Get there early

If I learned anything from standing in line at the last Monique Lhuillier sample sale in Los Angeles, it's to get there early...like camping out, lawn chair "no-I'm-not-a-homeless-woman" early. I got there 30 minutes early, yet waited in line for two hours while I watched lucky brides walk out with their gorgeous finds. When I finally got to the showroom, all was left were way too expensive damaged goods. Tomorrow, So Cal brides have another chance at finding a Monique Lhuillier dress at up to 90% off! So rise and shine early for your place in line!

Wedding Inspiration: Alphonse Mucha

One of my favorite artists is Art Nouveau icon Alphonse Mucha. The Czech artist is renowned for his ethereal, sensual portraits of women. His paintings captured each woman's natural grace and beauty in their long cascading tresses and flowing frocks. In college, I would plaster his work all over my dormroom walls, admiring how each woman seemed free and confident; feminine yet bold.

And what great inspiration for a vintage wedding! Think warm colors of gold, purple and green. Think bohemian chic with long, natural hair and lots of flowers. Think empire waist gowns evoking turn of the century vintage chic!

Ahhh...*swoon*

Very Superstitious!

There are a couple wedding superstitions we're keeping in mind. I am wearing a sixpence in my shoe (Thanks, Mon Amour Boutique!) and the FH refuses to see my gown until I'm walking down the aisle (nope, no First Look shots for us!) But there is one superstition I just don't get!

Along with making my veil and the flower girl dresses, my aunt is so kindly altering my wedding gown. She did afterall work as a seamstress in a wedding dress factory! Yes, I do feel really grateful for relatives offering their convenient services! But what's not so convenient in this case is my aunt's strongly held Filipino wedding superstition -- I'm not supposed to wear my wedding gown until the day of the wedding! That means no fittings before then. Ummm...not going to happen!

I've told my aunt too late, I've already tried on the dress. But she refuses to work on it with me in it! It's bad luck, she says! You see, in the Philippines, dresses were always custom made. The seamstress would take the bride's measurements so it was a good chance the bride wouldn't need a whole lot of alterations come wedding day. But this superstition doesn't bode well here where most dresses come in standard sizes! What will be truly bad luck is an ill-fitting wedding gown!

So what's a girl to do? Luckily, because I have tried on the gown before, I know what alterations need to be done. Nothing major, just a tightening of the shoulder straps, which my aunt can do in 10 mins. But this situation still doesn't ease my mind!

Are you adhering to any wedding superstitions? If so, which ones and why?

Choosing the veil

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Ahhh, the bridal veil. Growing up, nothing said "bride" more to me than the veil. Sure, I'm aware of the gripes some women have with the veil, but the mysogynistic origins is so far from what I really love about it. For me, it's purely aesthetic -- I love the gorgeous dramatic effect of cascading tulle and lace, and you know, I'll only get to wear that once! For me, there's only one kind of veil I want--the cathedral length veil. I dunno, I saw Sound of Music when I was little and I was hooked. Give me a veil as long as Fraulein Maria's!

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Really, How stunning is this?

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But...the price of a mere accessory is hazardous to my blood pressure! Seriously, for the life of me, I can't figure out how a veil made mostly of tulle can cost nearly as much as the gown!

Future Hubby: Do not read any further, unless you want to ruin the surprise!

Dressing the Wedding Party: Wear it again

I'm afraid David Tutera and all those wedding etiquette gurus will have a fit once they hear my stance on wedding party attire--I don't care. Really, I don't. Ok, maybe a little. We set a color and dress length for the bridesmaids, and basically told the groomsmen to wear whatever we chose at Men's Wearhouse (seriously, with the guys, just telling them what to wear would be much easier than making them choose). Other than that, everyone else can wear whatever they want. I don't care what color socks or cuff links the men wear, I don't care what jewelry the women pick (although I did suggest gold to match our colors). And get this, I even told them they can wear what they already have! Some will say I'll feel differently when I see the photos, but I can't imagine a slight deviation of color coordination or style ruining my day.

