Say “I do” like the stars do! Us Weekly and WeddingChannel.com are pairing up for their third annual luxe nuptials contest.  You can have the chance to win a $100,000 dream wedding!  All you have to do to enter is go to their website by clicking here.  Once there, you upload a picture of yourselves, give them a little information, and answer a few questions.

Now for the feature:  Jinie and Brad were married at the Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club in California.

Vendors:

venue: Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club
onsite coordinator: Alyson Gabaldon
photography: Natalie Moser Photography
video: Aartistic Video and Photography
makeup: Kelly Zhang
floral design: Green Leaf Designs
lighting and lanterns: 4th Dimension Events
ceremony music – flute and guitarist: LA Jazz Band
dj: VOX DJs
cake: It’s All About the Cake

Thank you, Natalie, for sharing this amazing wedding with us!  Stop by Natalie Moser Photography’s website by clicking here and her blog by clicking here and show her some love-  Please let her know that GSS sent you!  And Jinie & Brad, we wish you a lifetime of love, laugher, and happiness!  May every day be better than the last!

Image Credits:  First Image Courtesy of Natalie Norton Photography         Last Three Images Courtesy of Junky Heirloom

Robin’s Egg Blue Bridesmaid Dress:  JLM Couture

Rose Pink and White Bridal Bouquet:  Flower Allie               Image Courtesy of Christine Farah Photography

Robin’s Egg Blue and Rose Pink Wedding Invitations:  Sweet Peony Press        Image Courtesy of Rowell Photography

Robin’s Egg Blue and White Wedding Favor Boxes:  Image Courtesy of Paul Johnson Photography

Pink Rose Boutonniere:  Salt Harbor Designs            Image Courtesy of  Millie Holloman Photography

Robin’s Egg Blue and Rose Pink Tablescape:  Karen Tran

Wedding Cake with Pink Roses:  Parties to Go LLC

Bride:  Hair Accessory/Bird Cage Veil – Gracylu Originals             Image Courtesy of Mark Eric Photography

Britney and Bo were married at the A & M Gardens in Azle, TX on May 21, 2010.  Britney was kind enough to answer a few questions for us:

How did you and Bo meet?   Bo and I met in Junior High – I was the new girl at school and he was the most popular boy (we went to a tiny, 2A School) I had the BIGGEST crush on him, but it wasn’t until years later, as sophomores in HS that we started dating. It all started with rides home from school in his 84 Chevy Truck because I had to take his books to his truck for him after class. He was on crutches from a football injury! 

How long have you been together?   8 years 

How did Bo propose?    He took me to one of our favorite spots, The Botanical Gardens in Fort Worth.  Funny thing, (he told me later) he was trying to find our favorite spot (this little turtle pond) and we walked all day and never saw it.  So, he took me to this open clearing of trees and grass and a little log and, on one knee he asked me to marry him.  On the walk back to the car….. we found the turtle pond!

Did you make your wedding bouquet and the brooches?  If not, who did? Well, that was actually a joint venture.  I am a HUGE Etsy fan – and a designer on Etsy:  Thatiana, of HouseofTelsa made them for me. She had them shown as hair pieces and I asked if she could do a custom order for me and make them into brooches for an idea I had, with the speckled feathers, etc. She also made my cuff, which was a fabulous white rosette with feathers coming out.  She made my hair piece as well, and I added the feathers. 

Your dress is so fun, where did you get it and how did you know it was “the one”?   Thanks! My mom wanted to buy my dress and I refused to pick out something that would put her in a financial bind, so I wanted to keep it affordable. Turns out, when I was with my bridesmaids at Bella Bridesmaid to get their dresses, I was shown my dress in black and Tiffany at Bella Bridesmaid told me they could do it in white, she suggested I try it on for MY dress. I INSTANTLY fell in love. It fit PERFECTLY with my theme. It was the first dress I saw, and I looked at others and just went back and got that one. So, my wedding dress was actually a bridesmaids dress – which, note to all brides: You can get AMAZING floor length “bridesmaids” dresses for a fraction of the cost of a “wedding gown” AND, they aren’t SO HEAVY!!! They dont have the bustle, etc so you can actually move on your wedding day! I think it was a gift from God that I found that – it was just perfect AND affordable.  It was my dream dress.  I had the top altered to make it a little more original, by Nagwa, at Legacy Tailor.  She is a GEM.  AMAZING! 

What sold you on your wedding venue?  I found it one day online; coincidentally it was A&M Gardens (for the owners names) but Bo is an Aggie so I checked it out.  I knew before I even got engaged that is where I had to have my wedding. I always wanted to get married outside and their garden was the prettiest I had ever seen.  Like a story book.  And, the inside reception area was just perfect. Everything about it was exactly as I have always pictured my wedding day. 

