Real Wedding Wednesday ~ European Style!

I love this couple so much! They seem to just go together so well. The bride, Jessica, and her husband, Dima, had a Russian-Jewish wedding at La Mirage Banquets on the outskirts of Chicago; known for hosting European style weddings.

For those of you who are not well versed in a European style wedding, they are a bit different from what we usually see. How you ask? Well, bridey, there is no set dinner hour. Can you imagine? A wedding that is not totally scheduled down to the T? Allow me to explain it to you...

Well, usually upon entering the reception, guests are seated at a table which is pre-set with appetizers and salads. Once the couple is introduced, and after a few toasts, the dancing begins. After about twenty minutes or so of dancing, the guests take their seats, fill their glasses (and their plates) and listen to a few more toasts. And you know when the cake gets cut? Like midnight!!! Right? Holy SHIT! Can you believe it?!! I love it! A lot of partying and a lot of fun! Oh yeah!!! So, take it all in, brideys! Perhaps you might get inspired!

1. Bridey, how did you meet your spouse?

We were set up by his brother and a co-worker of mine.

2. How long were you together before you were engaged?

We were together for 9 months before Dima proposed.

3. What was the length of time between the engagement and the wedding?

It was 6 months before we had our religious ceremony and celebration.

4. Where did your wedding take place?

We got married at LaMirage, Rolling Meadows, IL (just outside of Chicago).

5. If you had to rate your wedding planning experience on a scale of one to ten with one being shitty, and ten being awesome, how would you rate it?

Wedding planning is hectic and stressful. I would probably give it a 5, because we were pretty laid back in the planning. In the end, it is definitely worth it!

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Super Stylish Sunday ~ Color Me Mine

Happy Easter! I purposely decided not to do anything Easter related because by the end of the holiday, you're gonna be totally Eastered out, totally sick of candy (well, maybe...), eggs, ham and even Easter eye candy! So, I thought I'd give you straight eye candy instead... And what I am showing you today is super stylish and such a bloody fantastic idea for engagement shoot, that I just about fell over when I saw the pictures!

If you look on my about page, you'll see that I love to photograph graffiti, so in my humble opinion, this engagement shoot not only encompasses a colorfully phenomenal backdrop for a photo shoot, but then... THEY PAINT EACH OTHER! Holy shit! Right? I mean, obviously I'm guessing that the dress the bride is wearing in the photographs isn't her actual wedding dress, but perhaps it's similar or perhaps it's completely different. But, who cares!! It's fabulous! I mean, imagine these pics hanging in your home? So not traditional... so not expected... and SO not boring! 

Brideys, if you're looking for a fun way to play during your engagement shoot, this is it! Go ahead... try something outside of your norm. Get comfortable being uncomfortable! The pictures are completely worth it!

So... they started off all lovey dovey with beautiful black and white photographs in front of a lovely backdrop. Holding hands, a lovely snuggle and then....

BAM! Oh... What do we have here? Some cans of paint? How awesome is that!?

Look at their faces! Through their smiles I can see the desire. Ewww... Not THAT kind of desire

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Real Wedding Wednesday ~ What to Expect When You're Expecting... A Wedding

I am so completely in love with all of the glitz and glam of this beautiful wedding! Brittany, the bride, envisioned a very lovely, completely timeless and classy affair... And you know what? She pulled it off beautifully! "Putting on the Ritz" style baby! Brittany and Aubin's wedding day was on Jan 4th, and it was important for them to keep the holiday vibe going with glitter, the many shades of champagne, silver and gold, and a lot of candles to create a sexy and fun ambiance.

Seriously, how cool is it that they had two different bands? Right? The layout of the venue was such that it lent itself well to the two bands, one a jazz 1920's style band, Miss Rose and her Percolators, which played upstairs during the dinner, and Van Eps rocked it downstairs in the "speakeasy lounge".

But... I must say, although I have heard it before, I am always surprised when a bride compares the intensity of her wedding plans to the intensity of of planning for a baby... She mentions this twice! Hmmm... leads me to wonder... Following the honeymoon, does baby make three? Only Brittany can answer that one! 

Enjoy this fabulous wedding!

1. Bridey, how did you meet your spouse? (The short and sweet version please.)

I had joined a putt putt golf league, and two of my teammates worked with Aubin. We ended up meeting through those friend's gatherings.

2. How long were you together before you were engaged?

Two years... Seemed like a lifetime for some reason. 

(Right before the ceremony, Aubin had a surprise gift delivered to Brittany...)

3. What was the length of time between the engagement and the wedding?

One year... Actually, a good friend of mine pointed out that you have more time to plan for a wedding than you do for a child. Granted we weren't 'trying' to get pregnant, but it's definitely a crazy thought... 

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Super Stylish Sunday ~ Eloping... Bitchless Bride Style

Brideys, I've been quite honest regarding the details of my own wedding, haven't I? You all know I eloped, right? Well, I did. So, I thought I'd show you how it's done if that's what you are planning to do. I must say, the only thing that I find annoying to this day is how many people ask us if Elvis married us... Really. No, Elvis did not fucking marry us... We just love Vegas, so that's where we wanted to get married. Because it meant something... Just us... Nobody else. But, beware, I do have a few teeny tiny regrets that I will be sharing with you so if you've booked your tickets, then take some notes, bridey. Hopefully my experience will help you avoid regret and focus on what's important, you (and your man)... Because everybody should take a picture on an old Mercedes! Just kidding, but I do absolutely love her dress, hair and shoes so I thought I'd show them to you. This is a BIG one, bridey. I REGRET not wearing an actual wedding dress! I wore a bridesmaid dress that I purchased a week before the trip, and I totally regret not wearing a fabulous white dress. So, check out the two wedding dresses above. They are fantastic! Do yourself a favor and wear one!

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It Happens When You Least Expect It... The Bride and Groom Who Met at Target!

I love everything about this wedding. I love Wendy's amazingly gorgeous wedding colors. I love her wedding dress, her veil and her style. I love the simplicity of the wedding. But, most of all? I love that Wendy kept her cool throughout the wedding planning. She and Jay planned and executed their wedding with style and grace without the drama, when there very well could have been plenty (see question number 8!), AND... all on a tight budget!

Just look at these photographs! I mean... They tell a beautiful story about two people in love, and it shows with every shot! So, brideys, enjoy the eye candy, but most of all? I hope you walk away from this post with a little bit of perspective! You can have the wedding you want without breaking the bank, and you don't have to be a bitch to make it happen!

1. Bridey, how did you meet your spouse? (The short and sweet version please.)

Jay and I met shopping in Target. Well, I was shopping and he was working. I was chatting with a friend of mine who also works there, saw Jay and definitely felt the attraction. After I had left, Jay went up to my friend Travis and said "I don't know who that redhead you were talking to was, but I think I'm in love". Travis immediately texted me, but left it up to us to introduce ourselves. A month and many unnecessary shopping trips later, we finally spoke and set up our first date. 

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