Upcoming Trunk Shows

Trunk shows can be a wonderful opportunity to find your perfect wedding dress and possibly even meet the designer. Attending a favorite designer's trunk show maximizes your chance of finding the dress of your dreams, and since most bridal salons only carry a few dresses from a select group of designers, trunk shows allow brides the opportunity to see and try on dresses that they wouldn't normally see in that particular store. Trunk shows are planned well in advance. Call bridal salons that carry designers you are interested in to see if they have any trunk shows scheduled.

What is a Trunk Show?
It is a special event in which the wedding dress designer (or a representative from the company) visits a bridal salon with his or her entire collection of new dresses. Brides may schedule appointments to try on the dresses and meet with the designer.

Things to Know
A trunk show is NOT a sale. The dresses are not discounted. However, if you are serious abotu purchasing a dress that you saw at a trunk show, the designer may throw in a frew extras (buttons down the back, additional length for the train, change the neckline to a sweetheart) without charging you more. These small savings could make a huge difference if you are on a limited budget.

Here is a list of some local upcoming Trunk Shows.
Thursday, July 31 - Saturday, August 2
Amsale, Christos, & Kenneth Pool
Louise Blum Bridal Salon
1801 Post Oak Blvd
Houston, TX
713-622-5571

Friday, August 1 - Saturday, August 2
Emerald Bridal
Brickhouse Bridal Salon
200 Valleywood
Spring, TX (The Woodlands)
281-681-3430

Thursday, August 7 - Saturday, August 9
Vera Wang
Louise Blum Trunk Show
1801 Post Oak Blvd
Houston, TX
713-622-5571

Thursday, August 7 - Monday, August 11
Vineyard Collection
Priscilla of Boston
1131-10 Uptown Park Blvd.
Houston, TX
713-526-1886

Thursday, August 21 - Saturday, August 23
Monique Lhullier
Louise Blum Bridal Salon
1801 Post Oak Blvd
Houston, TX
713-622-5571

Friday, August 22
Simone Carvalli
Brickhouse Bridal Salon
200 Valleywood
Spring, TX (The Woodlands)
281-681-3430

Thursday, September 25 - Saturday, September 27
Rivini
Louise Blum Bridal Salon
1801 Post Oak Blvd
Houston, TX
713-622-5571

Appointments book up quickly! Call early to make an appointment

Diorshow Mascara

From the moment you are engaged, your face will be in a zillion pictures - Engagement Pictures, Boudoir Photos, Bridal Shower, Bachelorette Party, and Rehearsal Dinner Snapshots. And of course, the Wedding Day. For long, lush, dramatic, beautiful lashes, try Diorshow Blackout Mascara. It is amazing! It retails for $24 at Sephora but it is worth every single penny. I have been a fan of this mascara for over a year. I always buy two tubes because I never want to run out. This mascara is a must have for all of your pre-wedding and wedding events.

Open Houses

Two posts in one night! Guess that's what people do when they are sitting at home on a Saturday night. LOL! Anyway, I attended the Bridal Extravaganza last weekend and got a list of several open houses. An open house is a fantastic idea because it allows you to see the facility, its setup, and staff in all their wedding and reception glory. Normally they serve some of their best food, hors d oevres, and sometimes drinks. Often times there are also other vendors there (from their preferred vendor list) that may be helpful in the wedding planning process.

Sunday, July 27
Spring Chateau
1pm - 7pm

Northwest Forest Conference Center at Settlement House
2pm - 5pm

Sweetwater Country Club
1pm - 4pm

Downtown Aquarium
1pm - 5pm

Lindsay Lakes
2pm - 6pm

Thursday, July 30
Signature Manor
6pm - 9pm

Sunday, August 2
Fontenot Grand Mansion
1pm - 3pm

Saturday, August 9
Ral's Fine Catering @ The Villa Ballrooms
1pm - 4pm

Sunday, August 10
Pine Forest Country Club
5pm - 7pm

Pecan Grove Plantation Country Club
2pm - 5pm

Saturday, August 16
The Westlake Club
11am - 1pm

Sunday, August 17
Courtyard on St. James
1pm - 4pm

Thurday, August 21
Bennie Ferrell Catering @ The Gallery
5:30pm - 8pm

Campbells Catering @ Paraiso Maravilla
5:30pm - 8pm

Saturday, August 23
Ral's Fine Catering @ The Gallery
11am - 2pm

**You can also check www.weddingsinhouston.com for more info.

How Sweet It Is...

