see when she tries them on. I think I'm leaning towards the pool though.

This is cute and something they could possibly wear again.

This is cute, but I'm wondering if a floor-length dress will be too hot for an outside ceremony in Florida, in March.


This one doesn't come in pool, champagne or rose petal, but it's so cute, so if it looks good on them, I'm willing to compromise with our color scheme. This also has a halter style for my MOH who is more busty than the others.


This is definitely one of my favorites. It comes in all 3 of the colors, so I have plenty of choices. It also has a halter version for my MOH.

Guest Post: DIY Wedding Make-up for the Bride on a Budget

I'm Bethany North, a San Antonio Makeup Artist, and I have been a leading makeup artist in my field for over four years. I am licensed as an esthetician, an expert in the field of skin care, and also well versed in the latest makeup styles and applications, but my real passion is bridal makeup!

www.facebybethany.com

The absolute best way to save money for your wedding day is by learning some expert tips for your own makeup application, which I would love to share with you from my experience as an artist in San Antonio. This is a fantastic way to be your own makeup artist for your wedding day to save extra money on a professional makeup application. Here we go!

• Begin with a clean and well moisturized face. Remember not to wear any sunblock the day of your wedding because the chemicals will cause the pictures to come out overexposed. What a nightmare!
• First apply a professional primer, which will adhere to your pores and cause the foundation to stick flawlessly to your face for longer wear.
• After that, you will apply a color corrector, which offers more coverage than a typical concealer, to your under eye area and blemishes. Use one shade lighter than your natural skin tone for the best coverage.
• After that, you will apply your foundation. I recommend a mineral makeup foundation for a more natural look with a lasting wear for the whole wedding day.
• Line your eyes all the way around with either a brown or black pencil. Many times brides wanting a natural look prefer a brown eye pencil.
• Applied a medium shade of eye shadow to your entire eyelid.
• Use a darker color, like a deep espresso eyeshadow, to accentuate the crease of your eye.
• Finished with a cream or light matte shade to blend well all the way to your brow bone. It is best to not use a shimmer on your wedding day for a more natural and professional look.
• Applied several coats of waterproof mascara, and I also recommend using half lashes of false eyelashes to accentuate your eyes.
• Apply a peach or pink toned blush with a large brush, using preferably a mineral makeup blush blend.
• Finished by dusting your whole face with a translucent powder to set the makeup.
• You will then line in your lips completely with a lip liner, and use a lip brush to apply a light nude or pink shade. I also recommend to apply a clear gloss to the center of your bottom lip to bring out your pout.

Venue Planning Session (Willow Pond)

We went to our venue today to have a planning session. We sat down with the event coordinator and asked some questions and then afterwards took some measurements and pictures.

Some of the questions we asked were:
- Will you be on the property throughout the entire event?
- What's not allowed in terms of decorating?
- What hours do we get the dressing room for?

They also include linens for certain tables (buffet table, cake table, etc.), so we asked what colors those were. I'm so glad I did because I was going to buy white table clothes and I found out the ones they use are ivory. So it would have looked pretty stupid if I would have used white table cloths and they would have used ivory.

We took measurements of:
- Aisle length
- Height of poles on gazebo (we're wrapping tulle around them)
- Size of cake table
- Size of sweetheart table

Now, for some more pictures of our venue.


We will have an aisle runner going across the bridge. I'll walk across the bridge and we'll have the ceremony underneath the gazebo.


We will have the ceremony right where J is standing. I'm going to wrap tulle around at least the front two poles. The chairs are going to be placed in a circle around the gazebo. The bridal party will stand in the opening between the two sets of chairs.


This is the main part of our reception hall. The floors are wood. The lights that are hanging down dim and there's Christmas lights hanging from the ceiling and also wrapped around the poles. We're going to have the tables kind of set-up like this with the dance floor in the middle. We're using 60" tables though instead of the 48".


This is where the DJ is going to be set-up. There's also enough room where we can put a couple more tables in the nook area. They will be further away from the food and bar, but they will still be able to see everything that is going on.


The room has a gorgeous fireplace in it. We're going to place the sweetheart table right in front of the fireplace. Hopefully it will be cool enough so that we can start a fire, but we're not betting on it. I'm still trying to think what I'm going to do with the mantle (it's over 10ft. wide!). The wreath on the fireplace will not be there for our wedding.

This is our built in bar area. You can walk up to the bar both inside and outside. We're going to use the outside walk-up during the cocktail hour and then the inside walk-up for the reception. This is one of my favorite parts about the area.

Wedding Discounts

Here's some of the discounts that are available right now.

