What to Wear: Bridesmaids Edition

As you’ve probably already figured out, it typically doesn’t take too terribly long for me to make a decision with many wedding related items. Of course there are exceptions – sometimes my decision is really just a lack of one, as we saw with the floral decorations. But so far, it has really just been a matter of doing some research online, meeting with the vendor in person to make sure we like them, and then putting down a deposit. This was the case with the DJ, Harpist, and the person who will do my makeup (more on that coming soon!).  Following suit, choosing the dresses for the bridesmaids was a fairly simple process, which I am very thankful for!

It seems as if finding a dress for your ladies to wear can sometimes be one of the more stressful choices during the planning process, which I completely understand. The process is filled with difficult questions like whether or not to have the entire group of ladies match, or to allow them to each choose a unique dress style or color. And if you do choose the route of matching dresses, it can be difficult to find a style that is flattering for each bridesmaid or find a style that everyone can agree on. 

I did my best to have most of these factors decided before we started visiting stores and trying on dresses. I wanted the girls to wear red, so I was hoping to find a dress we all liked in a shade of red that looked good as well.

Because I’m in love with pictures like this:

image via Continuum Photography

And this:

image via Southern Weddings, photo by Virgil Bunao

..I chose to go the matching dress route. I do love bridal parties with different dresses in a coordinating color scheme, especially in light, neutral colors like so:

Photo by: Edyta Szyszlo Photography on Grey Likes Weddings via Lover.ly

...But I was honestly afraid that with a small bridal party of just three bridesmaids it wouldn’t have the same effect if I let them choose individual dresses. My lovely bridesmaids are also very similar in height and size, so I felt that the streamline matching look could work really well with this group.

My next choice was whether or not I wanted the dresses to be floor length, at the knee, or somewhere in between. If our wedding was during the summer I would’ve chosen a short dress, no questions asked. Likewise, if it were a winter affair I would’ve chosen a floor length gown with a heavier fabric. However, we chose to have the wedding in October because of the pleasant weather (among other reasons) that is so rare in the Lone Star State. With the wedding at this time of the year, either style of dress could really be appropriate, so it was just up to all of us to decide what we liked more. 

Personally, I liked the idea of a long dress. I thought they would look very elegant and fit the style of the venue really well. I just wanted to check with the bridesmaids to be sure before I made a decision. When I asked the girls for their opinion, I suspected each of them would prefer a short dress. I was extremely surprised that each of them was not only okay with the idea of a long gown, but actually thought it would look really nice. So, it was settled, and the search began for a red, floor length, elegant bridesmaid dress that would satisfy each of our tastes!

How did you decide what style you wanted for your bridesmaids? Did you come up with an idea before you started shopping, or did you wait until the girls were trying on dresses to decide you liked a didn't like?

Finding a Florist: Part 2

Recently, I shared with y'all the characteristics I was looking for in a florist, as well as one of the things I wanted to include in the floral decorations for the wedding. (Side note: choosing a florist has been the only decision Mr. Coach and I haven't made together concerning the wedding. I gave him a break on this one, so when I say "I chose or I wanted" I'm not leaving him out - I just flew solo on this one!)

Now that everyone knows the background info, its time to talk about meeting with the florists and choosing one. After my online searches, I contacted two design companies: Luxe Petals and Red Sole Events.

Remember, I had 3 things I was really looking for:

• An emphasis on flowers, rather than other decor items. 
• The type of weddings it looked like they typically designed - indoor, outdoor, formal, casual, etc.
• Whether or not they had designed any weddings at the Piazza

Unfortunately, Red Sole events was not booking during October due to a personal matter, so I was left with only one florist to meet with.  Because I really liked what I had seen on their website, I decided to leave it that way until after I had met with Luxe Petals, and then I would decide if I needed to meet with others.

via Luxe Petals on Facebook

via Luxe Petals on Facebook 

I set up a consultation with Joie, the owner of Luxe Petals, and anxiously awaited our Saturday Starbucks date. When we were finally able to meet, I was impressed by her professionalism. She took detailed notes and studied the picture inspiration I had brought along with me. As you can tell by the pictures, she does an amazing job with the floral decor. After meeting with her I was also able to tell that she has done many different types of weddings, and seemed like she would be very comfortable at the Piazza. Finally, although she had not designed a wedding for the Piazza at the time we met, she had one booked during the time between our meeting and the wedding in October. So, she would have already been introduced to the venue before our wedding.

