Spring is here and with that welcomes the beautiful colors of our most favorite wedding flowers. Peonies, Tulips, Ranunculus and Cabbage Roses are just a few of spring florals that you will find in a bouquet at any Spring Wedding. Colors like pinks, blush, violets and blues are the shades you want to stick with if you are trying to get that fresh spring look. We always recommend adding pops of greenery in-between the flowers to show contrast. As a tip, ask your florist for types of flowers that are in season during the time of your wedding, this cuts down on the overall costs from having the flowers flown in. Of course, roses are always available and are a classic and elegant bridal favorite as well.

Flowers don’t worry about how the’re going to bloom.  They just open up and turn toward the light and that makes them beautiful.  ~Jim Carrey

Lots of Love,

When news broke yesterday that Giuliana Rancic is having a baby(!) the entire SCS team could not have been more excited for her.  We have been following her journey with Bill from day one and have grown to love them and only wish the best for both of them. It was all we could talk about all day and we immediately started dreaming up ideas for an elegant and glamourous baby shower and thought we would share it with all of y’all…

{1} Welcome banner; {2} Blue Paper Striped Straws; {3} Blue & Green Drink Station;

{4} White & Pink Glam; {5} Vintage Bloom Table Setting

Lots of Love,

If you are the maid/matron of honor, you are the Bride’s right hand woman.  From the day she popped the question of “ Will you be my M.O.H?” to the day she says “I Do,” she will be relying on you heavily for guidance and support.  It is important to always be energetic and have that get-on-the-ball personality in full swing.  Here are some tips on what may be expected:

• Direct the other bridesmaids through their duties and responsibilities. This includes ensuring that everyone has ordered her dress, shoes and jewelry.
• Helping the Bride shop for both her wedding and bridesmaid dresses and accessories.
• Offering to help the Bride with wedding tasks and delegating when needed.
• Host or help host a Bridal Shower.
• Listen.
• Attend events leading up the wedding with the Bride.
• Plan a bachelorette party with the bridesmaids.
• Assist the Bride during the “day of.” (fluffing dress and veil, holding bouquet, providing snacks and water, etc.)

Most importantly keep her laughing!!!

Lots of Love,

Photo courtesy of BHLDN

Save-The-Dates can be an informative, fun and creative way to announce your wedding long before invitations are sent out. These announcements not only provide your attendees with valuable information such as the  date and location of your wedding, but set the overall tone of it  as well. Be mindful that Save-The-Dates should be sent out between six months to one year from your wedding date, depending on whether it is local or out of town. This will give your guests plenty of time to make necessary preparations to ensure their presence on your big day. Save-The-Dates come in all forms, the design is completely up to you. However, I would recommend something that can be easily sent through the postal service . Below are some ideas that I found to be great at portraying the overall theme of each type of wedding (Great News…most are DIY!)

1) Vintage Theme.  Here, you can collect various handkerchiefs and stamp them with a custom ordered stamp detailing your wedding.

2) Rustic Theme: This one may take a little while but well worth it. You will need: Paper and Cardstock of your choice, pencil, Birch wood slices, paint, a fine paint brush, power drill, twine, Xacto knife, hole punch, letter and number stamps (and animal if needed.)

3) Formal Theme: The Save-The-Date pictured portrays a formal affair with the use of bold colors (white and black) and elegant calligraphy.

4) Modern Theme: This can be fun and edgy so play with it. Think about block colors and shapes! The Save-The-Date pictured outlines the couple’s story and events leading up to the engagement. (This can be both DIY or professionally done.)

5) Destination (Beach) Theme: These bookmarks are super easy. You will need: Cardstock paper cut into bookmark shapes, hole punch, colored twine or yarn, a printer and a seashell stamp.

Lots of Love,

While this post is titled for the Mother of the Bride, fear not Mother of the Grooms, you can take all the inspiration you want from this as well.  Traditionally the mother of the brides dress should dictate what the mother of the groom should wear but this has become quite a dated tradition so we suggest you both find the most flattering and special dress you can find.  Try for a modest dress with straps/sleeves, hemlines to the knee, and try avoiding white (obvious reasons) and the color red (it can be see as flashy in photos). Below are some dresses we found fitting in both cocktail and evening gown versions.

