Click on these today. Wedding blog love.

Dear Google Reader,
How did I ever survive without you?
-Kelly

Style Circle. Oh Abby, you have outdone yourself. Yes, I am a long time fan of Style Me Pretty, but now...now I can't get away, nor do I want to. Go, go check it out. If you have any passion for weddings as a bride or wedding pro- you will love Style Circle. It's like a playground for wedding junkies. I haven't had near the amount of time to really dive in yet, but I did make my first inspiration board with the stock images (which are ridiculously lovely).



This wedding that Snippet & Ink featured is so incredibly classic. I love the blue, the yellow, the white. The clean of it all. The amazing photos. The dress I would wear in a heartbeat. Yeah, no wonder they featured it. It's that good.

We're headed to Savannah in a few weeks for a wedding that will be nothing less than Spectacular, so this post from Wedding Bee was a plus. Great ideas!


Remember when I posted about not having your entire wedding party in the same attire? This wedding on Southern Weddings blog beyond proves that it can look phenomenal.

Ruffles. I never in a million years would have ever thought I would one day love ruffles. I.am.reformed. They're so feminine and not plain. I love the attention they garner. Leila at Inspired by This- she's into the ruffles too. Love her collection of ruffle images on this post. And if you like ruffles even a little bit, you will too.

I really like these blogs!

I spent all this morning reading new blogs. Well, new to me that is. I highly recommend you check them out. Some are simple and some are big guns. All, I like.
Wedding blogs have really become amazing over the years, and I know there are so many more I haven't come across. So, if you know of a few I should visit- please let me know via a comment. Just the blog address is fine, but I love chit chat too. So feel free to leave some of your thoughts as well. And yes, if you are a blogger, you should 100% tell me about your own blog!
Cool blogs & my thoughts...
100 layer cake: I want to do that (all of them).
A Practical Wedding: I love her writing.
Lucky me: I can't believe I haven't been reading this one.
With this ring: Pictures...so many pictures.
Masterpiece Weddings: Read her ER post from 7/10. Hilarious.
Little Black Book Blog: The little sister of Style Me Pretty. This is a little sister who gets attention!

Destination Wedding Rule #3

This rule is two-fold and applies to all weddings, not just destination. Study weddings before you choose a venue, hire your wedding vendors and purchase services and products. Reason being- you need to know what is that you want in order to know what to ask for. Just take a couple weeks to flip through magazines, read wedding blogs, and wedding books before you pick up the phone. I'll use wedding cake as a simple example. You have to know that there are frosted wedding cakes and fondant covered wedding cakes in order to narrow down which bakers to consider because so many bakers only do one or the other. This is a good thing by the way because that means they are focused on being really good at that art. This leads me to the next piece; select vendors who have a single focus. A photographer who offers video and DJ service? No. This is hands down the quickest way to get less than quality something. Here's what I can guarantee you. You don't want less than quality anything. Nor do you deserve it.
Read rule 1 here and rule 2 here.

Need some good blogs to research? Try Style Me Pretty, Elizabeth Anne Designs, Bon Bon Blog, Once Wed, the Bride's Guide, and Polka Dot Bride.

For books: read this and this, and especially this.

This blog: How to find pictures of our real weddings

Let's say you came here specifically to find pictures of the weddings I have been so fortunate to plan and design. The easiest ways to find what you are looking for is to do a lijit search (right sidebar) on either:
Wedding locations you want to see (i.e. South Seas Island Resort, Casa Ybel Resort, LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort, Miromar Lakes Beach Club, Ritz Carlton Naples Beach or Golf, Boca Grande, etc.)
or photographers names (i.e. Impact UK, Ashley Brockinton, Julie Goodacre, Susan Stripling, Impressions Photography, Jason P Smith, etc.)

You can also scroll all the way down and just click on the real weddings label. That will give you all of them. Some of them have the lousy pictures we took (believe me- you'll see the difference), some will have links to video trailers, and others will have the images our amazing photographers have shared. be forwarned, this one takes a long time to load because there are so many images.

Something you really should see

Brooklyn Bride has launched her new site and its as gorgeous as her pillows.
So catch up on my posts from this week and then make sure to go check hers out!

WeddingsbySocialites.com for iphone users

I love my iphone, however I hate that little blue box that shows up when I open a flash site. Drives me nuts. The good thing is that you can still view the Weddings by Socialites website from iphones! It does look a bit different (actually, alot different), but all the information is there and the pictures in the weddings pages look just as pretty. The address is the same www.WeddingsbySocialites.com
Let me note that not all the pictures are on the iphone version; you'll have to sit down to your computer to view them all. Happy browsing!

