Bridal Bargains 9th edition

This book is loaded with insider information. The section on wedding dresses is fascinating! They reveal hidden costs, questions to ask before you order the gown, games bridal shops play, and best of all, they rate and compare top bridal designers. I was so glad that I read this book before I went shopping with my daughters for their wedding dresses! Karen

Vera Wang Bridesmaids Dresses
Vera Wang's collection of bridesmaids dresses is available online. Most of the dresses are priced between $190-$300. In a conversation with Brides.com, Vera Wang says that the number one mistake brides make when selecting their bridesmaids dresses is that "conformity of a dress can be somewhat tedious. Each attendant in a different gown can be a bit distracting. Establish some common ground, with slight variations for each attendant: dresses in the same fabric but different shapes, dresses in different colors but in the same style, all attendants in the same dress but carrying different flowers, all bridesmaids in skirts but with different tops."

You Can Have Your Cake and Eat It Too…
Resourceful tips for the Savvy Bride

There have been numerous articles about the economy and how it is affecting brides and their wedding plans. It may sound like everything is doom-and-gloom, but that is not the case. It IS possible to have a beautiful wedding without breaking the bank, but it will take some creativity and thoughtful planning. This is the first installment in a series, You Can Have Your Cake and Eat It Too…Resourceful Tips for the Savvy Bride.


The Guest List
The quickest way to cut your wedding costs is to trim your guest list. This will reduce costs across the board…food, drinks, size of ceremony and reception sites, chairs, tables, centerpieces, wedding cake, invitations, etc. Invite people that are important to you and your fiancé. Do you really need to include all of your co-workers, relatives that you've met once or twice, or your parent's business associates? There is nothing wrong if you choose to include these people, but invite them because YOU want them there to witness your special day. In her book Intimate Weddings, Christina Friedrichsen advises that you ask yourself these questions when making a guest list. "Are we inviting this person simply because we feel obligated to? Have we seen this person in the last year? Does this person have a significant other? If not, is it necessary for him/her to bring a guest? Do we want to invite children?"

The old saying, "The more the merrier" does not apply when you are paying for a wedding. Christine Boulton, creator of Wedding Dish writes, "75% of brides-to-be now have to adjust their budget because of the current economic climate. One of the ways they (45%) are making that adjustment is by reducing the guest list. Like I have been saying for a while, the weddings you see on TV aren't the Real American Wedding, they are the anomaly. It is time that the wedding media got back to reality and started showing brides that they can have a wonderful, touching, meaningful wedding without taking out a second mortgage." I totally agree! Good luck trimming your guest list!
Snip, snip. Karen

Invisible Children

Wedding Day Bliss is committed to supporting nonprofits. A portion of our proceeds supports Invisible Children.

Dog Days of Summer

With the Texas heat in full swing it is only natural that we think about how to keep our wedding guests cool for an outside wedding. For that I have two words, Arnold Palmer. An Arnold Palmer is a simple drink that was made famous by the legendary golfer who knew a thing or two about being out in the heat. It is a delicious drink that mixes two favorite summertime beverages, iced tea and lemonade. At first you may not think that lemonade and iced tea can be mixed, but they do combine together extremely well for a refreshing summertime sipper. This drink is a winner in many ways. It is a budget friendly drink as it has no alcohol in it and it is a healthy choice because alcohol can be dehydrating. Plus who doesn't love a cool drink on a hot day!

To make an Arnold Palmer simply:

• Make some tea, make some lemonade; chill.
• Drop a few ice cubes into a tall glass.
• Fill halfway with tea; fill up with lemonade; stir.

This would look great poured into mason jars filled with ice for a garden wedding. Prepare a table near the entryway and have some Arnie's waiting for your guests. They will appreciate a respite from the dog days of summer.

Blue Orchid Blog has a wealth of wedding information! Check out 30 days to plan a wedding.

