Wedding Buzz Wedding Planning Tips
Best Groomsmen Gifts
Last week we pulled together some of what we think are the best bridesmaids gifts from around the web, so this time it's the guy's turn! Read More
Best Bridesmaid Gifts
They love you, they've been there for you, and now they're right here for you. They've probably put up with a lot, attended your parties, spent some of their hard-earned, and maybe even traveled a distance (and maybe more than once!) to support you during this very special time in your life. Be sure they know how grateful you are to have them not only at your wedding, but standing beside you on the biggest & most important day of your life. To say "thank you" to your best gals, put a little thought into it - remember, there's no rule that says you have to give them all the same thing! Give them each something they'll always have to remember you & your Big Day by. Most of these things are less than $20, a couple things aren't. (Oh, and consider giving your maid-of-honor, a little something special!) Read More
How to Propose: The Three Pillars
We founded Bespoke Proposals based on the belief that all marriage proposals should be created with a passion for romance, be centered on exclusivity, and obsess over the details. But how did we decide to focus on those three things? Like planning any event or making any big decision, it is important not to get overwhelmed with the scope of it all. Setting goals and sticking to your top priorities should stay on the forefront of your mind throughout the entire process. We have decided that romance, exclusivity, and details are the three most important pillars to any proposal that we create for our clients. Read More
The Groom's Duties
We tend to think of wedding planning as the bride's domain, but there are plenty of duties that are traditionally left for the groom, and since we know you don't want to end up left out in the cold wondering what the hell it is you are supposed to be doing, we thought we'd pitch in a bit to help you figure our what, exactly, the groom's responsibilities are. A groom not carrying his weight is definitely one way a bridezilla is born! Read More
Sustainable Floral Design for Your Charleston Wedding
Back in the spring when I first started researching Charleston weddings and the incredible wedding vendors that make them possible, I stumbled across Blue Planet Green Events & knew I had found some kindred spirits. It's always been important to me to be eco-conscious, and not until I started working in the wedding industry did I realize just how wasteful weddings can be. But it doesn't have to be that way! So when Toni Reale of Blue Planet Green Events contacted me about authoring a guest post about sustainable wedding flowers, I was stoked! With an event as large and grand as a wedding, it's imperative, yet often overwhelming, to think about how you can lessen the environmental impact without completely losing your mind. Toni & Lori, the brains & beauty behind this Charleston floral design & planning company, are here to help our brides stay earth-friendly with their wedding flowers, an aspect of wedding planning that many of us don't realize can be quite ugly to Earth. Enjoy!! xo, Maribeth Read More
Top 5 Alternative Wedding Registries
As we move into 2013, some of us may have noticed that more and more couples are living together before The Big Day. While in many ways this co-habitation does not affect our weddings, it it starting to affect the way we register for wedding gifts. Back in the day, wedding registries existed so the family & friends of brides & grooms, who may have been just moving out of their parent's house on their wedding day (hey, mom and dad!), could get them essentials - things they would need once they return for their honeymoon, like pots and pans, small appliances, linens, utensils, you get the idea. Now, however, since we move in with our partners before our weddings, many of us to make sure we really can live with that person, our kitchens are already equipped - many even overstocked - with essentials and more, and we simply don't have room for another food processor or mixing bowl. A need for alternative wedding registries has given life to a host of great companies that offer the families of modern brides & grooms a different way to congratulate and help them start off their new lives together. I've scoured for some of the best wedding registry alternatives and offer you my top five. Read More
Wedding Color Scheme: Blue
Everyone knows the saying “something borrowed, something blue (you are on Borrowed & Blue after all!), but when it comes to your big day, why not kick it up a notch? One of my favorite wedding color schemes is blue. I thought it would be timely to feature some gorgeous blue wedding color palettes as shops fill with glittery holiday decorations and the mountaintops glimmer with snow. It’s no surprise that spring and winter weddings alike find blues, teals, silvers, and purples to be the perfect wedding color combinations. Spring calls for pink and blue weddings, yellow and blue weddings and green and blue weddings, while cozy winter weddings boast blue and silver weddings and blue and purple weddings. If you choose blue as a part of your wedding color scheme, think about incorporating this sultry hue in your bridesmaid dresses, floral arrangements, invitations, and even your shoes! Get your groom in on the color too! Let him sport a vibrant blue tie, or funky patterned socks. Read More