What are your favorite wedding blog & websites?

{Interactive post alert} What are your favorite wedding blogs and websites? I'm dying to be introduced to some great new stuff! In return for the favor, I'll make a nice little list on a post later this week. Post a comment or send an email WeddingTidbits @ gmail.com

I'm a tiny bit done with the Lime.

Yeah. I loved it for a long time. And I still do, but I love a little change just as much.

Are you a Blogger?If yes, Follow me!

I am so excited! I just looked at the bottom of my dashboard and realized I can "follow" bloggers right on Blogger! How cool is that? So if you're reading this blog, be sure to "follow me" on your dashboard as well!

Not just a pillow from Brooklyn. Its a bklynpillow.And yes, you want one.

Details. As you might imagine, I find them to be a priority when it comes to weddings. Both logistically and aesthetically. I got all kinds of giddy when Vane of Brooklyn Bride Blog emailed me to let me know she has her "little ring pillow business" up and running. First of all, I think Vane has more style and talent in her little pinky than most do in their all being. But besides that- these pillows rock. More than just a few of these images were screaming some of my clients names.
Here's the lowdown from Vane herself,

The pillows are all handmade by me...I mainly use fabrics available to the trade only, but also use remnants of fabulous fabrics found all over, whether they be placemats, totebags, other pillows...whatever strikes my fancy. bklynpillow is all about creating ring pillows [and eventually other accessories] for the modern bride.

Congrats Vane, and may many rings grace your pillows!

Wedding Bee Classifieds and other Blog and wedding website stuff that's cool

This morning I am catching up on blogs and wedding sites that I love. I thought it would be a good day to mention some of the really cool and fun things I find. I hope you think they are cool too:

Wedding Bee- they have a classified section! I found everything from paper lanterns to wedding dresses for sale. Pretty good deals too.

Plain old good advice from Anne at From I will to I do: Delegate. Thank you Anne, from where ever you found this.

Flower finder: I found a link to this Brides.com tool on Bridezilla. For those who are not in the know of flowers, this you will love. I also love Bride & Bloom magazine.After planning weddings all these years, I know my fair share of flowers but this magazine really opened my eyes.

Got sunlight? If you do then you can also have some very cool outdoor evening lighting. Check out these lanterns I found on Junebugs blog. I also found an ad from Good Taste events.Jody is a friend of mine who is absolutely as hilarious as her website. If you want a wedding planner in Seattle with a funny bone- call her asap.

The other day I posted about my celebration reception timeline. A few months ago Liene at Blue orchid answered a readers question about her wedding day timeline. Here is her very good advice.

Moo contest on Brooklyn Bride. Ya'll, if you haven't been introduced to Moo cards, you haven't been reading blogs. They are every where and there is good reason for that- they ROCK. So go get some. In fact, go get some for free (win the contest) or at least at a discount (see Vane's left sidebar).

Seriously, this is way cool. A DVD invitation that isn't ummm, dorky. Be careful, there are dorky ones out there. But Darcy at Martha Stewart doesn't do dorky.This invite from Reel Invitations is PERFECT for a destination wedding. Perfect as in, I am calling them 1st thing tomorrow morning.

Style Me Pretty. Oh how I adore this blog. The whole blog. But the part I think you all need to know about? The Little Black Book.I know that so many bloggers are adding "books" to their blogs- and they are awesome resources. But I believe Abby and Michelle were the Lewis & Clark of the wedding resource "books". I know for a fact that they really worked hard to only get the cream of the wedding crop in their book. I'm flattered to have been chosen to be listed in their Black Book the last year and hope Weddings by Socialites will always be included. Here is what you need to know about the Black Book: you can trust these are the really good vendors. They didn't just buy their way into the book. I need to do another post about this kind of thing- someone remind me. It's a hot topic.

On a totally separate side note. Yesterday I was driving through the rampage of Hurricane Gustav (yeah, it was far away and we still felt it) and my cell rang. The caller id said it was Mark Kingsdorf of the Queen of Hearts in Philly. He's a great planner friend of mine in the Philly area. He knows tons with the extensive background that he has. Anyhoo- I pick up the phone and I hear a girls voice, "Kelly! It's Susan Stripling!" Perplexed I was. Susan is a beyond phenomenal photographer whom I have adored the work of for, ummmmmm, ever. Susan used to be a Floridian, now she travels from the big NY to everywhere. Well, it turns out she was helping another photographer in Philly at a wedding that Mark was coordinating. I just called Susan like 3 days ago to book her for one of my upcoming weddings (lucky bride!). They put 2 and 2 together and realized that they both knew me. Small world. I must say, that bride & groom that had both Mark & Susan onsite- SUPER lucky. Susan's Blog and Mark's Blog

Are you a Bride Blogger?