I'm not a big fan of matchy-matchy wedding parties. Don't get me wrong, it looks great and I admire them, but it never interested me to spend time worrying about coordinating down to minute details--jewelry, shoes, silhouette, hair. We have a few more members in our wedding party with 6 sponsors (a Filipino wedding custom where individuals assume responsibility to offer spiritual and emotional support for the couple). With 8 bridesmaids and groomsmen, the mothers and fathers, flower girls, ring bearer and sponsors, I would go crazy worrying about what every single person is wearing!

But here's a rundown. Our bridesmaids will wear their dresses of their choice (my only requirements were they had to be the same color and length). Here's what each of them chose.

 

Eden Bridals

Same color - Amethyst- but all different styles. Am I worried about that? I actually like how each dress really captures each bridesmaid's personality and I think they all look great. One bridesmaid is wearing a maternity dress she'll have hemmed into tea length. It's also a different fabric (none of the maternity gowns came in satin), but no, it's not the end of the world. Ignore what David Tutera says, no one will care or notice.

The groomsmen are wearing matching suits with plum-colored ties from Men's Wearhouse, similar to this:

But my father, the male sponsors and our ring bearer are wearing barongs, traditional Filipino formal wear made of jusi, or hand-embroidered pineapple fibers.

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Most of them already own their barongs (from previous weddings and formal occasions) so I didn't see the need for them to buy new attire. Barongs can be quite expensive in the states as the fabric is imported from the Philippines.Why not give them excuse to wear their barongs again? Besides, our ceremony will involve traditional Filipino components, so it seemed right to allow the Filipino men to wear their barongs if they wanted to. We told the female sponsors to wear whatever they want just as long at it's church appropriate for a warm, summer day. They could color coordinate with the wedding colors if they want to, but I'm not going to check on them.

We haven't picked the flower girl dresses yet, but I'm leaning toward something simple, like this except with a plum-purple sash:

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When my mom asked me what she should wear to the wedding, I told her, "Whatever you want, Mom." She gave me that sideways, "No, really," look. I told her, "Seriously, whatever you think looks good. I trust your judgement." After a pause that said, "You're not much of a help," I said, "Why don't you wear your kimona?" Kimonas are traditional Filipino formal tops also made of jusi fabric. Like barongs, they're also pretty expensive in the states. They're hand-embroidered and the details are really quite lovely.
My mom was surprised that I was letting her wear her kimona again. She did wear it to my sister's wedding 7 years ago. I told her she can wear it only if she paired it with a different skirt (the skirt she wore to my sister's wedding was a bright lilac and would clash with our wedding colors--yes, the only part where I'm picky!)

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Jessica McClintock

So we found a long, plum-colored satin skirt at the Jessica McClintock outlet for a mere $16. (If there's one near you, check it out. You'll find discounts on evening wear -- including bridal gowns and bridesmaid dresses-- for 75% off!). MOB dress: check!

The mother of the groom is also wearing the dress she wore at her daughter's wedding, a champagne-colored gown with a matching jacket (my dress is white, so no worries about the MOG wearing a neutral color). The father of the groom will wear a tux he owns and wears to formal occasions. Seriously, I'm happier knowing members in my wedding party didn't have to spend an arm and a leg, or buy an entirely different outfit for one day. I'm glad that some can actually wear outfits they've worn once before again. Am I worried about clashes of Filipino traditional and western traditional? Am I worried about a mixture of styles? Or maybe that the MOB and MOG won't look like twins on our wedding day? No. Because in the end, they'll all wear something they like, feel comfortable in and truly reflects each of them. I think that would make a far more interesting photo than one cookie-cutter, matching fest.

20% off Converse!

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I love Converses, but gone are the days when I used to purchase them for a mere $24. They were shoes I would wear for my shift at my undergrad job at the campus cafeteria. They were shoes I would buy because they were the only shoes I could afford. Now? They're twice as much as the price I used to purchase them for!

But they're everywhere now, and they're hot items for wedding parties. At more than $40 a pair, they can be quite expensive if you plan on purchasing them for your groomsmen. But get this, Converse is having a 20% off sale (including regular and sale prices). Just type in CHUCKS17 for the coupon code. The end of the sale is unknown so grab 'em while it lasts!

