Cori, Our Adorable DIY Bride Gets Blog Coverage Along With Her Beautiful Bouquet!

Cori wrote to us to share her big internet moment! We’ve re-posted this from LoveToastBlog

South African Jewish Wedding by Sweet Tea Imagery

3.22.2012

For those of you that haven’t typically heard of a South African Jewish wedding, Cori and Adam would describe it in just one word as “nuts!” Along with having a D.J. that sounds like the Geico Gecko, surprise guests, and techno disco mixed in to their first dance, their Palm Springs wedding is just the prettiest thing we’ve ever seen. The stunning setting with breathtaking views didn’t need much decorating, but the DIY details added that extra touch of personalization. We love how the pops of blue and green colors and the cacti and succulents in the bouquet compliment the desert setting!

Venue: The O’Donnell House At The Willows Historic Inn, Palm Springs, CA/ Dress:  Nicole Miller/ Shoes: Matisse Maldives Sandal/ Dessert: Gayle Glass, MOB, made cookies and bars/ Catering: Jennifer’s Kitchen (she was awesome to work with from day one!)/ Invites & Programs: Stacie Malkus- Leftwave Designs– Sister of the bride made the invitations, Bride made the programs (they were really just explanations of a Jewish wedding, more than a program)/ Bridal Bouquet: My Little Flower Shop/ Flowers: Mostly just pinwheels. We ordered a few gerbera daisies from 2G Roses (online), which worked out well because my awesome friends cut them all for me!/ Pinwheels: My Rule 42 Etsy Shop (smaller pinwheels handmade by bride)/ Music: DJ Chris Paul- He sounds like the Geiko Gecko. We loved him! Photographer: Sweet Tea Imagery (Amy and Billy Morris were AMAZING photographers to work with!!!!) Videographer: Imagique Weddings (We weren’t going to have our wedding filmed but then somebody told us how much her kids love watching her wedding. Our friend Danny from South Africa edits videos, so he took the raw footage home with him, and he is editing it as our wedding gift!)/ Hair & Makeup: Salon Mirror Mirror

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Friends Don’t Let Friends go Into Debt To Be A Bridesmaid

It’s your day, Bride, no question about it.  But take time to think about your friends and their circumstances.  Chances are you know all too well how expensive it can get being a bridesmaid, or even just being a friend-of-the-bride, what with showers, bachelorettes, wedding gifts…it adds up.  Here are some “dos and don’ts” for keeping your friends feelings and finances in mind.

DON’T

  • Keep Up With The Jolies.  Yes, we all read the magazines of celebrity excesses and glamorous getaways, but celebrate in a way all your gals can afford.  Does your entire gaggle of girls need to go to Puerto Rico for a long bachelorette weekend? Does your shower need to be at the Ritz? Keep your expectations within everyone’s budget.
  • Have a Surprise Party.  No one likes expensive surprises.  When your maids find out on wedding day that they owe $150 plus tip for hair and make-up (that is “optional,” but everyone else is doing it), you can’t expect they’ll be feeling celebratory.
Nora and Julie - the world's greatest bridesmaids

DO

  • Be choosy (in a good way). Pay attention when choosing your wedding party.  Did your cousin just get laid off? Does your best friend have college loans up the wazoo? If you think someone might feel less than honored – ask her in a neutral way that allows a graceful “out.”
  • Adopt an attitude of gratitude! Thank everyone.  This seems like a no-brainer, but tell everyone how much you appreciate the love and support.  The more your friends hear this during the lead up to your wedding, the better the experience will be for everyone!

 There you have it.  Keep your friendships together, and everyone’s wallet (relatively) intact.

 Be well, and love well!

 -Dinah

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Toddling Down The Aisle (Tiara optional): Flower Girl Fails and Finding a Way Around Them

Toddlers and Tiaras on TLC, like many of their shows, can be compared to a train wreck.  It’s horrifying, but you can’t look away.  The little terrors strutting the T&T stage got us to thinking about a common wedding problem: the Flower Girl Fail. They come in several forms

  •  The Wee One: She’s somebody’s niece, and she’s simply too young. She’s destined to get halfway down the aisle and either scream for mom, or announce over Pachabel’s Canon that she’s made “a wee” in her new tights.  Avoid this one by staying with kids 5 and over.
  • The Ham: Need we explain? She’s a scene stealer – and this is your movie.  They’re fine being cute down the aisle, but then they should be whisked away to the back of the ceremony space.  Avoid leaving them at the front to pull focus with a little dance or other mischief.

    A special moment with the flower girls- they might remember it forever, or might go in one ear and out the other.
    A special moment with the flower girls- they might remember it forever, or might go in one ear and out the other.
  • The Wallflower:  She’s adorable – the picture perfect flower girl – but she’s scared to death and doesn’t really want to do it.  The solution? Don’t make her.  There’s always an enthusiastic little one somewhere in the mix – there’s no need to put anyone in therapy over some petals.

So there you have it – three Flower Girl Fails and how to avoid them.  The most important thing is to remember you’re dealing with a kid, and to be patient.  And be sure to tune into the best TLC train wreck…I mean reality show…we’ve seen lately, “My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding.”