Looky Here... Cute Chicago Save-the-Dates!

Have you picked out your save-the-dates? I love these Chicago-themed cards...

Visit Chicago by Hello Lucky. Don't you adore the cheerful color scheme?

Chicago Lights by Wedding Paper Divas. I like these STDs for mod, evening wedding.

Chicago Cubs Save-the-Dates by Keg Design. For die-hard sports fans, which is almost everyone in Chicago. I'm sure these STDs would be a big hit with your guests too!

Chicago Skyline save-the-dates by erickson design. My personal favorite. I just love the elegant script paired with
the rough sketch of the city.

I haven't picked my save-the-dates yet. I need to get on that! Do you like any of these STDs? What will yours look like?

In Which I Buy A Fabulous Dress And Subsequently Have A Panic Attack

A few days ago, I told you a little about my Adventures in Wedding Dress Shopping. I was hunting for the perfect dress, and I was adamant that I would find one that fits my criteria: it had to be relatively "danceable" dress; white, NOT ivory; a slim-fitting silhouette; not lace but not too modern; and most importantly, a unique and glamorous style that made me feel great.

So how'd I do? Why, it's so nice of you to ask!

Dearest Fiancé, GO AWAY NOW! I mean it!!
Or you'll lose all back rub privileges for AT LEAST a year! 

Wedding Dress Shopping: Not For The Faint of Heart!

Before I went dress shopping, I was sure I had it all figured out. I had looked at hundreds (maybe even thousands) of wedding dresses online. I researched designers, necklines, silhouettes, and fabrics. I thought, this is gonna be easy peasy.

Yours truly in Adorae by Sottero Midgley. It's a beautiful dress and I considered buying it,
but I decided it kinda looked like a gazillion other dresses I tried on.

Here's a little secret: Wedding dress shopping can be oh-so-much fun, but it can also be completely confusing. I know my own taste and I had a definitive idea of the style I was looking for, but it's hard to be decisive when you're trying dress after stunning (really, really STUNNING) dress.

Can't find the designer of this dress, but I suspect it's an Allure number.

Style 8764 by Allure Bridal. The detail on this dress is fantastic! Also, my posture is awful.
Note to self: Work on standing up straight for wedding photos.

My dress, as I had imagined it, would embody glamor in it's simplest form. It would not be over-done or gaudy. It would not overwhelm me with embellishments, embroidery, or layers of fabric.

I certainly didn't want lace or lace-like appliqués (like the above two photos), but I tried on a few lace Allure dresses and I nearly changed my mind. A lace dress does have a certain sweetness that you don't find in other styles. I had also thought I wanted white, or at least diamond white, but not ivory. And lace dresses almost always look better in ivory. (The slightly deeper color gives the fabric more dimensions and the dress a more vintage, classic feel.)

No idea who designed this dress, but it is elegant, isn't it? The simplicity and chic
vintage design reminds me of Audrey Hepburn or Grace Kelly. And, it has pockets! 

The ball gowns I tried on made me feel like princess, which is a pretty awesome feeling! Yet, I definitely prefer a mermaid or sheath silhouette to a ball gown. I like big, tulle skirts as much as the next girl, but I'm only 5'3" (on a good day!). And short girl + big dress = stumpy looking bride.

Style 8806 by Allure Bridal. The fabric is a lovely, delicate organza, and the style is
both fun and graceful.

I didn't want a dress that was very modern, like the gorgeous Allure gown above. The textured swirls and ruching are what make this dress beautiful, but both are also the trademarks of a modern gown. (For a master class on texture, please see: any dress by Vera Wang.)

A few other requirements for my dress: it has be "dance-able," namely not too heavy or cumbersome; it must not drown my petite figure in pick-ups or heavy layers; and it must make me feel like the prettiest, most glamorous woman in the room.

So I started out my hunt for a dress with seven or eight criteria. And now that I've bought a dress, how close did I come to my imaginary "dream" dress?

You'll have to wait to for my next post to find out! (Sorry to be a tease, but I've got lots more to say about dress shopping, including how I had a major, major freak-out the day after I bought my dress.)

