sbbride's Blue Wedding Blog - Wedding By Color

Wedding Cake - ATTN: All Cupcake Brides! Cupcake Tasting Event

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 08:44:00 PST

There's an ultimate cupcake tasting event in my town of Santa Barbara! It's for a cancer research, so there are cupcake vendors from all around our area. A recommended donation of $10 gets you tastings with 10 vendors. It's July 25th at the Fess Parker Doubletree hotel...more details here: http://www.cupcakecampsantabarbara.com/default.html Any other brides not in Cali looking for a cupcake camp in their area can check here http://cupcakecamp.pbworks.com/ Also, we sampled several of the cupcake vendors in Santa Barbara and Ventura County for our wedding. If you want some recommendations, let me know. ;) Happy Planning!

Wedding Favors - Chocomize! Create your own custom chocolate bar

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 08:37:00 PST

I love this idea for favors....yummmmmmmm! You can even put your picture on your chocolate bar too. They have anything from beef jerky to gummy bears or cayenne pepper. http://www.chocomize.com/wedding-chocolate-favors

Wedding Video - Why WBC is much better...

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 11:48:00 PST

I posted our video on theknot's real weddings contest back in February, but haven't looked at it until now. I mean I know it wasn't like the best dance ever, and we were having fun. Those girls comments were just rude. I know that's the risk you take on posting stuff anywhere on the internet. Just kind of shocked me because of how nice all you ladies are. Our guests loved it and we were proud of it and that's all that matters in the end. Whew! http://www.theknot.com/contests/My-Real-Wedding/Video/149693/fun-amp-wild-first-dance

Wedding Video - Our Wedding Dance is Blogged on bestweddingdances.com

Fri, 18 Jun 2010 09:20:00 PST

http://www.bestweddingdances.com/2010/06/wild-wedding-dance-surprise.html

Wedding Video - How Romantic! Proposal in the Park Video

Sat, 12 Jun 2010 09:38:00 PST

I love this website! http://www.bestweddingdances.com. I submitted our wedding dance to them, hoping it will get posted. Perusing the site, this has got to be one of the most romantic proposals ever, and thanks to youtube we all get to see. ;)

Wedding Hair Style - I love Hayden's look!

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 12:56:00 PST

Hey Ladies, so yes its been awhile since I've gotten married, but I was perusing hair styles for my hair appt next week and I fell upon this. Such a beautiful and trendy wedding look as well. ;) Looks a lot like some of the pic's I've see you girls post. Enjoy!

Wedding Cake - Cupcakes?...read this!

Fri, 16 Apr 2010 12:49:00 PST

It's amazing how things change in a year. When I was planning our wedding I went through a lot of agony about the stand to put them on. I was reading up on cupcakes, and as one thing led to another, I found this! http://www.save-on-crafts.com/cupcakes3.html and this! http://www.save-on-crafts.com/cupcaketree2.html and this! http://www.allthingscupcake.com/2008/10/16/diy-cupcake-stands/ We ended up spending about $250 to build our own, and although I don't regret doing so, something like this would have been soooo much easier! And less expensive. We really wanted a tower that was square and looked like a real cake, and this one totally does! You can even paint and decorate it to to match your wedding colors. So I thought I'd share. And, how cute are these wrappers! - http://www.save-on-crafts.com/cupcakes9.html I've also attached a picture of our tower in action ;). If you want instructions on how we did ours I'd be happy to share. ;)

Bridal Party Attire and Gifts - Custom Chucks!

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 15:27:00 PST

I've seen these in a couple different weddings online and I think they are a great idea! The Bridal party and bride and grooms were all wearing them on the wedding day. You can make them in any color, and you can personally label the heel with whatever you choose. LOVE IT! http://www.converse.com/#/products/shoes/converseOne/scratch

Ask a Question - Do you need help planning your day of timelines? I've got an excel sheet to help!

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 17:07:00 PST

Hey Ladies, I'm offering up my excel wedding day timeline spreadsheet and forms up to anyone who wants them. Why rewrite the book if it's already been done? I didn't have a wedding coordinator, but my friend took on the role for the ceremony and the DJ for the reception, and they both said it was easy since they had this info from me. It also has a sheet for the videographer and a photo list for the photographer. Email stephanierockwell@gmail.com or comment your email address if interested.

