Weekend Update: Wedding Fun!

I had a very eventful weekend! Bachelorette Party on Friday, Trivia on Saturday, Wedding on Sunday!
Here's a few pics from the weekend (I still haven't gotten a hang of my phone camera, everything turns out really grainy... anyone got any tips?):

Holly, The Bride

My friend Rachel and I at the "Sips n Strokes" Pre-party.  And I just want yall to know that I tried to iron my pretty new dress before putting it on, and apparently it is not an iron-friendly fabric, and it completely ruined my dress, but I wore it anyway.  I'm guessing no one noticed because it's black, but I don't know that I can ever wear it again.  BOOOO.  At least it was only $20 at TJMaxx!

Conor & I at the wedding

With the Bride

And I finally finished my niece's bookbag! I shared the beginning of the process here, and last night I stitched around the doggie, in the white space I left myself between the artwork and the pink border, and I stitched beads on as a necklace and bejeweled the crown.  I think she looks cute! Then, to keep the threads on the inside from getting caught on pencils and such, I used fabric glue to attach a piece of fabric to the inside of the pocket that covered all the loose threads, and hopefully that will keep the beads from getting loose and falling off also.

ideeli, anyone?

so, i'm hoping everyone has heard about ideeli... it's like a club, because you can invite your friends, but you don't have to pay membership dues. and they have some super cute clothes (some not so cute, but hey, to each her own) that are ALL. ON. SALE.
i made my first ideeli purchase yesterday... this navy & gold embroidered dress by abs (can you say game day? go jackets!)So, anyway, I'm super excited, the zoom view shows how cute the gold thread embroidered flowers are, and up close they'll be a lot more noticeable. i'm not usually a dress girl, but this dress may change that... $45 for a $230 dress (the 45 includes shipping) is a great deal.

sooooo, if you wanna be in my club, click here to sign up for ideeli! yay!

Boring BM Dresses? I Think Not!

so... we here in prissland are totally not on board with the david's bridal-esque line of thinking about your maids' dresses. it is NOT ok to make your girls get a long dress that they will never (ever) wear again. the line "you can just get it cut short after the wedding" is used waaaay too often, and i swear there is no way anyone ever goes out and spends an extra $30 on top of the $150 they just paid to then go and get the (heinous) dress made short, what's the point if it was icky to begin with? i just have issues with long dresses... unless you are some high society housewife going to fundraisers or benefits, when in your life (after college formals) will you ever need a long dress again? (ok unless its a cute casual long dress... but that's no good for weddings...)

so, my solution? let them help pick out dresses. don't be so (controlling) concerned...you want people to be looking at you anyway. (which does NOT give you a free pass to make them wear puke brown dresses so they'll blend in with the walls.) (eww.) don't make them spend $200 on a solid color long boring dress. look at BM dresses as a way to add to the decor of the room and the theme of the day. want a retro-feel? let your maids get vintage tea-length dresses that they can dance the night away in. want a girly fun party? go with the polka dotty fun dress! want a sophisticated trendy soiree? how about the shimmery dress (with pockets!!!! AHHH! and i love love love the back) or the belted dress with the funky but awesome ruffly collar? for outdoor weddings with a sunny feel, rock the super-cute yellow dress with flower sash! (and yellow is SO in this season.)

(clockwise from top left: 50's Style Black Satin from Blue Velvet Vintage, $114.99. XOXO Printed Tube Dress from Macy's, on sale for $51.75. BR Monogram silk embroidered dress from Banana Republic, $250.00. Silk Dress with Flower Sash from Ann Taylor, $199.00. Belted Ruffle Dress from Neiman Marcus, $240.00.)

above all, just pick something you know your BM's will look (and feel) good in, respect their monetary issues, and DO NOT under any circumstances make them wear a shapeless solid-color blob that they will never wear again. seriously. yay!