Oliveaire Design Studio Showcase: The Acharya Wedding: Roosevelt University Chicago

 BBFN (Bridal Bliss For Now),

Olivia



A New Spin on Old Traditions

Ever heard of the saying “Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed & Something Blue”? Of course you have!  Keeping with tradition is important, but why not put a new & unique spin on it!  Here are some ideas to keep these traditions alive in a creative way!

Something Old

To help keep the memories of loved ones close to the Brides heart, Brides are now placing pictures of their loved ones in lockets and even pinning them to their bouquet. It is a nice and memorable touch to incorporate "Something Old" for your wedding day.  If you would like to share in that moment with your guests, the growing trend right now is creating a collage of all your departed loved ones and putting it out on display for guest to admire.

Another beautiful way to keep a piece of your loved ones with you when walking down the aisle, is to collect meaningful fabric (from mom’s or grandmother’s wedding dress or from father or grandfather’s shirt) and sewing it into the lining of their dress. 

Something New

The biggest item that is usually ‘something new’ is the bridal gown, but if a bride would like to take that a step further, some great ideas would be buying some new make-up, jewelry, or lingerie (who says it has to be something seen?) Even a new perfume would be great as every time you smell that scent you will be reminded of your wedding day!

If you are a bride that is taking your soon-to-be husband last name you can always get your soon-to-be new initials monogrammed on a necklace or even have it sewed on your veil! It will be your new name after all!

Something Borrowed

Usually something borrowed would be family jewelry, the dress, or even the veil. However, we have noticed a new and creative twist that brides are doing for this tradition! Why not rent a stunning hand bag for the day? There are a lot of websites to checkout to find a gorgeous handbag that you will use on your special day. The same can go for jewelry. By renting it for the night you can get a striking piece of jewelry that will compliment your wedding dress.

If you would like to do something more meaningful with your ‘something borrowed’ you can always borrow the jewelry that your mother wore on her wedding day. Or a sweet gesture would be to include your future mother-in-law and wear something of hers too!

And remember, it doesn’t have to be something that the bride has to wear… why not ‘borrow’ the First Dance song of a couple you admire? The couple would be so surprised and honored that you thought of them on your wedding day!

Something Blue

For the most part, a lot of brides will make their garter blue for this tradition, but the new twist popping up everywhere is taking that pop of color and putting it on their shoes!  We cannot get over how beautiful a blue show looks against a white or ivory gown!

Another stunning way to incorporate something blue would be to get blue stitching on the inside of the dress embroidered with your wedding date.

If none of this sounds appealing to you –or perhaps you just do not want the color blue on you for your big day- why not create a signature blue drink? That way you and your guest could enjoy this old tradition together!

 

Here is an added bonus:

The Groom

            Let us not forget the groom… It is his special day too! Some subtle but creative ways for him to participate in these traditions could be to wear heirloom cufflinks or even a tie from a close friend or relative that he admires (something borrowed or something old). Another sweet gesture would be to include his past loved ones in the collage table or even in the photos attached to your bouquet, I am sure your groom would appreciate the thought.  Something new could be a new tie, new shoes, or even new cologne.  For the Something Blue, he can incorporate this color with his boutonniere, in his cufflinks or as a fun pop of color in his socks!  No one said that the Bride had to be the only one participating in these traditions, so why let him have a little bit of fun too!

 

I hope these little tidbits of advice can help inspire you for your big day! What other ideas have you done to update these old traditions? Any past Brides out there that would like to give some creative ideas to what they did for their wedding day? I would love to hear from you so please leave a comment below!

 

BBFN (Bridal Bliss For Now), 

Olivia

 

Oliveaire Design Studio Showcase: Boddapati & DeAnda Wedding: Crystal Gardens

 

 

BBFN (Bridal Bliss For Now),

Olivia

The Bride's Last Hoorah!