A package

It's hanging in my closet. Yes, my dress arrived today! Much sooner than expected -- the dress came in two months and I didn't even do a rush order!. The dress is a little wrinkled (What do you expect? It came in box!) so I'll need to get it pressed, but other than that, I'm really pleased! Not bad for half-priced! RKBridal even threw in an extra blue garter. I wasn't actually planning on buying one since the FH doesn't want to do a garter toss, but hey, I got my something blue!

Predicting the bump: Ordering for a pregnant bridesmaid

*Sigh* Warning, this is a long post, but if you can hang in there, I'd appreciate any advice you can give. The topic? The bridesmaid dresses. On a good note, three of my four bridesmaids have purchased their gowns. I told them they can pick any dress from the Eden Bridesmaids line, just as long as it's tea length, satin and the color amethyst (the closest shade to our purple). I thought that left them enough freedom to find a dress that worked for them...but I suppose I could have given them a little more...
Here's the color:

My MOH will be rockin' this dress:

My Matron of Honor chose this lovely dress::

And my third bridesmaid chose this hot number:

Love the back!

They each purchased their gown from Netbride.com, where they got a sweet deal for $96 for each gown (Not including shipping).

But as you may know from a previous post, one of my bridesmaids is pregnant. I found out after my bridesmaids ordered their gowns. We had been putting off finding the fourth dress for awhile because she was ill during a very difficult first trimester (morning sickness, nausea, migraines, the works). Now she's feeling a little better, we're hitting another snag: finding her dress.

 Eden does have a maternity bridesmaid line but the pickings are slim. My bridesmaid wants to stay with Eden just so she won't look too different from the other girls. The only dress in satin is this dress:

My bridesmaid was leaning toward this dress because it's satin, and she could easily cut the hem to make it tea length. But alas, the dress doesn't come in amethyst.

We looked at the other maternity dresses, but they only come in chiffon:

At this point, I think chiffon is the best choice for her, and the dress will be really nice when it's hemmed to tea length, but we're not sure about how different the colors from satin to chiffon would look. One other option is that she can order satin fabric in amethyst from Eden and have the dress custom made. But we're running out of time (wedding is in four months!) and my bridesmaid is a busy girl (she's a resident doctor). I don't want her to feel pressured into settling for a dress and I don't want her to feel like a burden either (she's not, I'm more annoyed that there aren't many great and affordable maternity options out there). So I told her to pick a dress she really wants. I don't care what fabric it is, and it doesn't have to be the exact shade of purple.

But I think she really wants to stick with Eden. If she does pick a maternity dress from Eden, the next issue is "What size?" The frustrating part is that no one seems to know or can give a good answer (blank stares and crickets every time we ask someone at a bridal shop). Every woman's body is different, and how she grows during pregnancy always varies. This is her first child so she has no idea how big she will get. Since we're looking at dresses with high waists and flowing skirts to accommodate the hip and tummy area, we're trying to figure out the best bust size for her.

Eden maternity size charts go from small to 1X. Right now she's three months along, and will be 7 months pregnant by the time of the wedding. Right now, she's just three inches smaller than an XL (would that be enough room?), but 7 inches smaller than a 1X (is that too big?). My aunt, a seamstress, said she should order big because it's easier to take in than let out, but ordering too big could be a tough alteration job (more time, more money)

So what now? From what I can gather, and what people tell me, here's what I found:

* Order 2 sizes up from pre-pregnancy size. It's always easier to take in than let out the seams.

* If you will be 5 months along or less, you can probably get away with ordering a larger regular bridesmaid dress .

* Since my bridesmaid will be in her third trimester by the time of the wedding, it will be best to order a maternity gown.

* Empire waist styles are always the most flattering for pregnant women. Flowy fabrics like chiffom or silk shantung are best.

If you have any other tips or advice for ordering for a pregnant bridesmaid, let me know! We can definitely use it!

