South Carolina Weddings

The last two weeks before your wedding are sure to be a flurry of activity! With all the excitement of friends and family arriving and of finally getting married, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed or to forget critical details. Some things are minor and won’t ruin the magic of the day, such as forgetting the basket of flip flops for the dance floor. Other details, however, have to be taken care of.

We’ve put together our list of “must do” things in the two weeks before your wedding. If you can’t get to everything, at least remember to do the following:

Final Head Count – go over your guest list at 2 weeks out and call anyone who hasn’t RSVP’d. Get that final head count in to your reception site and then you can finalize your seating charts. This will also allow you to finalize your bill with the caterer and you can handle that as well.

Practice walking in your dress and shoes – this is a simple and often overlooked detail, but an important one. If you’re not used to large dresses or high heels, you’ll need to practice so you feel confident walking down the isle. If that’s the first time you’ve walked in your ensemble, you might end up tripping!

Pass out contact sheets – Print out a list of all vendor contact information, along with a few points of contact in your bridal party, and pass it out to all parties. If the DJ gets lost, or the caterer is missing some important information, they’ll have a handy guide on who they can call.

Pack for the honeymoon – If you do this ahead of time, you won’t have to worry about packing after the wedding or the next morning. You’ll be ready to grab your bag and jet off for a relaxing vacation!

Prep Your Day-Of Needs – Put together a small emergency kit with essentials such as mints, a small sewing kit, hair spray, pins, lipstick, stain remover, and anything else you might need. Set it with your wedding dress and all of your accessories so you’re not scrambling for things on the morning of your wedding.

Sleep – Seriously, you’ll need it! Set a deadline for yourself in the final days before your wedding – after that point, there’s no more crafting or worrying or planning. What’s done is done and it’s time for you to let it go and relax. A well rested bride is a beautiful bride!

There really is no limit to what you can or can’t do on your wedding day. Outside of the actual legal and often religious requirements, how you celebrate this momentous occasion is entirely up to you! It’s become increasingly popular for brides and grooms to look for ways to make their wedding more personalized and unique. Adding some extra flair to the bridal party’s ensemble or some décor touches that mirror your personal taste is a great way to make even the largest wedding feel intimate.

In the past, adding a monogram to wedding items, including the cake, invitations , programs and favors, was a popular way to add that personal touch to your wedding. This still holds true today, and makes for an elegant theme. However, there are a lot of other fun trends out there that we love just as much:

• Colored Shoes – It’s so fun to see a pair of red (or blue, or purple, or green) shoes peeking out from under a wedding gown. It’s even better to showcase them with a tea length dress!
• Photo Booths – These have quickly gained popularity and it’s easy to see why. Put up some fun backdrops and leave a bunch of props for your guests to have fun with. You can create a photo book of your favorites to share with everyone.
• Mismatched Bridesmaid Dresses – Most bridesmaids appreciate being able to pick out a dress that suits their body type, so giving them some flexibility is nice and lets them look and feel their best. You can assign them all a color, or give them a palette to choose from when finding their dress.
• Homemade Favors – Maybe you’re a great cook, or you grow delicious fresh fruit in your garden. Why not give a little of yourself back to your guests by giving them a favor of your homemade jam or a pack of your freshly baked cookies?
• Photo Guest Books – Rather than the standard old guest book that will get lost in a closet, why not  dress it up by putting your engagement photo in a frame with extra wide matting? Let everyone sign it and you can display it proudly in your home!

What are your favorite wedding trends in 2010, and how are you going to personalize your wedding day?

It’s probably the single biggest decision you have to make on your wedding day. It’s the biggest cause of stress, and it’s what will set the tone for what you do or don’t do on your special day. It’s your budget. Many brides and grooms find the topic difficult if they haven’t had a serious talk about their finances in the past, and they may not be sure how to broach the subject with their parents if they need some help.

It’s inevitable that there will be some stress during wedding planning, but how you actually handle this stress is what’s key. Use your budget as a chance to practice working together and handling money for when you get married. Here are a few tips to help make budgeting for your wedding a breeze:

Start Early – After you get engaged, start envisioning what details are the most important to both of you for your wedding day. Do a little bit of research to find out how much those things typically cost, and then discuss how much you’d like to spend on your wedding. Detailing out estimated costs gives you an idea of savings goals you’ll need to set or amounts you might need to ask parents to contribute

DIY & Save – If your dream wedding goes way beyond your budget, look for ways you can Do It Yourself and save. If you really want to splurge on your gown, you might need to put together your own centerpieces or design your own invitations. Not only can it help balance your budget, but it adds an extra personal touch to your wedding.

