Jewelry, quite surprisingly, seems to be an afterthought, rather than a priority, when it comes to planning a wedding. Big mistake! The right jewellery should show off your beautiful dress and make you feel fantastic, all day long.

It’s easy to get carried away with your budget, because you want everything to be perfect, but everyone has to rein it in a little. Your wedding jewelry doesn’t need to eat away at your bank balance – there are so many options and solutions for accessories on a budget. Ahead, we’ve narrowed down some tips and tricks to bear in mind when you’re picking out your w-day jewels.

Photo Credit: …love Megan

Something Old

If you’re after something with more of a vintage feel, or you’d just like to wear something with a little sentiment, the best place to search is your family’s jewelry boxes (with permission, of course!). Does your Grandmother have a gorgeous string of pearls that she’ll lend you for W-day? Not only will this family heirloom have real meaning as you rock it during the ceremony (something old, people!), but it’s completely free and ripe for the taking.

Photo Credit: Serenity Photography Ltd.

Choose Jewelry That You Like

Rather than turn up to your ceremony dripping with diamonds, go with jewelry combinations that you’re comfortable with. Unlike your dress, you can get more than one use out of your marital gems, so pick the kind of jewelry you could see yourself wearing time and time again.

Rent Your Jewelry

If you want some real show-stopping accessories on your big day, there’s no point buying them for their RRP – who can afford that? Instead, shop at a jewelry rental store and enjoy the Cinderella feeling of wearing exceptionally beautiful gems just for the night. Be careful with these pieces though and don’t get so drunk that you leave hundreds of pounds worth of jewels in a nearby river.

Match Your Jewelry To Your Dress

Your jewelry should express your personality, but it should also complement your dress. Less is usually more – you want to look natural and not cluttered with gems. For example, don’t pair a heavily decorated wedding dress with a necklace, because it’ll look far too busy.

Short-sleeved dresses should include a bracelet and halternecks should focus on the hair accessories. Sweetheart or strapless dresses work best with chandelier earrings and v-necks need something to adorn their neckline, such as a pendant or a choker. Really, you only need to think about one focal piece of jewelry; whatever you do, don’t choose one of every accessory as your w-day ensemble will look more disheveled than debonair.

Photo Credit: Whoalse Photography

Fake It

Getting high quality replicas is absolutely fine. Really…who’s gonna know? No-one needs genuine diamonds when a crystal alternative looks just as gorgeous. Before you start popping tags, consider the cheaper accessories that’ll save you money. You can then invest that extra cash back into W-day. With wedding prices so high in the UK, you’re going to need all the spare change you’ve got!

This post has been brought to Wedding Lovely today by the lovely, sparkly people at Pearl & Butler. Have you got your jewelry ready and waiting for your big day? How much jewelry do you plan on wearing? Share your story in the comments!

Today’s wedding stationer interview is with Andrea Nay of Andrea Nay Creative, based in the small town of Tipp City, Ohio working with brides around the world! Enjoy:

How did you get started doing wedding invitations?

My professional background is in sports event management, and I coordinated parties for the PGA Tour and pro baseball. Because I’ve always been a little (okay, a lot) obsessed with paper and pens, I tended to design our invitations, menus, and place cards in-house. Several years ago, I had the opportunity to embark on my own. I haven’t looked back!

What is your favorite color combination?

Do you know Jude Law’s line from Cold Mountain? “Look at the sky now. What color is it? Or the way a hawk flies. Or you wake up and your ribs are bruised thinking so hard on somebody. What do you call that?” That’s my favorite shade. It has no name, but the concept is the ethereal blue of the summer sky at night. I’m always on a mission to find paper stock which matches that feeling, and when I do, I like pairing it with gold or silver ink.

What is the most unique invitation you have designed?

This wasn’t an invitation, but it’s paper oriented. One bride asked me to make escort cards featuring photos of her guests in lieu of their names. She spent months secretly collecting candid shots of her friends and family. It was novel and turned out to be a neat surprise at the reception. I can’t imagine how much time it took for her to collect all of the images, but it showed a selfless dedication to helping her guests feel welcome.

Do you have a favorite typeface?

Almost everything I do is by hand, so I’m partial to my own handwriting. I call it “Jeanne Script” when I use regular pens and “Virginia Script” when incorporating more formal pointed pens. Both styles are named for my grandmothers and reflect their personalities.

What is the most bizarre request you have received?

Fairly frequently, I receive Etsy requests from people who would like me to letter a phrase for use as a tattoo. It’s flattering but a little scary to think my handwriting will be on their skin for eternity!

Ampersand or the word “and?”

Completely depends on the use. For a logo or heading, ampersand all the way. For addressing an invitation, I prefer to spell out “and” in a really flourishy way. (Is flourishy a word?)

Any advice for brides?

