Brides Features #realchicbride Brittani's Mexican Wedding
Beautiful #realchicbride Brittani and her Mexican wedding were featured on Brides! Wait until you see the rest of her pictures at her beach wedding absolutely glowing in her Berta wedding dress.
Check out the feature here.
#realchicbride Dana's Bahamian Wedding Wearing Muse by Berta
Tell us your love story! How did you meet and how did you get to a proposal?
Justin and I actually went to high school together but we never spoke in school! I remember having one class with him freshman year and he remembers me as the girl who wore Sperry shoes to school. Fast forward to four years after high school graduation and I was attending a concert with a girlfriend and she asked if she could bring along a guy friend who wanted to bring Justin with him as well. I work in the concert business so the show we were attending was a show I had pit passes for so I tried to show off and brought him into the pit and I guess it worked! The rest is history and he proposed on November 19th, 2017.
When you started planning your wedding what did you envision? How close did the actual wedding get to that vision?
When I first started thinking about the wedding, I was at a loss for what I wanted visually. I originally thought to get married in Palm Beach where we live and have our reception at the same place my parents got married at but something about that vision overall just didn't seem right. One night when I was having trouble sleeping, it just sort of dawned on me it would just feel right to have a wedding in the Bahamas (Justin and I travel there frequently). And from then on my vision was a true authentic Bahamian wedding without an overkill on decor because the location itself is the best decor you could ask for. I think I got pretty close!
What were a few things that were important to you as a couple to include (or not include) in the wedding?
We got married on a very small island in the Abaco's and something that was really important to us was using as many local services as we could to give support to the local community there. All of our flowers came from the Bahamas, the band was a local band from an island nearby, our Priest was from the Bahamas etc. We wanted everyone to really utilize their time in the Bahamas since it takes a bit of travel time to get there. So my main priority was making sure there was something planned out every day so everyone could get the full Bahamas experience. It was a lot to plan a full 4 days for everyone but it was worth it! We did a BBQ with the locals on Thursday night, went to see the swimming pigs on Friday, a big welcome party Friday night, the wedding Saturday, and then we took whoever was still there to Nippers which is a bar on an island nearby on Sunday! We liked to call it adult spring break!
“ The Bahamas is the first place Justin told me he loved me!”
How did you decide on the location? The Bahamas is the first place Justin told me he loved me! We both have grown up going over there with our families. We also have been to Green Turtle Cay (the island we were married on) multiple times and it really holds a special place in our hearts.
Let's talk dress! Give us all the deets!
I will be honest, dress shopping was not my favorite thing during the wedding planning process. Mainly because I've always been one of those girls who prefers to shop alone and I hate trying things on in front of other people. I started shopping in May 2018 and went to multiple stores all over the state of Florida, I even traveled to Kleinfeld in New York! However, none of the dresses I tried on really felt like they were "the one."
In August 2018 I went to another boutique in Miami and found a dress I really loved and was ready to say yes but there was some part of me that still hesitated. So one day my mom and I decided to go back down to Miami and I told her to stop at Chic Parisien because I've heard great things about it and if we don't find a dress there, we can go back to the other store and get the dress I loved. So low and behold, we go to Chic and I tried on a few dresses and I loved every single one, but then the last dress I tried on, a Muse by Berta, was literally a combination of every single dress I had tried on in my 3 month search for a dress and I knew it was the one!
How did your family, friends, etc play into your wedding planning and wedding day?
My mom was my wedding savior! She traveled to the Bahamas with me about 5 times over the year and a half planning process to narrow down every detail. My sisters were my maids of honor and made sure my day went exactly as I wanted! My friends were also the best support system I could ask for throughout everything. And of course, the whole wedding could not be possible without my dad!
What's one specific memory you have from your wedding day that you don't think you'll ever forget?
