Choosing Your Bridesmaids

Planning your wedding is such an exciting season in your life! What makes it even better is having your closest friends involved in the process . From picking your dress all the way to the moment you walk down the aisle, having bridesmaids along for the journey makes your pre-wedding season all the more special. While it may feel like picking your bridesmaids is one of the easiest wedding decisions you’ll make, there are a few things you should keep in mind before you call up all your girlfriends. Let’s take a look at some of the finer details involved in choosing your bridesmaids.

Keep Price In Mind:

 As you’ll soon find out, getting married is not cheap! And while you don’t view asking a friend to become a bridesmaid as handing them a bill, it very well could be if you make some pricey decisions.

 Here are some moderate price points on things a bridesmaid traditionally pays for:

Dresses, $75 to $300

Shoes $40 to $100

Hair and Makeup $150 -$300

Bachelorette Party: $75 to $300

Depending on your choices, you could be handing bridesmaids a $1,100+ bill! While talking about money and friendship in the same breath may seem icky, the reality is that you may have friends who simply can’t swing that. This is no fun to think about but the person who suffers the most from this will be the bride. On top of everything going on with the wedding, you don’t want to be stressed about why one bridesmaid (or five) hasn’t paid for their dress, hasn’t chipped in for the bachelorette weekend and hasn’t paid the makeup artist. This doesn’t make them bad friends, it just means they have their own financial goals and limitations!

(Another very real practicality involved in the bachelorette planning worth mentioning is time off. While you may be able to take 4 days off for the bachelorette, you may be the only one! Ask your bridesmaids in advance what a realistic bachelorette could look like for all of you.)

Advice in Choosing:

Here’s where I’d like to mention the Closeness Factor when choosing bridesmaids. While you may feel like your BFF of the last 6 weeks who you met in spin class should totally be a bridesmaid, think about only choosing people who you know really well and who are going to be in your life 5, 10, 15 years from now.

Picking bridesmaids who you have deep connections with will benefit you most of all. 6-week-old-spin-class-BFF may not be as excited to take time off of work and put up $250 to go to Disney with 5 other girls she’s never met before. Choosing the wrong people will add stress and also add to the total number of guests you will have at the wedding. Try to choose people that you would really want there, instead of just filling a hole because you don’t want a small wedding party.

If you’re struggling with your choices it’s totally OK to only have a maid/matron of honor and best man and still have all your pre-wedding festivities with your close friends! If you’re not confident that your list of potential bridesmaids can accommodate your dress, shoes, makeup and bachelorette party choices, save both of you the headache. I’m sure they will appreciate that too!  Quality should always surpass quantity.

 Treat Your Party Right:

 Lastly, after all the months of being there for you, one of the sweetest parts of any wedding is giving your bridesmaids their gifts. Here are some cute and simple ideas for great bridesmaids gifts:

1. Robes

Matching robes are a great way to give your bridesmaids a keepsake they’ll actually use! It also doubles as a super cute way to get ready on the day of.

 2. Accessories

 Something similar to the fun matching of the robes would be accessories! Matching earrings or necklaces to wear the day of the wedding are great to have some continuity on the big day, but it also leaves your friends with a keepsake they can wear long after you tie the knot!

3. “After wedding” spa gift certificates

 If the lead-up to your wedding has been particularly stressful you might want to splurge on your girls a little bit! A spa gift card is an amazing favor for your bridesmaids. Whether it be a mani pedi, a massage or facial, spa certificates are a thoughtful way to thank your girls for all they’ve done for you over the last several months.

Weddings are a celebration of you and your spouse, but odds are, you wouldn’t be walking down the aisle if it weren’t for the people closest to you. A wedding party is a beautiful representation of the community involved in your love story. Bridesmaids make your wedding day and the lead up to it all the more special. But it does take some wisdom to make sure that they don’t become an unnecessary burden. Looking through all of these tips in advance will help you avoid bridesmaids quitting, asking bridesmaids to step down (Ouch) and keeps you from losing any friends along the way!

The Big Day

Last week was a big one for the Brides of Florida team as we celebrated the wedding of Macky’s daughter Priscilla, the social media manager for BoF and Ben Gomez (Me) who helps with web design and blog editing.

Macky asked me to write a little blog breaking down the wedding experience from the groom’s perspective, talking through the vendors, the wedding itself and most importantly, my thoughts on the beautiful Brides of Florida dresses (Yes, dresses) that my wife wore.

Our wedding was coordinated by Cely Carbonell (@celys_events) and our very own Macky Diaz (@ispeakbride). They knocked it out of the park! Cely was on top of every detail, Priscilla and I never felt out of the loop or like we had too much on our plate. We both felt like that balance was struck perfectly, and loved that we were responsible for many choices but were never overwhelmed with errands or decisions.