How did you choose your wedding color palette?  I knew I wanted bright colors that would POP!  Especially since it was taking place in the summer, in a garden. I have always loved that purple/magenta of the girls dresses and orange. I just picked it and went with it!  I knew no matter what I wanted a whimsical wedding, and that no matter what color palette I HAD to have feathers in lieu of flowers. I love big white billowy ostrich feathers.  And, it went great with the bright colors. 

Tell us about your first dance.  It looks like you had a BLAST!  Thanks! It was!  I told my bridal party that I wanted everyone to walk in and do a dance – not just to a fun song, but a dance. They are all goof balls and our best friends and there was not much convincing – they all were eager to have fun too!  Bo and I chose, “Save a Horse Ride A Cowboy” to walk into because he is definitely a cowboy! We had him roping me in and everything. We had so much fun! Then, when we broke into our first dance (slow) halfway through me and my bridesmaids surprised him by stopping the music and surrounding him to the tune of, “I love Rock and Roll” but instead of Rock and Roll, we sang, “I love Bo Rat-to” it was hilarious! We handcuffed him and everything. He had NO idea!! 

What was your favorite part of your big day?  Marrying my best friend…. and how much FUN we had!!! I also loved that we had a popcorn bar.  I had a friend make my popcorn signs and we printed them out and set them up to show every flavor. I just loved everything about it, and wish I could do it all over again! 

Do you have any advice for brides that are in the planning process?  Don’t do everything TRADITIONAL!!!!  Be YOU!  Have FUN on your day…. and, no matter who weighs in on the guest list – its YOUR day – who do YOU and your GROOM want to spend your special day with?  I would also say to take risks and not just go to the “ordinary” or “most expensive” places for decorations/gowns/etc.  Be original!  No one likes a cookie cutter wedding! The more you do yourself and make it custom, the better. I hand painted all the picture frames that we had at the wedding showcasing our engagement pics and my bridals. I also made all the big feather pens for the guest sign in, and in lieu of a guestbook, Bo and I made quote bubbles on our computer and printed them out for people to give advice or write their best memory, etc.  Made it MUCH more personal than a signature and looking back we have the funny things people wrote! 

Vendors:

Venue: A&M Gardens, Azle TX (the owners are truly wonderful amazing people!) 

Dress: Queue – Flutter Collection 

Cake: My dad and his wife made and decorated the 4 paisley cakes and my dad custom made the cake stands to look like floating paisleys. It was AMAZING.

Floral: No flowers, all feathers! Sissy’s Catering (Azle, TX) made the bouquet. I gave her the rosettes to use and added the crystals and feathers to the rosettes myself and they made it into a fabulous bouquet!

Linens: I purchased them myself online from Wedding Linens Direct. They are 80% cheaper than if you rent from someone. I also ordered the feather rings for the table and the votive candles myself. 

Catering: Vance Godbey’s Catering, Azle, TX (Shout out to Tracey – she is THE BOMB!!!!) 

DJ:  The AMAZING Michael Blake ( you might recognize him from 106.1 Kiss FM traffic) He owns ProDJWedding.com and is by far the best DJ I have ever seen. He got all the guests involved, played some hilarious games, and kept the momentum going all night.

Thank you so much, Kelli, for sharing this amazing wedding with us!  And thank you, Britney, for taking your time to answer our questions!  We wish you and Bo a lifetime full of love, laughter, and happiness!!!

Haven’t found the perfect dress to say ‘i-do’? Then you’re in luck!

Local brides-to-be will have an opportunity to find their dream gowns while making wishes come true for metastatic breast cancer patients.

The charity wedding gown sale features hundreds of beautiful gowns donated by manufacturers, designers, retailers and individuals. Specific gown prices range from $199 and up, including hundreds of brand name and designer gown…s valued up to $8,000. Tiaras, veils, crinolines and other accessories will also be offered. Bridal gown donations will also be accepted for gowns 2006 and newer.

Power Hour Preview Shopping Spree – $20 Admission per Attendee
Friday, July 23 from 10 a.m. – Noon
Order tickets at http://babcdallas.eventbrite.com/

General Sale – Free Admission
Friday, July 23 from Noon – 8 p.m.
Saturday, July 24 from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Pre-register at http://makingmemories.org/bride_preregistration.html

Want to Volunteer? Register at http://makingmemories.org/registration.html

Proceeds benefit Making Memories Breast Cancer Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to granting wishes to men and women battling stage IV breast cancer.