Distinctly Charleston Wedding Day Activities for The Groom and His Guys
Since the bride and her best girls will probably spend the greater part of the morning and afternoon pampering themselves for her Charleston wedding, and since the guys usually take about an hour total to shower, shave, and dress, they ought to have some other things to get them excited and pumped up about The Big Day. I really love the idea of some male bonding with the groom's best friends, brothers, and fathers on the morning-of, especially if they take place outdoors. After all, they sit around and drink enough on their own time; the wedding day should be a touch special. In Charleston, opportunities abound for men's entertainment, so I thought I'd share some of my favorites to help grooms figure out the best way to celebrate their Charleston wedding in the manliest of ways. Read More
Tips on Matching Your Bridal Jewelry to Your Dress
We were so excited when Belinda of Jeanette Maree contacted us about guest blogging for Borrowed & Blue for all things wedding jewelry related. Jeanette Maree is an Australian-based bridal jewelry boutique with an incredible online store offering brides around the world everything from earrings and necklaces to veils, shoes, and bags. Better yet, every bride's budget can be kept in tact. We know an expert when we hear from one, and we're thilled to share her wisdom with our Borrowed & Blue brides. I've seen one too many girls waiting until the last minute to find their bridal jewels, only to be very disappointed when they can't find what they're looking for. Don't let that bride be you! Read More
How to Tie a Bow-Tie
I can't even tell you guys how many times I have heard this story: on the day of the wedding, despite everyone involved knowing bow-ties were to be worn, not a single groomsmen nor the groom bothered to look up how to tie a bow-tie. It's pretty hilarious, and actually does lead to some memorable images of the men getting ready for The Big Day. Read More
Wedding Theme: A Halloween Wedding
We love a flair for unique wedding ideas here at Borrowed & Blue, and with Halloween just around the corner, we thought it would be fitting to feature some of our favorite whimsical weddings! Read More
How to Plan the Perfect Charleston Wedding Weekend
Have you heard? Charleston was rated the best city in the world by Conde Nast Traveler! Can you think of a better reason to not only host your wedding in Charleston, but make a true celebration of it by planning a fabulous wedding weekend in Charleston? Planning a stunner of a wedding weekend takes a bit of know-how, so please take our advice and hire a Charleston wedding planner! We recommend Lindsey Shanks of Tiger Lily Weddings; she is truly an expert and always executes an extraordinary affair. And watch out, she's smart as a whip too! Another fantastic wedding planner who will not only keep you on your toes but also supply with you with incredible ideas for your Charleston wedding weekend is Stephanie Gibbs of Sweet Grass Events. Stephanie's weddings in Charleston are always elegant, detailed, and a beautiful reflection of the bride & groom's personalities. Read More
Wedding Trends: Patterned Bridesmaid Dresses
One of my favorite wedding trends lately is patterned bridesmaid dresses. We’ve seen variations in color and style for a while now, but why not throw in a pattern or two to round our your bridal party? Different bridesmaid dresses are all the rage and can be as radical as every maid in a different floral, to subtle differences in texture and tone. Bridesmaids no longer have to settle for a shape or color that doesn’t flatter their figure, but can have the option to branch out a little. While planning the look and theme of your wedding, you can find ideas for dresses everywhere you look, from magazines to Pinterest! Different dresses for bridesmaids can add a vintage look to your bridal party, showing off your skill at putting patterns and colors together in a cohesive scheme. One of my favorite places to story-board patterned bridesmaid dresses is Anthropologie. When picking out different bridesmaid dresses try to keep the colors in the same color family, like jewel tones for example, and only use one or two big patterns, like florals or stripes, and focus the other dresses on texture, like lace. Pick out a group of 8-10 dresses (depending on the size of your bridal party) and let your maids pick from there. This is a fun way for them to get to have a say in what they will be wearing on your wedding day! Here are a couple Borrowed & Blue brides that knocked patterned bridesmaid dresses out of the park and a selection of my favorite dresses over at Anthropologie! Read More
Top 10 Wedding Planning Books
