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BrideAccess.com Wedding Blog

BrideAccess.com brings you the finest Utah wedding service providers, including Utah wedding photography, cakes, Utah reception sites, wedding dresses, flowers and more. From Logan to St. George and everything in between, BrideAccess.com has you covered.

Making Your Memories “Green”

-By LatterDayBride

March 15th 2010

Thanks for coming back to visit our Blog. If you have a cool idea you would like to share with other brides, even something you are doing for your wedding click here to see how to submit your very own blog entry!!! If you are interested in seeing something in particular on our blog that you don't see, please don't hesitate in contacting us. See you next time!

Many couples view their wedding day as an opportunity to express their personalities and values. For such couples, how their day is produced carries as much meaning for them as where, when or who attends. In this time of renewed sensitivity and concern for the planet’s resources, couples are increasingly giving as much attention to the source of the materials used in their invitations and decorations as they are to the designs themselves, with a premium on recycled materials and renewable resources.

blog article 23 image1 300x276 Making Your Memories Green

When it comes to preserving their photographic memories in an album or book, however, the bindery industry has had no real “green” alternatives, and in fact remains an industry that is notorious for the waste incurred and large amounts of energy expended in the production of such custom books. Until now.

Couture Book, a specialty folio manufacturer that works directly with professional photography studios, has recently announced their Earth Collection©—a series of books that have been certified 100% Windpower Produced and 100% Carbon Neutral by the nation’s leading certifier of green retail production (www.green-e.org).

The Earth Collection© Features:
- 100% Post-Consumer recycled paper
- Produced in a plant that runs exclusively off of wind-generated power (over 100,000,000 kWhrs annually)
- Transported via Natural Gas trucks
- Environmentally sensitive cover materials like hemp, recycled kraft paper and lotka paper
- Green E-Certified Windpower and Carbon-Neutral
- 5% of the proceeds going to replanting and reforesting and purchasing offsetting carbon credits

Earth Collection© Books come in four distinct styles (but if you prefer the leathers or more traditional cover options in Couture’s other styles, you may still specify 100% recycled paper and still be a big part of the solution!):

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GREENLAND
- Hemp or green linen spine with rough exposed cover board
- Hemp cover-stamping or debossed image option
- 100% post-consumer recycled paper

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ICELAND
- Full-bleed cover with rough exposed edge
- 100% post-consumer recycled paper
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ALASKA
- See-through cover notch
- Rounded corners
- 100% post-consumer recycled paper

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ANTARCTICA
- Holes drilled through cover show printed endsheets
- Kraft paper cover
- 100% post-consumer recycled paper

Couture Book products including the Earth Collection© are available only through professional photographic studios. In Utah, they are available through ZumaPhoto (www.zumaphoto.com) and Pepper Nix Photography (www.peppernix.com).

Producing 1,000 Earth Collection© books will generate environmental benefits equivalent to:
         Not driving 7,070 miles in an average automobile
         12,562 lbs. net greenhouse gases prevented
         96,152,000 BTUs of energy not consumed
         6830 lbs. of solid waste not generated
         135.74 trees preserved for the future
         57,661 gallons of wastewater flow saved
         391.97 lbs. of waterborne waste not generated

Posted in: Wedding Design Tips

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After the Honeymoon - Part 4

-By LatterDayBride

March 11th 2010

The wedding was beautiful… the honeymoon was fabulous…. Now What?  Make sure that these two events are just the starting point of a wonderful and successful marriage.  They are NOT the end of courtship… just the beginning!!!

