Don't Forget!

Hey everyone! Don't forget the Holiday Open House at Broadway Paper tomorrow! I'm really excited to attend this event. I plan to get lots of party ideas. Hopefully, I will have a chance to scoop up the best wrapping paper (I'm kind of a wrapping paper fiend). Not to mention my very good friends Kate Funk and ac will be there at 1pm to join in the fun....

Tomorrow is a BIG day and I can't wait! Check out the BWP blog here, here, here and here for {some of} the details (I don't want to give away the farm!)!

My New {Designer} Crush!

Steven Birnbaum has the cutest little ad in the newest issue of Martha Stewart Weddings. *sigh*...I loves him so much! For those of you that don't know, Steven Birnbaum is half of the mindblowingly talented design team Birnbaum & Bullock. Mostly I love that this particular line ranges in price from $950-$2350. I love style at a reasonable price. Here are a few of my favorite offerings.

1. Maggie. This dress gives good detail, I'll tell you what! I'm really enjoying the lapel effect on the back of the dress. Simple, yet stunning. Such a great combination.

2. LouLou. I love love LOVE short, chic wedding dresses. And let me tell you, they seem to be all the rage for this coming spring. I am in lust with this dress. I want it. The neckline and the bow detail?! To die for and how cute with the gloves. A perfect 10, in my book.

3. And here's Sunni. This little dress strikes me in a couple of ways. It's such a breezy, beautiful dress. I love the little flower detail on the bottom of the dress. It's small, sweet and romantic. A friend of mine is getting married next fall and she's been looking for a dreamy dress and I think this would be perfect for her.

I'd also like to mention the lack of veil in all three looks. In my own, personal opinion-I'm happy to see them go. My traditional, 50's housewife side LOVES the look of a bride in white with a demure veil obscuring her features from her betrothed until he finally kisses her, sealing the deal. BUT. My, fun, chic, ultramodern side says, "Forget about it!" Veils don't need to be fingertip length to be elegant. I'm a firm believer in alternative bridal adornment. The three styles shown here are wonderful! In fact, I think I feel a post coming on!

All photos from the Steven Birnbaum website.

Attention Cream City Hostesses!

Hey there everyone! Happy Monday! What a weekend! I have so much to share with you....so many of my posts in the "someday" category are now finished and ready to roll out for you. But first, I think I owe it to you to share some news....

Broadway Paper is having a Holiday Open House! I cannot possibly tell you how excited I am to attend this wonderful event. "The BWP" (as we affectionately call it) is one of my favorite places in Milwaukee. I go there for virtually all of my paper needs. They have it all. My favorite thing? The wonderfully diverse section of gift wrap, for sure. Read the post by the lovely new owner, Miss Kate Strzok for details.

I'll be there! Will you?

Okay so...

I was totally grouchy and tired of editing pictures for my next post until I came across this!

Love. This. Picture. Miss Kate Funk is so brill I just can't stand it. Check out the Milwaukee powerhouse here, here and here. You won't be sorry. I never am.

P.S. I just got the Kate Funk 2010 wall calendar! Yay me and thanks Kate (and ac) for being so awesome!

A Little Something {New}

Hey everyone!
Check out the new invite suite from Allison C. Beilke. I love her and her brilliant work. If you'll remember, she did our entire wedding suite. It was a huge hit. Apparently this suite was created for a college friend of hers. All the info has been changed of course.....

Here it is! Enjoy!

Isn't it sooo nice! I love it! I am a sucker for a square card. I have been simply DYING to do a Cherry Blossom themed wedding. I think it can be a really romantic theme. And, if you do it right, it can be really lovely and elegant.

*sigh* Ah, Romance....

From the Trenches: Bridesmaid Ettiquette

From the mail bag:

Hey Erin!
Love your blog! I have been lurking for awhile, but just had to ask you a question. My fiance has two sisters. They are younger than me and I've never really spent a lot of time with them. My soon to be MIL asked me when she and the girls should meet up with me to pick out their bridesmaid dresses. I have already asked 6 of my friends to be my bridesmaids. I think 8 girls is too many. I really don't want to add anymore people, especially people I don't know that well. My fiance says I should try to find room for them because they are his sisters. He doesn't want my MIL and I to have a bad start. He also says, he won't be upset with me if I don't include them, because he doesn't really want to find 2 more men to fill out the bridal party. We just aren't sure we can afford it. My older sister (and my MOH) thinks I shouldn't worry about their feelings and tell them they can't be in the wedding. I feel conflicted. What should I do?

This is a toughy. I have to tell you, if this had been me, I'd have been inclined to give in. I was so worried about hurting people's feelings and starting off at odds with my MIL. The bad thing about giving in? Once you start, people will try and talk you into everything. Me? For one thing, I got talked into something I absolutely did not want. Calligraphy. I also got talked into adding 20 couples to the guestlist (True story.).

Since it sounds to me like neither of you really want to do this, here is my advice. Be honest, but tactful. Be assertive, not aggressive. Articulate the reasons why adding four more people to the bridal party is undesirable to you. Tell your MIL what you just told me. You don't know the girls very well, that a bridal party of 18 (8 'maids, 8 'men, and you and your groom) is too big and you just cant afford it. But (and this is a BIG but), offer alternative ways the sisters can be involved. Let them plan the bridal shower, help with the registry, take them with you dress shopping, plan the rehearsal dinner, the bachelorette party....the list goes on and on. They want to be involved in their brother's special day and they most likely want to get to know you. Let them. Make them special and show them that a relationship with them means a lot to you.

I hope I've answered your question and let me tell you, I hear this one a lot. Thanks for writing me, my lovely!

A Preview

Hello everyone! It's been a whirlwind the last couple weeks. I survived unscathed! I wanted to give you a preview of last Saturday's Halloween party. Everything was a dream. The food was exquisite (yes, I do menu design), the decor to die for, but the company was by far, the best part of the evening.

This is the incredible bouquet that served as the crown jewel of the decor. It's is absolutely incredible! It was designed by my good friends at Urban Sense (the new website will be up and running soon). These are the same guys who did the florals for our wedding! I love them! (I'd give you more on them, but that's for another post!)

Swoon! The picture hardly does it justice. I was able to get it from some other angles and I'll get them up soon, along with the rest of the event!