One thing that did worry me about getting married in a tropical climate was the chance of rain. And March does tend to be a windy/rainy time so my aunt told me an old wives tale was to bury a bottle of alcohol upside down in the sand on a day that the weather was nice out, and that would be the weather on your wedding day. On our last trip over to the Bahamas before the wedding week, we buried a bottle upside down on a beautiful day and it must have brought us good luck because we had great weather the wedding day. After the wedding was over, we all went out to the bar and on our way back to the hotel Justin said, "we have to dig up the bottle!" And we did so and I think one of my favorite pictures is him holding the bottle at 2:30 in the morning that he dug up! That is a memory I'll never forget.
How did you decide on your hair and makeup look?
I knew I wanted half up half down because my hair doesn't really hold style well so I knew if I had some of it up it would hold better. I also knew I wanted some sort of fishtail because fishtail and Bahamas go together! I also don't wear a ton of makeup so I didn't want to overdo it so I went for a more natural look.
Was there one vendor you used that you wish everyone knew about? Bohemian Mint! You can find her on Etsy. She did my invitations, map, and welcome booklet and she was beyond amazing.
Where did you go on your honeymoon and what was the best part?
Since we did a destination wedding, we didn't want to do a honeymoon right after since we stayed in the Bahamas after our wedding. We are planning to go on a delayed honeymoon for our anniversary/30th birthdays in 2020 and are thinking of going to Hawaii!
Here are some ideas about ways to help with Hurrican Dorian relief in the Abaco Islands.
Vendor List/instagram handles:
Photographer- Jack Bates Photography @jackbatesphotography
Venue- Green Turtle Club @greenturtleclub
Hair- Brittanne Hammond @beascenehair
Makeup- Alyson Khanna @alysonkhanna
Dress- Muse By Berta @musebyberta
Dress Store- Chic Parisien!
Flowers- Bud's N Blooms Marsh Harbor @bahamabloom
Bridesmaid dresses- Show Me Your Mumu @showmeyourmumu
Planner- Glitter and Twine events @glitterandtwineevents
Invitations- Bohemian Mint @Bohemian Mint
Day of Coordination- Visit Green Turtle Cay, Ash Gardiner @visitgreenturtlecay
#realchicbride Alyssa in Berta Tells Us Her Love Story
When we saw the beautiful photos of Alyssa Lattizori’s wedding we knew we had to chat with her to hear a bit more about it! Luckily, she was happy to spill all the details about how she planned the wedding (by herself!), her love store and how she picked her perfect dress at Chic Parisien (a Berta!).
Tell us your love story! How did you meet? What was your journey to the proposal?
July 2015, I talked to a psychic who was highly recommended from friends. She told me that at the end of August, I was going to meet my soulmate and he would be THE ONE. She said he'd have dark hair and hazel green eyes, live in the same state but not the same city and would be in the same industry as me but different facets of it. She told me that work would mutually bring us to the same place maybe a convention of sorts, but we wouldn't meet at work - we'd meet at a social event affiliated with work. She told me to make sure I said 'yes' to everything and if I didn't meet him by fall that means I missed my chance.
August 31, 2015 I was at a Real Estate convention and saw this handsome man across the way! My girlfriend Jenna said, 'go say hi!' I was too nervous, and said 'If I'm supposed to meet him, I will." After dinner that night, saying 'yes' to grabbing one last drink at the hotel bar, Will happened to be there. We met, and the rest is history! I couldn't sleep that night and I texted my best friend Katie at 5:30am, "I think I met my soulmate the psychic was telling me about" Go figure, he also lived in Florida, had dark hair and hazel eyes and was in Commercial Real Estate while I'm in Residential. I still have the actual recording, all the other details she got right is pretty wild!