Amanda's Wedding Video


Yesterday, I had a real treat! I got to watch Antanas and Amanda's wedding video from last summer. They are about to celebrate their first anniversary and it was so adorable to watch it with them. We reminisced about what they were thinking and feeling at different portions of their wedding and reception. Basically.... they just had a blast with all of their family and friends. When I asked what she would change....she thought about it and couldn't really come up with anything. That is good news for a coordinator to hear!! They still glow like newlyweds and it is adorable to watch them together.

It is so much fun to see our brides and their hubbies after the wedding. Luckily, we are friends with all of the families so we get to keep up with all of them. Hope your day is full of love and joy!
Blissfully, Beth

We plan to have a professional photo taken for our website when Matt comes back to Texas in August, but until then we have a blast-from-the-past on our About us page on the website. Karen has taken our photos from our weddings in the late 70s and early 80's and posted them by our bios. Don't judge us too harshly...one day your kids will look back at your photos and question your fashion sense, too!! (Really, hats were in style back then!!)

Seriously though, pulling out the old photos brought back great memories. We all married "boys" we went to high school with. Actually, Karen and I married our high school sweethearts. The four of us went to Lake Highlands High School and we were all friends. Mike and Ed played football together (Go Wildcats!) and Karen and I have been friends since Junior High. (She taught me how to curl my eyelashes!!) Kathy and Jamie went to Garland High School where she high-kicked her way to the top spot as Captain of the Drillteam and Jamie's arm led him to a college career in baseball! If I have heard the rumors correctly, even though they didn't date until college (Go Red Raiders!), Jamie had his eye on Kathy even at GHS! We are all still crazy about our boys...so I think we picked wisely back then!

With the dog days of summer upon us, I highly recommend pouring a tall glass of iced tea, cranking up the air conditioning and pulling out the old photos albums. It is a good way to remember the people that mean so much to us!

Blissfully, Beth

We're having fun!

Each bit of progress we make seems to make more work, but as Karen pointed out today...thankfully, we are still having fun! Today, we met with the printer to get quotes on our glossy cards and notepads for our giveaways at the Bridal Show. Personally, I am always ready for another new notepad and these will be so cute! Come to the Bridal Show at Dallas Market Hall on July 11-12 and we will give you one!

Today after our staff meeting, my daughter Elizabeth and I went to get pedicures and I read Modern Bride Magazine...it is so good this month. If you are planning a wedding I highly suggest picking up this edition!! Oh and please become a fan of Wedding Day Bliss on Facebook!
Blissfully yours, Beth

Beginnings...
Wedding Day Bliss officially got off the ground this week!!

Kathy and Beth LOVE coordinating weddings and did it on a part-time basis...until now. When they decided to do what they love full-time, Karen joined the team and they formed Wedding Day Bliss.

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Kathy and Karen have had their own businesses before but this was my first venture into being a partner in my own business and I had NO idea that there was so much paperwork for legal reasons, taxes, insurance...that is not the fun part I signed up for! I signed up for the flowers, the photos, the catering, the music and beautiful brides!! But luckily that is where three heads are better than one. We have each seen our strengths work together....and we are wise enough to know where we each fit in.

I will tell you that Karen has rocked our website!! Everyday it seems she adds another new idea ~ like this blog ~ and just when I think it can't get any better there is something new! She is also our numbers girl so she keeps us straight on the facts, figures and legal stuff! Kathy is our creative girl...she kept working with our graphic designer until he got our cards just right and we love them!! (Thanks Matthew!) Now she is busy creating the coolest booth ever for the Dallas Bridal Show. It is so much fun to literally see her face light up as those wheels are turning. She truly has a talent for all things beautiful! And me? Well I think I am the people person and a good problem solver. I love talking with the Brides and their Mothers and letting them know we can help them have a blissful wedding day!

We are having an absolute blast with this and would love to talk with you anytime! We have a comment section below and we would love to hear your wedding ideas, questions or suggestions. Also, feel free to call or email us at anytime...one of us always seems to be at the computer so you should hear back pretty quickly!
Blissfully, Beth