Planning a wedding in Charleston is a doozy, and we all know it. There are so many decisions to make, and it's easy to get lost in what a brides & grooms are supposed to do and what is totally their choice. (Easiest answer? It's all your choice!) But seriously, when are you supposed to send out those save-the-dates? And can you skip the wedding party? And what's the deal with these "plus-ones"? There are so many questions to ask, and maybe you're the type that would rather do some research on your own before you hunt down a real, live person to ask a thousand questions about what, exactly, your Charleston wedding is supposed to be like. I know I am, and for those brides, I've scoured the pages of dozens of wedding planning books at our local Barnes & Noble to bring you the best hardbacks and paperbacks to help you navigate every aspect of your wedding day, from your wedding budget, DIY projects, etiquette, and those much-needed wedding checklists. Read More
Wedding Hairstyles
A quintessential Charleston wedding is famous for its romantic, decadent style, and what better way to embody this ambiance than with your wedding hairstyle? Salons in Charleston, like Paper Dolls & Wedding Hair by Charlotte work wonders with long wedding hairstyles, half up hairstyles, whatever wedding hairstyles you can imagine! Paper Dolls did some amazing wedding hairstyles for Borrowed & Blue brides, Svetlana, Corrine & Leah & Wedding Hair by Charlotte wowed us with brides, Blyth, Sarah & Erin. Finding the perfect hairdresser for your Charleston wedding may seem like an impossible task, but Borrowed & Blue is here to help! Check out some of these gorgeous brides for some fabulous inspiration! Read More
Showcasing the Best Florists in Charleston
I've got mad respect for the bride that can pull of a beautiful Charleston wedding without spending a bundle on wedding flowers, but that girl just ain't me. I love some wedding flowers & am a little terrified to see how much I'll spend when my day comes around, but with so many talented florists in Charleston, I don't think I have any reason to feel bad about it. If you're anything like me, you'll probably start planning your Charleston wedding by deciding on a few must-have wedding flowers for your bridal bouquet and then planning your colors & themes accordingly. To help inspire you, I've spent the last week pouring over our beautiful weddings in Charleston and pulled some of my favorite images to spotlight Charleston's best floral designers. (I love my job.) And as soon as I'm finished with this post, I'm out to buy some flowers for the Borrowed & Blue office. What can I say? I'm inspired! Read More
Must-Have Wedding Photos: The Bride Getting Ready
I've said this before, but I really do have a special place in my heart for images of the bride preparing for her wedding in Charleston. Maybe it's because of my own special memories buttoning up my sister's wedding dress & bustling my best friend, but I love seeing the bride being surrounded by her best girlfriends & female family members, all who have teamed up to make this bride look her very best. Thank goodness for the Charleston wedding photographers who arrive early to document the little details - the bride's jewelry, the family heirlooms she has tucked into her bodice, her mascara being applied - so that we can watch her transform from an everyday girl to a blushing, beautiful bride. There are so many emotions in this room at the time, from her teary-eyed mother & grandmother to hysterical laughter & joy from her girlfriends. I adore when the flowergirl is captured looking up at the bride in admiration; not only is she thinking of how glamorous the bride looks before her Charleston wedding, but this may very well be the first time this little girl has ever thought that one day it will be her getting ready for a wedding day... and it's captured on film! The most perfect wedding photos to me are the ones where the bride is enjoying a glass of champagne with her favorite ladies, when they're bustling her dress and then hustling her out of the room & onto the biggest day of her life, when she's peeking out the window to see guests arriving. I love seeing the bride relaxed and enjoying her day, but every now & then we see one on the phone, no doubt dealing with a groomsmen who's forgotten his tie. Read More
Top Ten Wedding Mistakes to Avoid
For most brides planning their Charleston weddings, this is the very first time they've undertaken such a task. Even if they're amazing hostesses who plan flawless parties & events year-round, their own wedding is something entirely different. It's the event you've been waiting to plan your entire life, and you want everything to be perfect. But of course, to achieve such perfection, you have to know what you're doing every step of the way - and isn't that just impossible? This is about a year-long process, after all. And without any hope of hindsight or wisdom from "that other wedding you planned", these wedding planning waters can get a little murky. Sometimes you feel like you can't even see your feet! Read More
Cake Toppers