We talked about getting married 3 months after we met. Will proposed about a year later! We knew we were getting a puppy January 2018 but couldn't decide on a name. We both liked Rosie but Will was convinced we couldn't name her until we met her and made sure the name suited her. Dec 22, 2017 - Will came back from a work trip and told me last minute that his parents were coming down to visit that night before we left on a super early flight the next day to visit my family for Christmas. Assuming we both agreed our 10 day trip would be our gift to each other, I was surprised when he handed me a thin flat box, which he said "was just a little something." I opened it to find a new red dog color with a dog tag attached. Thinking how thoughtful it was he agreed to calling her Rosie and got her name engraved on the tag, I flipped it over and to my surprise I saw, "Marry Me" instead! I turned around to find him down on one knee. Of course I said yes! Even better we got to celebrate with his family that night and then mine in Connecticut!
When you started planning your wedding what did you envision? How close did the actual wedding get to that vision?
I envisioned soft blush colors with pops of gold and navy accents. Super sweet, girly and classic. I just kept thinking blush, blush, blush. Thankfully I had some major rock star vendors and day-of coordinators that helped to make my vision a reality! Wouldn't have changed a thing.
What were a few things that were important to you as a couple to include (or not include) in the wedding?
Will is not a dancer, so he was actually the one who decided we take dancing lessons and do a choreographed dance! He claimed that if we were going to dance in front of a bunch of people he wanted to at least look like he knew what he was doing and make it more interesting than swaying back and forth. It was a blast learning ballroom together!
I've always loved starfish and keep them in the front windows of our house. I wanted to incorporate them in a classic way, so we actually handmade all 135 starfish napkin rings! Loved having that little touch.
How did you decide on the location?
I was born and raised in a sleepy little seaside town outside of Mystic, CT. I've lived in Florida for about 8 years and it was so important to me to have the wedding where I grew up! It is SO beautiful in Connecticut (and definitely not as hot as FL!) So I am happy that Will agreed we could have it there.
Let's talk dress! Give us all the deets!
Funny story about my dress! I've been OBSESSED with Berta gowns but wasn't totally sure what style I would end up wearing. Last minute, I saw that Berta was having a trunk show in Miami, and since my Mom was out of town and all my bridesmaids live out of state, I asked another good friend to just come with me so I could see the dresses and at least narrow down what shape I'd want to wear.
Go figure, about 5 dresses in, I try on THE dress. Bethany and I looked at each other and started to tear up. It was definitely my dress. BUT I was so upset my Mom wasn't with me! Being a pageant girl growing up, dress shopping was always something my Mom and I enjoyed doing together, never mind the fact that this was a once in a lifetime chance to try on wedding dresses!! Barbette at Chic Parisien was so sweet and said if I put a deposit down she would still honor the trunk show discount if I could get my Mom in there the next weekend. Thankfully it work out, and I was able to have her, Will's mom and sister there with me the next weekend, which we all agreed was THE dress, thankfully!
How did your family, friends, etc play into your wedding planning and wedding day?
Since I was so clear on the vision of the wedding, I just dove in and did it all myself! A blessing and a curse. After managing all the vendors on my own, it was just too hard to delegate because I knew exactly what was already taken care of and what still needed to be done. I made sure to run everything by Will and the few times he spoke up and said a solid NO, I made sure to listen.
I utilized our families for tackling my DIY projects and basically was Etsy's number one customer for all custom signage and little details. It's amazing what you can find on the internet!
What's one specific memory you have from your wedding day that you don't think you'll ever forget.
At first I think - how I had dreamed about the moment I went to walk down the aisle for years and years. Literally envisioned ever little detail of it. Nora Jones, Come Away With Me, starts to play, when she starts singing in the song would be the moment I stepped out, everyone would stand.. etc etc. Well... didn't end up happening the way I had envisioned haha! My Brother and I step out after the bridal party walks, ready for my big moment anddddd the music doesn't play. We stood their awkwardly - wondering, do we just go?? Should we wait?? What felt like an eternity passed, and thank goodness the music finally played. BUT two steps in and... I feel my head tug back! Dying, I realized my veil had wrapped around the tent post in the wind. With the help of whoever was standing around, we freed the fabric and off I went. Everyone had a good laugh, including myself and I was on my way to Will finally. Needless to say, things played out differently than what I already dreamed of!