Wedding Video - Our Wild First Dance

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 13:23:00 PST

Wedding Reception - Reception Professional Pics

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 13:18:00 PST

We had tons and tons of these pics...here is the edited album. http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2117068&l=83eb80a74c&id=24500687

Wedding Photography - Ceremony Professional Pics

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 13:07:00 PST

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Wedding Photography - Bride and Groom Professional Pics

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 13:02:00 PST

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Wedding Photography - Bridal Party Professional Pics

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 12:59:00 PST

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Wedding Photography - Getting Ready Professional Pics

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 12:56:00 PST

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Ask a Question - What would you do?

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:30:00 PST

Hi Ladies! I am hoping for some friendly advice on a dilemna I'm having. Basically, our photographers (a husband and wife team) invited us over for a "premier party" where they said they would have a slideshow prepared and our pictures ready. So, we went, and they had the slideshow (approx 200 pictures), and it was half done, and our disk of pictures weren't ready. They don't even have the pics uploaded on the website where we could at least buy a digital copy of a few of them. This was two weeks before thanksgiving, and they promised that they would have everything ready before we left on Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Well, as you know Thanksgiving came and went, and no call or anything. We are friends with them on facebook, and usually have a pretty good rapport. Now, both my husband and I are just frustrrated and disappointed. Leading us on and getting us excited, but then not coming through. My husband wants to not contact them and wait for them to get back to us. Part of me wants to call them and see when they think is a realistic time for them to be ready. We have a good enough relationship that if they knew how we feel that they would do something to come through for us. It will be three months since our wedding on the 19th.

Wedding Budget - Wedding Payment Plan - Listed on America's Most Promising Startup

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:26:00 PST

So, I totally am all for not going into debt in order to pay for your wedding. I can proudly say that my fiance paid for our 30K wedding in cash (including 15K contributions from our parents). I know a lot of brides don't have the same luxury we did, so I am thinking it should be a smart financing plan. I did find this article in Yahoo! Finance - which is from Businessweek, so if you are looking for ways to stretching your wedding budget this seems like a legitimate option. Their interest rates start at 9%, which is better than most CC interest rates that even out around 11%. Here is the link to the article: http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/108094/americas-most-promising-startups?mod=career-salary_negotiation And here's a link to the payment plan website: http://www.weddingpaymentplan.com/brides_grooms_family.html If anything...check out the batter blaster at the grocery store...it rocks!

Wedding Photography - Feedback from disposable cameras

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:02:00 PST

Hey! I just realized I never posted feedback from using disposable cameras....so basically this is what happened: We gave one camera to each table, and 1 camera to each teenager at the teen table (10 total). The big mistake was giving one to each teenager for a scavenger hunt. We got about 40 pictures of nothing, half a head, part of an eye, or these two boys over and over and over that we could tell a couple of girls thought were cute. I think it would work better if the kids were 11 or younger. Teenagers, not so much. Also, even though they cost more, get as high quality you can afford. We had some really great shots that were totally ruined by the exposure of the cheap cameras. All in all, we were happy that we did it because we got pictures of people that were probably missed by our photographers, and some great candid shots by the tables that took theirs seriously. I also attached a few of my favorites we got from the cameras. In terms of photo sharing....we sent out a link and everything for our guests, but seriously only one person has uploaded their pictures. So I am really glad that we have the disposables to get a sneak peek of the good time everyone had. Also, I don't think guests see the pictures as the bride and grooms, but more theirs so they don't want to share? Not sure what the delay is. I thought I would post this for those who were trying to decide whether or not to do it. ;)

NewLastName.org - Free name change guide

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 20:08:00 PST

After perusing the web and contemplating paying $30 to have a program help me fill out forms, I stumbled across this website. http://www.newlastname.org. They have a checklist and links to all of the forms you need to change your last name. Sweet! Much easier than scrambling around, and way cheaper. ;)

