wedding – The Art of the Party

Featured Image: Inslee Haynes

Growing up, my mom always told me, “it’s not what you wear; it’s how you wear it”. That humble piece of truth had an influence on the way I choose to stylize and I’ve found that the staple pieces in my closet grant the most versatility between occasions. Neutral colors, clean lines, and classic cuts and seams can earn an extended duration of wear and the personal satisfaction that your look will never go out of style. I found that these same principles effortlessly cross over to Bridal and today, I’m sharing a few the tried and trues that helped me achieve my classic wedding day look for less.

Step 1

A Classic Dress

Condé Nast Britain 2018 BRIDES

Find a fit that best flatters your figure and work the dress (don’t let the dress work you). For example, if you don’t wear pencil skirts to the office, it’s probably safe to say you won’t care much for a trumpet dress. Is your daily go-to holey jeans and fringed booties? Then consider steering clear from the glitzy ball gowns. Look through your current dresses and if you haven’t ever given it a thought, take a moment to consider how you feel when wear them (or the reasons why you don’t!). Familiarize yourself with the style that makes you most comfortable then decide before you walk into the boutique which style of dress best matches your shape and personality so that you can spend more time in the gowns you love and less in the ones you loathe. Your search squad will thank you for it!

Tip: All the pretties add up. The less lace, beading, jewels, and sequins, the more likely you are to land a deal on your simple beauty (that’s under budget!). Saving is winning, friend.

You can find the satin a-line ball gown I wore on my Big Day at your local David’s Bridal for under $500.00, here!

Step 2

The Statement Piece

HoneyPieBridal

Now that you’ve found your anchor, it’s time to dress it up. And because you saved cost on your largest apparel expense (the dress), you’ll have a greater amount allotted to your statement piece. Think of this purchase as you dress’s wing woman, BFFL, ride-or-die, I-look-better-when we’re-together-friend. The dress highlights you, and this piece highlights the dress.

Whether it be a piece of your favorite designer fashion jewelry or a ceremony veil from your local luxury boutique, find something that compliments the natural structure of your dress. High neckline? Rock those statement earrings, girl. Going strapless? Dress it up with a faux fur shawl or delicately beaded shrug. Mixing romantic textures is a thing. If your dress is satin or chiffon, create your timeless contrast with a lace veil. And lacy gowns play nicely with glammy belts and trims for a polished look and delicate, leafy hair pieces for the bohemian chic bride.

Tip: Less is more (With the exception of kindness, coffee, and toilet paper).

I found my Bel Air Bridal cathedral veil at Cincinnati’s Bridal and Formal in the Reading Bridal District just three days before “I do” (Approximate MSRP: $400.00).

Step 3

Oh Those Simple Accessories

Bridal Guide Magazine

Today is the day to showcase those special family heirlooms or the sweet somethings you’ve tucked away for all too long. Great Grandma’s vintage hair comb, Mom’s favorite strand of pearls, the diamond studs your Godfather gave you for graduation… or drop a subtle (or not so subtle) hint to your hubby-to-be that you’d love a dainty bridal set as your wedding day gift and be sure to have your MOH send him all your Pinterest screenshots so that there aren’t any day-of surprises!

Tip: These delicate touches will bring your classic dress and statement piece together with an effortless and poised finish. Show special attention to your simple bridal accessories by communicating to your photographer a week before the wedding which still shots (portraits and staged candids) you would like to have captured and they’ll be sure to snap pictures of your something old, borrowed, new, and blue when you have some downtime amidst the beautiful chaos of your “best day ever”.

My something old: My Great Grandmother’s engagement ring from the 1920’s!

My something new: Handmade bridal hair combs for a modest $15.99 found on Etsy!

My something borrowed: My Mother-In-Law’s diamond necklace (This was extra special because, the stone was from her mother’s engagement ring. Her father passed when she and her sister were young girls).

My something blue: $17.00 stitched handkerchief by Cincinnati bridal seamstress, Alterations by Toni!

Step 4

Be You

Southern Weddings

When it comes to wedding day vanity, let’s agree that it’s best to look like “yo best self”! Is your everyday look soft and natural or are you a Maybelline beauty? However you feel most comfortable on a night out is probably a step in the right direction when showing your vanity vision to your hair and makeup stylists. If yoga pants and a ball cap are your idea of trend casual, a low, tidy bun off the neck will create a polished and recognizable look for the bride your guests love (Be inspired by street style royal, Hailey Bieber). Does your morning routine include air-dried hair, bb cream, and one layer of mascara? Consider a loose and beachy wave on wedding day. Glammy girl? Add volume and length extensions to your feminine, romantic up do!

Practice makes perfect! Budget enough time with each of your trials to share your objectives with the stylist, and then give them an opportunity to achieve the look you’ve shown and about 2 or 3 modifications to meet your specific needs. Don’t be too shy to tell them that you want the tip of your right ear covered or that you’re not used to seeing yourself in a smoky eye. They will take notes on what you like and dislike so that when it’s your day on the throne, you’ll be more concerned about the mimosa in your hand and less about what they’re beatifying with theirs!