Read what couples suggest to keep the honeymoon in your marriage. (Part 4)

I know it has been said to death, but the most important thing my husband and I have found is communication. We are from different cultures and have different ways of thinking. Andrew and I talk about everything. We share with each other every thought and every feeling that we have. We share our triumphs and our failures, our joys and our sorrows, our questions and our fears. This communicative spirit is not just between the two of us; we share every aspect of our relationship with our Father in Heaven. He comforts and guides us and helps us stay on the right path.     - Kristin and Andrew

Smile often and don’t be too hard on yourself – or on each other. You are blending two lives with two personalities and two backgrounds, so there are going to be things to work out. Just remember why you fell in love with your new spouse and give it all the energy and nurturing that you possibly can. If you put enough into it, marriage can be such a blast! - Aubrey and Jonathan

After you’re married, live life on your own. Both of our families are from the same city. We moved away for my husband’s job right after we got married. It was really hard to say goodbye, but it is so important to be able to be on your own and establish your new family as husband and wife. That way you can each adjust and establish traditions that are all your own.  - Leanne and Garrett

Be patient. There is a reason why they say the first year of marriage is the greatest and at the same time the hardest. You have to get use to living with each other! But it is exciting and fun.  - Christine and Andrew

Remember that even though there are two of you, you are a family. You may have differences, but they are what makes a marriage interesting and allows you to grow as a couple as well as individuals. We also have separate interests and these remind us that we are two people, but one family. - Malauney and Delon

The best advice I can give is to be selfless. That is the key to a successful marriage. If you are always looking out for their well-being before your own, you’re pretty much guaranteed a strong relationship. I thought I couldn’t love my husband any more than on our wedding day, but I love him even more now. Love grows on a daily basis. Marriage is a wonderful gift. Treat your spouse as your greatest asset. - Heather and Jonathan

Posted in: Marriage and Relationships

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From the Florist

-By LatterDayBride

March 8th 2010

blog article 2 image1 266x300 From the Florist

Add natural elements to your centerpieces like fresh fruit or natural river rock to givce that extra detail to your event.

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Make your centerpieces interesting by grouping an assortment of glass to make an eclectic grouping.  This creates a beautiful visual and also a wonderful topic of conversation for your guests.

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A vase is not just a vase.  Collaborate with your florist to come up with new exciting ways to use regular vases to give you a centerpiece that looks like a million dollars on a not so million dollar budget. Read more…

Posted in: Wedding Vendors ~ Flowers ~ Wedding Design Tips

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Photo Booth Love

-By Funny Face Photo Booth

February 19th 2010

We all have one.  Somewhere in a scrapbook or under a pile in a box is a narrow strip of four pictures, probably black and white, bursting with familiar faces and funny smiles.  The joy and spontaneity of a moment frozen in time thanks to four quarters and a cramped photobooth.  They can’t help but bring a smile.  These photobooth pictures are reminiscences of the past, but they are also waves of the future.  Couples are now bringing that same whimsical fun to their wedding days by renting photobooths for their receptions, a popular trend that has finally reached Utah.

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These are not your parents’ photobooths, however.  The metal walls and musty curtains have been replaced by stylish construction and elegant draperies; the chemical processing has been supplanted by digital technology; and the wait-time has been reduced to almost nothing.  The fun, though, is exactly what it’s always been – contagious! The concept is simple and familiar, but the innovations are brilliant.  Guests gather inside the booth and, using an LCD monitor mounted below the camera, center themselves and check their poses.  Some photobooth companies also supply props like Read more…

Posted in: Wedding Vendors ~ Photography ~ Wedding Vendors ~ Unique Ideas ~ Wedding Design Tips ~ Weddings

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The Skinny on Looking Skinny

-By Definition Images

February 8th 2010

“Make me look skinny”. I hear that all the time at all types of photo shoots. I hear it from brides at their weddings, from girls doing a boudoir session and even during family picture sessions from grandma. Yes, I even say it when my husband takes snapshots of me. Of course we all want to look our best. Photographs are reflections of us and are meant for others to see.

pic01 229x300 The Skinny on Looking Skinny

So, here are some tips and tricks to make sure you look like your best (and skinniest) self in snapshots.

1. Watch your posture. Read more…

Posted in: Wedding Vendors ~ Photography ~ Weddings

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Enjoy Apartment Living!