So I was on a blogathon this morning and came across some really fun blogs by real brides. As usual, when I'm on blogathons I get inspired. These blogs really inspired me more than I expected though. So I decided that I would add another blogroll- blogs by brides!
If you are a bride, and would like to be on this Blog roll, comment below or send an email to WeddingTidbits@Gmail
I'm excited!

Planner + Bride + Photographer= The Ultimate Showcase

After realizing that half the readers of this blog are brides and the other half are planners & industry pros, I thought it would be fun to do another showcase. It's been a while anyway. So this time we're calling on everyone to jump in. Wouldn't it be fun to bring an inspiration board to life? Here's how its going to work:

Last time we just did tabletops. This time I say we do anything wedding.

Planners: You get to pick what wedding element you want to showcase. Tabletop, Cake, Decor & Display, Floral, Paper Details, even a picture spot...anything that can be visual. You can use one of your favorite wedding professionals to help you with this (i.e. Florist, baker, linen company). You must give credit though if you go this route. And really, I prefer that you don't just "go out and buy it". Showcases must be new...no using a centerpiece from last Saturdays wedding (but do borrow the flowers from it!). Stroll through the land of creativity!

Brides: You get to guide your planner. It's all about what you want and it does not have to be at all related to your actual wedding. Your showcase planner will tell you what wedding element you'll be showcasing. You then give your planner everything she/he needs to create what you think is great. This might mean some inspiring pictures, colors, textures, words & thoughts...you catch my drift. Keep in mind that your planner will probably restricted- so don't expect Sylvia Weinstock to bake a cake or Preston Bailey to create a centerpiece for this showcase. But Sylvia & Preston, if you are reading, we'd love to have you.

Photographers: We'll need you to photograph the bride, the planner, and the showcase element. We'll take and post a total of 6 photos for each showcase. You'll receive plenty of Blog Love (credits and link) of course.

Everyone: If you want to participate, email weddingtidbits @gmail.com. We'll take care of matching up a bride with a planner and a planner with a photographer. Obviously, we need all 3 to be local to each other for the photographing. So you might want to spread the word to folks in your area, letting them know about this blog showcase so that they can email in as well. Special request to my fellow bloggers- please pass on the news via your blogs!

Please use the subject line: "2008 Showcase".

Deadline to email in to participate is July 20th. We'll reply back with a basic form for you to fill out so that we can get everyone matched up. The sooner you email us, the quicker we can get you matched up.
I will do everything I can to have everyone matched up, but depending on the number of requests and location restrictions I might have to slim it down a bit. But again, I'll try my darndest!
Once we have everyone matched up, we'll get you all your contact info and you can have at it! We'll plan on the 1st of the Ultimate Showcase features around August 1st.
Same as last time- this isn't a contest; just blog fun & wedding inspiration!

Style Me Pretty

I have been a fan FOREVER. I love love love Style Me Pretty. Certinly one of the best wedding blogs out there. Can I also tell you how exciting it was to get a call from the girls at SMP and find out that they were not only expanding The Little Black Book, but that I was going to be included? Yeah, beyond excited. I was also oh so happy to see that one of my favorite photographers, Michelle Reed, has also been included. Michelle photographed some of my favorite weddings: Julie & Phil, Vanessa & Greg, Karyn & Len, Stacie & Brian...lots of great weddings over the years. The Little Black Book is spreading through the country, so be sure to check and see who is there in your neck of the woods.

Let's pretend I had the spoon in the right place.

I just read Sarah Dennis' blog, Toast and Tables, and learned that the place setting on my breakfast table below was all kinds of wrong. Oops.
Check out what it should have looked like: Toast & Tables. I printed out her little chart there so I'll never do that again.
I read some of her archives- she's got a great blog!

I just want to wear one for a little while.

Did you ever see that Friends episode where Monica, Phoebe, and Rachael all wore weddings dresses just because they wanted to? Actually, wasn't the one Monica wore her brothers fiance's? Anyway, After my daily blog reads today- that is EXACTLY what I want to do. There are so many gorgeous dresses out there right now.
I just want to put on a stunning dress, pop some popcorn, sit on the couch and watch My Best Friends wedding.