I left Starbucks feeling good about our meeting, but honestly - not great. On paper, Luxe Petals seemed perfect. Joie took many notes and looked at all the pictures I brought along, and I knew if she designed the wedding decorations it would be beautiful, but I wasn't 100% sure it would be exactly as I had imagined. I received her pricing quote a few days later, and it was very close to what I was expecting to pay. However, I had already made the decision to set up a meeting with another florist because I needed to be sure. This was one of those times I just had to go with my gut - Joie didn't do anything wrong, I just wasn't positive she was the right choice for us.

After the first meeting, it was back to the internet search. This time, I discovered (or rediscovered, actually) Haute Floral by Kristen Wolchik. I had seen her work a while back as the florist for Mrs. FroYo, and I loved the creativity she displayed - including a bouquet made completely of yogurt toppings! I'm not exactly sure why I hadn't remembered her earlier, but I'm so thankful I came across her website when I did. I immediately contacted her and set up a consultation.

via Haute Floral on Facebook, Photo by Stacie Tatum

via Haute Floral on Facebook

Like Joie, Kristen was very professional. She took notes, looked at the pictures I had brought along (the same as the last meeting) and listened to what I had to say. But with Kristen, it just clicked. She immediately saw the big picture I was aiming for, she voiced some of her ideas (that were RIGHT on with what I wanted) and I could just see her scheming up a plan for our big day. This time, I left the meeting hoping the price would be right and I could book her right away. Luckily, the price was right where it needed to be, and Kristen made it very clear that we could tweak it to add or take away as needed, which I really appreciated. So, I sent her the deposit and it was a done deal!

Haute Floral had an emphasis on floral design and a variety of experience with past weddings. Kristen had also worked on previous weddings at the Piazza, but only at their larger ballroom, not the one we had chosen. I still really appreciated this because she's familiar with the venue and their policies. I also had faith that Kristen could take all of my crazy ideas and turn them into one beautiful wedding design.

Ultimately, these two vendors were very similar when you put them side by side. But with Haute Floral/Kristen I just knew I had to have her at my wedding! I love to plan, make lists and compare and contrast, but with this experience I learned how important it is to just meet with a vendor in person and get to know them. It can really make the difference between choosing them or continuing your search.

Now that you know who I chose, tell me about your process in choosing a florist! How did you know when you found "the one" - was it a matter of pros and cons on paper, or did you go with your gut feeling?

Finding A Florist: Part 1

My search for the perfect florist began online, as most of my searches do. I knew what I was hoping for our wedding to look like, and now it was time to find the perfect person to make it a reality.

Let's be honest, it was going to take a pretty talented person to make my inspiration photos mesh together into one streamlined idea. But, I had no doubt that person was out there, so the search began!

When I began looking at florists website there were a few things I would look for specifically:

• An emphasis on flowers, rather than other decor items. 
• The type of weddings it looked like they typically designed - indoor, outdoor, formal, casual, etc.
• Whether or not they had designed any weddings at the Piazza

First of all - an emphasis on floral design was important to me. Mainly because I just love flowers! But also because of the style of the Piazza and the items they provide. The chapel aisle is lined with candles and the package we decided on provides even more that we can use around the chapel if wanted. The Village Ballroom is decorated with glamourous crystal chandeliers above the tables as well as drapery on the walls.

Candles in the Piazza Chapel /  Photo Credit - Piazza in the Village on Facebook

Village Ballroom - Note the Chandeliers and Drapery on the Walls /
via Piazza in the Village on Facebook, Photo by Fairytale Photography

Because of the way the Piazza looks on its own, I wasn't looking so much for an event designer, as I was for a true florist to just spruce things up a bit.

Second, I wanted to find someone who had experience with a lot of different types of wedding, but specifically one like ours - indoors and somewhat formal. When I came across a website where the majority of the photos looked like this, I would just keep looking:

 Image via Branching Out Events

Pictures like this are beautiful, just not our cup of tea. Of course, a talented florist or event designer can transition and work with any style, but when the majority of the photos did not have anything in common with our venue, I kept searching. I really wanted to see examples of their work that I could relate to our own wedding.

