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AL about the Bride Bag!

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The day of your wedding will be a total blur! Staying as organized as possible will make it so you can enjoy every minute of your special day without feeling stressed and frazzled! I always thought making a wedding day emergency kit was pointless and I probably wouldn’t need it…wrong! There were so many things we were looking for in the bridal suite that we just didn’t remember to bring. I kept all of my wedding day items in a tote bag that way I wouldn’t forget where they were in all of the chaos of wedding day! 

I used this cute “Bride” bag that my bridesmaids got me! I put all my day-of essentials in here that way I didn’t forget anything! Link here !

AL the things you will need in your bag:

  • Benadryl (I woke up with hives the day of my wedding so this is necessary) 
  • Advil (In case you get a headache)
  • Pepto Bismol Tablets (In case you get a tummy ache from all the stress)
  • Cough Drops 
  • Airborne Chews (In case you wake up feeling under the weather )

** All of these things happened to me so it’s better to be prepared!

Beauty Essentials:

  • Face Powder
  • Lipstick to reapply 
  • Chapstick (If you put this on a stuck zipper it will help it zip up smoothly!)
  • Hairspray 
  • Curling iron (Some of my bridesmaids needed a touch up) 
  • Bobby pins (To help pin your veil) 
  • Deodorant 
  • Lotion 

** Tip: Keep a small clutch at your head table or sweetheart table with powder, lip stick, gloss, mirror, tissues, q-tips etc. That way your not running around to reapply your lipstick! You can even have your coordinator or bridesmaids set it there for you before the ceremony!

Extras:

  • Steamer (So important! For bridesmaids robes, dresses, suits!) 
  • Scissors (To cut off tags, snags off dresses, everything!) 
  • Tape
  • Safety pins
  • Floss 
  • Extra Earring backs (Mine broke while getting ready)

For the Bridal Room:

  • Snacks (Don’t forget to eat)
  • Water (Stay hydrated)
  • Phone chargers

For your Photos:

  • Ring boxes 
  • Invitation 
  • Pretty Hanger For your dress 
  • Perfume bottle 

*My photographers were amazing and had all this stuff for me, but just in case they don’t you will want these cute detail pictures.

The obvious:

  • Wedding gown 
  • Veil
  • Undergarments (Don’t laugh some of us forgot!)
  • Shoes
  • Jewelry
  • Garter (Don’t forget to put it on before the garter toss)
  • Most importantly… sandals for the dance floor! This is a must! 

Fun tip: Make a DIY emergency kit for a bridal shower or engagement party to take some stress off of the Bride-to-Be!

That’s Al about the Bride Bag!

AL about the Veil

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Today we’re talkin’ AL about Wedding Veils.

There is something so traditional and pretty about a wedding veil. I know that Veils are not for everybody, and that’s great too! But for me it gave my Bridal look that little extra “something” I was hoping for.

With that being said… there are so many types of Veils it will make your head spin!

I chose a cathedral veil, with one tier! This was a little longer than the train of my dress and made the dress seem a little more dramatic.

Veils can be SO expensive! In my case some veils were costing more than my dress.. yikes! Since I am a “budgety” bride who just wanted a simple veil I searched reviews online to find a cheap but quality veil. I ordered it online here for $16! What a steal! This veil turned out to be great.. the tule was very soft and simple. BE careful when ordering online from discount sites, because not all items are hidden gems. But this veil has my stamp of approvAL!

Tips:

  • Make sure your veil comes with a clip so it can easily attach in your hair. (Many veils online just come loose with no clip.)
  • You can get the veil hemmed to match up perfectly with your dress OR in my case if your a very short bride! I got my veil hemmed for 10$ that way it matched the dress and I didn’t trip while coming down the aisle 🙂
  • If you have a dress with a lot going on, less is more in terms of a veil.
  • On the flip side, grabbing a fancy veil can help add some pop to a simple dress!

That’s Al about Veils!

Al about Bridesmaid Gifts

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Al about spoiling your Bridesmaids!

Let’s face it… these girls deserve to be spoiled. They plan your bridal shower, throw you a raging bachelorette party, they hold your dress when you pee.. they deserve the world! Plus they put up with your finest BRIDEZILLA moments. So what to get them?

I love pajamas so I opted for a comfy silk PJ set for the girls rather than the traditional bridal robes. That way they can wear them after the wedding too and it’s a little more practical. AND the night before the wedding we had a huge slumber party! I found the cutest Bridesmaid Satin set at Victoria Secret here. They were 30$ which is not that much for nice jammies from Victoria Secret… plus they were super cute! Tip when buying bridal PJs: buy a size up! That way they are extra comy and nobody feels uncomfortable if they don’t fit quite right!

Along with the Pj’s I got my Bridesmaids cute slippers from Etsy here. 5$ what a steal! It gave the outfits a little extra cuteness..plus when traveling between bridal suit, hotel, air b & b, etc. it was really nice to not worry about wearing shoes!