-By Apartment Management Consultants

January 11th 2010

Your time as a newly wed couple is priceless.  It’s your chance to enjoy each other, set life goals, and have fun!  This is the time to set the tone for the rest of your marriage.

Apartment Management Consultants (better know as AMC) is a full service property management company that specializes in making apartment home living easy and carefree.

clubhouse new 300x233 Enjoy Apartment Living!

AMC is the largest management company in Utah with a variety of apartment communities conveniently located throughout the state, from Provo to Logan. Each is unique in its own way. There are a variety of activities and amenities that you could do together; there’s the swimming pool, hot tub, tennis court, basketball, playground, state of the art fitness center, Wi Fi service, laundry facilities or washer and dryer in the apartment, and even Read more…

Posted in: Marriage and Relationships ~ Weddings

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Choosing Your Wedding Attendants

-By The Gathering Place

January 7th 2010

by Shauna Lund
The Gathering Place at Gardner Village

I received a call from a “Maid of Honor” last week to set up an appointment for a tour of The Gathering Place at Gardner Village.  I was impressed by her eagerness to help her bride.  As they arrived for the tour, she pulled out a checklist and began to ask important questions about availability, parking, ceremonies, wedding luncheons and reception information.  She also inquired about details such as linens, centerpieces, décor, food options and favors.  She was well prepared with her questions and wrote notes to refer to once they had completed their tour of wedding sites.  She was definitely going above and beyond the call of duty.  How lucky that bride was to have such a well-organized and helpful friend in planning that very important day!

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As you choose attendants who will assist you on your wedding day, I recommend choosing someone Read more…

Posted in: Planning a Wedding ~ Wedding Vendors ~ Reception Sites ~ Wedding Design Tips

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BRIDAL SHOWS… Get ready to go!!!

-By Nicole

January 4th 2010

Yes, it is that time of year… when Bridal Shows are abundant.  How do you get ready for them?

  • Plan a time to go. Often, vendors are not quite as busy at the very start of the show, which may allow you more time to ask questions and visit with them.
  • You will be filling out your name and information many times over… be ready with some labels with your information already on them… small mailing labels work great.  Include the following:
  1. Bride’s full name
  2. Groom’s full name
  3. Wedding date
  4. Wedding budget
  5. Email address
  6. Phone number

These are the basics, but it will save you a lot of time and hand-cramps!!!

  • If you know what you are looking for, go to those vendors first, whether it is a particular vendor, or a type of category, such as videographers.
  • If you are not sure what you are looking for, make sure to keep an open mind to new ideas, that can help you achieve the wedding you want.
  • Make sure to ask questions, and get information so that you can make sound decisions.
  • Bring someone along with you… a mother, a sister, a friend, the groom… etc… It is always great to have someone else to help bounce ideas off of.  They may catch something that you don’t.
  • If you are looking for a dress, make sure to not miss out on the fashion shows.  Styles change every 6 months or so.
  • Be prepared to come away with lots of information, packets, handouts, DVDs, business cards…  Help keep your planning organized and sift through everything when you get back home and place everything in one binder or folder so that you are not searching for everything.
  • Of course, last but not least… make sure that you are registered on BrideAccess.com to help you maintain your budget and checklist, get great ideas, so that planning your wedding can be a pleasant and fun experience with the least amount of stress as possible.

Happy Planning… from all of us at BrideAccess.com!

Posted in: BrideAccess.com Alerts! ~ Planning a Wedding ~ Weddings

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Ultimate Utah Wedding - Dresses & Tuxedos!

-By Nicole

November 30th 2009

On November 30th - Nick & Whitnee appeared on Good Things Utah today to go over the choices for Whitnee’s wedding gown by Maggie Sottero and Nick’s choice for a tuxedo from Jim’s Formal Wear. Watch it here.

