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Planning a wedding can be stressful, but one of the fun, collaborative aspects of wedding planning is picking your registry items. You and your fiancé get to choose gifts you hope to receive, and you can register for a myriad of new gadgets, tools and household items to upgrade older ones, or finally get an item you never wanted to pay full-price for. Whether you and your fiancé are moving in together for the first time, moving to a new city or sizing up from an apartment to a house, your registry can be used in many ways to help you achieve your dream home. Here are a few items for the home that should be on every couple’s registry. 1. Photo PrintsThe easiest way to make any house, apartment or condominium feel like your own home is to display personal touches throughout the space. Registering for professional quality prints of your personal photos (or even your wedding photos) will allow guests to gift you something you will cherish for years, and it will help any home feel like it is really yours. Many sites will even allow you to upload your engagement or wedding photos for your guests to choose from, and some will even frame the photos too. 2. Dutch OvenThe Swiss Army Knife of the kitchen, a dutch oven is a staple in registries for Michelin Star chefs and cooking channel enthusiasts alike. A dutch oven is a versatile, durable piece of cookware that you will love, cherish and use regularly until your grandchildren are cooking. The cast iron distributes heat evenly and retains the heat better than teflon, copper or stainless steel. It can also be used for everything from soups and stews to pasta dishes, to homemade bread. 3. Gift Cards for Home FurnishingsIn recent years, crowdfunding has become a popular wedding gift option for couples who are financing their own dream honeymoons, but it is still a bit of a non-traditional option to use for other options. If you and your spouse-to-be are looking for non-traditional gifts, gift cards to stores without registries come in handy. Since most homes do not come fully-furnished, gift cards to furniture stores can save newlyweds thousands of dollars. This will especially come in handy if you and your partner are moving to a larger home upon your wedding, where you will probably be decorating and fully furnishing a space for the first time. You'll want that dreamy dining room set that will not only last a lifetime, but hold decades of memories as well. 4. New TowelsIf you and your fiance have not lived together, one of the first items you two should register for your new home is a new towel set for your bathrooms. It is very likely that your respective bath towels do not match, and even more likely that they have seen better days. Keep your old towels to use as rags or to offer house guests if they are still in decent condition, and upgrade to a set (or two) of organic bath towels for a luxurious feel at a price point that any of your guests can afford to gift you. 5. Everyday DinnerwareIn recent years, many couples have begun to follow the trend of foregoing wedding china on their registry in favor of everyday china and dinnerware that they can feel safe washing in a dishwasher or using to eat leftovers or takeout. For your registry, you and your fiance should pick out dishes that will go with your current kitchen, or will still look good in a new kitchen if you ever move. We suggest registering for either mixing and matching colored dinnerware for a boho vibe, or a classic white dinnerware set for a timeless look. A woman’s wedding is the one thing that she has fantasized about her entire life. “Who will I marry?” “Where will I be tying the knot?” But most importantly, “what will I be wearing?” The dress is the centerpiece of her vision and the steppingstone to the culmination of her fantasy. So begins the search. Today’s bride will leave no stone unturned in the search for her dream dress. No one can stand between her and her quest to find the perfect dress! She will spend hours turning websites inside out, and pinning on Pinterest. She will browse through silhouettes to determine what she think will look best on her and spend hours on the internet researching bridal shops. But not all bridal shops are created equal! There are several components to think about when choosing a bridal shop! Do your research!At a cursory glance you will see that in titling one’s self, “bridal” becomes a loose term. When searching for the perfect dress, you should also be searching for the perfect shop whether that be a wedding megastore, local bridal shop, designer salon, online, or a consignment store. Plus you will want to consider full service or an outlet! Today, it is easy to go on social media and research bridal shops. You can look at reviews, and what each shop has to offer. Find out if they do appointments, or have limited hours. Ask if they have alteration services (not a non-starter, but it's good to know if you're going to have to track down an excellent seamstress to make sure your gown fits perfectly on the big day).Ask your friends where they bought their gowns, and how their experience was. You may have loved her dress, but her nightmare getting the alterations handled may turn you off completely. Information is knowledge, knowledge is power and when planning the social occasion of your life and choosing the most important dress you’ll ever wear, you need all the power you can get. Know the stores policies, and their process!! So the question is………full service or outlet? Sadly, most brides don’t know the difference. Full Service is a Treat!