Health and Fitness - 8 Weight Loss Secrets From Around the World

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 10:23:00 PST

I thought this article was great, and had some good tips. Extreme measures aren't needed to look your best! By Reader's Digest Magazine, on Fri Oct 2, 2009 Whatever happened to just enjoying good food, in moderation, without guilt? These global tricks reveal it's possible, and show you how. 1. Stop eating before you're full. The Okinawans, whose average BMI is 21.5 for those who eat a traditional diet, call this hara hachi bu, or eating till you're 80 percent full. Of course, we're not suggesting that you leave the table hungry. But eating until the buttons pop stretches the stomach by about 20 percent each time you do it, so you inevitably need more food to feel satisfied, explains Bradley Willcox, MD, co-author of The Okinawa Diet Plan. He says that putting your fork down "when you feel that first twinge of fullness" gives your brain a chance to realize that you are full before you overdo it. 2. Drizzle on the healthy oils. Healthy fats like olive oil, a staple of the Mediterranean diet, and canola oil, a staple of Okinawans, make vegetables tastier, so you're likely to eat more of them. And, as we know, eating a diet rich in produce is key to maintaining a healthy weight. 3. When you're eating, just eat. No other culture multitasks meals the way Americans do with our TV dinners, fast-food drive-throughs and grab-'n-go food that's designed to fit into a car cup holder and be eaten with one hand. In Japan, it's considered rude to eat while walking. And you'll never catch the French gulping coffee in the car. "In France, there are no car cup holders because you don't drink coffee while driving," explains Will Clower, PhD, author of The Fat Fallacy : The French Diet Secrets to Permanent Weight Loss. "Eating and drinking aren't errands. It's not what you do on the way to something else." Good advice. When you're distracted by work, traffic or the TV, you're apt to overeat without even realizing it, notes Dean Ornish, MD, author of Eat More, Weigh Less. "If you really pay attention to what you're eating, you enjoy it more fully and don't need as much food." 4. Get moving. People in Asian countries, France and the Mediterranean tend to be slim because they're more active. Not that they spend hours at the gym; they simply walk a lot. 5. Enjoy regular meals. One reason French women don't get fat is because French women eat three meals a day. You may think skipping meals cuts calories, but all it does is evoke a primal "fear of hunger response" that causes overeating later, explains Dr. David Katz, MD, author of The Way to Eat. "Throughout most of our history, we had too little to eat. So when you go for long periods without eating, you stir up all that native programming, which says eat like crazy when you can, because all too often you can't." Start with breakfast. Studies show that breakfast-eaters are slimmer than skippers. 6. Dine with others. Eating with family or friends vs. alone in your car, at your desk or on the couch is part and parcel of traditional cultures. Not only does camaraderie make the meal more enjoyable, it's slimming. "Eating with others restrains your own behavior," notes Dr. Katz. "You eat more slowly, which increases the likelihood that you'll register when you're full before you've eaten more than you should." 7. Chow down only when you're hungry. Americans eat for all sorts of reasons besides hunger, especially from boredom, loneliness, stress or fear, a foreign concept in other cultures. "You can't make food the solution to every issue in your life and expect to be thin," says Dr. Katz. "If you eat from boredom, find a hobby. If you eat to relieve stress, learn meditation or yoga." 8. Have a glass of wine. A staple of French and Mediterranean tables, wine adds joy to the meal, and because it contains potent antioxidants, is at least partly responsible for why these cultures traditionally have lower rates of cardiovascular disease and mortality despite their higher-fat diets. And while some studies show that we tend to eat more when we drink, a Finnish study actually found that male drinkers were leaner than abstainers.

Thank You Cards - From Wedding Paper Divas

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 08:27:00 PST

We finally got a fun sneak peak pic from our photographers. We ordered these cards (http://www.weddingpaperdivas.com/product/3763/signature_white_thank_you_cards_blooming_vine.html) from weddingpaperdivas.com, and should have them next week. Very excited! They are a great vendor...my husband messed up his billing information, and they still had someone around to help him out at 8PM. We ended up using the first picture of us I have attached.

Market Place - Last Call! Items free for the cost of shipping!