Exclusively Weddings -- 20% off purchases of $150+ (Code:9am9h2bh)

Oriental Trading -- Free shipping for order of $39+ (Code: NE10147514)

Fredericks of Hollywood -- $10 off $75, $20 off $100, $40 off $150+ (Code: 9WSTRST)

Magnet Street -- 20% off pocketfold invitations (Code: WPKHB)

Victoria's Secret -- Free shipping on orders of $100+ (Code: VS100SHIP)

Something Blue Designs -- 15% off any purchase (Go here to get coupon)

Bridal Party Tees -- 20% off entire order (Code: BRIDE1)

Wedding Paper Divas -- $5 off $50, $15 off $100, $30 off $200 (Code: SUMMERSALE)

Do you know of any more coupon codes? If so, let me know and I'll add them to the list.

Something Blue Designs

Isn't this the most awesome t-shirt you've ever seen? I'm totally getting one for my fiance for the day of. He's going to get a kick out it. They're only $21 too.

Something Blue Designs on etsy makes these adorable shirts as well as a bunch of other wedding related designs.

Are you looking for Mrs. panties?

She has them!

Mrs hoodie to match?

She has those too!

She also has stuff for your maids.
And Something Blue Designs has generously offered my readers a 15% off discount on any purchase. All you have to do is message her on etsy with a copy of this coupon before you place an order. She will make a custom listing for you reflecting the discount. Now head on over to Something Blue Designs and pick up something for you or your groom.

Photography Contract Points

Here are some things that you need to make sure are included in your photography contract:

- Names and contact information of bride and groom
- Name and contact information of photographer
- Wedding date, address of all locations, and the photographer's estimated arrival time at the site
- Number of hours expected to work
- Number of cameras and to be used and what format
- Guaranteed back-up camera in case of equipment failure
- Number of rolls/frames to be shot
- Number of proofs you're receive
- Length of time photographer will keep the negatives
- Schedule for delivering proofs and final package
- Must have shots
- Style of photography
- Total cost
- Extra fees
- What all is included in the package
- Deposit amount
- Balance and date due
- Cancellation and refund policy

How to Find a Perfect Photographer

My search for a photographer was a long one, but actually pretty easy in the end. I did a lot of searching and contacting online, but most photographers were way out of my budget. I needed someone who fit my budget, but still had wonderful pictures. That's how I found my photographer, Memories by Micha. She's perfect for me!

Here are some tips for finding the perfect photographer for you:
1. Do you research. Look up every photographer in your area and all the surrounding areas. Then, contact all the photographers that you are interested in and find out their prices.

2. If you love a photographer, but their price is a little too high for you, ask them if they'd be willing to give you a discount. A photographer would rather book someone at a discounted price, than not book someone at all. They want to work with a bride who really loves their work, so don't be afraid to ask for a discount or a compromise.

3. Meet with the photographer if at all possible. You might have picked a photographer that is in a different state, so I understand if you aren't able to meet with them. If you can't, pick up the phone and have a meeting that way. Ask the photographer as many questions as possible (make a list) and look at their portfolios. Also, make sure they're prepared for the meeting. You don't want a disorganized photographer.

4. Make sure your personalities connect. This person is going to be with you the entire day on your wedding and you want to get along with them. If they annoy you in a 30 minute meeting, just imagine how you're going to feel during your wedding.

5. Take the contract home with you and read it over. Don't sign it during the meeting. Talk everything over with your fiance and make sure this photographer is the right fit for you. Also, read over the contract and make sure everything is included. If there's something that's not in the contract that you want in there, let them know before you sign it.


Here are some more tips straight from the professional wedding photographers themselves:

Its all about their portfolios - see their work- and lots of it- one or two good captures does not cut it- dozens if possible
- Denis Burns

Make sure you really like the person - like you be good friends. He/she is going to be around the ENTIRE day.
- Christina Gressianu

Make sure they are the style you want and do your research!
- Micha Everett

Find someone who's style you love and has a personality that you get along with really well.
- Jana Morgan

Look for the worst pictures in their portfolio and imagine that being yours.
- Eugene Feygin

Centerpiece

We're either going to do these on every single table or alternate them with tall eiffel tower vases with flowers in them.

They're so pretty and shouldn't cost much at all to make.

Bridal Scoop

I wrote an article for Bridal Scoop about planning a wedding for under $6000 and it was posted today! Check it out and tell me what you think.

Hair Flower Giveaway

I just posted a hair flower giveaway on my other blog. Head on over there to enter!

Wedding Colors

I told you I would post a better picture of the colors together when I got home, so here it is. They're all David's Bridal colors.