Cocktail

Evening

Cocktail: {1}, {2}, {3}

Evening: {1}, {2}, {3}

Lots of Love,

Now it is your turn to “pop” the question. Your friends are anxiously awaiting to find out who will be asked to be a bridesmaid and how you will ask them. Before you do, make sure that the girls you are considering to choose are the women you can see in your life for a very long time.  These girls may be your best friends from high school you could not imagine life without or that special friend that you met not so long ago but can’t stand the thought of them not being by your side.  Just remember, these girls should be the friends that you can see yourself looking back at wedding pictures ten years from now together. Keep in mind too, that the number of groomsmen should not determine the amount of bridesmaids you need. If it is uneven, there are several ideas your planner will have to help your ceremony continue to flow. Once you have your bridesmaids picked out, you may want to starting thinking how to ask them. Below are some DIY ideas that I have found to be super cute and creative ways on popping the question.  1) A bridesmaid box, created from cardboard that will house pictures, a note and other accessories. 2) A fold out picture collage of you holding letters that spell out the important question. 3) Hand written spoons that could be used when with your girlfriends at lunch as a surprise. 4) A little box that when opened reveals a slip of accordion paper with charms that asks the question.

Lots of Love

]]> http://www.simplycharmingsocials.com/2012/04/be-my-maid/feed/ 0 http://www.simplycharmingsocials.com/2012/04/let-your-person-nail-ity-show/ http://www.simplycharmingsocials.com/2012/04/let-your-person-nail-ity-show/#comments Thu, 05 Apr 2012 13:31:16 +0000 simply http://www.simplycharmingsocials.com/?p=1750

Spring is in the air! Tis’ the season for fun flip flops, wonderfully tall wedges, spicy stilettos and precious peep toes. With that said, it is definitely  time for that mani/pedi! I personally love a fun colored polish on both my tips and toes. When I say fun, I mean that color that is cute in the bottle but you have that ” is this too loud or crazy?” thought. Whether you visit the nail salon or your home salon, I wanted to share with your some colors that I can not live without this season.  Remember, this could be your little pop of color your daily life needs, not to mention a taste of your own pizazz! As for me, I am wearing OPI’s Banana Bandana ( the yellow polish) , as pictured below on my toes.  My color next week? Who knows?!!!!

Lots of Love,

So many brides (and grooms) want to honor their heritage by incorporating some aspect of their culture into their wedding.  For those who don’t want to have a full on traditional chinese/italian/jewish/irish (etc.) wedding, incorporating small elements such as music, food, decor, attire, or traditions are some simple ways of paying tribute to your heritage without it overwhelming the actual ceremony. Here are some examples:

1. Groom and groomsmen wearing traditional Irish kilts; 2. French wedding cake; 3. Henna tattoos on the brides hands for Indian tradition; 4. Mexican Mariachi band; 5. Red Chinese Lanterns offering beautiful decor  

Lots of Love,

When I was planning my wedding I was certain about three things: 1) I had to be a June bride 2) I wanted Sand in my toes and 3) I had to have a laid back atmosphere.  These three “musts” as I call them, meant one thing, I was to have a destination wedding in Wilmington, North Carolina.  I planned my wedding in 14 months, however I only made three weekend visits.

If you are thinking about having a destination wedding, here is what I have learned:  Plan a weekend get-a-way to that special destination with the honey. Don’t think about anything wedding related and just get a feel for the atmosphere. If you still love it and have made that decision to have the wedding there, now it is time to get down to business.  Your next trip should consist of finding the perfect venue or location and enjoy some of the day there.  When you get back home, go ahead and start researching for venders or contact you planner.  Set up another weekend trip and make appointments with some of your favorite venders and check out some hotel accommodations for guests. Now that the hard stuff has been taken care of, just relax and remember that your wedding is going to be smooth and perfect, just like the destination you have chosen.

Lots of Love,

I laughed, I cried and I loved during each of these movies.  Here are a few of my favorite wedding movies that I will never get tired of watching.

If you have not seen them, you must as they may mean something different to you.

Bride Wars

A true friend always forgives.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding

You may think your family is a little bit crazy but you love them anyway.

27 Dresses

Hope that one day the bridesmaid will be the bride.

Bridesmaids

You may all be different but you are all there for the same person.