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 08:20:00 PST

Hi Ladies, My husband and I are going to toss everything out we have left over from the wedding this weekend. I'm giving them away for the cost of shipping (which is 60% of retail rates through my office). So, our last call items are: ~100 small cellophane bags w/twist ties ~20 "special thanks" thank you cards from target - we used them for our bridal party and vendors ~ display boxes - Cocktails and Joy...great for a bar area Items that we're hoping for a little more for: ~100 bright white sheets of cardstock from papers and more - retails for $18.98 -- I'm asking for $10 including shipping ~Cupcake tower - includes remnants of the fabric on it in case you want to integrate it in other aspects. The ribbon is removable and can be changed to your colors. It holds approximately 80 cupcakes depending on their size. Dimensions start at 28x28x8 - 20x20x8 and 12x12x8. It has a real presence and looks like a real cake. Depending where you are located shipping costs start at $40, and we're asking just $50 for the tower.

To Do's and I Do's - Make your wedding your signature style...

Sat, 03 Oct 2009 11:55:00 PST

I was totally guilty of it. I would look in bridal magazines and blogs, and think...maybe we should do that or that or that or that. In the end, our wedding was totally...us. My husband and his guys all wore Vans shoes, our recessional was an acoustic rock version of the wedding march, we served arnold palmers as our signature cocktail, our rehearsal dinner was at a local all-american restaurant which comfort style food, my husbands dad read a Dr. Suess poem and my mom read an Irish blessing durning our ceremony, we did a one of a kind fantastic first dance (it totally set the tone for the party and I can't wait to see the video), we had modern tissue paper flower displays at our ceremony, we served fine wine and delectible food with fun cupcakes for dessert, we had a mix of flowers - not just one signature. We ended up splurging on big things (like our reception and photographers) and saved money on the little things. There were "touches" of us everywhere -- and most of the ideas I have to say came from this website. You would not believe how many compliments we got on our bathroom baskets! So all in all...I'll leave you with the advise my boss gave me before the big day, "make sure you take a moment and take a visual picture every once in awhile during the big day. It will all go by so quickly, and those mental pictures will last a lifetime."

To Do's and I Do's - Don't expect everything to go perfectly

Sat, 03 Oct 2009 11:43:00 PST

Let's see what all was not quite what we expected at our wedding -- our coordinator sent our ringbearer out first during the processional, our florist forgot corsages for our siblings, my husband and I sprinted back down the aisle during our recessional, not all of our family was there for the family pictures, my dress almost slipped down to my belly during our first dance, we didn't take pictures with guests at each table, our DJ was sick and my friends had to MC for him, my husbands mom let the kids take cupcakes off our tower before the cake cutting, my MIL said I was a "very cute!" bride, our videographer had to leave before the bouquet and garter toss, my sisters MOH speech had the word "awesome" in it more than 10 times in 1 minute, my mom yelled out, "thank your wife" during my husbands thank you toast, our best man wasn't there, but his dad was and made me slow dance to Frank Sinatra with him, we spent $100 on developing disposable cameras that had maybe 12 good pictures, not all the vendors got their thank you cards...and I think that's it. But you know what - none of it matters. What matters is whether or not you are enjoying yourself. Even afterwards, I am not mortified by these things, I think they are fun "blip's" in our perfect plan and great stories to tell. Your guests will have fun as long as you are having fun. All we've heard from our guests since then was "it was the best wedding I've ever been to!" I attached some of our great pictures from the cameras. Shows us what happens when you give cameras to teenagers. ; )

