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.
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!
Things change. And we’re glad. Every year something new sparks, a trend hits and rules change. Here’s some advice from those who know best on what’s new and improved in the wedding industry—and in modesty.
Simply Irresistible
There’s no need to stick with the traditional “carnation” or “rose” boutonnières. Today, you can do all sorts of unique arrangements to fit your man’s style. He’s already irresistible in his tux – now top it off with something extraordinary!
Flowers by Studio Stems
Photography courtesy of Digital Izatt Photography
Intimate Gatherings
It is common to feel obligated to invite your whole ward, stake or neighborhood to your wedding. This day is meant to be shared with family and friends who have influenced your life, but wedding success is based on substance, not size. And you want to be able to enjoy your celebration without the stress that six or seven hundred guests may carry with them. The good news is that the tide has shifted from massive “stand-in-line” functions to more intimate gatherings. And fewer flowers, fewer invitations and fewer decorations mean a lesser headache. With a smaller guest-list, your budget shrinks in accordance.
Managing even a small guest list can be tricky business, though. One way to streamline your guest list (and allow your budget the greatest accuracy) is to create a wedding web page with an RSVP option. Include the web address on your invitations and have your guests RSVP online. The site will automatically generate a spreadsheet with guest names and total party size. Ten days before the big day, you should have an incredibly accurate guest count and an equally accurate idea of how much you’ll be paying for. Why pay for 250 guests, when you could have easily known that only 208 would actually come? Having a smaller function and tracking your guest count will allow you to have less stress and more budget to go around when the big day comes.
Millcreek Inn
801.278.7927
www.millcreekinn.com
No Need to Cut Corners
Brides often assume they can save money by having a do-it-yourself wedding reception. But not everyone knows the tips and tricks and ways to save that a wedding consultant can help with. Many brides spend $300-$400 too much on wasted food alone! If you do plan on creating a do-it-yourself celebration, do your research to make your budget as accurate and reasonable as possible. And if you find that you need some help, Uniquely Yours can help you stretch your dollars and save your money without cutting corners.
Uniquely Yours
Keep Your Style Hot
A woman’s personal style is continuously changing, and the metamorphosis from chic single to classy wife can be a challenge. When buying new clothes this year, there are a few things that can help you make the most of your time and resources.
1. First, spend more money on classic pieces that are made well. They will outlive the trends. Buy cheaper supplement pieces to spice up your wardrobe. When they fall apart, it won’t matter; they will already be out of style.
2. Second, what looks good on your best friend won’t always look good on you. Stick with styles that are tried and true on your body.
3. Third, find and keep your unique personality. Dressing modestly doesn’t mean dressing boring.
4. And last, don’t get frustrated. Finding modest clothes in a sea of mini dresses and tank tops can be overwhelming, but if you want a cheat sheet of the best in modest fashion, subscribe to Eliza Magazine. It will give you endless ideas that will keep you looking your best.
ELIZA Magazine
Meaningful Location
To make your engagement photos unique and fun, find a location that has special meaning to you as a couple. Look for places like where you had your first date, your favorite hangout or maybe the place of your proposal. Choosing a special location will make your engagement photo session more meaningful and bring out your personalities in the photos. And since the location of your choice will be something special only to you, your pictures will truly be one of a kind!
Lindsay Jane Photography
801.541.0942
www.lindsayjanephotography.com
Planning a Wedding Long Distance
Living in Florida and planning a wedding in Arizona was a bit of a challenge. If you are a bride planning a wedding in a different state or across the United States like myself, your best resource is your family. I know I could not have done this without the help of our two families.
During the wedding planning, I worked closely with my Mom and Dad who were extremely supportive and helpful despite not being a part of the Church. They were such a great team. I remember weeks when I could do nothing for the wedding because of all my class work. I would call my parents and give them lists of things I needed them to work on for me….and they did such an amazing job! They were so good at remembering every little detail from the ring pillow to guest gifts and engraved cake servers. I can’t imagine what I would have done without them.
Valerie and Daniel
Mesa Arizona Temple
Photography courtesy of Sarah Meyers, Professional Photographer
Ultimate One-Year Anniversary Gift
Want to give your spouse a special one-year anniversary gift? Try recording the special moments during your first year of marriage in a personal journal and detail the reasons that you love and appreciate your spouse. On your one-year anniversary, present these thoughts and feelings as a gift in a hardbound journal. It’s certain to be one of the most unique and thoughtful gifts you can provide.
Don’t do well with carrying around a paper journal? No worries, with LDSJournal.com you can record your thoughts for FREE and print your digital journal to a hardbound book at the end of the year.
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.
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 Read more…
Add natural elements to your centerpieces like fresh fruit or natural river rock to givce that extra detail to your event.
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.
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…
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.
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…
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!
As you choose attendants who will assist you on your wedding day, I recommend choosing someone Read more…
Just a reminder to scale your bouquets to match not only your style, dress, and waist size, but also the size of your hands!
Compare these examples of larger mannish-looking fingers holding oversized bouquets…
…to some examples of some more delicate bouquets that match the sassy sexy brides that hold them! Read more…
Things change. And we’re glad. Every year something new sparks, a trend hits and rules change. Here’s some advice from those who know best on what’s new and improved in the wedding industry—and in modesty.
Night Engagement Shoot
One hot new trend is the night engagement shoot, which I usually do in tandem with day shoots. We typically shoot about an hour before sunset for perfect warm-golden light, and then as the sun sets I treat the couple to dinner in downtown Salt Lake while the city lights come out to play. Night shots are unique because they allow for really moody lighting and creative techniques that aren’t available in the day. In addition, spending more time with the couple as a photographer helps us build a strong and comfortable relationship that translates into the photos. Digital Izatt Photography
Bring In Your Own Catering
Are you on a tight budget but want a reception center? Look for a venue that will allow you to bring in your own catering. Food is a major portion of your wedding reception costs, and a reception center that will allow you to cater the event yourself will save you a substantial sum of money. These types of venues Read more…
Lasting memories are important especially when it’s your wedding day. What’s happening at the guest book is one of the most creative ways a bride and groom can make those special memories … and today’s brides are being very creative. Here are some great ideas for your Guest Book.
IDEA #1 - Picture Perfect
Find a special picture of the bride and groom, any shot from being casual to very formal. Make this a black and white shot and add a large white around a matte and frame with a black frame. Have all the guests sign the matte. Make sure you have enough pens (all in the same color - black!) and have guests Read more…
With the return of leggings, Ray Bans, and blue eyeshadow, I feel a sense of comfort knowing that the 80’s have made another appearance in fashion. (Yes, I once wore peg-legged jeans.) It’s amazing to see the way that trends swing back and forth in so many areas of our lives! Car bodies are looking boxy again. Yes, that All American Rejects song is probably a remake. And even wedding styles have a way of making the old seem new again. Keep an eye on the runways this fall and you’ll notice that shiny-satin jewel-toned bridesmaids are back, asymmetrical styles and single-strapped gowns get a nod, and a wave of mermaids have come ashore!
Flowers too have a way of riding that pendulum of style, swinging back and forth from small and simple to Read more…