What about you, dear readers? What kind of dress did you shop for? Did you find your "dream" dress or did you fall in love with an entirely different style?

Dress Envy: Over-the-Top Glamor By Zuhair Murad

Ladies, I have some really, really pretty dresses to show you today. Seriously, you're gonna swoon...

Lebanese designer Zuhair Murad had dressed some of the biggest names on the red carpet (Beyonce, J-Lo, Miley Cyrus), so it's no surprise that his 2010 bridal collection is a masterpiece. He isn't a big name in bridal fashion, but he certainly should be!

Go ahead--feast your eyes.

Lilas

Marguerite

Orchidia

Cattleya

Fleur de Lys

Aren't they all gorgeous?! I love the feminine textures and the incredible detailing. The Lilas gown is my favorite, but the Marguerite, which looks oh-so-Grace-Kelly elegant, is a close second. 

Unfortunately, I can't find any information about Zuhair Murad's 2011 bridal line. But I'm still keeping my fingers crossed! He simply must keep designing for brides; his dresses are just too gorgeous to stop!

Would you wear any of these dresses? Which one is your favorite? Are they too much or do you love over-the-top glamor as much as I do?

*All photos by Zuhair Murad, via Fashionbride's Weblog

Introducing: Good Reads for Brides

Check out All Dressed in White: The Irresistible Rise of the American Wedding at Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Carol McD. Wallace's blog is carolwallace.wordpress.com.

Are you going to read All Dressed in White? What's your favorite/most useful wedding book? Can you recommend any books for me to review in future installments of Good Reads for Brides?

Whimsical Wedding Hats, Take 2

By Moire's Millinery, $175, via Brides.com

Apparently the editors over at Brides.com are reading my blog. (I mean, doesn't everybody?) As soon as I posted about wedding hats, they decided to get in on the action. They've featured several to-die-for styles, including this vintage topper:

"Givenchy," by Toni Federici, via Brides.com

Reminiscent of Jackie O, yes? And not overpowering for the bride who doesn't sport large accessories. If you want to see more swoon-worthy wedding hats, head over to Brides.com for the slideshow.

And a quick side note: Did you notice my lovely, new header? A big thanks to my fiancé for all his help in creating it! (He said it looks like a giant bridezilla is taking over city. And now I'm wondering what he was trying to insinuate...)

Anyways, what hair accessories or headpieces are you wearing on your wedding day? Would you rock one of these hats, or are they better left for your Halloween costume?

Shopping For Wedding Vendors: A Few Ways I'm Keeping My Sanity

by Samantha, via Wikimedia Commons

How many wedding photogs are there in Chicago? Only a gazillion or so. How many DJs and bands for hire? Way more than I can count. And reception venues? Don't even get me started.

The metropolitan area of Chicago has, quite literally, thousands of talented and professional vendors who are happy to provide their services at your wedding. Unfortunately, it's your job to sort those vendors to find the ones who are perfect for your budget and style.

Now I'm a persnickety person with an obsessive streak and control issues, so my natural inclination is to spend hours slogging through lists of bakeries, photographers, and officiants. But as I found out rather quickly, it can be time-consuming and overwhelming. I had to figure out ways to shorten the search so here's what I've done so far:

1. Ask your friends. Browse your friends' wedding albums and ask which of their vendors went above and beyond on the big day. Some of them may even have personal connections with vendors (which may translate into discounts!). One of my married friends sent me a link to her online album and the name of her photographer. If she says her photographer was great, then I definitely want to check him out!

2. Narrow your search based on location. If you choose a bakery or florist a few miles from your reception site, they may be willing to waive any delivery fees since the distance is negligible. At the very least, you may be able to negotiate lower fees. And if you choose a photographer who has previously shot weddings at your venue, he may be familiar with the layout, the lighting, and the best spots for portraits. That kind of knowledge will translate into better photos and a better album after the event.

3. Select a few large resource websites to search for vendors. Pick two or three that you like, preferably the ones you find easiest to navigate. You've already tried The Knot, right? I also like Wedding Wire, My Chicago Wedding, Chicago Bridal, and Chicago Style Weddings. Don't try to wade through every vendor catalog on the internet. You will go mad and start pulling your hair out. And you don't want to be a bald, crazy bride, now do you?