Vendor Spotlight and GIVEAWAY: Tux and Tulle (CLOSED)

While worrying about the bride's gown or bridesmaid dresses, or shopping with your mom to buy her MOB dress, we often forget about the groom and his groomsmen. What are they going to wear? What if you're looking for a little more style, color or diversity? What if the selection at Men's Wearhouse just ain't cutting it for the look you're going for? After browsing through groom and groomsmen attire options, I found our newest Vendor Spotlight, Jane from Tux and Tulle on Etsy. Jane shows us how a tie can give a normal suit its edge and personality. Playful, stylish and fun, with a little bit of vitntage and a little funky sensibility, her ties can add a unique look that you and the men in your wedding party can really enjoy.

True, a lot of our men will insist they don't care and will wear anything, and well, I don't really buy it. When it comes down to it, men do want to look sharp on their day...yep, I said it...because it is his day, too! And can you believe it, a lot of guys do have an opinion on what looks good. I showed my FH the tie Jane sent me for a product review (I had to see if it passed the guy test) and what do you know, the future hubs really liked it! The tie is a cotton teal blue and gold tie and will make a striking addition to your wedding party attire. While the fabric is cotton (perfect for a less formal or outdoor wedding), the patterns, color and workmanship give them a very classy appearance. Not only are these unique tie alternatives for your groomsmen, but these bold prints and colors make them great gifts for the guys who regularly don a shirt and tie, or maybe for the guy who just likes to dress up every now and then (trust me, they're out there!). Jane also makes dupioni silk ties for a more formal look, and can also custom make an order.

At less than $20 a tie, these are affordable alternative options for your men...and maybe fun, stylish gifts for them to keep after the wedding! So, without further ado, here's Jane from Tux and Tulle!

What got you started in making neckties for men?
I created neckties and bow ties for my daughter's wedding in August 2009 and have been creating ever since!

How would you describe the style of ties you make?
I like vintage style floral fabrics but have recently loved making lots of stripes, poka dots and bold prints. Also, dupioni silk is one of my favorite fabrics to work with because of the vivid color selection. I make skinny ties, regular size neckties, children's neckties and pre-tied bow ties.

It's been often assumed that the groom and groomsmen don't really care what they wear. After making ties and accessories for men for as long as you have, how true is this assumption?
I have been pleasantly suprised by the number of emails I have received from men who are very serious about their neckties! They are truly interested in colors and styles and often want to give their neckites as gifts to their groomsmen.

When picking the groom and groomsman's attire, what should brides and grooms remember?
Remember to add color to your wedding! The difference in the pictures is amazing and the color adds a real vibrancy whether your wedding is indoor or out! I think often grooms want to stick with basic black and white but taking a risk on color and prints is worth it! Also, mix it up! Some of my favorite orders have been ties of the same hue in different prints.

Groomsmen are often difficult to shop for. What makes a perfect groomsman's gift?
I think it should be something personal, something that will remind the groomsmen of the fun and memories of the event. Of course, it would also be great if the gift could be used again in real life!

Tell me something unique about your products.
I think my fabric selections are unique. One of my recent neckties has chandeliers with glitter. That will take a brave groom! The sky is the limit on color, prints and fabric choices so each necktie I make can be one of a kind.

Links where we can find out more of your work:
My neckties can be found on ETSY at http://www.etsy.com/shop/tuxandtulle

The GIVEAWAY:
Thanks to Jane, we're giving away one tie of the winner's choice! Perfect to start off your groomsmen attire, or as a gift for that special guy!

The RULES
1) Go to Tux and Tulle Etsy shop and comment on your favorite item for one entry. This is mandatory! Contestants who do not do this will be disqualified. Remember to leave your email address or some way to contact you with each entry!