Sponsored By:
Hilton – Arlington | Amy Karp Photography | Texas Wedding Guide | Sarabeth Events | The Creative Touch Events by Lauren | DiFiori | es Events | Romano’s

Our jaws hit the floor when we saw these bridals of Morgan by Jeremy Gilliam Photography. His site says, “Specializing in Awesome” and judging by these bridals, we say so!

Venue :: Off the Grid

Gown :: Watters

Make Up :: Ashlee at Vision Art Studio

Photography :: Jeremy Gilliam

Okay, so we have to admit that we didn’t come up with these 10 tips…  BUT we did find this entertaining article that has as much humor as it does advice on TheFrisky.com.  It’s so worth reading.  Enjoy!

10 Tips for Surviving A Bridezilla by TheFrisky.com

Everyone who’s been a bridesmaid knows the drill.

Hideous bubblegum pink chiffon dress you’ll never wear again? Check. Matching jewelry that costs more than the engagement ring? Check. Frumpy flat shoes because the groomsmen look like Keebler elves? Check.

It’s not fun, but we handle it because it’s for our friends or family.

But how do you deal with bridezilla? How do you combat freakish heights of irrationality, diva demands, emotional vampirism and passive-aggressive power plays?

We can offer you these 10 tips for keeping a bridezilla at bay:

1. Smile and nod. Remember that the Mr. Hyde in front of you will return to the kind, caring Dr. Jekyll you know and love once the wedding is over. Do what she wants, even if it’s a little bit crazy. One day she may return the favor when you have your own bridezilla moment.

2. There’s safety in numbers. Delegate the bride’s demands to other bridesmaids, groomsmen and family members to help alleviate your own stress. This will also help divide the blame if things don’t turn out the way your bridezilla planned. Try to include a sweet grandma or favorite aunt that she loves too much to yell at.

3. Negotiate. When you can’t meet all of your bridezilla’s pricey demands, be ready to offer a cheaper alternative. Get your Aunt Sue, the seamstress, to alter your gowns rather than ordering custom-made. Host a shower at home rather than booking a banquet hall. Most importantly, make her think it was all her idea.

4. Act like a duck. Adopt a Zen-like attitude and let her self-centered rants, petty demands and general craziness glide over you like water rolls off a fowl’s feathers. If you don’t absorb it, it can’t hurt you. Vent to non-mutual friends about your crazy bridezilla to help lighten the emotional load.

5. Listen. Many normal brides turn into bridezilla because of the stress and crushing expectations of perfection. Give her the time to complain about her demanding mother, interfering in-laws and incompetent florist. Offering a shoulder to cry on can help deflate the buildup of angst that makes her lash out at you and anyone else within a five-mile radius.

6. Dull the senses. There’s no need to break out the “Desperate Housewives” travel pack of Valium, but offer your bride a glass of wine or a giant box of chocolates to help improve her mood. Join her in a little indulgence, and you can dull your own pain as well.

7. Distract. Like dangling pretty, sparkly car keys in front of a crying baby, offer your bride something shiny to get her off the bridezilla warpath. Set up a shopping spree, hiking trek or spa trip as far from the madness as possible. Declare a ceasefire on wedding planning and reminisce about your high school crushes or that lost weekend in Vegas instead.

8. Stand your ground. You shouldn’t be forced to take out a five-year loan to pay for your part in a destination wedding. Respect yourself and the bride will respect you too. Tell bridezilla you love her and will do everything in your power to make her day perfect, but diamond-encrusted Ferragamos aren’t in your budget. And no, you can’t make 50 centerpieces by tomorrow.

9. Intervention. If you’ve been grinning through the pain for so long that you’ve ground your teeth to stubs, extreme measures may be necessary. Get all the injured parties together and calmly let the bride know how much she’s crossed the line. Hopefully, she’ll see the light when she hears it from every member of the bridal party. Keep the groom out of it in case she doesn’t react well.

10. Pull the rip cord. Sometimes a bridezilla goes too far, or the whole experience exposes giant cracks in an already-strained friendship. If you’re constantly battered and abused, it’s time to bail. And if a graceful exit isn’t possible, just show up 20 minutes late for the cake tasting. The rest should happen naturally.