Tip: Remove the middle man and find a self-employed professional with a portfolio that matches your personal style. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the work of your stylists before you book and if possible, have your stylist travel to you on wedding day! The cost you’ll spend on their commute will be far less than the salon’s retail profit margins and the convenience of them being onsite that morning will increase the leisure and luxury for you and your leading ladies. Cheers!

My wedding day makeup was achieved by Cleveland queen & renaissance woman, Raven Reed ($125.00).

My wedding day hairstyle was achieved by Cincinnati boss lady & entrepreneur, Kaitlyn Mounce ($85.00).

bridalfabric.com

“I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, My soul will exult in my God; For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.” –Isaiah 61:10

Featured Image: Inslee Haynes

1. Less Stress & More Party

When the biggest worry on The Big Day is remembering a choreographed waltz, it really allows the reception to be what it’s intended to be: a celebration! I can skip the “cold feet” and “nervous jitters”, because I’m just getting dolled up with my girls to announce & share my marriage to Steven with the people we’re most-loved and surrounded by! Not missing out on a thing! I’m still going to cry like a baby while reciting my vows to nearly 200 people over a microphone, we will be exchanging wedding rings for the first time, and the look on Steven’s face when he sees me walking down a dramatic lake-front aisle in my ballgown for the first time, will be something to relish.

2. Two Dresses

Two cakes. Two bouquets. Two anniversaries. & Steven has two correct answers!

But all jokes aside, we were celebrating our 2nd year together a few weeks back, and while reflecting on the last year of some of our favorites memories, we agreed that 04.22.18 was a really wonderful day. We had just moved into our new home, my parents were seeing the renovations for the first time, AND it was exceptionally beautiful to see our families come together in an intimate way without any expectations! We cried, we laughed, we dined. Everything was so simple and organic. And now we can experience all the glitz and glam on another day with even more family & friends. This is what I call a win-win. I’m spoiled.

3. Co-habitation Phobia

Nearly two-thirds of married couples today have lived together prior to nuptials. And research is showing that cohabitation and divorce aren’t as closely related as we once thought. But, as a girl who never moved her life’s possessions in with a boyfriend, the thought of sharing one roof with a man for the first time was something I didn’t take lightly. What if he left his dishes in the sink , I didn’t take my shoes off at the door, or Neville decided the leather recliner was his glorified litter box just one-too-many times and it spiraled into a argument-of-no-return with the pressure of saying I do-for-life all the week before the wedding… I wanted to avoid the what-ifs and because we believe that marriage is a covenant, and not a contract, I felt very encouraged to marry before the excitement of living together lessened. I didn’t want routine, nuances, or wedding-day-stress to dampen our newly-wed spirits. I didn’t want to come back from the honeymoon and say, “well! it’s all over…”. I wanted to soak in the newness as long as I could. Experience newly-wed life slowly, leisurely, and without all the attention (insert sigh).

4. Guilt-free Sex

I don’t care who you are, growing up your Mama definitely told you (at least once) that sex is something special and to be shared with the one you love. Or in my family, with the one you marry. Now, whether you subscribe to that value or not, there’s one thing most can agree on, and it’s that waiting for marriage can eliminate a lot of heartache & drama that could have been otherwise been avoided if you listened to your parent’s Godly wisdom. Sometimes (and by sometimes, I mean always) they know what’s best for you.
- Endless wrong turns, and whole lot of conviction later, and I went chasing after the only one Who’s ever calmed my most vulnerable needs and found I myself in a dark, loud, fully occupied, 10,000 person auditorium, signing to my heavenly Father. I hadn’t felt this feeling since high school weekend retreats, but this time the high didn’t end on Monday morning, I knew it wasn’t the coffee, and I couldn’t wait to go back the next week. Rebuilding my relationship with God and learning more about His character was my new binge series.
- 2 years later on summer night in my Hyde Park apartment bedroom floor, I accepted Jesus into my heart and I felt his forgiveness and love grace my life. And it was then that I promised Him that I would turn away from things that were not of He and His teachings. I met Steven the following week. This isn’t coincidence friends, it’s called blessing.

5. Obedience and Blessing

Steven is a man of God. Meeting him was an invitation to turn a page and begin a new life that looked a lot different from my ways of the past. I trusted where God was leading me and being around Steven’s hard work and growing success was thrilling and inspiring. Somethings Steven and I shared immediately were faith and family values; we knew we wanted the same winnings in life, and we believe in bringing God glory through our marriage. So, when the time came when my lease expired and the house renovation was complete, I told Steven and our parents that because we were moving into our new home together, that we wanted to do what we knew was always right and get married. I knew God had already forgiven me for my old ways, and I had publicly declared my life to Jesus through water baptism the year prior, but this was different. This was between me and God and I wanted to make him joyful and proud. I wanted to go against the current of social norms and to be (don’t shutter) obedient to the His Word knowing that my more of my chains would be broken.
The peace that fell over me on April 22nd still hasn’t left me. I feel whole and calm. I feel righteous and empowered. Protected. God is at the center of our marriage and He is the foundation for our future family. We wont be broken. Marriage of the world can be defeated, but a marriage of Heaven conquers the enemy. We are doing a great work and we cannot come down!