Additional entries (remember to leave separate comments for each additonal entry)

2) Become a new follower of this blog (1 entry)
3) Are currently a follower of my blog (2 entries)
4) Become a facebook fan of “I Do” Budget Weddings (2 entries)
5) Blog about the contest and include a link to the giveaway. Each entrant must also include a link to Tux and Tulle in their post (3 entries)
6) Buy anything from Tux and Tulle (5 entries)
7) Follow “I Do” Budget Weddings on Twitter (1 entry)
8) Tweet on this giveaway and include a link to this giveaway in your tweet (1 entry)
9) Grab my button and place it on your blog (1 entry)
10) Subscribe to "I Do" Budget Weddings emails (1 entry)
11) Enter any one of my current giveaways and tell me which giveaway you entered (1 entry per giveaway)

The deadline to enter this contest is 11:59 p.m., Friday, April 23, 2010 (PST).  A winner will be randomly chosen. Good luck! (This Giveaway is CLOSED)

The budget wedding ring

Good news! The FH and I have purchased our bands! We knew the exact style we each wanted, headed to the jewelry district in LA and was prepared to haggle and bargain until they kicked us out of the store. We budgeted just $300 total for both rings, a laughable budget according to one jeweler who demonstrated for us when we disclosed how much we were willing to spend early in our search. Luckily, the whole process overall was easy peasy!

My e-ring is a simple Tiffany band with a solitaire diamond seen here (a snapshot we took of the ring right after he proposed!)

I wanted something simple to go with it, but maybe with a little more bling. After some research and trying on other rings, I decided I wanted a channel set band with princess cut diamonds. I loved the style, the price? Not so much. I was getting prices between $500-$2000. That was way out of our league!

The FH decided he wanted a Titanium wedding band. He liked the size, the more masculine look...and the fact that most were around $40 was even better! While there were decent prices online for the bands we wanted, we knew we wanted to see the bands in person and try them on.

We decided to deal with a family friend who sold jewelry in the Jewelry District in LA. If you've never been there, you can find great deals at wholesale prices. There are so many shops/stalls it can get overwhelming, so it's best to have an idea of what you want, and who you want to deal with (refererals are good!)

After describing what I wanted, our jeweler pulled out three rings. One with diamonds but without the princess cut, a guard ring (not channel set), and an 18K, princess cut channel ring (exactly what I wanted). Of course, I fell in love with the latter. The price? $320. Not bad considering the retail price was $799. But...that was $20 over our total budget, and that didn't even include his ring yet! I decided to wait to see what the future hubs picked before I kissed our budget goodbye.

18K white gold princess diamond cut

The fiance decided he liked this titanium ring:

Simple 6mm band with two grooved stripes. We loved it! The price? Even better! $40!

Our jewelers gave both rings to us for $350. $50 over our original budget, but we figured it was still a pretty good deal, especially with my ring being 18K white gold with diamonds. The rings were a good fit and size for both of us, so we we were able to bring them home!

My new band with my e-ring

But get this, we showed his ring to some friends. They liked it, said it looked great and asked us how much it was. Guess, we told them.

$400? $500? They gasped when the heard the actual price. $40? Why do you want such a cheap ring? Titanium? Who's ever heard of a titanium ring?

Actually, titanium is a very popular metal for a wedding band. Many consider it more durable and lasting than gold as it doesn't scratch. Titanium doesn't rust, and while gold naturally loses its luster over the years, titanium stays consistent. Titanium is also lightweight and very comfortable to wear.

So what's the big deal? Let's examine some of the arguments against titanium, shall we?

1)Wearing titanium is dangerous. The band is so durable, that if you gain excessive weight, or were to have some kind of accident, hospital workers won't be able to cut through the metal. Not so. Hospitals are equipped with tools to cut through nearly every kind of metal, including titanium and tungsten for that matter.

2) You won't be able to resize it. True, titanium, as well as tungsten, can't be resized all. That's why you should make sure measurements are properly taken care of. Luckily, with our jeweler, if we need a new size, we are able to switch rings at no extra cost. But honestly, at $40, you can buy another titanium ring without much of a dent to your pocket.

3) Titanium is less shiny than precious metals. True, but that might be what makes it attractive, especially to guys. I know the future hubs didn't want anything too extravagant, and actually liked the luster of titanium. Although some jewelers say that over time, gold loses it luster and may look more "dull" than a titanium ring. Titanium will pretty much look the same forever.

