March 26, 2012

Are you a blushing bride-to-be who dreams of walking down the aisle in Monique Lhuillier? Plan on checking out the fall 2012 collection at Casa de Novia this Thursday – Saturday during the Monique Lhuillier trunk show!

Are you a blushing bride-to-be who dreams of walking down the aisle in Monique Lhuillier? Plan on checking out the fall 2012 collection at Casa de Novia this Thursday – Saturday during the Monique Lhuillier trunk show!

March 23, 2012

Meet The Swoon. Think of it as the antidote to the massive, sometimes overwhelming bridal shows hosted at convention centers. It’s a smaller-scale “creative wedding market + party” that’s being held at South Side on Lamar in Dallas this Saturday.

Expect handmade and eco-friendly wedding inspiration from 40+ Dallas-Fort Worth vendors spanning the gamut from invitations to event planners to dresses to tablescapes to hair and makeup.

Go ahead, swoon.

March 20, 2012

Just to clarify, that’s mother-of-the-bride, not some new up-and-coming hip-hop star.

On our recent dash up to Canton First Monday Trade Days, we ran into the most lovely woman who was buying some rustic-looking wreaths. Naturally, we inquired as to what her plans for said wreaths were, and she told us they were going to be part of the decor for her daughter’s upcoming nuptials at the family ranch, just outside of Mineola, Texas.

-One of the completed wreaths, decorated with handmade burlap roses-

“Score!,” we thought. You see, we’re always on the hunt for insiders who can give us firsthand tips and info on throwing a true Texas ranch wedding. We told her to stay in touch and send photos of the finished wreaths (secretly hoping for photos of the whole shebang), because we’re nosy like that.

Lo-and-behold, Nancy sent us photos of the wedding last week, along with some vital tips on throwing a rustic ranch wedding:

-Signage created with old pickets, found at Canton Trade Days-

Secret decor source #1 (obviously): Canton First Monday Trade Days. Nancy purchased the aforementioned wreaths, old pickets for signage and more at this goldmine.

Secret decor source #2: LaurieAnna’s Vintage Home, where Nancy found burlap wine sacks to use as gift bags for guests.

-Centerpieces-

Secret decor source #2: Kitchens, a hardware store in Mineloa, where Nancy sourced wire apple baskets for centerpieces and the like.

-Burlap-adorned lanterns were hung in trees on the ranch-

Secret decor source #3: Wal-Mart. Yep, good ol’ multipurpose Wal-Mart. This is the place to stock up on mason jars (a must for any ranch gathering), votive candles, burlap (again, a must) and other craft supplies.

-serve-yourself bottled sodas in metal buckets-

-Grass door mats embellished with the couple’s initials-

Secret decor source #4: Lowe’s. Purchase simple grass door mats, and using a stencil, spray paint the initials of the couple right onto the mats. Place them at all the ranch doors.

-Cowbells, ready for the taking for the newlyweds' send-off-

(Not-so-)Secret decor source #5: The internet. You can find extras like cowbells and sparklers for the newlyweds’ send-off at bargain prices. We’re fans of Save on Crafts.

Dreaming of a ranch wedding, but don’t have a ranch? Check out our Top Ten Wedding Venues in Austin and Central Texas!

A huge thanks to Nancy, her daughter Sarah and her new son-in-law Lane for sending us these great tips and wedding inspiration!

February 29, 2012

We all have tons of events to go to, especially during wedding season, which is right around the corner. But in these trying economic times, who has the spare change to buy a new $200+ dress for every occasion? Certainly not us, and probably not you either.

You’ve heard of Rent the Runway and Bag Borrow or Steal–online sources for renting designer dresses and duds for a fraction of the retail price–but now the concept has gone local with New for the Night, based in Houston.

What sets NFTN apart from the others is that it has a physical showroom you can visit to check out all the styles in person, before you commit to the rental fee. But don’t worry–you can also rent through their website if you’re not local to Houston. And to top it all off, New for the Night also offers jewelry and handbags for purchase (think Kendra Scott and House of Harlow) to complete your look.

January 20, 2012

Dum dum duh-dum…here comes the…well…you.

If you’re a bride-to-be, that is. And if you are, you know how unbelievably stressful it can be to a) plan the wedding b) find the dress and c) pay for it all. Ha, and you thought finding the groom was tricky business!

Well, you’re in luck–at least on points b) and c)–because Highland Park Village’s Warren-Barron Bridal is having a sample sale this Sunday. That’s right, it’s one day only. From 11am – 4pm, you can scour the likes of Vera Wang and Oscar de la Renta to find your perfect dress, each of which will be marked down by 40% – 80%. Talk about style and savings, right? Right.

Appointments aren’t necessary, so we recommend showing up early to get your pick of gowns.

December 30, 2011

Calling all brides and brides-to-be (and, heck, anyone who likes to stash away ideas for their future weddings)! Six Dallas smartypants business owners have teamed up to create a one-stop shop for wedding services: The Bell Jar.

Bows + Arrows (floral design), Southern Fried Paper (invites and stationery), Apryl Ann Photography (self-explanatory), After Yes Weddings (wedding planning), Ben Q. Photography (again, self-explanatory) and Astounding Sounds (music  and technical support), have set up shop in a chic 1930s house on Bryan Street in East Dallas.

We can only imagine how nice it must be when all the moving parts of a wedding are situated in a single location with clear communication…

December 24, 2011

Lola, the newest concept from BCBG, which recently opened its doors at Southlake Town Square, is having a serious sale on party dresses just in time for NYE. And we do mean serious–styles start at just $20. That’s less than you’ll spend on champagne by the time the ball drops.

September 13, 2011

A few months back, we were super excited that BHLDN, the bridal brainchild of the people behind Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie, would be taking its online boutique to the streets with a brick-and-mortar location in Houston.

Well….it’s open! Situated (most appropriately, we think) in Houston’s Highland Village shopping center, we’re excited to be able to shop BHLDN in person.

July 19, 2011

It’s no secret that we die for the stunning wedding dresses at Houston’s Casa de Novia Bridal Couture from the likes of Oscar de la Renta, Monique Lhuillier and Angel Sanchez. With a lock on what to wear on the big day itself, the store has expanded on its options for brides-to-be with frocks appropriate for the engagement party, bridal shower and other wedding-related festivities.

This new collection of dresses is sold at Atrium, Casa de Novia’s spinoff store, which is situated in the back of Casa de Novia. Atrium’s high-end dresses carry labels from the likes of Yigal Azrouel and Prabal Gurung, so they’re going to cost a pretty penny, but you are the bride, after all.

June 14, 2011

Patsy’s: A Bridal Boutique in Dallas is holding its semi-annual sample sale this weekend, featuring sample gowns for up to 80% off. Appointments are first-come, first-serve, so if you’re a blushing bride-to-be, don’t wait to make your appointment!