While you may love the look of a fantastic DIY Charleston wedding, you may not have the time (or skill) to complete all of your craft projects before your big day! That is one of the reasons I am head over heels for the Etsy Wedding shop! Wedding cakes are the perfect place to add a little pizzazz to your Charleston wedding and Etsy has the best custom and handmade wedding cake toppers. Cake decorating can be tricky, but try keeping it simple and adding a gorgeous custom cake topper to your wedding cake instead! Let your cupcakes and cakes be a conversation piece at your Charleston wedding with a cake topper that is totally unique! Read More
The Quintessential Charleston Wedding Welcome Bag
As a gracious Southern bride, I know you would like nothing more than to personally welcome each & every guest to your Charleston wedding. Unfortunately, we both know that is simply not an option. In lieu of a warm in-person welcome, greet your guests with the next best thing: thoughtful and unique wedding welcome bags that are stuffed with essential Charleston goodies to introduce them to this wonderful city. Give them wedding favors they'll adore! Read More
Engagement Rings
A surprising number of my friends these days are deciding to choose or design their own wedding and engagement rings for their Charleston weddings. On one hand, I totally get it. These are smart, creative women who know exactly what they want. When they look at their engagement ring, they want to see everything they have ever dreamed of in a piece of jewelry. On the other, where is the surprise? What happened to your future husband venturing out into the unknown, searching for that engagement ring that he will nervously present to you, and will be on your finger for the rest of your life? Read More
How to Get In Shape for Your Wedding Day
Of course, you will want to look your best on your wedding day, and who can blame you? Why not be in the best shape of your life for one of the most important times in your life? You've already got the best photographers in Charleston capturing your every move, an ace hair & makeup team dolling you up, and the most perfect honeymoon planned, where you and your lover will likely do nothing but lounge around in your bathing suits & admire each other, so yes - you have every reason to get in shape for your wedding day. We haven't even mentioned the fact that you and your groom are starting a new life together and it only makes sense to start if off healthy. Read More
How to Write Meaningful Wedding Vows
To write personalized wedding vows or not... these days, that certainly is the question. Weddings in Charleston today are so personal & bespoken in so many ways, and this has finally begun to transcend to couple's wedding vows. Of course, many still love the idea of repeating the same marriage vows that brides & grooms have recited at their Charleston weddings for centuries, but so many others feel that they are simply not representative of them as a couple. While we have lately seen more customized wedding vows than ever, choosing the perfect words to capture everything you'are feeling as you stand before everyone you know to commit yourself to the love of your life is an undeniably daunting task. I have no doubt that this is primarily the reason so many decide to stick with the tried-and-true versions! Read More
Top Ten Ways to Be a Great Bride
Obviously, your Charleston wedding is going to be awesome & you will be a beautiful bride, but how can you go beyond the call of duty & truly be an awesome & gracious bride to your guests? After all, your guests have travelled all this way to attend your wedding in Charleston & probably have gone out of their way in other regards to ensure that this is the best day of your life. They would be blown away if you incorporated a few small gestures that show how grateful you are that they're here. Even though this is your day, it is also about your guests... or why would you have invited them all? Here are a few weddings tips & ideas to show your guests in a few small ways how much it means to you & your new husband that they came to your Charleston wedding. These wedding ideas will ensure that this is the best wedding they've ever attended. Read More
Seasonal Wedding Flowers
Knowing which flowers are in season for your wedding day can help a lot while you are planning your Charleston wedding. Seasonal flowers are not only less expensive, but also add to the festive air of your spring, summer, winter or fall wedding. Who doesn’t want fresh, beautiful flowers? (I know your Charleston wedding photographer does!) When my sister was planning her New Year’s day wedding, she knew she wanted a red, white and blue theme (her husband is in the military), so the first thing we did was look up which flowers would be available in January, and picked out the red, white and blue! This was a fun way to plan her bouquet, and we didn’t spend a fortune shipping in peonies in the middle of the winter. Your Charleston florist will know what your best options are for your wedding day, and make sure to chat with your wedding planner about how to incorporate your destination wedding theme. I love a good bunch of lavender to add color and fragrance to a rustic wedding. Here are my top four wedding flowers for the four seasons, and a few ideas for what’s available year round! Read More