4. Throw in the towel and hire a wedding planner. I haven't gotten to this point yet, but I can see why some brides consider their planners a must-have. An event planner has been to a million weddings, dinners, and galas. She can recommend vendors she trusts and can sometimes negotiate lower rates. Sounds like a pretty good deal to me!

How are you searching for and choosing vendors for your wedding? Can you recommend any vendors or websites for me to check out?

Trend Alert: Sophisticated Wedding Hats

A few days ago I wrote about three wedding trends I'm tired of, but here's one trend that makes me swoon! The recent rise of wedding hats is undoubtedly due to the influence of the stylish Kate Middleton and her penchant for elaborate headpieces. A great hat makes for a surprising statement piece as well as a fashion-forward alternative to a fascinator or veil.

Bridal "Belle Epoch" Mini Top Hat, price not listed, House of Nine Designs, via Style Me Pretty

Uffie Miniature Top Hat with Veil, Maison Michel, $322.50, net-a-porter.com, via brides.com

Black cocktail hat with French netting and headband, $88, The Left Bank, via Everything But The Dress

It takes a bold bride to wear an eye-catching hat! Would you wear one of these? How about a wide-brim hat like Bianca Jagger? Or are you a veil-and-fascinator kind of gal?

This Will Be A (Gluten-Free) Cakewalk: Planning A Wedding With Food Allergies

So delish! I'm craving a piece of chocolate cake right now! (Via Style Me Pretty)

First, I should give a shout-out to Chelsea Clinton, who made life a tiny bit easier for gluten-free brides when she planned a gluten-free wedding of her own. Like Chelsea, I have a gluten intolerance. Fortunately I chose a venue well accustomed to catering gluten-free events. The venue consultant assured me that they prepare gluten-free dishes quite frequently and that she would work with me to draw up a dinner menu sans gluten. The cake, however, is a different matter.

Since I cut gluten out of my diet over a year ago, I have a new appreciation for piece of sweet, decadent cake. And if there's one day I want to enjoy an edible slice of heaven, it's my wedding day. Because gluten-free bakeries are harder to come by, I have several options. This could be a difficult choice!

1. I could go full monty and shell out for a big, fancy gluten-free cake. The upside is I could eat as much of it as I want. After all, it's my wedding! I want be able to eat the effing cake! But, and this is a huge downside, a large gluten-free cake will probably come with a big price tag.

Based on a some quick research, I'd estimate that a full-size sheet cake will cost around $150-$200. A regular tiered wedding cake will usually set you back at least $500, so a gluten-free tiered cake will very likely cost upwards of $700 or $800 (gluten-free flours and mixes are often double the cost of regular white flour). There are some aspects of the wedding I'm willing to pay big bucks for, but $800 for flipping cake? That's highway robbery!

2. I could serve regular cake and a gluten-free groom's cake. The added bonus here is that the groom's cake would be virtually free! My own dear mother is a fabulous baker and cake decorator. I don't want to saddle her with the job of making my main wedding cake. She's done it before for other people, and it seriously stresses and exhausts her. And she'll have plenty of other things to do to prepare for the big day. But a groom's cake, a smaller and easier creation, is something she could manage just fine. Still, I'll be a little sad when I have to cut into that beautiful cake and can't have a piece for myself.

3. I could serve a different dessert altogether. I'd need to talk my mother into this. Traditionalist that she is, she thinks our reception will be seriously lacking without a "real" wedding cake. But the brilliant bakers at Swirlz Cupcakes in Lincoln Park make the most yummy gluten-free cupcakes you can imagine. And Nitro Dessert Station offers a mobile ice cream maker, which means you can have fresh, homemade ice cream served at your reception. (I sampled their ice cream at a bridal expo. It was seriously scrumptious!)

What should I do? Should I spring for a gluten-free or should I go with a more creative option? Do you or any of your guests have food allergies? Will you plan a customized menu for your reception?