The Perfect Save the Date Idea

A great idea for a 2010, or 2011 wedding. Your engaged, and you want to let everyone know that you are in love and are getting married! And now before you, you have a huge checklist of "To-Do's" before your big day comes. Here's a perfect idea to get two big things checked off your list and feel real good about it.

First of all, find and book your favorite photography at least a year in advance, because the good ones always get booked up fast. Opt to do your engagement session early so you can do some innovative, fun things in your session which can than be sent as your Save the Dates. Some of these ideas can be DIY shots with a little photoshoping skills, but the artistic eye of a photographer can push it to a whole 'nother level.

Fun, creative & quirky photo shoot Save the Date ideas:
1. Picture within a Picture
(For example - a polaroid, iphone, picture frame, etc...)

2. A Written Message on a Card, or in an Environment
(For example - beach sand, building signage, spell-it-out using untraditional media)

Have fun with your Save the Dates, and let it reflect who you guys are as a couple. Work with your photographer and see if he/she has any ideas – they are very creative people. And you can always consult with me, too. :)

Nordstrom's Wedding Shop

Nordstrom is trying to market more into the wedding industry like J.Crew. Obviously, J.Crew has been overwhelmingly successful in that area, and the designs of their wedding gowns & bridesmaid dresses are the key reason for it. I think Nordstrom needs a little more work in improving in that department based on the gowns that I have seen on their site, and they can improve on their website's organization and functionality, too. Don't get me wrong, Nordstrom has some pretty dresses, but their style & selection in the bridal gowns seem limited in good designs.

These are a few of the best ones that I found for bridal dresses. They are definitely more casual and destination-beach wedding gowns vs. church-like, or it could be someone's second wedding dress for reception time & dancing. Also, the price isn't bad either; most of these are all around $300. They do have some great detailed, halter designed gowns.

For bridesmaid dresses, or just a cocktail dress to a wedding, Nordstrom does have a good variety of style and colors for a spring & summer wedding. However, there is always room for improvement. The could certainly expand their color palette in each dress like J.Crew does so it's easy for a bride to customize her wedding party colors. Below are a few of my fave dresses and color collections that I think are just lovely.

{Images are from Nordstrom.com}

Featured Photography: Stephanie Williams

Every week I am trying to end the week with good, visual eye candy. And today, I am featuring another California wedding photographer, Stephanie Williams. She has mastered the art of select focus in her work, and it makes her photos quite strong.

There are three keywords that I think summarizes her style: soft, romantic and just dreamy. Her engagement sessions capture the simplistic and natural inner beauty of each couple that are truly breathtaking. That statement definitely applies to her wedding photography, too.

{Images are from StephanieWilliamsPhotography.com}