4) Titanium is way too affordable. You don't want to wear a cheap ring. Since when did being affordable be such  a disadvantage? As I've said before, price isn't always in direct proportion to quality, and titanium rings are one such example. Some elitists won't wear titanium just because of the price, and well, to each his/her own.

So, titanium is a great quality, cost-effective option for couples on a budget. Maybe you don't have to tell people how much you paid for your titanium ring. When they ask, keep them guessing and enjoy listening to those three digit numbers they throw at you!

Our jewelers: 

Sue & Sam Jewelry Co.

 637-639 South Hill Street

Booth B-8 &C-8

Los Angeles, CA 90014

(213) 623-9083

Links on titanium:

http://www.ehow.com/about_5370345_pros-cons-titanium-rings.html

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Benefits-of-Titanium-Rings&id=69639

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/titanium-rings-pros-and-cons.html

Looking to purchase titanium wedding bands online? Try Titanium Knights on Etsy

DIY Flower Fascinator

From Miss Jellyfish at Wedding Bee

Ever wondered why that wedding day hair accessory is $50 or more? After seeing this tutorial, I'm still wondering! Courtesy of Miss Jellyfish at Wedding Bee, check out her DIY flower fascinator tutorial where you can make your own hair accessory for about $7. Yup!

Vendor Spotlight and GIVEAWAY: BellaLu and Me (CLOSED)

Brilla Bracelet
So you’ve found The Dress…now comes the truly fun part—making the dress your own! Accessorizing can make your gown really stand out. As I searched for inspiration for my wedding day ensemble, I found Etsy shop BellaLu and Me. Laura from BellaLu and Me makes beautiful, handmade, vintage-inspired and yet surprisingly affordable jewelry. From strands of pearls, earrings, bracelets and precious stone necklaces, there is plenty of jewelry in Laura’s shop to create the perfect wedding day look! I received a pair of Golden Drop earrings from Laura and I was surprised at how a small, delicate piece can be rather striking. Made of freshwater pearls, plated gold and Swarovski crystals, these earrings evoke a sense of refined elegance. Perfect for the classic style bride and her bridesmaids! The shop is celebrating its two-year anniversary (or as Laura coins it--Etsyversary!) and she's offering free shipping on all orders in the US and Canada!

Without further ado, introducing Laura from BellaLu and Me!

What sparked your interest in creating jewelry?
I took a class at a community college for fun and I loved it! I couldn’t believe how I was able to create jewelry myself. I was hooked right away.

Swarovski Flower with Clear Teardrop Pendant Earrings

How long have you been creating your jewelry?
I started creating jewelry for myself, family and friends for about 8 years now.

What materials are your work made of?
I use the best; Swarovski crystals, Swarovski pearls, semi-precious stones, sterling silver and gold-filled metals. Occasionally I use gold plated items when they are not made in gold-filled.

Is there a specific motto you go by when thinking up designs for your work?
There is not a specific motto, it depends on my mood. Sometimes I feel a little feisty and make something big, bold and eye catching. But I do love classic, timeless looks which can be worn not just on your wedding day but to the many cocktail parties I envision women going to.

Which pieces of your work would you say would be perfect for weddings? Why?
Any piece that the bride is comfortable wearing would be perfect. The great plus about ordering from a person who makes jewelry is that it can customized. Looking for something larger, smaller, more sparkle: it can be done!

Amethyst Crystal and Freshwater Pearl Pendant Necklace

Tell us one interesting tidbit about your jewelry.
I often times keep the jewelry that I made and photographed (I then custom make the subsequent order). I can’t help it; I love every piece that I make!

Which piece from your collection is your favorite?
I love anything with the large rhinestones…the Brilla and Cute as a Button necklace.

What the best advice you can give to brides as they accessorize for their wedding day?
Wear something that you are comfortable with, but don’t be afraid to go a little bold! You should feel and look like a princess.

Links where we can find out more of your work:
http://www.bellaluandme.etsy.com/

THE GIVEAWAY:
Laura has been so generous in giving one of my lucky readers a pair of Golden Drop Earrings, made of freshwater pearls and Swarovski crystals.

