How I Tied the Knot: Sexy Little Bride

I have to confess, I didn’t really have it all together in the days leading up to our wedding. There was a seating chart to assemble, vendor e-mails to return, and programs to be put together. The day before our wedding we packed the car of all the goodies that needed to be taken down to the hotel for the reception and ceremony. I had packed my overnight bag the week before with my bridal jewelry, clothes for the day after the wedding, etc. But I realized I had forgotten something. I had nothing to wear the morning of our wedding. You know, for the three + hours I would be getting ready in the bridal suite.

I always wanted a Victoria’s Secret “Sexy Little Bride” hoodie {which, by the way, VS stopped making recently!?!}, but always thought that it was a liiiitttle too expensivo for this little bride. As our wedding planning progressed, I kind of forgot about searching for what I would wear the morning of…..until the day before our wedding.

Once I realized I had nothing to wear, Debbie {being the wonderful Maid of Honor that she was} literally RAN to VS and surprised me later that day with the cutest Sexy Little Bride tank top that I could have ever asked for. What was even better is that I could war it with my favorite pair of VS Pink sweatpants.

{please excuse the black & white image...its the only one that I have!}

Lesson learned #30: Do take some time to think about what you will wear the morning of your wedding while you are getting ready. Make sure that you are comfortable! Sweatpants/comfy capris are highly recommended.

Lesson learned #31: A Maid of Honor is good for more than just holding your bouquet while you say your vows. She can also serve as an errand runner that prevents a minor panic attack.

previously in the series, "how i tied the knot": getting ready, our first look, bouquets and boutonnieres, socks and shoes, bubbles and getting away, the cake, thank you cards, blurb guest book, outside the mansion, the dress, the invitations, cocktail napkins, the centerpiece vases, the programs all pictures by: nicole green. please link back to tying the knot when posting any of these pictures.

How I Tied the Knot: Getting Ready

Previously in the post, tying the knot: getting ready, I shared some of my favorite pictures of when I was getting ready for our big day. Now, it's time to let you all in on how I did it and the lessons that I learned from that aspect of our wedding day. And, of course, some pretty pictures to display along the way!

Lessons learned #1. The hotel gave us the VP Suite for free for our wedding night. We booked it for the night before as well so that we would have it at 7am for the BM's and I to get ready in. Since we had 30 rooms booked at the hotel for the night of our wedding, we had the hotel bump us up to the Presidential Suite (with a living room, dining room, master suite, and full kitchen) for both nights, for free. It rocked.

Lessons learned #2. Do not, in the midst of all of the craziness of your wedding planning, forget to figure out what you are going to wear on the morning of your wedding! The night before the wedding I mentioned to my MOH that I had nothing "cute" that I could wear while I was getting my hair and make-up done. She rushed out to VS and bought me this cute little Sexy Little Bride tank top that went perfectly with my favorite pink sweatpants.

Lessons learned #3. Our schedule that morning didn't really allow for all the guys to get ready together. Chris actually ended up getting ready pretty much by himself and then going to hang out with some of his groomsmen. I regret not sending Nicole's assistant, Dan, over to snap a couple keepsake photos of Chris "getting ready" and putting on his cuff links or tying his tie. Don't forget to have your photographer grab some photos of your husband-to-be while he is getting ready.

Lessons learned #4. Your BM's are perfectly capable of doing their own hair. Don't force them all to pay $$$$ to get their hair done if there is no need for it. Candice and AJ (pictured below) along with Jenn and Kristen all did their own hair....and the results were gorgeous.I paid a little extra to have my hair stylist come to my bridal suite to do my hair (and my Mom's and 2 of the BM's), so all of my bridesmaids were able to get ready with me in the suite. I had the hair and make-up ladies come at 7:45. I was done with both by 10, got into my dress, and saw Chris at 10:45, right on schedule.

Lessons learned #5. Know where the top loop (that the clasp goes into) on your dress is. Not kidding. My alterations lady never mentioned to us that the top loop was made of STRING. We spent 5 minutes attempting to find the loop and ended up using a safety pin to hold it in place until after the first look when Candice came in and saved the day by finding the loop of string.

Lessons learned #6. Mimosa's are god's gift to brides. Indulge.

Lessons learned #7. My trial run and up-do on the day of cost me a total of $100. Make-up was something like $40. Don't let make-up and hair vendors charge you an arm and a leg just because you are "the bride". When it comes down to it, an up-do is an up-do. Search around town a little bit and you'll find vendors at a reasonable price that will make you as happy with your hair and make-up on your wedding day as I was:

Next in this series, "How I Tied the Knot: Our First Look"

all pictures by: nicole green. please link back to tying the knot when posting any of these pictures.

Tying the Knot: Getting Ready

I opened my eyes the morning of our wedding and thought to myself, “it’s here, it’s really here.” I took the fastest shower of my life since I knew that the hair & make-up people along with my bridesmaids would be arriving in my Presidential Suite any minute. I got into to the clothes I would be getting ready in and made a beeline to the refrigerator. Out came the champagne and OJ. A necessity, of you ask me. In trickled my vendors followed by excited bridesmaids with exclamations of, “can you believe your big day is finally here!?” and “we are so excited!!”

Before I knew it, I was getting my hair and make-up done. I showed my hair stylist these pictures at our trial as well as the day of and I was in love with the results {which you'll be able to see more of in the following posts}.

As for my make-up, I knew that I still wanted to look like myself on my wedding day so we just played up my eyes a little more than I usually do and I was good to go.

Then it was time for my Mommy to help me get into my dress.
The dress fit, with room to spare, and that made for a very happy bride.

It was time to put on my Givenchy earrings, garter , perfect plum peep toe shoes, and say a quick good-bye to my beautiful bridesmaids and Mommy before seeing Christopher for the first time.
Previously: we did it, a preview, our honeymoon, our candy bar, lifesaver

all pictures by: nicole green . please link back to tying the knot when posting any of these pictures.