Color Scheme

I changed my mind again on my color scheme, but I think I've finalized it now. I'm going with David's Bridal's colors of pool (Tiffany blue), rose petal, and champagne. The girls will most likely be wearing blue dresses with champagne shoes and carrying a champagne and pink bouquet.


I have a better picture of the colors on my phone, but I'm at my office so I can't upload it. I'll post it later tonight when I get home.

Wedding Channel Bridal Blog Awards

Wedding Channel is hosting Bridal Blog Awards, so go on over there to nominate your favorite bridal blog. I hope I'm your favorite blog, but if not, that's cool. So, give your favorite blog some love and vote for them.

Etsy Review: Wise Impressions

I found Cindy at Wise Impressions on etsy who makes these cute little ring dishes. If you're looking for something other than a traditional ring bearer pillow, one of these would be perfect. And they're only $8 a dish! She'll customize it to your preferences, including design and color. Every single dish is handmade and handpainted by Cindy. The dishes are 3" in diamater, so they're the perfect size to hold both of your rings.

My only fear is that they might break really easily, so you probably wouldn't want to give these to a younger ring bearer. I'm obviously not going to drop mine on the floor to test that theory out, but since holding it in my hands, it feels kind of fragile.

These would also be a great keepsake from your wedding because you could use them on your bedside table to hold your rings after the wedding.

Here's a couple more of Cindy's gorgeous dishes to check out:




She also has a larger dish that's 4 1/2" for $12.


Wise Impressions also sells magnets, bookmarks, and a bunch of other clay based products. So hop on over there and check out her wonderful work!

Bridal Bouquets: Afloral.com

I've been debating recently about what I want to do for my bouquet. If I decide I want real, it really is the time to start looking for a florist.

But, fake is a good way to go. You don't have to worry about flowers drooping in the hot Florida sun and you can either keep them after the wedding or even sell them. They're not just going to die on your counter. Plus, you can get really expensive flowers for much cheaper.

I was looking at Afloral to see if they have any bouquets I'm interested in and they have some really pretty ones. And for great prices too! I think this is where I'll get my bouquet if I decided fresh flowers aren't in my budget.

Here are some of the ones I'm thinking about:

They have this gorgeous light colored peony bouquet, for only $21.

Or you could go with the hot pink if you're not a light pink type of bride.

They also have this blue one if I wanted to stick more with my original colors. The stem is a little too long for me. Only $15 though!

These would look nice carried by my bridesmaids. For only $9, that would be a bouquet for all my bridesmaids for less than $30!

Right now I'm leaning towards the hot pink peonies with the bridesmaid's carrying those gorgeous orchid bouquets. What are you doing for your bouquet? Real or fake?

Tallahassee Bridal Expo

Tallahassee Association of Wedding Professionals (TAWP) are having another bridal expo tonight. Their last one was absolutely awesome. It's where I won my honeymoon! Tonight's expo is at the Golden Eagle Country Club and it's a $5 cover charge. You can pre-register on their website so that you don't have to fill out any paperwork when you get tehre. I'll be there, so if you see me, stop and say hello.

Guest Post: Honeymoon Cruises

You all know I'm going on a honeymoon cruise, so I asked Carmen to write a guest post about how to save money on cruising, for both your honeymoon and your actual wedding.

Cruises are considered to be one of the most romantic ways to enjoy a honeymoon.

Ever since Captain Stubing and Your Cruise Director Julie set sail on “The Love Boat,” newlyweds have known that romance is alive on a cruise, but how do you get a good deal on one?

First and foremost, you should consider working with a travel agent. Yes, you can do an online search and find a good price, but often travel agents that specialize in cruises can help you even more.

1. Cruise agents get advance notice of sales that are coming in the future. Say you want to go to the Caribbean, and you find a great deal online. A cruise agent might be able to tell you to wait because they just found out that a certain cruise line will be offering that voyage for a better price next week or month.
2. Cruise agents also have access to group bookings. But it’s just the two of you, why do you care about a group booking? A “group” doesn’t mean you’ll be stuck with a bunch of strangers your whole cruise, it means that someone has purchased a group of tickets that then come with bonuses. Perhaps a group creator will be able to get you a free champagne toast, or shipboard credit, or a reduced deposit.
3. A cruise agent can see the big picture. You say you want to go to the Caribbean on your honeymoon, and you have X amount to spend. A cruise agent can see that you can get more bang for your buck on another cruise you hadn’t even considered. Or, you mention that you want something specific out of a cruise, and the cruise agent will know that the specific cruise you’ve asked for doesn’t feature that detail. An agent can help you get more bang for your buck, as well as help you make the cruise right for you, so you’ll have a perfect honeymoon!
4. Cruise agents have insights into the different cruise lines’ honeymoon packages. They can get you upgrades that include special dinners, framed portraits and more to put that special touch on your cruise.

