Bridal Hair

After months of searching online (a few of my favorites are pictured above) and in books and magazines, I finally decided to wear my hair half up and half down. I came to this decision after worrying that since I was a plus size bride, I would look too pudgy if I wore all my hair up. So I scheduled a hair trial and had my hairdresser style my hair. Although my hair looked great, something just didn't feel right. Maybe it was because I often wear my hair this way or perhaps it was that I had this image in my head of what a bride should look like and that included a formal updo. So the following week I scheduled a second hair trial to see if the updo was for me. Upon finishing the updo, I immediately felt "like a bride." I didn't even need to don the veil and tiara to know that this was how I would wear my hair on my wedding day.

My wonderful hair stylist and I spoke at length about how difficult it is to find really great pictures of formal hairstyles. Neither of us could understand why they do not have a magazine devoted entirely to bridal or formal hair! You can't even find many articles in the regular bridal magazines about hair. Maybe I am just too hair obsessed but I found this to be a major decision in my wedding planning.

Things to think about when selecting your bridal day hair:

1. What is the shape of your gown's neckline?

2. Do you want to wear a necklace? Long dangling earrings?

3. Do you plan to have a tiara, veil, hair brooch, or other hair accessory?

4. What is the expected weather for your special day?

5. What is the level of formality of your wedding?

6. Does your hair tend to wilt? How well does your hair stayed curled?

7. How does your husband to be like you to wear your hair?

8. Is it important for you to look "like yourself" on your wedding day?

Advice from the Bride

1. You will feel beautiful on this day. I think that plus size brides, especially, worry that they will not feel beautiful. I never felt as loved and as stunning as I did on my wedding day. I sincerely wish I could bottle up that feeling and save it for a rainy day.
2. Forget about stressing- just have fun. I am so glad that I listened to my married friends and let go and just soaked in every moment I could. I stayed focused on my husband to be during the ceremony and actually remember saying my vows. Many brides say that everything is just a blur and I wanted to make sure that I remembered that incredible moment when he pledged his life to me.
3. Just because you are this excited about finding the right favor or the perfect veil does not mean that everyone you know will be as excited. Nor should you expect them to be. That is why I loved chatting on various wedding websites. It was a safe haven to be wedding obsessed without making your friends choke on wedding related details.
4. Marriage is a lifetime, the Wedding is a day. I was probably worse than most on making sure that every element of my wedding would be perfect. The words I heard most often was -"wow, you paid so much attention to every detail." But as many hours as I spent combing through bridal magazines, reading books, and researching venues, I also spent on premartial counseling and developing my relationship with my now husband.

The story of us

Ted and I were one of the last couples in our group of friends to get married. Our goal was to create a celebration unlike any wedding they had ever attended while allowing personal touches to uniquely scream "Ted and Christie!"

The moment I walked into our venue, Bella Sera, I knew this was where I was going to get married. It was magnificent...unlike any place I had ever seen. We booked it immediately. Ironically, the venue was located less than a mile from my townhouse and while Ted and I were dating we saw the venue being built- brick by brick. So, as our relationship evolved, the venue was completed. Bella Sera literally means a beautiful evening and so our theme was created. Since Bella Sera was actually built by a local catering company, Greco's Catering, we had no doubt that whatever cuisine we would choose would be exceptional.

One of the first dates Ted and I had been on, nearly seven years ago, was a cocktail party held at the university where Ted is now employed. The party had an international theme and the food was served in unique action stations. I didn't know it then, but that was what we chose to do for our wedding. Five action food stations - decorated as beautifully as the food tasted. Pasta- Salad-Seafood-Asian- and Carving gave our guests a wide array of choices.

Once the venue and food had been selected, elements just seemed to fall into place. I wanted to play up the Tuscan theme of Bella Sera. I ordered parchment paper wedding invitations. I found plaster urns to fill with silk flowers and grapes to make centerpieces. Burgandy with accents of moss green and ivory became our colors. Soon bridesmaids gowns were found and a unique favor had been located. We chose pear infused olive oil favors with personalized labels from the Napa Valley. This was a tribute to Ted's Californian roots. To honor my hometown, we hired the local string quartet.

Since our wedding ceremony had initially been planned to be outdoors in front of the pond, I searched to find a great alternative to the unity candle. We agreed upon having a "Cord of Three Strands" ceremony- commonly known as "God's Knot." The cord which comprised of a gold, a white, and a purple strand each represented the bride, groom, and Christ. The biblical passage from Ecclesiastes 4:12 "Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken" illustrates the importance of Christian companionship. This was a unique way to demonstrate that God is at the center of our marriage.

There were also many aspects weaved into the wedding to honor my late mother, Christine. Included in the flower girl baskets were dried flowers from my mother's funeral flowers. I had saved them for 13 years to be dropped down the aisle right before my father and I. I had her picture in a locket wrapped around my bridal bouquet along with several in frames with poems in the lobby area. Two more ways I incorporated to honor my mom was a special note in the program and her favorite treat was included in Out of Town Steeler bags distributed by the hotel. Lastly, my parents song, Brown Eyed Girl, was played during the reception.