Wedding Showcase #1

I am so thrilled about these! And honestly, I didn't realize so many people read this blog. I guess I'll keep it up; thanks everyone.

Enjoy just looking, post a comment, and/or send me an email if you want more info from the creators. I've gotten mucho grande feedback on this project, so there are many more great photos to come. I hope the showcase brings you some inspiration.

From Misty at Forever Weddings in California:

This is a tabletop Misty did for a recent bridal show. She's re-doing her office at the moment and is planning on sending another photo later this month.

From Vane at Brooklyn Bride:

"I did lavender sachets as favors...I've actually been meaning to try these out for a while as gifts for my bridesmaids, but your showcase gave me the push I needed to get my sewing machine out and start crackin. The fabric was from a napkin I bought on sale at Anthropologie, originally $4.00, I got it for $1.95! (note: 1 napkin made 8 sachets for me) The lavender I've had sitting in my closet for MONTHS since my cousin came back from Provence with 2 bags for me, but I'm sure you could find online as well. I would use them in sets of 3 tied with a pretty ribbon and place at each placesetting...your whole venue will smell like the south of France!"

From me:

I thought I would pull together a pre-wedding breakfast or brunch table. Perhaps something for you and the girls as you wait to get your hair & make-up done. A couple things I want to point out- it doesn't have to be dark to use candles. They always look pretty. Don't be afraid to use a few colors, but don't go overboard. Three is usually a good visual. If something looks flat, layer it for dimension. The napkins looked dreadful just laying there, so I added a tiny bloom set on top of each and it was a 100% improvement. Everything came out of my house except the scones & flowers. The table turned out so pretty that I emailed a couple nearby gals over for coffee tomorrow morning. I'll probably have to replace the scones though. I couldn't help myself.

Wedding showcase: By you.

I had the best idea this afternoon as I was catching up on all my favorite blogs. Half the reason I love to read blogs is for the pictures. I find them very inspiring. Inspiration boards I DO love. But how much fun would it be to show a bunch of tabletops, welcome bags, or favors that you come up with yourself? Let's do it! But you'll have to give me until Friday to post mine, because it'll take me that long to do one and my current to do list is ridiculous.

Here's the info:
1. You don't have to go out and buy everything. Feel free to get creative with stuff you have and save a few bucks.
2. No copycats. Going to West Elm and taking a photo and then just changing the colors won't fly. The whole point is to be creative. Be inspired by- but don't copy. Don't be scared to try. Go way over the top- or don't. I'm always pleasantly surprised by how awesome simple can be on occassion.
3. It doesn't have to be "wedding". Yes, this is a wedding blog, BUT, there is more to getting married than the wedding. There are lots of dinners, showers, parties, etc. So a tabletop or favor for something like that would be fine!
4. No winners. This is a showcase- I'll post every one that comes in. If you can send a few shots of your designs, I might make a board out of it. But 1 or 2 photos (jpeg please) would be fine too.
5. You can do one in each category (tabletop, welcome bag, or favor) or you can do two, or just one- whatever you like. Just be prepared for a rash of questions if everyone loves what you came up with- I might email you for a resource list.
6. In your email, tell me a bit about whats in it and why (if applicable) and if you are a bride, wedding pro, or...

I'll post pictures thru the month of September. Oh I am very excited! My email address is over on the left sidebar. Email me if you have any questions.

Lovely. Pretty. I want it.

I'm not having a wedding again anytime soon, but if I were, I could say that I found my cake. I saw it on the TODAY show the other morning, and I think I began to druel a little. Ha!

The cake is so simple, but grand at the same time. Truly though, what makes it, is the gorgeous wreath of flowers around it. I just adore it. I love the flowers, the colors, the size, everything. I searched up and down the TODAY show and Martha Stewart Weddings websites looking for a photo of it and couldn't find one. So I vowed not to watch anymore of the TODAY show Martha Stewart Wedding segments. Yeah right. I'd make it like 1 day. Who am I kidding? No I wouldn't. So rather than swear off wedding tv, I commented on Darcys blog to ask her if she could find a photo of it and today she posted it. Thank you Darcy.
Oh, and the designer is Matthew Robbins. He's fabo. I wonder if he's available for the wedding I'm not having.

Look who's blogging now

I guess the craze has gone big time:
Preston Bailey
Martha Stewart Actually, its Darcys blog. She's the MS wedding guru.

I for one, am very excited.