To Do's and I Do's - Plan your pictures

Sat, 03 Oct 2009 11:35:00 PST

We ended up having a "moment" three hours before the ceremony. Our photographers set us up in a beautiful setting, and we were able to take a bunch of exciting bride and groom pictures while we were perfectly groomed, and were able to make comments about how awesome we looked that day. Afterwards, we headed back to take bridal party and parent pictures for another hour. I was able to have time afterwards to freshen up for the the big event. This made it so that all the pictures we needed to take after the ceremony were large family group shots (which we planned out only 9 pictures total- which I have all on my spreadsheets if you are interested). We were then able to spend a half an hour mingling with our guests at the cocktail hour before dinner. This way, everyone was included, and we didn't have to spend too much time as disney characters with everyone lining up around us. A special note about our photographers. Austin and Dara are a husband and wife team. They are wonderful! Dara noticed that I was a little riled up at the hair salon, and showed up at our dressing suite with 20 mini bottles of liquor. She kept a few in her pocket "just in case". Along with my bridesmaids she was there to primp and calm as well as take amaaaazing pictures. Austin...you are da man too! They totally went with the flow too. Took pictures as they came rather than set up a ton of commercial poses. I cannot wait to see what they come up with! I hope they don't mind me jacking this picture from their facebook. ;)

To Do's and I Do's - Make sure you have an escape

Sat, 03 Oct 2009 11:33:00 PST

I had two escapes...the night before the wedding I stayed in a suite with all of my girls. They were be best calming and prepping for the big day. I was able to get my head together while they jumped around excited for me. Also, we had changing suites at our reception location. I spent most of my pre-everything time there. It was a place where I could just sit down, eat something and spend quality time with my bridesmaids.

To Do's and I Do's - Overplan and then go with the flow

Sat, 03 Oct 2009 11:31:00 PST

Overplanning process: I created a 125 line spreadsheet of every single thing that needed to happen the day of the wedding. I was then able to filter it out depending on who it related to...vendors, bridal party, etc. We didn't have a professional wedding coordinator, so I felt like I needed something to keep everything on track. I "hired" three of my great friends who were in a professional business fraternity with me in college (we had to plan and run several different events together, so I knew I could trust them entirely) to "run" the wedding, and they said it was a breeze with the information I've provided them. I still have a copy of it if any one is interested in me emailing a copy Going with the flow: Since I had made all the preparations, I was able to just enjoy myself and skip along on the big day. I did have one moment where everyone was just lingering around when they needed to be somewhere else and saying - you need to go! - to each one I passed. My mom then stepped in, made me go to my bridal suite, where my bridesmaids coralled me into relaxing. ;) Which brings me to my next item.

To Do's and I Do's - Re-cap from the big day

Sat, 03 Oct 2009 10:54:00 PST

It's two weeks later and for some reason, I feel like my life has been busier than before the wedding. I think it's just the time of year (our busiest sales months are September and October), and needing to get back into gear at work after the best day ever! This morning my hubby and I had breakfast at the place where I was with my four best friends the morning of the wedding, and it got me to thinking. What were some things I could share about the wedding planning process and the day itself. So here goes in the next few blog entries.

Market Place - Pay for shipping...most items are free!

Sat, 03 Oct 2009 10:23:00 PST

Hi Ladies! Married life is great, but no so different since we already lived together. Today is our two week anniversary! We are still on a quest to get our apartment back....we have a few remaining items that we were hoping to pass on to another bride for just the cost of shipping. ~100 small cellophane bags w/twist ties ~ 3 - At the Wedding coloring books ~Roll of 2.5 inch - 10 yards of pink glitter organza ribbon ~20 reservation signs with silver and white backer paper, hot pink ribbon and removable navy blue and white cardstock name labels ~ 2 silver display frames (we used them for our baby picture collage) ~20 "special thanks" thank you cards from target - we used them for our bridal party and vendors ~ display boxes - Cocktails and Joy...great for a bar area ~bachelorette party autograph mat ~tissue paper flower decorations Items that we're hoping for a little more for: ~100 bright white sheets of cardstock from papers and more - retails for $18.98 -- I'm asking for $10 including shipping ~Cupcake tower - includes remnants of the fabric on it in case you want to integrate it in other aspects. It holds approximately 80 cupcakes depending on their size. Dimensions start at 28x28x8 - 20x20x8 and 12x12x8. It has a real presence and looks like a real cake. Depending where you are located shipping costs start at $40, and we're asking just $50 for the tower.

Married! I'm a Mrs. ;) - It was amaaazing...here are a couple of pics

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 21:02:00 PST

I am going to start posting the wedding stuff I have left over to sell/give away! Ah....what do I do with my time now? Relax, party, etc....