As I mentioned before, Ted and I were among the last to marry so many of our friends had small children. We never contemplated not allowing the kiddos at our wedding- we both adore children and made many special accomodations for them. In a room off the side of the main hall, a Children's food stations was made with child friendly foods like chicken fingers and mac and cheese. I had made each child a Wedding Activity Book and goody bag with crayons, snacks, and little toys! The plastic snakes were a huge hit! The children's play area had lollipop flower centerpieces which doubled as their favors with soft blocks and puzzles to amuse them. Our talented DJ, Derrick Wray, provided a light show that mesmerized the children allowing for the most adorable photographs on the dance floor!

A few other ways that made our wedding stand out from others included two signature cocktails, preceremony drinks and hor d' overes in additional to cocktail hour, bouquet dedication to my grandmother, and the elimination of many traditional elements of a wedding.

So although I wasn't a size 4 bride, did not get married in a church, or have a head table, our wedding was a spectacular success. It was important to both of us that we show the world that you can have a Christ-centered ceremony and an elegant reception without being the traditional church and hotel ballroom wedding that we have all become so accustomed to. The very best compliment that I received was from a friend that said that the wedding was so "us." Mission accomplished.

My Vendor Reviews

Ceremony/Reception: Bella Sera http://www.bellaserabygrecos.com/
I cannot say enough about this venue. The entire staff works to make your event perfect. The owner, Jason, is a chef and has been the number one caterer in the South Hills area for years. When he decided to custom design a venue he literally thought of everything. The place is gorgeous. From the blue cloud sky painted in the lobby to the floor to ceiling stone fireplace (where I held my wedding ceremony) this place is extraordinary. We had custom action food stations in place of the traditional sit down dinner that were the talk of the evening. The food is unbelievable. Our number one priority was food and our guests knew it. We received so many compliments from the beauty and uniqueness of the venue to the scrumptious cuisine to ultra professional staff. Their in house event planner, Nick Borelli, is worth his weight in gold. There is no need to hire a wedding planner because this guy does it all. If you want the perfect, elegant wedding... look no further.

Bridal gown: 2 BE Bride MB Bride http://www.mbbride.com/
The designer, 2Be Bride, purposely does not over advertise their gowns. Only a select number of stores carry this designer. They do not design solely for the plus size bride but by far has the best grasp on making the plus size bride not feel plus sized. My gown was everything I had ever dreamed of. I did not have to sacrifice anything because I wasn't a size 4. Exceptional quality-not a single bead or thread was loose or lost at the end of the night.

Bridesmaids gowns: Impression 1359 MB Bride

I was very satisifed with the quality of the gowns. The style was very complimentary on the four different body types of my bridesmaids. The puddle train made the gown!

Flower girl dresses: Taffeta pickups Ebay seller Mashy76
Excellent price for high quality dresses. Material was gorgeous.

Cake: Bethel Bakery http://www.bethelbakery.com/
Every bride says their wedding cake was the most beautiful wedding cake ever. I had numerous guests whom asked if the cake was fake because it "looked too perfect." We selected a three tiered stacked cake with delicate ivy and roses trailing down the sides. It was simple and gorgeous. We had orange and almond flavored cake with buttercream icing. Very delicious! My only pet peeve was that they charged us a $30 delivery fee because we got married on a Friday. But overall, great cake at a great price.

DJ: Derrick Wray - Blazing Entertainment http://www.blazingentertainment.com/
I think Brides often overlook the importance of having a fantastic DJ... really they are the backbone of your entire event. They are the ones that make or break it. Derrick made sure the night went perfectly. Not only did he keep my guests dancing all night- he put on a light show that entertained the kids and made for a great backdrop for some unique photos. He honored everything on our "do not play list" and helped us tremendously when working to create the perfect soundtrack for our wedding day! He even threw in some little surprises throughout the night that we loved. Excellent professionalism - member of the Better Business Bureau, and definately worth every penny.

Photographer: Edward Paul Macko http://www.edwardpaulstudio.com/
This is not your typical wedding photographer.... he is a photojournalistic photographer that truly captures moments of life. Our pictures turned out better than I ever could have imagined. His talent lies in getting those photos that everyone says... man, I wish I had a camera for this. My guests commented all night about how he "was everywhere...would do anything for a shot." At one point, he literally got on the dancefloor and spun to get the most amazing pictures of my guests dancing! I am not the most photogenic person but somehow he allowed me to relax and get great shots. A few of his pictures were featured in the KNOT wedding magazine. I highly recommend him!

Florist: Herman J Heyl http://www.hermanheylflorist.com/
I worked with Lisa at the Upper St. Clair location. She went out of her way to make my tuscan floral dreams come true. I had collected various pictures of different flowers I liked that I wanted in my bouquets. I also brought in one of my silk centerpieces I had made and she designed the bouquets to match perfectly. Lisa used a grouping technique that really made the various different kinds of flowers stand out. I had made silk pomander balls for the aisle and Lisa surprised me with a matching real rose ball on top of my cake. It was so cute and perfect. Since I chose out of season flowers and many unique stems, my flowers were on the extravagant end. Heyl will work within any budget. Lisa gave me many options to 'scale' down my flower costs. A great vendor... highly recommend.