Every single etiquette guide says this, but it’s worth repeating. Your save the dates and invitations set the tone for your event. They’re the first element of your ceremony and party your guests will see, so figure out your personal style and the vibe you want your wedding to have. Design your invitations around that. The type of paper, printing method, font style, and embellishments along with your tone in wording will all give guests an indication of how to dress and what level of formality to expect. Also, never use plain Avery labels with the default Arial or Times New Roman font for mailing your invitations. I’m not a stickler for etiquette, but the plain white business-oriented labels on an otherwise beautiful invitation drive me crazy!

Do you offer more than just stationery?

Typically, I offer save the dates, invitation sets, escort and place cards, menus, favor tags, and the occasional program. However, depending on my availability, I’m sometimes able to do personal projects like vows suitable for framing. And, beyond Etsy, I’m also a professional photojournalist. I don’t photograph weddings, though. At some point, it’s nice to get out of the calligraphy studio and recharge by focusing on other creative pursuits! When I’m not lettering invitations by hand, I’m out photographing my favorite subjects like concerts, sports, and farm scenes from the Midwest.

Thank you Andrea! For more about Andrea Nay Creative, check out her WeddingInviteLove profile, or head straight to her shop.

Have any questions or comments for Andrea? Add them below!

Wow, what a surprise to wake up to today! WeddingLovely now has 2,000 vendors in our vendor network — WeddingInviteLove, WeddingPlannerLove, WeddingPhotoLove, WeddingVenueLove, WeddingVideoLove, WeddingCakeLove, and WeddingFlowerLove (Phew!)

I’m so excited for the rest of the year and all the plans I have to grow the WeddingLovely Vendor Network even larger. Hint: I’m working on something so I don’t have to list out all the individual directories anymore! ;)

Thanks to everyone who has supported WeddingLovely!

-Tracy

The talented twin sisters, Cheryl & Sherie at Merrymint Designs have created a lovely new invitation collection inspired by the timeless elegance of the Art Deco period.  Here’s what they have to say about the collection:

We’ve always been inspired by vintage design and the glamorous fashion of the 1920s. With the new Great Gatsby movie coming out this year, and the popularity of Downton Abbey, we wanted to create some wedding designs that would celebrate and commemorate the best parts of that time period!

See more of the gorgeous collection after the cut:

Thanks ladies! For more about Merrymint Designs, check out their WeddingInviteLove profile, or head straight to their website.

Which new design is your favorite? Let us know in the comments!

Brides and grooms visiting WeddingFlowerLove.com can now see instantly who is a part of the premier florist designer group for wedding and events, The Chapel Designers, lead by Holly Chapple! More about the group from Holly’s website:

The Chapel Designers group is another miracle in Holly’s life and one of her favorite “babies.” As Holly was one of the first in her field to utilize social media as a part of her marketing strategy, she had the opportunity to develop close relationships with floral designers worldwide. These designers began to regularly seek out her advice, guidance and moral support. Based on Holly’s ability to deal with a really big family, nurturing and supporting these designers was a natural love for her. It was very clear to Holly that a network of like-minded floral industry professionals needed to be started earning her the name “Flower Mamma.”

Annually, The Chapel Designers gather in NYC to tour the flower markets, have creative & business workshops, and most importantly to collaborate and share new inspiration with each other. These relationships have become invaluable to each of the Chapel Designers as both strong industry relationships and close friendships have been born. Throughout the year the group stays connected through a forum that is built to support one another and the group has also committed to a new standard of excellence when it comes to expanding our horizons, and setting industry standards in wedding and event design.

Click image for full size:

 See our other previous infographics here!

• Get Fit, Celebrity Style, Before Your Big Day
• Alternatives to the Traditional Bouquet
• Types of Traditional Bouquets
• Eco-Friendly Weddings
• Celebrity Honeymoon Vacations
• April Fools: Surprise, We’re Getting Married!
• Types of Wedding Photographers
• Last Minute Emergency Kit
• Iconic Wedding Dresses
• Valentines Day Around the World

Today’s wedding photographer interview is with Michael Chansley, based in Tucson, AZ! Enjoy:

Tell us a bit about yourself and your company

I went to photojournalism school at Brooks Institute of Photography and graduated in 2007.  After graduating, I went into photography full-time by shooting weddings and events.  I have traveled all over the United States covering weddings as well as Mexico.  I currently live in Tucson, AZ with my wife and two dogs.

How did you get into wedding photography?

I got into weddings by assisting some other wedding photographers when I first graduated from college and learned the techniques for getting the best moments.  I had some friends who were getting married at the time and wanted me as their photographer.  I covered their weddings and built a portfolio from that.  Over time, I got better and better and was able to take on larger weddings by myself.

What is your favorite part of the wedding day to capture?

I love capturing the first dance.  It is always so emotional and I always get amazing pictures from this moment.  It is a moment when the Bride and Groom finally get to relax a bit and start to enjoy their day together.

