Wedding Wow on a Budget

The Bridal Bar San Diego

Today we are so pleased to feature some great advice from one of our wonderful event professionals, Merilee Hennings, of EverAfter Events.

We recently asked our members to give us some great ideas to maximize the wow at your wedding while keeping your budget under control. Merilee's advice?

 "Even though you are on a budget, don’t forget about the lighting! It will create the wow without breaking the bank!"

Merilee goes on to suggest that the secret is to compromise in other areas where guests won’t notice in order to add lighting to your event.

Another great idea is to put some real creative thought into the wedding…especially when thinking about how you can add details…they don’t often cost a lot, just take time and imagination to add your personal spin. Here's a great wedding that included some great personal touches including "cinnamon roll"

 seating!  How original!

Photos by Garrett Photography

For more great ideas from EverAfter Events, you can visit their website at www.everafterevents.biz

Join the Party - the LA Photo Party

The Bridal Bar San Diego 

The Bridal Bar had a blast with LA Photo Party at the Wedding Party Bridal Show.  If you were at the show, you can check out your photos online at  http://laphotoparty.com/weddingpartybridalshow

And if you would like to create your own party at your upcoming wedding or special event, mention Bridal Bar when booking LA Photo Party in the month of March and receive 10% off your package price.

Programmed to snap a picture every 5 seconds, LA Photo Party's portable, professional photo studio made Bravo's stars shine, Citibank’s honchos let loose, and countless brides jump for joy. Now, they're ready for your event.

LA Photo Party's Photo Booth Without The Booth is wide enough for a 10-person group hug, classy enough to double as a fashion shoot, and quick enough to catch a mid-air leap (and the potentially ensuing mid-floor spill). We’ll bring the props, costumes, and wigs, and even print the photos onsite, guaranteeing your guest's souvenir pictures'll be candid, hilarious, and completely unique.

Hire LA Photo Party for your next:

wedding, bar mitzvah, corporate event, fundraiser, sweet 16, wrap party

4X6 or 5X7 photos are printed onsite instantly!

Call for details: 310-997-0019

The Stylist selects the perfect dress!

The Bridal Bar San Diego

THE dress.....

For my celebrity clients, incredible gowns are a dime a dozen. You wear one down a red carpet, get photographed, toss it off, and give it away as you would rather be caught dead in Hollywood than be seen in the same dress twice, then pick another one and repeat. For us "normal" gals, this is a once in a lifetime experience.  I have styled enough brides to know it's the dress most of us had be dreaming about since we saw our first Disney movie. While ( thankfully) my taste has evolved since Belle strutted her stuff in that giant yellow ball gown, I still wanted that "Princess for a day feel". I knew what style I wanted, strapless Mermaid style with rouching, now I just had to find the frock.

I hit up all the usual suspects in San Diego, and fell in love with a dress ( and the fabulous Michelle and Angie) at M Bride, only to find out it was the same one a friend of mine had worn. Now usually, that stuff doesn't bother me, but since it is a wedding and all, I kept searching for a more unique option. I went to Mon Amie in Costa Mesa and feel in love with all things Ines de Santo. I was told she trained with Christian Dior (whom I adore for his fierce admiration of the a woman's hourglass figure) and can rouche fabric like no one's business. The third dress I tried on was heaven. It was everything I wanted and so dramatically glamorous! It was straight off a 1950's Barbie, and I was a goner. Budget be damned, I had to buy THIS dress... and I did! 

Photo Credits: Google

Best,

Kristi Brooks
Stylelab
www.thestylelab.biz
kb.style@yahoo.com

Green Wedding Style

The Bridal Bar San Diego

Check out this totally fun "green" wedding dress!  A local fashion designer, Mary Drobnis, was kind enough to share the dress with us for the Wedding Party Bridal Show's first "Green" show. The dress is made of spraypainted coffee filters that have been repurposed.

Modeled by Meagan Rae,  Photo by Mary Drobnis

We event talked Katie, our Bridal Bar Barrista, into wearing it at the show and had lots of fun showing it off.

Photo by Tim Otto Photography

Going Bridal, In Style....

The Bridal Bar San Diego

The Bridal Bar is pleased to feature Guest Blogger, Kristi Brooks of Stylelab for the first installment in her personal journey to the altar.  

I have spent the majority of my career making other people look like a million bucks, and now suddenly, the spotlight has fallen on me! Being a celebrity wardrobe stylist, my first concern is always my client...Does her dress fit? Is she comfortable? Are all her bits and pieces where they should be? Will she be featured in the front, not back pages, of USWeekly?. If I can even get a brush through my own hair when I am working, I consider that a giant victory! 
But, as of October 3 2008, the day my fabulous fiance popped the question, I have had to shift the focus a bit and actually think about me for a change. And let me just say, I have a whole new level of respect for anyone who is planning, or has planned a wedding! 
As everyone one of my hitched girlfriends advised me, before I could even get down my first glass of champagne as a betrothed woman, a date and place is the first order of business. I looked at several venues in Orange County and San Diego, then finally settled on a beautifully historic Inn in Tucson, Arizona, where I grew up. 
Okay, checked one thing off my to do list, and now the real fun begins..... The Dress!!!!


Best,

Kristi Brooks
Stylelab
www.thestylelab.biz
kb.style@yahoo.com