If you have been bit by the candy buffet bug, you are not alone. More and more brides want to see a tower of sweets at their reception. The candy buffet has quickly become one of the biggest trends in weddings. It can add a fun twist and a touch of nostaglia to your reception. According to many knotties, the candy buffet is ALWAYS a hit, with adults as well as with kids. Like any other aspect of a wedding, the candy buffet should be carefully planned and executed for maximum impact. While some candy buffets are sweet feasts for the eyes, others fall short of the “wow” their planners hoped for. Here a few examples of candy buffets that encompass all of the necessary components to create a spectacular display.











Why are candy buffets so trendy right now? Brides have figured out that most guests prefer a favor that’s edible. Many wedding guest leave behind the personalized CD’s and candles, but if its edible, people will eat it.
A candy buffet requires a lot of work and planning in order to be successful. There is a wonderful Houston company that will do all of that work and planning for you! Sweet Couture is Houston’s newest and premiere wedding resource that offers gourmet candy and sweets buffets. Check them out! http://www.houstonsweetcouture.com/weetcouture.comweetcouture.com









However, if you decide to tackle this task solo, here a few simple steps that will guarantee a candy buffet that will leave you and your guests speechless.
The number one rule to a successful buffet is purchasing enough candy. You must make sure that there is enough candy to make a significant presence. Some experts suggest purchasing 1lb. of candy per person. Another option is to choose 5-10 types of candy and buy 15-20 lbs. of each, whether you need that much or not. It is always better to have too much than not enough.
When choosing your candy, many brides coordinate the candy with the colors of the wedding – how cute is a stylish palette of pink & green candies OR sophisticated as an all white candy buffet? Another option is to do retro candy, like little waxed bottles filled with sugar water or candy necklaces. If your nuptials will take place on the beach, you can do a boardwalk themed candy buffet with saltwater taffy, caramel apples, and fudge. It is best to focus on ONE theme or color for the buffet.
For candy in bulk, shop at your local Sam’s Club or Costco. You can also buy candy at wholesale prices, and in every hue imaginable, at online stores such as http://www.groovycandies.com/ and http://www.metrocandy.com/y.com/. For personalized M&Ms, go to http://www.mymms.com/om/om/.
Another vital component of any successful candy buffet is the containers. In order to turn your candy buffet from “awww” to “jaw dropping” is to make it pop with fabulous linens and cool containers in a variety of shapes and heights. You can get interesting and inexpensive containers from stores like Ikea, Target, Ross, and Marshalls. Just be creative. Clear containers work best to show off the “goods” and the container mouths should be wide enough for the scoops.

Chinese take-out boxes work extremely well for the guests to fill up with sweet treats. Stores like Michaels and Hobby Lobby have a huge selection of small and large take-out boxes in a variety of colors and prints. Another option are small paper bags or cellophane bags. Don’t forget to personalize your containers with a sticker, tag, or rubber stamp.

**First candy buffet picture is courtesy of mixmingleglow.com

Something Blue

Something old, something new

Something borrowed, something blue

Each item in this poem represents a good-luck token for the bride. If she carries all of them on her wedding day, her marriage will be happy. "Something old" symbolizes continuity with the bride's family and the past. "Something new" means optimism and hope for the bride's new life ahead. "Something borrowed" is usually an item from a happily married friend or family member, whose good fortune in marriage is supposed to carry over to the new bride. The borrowed item also reminds the bride that she can depend on her friends and family.
As for the colorful item, blue has been connected to weddings for centuries. In ancient Rome, brides wore blue to symbolize love, modesty, and fidelity. Christianity has long dressed the Virgin Mary in blue, so purity was associated with the color. Before the late 19th century, blue was a popular color for wedding gowns, as evidenced in proverbs like, "Marry in blue, lover be true."
Traditionally, brides wore a blue garter. But lately, brides have gotten more creative when choosing their "something blue".

Damask- The New Pink?

Damask is quickly becoming the "it" color palette! Black & white is the most common damask pattern and its often paired with another, preferably bright color, like green, hot pink, or yellow, to make it all POP. The black & white damask also work like a blank slate so you can add whatever other color you want to make it your own. Damask instantly transforms your wedding into something spectacular because it is soooo unexpected. Even if you aren't quite ready to "damask" your entire wedding, it is also fabulously chic at bridal showers and other parties and events. It is hot, new, and trendy! So if those words describe you, then you may want to venture into the fabulous world of damask. Here are are some fabulous damask wedding images.

Inspiration Boards

One of my favorite wedding websites is snippetandink.com. It is actually a blog and its a wonderful resource for color schemes. It helps brides visualize how different colors will compliment each other and to develop a style for their weddings. So, without further ado, here are a few of my favorite inspiration boards. Top to bottom: Fuschia & Gold; Robin's Egg Blue & Grey; Citron Green & Blackberry Purple; Aqua & Hot Pink w/a splash of Yellow; Dark Green & White; Pale Yellow, Whites, & Cremes

**All images courtesy of www.snippetandink.com. You can find more inspiration boards there.