The Venue

Villa Woodbine (@villa_woodbine) was the absolute dream-venue for our wedding. We couldn’t have asked for a better location, it had the vintage quality from the gorgeous 19th-century architecture, a perfect green backdrop with an amazing back yard and vines going up all the walls, and in Miami a clear air-conditioned tent doesn’t hurt either! The tent served as both the setting for the ceremony and was then flipped by Villa’s team into the dining hall for the reception as well. They killed it! The food from @billhansenluxurycatering was literally unbelievable. I watched nearly every single guest get up for seconds and thirds of the outstanding entrees. The hours d’oeuvres were beyond delicious as well. The food was so good that it was honestly one of the main conversation pieces during cocktail hour and the reception.

The reception was also made possible by Mi Vintage (@mivintage) who supplied us with the chairs and gorgeous farm tables that were exactly what my wife and I wanted. We were also in love with our seating chart and menu (@onlyonemarkinc). The signage throughout was stunning (@salvagingeden) in every detail Priscilla and I felt like our vision was executed to perfection!

The Greenery

The greenery at the wedding was absolutely stunning (@rodristudio). Priscilla was the one who had the really strong vision for how she wanted the greenery and flowers to be designed but even I was awestruck by the work that Angel did. Even in talking to guests at cocktail hour and during the reception it was evident that the greenery stole the show. My wife and I are still talking about how the floral arrangements looked, perfection is an understatement. The tent and venue felt like another world, Priscilla and I look back at pictures and are still blown away that this was our wedding, it was so beautiful and so exact to how we wanted it and Angel’s floral arrangement took center stage in that perfectly-executed vision of our wedding.

The Dress

Lastly, and definitely not least of all is the dresses. Both of Priscilla’s Martina Liana dresses were absolutely stunning and I know I’m biased, but the bride couldn’t have been more beautiful. Priscilla looked exactly as I pictured her walking down the aisle and both of her dresses blew me away. Her first dress was perfectly elegant and had an incredible veil that made her look like a total angel walking down the aisle. Her second dress which she changed into for cocktail hour and the reception was a gorgeous ballgown that was party-ready and perfect for my bride to dance the night away.

Our wedding was nothing short of spectacular. Every detail was exactly how Priscilla and I imagined it and everything went off without a hitch! Once again, thank you so much to Cely (@celys_events) and Macky (@ispeakbride) for putting our dream wedding together. A special thank you to @djericmz for DJing, the ceremony’s string trio @libermusicevents, @powerhousebeauty for doing the hair and makeup, @mrtuxstyles, @miamiflowerwalls, and @dippphotobooth.

Meri and Martin are the best!

Finally, we’d like to give a special thanks to our amazing photographers Meri and Martin. Every picture you see here was taken by them, we couldn’t be happier with how the pictures came out and on top of their excellence, they’re so sweet and kind and it honestly felt like they were guests at our wedding who happened to have cameras, that’s how comfortable they made Priscilla and I feel.

This was a dream wedding for anyone and I’m blessed that I can look at all the incredible work of these vendors and say that it was my wedding.

How to "Destination Wedding" My Dress

A Beautiful bof bride at her destination wedding in puerto rico

Almost every bride loves the idea of a destination wedding. Whether it’s an ultra-luxe European ceremony with close friends and family, or a casual rustic celebration at a beautiful farm just a few hours away, there’s something for everyone within the category of destination weddings. Although it could be just what you need to have the big day you’ve always dreamed of, destination weddings come with an extra set of logistics to work out as well. An overlooked set of  these logistics is the voyage that your wedding dress will be taking.  Let’s talk about how you can ensure perfect transport of your wedding dress to wherever in the world you may be getting married.

1. Get Alterations Done Early.

   When you get fitted for your dress, let your alterations team know your exact day of travel. By doing this you’re giving the team enough time to work on your gown, since most of the alterations done to wedding gowns are by hand. It’s stressful enough when things take longer than expected for in-town weddings, you don’t want to risk any hiccups when you’re 1,000 miles away from your alteration team.

a dream destination wedding

your dress is traveling with you, so treat it like a member of the wedding party

2. Use a Good Garment Bag. Not much can happen to a dress when it’s being driven from the store, to the venue 30 minutes away, that’s why many brides don’t stress over the garment bag their dress is kept in. Flights, multiple days of car travel or shipping your dress however, opens a whole world of possible moisture and dirt. If your gown is taking a trip, you want to make sure you have a high-quality garment bag that will protect it from anything and everything the dress might encounter on its way to your destination.