What is the most awkward moment you’ve experienced while on the job?

Thankfully, haven’t had any crazy awkward moments.  Being a guy, I capture bridesmaids getting ready and hear some pretty funny things like they thought I wasn’t even in the room, but most of the time they don’t even care.

What’s the best thing you ever ate at a wedding?

I normally get stuck with vendor meals, but usually steak is pretty good.  I’m actually a pretty picky eater and when some high-end weddings have fancy food, I get turned away from it and look for simple stuff like chicken and a dinner roll.

What is your favorite venue and why?

My favorite venue is Saguaro Buttes in Tucson, AZ.  I love it because there are so many great areas for photos and I don’t have to walk miles to get to all of them.  It overlooks Saguaro National Park and is really beautiful.  The staff there is amazing as well!

Nikon or Canon?

Canon.  I’ve always shot with it and seems to always serve me well.  I’ve tried Nikon and it just isn’t the same.

What is your dream location to shoot a wedding?

My dream location for a wedding would be Lambeau Field in Green Bay, WI.  I am a big sports fan and was actually contacted to shoot a wedding there once, but it fell through and I’ve always wanted to go back.  I’ve shot at a few sports venues before, but think this would be pretty epic!

If you could shoot any celebrity wedding (past, present or future), who would be the lucky couple?

Jason Terry and his wife.  Jason has a great personality and I knew from photos that his wedding was pretty awesome.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned, and would pass along to other new wedding photographers just getting started?

Networking is very helpful in this business.

Thanks Michael! For more about Michael Chansley Photography, check out his WeddingPhotoLove profile or head straight to his website.

Have any questions or comments for Michael? Add them below!

Click images to see full size.

Of course every bride would like to look her best on her wedding day, and as summer is just around the corner the bride and bridal party aren’t the only ones that will need a little push to hit the gym and get a bit sweaty. Who doesn’t want the Jessica Biel booty, or Halle Berry’s tight abs, or how about Kate Hudson’s sexy back?

This infographic is loaded with targeted exercises the Hollywood Stars use and swear by. Have a look and then print it out and check off the days as you go! To download and print this wonderful guide visit SimplyBridal’s blog at (http://www.simplybridal.com/pages/get-celebrity-fit-article), then just click “download” and print. Want that beach body for the summer? Now get motivated!!

See our other previous infographics here!

• Alternatives to the Traditional Bouquet
• Types of Traditional Bouquets
• Eco-Friendly Weddings
• Celebrity Honeymoon Vacations
• April Fools: Surprise, We’re Getting Married!
• Types of Wedding Photographers
• Last Minute Emergency Kit
• Iconic Wedding Dresses
• Valentines Day Around the World
• What’s Your Wedding Style?

Here is part 2 of Nicole and Don’s beautiful wedding, planned by Amy of Affairs by Amy.  If you missed part 1, check it out here!

Thanks Amy! For more about Affairs by Amy, check out her WeddingPlannerLove profile, or head straight to her website.

What do you think? Let us know below!

Photo Credit: Audrey Michel

Today’s wedding stationer interview is with Lana Frankel of Lana’s Shop, based in Denver, Colorado! Enjoy:

How did you get started doing wedding invitations?

I’m at that age where all of my favorite woman are getting engaged. Having a stationery company, I started doing the paper goods as their gifts. I realized that’s where my favorite designs came to life. There’s nothing like working one on one with a bride and seeing how an illustration can help inspire their entire theme. Plus, it’s super sweet to be a part of their big day in such a personal way.

What is your favorite color combination?

I’ve been on a mint kick for a while now - my watch, my nail color. Combine that with a light grey, and a dab of peach or yellow, and it is pretty fantastic! And it helps get you excited for the warm weather around the corner.

What is the most unique invitation you have designed?

I’d say the most ‘memorable’ invitation I designed was a collaboration between the bride’s mother and me. Her mother is an artist but was ill, so I filled in the detail where she physically couldn’t anymore. It was very special.

Do you have a favorite typeface?

Mrs. Eaves – gorgeous and can be dressed up or down.

What is the most bizarre request you have received?

I painted a baby’s portrait before it was born … you don’t even want to know.

Ampersand or the word “and”?

I don’t have a go to. It needs to match the design. Although I do love hand painting the word “and” with a swoppy dope underneath it.

Any advice for brides?

Be yourself! Decide on the few elements that you really care about and will mean something when you look back on the day. Don’t try to do it all. And surround yourself with vendors and people who give you positive, helpful and FUN energy.

Do you offer more than just stationery?

Oh yes – if you can dream it, I’ll create it! Illustrated maps, programs, gift bag tags..the works! I’m one lucky business owner, getting to do such cheery things!

Thank you for sharing your beautiful stationery Lana! For more about Lana’s Shop, check out her WeddingInviteLove profile, or head straight to her shop.

Have any questions or comments for Lana? Add them below!