Be Honest – Once you know how much you have to spend, it’s in your best interest to be up front with your vendors. It’s easy to get side tracked by add-ons and extras, but it’s going to hurt your bank account in the end. Let them know your budget and ask them for all of their options in your price range. They’ll help you find a solution that works for you both!

As you get closer to your wedding day and all the pieces start to come together, you’ll need to start planning out the finer details of your bridal look, which includes your makeup. Whether you want a professional salon to do your makeup or even if you’re doing it at home on your own, there are a few things to keep in mind to ensure you look like your very best self on your big day.

• Do A Makeup Trial – or several, depending on what you can manage. It’s important to have a game plan before the wedding day so that you don’t end up with makeup you hate and no time to change it. Take photos after each makeup trial and see how the makeup looks on camera, both in natural and artificial light.
• Don’t Tan – if you end over over-tanning right before the wedding, there’s not much that can be done to fix it and you’ll look unnatural in your wedding photos.
• Stay Hydrated – double up on your water intake about a month before the wedding to keep your skin clearer and glowing. If you’re well hydrated you’ll have a much better canvas for applying makeup.
• Be Yourself – If you’re not comfortable with your look, speak up! You want to look like a more glamorous version of yourself, but still be yourself. If you’re uncomfortable with dark liner, or you never wear blush, let your makeup artist know so they can find something that suits your needs

With a little preparation, your wedding day makeup will be the perfect compliment to all of your planning!

We’ve talked about how to choose your dress, picking out a hairstyle and a bridal hairpiece to go with it, and even coordinating your bridesmaids and the mother of the bride and groom. Now that your bridal party’s style is almost complete, it’s time to add the finishing touches to your look. It’s time to choose the accessories you’ll wear on your big day!

Bridal accessories include all kinds of things, and you might only choose one or two for your wedding day look. In general, if you have an ornate dress, it’s best to keep other accessories light and simple, so the beauty of the gown shows through. If you’re wearing a very simple dress, you can have fun with bold and bright accessories!

Shoes – traditionally, brides wear white to match their dress. But you can add some extra pop to your day with a pair of shoes in your wedding colors!

Jewelry – Choose one piece of dramatic jewelry, like chandelier earrings or  a large necklace, and keep the rest simple.

Purse- Brides can carry purses! A cute clutch or drawstring bag is a wonderful wedding day purse. Carry some extra tissues, lipstick and any other essential so you’re always prepared.

What kind of accessories are you planning on wearing on your wedding day?

Shopping for your bridal gown should be a wonderful time during your engagement. There’s nothing quite like the thrill and delight of trying on the perfect gown for the first time. At Dimitra Designs, we’re lucky enough to get to share that experience with you. We’ve seen the highs and the lows that can come with wedding dress shopping. It’s natural for many brides to be nervous, and even feel overwhelmed at the process. But it doesn’t have to be that way! If you take some time to plan out the experience, you’ll have a wonderful time!

• Dress appropriately. Wear comfortable clothes that are easy to take on and off. Also, choose a good set of support/shape wear for the day. It doesn’t have to be exactly what you’ll wear on your wedding day, but a good bra is a must for you to really see how the dress is supposed to fit.
• Bring your nearest and dearest. It’s helpful to have a few people with you while you try on dresses, but know when to limit yourself. If you’re not used to the limelight, you might find yourself overwhelmed with your entire bridal party watching you. Choose just 2 or 3 trusted friends and family members to help you.
• Bring a list. You’ve been eyeing up bridal gowns for months, so start writing down your favorites! If you have a list, call the salon ahead to find out what lines they carry. You can remove the ones they don’t and double check the lines they do carry to see if there’s anything else you’d like to see.
• Be adventurous. Maybe you’re convinced that an A-line strapless gown with a chapel length train is the way to go. But if the consultant suggests you try a trumpet gown, or even a short gown, go for it! You might be surprised at how much you like some of them.

