Each pair of Ann Roth Shoes evokes nostalgic elegance, charm and a timeless fashion sensibility inspired by the romance of a bygone era.

Ann Roth Shoes Studio & Showroom
at The Paisley Umbrella
2971 N. Fulton Drive
Atlanta, GA 30305
by appointment only
Call 404-987-0587
Or email info@annrothshoes.com

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Here are some of our FAVES. Perfect to wear to any pre-wedding event or even your wedding day:

Impressions Bridal Salon Houston

Shopping for “the dress” is an exciting and emotional experience. Most brides begin this journey with the perfect wedding dress in mind and walk down the aisle in a completely different dress. Why? Mostly because the dress the bride envisioned did not deliver that “WOW” moment when they put it on at the bridal salon. It’s okay, “the dress” is out there and here a few suggestions to help you narrow down the search:

• Begin shopping for your dress online and/or via the bridal magazines of choice.
• Flag the page of the dresses you like with a post-it note and take a step further by indicating what you liked about the dress (i.e. color, length, cut, etc.).
• Determine a budget for your dress. Don’t forget to incorporate the costs for alterations, your headpiece, veil, shoes and undergarments. Typically 8-10% of your overall budget.
• Approximately 6-8  months prior to your wedding, schedule a day of dress shopping with a small entourage made up of your mom,  maid of honor, sisters and/or best friend(s).
• Educate yourself on the terminology so you can describe what you like to the stylist at the bridal salon. Better yet, bring the pictures you flagged in your favorite bridal magazine.
• Last but not least, shop with an open mind. The dress that is not that attractive on the hanger could be “the dress”. You will never know unless you try it on.

Happy Shopping!

Planning a wedding can be an exciting and overwhelming experience. To help prevent some of that wedding planning anxiety, sit down with your fiancée and simply prioritize your wedding day desires. Meaning,write down the Top 5 items that are most important to you regarding your wedding. The most common responses are (not in any particular order):

• Want the guests to have a great time: Many clients and/or potential clients want to show their guests a great time. Some wedding couples have guests that travel from all over the country or the world to come share in the celebration, so making it fun and exciting is definitely a priority. Selecting the right entertainment plays a big part in making this happen. Making sure you select the right DJ/Band, or even jazzing it up with a different element of entertainment, can make your wedding truly AMAZING!
• Photography/Videography: A picture is worth 1,000 words, so cutting corners on securing a reputable photographer/videographer is not an option. There are countless photographers and videographers that specialize in weddings, so do your homework – get referrals from friend’s, check references and see who some of your other vendors may recommend.
• Cuisine: When thinking about your menu, you must also consider your venue. Most venues will either have their own on-site catering or only allow pre-determined catering companies on-site to cater your wedding. It’s unfortunate, but most catering companies/venues will not schedule a tasting prior to you booking them. For the ones that do, be prepared to pay for the tasting. It’s only fair as they do not have a guarantee that you will secure them for your wedding. The cost would typically less than or equal to the cost of the menu price you would be paying per guest. Again, I stress that you should do your homework – check references and get referrals.
• Décor: Décor has become a HUGE priority with brides and, in some cases, the grooms too. Wedding couples want to create that “WOW-factor” and take their guests’ breathe away. This does not necessarily mean over-the-top or extrememly expensive, couples have found ways to create this sensation with creativity, understated elegance and an open mind. Lighting, floral, linens and the “details” have an important role when creating an environment that make your guests gasp (in a good way).
• Season / Date: Wedding couples may be partial to a certain time of year or a date may have significant meaning. A couple may have met at a festival; a few years later got engaged at the same festival; then decide to have their wedding during that festival weekend. Others choose their dates based on the bye week of the favorite sports team. Whatever the reason, discuss the significance and make sure it works for you.

Prioritizing your wedding wishes will help you determine where to allocate your budget dollars wisely. Having an idea of the elements you want to incorporate in your wedding and that are important to you will help give you a great starting point when embarking on your wedding planning journey.

Happy Planning!

One question I get asked almost every time I am working on invitations from brides is whose name they should list? Listing names on wedding invitations today is very different from 20 years ago.  Just because you’re paying does not mean you have to leave off your parents.   Your parents can always be “hosting” the wedding, which is completely different from paying for it.  It also can be a place for you to honor your parents, by listing their names even if they aren’t paying for the wedding.  I know there are also situations where parents are divorced, deceased, or estranged from their kids.  You can always do the invite in the form where you are inviting the guests.  I always tell my bride and groom that it’s your big day and make sure you include what you’d like on your invitation.  Below are some examples of wedding invites:

Bride and Groom Inviting

Bride’s Name
and
Groom’s Name
joyfully invite you to share
in their happiness
as they unite in marriage
on Saturday, the Seventeenth of May
two thousand ten
at six thirty  in the evening
Houston Museum of Natural Science
One Herman circle
Houston, TX 77006

Bride and Groom inviting with their parents

Together with their parents
Bride’s Name
and
Groom’s Name
request the honor of your presence
at their marriage
on Saturday, the seventeenth of June
two thousand ten
at six thirty in the evening
Houston Museum of Natural Science
One Herman circle
Houston, TX 77006

Both Parents name on the initiations

Bride’s Parents
and Groom’s Parents
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their children
Bride’s Name
and
Groom’s Name
Saturday, the Seventeenth of May
two thousand ten
at six thirty in the evening
Houston Museum of Natural Science
One Herman circle
Houston, TX 77006

Bride’s Parents inviting guest to the wedding

Bride’s Parents
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Brides’ Name
to
Groom’s Name
Saturday, the Seventeenth of April
two thousand ten
at six thirty in the evening
Houston Museum of Natural Science
One Herman circle
Houston, TX 77006

Today we are taking questions from all brides (or anyone involved in the wedding planning process) who want tips on how to plan their wedding. Questions can range from “Do I have to give favors?” to “What questions do I ask my caterer?”