THE RULES:

1) Go to BellaLu and Me on Etsy and comment on your favorite item for one entry! This is mandatory! Contestants who do not do this will be disqualified. Remember to leave your email address or some way to contact you with each entry!

You can add more comments to increase your chance to win if you do the following (please leave a separate comment for each additional entry):
2) Become a new follower of this blog (1 entry)
3) Are currently a follower of my blog (2 entries or 2 separate comments!)
4) Become a facebook fan of “I Do” Budget Weddings (2 entries or 2 separate comments)
5) Blog about the contest and include a link to the giveaway. You must also include a link to BellaLu and Me Etsy shop in your post (3 entries or 3 separate comments)
6) Buy anything from BellaLu and Me(5 entries or 5 separate comments)
7) Heart BellaLu and Me shop on Etsy. (1 entry)
8) Follow “I Do” Budget Weddings on Twitter (1 entry)
9) Tweet on this giveaway and include a link to this giveaway in your tweet. (1 entry)
10) Subscribe to my blog emails (1 entry)
11) Grab my blog button located on the right sidebar and put it on your blog (2 entries)

The deadline to enter this contest is 11:59 p.m., Friday, April 2, 2010 (PST). A winner will be randomly chosen and announced the following day. Good luck! (This giveaway is now closed)

Wedding gowns for under $250

Sure, I went over my intended $250 dress budget with my own wedding gown, but not by much --$50 to be exact. Not too shabby for the Alfred Angelo gown I love! But after having gone through what was for me a very frustrating wedding gown shopping experience, I still have faith that one can find a gorgeous gown to spark dress envy everywhere for a fraction of the expected price! There are online retailers that can offer great deals (RKbridal.com, Netbride.com, and Pearlsplace.com just to name a few), but you will have to call or email to find out the best price on your chosen dress (worth the research. I saved 50% on my gown!).

But here some of my favorite Internet finds for under $250:

1) I heart Little White Dress. No really, I do! This little shop is one of my favorites on Etsy and you only need to look at one handmade gown to see why. I fell in love with the shop after stumbling onto this blog full of modern vintage chic (serious swooning going on here!).  You can order this gorgeous Audrey-inspired gown for your own casual wedding or reception dress, or maybe just to add to your stylish wardrobe! And this tea length dress is just $125!

If you want more vintage chic, how about this Grace Kelly look?

This satin dress is only $120!

2) Unique Vintage is full of non-traditional, modern vintage goodness! Some of my faves:

Left to right: $130, $238, $170

3) Etsy's the word!
Found Ellana Couture on Etsy and many gorgeous, affordable possibilities! Here's my favorite deal:

This A-line, retro chic gown has a chapel train and a built in French bustle (all for $240!)

4) Eden Bridals
This was a gown I was debating over before I finally chose the one I'll wear come wedding day. But I thought I'd still share--modest, simple and lovely. Satin slim A-line with beaded cap sleeves and chapel train.

$209 at Netbride. Yup.

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Surprise! She's pregnant!

A couple weeks ago, I found out some exciting news. One of my bridesmaids is expecting her first child! I'm really excited for her and her husband. What's funny is that when I share the news to other people, and they realize a very pregnant woman will be in my court, they give me this sorry look.

What are you going to do? Are you ok with it?

Of course I'm OK with it! It's not like she's fallen ill with some disease! She's having a baby and that should be even more cause for celebration! But I understand that some brides might be disappointed, in a sort of self-centered bridezilla type of way. Like, omigod, all eyes are going to be on her and not me! Or some brides may fear a pregnant woman won't fit in the chosen bridesmaid attire. I've heard a bride oust a pregnant bridesmaid because she'll be "too fat!" Of course, I don't really see it that way, (especially the whole "fat" issue) but most people assume that a pregnant bridesmaid is a serious obstacle. Even my bridesmaid was hesitant to tell me in fear that I would get upset! I'm not, but I do realize that there might be a couple of issues to deal with.

