After "YES," Before "I DO" and Everything In Between

We shared snapshots of our Lavender Champagne several months ago, but professional photos were finally provided to us tonight! The ceremony was held at St. Francis of Assisi Cathedral in Metuchen and the reception commenced at The Imperia in Somerset. It was a gorgeous mid-September day! Guests particularly loved our signature Sweets Sideboard (an automatic inclusion on all of our wedding packages) too, which featured purple, lavender, deep-brown and champagne colored candies and cupcakes. In lieu of take-home favors, the Jennie and Bryan made donations to Susan G. Komen for the Cure , so our interactive candy display still provided their guests the opportunity to take a few "sweet mementos" as they departed. It was a pleasure working with Jennie and Bryan, which is why we're very happy to be able to share a few of the best moments of their wedding day below, thanks to Abella Studios . - - - - - - - - - - by Rashana Anderson Founder &...

If you're tying the knot this year and haven't already chosen your wedding color scheme or you're looking for the perfect accent hue, remember to reference Pantone's first Fashion Color Report for 2010 ( download here ).  Turquoise has been named the "color of the year," but Fusion Coral , Tuscany and Dried Herb deserve honorable mention.  You might also want to keep the selected colors in mind while shopping for your Spring wardrobe. - - - - - - - - - - by Rashana Anderson Founder & Managing Director, THE BRIDAL PARTY

One of the biggest misconceptions about weddings is HOW MUCH THEY REALLY COST. You'd be surprised at how clueless unmarried folks are. Krystal Wynn of BridePop.com posted an awesome article yesterday revealing and illustrating the cost of weddings across the country.  According to Krystal, "The wedding industry brings in over $71,795,327,100 annually….yes, that’s $71 billion! (And if you've) ever wondered how that breaks down and where you fall...we’ve gone ahead and crunched the numbers to see exactly how it all plays out." (click below to enlarge illustration) - - - - - - - - - - by Rashana Anderson Founder & Managing Director, THE BRIDAL PARTY

(photo courtesy of flickr ) Shoe dyeing was once a major part of wedding planning, especially for bridesmaids. These days, brides-to-be are less likely to force this issue to their attendants and some are even allowing each woman to select her own shoe style while maintaining the wedding's color scheme. Retailers like Nina Shoes make maintaining a cohesive theme and/or color palette quite easy by offering a bouquet of options.  Check out a few of their pretty styles and colors below: - - - - - - - - - - by Rashana Anderson Founder & Managing Director, THE BRIDAL PARTY

So, what'dya think of our blog's NEW look?  Well ... we couldn't be happier! On August 20, 2007, After "YES," Before "I DO" & Everything In Between , the official blog of The Bridal Party , was born and it's been quite a magnificient ride thus far.  And though the first suggestions made to us about blogging 2+ years ago weren't received with open arms, now, we simply can not imagine not sharing such a rewarding and truly fulfilling dialogue with all of you.  With that said, we're excited to be launching our snazzy new blog look today. Our humble beginnings looked something like this ... But we're proud to have a new and improved custom look that we LOVE! In addition to custom design we've added an intuitive menu bar, in hopes of making the navigation of After "YES," Before "I DO" & Everything In Between a bit easier for our readers.  But rest assured, while we've switched things around a bit...

Get Married’s national wedding program is looking for passionate brides to appear on its television show. Throughout the half-hour program which airs every Saturday at 9:30am ET/PT on WE tv, host Stacie Francombe—Get Married’s CEO and founder—helps brides identify and match their personality with their unique bridal style. Brides are guided through an array of bridal experiences and participate in inspiring challenges with wedding professionals and experts. Interested brides-to-be are encouraged to apply by visiting www.getmarried.com/omg where additional details are posted. “Get Married’s show is all about the bride. By incorporating real brides in every episode we make a connection with our audience, showing them that every wedding element is attainable regardless of your style,” said Stacie Francombe, CEO and founder of Get Married Media. “Get Married’s show helps brides create the ultimate wedding that reflects their unique and personal style.” Best of luck if you plan...

It's been a while since I've come across unique headpieces for the fashion-forward bride, so I was quite pleased to discover ban.do . Their pieces are vintage, feminine, hip, elegant, trendy and show-stopping all at the same time. The boutique's run by two stylists from Los Angeles who both "love to be the center of attention ... are inspired by color and enjoy laughing until soda comes out of their noses." Intrigued? I certainly was. Take a look brides-to-be! - - - - - - - - - - - by Rashana Anderson Founder & Managing Director, THE BRIDAL PARTY