A big plus for cruise honeymoons is that you get several vacation destinations for often less than the price of one. Where else can you visit exotic destinations – either the popular Caribbean islands or elsewhere – for less than $100 per person per day? Once you add up airfare, hotel, activities and food, you’d be good to get a honeymoon for less than $200 per person per day.

Want to work with a cruise agent to save even more money? Consider having your entire wedding at sea!

Statistics say that the average price that a bride and groom spend on a wedding starts (yes, I said “starts”) at $25,000. For prices that are only a tenth of that, you can have your entire ceremony and honeymoon onboard a beautiful floating resort. Prices include wedding planners, the cake, the flowers, the photos, the officiant, and the music. Reception prices start at about $20 a person (not including the guest fare for the cruise.)

There are lots of options that make your cruise ship wedding even cheaper. How about getting married harborside? If you don’t want to share your honeymoon with your parents, consider having the ceremony before the ship leaves dock. The ceremony then becomes a unique destination wedding, and then you can leave it all behind when you board for your honeymoon.

It’s cool to be a frugal bride these days, but you still want to make a deal work for you. If you follow my advice, you can cruise into your formidable years together with an experience that’s tailored for you (and for a great price!)

Carmen Shirkey is the guest poster for this entry, and is also a cruise agent who has earned top educational ranks with several cruise lines, including Princess, NCL, Royal Caribbean and Carnival.

Her contact information can be found on her Website, at http://www.carmenandjim.cruiseshipcenters.com/

Paddle Fan Programs

I was originally going to do the programs with the fold out petals, but I didn't think that was a good enough fan for my guests. So now I'm going to do the paddle fan program. It can't fit as much information as a regular program, but I think I can make it work. This project will probably start pretty early on because most girls leave it until last minute.

Guest Post: Make a Storybook

Carmen is a publishing consultant for the company Heritage Makers. You can make wonderful story books for your wedding at very good costs. I hope you enjoy her guest post! Also, if you're interested in a Webinar, please post what days and times would be best for you so we can set something up for our readers.

Your wedding is one of the most important days of your life. It’s essential for most brides to capture it in photos to treasure for years to come. Photographers, though, often charge an arm and a leg (and you’re going to need those in the future!) to create a professional wedding album for you.

So keep your limbs and create a unique, high-quality photo album for yourself!

I know, I know. You’re thinking that you’re already so busy planning the Big Day that you’re already on the edge of being a Lifetime TV show, and you don’t have the time or the money to add something else to your “to do” list.

Never fear!

I am a personal publishing consultant for a company called Heritage Makers, which has created a photo storybook software suite that converted even a hard-core photography nut and ardent scrapbooker like me!

A storybook allows you to display your photos using beautiful embellishments, as well as your thoughts, feelings, expressions about your wedding. You create it online, using digital photos and time-saving templates, or if you are so inclined, you can create your own keepsake book from scratch. Once you’ve created your storybook online, it is printed in a high-quality book format – with a real spine and everything! You even design the cover, so it’s truly yours.

You know when you walk into a craft store and see cool, creative albums and think “I wish mine looked like that?” They CAN, and in about an hour! The best thing about Heritage Makers is that there are numerous templates that exist within the software. The templates aren’t the same kinds you’ll find on popular photo sharing sites, but rather designed by the experts! The studio software uses digital pictures, so there’s no worrying about getting prints made and watching them fade over the years. The drag-and-drop functionality makes it so easy that your grandmother – who knows zero about computers – could do it with minimal instruction!

You can also use templates provided to make personalize, unique guest sign-in books, “save-the-date” cards, bridal shower photo storybooks, bachelorette storybooks, etc. Perhaps you want to create a wedding party gift that shows how special your bridesmaids are to you, and you show off the photos of your times together – the possibilities are as endless as your creative wedding brain! Plus, you can order extra of any of your books for parents or other family, friends, gifts, etc.

Now, I bet you’re thinking that something like that is expensive. Let me do the math of my last, traditional photo scrapbook for you.

• I used a coupon and got the book itself for $20.
• Printed pictures = $40.
• Refill pages = $10.
• Embellishments and papers to decorate the book? $50-$100 – but we’ll go with $50 for now.
• Man hours at $10/hour it cost me over $200!