 -Do Not Check Your Gown. Airlines will try to convince you not to pack your dress as a carry on, but what bride would ever be okay with checking her dress?? Not me! If you’re only taking your gown and your purse with you on the plane, you will always be able to take your gown as a carry-on (keeping in mind that some airlines charge for a carry-on). Everything else you’re bringing can be checked. Your gown is the only irreplaceable item you’ll be traveling with, so treat it like a priority! Some airlines will also let you put the dress in the captain's closet, giving it some extra protection from other luggage, so make sure to ask the stewardess about that once you board. 

a dream destination wedding

DO NOT forget your gown on the plane (Yes, I’ve seen this happen before).

you’ll be glad you took all the necessary steps to ensure your gown travels well

- Consider Packing a Portable Steamer. If your hotel does not have a steamer you can borrow (many international hotels don’t), you should think about packing a portable one. The last thing you want is a last-minute wrinkle emergency that lands you at a dry cleaner costing a fortune to steam your dress. Portable steamers can tackle wrinkles as-needed throughout the whole day.

DO NOT steam your gown while you’re wearing it. (I’ve seen this happen too)

-Arrange Your Gown’s Trip Home. If you’re not planning on taking your gown with you on the honeymoon, make sure you’ve arranged for someone in your traveling party to take it home with them, and if necessary, to take it to a dry cleaner so your gown doesn’t end up permanently stained.

These are just a few pointers to make your traveling experience with your gown a little less stressful.  I hope you found these tips informative, and if you have any questions, ask away in the comments and I’ll be glad to answer them all!

Special thanks to our gorgeous #bofbride Karla de Leon for sharing her beautiful pictures with us!

Venue:

https://instagram.com/siestaalegrevenue?igshid=4je5gcx6mz2v

Wedding coordinator:

https://instagram.com/celys_events?igshid=1a55xflw9ri4e

Flower designer:

https://instagram.com/poncefloraldesign?igshid=5111vdneaud1

Gown designer: 

https://www.instagram.com/maggiesotterodesigns/?hl=en

Bridal Boutique:

https://www.instagram.com/bridesofflorida/?hl=en

Photographer:

https://instagram.com/phosphilic?igshid=kf5r7hhcb5qo

Macky’s Tip: The Simple Bride

an off-the-shoulder satin dress

Being a simple bride is a lot harder than you think. Although it may seem like a no-fuss option for a no-fuss bride, choosing a simple look for your big day will offer you as many options as any other style. In order to clear up some misconceptions about what it means to be “The Simple Bride”, let’s start by taking a look at the two main dress types you’ll be considering if you do go the simple route.

Boho:

a classic boho dress

A Boho dress is the most intricate style you can wear while keeping things simple. All the details come from subtle and delicate lacework on the dress. Boho dresses are perfect for the bride that appreciates intricacies in her dress, but doesn’t like the idea of anything over-the-top. This style is also much lighter, perfect for outdoor and beach weddings and non-traditional.

Satin:

An all-satin dress resembles what many would consider to be the “plain white dress”. These dresses keep things simple in the most refined way. Typically having no lace, beadwork or appliques whatsoever, a satin dress is as simple as it gets but doesn’t sacrifice on quality or elegance. Satin dresses come in all fits, giving a large diversity of options to the bride who wants to go simple!

Naturally, these two simple styles adhere to a strict “no-bling” policy. This means that a typical simple dress won’t have any beadwork, lace appliques, or heavy overlays of any kind.

A fit-and-flare satin dress

Figuring out which dress type is right for you is the starting point for any bride who wants to have a simple style for their bridal look. Deciding on your exact style will also give you a better idea of the type of dress you can get within your budget.

The Price of Simplicity

Simple does not equal cheap. Many brides find themselves thinking that a “plain white dress” will be cheaper due to a lack of detail. However, with this lack of detail small elements like fabric, stitching and overall craftsmanship come to the forefront with no lace, appliques, beadwork and overlays for these elements to hide behind. There are some beautiful, high budget dresses that are very minimal and perfectly simple.

Brides with a smaller budget however can often be intimidated by the idea of a simple dress, fearing that they won’t be able to find their dream look with their budget. But the reality is that a budget-conscious bride can find a dress in any style.

There are many reasons for a bride to decide on a simple dress, but one reason to not opt for a simple look is the preconception that a simple dress means a simple dress-choosing process! There are many fits, styles and types of simple wedding dresses that all bring something unique to the table. Knowing the ins and outs of your preferred dress style is the best way to make sure you buy a dress that’s within your budget and just how you imagined!