Gold Tablescape:  Image Courtesy of Laura Negri Photography

Gold and Mint Green Ring:  Image Courtesy of Amazon

Antiqued Gold Frame Escort Cards:  Image Courtesy of BKB Photography

Mint Green Bridesmaid Dress:  The Dessy Group

Mint Green and Gold Rimmed Place Setting:  Chas Field Haviland Arc En Ciel- Mint Green (Airain)

White Bridal Bouquet:  Moreton’s Flowerland          Image Courtesy of Courtney Dellafiora Photography

Mint Green and Gold Wedding Cake:  La Petite Fleur

Mint Green Wedding Invitation:  Momental Designs

Gold Wedding Favors with Mint Green Ribbon:  Image Courtesy of Allyson Magda Photography

Gold Bridesmaid Dress:  Alfred Angelo

How did you and Bryce meet?  Bryce and I met about 3 days into my freshman year of college.  We were friends for quite a long time, and finally started dating when I returned from a semester abroad my junior year of college.

How long have you been together?  By the wedding date we had been together for about 4 years.

How did Bryce propose?  We were visiting my family in Louisville for the weekend. One night, I was under the impression that we were all going out to dinner, but on the way Bryce took a “wrong” turn and took me to a beautiful park in Louisville. He proposed there, and then suggested that we go back to my house to meet my family because our dinner reservation wasn’t until later.  However, once we walked into my house I was greeted by my friends and family, and Bryce’s family who flew in from Texas.  That was such a great moment to have so many people to celebrate with, especially with Bryce’s family, who had to make such a long trip!

Your dress is gorgeous, where did you get it and how did you know it was “the one”? I actually looked for a really long time for a dress, and didn’t really have much luck at all. I found lots of dresses that I liked a lot, but never the right mix of classic and fun.  The dress I finally chose, I had looked at many times online, but was never able to find it in a store.  After having no luck, I tracked down a retailer in Baltimore, Maryland (about 3 hours form Richmond), I went up with my maid of honor to try on the dress, and she and I both agreed that was the perfect one!

What sold you on your wedding venue?  Thankfully, I had the assistance of my mother with most of the planning. I live out of town in Richmond, Virginia, so finding venues and vendors on my own would have been very difficult!  My mom managed to scope out a bunch of places before we got engaged (because she knew it was coming), and we looked at a few of them right after the engagement.  Unfortunately, none of the ones we were able to see really fit the bill.  But my mom sent me the online link to the Henry Clay and it just looked gorgeous.  We chose the location without actually seeing it, but when I finally had the opportunity to see it, I knew we chose well!

LOVE the photo below!  Gotta protect that dress!

How did you choose your wedding color palette?  I initially wanted to have yellow bridesmaid dresses.  But I realized that many women do not feel comfortable in yellow, and I wanted the ladies to enjoy what they were wearing! Every time I looked at a dress I was really drawn to the bright blue color we finally chose.  I finally found the wonderful designer of the dress I chose at Bella Bridesmaid and fell in love with her dress styles and color choices.  I think my bridesmaids really loved the style and comfort of the dress, and my Maid of Honor even opened a Bella Bridesmaid in Washington DC as a result!!  In addition to bridesmaids, I also had a house party with four girls.  They actually ended up finding this gorgeous yellow patterned dress, and at that point the colors were pretty much decided.  The flowers were beautiful yellow, white and green to tie everything together!

What was your favorite part of your big day?  That is really hard to say — So much of the day was so fun, but also so exhausting!  One of the coolest parts of the day was just before the band was supposed to announce the wedding party and us, the trumpeter who calls the horses to post during the Kentucky Derby played ”The Yellow Rose of Texas” and ”My Old Kentucky Home” for the home state of both Bryce and me. This was surprise from my mom, and was an extra special Kentucky touch!

Do you have any advice for brides that are in the planning process?  Try not to let things stress you out.  Planning a wedding is hard on everyone involved, and can stress anyone out.  But if you resolve to try to make the best of any situation, and not to take anything too seriously, it makes the whole process much more enjoyable.  And always remember, the wedding is just ONE day, it’s the marriage that really matters!

Vendors:

Venue: Ceremony at Second Presbyterian Church Louisville, KY; Reception at the Henry Clay Louisville, KY

Dress: Bridal Gown – Amsale / Bridesmaid Dress – Lula Kate from Bella Bridesmaid / House Party Dress – Eliza J from Nordstrom

Cake: Cupcakes by the Cupcake Shoppe in Louisville, KY  (owned by my best friend/maid of honor’s mom)!

Floral: In Bloom Again

Linens: The Silver Spoon

Catering: The Silver Spoon

Band: Top Tier from Nashville, TN

Invitations: Lucky Luxe – Erin, the designer, did an incredible job on the invitations.  She was so wonderful to work with, and so helpful, and the invitation turned out literally perfect!  I would highly recommend her to anyone. 

Thank you so much, Josh, for sharing this amazing wedding with us!  And thank you, Stefanie, for taking your time to answer our questions!  We wish you and Bryce a lifetime full of love, laughter, and happiness!!!