Photo storybooks cost WAY less. There’s a great, limited-time special right now for a 12x12 album for $59, and there are other sizes/prices to choose from! I can also help you work out whatever options fit YOUR budget, and help you with ideas, suggestions, etc. I can also get you access to the premier art collection free for one month when you purchase a book through an event I have open through June 16, and right now, there’s another limited-time special to get three months for $10 per month! That’s $89 TOTAL! Should you decide that you want to do a wedding book, a guest book, family books, etc. there’s a wedding package that will wow you. Or, if you want to give your wedding book to your parents, your in-laws, whomever, there are other incentives for buying multiple copies.

Can you tell I’m excited about these books? And my boyfriend promises I’ll get to do my very own wedding storybook soon, so keep your fingers crossed for me. ;) Meanwhile, you can see one of my completed books (my Boston trip) here: http://www.heritagemakers.com/?event=projectBrowse&projectId=8deec07b-3048-32c2-ac57-c3f547703c80&productId=5&projectSponsor=366275

So if you’re interested in doing something like this for your wedding (honeymoon, whatever!), I think Ashley is putting up a poll to see if you guys want to hop on a webinar (it’s free) so I can walk you through the templates, the system, etc.

In the meantime, head on over to my site www.tinyurl.com/MakeAStorybook - you can create a free account and poke around the templates, the books, the artwork, etc. However, to get the super-duper deals I just mentioned for the readers of Ashley’s great blog, you’d need to purchase through me, and I can be contacted at cs94wahoo at gmail dot com (just put an @ symbol where I said “at” and a period where I said “dot”, no spaces. This way, I don’t get spammed!) I also have a photo book blog at http://photostorybooks.blogspot.com/ where I have my contact info.

Guest Poster Carmen Shirkey

www.tinyurl.com/MakeAStorybook

Cheap Letterpress Invitations

I had a reader ask me the other day if I knew of anywhere that had cheap letterpress stationary. I was just over on the wedding paper divas website and they have some for around $2 per invitation. That sounds very reasonable to me.

They also have a lot of other gorgeous invitations and currently are running a special where you get $10 off an order of $75 or more. This excludes letterpress and thermography though.

Hope this helps!

New Shepards Hook Idea

So, I got horribly sick of making tissue paper pomanders, so I'm completely scratching that idea. They looked pretty, but they're way too tedious for me to deal with.

Instead, I'm going to hang white paper lanterns on them. I'm going to tie the lantern with Tiffany blue ribbon and hang them from the hooks. I'm buying my lanterns from a knottie, but I noticed they had them at the Dollar Tree when I was there the other day.

Sparkpeople Swimsuit Bootcamp

I wanted a quick workout to do tonight and I found the Sparkpeople Swimsuit Bootcamp. I've always used Sparkpeople to help get me in shape and they're a great tool. They now have tons of workout videos on youtube and they're all really short too. Great if you need to fit a workout in quickly.

I started today with day 1. It was 11 minutes of cardio and it was actually a really good workout for being so short. I'm going to couple this workout with a 15 minutes walk tonight when J gets home.

Day of Coordination

I posted on Craigslist looking around for someone who is trying to get into the wedding planning business to be my day of coordinator. This is not something that we planned into our budget, but I think it would help me so much to have one. I'm a pretty controlling person, so I'm going to want to do all the set-up myself, which I know is not possible. So, I think I would feel better if I had someone there making sure everything was running smoothly and going where it needed to go.

This one girl who recently planned a couple family member's weddings offered to do coordination for me for $200. Now that is a really good deal and I'm thinking about taking her up on it. I'm not sure if a DOC is something I really want to spend $200 on though. I could do so much with that money. I'm hoping that I could find a friend or someone who would be willing to do it for free or for under $100 for me. I'm thinking that I would rather spend that $200 on something for the honeymoon instead of something for the wedding that I could do myself.

What are your opinions on a DOC? Did you have one or planning to have one?

Michaels Clearance Sale

Just got back from Michaels and they have a huge wall of clearance items, including a lot of wedding stuff and scrapbook stuff. I noticed that they had two different designs of Brides invitations that would be adorable for a bridal shower. I ended up getting me a nice 8x8 silk scrapbook for only $10. Woohoo!

Veil Second Thoughts

I'm starting to have second thoughts on my veil. I really love the current veil I have. It's very pretty. But I'm starting to think I want something more dramatic, so I'm thinking I might do a cathedral veil.

This is me in my dress. The veil I'm wearing in the picture is similar to the veil I have now, but mine is a two tier veil instead of one. Same length though.

This is a picture of knottie katelaff. We are wearing the exact same dress and she used a cathedral length veil.

Which length veil do you ladies like better? Elbow or cathedral?