Now to the most important part… bridesmaid jewelry! If you are really on a budget I would stick to this. It makes the pictures in your dresses really pop and makes all your girls look uniform! I found pearl bracelets on Etsy here which tied into the pearls on my dress. Just a little something for all the girls to wear that makes them feel appreciated.

Finally, I wrapped all the Bridesmaid gifts in a cute little tote bag with there names on it. That way they could carry all of their things to the venue and it kept us all organized! Etsy here. Bonus.. they can use it after the wedding as an overnight bag or grocery bag!

Tips from the Bride:

  • The rehearsal dinner is a great time to give your gifts to the bridal party!
  • Order all online items from Etsy early! You don’t want to be struggling to get your gifts together days before your wedding!
  • If moms, aunts, grandmas are going to be getting ready with you or photographed before the wedding, get them some PJs too! It makes them feel included in the party and makes the pictures look extra cute! (I got my mom and mother-in-law a pink robe so they were a little different from the Bridesmaids.)
  • Bring a steamer! Bridal robes/pj’s always seem to be wrinkly!
  • If you don’t have the budget to get gifts for the girls, a homemade DIY gift would work great. (For my Bridesmaid proposal baskets I got candles from the dollar store and printed out a bridesmaid sticker label and they turned out sooo cute.)
  • A simple thank you note goes a long way! These girls have done it all for you so show them some love.

That’s Al about Bridesmaid Gifts.

Al about Saying “Yes” to the Dress!

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My Dress!

Saying “Yes” to the dress!

This is one of the first events that gets your Wedding Festivities kicked off! Make sure to have fun!! Grab your girls, have champagne, and I mean…shopping!

I know it can be stressful when trying to find the dress of your dreams but don’t let it be! You will find the one that makes you feel like a princess… just give it time. Even if you don’t find it on the first day, don’t worry! You’ll get there, so just breath! Plus, you’ll looking prettier in the dress with a smile on your face!

Bring your girls!!! When I went wedding dress shopping I brought my bridesmaids, my mom, and my new mother-in-law! We met up for mimosas and made it a whole girls day! Have fun, relax, and surround yourself with positive people and you’ll be sure to have a ball!

Try on a lots of different types! At first, I thought I wanted a ball gown. Something like a princess, super flowy and extravagant! It turned out that didn’t look good on my body type. So make sure to try on many different types to find the one you love!

Now… the question we’ve all been waiting for… the dress details! I got my dress at David’s Bridal! It was 299$. Yesss.. that’s it. It is possible to get the dress of your dreams still in your budget! Don’t feel like you have to go to a trendy boutique or specialty store to find something great! David’s Bridal has great dresses of all types an prices! AND GUESS WHAT… at the end of the day, nobody will know where your dress is from. So as long as you feel happy and comfortable, that’s all that matters!

Tips for Dress Shopping:

  • Go shopping early! The suggested time to start dress shopping is around 10 months before your wedding. That way you aren’t rush ordering OR stressed to find the perfect one.
  • Try it on often! If you’re like me, you will be on a wedding diet and sometimes dresses don’t fit right anymore! I had to get a completely new size because the alterations weren’t working right! Luckily, I caught it early and it was no problem!
  • Try on many different types and styles to find the right one! Sometimes.. they don’t look good on the hanger, but they will surprise you when you put them on!
  • If it’s a simple dress, you can always bling it up with the shoes, veil, and accessories!
  • Have funnn… this is your wedding! Your fiancé will cry like a baby when he sees you, and it’s the best feeling in the world!  

That’s Al about Saying “Yes” to the Dress!

AL about Wedding Invitations

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Signed, sealed, delivered… i’m yours!

Finding the right invitations can be a struggle! You don’t want to break the bank but also don’t want them looking like your fifth grade science project…

Being a bride on a budget, I researched quality invitations that won’t leave your pockets empty. I used Zazzle, they have lots of themes and colors, very good quality, and the prices can’t be beat! Most online invitation sites have coupon coded, so make sure you scan the internet for discounts before checking out!

If your looking for something even cheaper… Costco! It sounds crazy but they have a great quality photo center. We used the magnet “Save the Dates” from Costco and they were beautiful and elegant. Also, it gave our guests a fun photo of us they could keep on the refrigerator! Always look for fun, out-of-the-box ideas when it comes to your wedding so you feel unique and special.

Tips to remember when sending out Wedding Invitations..

  • Go to the post office and ask for Wedding-Themed stamps when sending out your wedding invitations. It gives them a cute flair and keeps the wedding theme.
  • Always stamp your response cards so guests can easily reply.
  • Print your addresses rather than handwriting them. Set your printer to the envelope setting and you can print right on to the invitations. That way you can chose a cute font and they look clean and neat. Choose of fun cursive font for an extra fancy touch!
  • Make a wedding website with most of your wedding information. That way you don’t have to cram all that information on to one tiny invitation! Plus, it’s fun to post photos of the couple, bridal party, wedding registry-must-haves & more!

That’s AL about invitations…