Engagement Ring and Wedding Bands:
Allan Jewelers: Custom design http://www.allanjewelers.com/
Kevin Bingle customed designed my mounting for my engagement ring. He did an extensive search to find the perfect wedding band to accent my engagement ring. Personal service is what you receive at this home town jeweler.

Wedding Day Jewelry: Steinmart

Great jewelry at a great price.

Invitations: Carlson Craft

We wanted a unique invitation and found exactly what we were looking for with our Parchment Paper invitations. I went to a local Hallmark store and browsed the huge books of invitations before ordering them online to save money.

Make Up Artist: Vicky Frey http://www.amazingface.biz/
My entire wedding party had their makeup done by Vicky. She was such a doll to work with and very reasonably priced. Highly recommend.

Hair Dresser: Jeanine@ Stephen's Aveda Salon in South Hills Village
I loved my hair! I have been a loyal client of Jeanine's for years and knew she was talented in cut and color. She gave me a beautiful updo for my wedding that literally looked just as good at the afterparty as it did when I walked down the aisle.

Wedding Weekend Accomodations: Hilton Garden Inn Southpointe
All of my guests loved the Garden Inn. The rooms were very clean and the staff was extremely friendly and professional. After the reception, we headed to Jackson's Bar and Grille. We had a delicious brunch the day after the wedding in the other hotel restuarant.

Searching for the Perfect Wedding Favors!!!

As I mentioned in one of my previous posts, I was quite obsessive about my wedding favor. We ended up getting Pear infused Olive Oil favors from Napa Valley in the Perfect Pear personalized bottles. This was a compromise between my husband's desire to have something "memento" like and my desire to have something ultimately edible and unique.

During my search for the perfect wedding favor, I came across many runners-up that I thought I'd share with you. For the Die hard Steelers fans, Bethel Bakery makes the most adorable and delicious "Terrible Towel" cookies. Another favorite were these Liquor filled Chocolate Bottles. Enjoy six different varieties of real liqueur (Southern Comfort, Grand Marnier, Drambuie, Cles des Ducs, Sambuca, and Stolichnaya Orange) in semi-sweet dark chocolate filled bottles. Chocolate and Alcohol- how can you go wrong with that one? The ones I almost purchased were packaged in sets of three in a mini crate.

For all of you searching for a more sentimental favor, why not use something that pays tribute to the way in which you got proposed to? My friend Amanda received her romantic proposal in a homemade fortune cookie and had personalized fortunes placed into cookies for her wedding favors.

There has been a trend towards practical favors. Coffee scoops, bottle stoppers, and salt and pepper shakers are advertised in every bridal magazine. But do people actually use these items? During my research, I found that 75% of guests never use these so called practical items and most end up in the trash. This was the main reason I chose to do an edible favor. I will be adding another quiz to the bottom of my blog to check out what my readers have to say about this topic. Stay tuned for the results! Happy favor shopping!

Bridal Shows: Are they worth it?

As a bridal show virgin, I had very high expectations of what a bridal show would be like. I was surprised by what I encountered. Think back to college recruitment fairs... too many people in too little space filled with small booths of overcaffeinated, shiny happy people pressuring you to choose them.

Don't get me wrong, there are some perks to bridal shows. First of all it is a one stop shop: you can literally find a florist, bakery, photographer, DJ, and reception hall all in one afternoon. Though I would not recommend it! Another benefit is the ability to view numerous photographer's portfolios. Remember that they are only going to bring their very best shots. But you can get a great feel for their work. Make sure you see all their pictures for an entire wedding before signing a contract. Lastly, two words: DOOR PRIZES! Make sure you register and cross your fingers ladies. I was lucky enough to have won some absolutely fabulous prizes.

Tips for tackling bridal shows

1. Print 1-3 sheets of address labels on your computer. This will save you buckets of time when requesting information at vendor booths. Add your email address, phone number, and wedding date too!
2. Wear comfortable shoes and short sleeves! As I mentioned before, these shows can be packed and no one wants to be sweating like a pig while talking to possible vendors.
3. Bring along one or two family members or friends- not your entire bridal party. Honestly, unless you are the bride, MOB, or a very involved bridesmaid, you'll be bored to death.
4. Do your research. Typically you can view the vendor list prior to the show and find where their booths are located. Print out a map, highlight who you want to talk to, and have a plan. Since your time with each vendor is quite short, have a few important questions written down to ask.
5. Look for Coupons/Discounts. Often vendors will provide you with discounts, vouchers, or coupons at the show. These may be available at the show or be sent to you in the weeks after. If you are even considering a particular vendor, sign up for additional information.
6. Organize your information. When you get home, unload your bag into a planning binder. If you don't have one... see my previous posts!