 

10 Easy Steps on How to Plan her Bachelorette Party!

                You have been honored with the title of “Bridesmaid” or even “Maid-of-Honor”.  With this title I’m sure that you have been busy helping her pick out the perfect dress, picking out your own dress, and maybe have even gone to a few tastings.  Yes these items are very important, but the most important responsibility in the Bride’s eyes, is planning her Bachelorette Party! Stuck on how to plan this special, fun & crazy night?  I have listed out ten easy steps that will make planning a lot less stressful and will guarantee that the Bride will have the time of her life!

1. Whose in the Bridal Party?

Knowing who is in the Bridal Party will definitely be the first step! Request a list of the Bridal Party and their contact information from the Bride.  Also, ask the Bride who she wants there.  A lot of the time the Bride will want other close friends, family members and maybe even her and her fiancé’s mothers. 

2.   Decide the Theme!

This is the fun part!  Being one of her Bridesmaids means that you and the others know her the best.  Knowing her personality and what her favorite things are can help you decide what you would like the theme to be. Also, remember to consider your guests when choosing the theme.  Some might not as be comfortable in certain situations as others may be.  With this all being said, here are some examples of Bachelorette Party Themes:

·         Summer/ Themed: Beach, Pool, Spa Day

·         The Year She Was Born: If she was born in the 80s, have an 80s themed Bachelorette Party

·         Pretty in Pink

·         Las Vegas: Whether your in Vegas or want your theme to be Las Vegas, either way will guarantee a great time for all!

3.  Discuss Budget with the Wedding party Ahead of Time

This information is key.  Include all costs involved during the whole event, including food, travel & cover chargers!  You do not want to plan an extravagant day/night and then come to realize that everyone is not on the same page as you regarding the budget.  You will either end up wasting a lot of time or you may even be stuck with the bill!

4. Decide on the date & location of the event

Know that you know the theme and everyone’s budget, it is now time to choose your location(s) and the date.  Availability will most likely determine your date! Just remember not to schedule the event the night before important days: the bridal shower, engagement photos and definitely not right before the Wedding day!

5. Transportation

Transportation is something that is forgotten quite often.  Knowing where you’re going and how you’re getting there is key.  Since alcohol is most likely involved, make sure you plan ahead and hire a form of transportation.  Transportation options can range from limos, buses and trolleys.  Make sure to secure transportation early, it books up fast!

6.  The Bride’s Accessories

The Bride will want everyone to know that she is the Bride the night of her Bachelorette Party! So make sure to purchase fun wedding accessories for her to wear so everyone will know it’s her special night.  These accessories can be anything including a sparkly tiara, a sash or even a wedding veil!  Also, consider the other ladies attending the party!  They may also want to wear something special to stand out from the crowd, like a feather boa!

7.  Don’t Forget the Themed Décor!

Whatever theme you choose needs to have plenty of décor!  We highly recommend Pinterest for great and fun décor ideas!

8. Games, Games & More Games!

Games are the best part of the Bachelorette Party!  Make sure to come up with plenty of games for you, the Bride and the other guests to play!  These games can be scheduled any time you have down time.  Examples of fun games can be found all over the internet, but here are some I love and suggest:

·         A Scavenger Hunt: Played throughout the day/night

·         Bride Trivia: Either who knows the Bride Best or if the Bride knows the Groom Quiz

·         Pin the tail on the Male: You Get the Hint

9. Don’t Forget to Invite Your Guests

Be sure to purchase invitations  that match the theme of the party and make sure to send them out to give guests enough time to RSVP and free their schedules!  Also, if this is a surprise for the bride, remind your guests that it is a surprise and inform them of any cover fees or costs that they will need to come up with.

10. Pay Ahead

Ask your guests to pay ahead of time for all of the Bachelorette Party Expenses.  To make things less confusing and easier for you, ask that your guests pay in cash… This way it will be easier to pay your vendor/venue the day of and you won’t have to sort through checks/credit cards.   

When planning this amazing night for one of your dearest friends/family members, just have fun with it!  Like I previously said, just remember to consider their personality, the guests and what they would love to do, and I guarantee she will have the best time and remember it for the rest of her life! 

BBFN (Bridal Bliss For Now),

Olivia

Oliveaire Design Studio Showcase: Srinivasan 50th Anniversary Party: Westin Lombard

BBFN (Bridal Bliss For Now),

Olivia