Last night, I was at Bride #6's apartment super late helping her and her fiance fold and prepare their programs. The wedding is this Saturday! Our backs hurt from hunching over the table (we're getting old), our fingers were numb from hole punching, folding and using a bone folder to make a sharp crease...however we got it all done! It wasn't the most luxurious of bridesmaid duties, but it needed to get done. Bride #6 has been a little stressed before she leaves for her wedding weekend, so I wanted to do what I could to help her out.
This morning I got the nicest, sweetest most sincere e-mail from Groom #6 thanking me for helping them out last night. I hope he doesn't mind that I quote him here. He wrote "It is really easy to help someone when they want to go shopping but it isn't always easy to help someone when they need to do something as tedious, time-consuming, and torturous as program building." While I wouldn't say it was torture last night, because I did get to spend some quality time with the happy couple, I am sharing this story to remind all of you that you should always offer your help to the bride. It's true- we all volunteer to look at wedding gowns or go shoe shopping, but it's rare that we want to give up a beautiful sunny day to do something laborious. Just keep this in mind the next time your bride is stressing out about everything she needs to do. Trust me, she'll be so thankful!
Happy Bridesmaiding!
Monday, June 29, 2009
Monday, June 15, 2009
Towel Wedding Cakes
When the other bridesmaids and I were coming up with gift ideas for Bride #1, we wanted to get her the towels off her registry and roll them up and decorate them like a wedding cake. Unfortunately, her future (but now) mother-in-law beat us to the punch and bought the towels. She had them professionally made into a cake format, and it was amazing.
It really inspired me to be able to do it in the future. Bride #3 loves her monogram, and I knew she would love it. So the other bridesmaids and I chipped in for all the towels on her registry, had them monogrammed and I made them into a wedding cake. It took hours but it came out looking amazing. I got rave reviews at the shower, and no one could believe I made it myself. It took a while for Bride #3 to disassemble the cake and actually use the towels because she didn't want to take it apart, but hey- you can't dry yourself off after the shower with a tier of a cake! So it had to be done...
Bride #7 was my roommate at the time I made my first towel cake, and saw me slaving over it for hours. As soon as she got engaged, she put in her "request" for one at her shower. We just had the shower this past weekend, and Bride #7 loved her cake just as much as Bride #3. Once again, only positive remarks and some people were in total awe.
I have to admit that I'm quite proud of the results and wanted to share them with all of you. I love giving this gift because it's something practical the couple needs, but is presented in a beautiful and special way. If you are interested in having SuperBridesmaid make a wedding towel cake for your next shower, please email me directly at superbridesmaid@gmail.com for pricing.
Happy Bridesmaiding and enjoy the towel cake photos!
It really inspired me to be able to do it in the future. Bride #3 loves her monogram, and I knew she would love it. So the other bridesmaids and I chipped in for all the towels on her registry, had them monogrammed and I made them into a wedding cake. It took hours but it came out looking amazing. I got rave reviews at the shower, and no one could believe I made it myself. It took a while for Bride #3 to disassemble the cake and actually use the towels because she didn't want to take it apart, but hey- you can't dry yourself off after the shower with a tier of a cake! So it had to be done...
Bride #7 was my roommate at the time I made my first towel cake, and saw me slaving over it for hours. As soon as she got engaged, she put in her "request" for one at her shower. We just had the shower this past weekend, and Bride #7 loved her cake just as much as Bride #3. Once again, only positive remarks and some people were in total awe.
I have to admit that I'm quite proud of the results and wanted to share them with all of you. I love giving this gift because it's something practical the couple needs, but is presented in a beautiful and special way. If you are interested in having SuperBridesmaid make a wedding towel cake for your next shower, please email me directly at superbridesmaid@gmail.com for pricing.
Happy Bridesmaiding and enjoy the towel cake photos!
Bride #3's Towel Wedding Cake
Bride #7's Towel Wedding Cake
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Bachelorette Party Tips
One of my friends and co-bridesmaids in two weddings writes a weekly blog for We TV about planning her own wedding. This week she talks about Bride #6's Bachelorette Party in Newport (mentioned below) and gives some great Bachelorette Party tips!
You should definitely check it out!
Happy Bridesmaiding!
You should definitely check it out!
Happy Bridesmaiding!
"OMG You Just Got Engaged!!!!" Gifts
In addition to an engagement gift (typically something off the registry purchased a few weeks after the actual engagement), I like to buy my brides an "OMG! You just got engaged!! (insert girlie squeal)" Gift. This is a little something special for just the bride (not the couple) to get her excited about her year ahead. I will try to have the gift ready in my apartment if I know the engagement is coming soon, but sometimes if you are caught off guard, you need to just haul a** to the nearest store and pick one up! Some of my favorite gifts to give include:
- Bedazzled "Bride" tank top
- A ring dish (I made a personalized one at one of those paint your own pottery places)
- White "bride" or "I Do" underwear/thong
- Bridal magazines
- Ring/jewelry cleaner so she can keep that rock sparkling!