I hope to hear from all of you soon! Tata till then!

Selecting your bridesmaids and groomsmen should be taken seriously.  Members of your wedding party should be dependable because there are several things that will be asked of them during the wedding planning process (i.e. attend pre-ceremony events, not to mention the wedding, and purchase/rent their attire for the wedding). However, most importantly they will stand beside you on your wedding day.  The following are a couple of items to keep in mind when selecting your wedding party:

• Make sure you include those that are very close to you and not go with a wedding party member out of obligation. Weddings are truly an emotional experience and you should be surrounded by those that know you best.
• When picking your maid of honor and best man take this task very seriously because these are the people who will be assisting you through your whole wedding planning.  You want to make sure you pick someone who is not selfish and not afraid to pick up a little extra responsibility.
• Last, but not least select people, who you can laugh with, have fun and enjoy your wedding.

Photo Courtesy of Fraser River Lodge

Today we would like to give you a real example of What A Wedding Planner Would Do.

A couple of weeks ago Team SJE arrived at the church ready to get started on another swoon worthy wedding.  The church was dark and we could hear an alarm going off somewhere in the distance.  We started flipping light switches and nothing.  There was no light.

So we sat down waiting for the florist and photographer to arrive.  As we waited, it started raining in small bursts.  Finally the officiant walked in and said he came to check on the church because he lived nearby.  He didn’t have electricity at his house and let us know that the power had been off in the area for several hours!!!

Yes, you guessed it!  We started scrambling to find candles from all over the church.  The officiant grabbed a flashlight and scurried off to get votives to light the altar.  The ceremony wasn’t scheduled to start for a few hours so we were praying that the electricity would be restored.

Luckily the bride’s changing room had a small window so she was able to get ready in the dim light of the day.  We waited and waited.  In the meantime we designed a beautiful candle altar arrangement.

Finally, the ceremony was about to start in thirty minutes and guests were now arriving to a dark church.  We explained the situation and everyone understood.

Fifteen minutes before the ceremony was about to start, the power magically came back on.  We had light!  Our beautiful bride was able to walk down the aisle and see her groom clearly.  Even if the electricity had not come back on, it would have been a beautiful candlelit ceremony.

Bar. Having an open bar verses a limited bar can mean the savings of thousands of dollars. I know most guests come to weddings wanting that drink, but there can be a money saving compromise where you can just offer beer, wine and champagne. Guest still can celebrate the night away with you, but just not at the expense of your wallet.

Flowers. I am not telling you to skip on the flowers, but instead of having every table with extravagant centerpieces just pick a couple tables to have those and then the rest have a smaller piece. You can even have three tiers of floral arrangements, a large medium and small. You could easily save hundreds of dollars, by just cutting back on large floral arrangements.

Cake. A wedding cake can easily cost you a $1000, however there is a way to slice your costs. Work with a bakery to design a faux wedding cake and then have a sheet cake in the back. Even with a faux cake, have a least one tier of the real thing so you can officially “cut the cake”.

What things have you done at your wedding to cut cost and not style?

Photo Courtesy of Wedding Guide Asia

As a wedding planner a question I often get asked is, “Where can I save money on my budget?”  Brides always like to know what vendor or part of their wedding they can save a little extra cash on.  Instead of telling you where to skimp, I’m going to tell you where not to skimp.  The reason I focused on these three is because they seem like smart moves, but they can often be the worst places to cut back. 

1.  Photographer.  I know when sitting down to plan your wedding budget it might seem outrageous to spend $2000 plus dollars on photos, but keep in mind these photographs stay with you for the rest of your life.  These pictures will be what your kids and their kids look at.  The savings in the short term often do not compare to the lasting memory these photos will hold. 

2.  DJ. Having the right wedding DJ or band plays a big part in your reception.  Many times your DJ can make or break the tone of the reception.  I always recommend spending the money and investing in a DJ verses a family friend or I-pod.  I can almost always guarantee that you won’t regret the DJ at the end of the night when everyone is out dancing and having a blast!  

3.  Dress.  Your dress is one of the most important investments for your wedding.  I am not telling you to go spend $5000, but what I am saying is the dress will be in every photo of yours as well as your family and friends.  You want to make sure you love it and you feel great in it.

Next Wednesday we will be featuring top 3 ways you can save some money.

Photo Courtesy of Wedding Guide Asia

Photos Courtesy of Style me Pretty and Noaki Jewelry

To view more of Noaki’s work, please visit http://www.noakijewelry.com/. After looking at all of these beautiful pictures, we at Simply Jubilee would love to know what your favorite wedding accessory is?