Next, I tried to determine from the website whether or not the florist had worked on any previous weddings at the Piazza. While this was not a definite item on my list of criteria, it was a positive if I found pictures of previous work at our location.

I also wanted to bring to your attention part of the floral decoration that will have special meaning to me. I mentioned this to each of the florists I met with so I wanted to mention it here as well, and when that important day in October finally gets here, you can take notice of how it is used!

White Hydrangea via Grower's Box

Here it is - simple, yet beautiful! That's right, the object I'm using with special meaning is one of the most popular flowers used in wedding decoration. So, what is so special about it? Hydrangeas bring back many happy memories with this wonderful lady, Great-Grandmother Coach:

Personal Photo

My great-grandmother had BEAUTIFUL hydrangea bushes in her yard and I have many memories of going to visit her with my Momma Coach, and walking around outside while she showed them to us.  Not only was my great grandmother one of the sweetest ladies I've known, but she was very meticulous about many things, including her hydrangea bushes. She passed away a few years ago (at age 93!), but she was a wonderful lady, and I can't imagine not having something to remember her by on my wedding day. Although her flowers were shades of blues and pinks, I will incorporate white hydrangeas into my bouquet and some of the wedding decorations.

I know many people choose to honor their loved ones in different ways, with a paragraph in their program or a candle burning during the ceremony. However, I decided this symbol was the way I would prefer to show remembrance of my great-grandmother and happy times with her. It's subtle, and many people will not know the special meaning of these flowers, but they will hold a special place in my heart, just as she did. I also really liked the idea of incorporating such a special symbol into my bouquet, because it is an item that will be with me much of the day. Because it's so important to me that this is part of the flowers and decorations, I felt it was important to go ahead and mention to florists so they could plan to interpret it into their designs.

With these items in mind, the search began, and I began to contact the florists that I wanted to potentially meet with and discuss my ideas!

What characteristics did you look for in your florist? Did it matter to you whether or not they had designed weddings at your location before? Do any of you plan to honor loved ones who have passed, in writing or through a special symbol?

This One's For The Girls!

I'm back for the second time tonight. There is just so much I want to share with y'all and I really need to get to posting!

I briefly mentioned in my last two posts the topic of bridesmaid dresses. Then it hit me a little while ago that I had never even introduced the ladies who will stand by my side on my Big Day! So, without further ado, my bridesmaids:

First off, my main gal, Maid of Honor Larkin:
We've been the best of friends since middle school, and she's been with me every step of the way through some difficult times. This picture was taken on a vacation to Cabo San Lucas, and I'm officially taking a new picture of us the next time we're together because this sucker is OLD!

Aren't we cute!? ...and so, so young. / Personal Photo

Next up, another childhood friend, Bridesmaid Jamie:

Jamie and I met in the first grade, and she's one of those friends that you just can't think of a memory that doesn't involve her. She is such a joyful person, and I'm so thankful to have her in my life.

Another old photo alert! / Personal photo

I just love these girls!

And last, but certainly not least, Bridesmaid Robin! Robin is one of my newest friends, but still so very important to me! We met Freshman year of college, and have been roommates the last two years. She has been so helpful in the planning process, and more importantly :) she shares my sense of humor!

Finally, a semi-recent picture! / Personal Photo

Choosing the ladies to be my bridesmaids was one of the easiest decisions I have made in the planning process. Each of them holds a special place in my heart, and I love the mixture of new and old friends standing next to me, representing how important they are in my life. These girls are so wonderful, and obviously BEAUTIFUL, and I can't wait to share my wedding day with them!

Tell me about your bridesmaids! Old friends, new friends, how did you choose?

So Many Colors, So Little Time

Deciding on our overall color scheme and decor for the wedding was somewhat of a struggle. I was almost positive I wanted my bridesmaids to wear red, simply because I have always loved red and I really think if it's done the right way it can be so elegant. What I don't like is when red weddings just remind me of Christmas and holiday decor. The contrast of solid red and solid white is just too much for me sometimes. I wanted to be able to use red bridesmaid dresses, without using such a bold color for all of the other decorations, and without the holiday comparison. I needed to figure out a way to incorporate the color I liked, without it looking like it was the middle of December and without overdoing it with such a saturated color.