- A gift certificate for a manicure or better yet- take her to get one so you can spend some QT together
- Wedding planning book (I usually go with this Martha Stewart book, because I personalize the cover with the bride and groom's names. I also like that it's a binder, so you can put things in or take them out)
If you are good friends with the groom, he shouldn't feel left out! There are some gifts you can get him too! Some examples are:
- A groom's guide to the wedding book
- A gag t-shirt
- Groom baseball hat
Let me know if you have any other great ideas to share.
Happy Bridesmaiding!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Not going to the Bachelorette Party? No problem!
We all have busy years when we get in to Wedding Season, and sometimes we can't always go to the bachelorette party. Or, especially in this environment, some people may not be able to afford to go. Just because you can't be there, it doesn't mean you can't let the bride know that you are thinking about her. I always recommend you send a little gift to the bride to show her you are sorry you can't be there but she's special to you. Some ideas are as simple as sending a bottle of wine, champagne or dessert to the table if they go out to dinner. Other elaborate ideas include sending gift baskets to a hotel room, a gift if there's a lingerie shower, or any other special treat that you know the bride loves (i.e. if Magnolia cupcakes make her salivate, send a few her way!). Your bride will understand if you can't make it, but but getting a little gift from you will definitely make her smile. Buying a round of shots at the bar won't replace you, but it sure will help her enjoy her night!
Happy Bridesmaiding!
Happy Bridesmaiding!
Bachelorette Party in Newport
I just got back from an AMAZING weekend in Newport for Bride #6's bachelorette party. There were thirteen of us (including) the bride, and it went so smoothly! Bride #6 is probably the biggest partier of all of my brides, and we always thought we would definitely be going to Vegas for her. (Or New Orleans, because this bride would definitely get lots of beads, if you know what I mean). However- this isn't the economic environment where we can all drop a grand on a bachelorette party, when many of us are getting laid off, or taking pay cuts. So, we promised Bride #6 that we would go out of town, and we did. We did it in a really fun yet economical way.
Instead of doing the usual NYC summer escape like Fire Island, the Hamptons, or Jersey Shore- we went up to Newport, RI. Newport was just a 3 1/2 hour drive away, and a really cute little town. We found a gorgeous house to rent, that fit all 13 of us (very) comfortably. The house had everything we needed, including a fantastic outdoor pool and hot tub. We were only a few blocks from town, so were able to walk to our delicious and reasonable seafood dinner. There was a club in the basement of the restaurant, so we knew exactly where to go after eating, and the restaurant even reserved a table for us. The restaurant had been recommended, and we chose the club not only because of its proximity to dinner, but because it was called The Boom Boom Room, and how do you not go to a club with that name for a party animal bride? We had so much fun there, that we stayed until the bar closed (which isn't too hard in Newport, since the bars all close at 1 AM!)
The rest of the weekend was spent hanging out at the house. We brought in bagels Saturday morning, and hung out by the pool eating chips and dip and drinking bloody marys and margaritas all day. The MOH and I collected money from everyone in advance and stocked the house with all of the food and necessities for the weekend. We bar-b-qued hot dogs and hamburgers for dinner and hung out in the house all night. We took advantage of the different rooms and had different activities and games all night long celebrating the bride.
I was nervous that we weren't going out enough for the bride, but she was so appreciative of 12 of her friends all coming out for her and celebrating her all weekend. She was so excited to just spend such quality time with her closest friends- and it was so nice to hear that. You could really tell she was so warmed and ecstatic all weekend, it makes all of your planning and hard work feel rewarded. She told us it was the best weekend of her life, but we told her, we're glad to hear that now, but hope the wedding is even better!
Happy Bridesmaiding!
Instead of doing the usual NYC summer escape like Fire Island, the Hamptons, or Jersey Shore- we went up to Newport, RI. Newport was just a 3 1/2 hour drive away, and a really cute little town. We found a gorgeous house to rent, that fit all 13 of us (very) comfortably. The house had everything we needed, including a fantastic outdoor pool and hot tub. We were only a few blocks from town, so were able to walk to our delicious and reasonable seafood dinner. There was a club in the basement of the restaurant, so we knew exactly where to go after eating, and the restaurant even reserved a table for us. The restaurant had been recommended, and we chose the club not only because of its proximity to dinner, but because it was called The Boom Boom Room, and how do you not go to a club with that name for a party animal bride? We had so much fun there, that we stayed until the bar closed (which isn't too hard in Newport, since the bars all close at 1 AM!)
The rest of the weekend was spent hanging out at the house. We brought in bagels Saturday morning, and hung out by the pool eating chips and dip and drinking bloody marys and margaritas all day. The MOH and I collected money from everyone in advance and stocked the house with all of the food and necessities for the weekend. We bar-b-qued hot dogs and hamburgers for dinner and hung out in the house all night. We took advantage of the different rooms and had different activities and games all night long celebrating the bride.
I was nervous that we weren't going out enough for the bride, but she was so appreciative of 12 of her friends all coming out for her and celebrating her all weekend. She was so excited to just spend such quality time with her closest friends- and it was so nice to hear that. You could really tell she was so warmed and ecstatic all weekend, it makes all of your planning and hard work feel rewarded. She told us it was the best weekend of her life, but we told her, we're glad to hear that now, but hope the wedding is even better!
Happy Bridesmaiding!
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