Then go to the Voting Page to watch videos about their visits to Maggie Sottero’s and Jim’s Formal Wear, next to their respective choices.  Make sure to also place your vote on your favorite choice before January 8th!!!

Posted in: Weddings

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Ultimate Utah Wedding - Nick & Whitnee’s Invitations!

-By Jaffa Printing

November 25th 2009

whitnee and nick invitations 300x214 Ultimate Utah Wedding   Nick & Whitnees Invitations!

The key to choosing an invitation that you will love, just like Whitnee and Nick, is to pick an invitation that reflects your personality as a couple in the colors, fonts and style you select. Whitnee and Nick really love the outdoors and they knew right away that they wanted a photo invitation. Their wedding colors which they wanted incorporated into their invitation are red, black and white.  Read more…

Posted in: Wedding Vendors ~ Invitations ~ Weddings

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Photographers

Wedding Photographers should be high on your list of priorities. You want to be able to remember the way you look on this most special occasion. Finding the right Utah wedding photographer may take a little research, but it will be well worth it. You want to make sure that your wedding photographer will capture you in the style you want and deserve.


Your wedding photographer will work with you on creating the feel and look you want. There are many wedding photographers but not everyone is a professional. The better your rapport with your photographer the better your pictures will turn out, and the happier you will be when you look at those pictures years and even generations down the road. Having a professional wedding photographer needs to be high on your priority list.

Wedding Dress

The all important wedding dress should be at the top of your to do list. You should allow plenty of time before the day of the wedding to find your wedding dress, as you may have to special order it and/or have special alterations made to your wedding dress. These can all take several weeks or even months to accomplish.


Make sure in choosing your wedding dress that you look not only for a style you like, but that you try on several style's of wedding dresses. The wedding dress you may like in a magazine may not suit your body style. Professionals in the wedding dress store you choose will be able to help you find the perfect wedding dress and make it fit you perfectly!

Utah Reception Location

High on your list should be choosing your Utah reception location. There are many factors involved in choosing your particular special reception location. Is your reception location determined by having it indoors or outdoors (climate pending), can you bring your own caterer, or is your reception location a full-service wedding planning location where they can include almost everything from flowers to cakes to center pieces.


Remember that your reception location is the back drop for your big day. Make sure it will accommodate your decorating taste and ideas. You want your reception location to be part of your unforgettable wedding. Indoors or outdoors it should bring everything together...colors, food, style everything and be an expression of you.

Flowers - Florists

Flowers have always been a romantic part of a wedding. When choosing the right flowers for your Utah wedding, consider your bouquet, corsages, boutonnieres, flower girls, centerpieces, as well as other ideas you wish to use flowers in. Some flowers are more readily available than others depending on the time of year. Also, when selecting your colors, keep in mind the flowers you wish to use as part of your wedding. Not all flowers are available in all colors...although a newer trend is to dye certain flowers to accommodate the color scheme you have chosen.


Flowers are often associated with certain significance. Do a little research or ask the florist you have chosen to give you a run down of what certain flowers signify. Perhaps there are some flowers which will reflect an important value to you or feeling, which you can incorporate into your wedding theme. Flowers can speak the unspoken. Make sure to make flowers speak on your special wedding day!

Cakes

What flavor? What style? What kind? Cakes have evolved greatly over the decades to now be an active part of your wedding reception decor. The sky's the limit as far as flavors, everything from a chocolate cake...to carrot cake...to raspberry flavor. Cakes have taken on personalities with the use of colors to match your color scheme and using edible sugar flowers to match ones from your bouquet.


Make sure to look at lots of pictures of various cakes. You may be surprised to find cake styles you never would have thought of with a combination of designs which look almost too good to eat. Cakes can be one of the great centerpieces of your wedding reception. Let your imagination run wild...a wedding cake expert can do pretty much anything. Let them help you make the cake of your dreams. Utah wedding cake designers are some of the best anywhere in the country.