First, does this change how the expectant bridesmaid feels about being in the bridal party? Some women might feel a bit self-consious about their changing bodies and may not want to draw attention to themselves (even it just means a short walk down the aisle). I have to admit, it would disappoint me if that's the reason someone I really wanted to be in my court wanted to drop out, but I also I realize I can't change how women may feel about their bodies. While I can reassure them that I don't care and they'll look beautiful regardless, it's really up to them.

Second, if you've chosen a form-fitting, sleek gown for all of your bridesmaids, and you're really adamant that all your bridesmaids wear this style, this might be a problem for your expectant bridesmaid. Perhaps she won't feel comfortable in the selected style. Luckily, I told my bridesmaids that they can pick any dress they wanted, just as long as it was plum purple, tea length and satin. Each dress will reflect each bridesmaid's style and body-type, including one with a bun in oven ;)

But we are hitting a bit of snag here because we're not sure what size to look for. Many of the maternity sizes are based off of present measurements, and we don't know how what size she'll be by the time of the wedding. Since we have to order in advance, it seems we'll have to guestimate. I've also read that once a woman is past four months along, a maternity gown is best rather than a larger-sized bridesmaid gown. But many of the maternity gowns look...oh, how shall we say it? Rather muumuu-ish? Just because a woman is pregnant doesn't mean she loses her sense of style!

 So far, my search for a stylish, tea-length maternity bridesmaid gown has turned a few possible styles:

Alfred Sung

Bill Levkoff

Alfred Angelo

Very nice! Anyone know of any lines that carry stylish, but affordable maternity bridesmaid gowns? Anyone have tips on gown sizing for expectant bridesmaids? Let me know!

Your very own

I overheard a conversation a bride-to-be (BTB) was having with her friend and it went something like this:

Friend: Have you bought your dress yet?

BTB: (sighs) No, everything I want is out of my budget.

Friend: Well what do you want?

BTB: I totally would love a Monqiue Lhuilier or even a Casablanca or Maggie Sottero, but the ones I love are more than what I can afford.

Friend: Have you looked at David's Bridal or Alfred Angelo?

BTB: (smirks) Ewww! I wouldn't be caught dead in a mass-produced gown! Can you imagine that? Thousands of other brides wearing my gown???? I want my own dress!

Ouuuuch! David's Bridal and Alfred Angelo don't get much love do they? I know they get a bad rap for being "generic," but c'mon, unless your gown was designed and custom-made just for you, your gown is most likely "generic," i.e. made for anyone willing to buy it.

Sure, DB and AA might not have the greatest reputation as far as customer service and hidden fees, but don't hate just because they ain't Lhuilier! News flash, just because you buy a designer gown doesn't mean hundreds of other brides haven't worn that gown, too. I have probably seen the same Lhuilier or Casablanca gown at least several times on different brides on different wedding blogs. Sure, quality might be the difference, although some critics say some lesser known or non-wedding brands rival some of the big designer guns. Denise and Alan Fields of Bridal Bargains (a book I highly suggest before you start wedding planning) give J. Crew a raving "A" in quality and service while the revered Vera Wang scores a "C." tsk, tsk! And if you think your designer gown was lovingly handmade by a skilled seamstress, think again. According to the Fields, many of these gowns are made by machine in factories overseas. How's that for a $1000+ gown?

Look, I'm not a label snob. Sure, like any style conscious girl, I love the designer looks. If you look great in it and it fits your budget, go for it! But don't limit your search because of the stigma of labels. Buy it because you look and feel great in it, and you can afford it!

So how do make your mass-produced or designer gown your very own? Accessorize, darling! I've seen a simple, strapless $99 David's Bridal gown look fab with a floral sash. I've seen a gown completely transformed with lovely lace bolero, or even with just a set of bold jewelry and hair accessories. David's Bridal even has detachable sleeves you can add to your strapless gown! The options are limitless!

Bolero: Style Me Pretty, Brooches: Perfect Bound, Flower sashes: Source, Flower Hair Accessory by Myra Kim: Style Me Pretty, Detachable Cap Sleeves: David's Bridal, Sash: Style Me Pretty, Lella Foster jewelry: Style Me Pretty

So, how are you making your wedding dress your very own? What accessories are you adding?