Because we're getting married in October, I also wanted to have some sort of fall elements in the decor, but I didn't want the typical red, orange and brown combination that comes to mind. These colors are beautiful, and part of why I have always wanted a fall wedding (lovely colorful leaves on the trees!) but I felt like they were exactly what people would expect of a fall wedding, and I wanted to mix it up a little. I knew there was some way I could avoid that color scheme, while still complementing it with other colors.

As I began my search, pictures like these really caught my eye. I was drawn to bright red dresses, with bridesmaid bouquets with lots of autumn-like texture:

Image via Style Me Pretty, Flowers by Blomma Flicka

Image via Style Me Pretty 

Perfect! Well, not so much. As much as I loved the contrast of bright, multicolored bouquets against bold red dresses, and the different textures of fall without that same old color scheme, this didn't really help my decision. I felt they would look a little to rustic and casual for my taste if I used them for all of the reception centerpieces. The wedding centerpieces that I had already seen that I liked were very classic and typically not so multicolored. I also wanted to tone down the "rustic-ness" of these flowers and add a little softness.

Image via Style Me Pretty

I know I'm going crazy talking about flowers like there's no tomorrow - stay with me just a little longer :) 

Next, I began to focus on the other decor for the ceremony and reception. I'll be honest, I fell in love almost immediately with images like these:

Image via The Knot, Photo by Alternate Angles, Flowers by Lilacs

Image via Style Me Pretty , Photo by James Christianson

 I know, I know - these photos look nothing like the flowers I like for the bridesmaids. I just can't help myself! I just swoon over the classic and elegant look of the all white. 

So, are you ready for this??

I'm using both.

Before I even began meeting with florists, I decided I liked and wanted to use both of these styles, so my hopes were that I would find a florist who understood the look I was going for and could make it a reality. Going into my florist search, one of my most important requirements was that they would be able to see my vision for the day, and somehow combine all of this madness that is fall texture and white elegance. My hope is that we can somehow tie in the all white look of the reception centerpieces with the pops of color that will be in the bridesmaids' flowers. Curious how it's all going to come together? Me too. Guess we'll have to wait around until October to find out :) 

Did anyone else decide to combine more than one type of inspiration you liked, or am I the only crazy one? I mean, there is going to be a ceremony and a reception, so why not get creative with both? ;) Tell me about your color choices!

The Search for a Venue: Our Style

From the beginning (I’m talking 6 yrs old, playing dress-up, beginning) I’ve had a general idea of what my dream wedding would look like. And I know I’m not the only one who started cutting out pictures and bookmarking inspiration long before that ring was on my finger ;) I have always loved a classic wedding. Nothing too formal - just romantic and elegant. Those were the words I wanted to think and feel when I saw our wedding venue.

When we started the process of looking for a venue, I knew that we would have to decide on a “look” before we started seeing places in person. We knew we wanted to get married in the DFW area, and there are absolutely just too many places to visit if you don’t have a good starting idea of what you want and don't want. From my experience looking at venues online and going to weddings in the past, most wedding venues fall into one of these five groups: 

There are the country club or hotel weddings;

Castle Hills Country Club Ceremony via The Lake at Castle Hills

Outdoor Reception via Westin Stonebriar

the outdoor, rustic and barnlike venues;

Stone Oak Ranch via Brandi Burkett Photography

the garden-like outdoor event;

Marie Gabrielle Wedding via Life as Art Photography

Marie Gabrielle Wedding via Kristin Greenlee Photography

the very non-traditional location, like a loft or museum;

Hickory Street Annex Ceremony via Tru Identity Designs

Image via Edison's

and finally, the wedding chapel.

Ashton Gardens via Treva Tribit

Belltower Chapel Wedding, Fort Worth via Bella Bee Photography

Of course there are always exceptions and variations, but when I started searching that covered the majority of what I found. (Let me say right away that I think all of these options are wonderful. I love any and all weddings! Although there are reasons why some of them weren’t the best for us, each of the types has beautiful and unique qualities that make them special.)

