One of my favorite TV shows is “Say Yes to the Dress.”  I know, I bet you NEVER would have guessed!  My husband LOVES to watch this with me too *kidding*.  I love seeing how the appointments go: who they bring, what their style is, watching them try on several different dresses, what the Bridal Consultants have to say and so on…Love all the dynamics.

That being said and this may be a shocker to you…I did not ever have a bridal appointment.

I know, right?  Crazy!

I was Maid of Honor in a dear friend’s wedding and we were shopping for Bridesmaids Dresses for her upcoming June Wedding.  My Wedding wasn’t until November, but she told me to keep an eye out while we were going from dress shop to dress shop.  She’s so sweet to let me even look while we were concentrating on her wedding. More or less, I only wanted to see if there were any dresses that caught my eye and were worth coming back for.

On the last stop of our Bridesmaid dress search, I saw a dress that was what I was looking for.  My friend, who was also my MOH, encouraged me to try it on…and why not?   What would it hurt? I did and I just knew it was the one.  People in the store, that I didn’t even know, walked over to tell me that this dress had to be the one.

It was not your typical dress appointment and my own Mother didn’t even get to be there.  I do have a very close relationship with my mother and she is one of my best friends so it wasn’t that I didn’t want her to be there.  I felt really bad that she wasn’t there to see her only daughter try on her wedding dress for the first time.  One thing my mother has been so good about teaching me is independence.  Even when it’s hard for her and I, she has always been good about loving me in such a unique way that has grown me into an independent woman.  Even when it would be nice and convenient to live close by to my parents, my mom taught me to pursue new challenges, find the best opportunities, and explore new places.  I made that decision to get that dress without her seeing it and her approval of the dress, but I knew she would love it.

She may not have been there for my Wedding Dress appointment, but we shared one very special Mother – Daughter moment that very few have… She altered my wedding dress and made my wedding veil.   It was only her and I there for the fittings and alterations.   She was the only one to see me put on my shoes to make sure my dress was the right length.   She was the only one to see me in my dress for the final fitting and one week before the Wedding. She took hours of her time to make alterations and make my veil from scratch.   She did such a great job and I am so glad that we were able to share these moments.

I’m a little early, but with Mother’s Day right around the corner, I wanted to have a little shout out to my Mother and wish her a wonderful Mother’s Day.  I love her so much. I would not be the person I am today, without her.   You rock, Mom.

Also, for your entertainment, I learned this little saying for a Mother’s Day skit when I was probably in Elementary School and it just stuck…  ”My mother is a seamstress, buttons and bows and she doesn’t even get thanks for all that she sews. “

In the weeks to come, I am to talk more about the Bridal Appointment. This is just my entry way into the succession of posts to come.  Please let me know if you have any questions that you would like answered!

I’m so honored to have my first guest post on the blog.  Especially the very talented, Sabrena Deal.   I am a satisfied customer of her photography business, S. Carter Studios, and will be back for more!

Ok, enough from me…I don’t want to steal any of her thunder..and I will go on and on about how much I love her work!  Her she is, Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

What do you do, how long have you been doing it and what makes you awesome?

I am Sabrena Deal of S. Carter Studios. I share the role of photographer with my husband Josh. We have been doing weddings since May 2007 and have done 88 weddings to date! I’m not sure about what makes me awesome, I can just say that we see each wedding as an opportunity to serve not only the couple but their families and their future generations by capturing the big, planned moments and the spontaneous ones in between.  We also recognize that brides without big budgets also deserve beautiful images and seek to price ourselves in a way that makes quality photography coverage available at a price that we could have afforded when we were getting married.

Share some VA Vendors that you have visited with us:  

Virginia Beach, VA 

Emory and Henry College 

Thank you so much for sharing your talent with us, Sabrena.  Not enough?   Get more S. Carter Studios:  website, facebook, twitter, and  S. Carter Studios blog! Plus stay tuned, Sabrena will be back for another guest post!

I recently shared with you, my Valentine’s Day present for my hubby here.  It was my first time ordering a photo album from Shutterfly and I know that you are all waiting on the edge of your seats for my review.  You probably haven’t been able to focus all week just waiting to hear my Valentine’s present recap…It was a success!  I always feel that Shutterfly follows the rule, for their shipping: under commit and over deliver.  I always pay for the minimal shipping charge and get my goodies well before expected.  Which I love, I am so the person that runs to check the mail every day whether I am expecting something or not.  I was so excited to receive the Shutterfly package on Tuesday  before I left for Florida.  I was able to check out the album first, wrap it and place it on the table with card for my hubby to open a few days later.

My hubby thought it was the sweetest thing to leave the album full of our Anniversary Trip Memories while I was gone.  Success!

One thing that I was super happy with was the instagram quality.  Shutterfly gives you the option to upload your photos from instagram directly.  I did this for quite a few pictures and I was a little nervous for the results.  Edited phone pictures don’t always print the best and these turned out awesome.  You could not even tell that they were from my instagram account. In fact, I pointed it out to others and they didn’t even notice from looking at the album.

I thought that the quality of the pictures printed was great.  Sometimes pictures just don’t print out as nicely.  I am really picky!

I also enjoyed that they have formatted albums for whatever you are looking for; wedding, travel, holiday and more. They also give you layouts and idea pages for ease of use and speed.

I think I will try some other photo sites first and print some albums before printing my Wedding Album.  Not that I wasn’t happy with Shutterfly, I just want to see what my options are and what else is out there! I will keep you updated on what I find.  Again…because I know you will be on the edge of your seats waiting to find out where I actually print my Wedding Album.

What gifts did you give for Valentine’s Day this year or in the past that you have loved?  What thoughtful gifts have you received?

On Saturday, I had the chance to stop by Ava Laurenne Bride in Downtown Fredericksburg, VA.  This is a new bridal boutique that opened June 4th, 2012.  You wouldn’t have known by standing in the middle of their shop, on a Saturday, in February, that they had been open for less than a year…   Brides were in full swing, searching for the perfect gown.

In such a short time, they’ve even made it as a 2013 pick for the knot’s best of weddings!  You’ll find this shop to have a historic and romantic feel.   The high ceilings made for a perfect fit for huge mirrors and a soon to be couture loft.  Sonnets embellished the walls with warm red Victorian chairs to complete the look.

I am bummed that I forgot my camera, but managed to get a few pictures with my iphone. Here is just a small taste of this big bridal hit:

This is co-owned by two sisters and named after one of the sister’s, daughter.  They pride themselves on making your experience all about you, the BRIDE!  You will find these lines at Ava Laurenne: Justin Alexander, Allure Couture, Eddy K, La Sposa, Rina Di Montella, and Linda Lee Practico Jewelry.

More to come on Ava Laurenne Bride.  I’ll be heading back to March 15th for a fashion show featuring designer, Justin Alexander. Event Information and to RSVP go here.

Thank you for having me Wendy and Amy! I look forward to coming back.

Have you visited Ava Laurenne Bride yet?  If not, I suggest you go check it out