What advice do other brides have for first time dress shoppers?

While we know there’s nothing more romantic than a wedding, the planning of said wedding can turn into a lot of stress! Even the most well balanced bride and groom may find themselves overwhelmed with wedding planning on top of their daily grind. That’s why it’s so important for engaged couples to make some time for each other during the planning process.

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and it’s the perfect excuse to schedule some couple time. No wedding talk, no color palates or flower choices – just you and your honey spending some quality time together!

It’s so important to make the time to connect, both to de-stress and to remind yourselves of why you’re getting married in the first place. It makes the time you do spend planning so much more enjoyable. If you’re not sure what to do this Valentine’s Day, you could make some time for any of the following:

• Dinner and a movie

• Dancing out at your favorite club

• A night out at a hockey game (or your sport of choice)

• A couple’s massage

• Cooking at home together and a night spent cuddling on the couch

It really doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you focus on each other! We hope all of our brides and grooms have a wonderful Valentine’s Day this year!

We are so very, very excited about today’s post. If you’re in the South Carolina area like us, you’ve probably seen the wonderful morning show Your Carolina with Jack & Kimberley. Last week, they launched their latest contest: Get Engaged Live On Stage! One lucky girl is going to get the proposal of a life time right on the Your Carolina set:

Why are we so excited about this? Not just because we love weddings and proposal stories, but because we’re sponsoring part of the giveaway! If you’re ready to take the plunge and ask the woman of your dreams to spend the rest of her life with you, AND are willing to do all of that on tv, that lucky lady will win the wedding dress of her dreams from Dimitra Designs!

So guys,  now is your chance to get engaged and win some fabulous prizes. Let Your Carolina and Dimitra Designs help you create the wedding of your dreams. You have until February 9th to enter!

Stay Warm In A Satin & Lace Dress By Mori Lee

Winter is traditionally a slow season in the wedding industry, but we absolutely love winter weddings! Despite the occasional weather concern, there’s something very elegant about a wedding in the cold of winter. Let the season inspire you with some of our favorite winter wedding trends:

• Heavier fabrics – certain heavy satins and silks might weigh you down in the summer months, but you’ll appreciate the extra warmth in winter.

• Winter Wonderland – skip the cheese and create a glittering nighttime gala with sparkling accents. Use a white and silver color scheme with just a touch of blue to create a look that’s breath taking.

• Comfort Foods – Create a warm and inviting menu with some classic winter comfort foods and drinks, like spiced cider, delicious soups or heavenly whipped potatoes. Just make sure to only pick one or two heavier dishes so your guests aren’t sluggish and weighed down.

• Use candles – nothing creates a warm, comfortable glow like candles. Place a handful of votives on each table and watch the candle light create sparkle and shine as it plays off the rest of your décor!

December is one of the most popular months to get engaged, and chances are if you’re reading this you’re newly engaged yourself! Once the initial glow has worn off and you’ve celebrated with all your nearest and dearest, you might find yourself at a standstill. What to do next? Once you dip your toe into the wedding pool, you quickly realize how overloaded with “stuff” it can be and how quickly you can become overwhelmed.

Before you panic, remember that this is a joyful time! With a little bit of planning, you can make wedding planning a wonderful and memorable experience for your whole family. So let’s get started:

1. Dream. You and your finance should each sit down and describe your dream wedding. What matters the most to each of you? What season do you see it happening in? What are you wearing? Sketch out everything you’d like your wedding to be and you’ll start to see what’s important to both of you, only one of you, or neither of you. If you have strong opinions on music and he’s picky about location, you can delegate those tasks to each other. Use these sessions to guide you through the rest of your planning process.

2. Talk budget. How much can the two of you reasonably spend on your big day? It helps to determine your own budget, then factor in what family might be willing to contribute. Figure this out early to avoid disappointment later.

3. Invest in a planner. Every bride should have some sort of organizational system. There pre-made wedding planners along with file folders, online tools and more to help you keep track of your progress. Keep everything stored together so you don’t lose contracts or other important documents.

4. Go shopping! Wedding planning can be stressful, but it should also be fun! Have a girls day and go wedding dress shopping, then have lunch. Spend time with your parents browsing through magazines and show them your ideas. Savor each moment!