I knew almost immediately that a hotel or country club was not the right style for us. Similarly, anything outdoors was just not an option for this weather-worrier, so that ruled out a very large number of garden/outdoor venues. There are many beautiful hotel ballrooms and I have seen gorgeous country club weddings but they just didn’t quite fit the style what I wanted. Venues that allow much more creative freedom, like spacious lofts, have become very popular in the Dallas area for weddings. As much as I liked the idea of a blank slate to turn into our perfect venue, I felt like the urban-ness just really didn't fit us and our families. 

Next up were the country and casual venues. If I had to choose, I'd say these locations probably came in second place to our eventual decision for a traditional chapel. They describe to a “t” the atmosphere that I grew up in. I am a Texas girl, I drive a truck, and my house sits about a mile from our closest “neighbor.” My cousins will more than likely show up to my elegant wedding in cowboy boots (given, they will undoubtedly be their nice boots) and I am 100% okay with that. However, I decided I didn’t want my wedding to just be a reflection of the small East Texas town where I’m from.

Why? Well there are a few reasons. First, I may be from East Texas and I may drive a truck, but even though I like big pastures and cows (okay, I don’t really like them but I’m used to them) I also love sushi, cocktails, and the “city life”. Secondly, rustic and casual is just so. darn. popular. right now when it comes to weddings.

Image via Ruffled 

Honestly, if mason jars and wildflowers hadn’t taken over Pinterest, I might have considered many of the venues near my hometown that fit that mold. But, I wanted classic, not current.

So, we chose the wedding chapel.

Every location that we decided to visit and look at had a traditional chapel (or at least a ceremony room) with a long center aisle. I know this style is not for everyone. There are so many options today to make your wedding feel like “you” and for many people that means not having it in a church, chapel, or even indoors. I definitely get it - I am a sucker for wedding photos of beautiful outdoor affairs & rustic barnyard get-togethers, but the indoor chapel seemed like the best fit for us, and for my longtime “vision”. So, we had it narrowed down to an overall style and we just had to find that perfect place!

Has anyone had trouble deciding what "type" of venue you wanted, or have you known since the beginning what your dream wedding would look like?

Engagement Photo Reveal

Now that you know how hard it was for me to decide what to wear, the time has come to share these beauties. Let's be honest, this post is going to be a little picture heavy, but who doesn't love some good engagement photos? 

All photos by the wonderful Megan Fortner!

First up we have a few pictures that were taken at a wine bar called Cru. We frequent this quaint little place on weekends, so it was the perfect place to start of our date night/afternoon.

I mentioned that I wanted to start out with a nicer outfit for both of us. This dress was one that I already owned from Loft, paired with some white pumps. Mr. Coach kept the stripe theme going with a nice button up and some navy slacks. Just keepin' it classy, folks :) We also took a few pictures at the Angelika Film Center where we often see movies.  

After our wardrobe change, we got some pictures outside by the lake, and then took a walk around some of the town homes and shops that were nearby. This dress was something I bought new for the pictures, found here, and I have gotten a lot of use out of it since. I loved how bright and cheerful it was!

Finally, we changed our outfits one more time and then took a short drive over to a nearby field and a fire station to snap a few more photos. I really liked the color and pattern of this blouse (which I bought new for the session) and I feel like it photographed really well. I paired it with a skinny brown belt that I owned, and my favorite brown boots!

Our photographer, Megan was awesome! She was super professional, she had great ideas throughout the afternoon as well as an awesome eye for good locations, and she was so much fun to be around! I highly recommend her if you're in the DFW area!

Overall, we kept it pretty simple with our outfits and surroundings, which I think is a great idea because it keeps the focus on YOU. For anyone out there who is like us, and didn't want to go all out with a themed shoot, I think having pictures taken at your favorite date spot or somewhere you're familiar with is a really good alternative - it allows you to be more at ease, and just enjoy being together like you would if the camera was not there. 

Although it's nothing new to us and our relationship, Mr. Coach and I also tried to laugh A LOT during the session; joking with each other felt natural, and kept us from getting nervous or taking ourselves too seriously. I highly recommend it :)

Tell me about your engagement shoot - did you plan all the details and go the theme route? Anyone else use a date night for your session?