What is Full Service?!A “full service” bridal salon isn’t necessarily determined by how much they have to sell, it’s determined by what services they offer, with service comes a price tag. So, it should important in the large scheme of things, to be sure that you are comparing apples to apples. Brides often call asking to “price match” without realizing that they ARE comparing apples to oranges. We are asked to price match something that, without us, the full service bridal shop, they would NEVER have been able to touch, see, feel, experience. That service comes with an associated price ,much like the “full service” gas station. They ask without the realization that they are asking us to revise our brand of business that COST those extra pennies to provide. There has been a significant rise in shops calling themselves “bridal” shops. Yes, they are bridal shops in the respect that they carry wedding attire, but there’s a certain protocol that true bridal shops have to adhere to be able to offer brides the gowns they carry. There are two buying seasons a year, Spring and Fall, and depending on the designer that collection may contain 50 or more designs from which to choose. To be able to offer the newest season’s dresses there are “minimums” a bridal shop have to purchase to be “open” to selling the entire collection. I have nothing against people opening up outlet stores. I just don’t want them representing themselves as bridal shops, because, they’re not. It is easy to see who is an “authorized retailer”. Just go to the designer’s website and verify by searching their “store locators”. What is an Outlet Store?!Outlets, often have an abundance of gowns that are available for the bride to go through. They don’t always have a stylist available to pick gowns for you and can be very overwhelming. Usually outlets carry last season gowns, and are not buy brand new. It is easy for anyone to SAY they carry a certain designer, but oftentimes, if they are not authenticated by the website then they are not truly authorized to sell those dresses or to use that designer’s brand. Which leads to the next question, where are these shops getting their dresses? Best guess is other shops who have gone out of business, stock overages from designers, consigned from brides whose weddings are cancelled or over with, not really clear. But just because they say they have a certain designer doesn’t mean they are “authorized retailers”. It just means they carry dresses from those designers. There is a significant difference. They are not able to order you a brand new dress from the designer and have a gown that is from the current season due to the fact that outlets buy discounted past season dresses for pennies on the dollar and sell at a premium while masquerading as the real thing. From that point of view, it’s not entirely honest, is it? Now, ask yourself outlet or full service? It’s your choice!When you are purchasing the most important dress of your life and you want the BEST. Just remember online, is a hard place to purchase a quality gown. Yes, you may be paying less but, the dress may be different once you order. We recently did a video of a bridesmaids dress we ordered that had the designer label, same dress in the picture and everything! Once we received the gown, they were completely different!!  Wanting to Buy Brand New or Off the Rack!?Not all bridal salons have a buy brand new option! Buying brand new has a ton of perks and ways to truly make your dress unique with customization. Having a new dress means that no one else has worn your dress! You are the first and last to wear it. Off the rack is nice, when you don't have 4-6 months to wait for your dress and need it as soon as possible because the wedding is next month. Either way you are getting a dress that is YOUR dress. Each salon is different finding the one that feels the most like "home" is where you should purchase your dress, even if it is your first time!!
Written by: Sarah - Marketing Coordinator Meghan Markle may not officially be gaining the title of "princess" when she weds her real life Prince Charming (Harry) on Saturday, May 19, However, we can only imagine that her gown will be straight from a fairytale. We're all wondering what Meghan is going to wear! Suzanne's Bridal Boutique is closely following the media chatter and we're joining the countdown to the wedding with a "Royal Wedding Week Giveaway". We equate "royalty" with luxury and opulence so SBB is pampering YOU with an opportunity to win a FREE massage from Massage Envy everyday up until the wedding! Here, the top trends that we think will perfectly suit the royal wedding!
Dazzling BeadworkIn 2011, Meghan's future sister-in-law Kate ditched the long beautiful train after the ceremony. This was her stunning gown, Alexander McQueen gown for a more reception-ready look. This bedazzled Justin Alexander Signature fit-and-flare gown is an opulent design with a touch of subtle sexiness in the plunging illusion V-neckline.
Illusion Detail
Written By: Sarah - Marketing Coordinator Budget Friendly | Wedding PlanningWhen planning a wedding, brides usually figure out quickly that weddings are expensive!! There comes a point where brides question how to stay within budget while still having their dream wedding. Pinterest is an excellent resource for DIY ideas but, can often create expectations that are unrealistic. Don't give up on your dream wedding yet!! We have compiled easy ways to stay on budget while having your decor Pinterest worthy! Begin Collecting - Wine Bottles, Jars, Etc.Don't go throwing out your wine bottles, and jars just yet! Collect these items and dress them up. You can even use cans and wood pieces to use as decor. You would be surprised at what spray paint, glitter, and ribbon can do! You are in control which ensures all your decor items maintain in your color scheme and theme. When collecting these everyday items, don't be afraid to ask others around you; "one persons trash is another persons treasure". Take Advantage of NatureJust like the previous suggestion, nature has some handy options!! Nature is beautiful, and has a variety of props. Depending on the season you are getting married during, there will be seasonal nature items that will be all around you. You can either keep the natural look or again dress them up! An example could be using leaves during fall time, as confetti for the exit or sticks with gold spray paint and glitter. Dollar Store and Thrift Stores Brides don't usually think about the Dollar Store and thrift stores for wedding decor. You would be surprised about the gems you may find!! There are a ton of options for wedding decor. Thrift stores will have several options for frames and jars. The Dollar Store has frames and jars as well, but also candles, vases, votives, pebbles, rocks, etc. Go in with an open mind, an imagination, and a vision. You will be surprised at how much you can save. Jars at the Dollar Store usually are $5-$8 other places. Use Etsy as Inspiration - Create Own Signs/DecorEtsy has so many cute signs and decor, but can be very pricey. Take the inspiration and create your own. Signs are easy to create, because usually you know someone who has beautiful hand righting. Plus having these handmade items creates uniqueness and a personal touch. #realsbbbride Sarah's Wedding in Phoenix, AZ Know What Your Venue OffersLastly, your venue may have a closet of decor you can barrow and use for your wedding!! Brides will leave behind signs and decor that the venue keeps for future brides. Your venue may also have a stunning view and elements throughout that are decorative. Always be sure to know what your venue package includes; table clothes, centerpieces, etc. Boojam Tree Hidden Garden - Phoenix, AZ
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