Otherwise, it really was just the coolest feeling having all our closest friends and family together in one place with us. The love, energy and laughs that weekend is something I will absolutely never forget!!
How did you decide on your hair and makeup look?
I have super thick curly hair and I have been a slave to it my whole life! I envisioned my hair down with soft glam waves for the ceremony and so I would't get too hot wanted to pull it back for the reception! Thankfully my friend Shelby who did my hair was willing to stay and change it for me which I'm happy we did! Will came to the bridal suite with me and it was a nice quiet moment to have with him while she did my hair. Our caterer was so awesome and brought up an appetizer sampler since we missed cocktail hour so it was a nice 10 minutes before the madness!
Was there one vendor you used that you wish everyone knew about?
All of our vendors were wonderful! I don't think I could pick just one. If I could give any advice to planning brides, I'd say that communication is EVERYTHING! Even if there is a vendor you feel like you "have to have" but they don't respond in a timely manner or just disappear, trust me its not worth it! Stick with people you can trust and go out of their way to answer questions. When it's down to the wire you want people in your circle that communicate and are on top of everything. Any vendor I had to hound to get a response from I cut out immediately and found someone else, thankfully finding wonderful vendors was a life saver when I was super stressed closer to go time.
Where did you go on your honeymoon and what was the best part?
We did a honeymoon fund as part of our registry! I'm so glad we did because we are blessed with a beautiful home and have everything we couple possibly need already but had never gone on a big vacation just the two of us. We splurged on two stops, one incredible boutique hotel called The Other Side in Eleuthera, and another called The Bahama House on Harbor Island, both in the Bahamas. It was so nice to slow down and just spend quality time together. Both places that we stayed at were super low key and quiet. My favorite night was at TOS, where dinner is served in a "tent" that has open doors by the eater and a set menu and time for dinner. One night, we happened to be the only ones there! We could hear the ocean, dinner was fabulous, we had a bottle of champagne, music played on a record player and we slow danced together barefoot after dinner. I will never forget that moment!
La Dolce Vita: Real Chic Bride Weds in Italy
Prepare to swoon as we share details of Real Chic Bride, Abby, and her storybook wedding in the quaint, seaside town of Stresa, Italy. We first met Abby when she was a featured bride on Randy to the Rescue. (We just
love Randy and worked with him when he was in filming in Miami last
year.) “I must have tried on 30 dresses in total but it was Randy who helped me pick out ‘the one’ and it was everything I wanted: a form fitting gown with a sweetheart cut and lace detail with sparkles,” says Abby. “And the bolero that Chic Parisien made for me absolutely completed the look – it was perfect.”
Abby and her husband Chris wed on a remote island located just off the coast of Stresa called Isola Pescatori. As the island is too small for commuter traffic, the bride and her bridal party walked the picturesque, cobblestone streets of Isola Pescatori toward the Catholic Church located there. “That day I learned that Italy loves weddings; everyone on the island stopped what they were doing to cheer me on and share their best wishes,” says Abby. “I arrived at the church at the precise moment when the church bells struck 3 p.m. and the entire crowd, which had amassed at that point, erupted in cheers. It was such a magical moment. I felt like I was a princess who was about to marry her prince!”
Following the ceremony, a reception was held at Villa Rusconi in Stresa. Abby describes the celebration as having a “classic, vintage” feel.
The merriment continued until 2:00am with a live band and DJ. “I’m a dancer, so the night would not have been complete without a lot of dancing,” adds Abby. “So after a couple of dances with my husband, one slow and the other a bachata, my dad and I surprised the crowd with a spoof dance and toward the end of it, everyone was on the dance floor, swaying to ‘All You Need Is Love’.”
On behalf of the entire Chic Parisien team, AUGURI to Abby and Chris!
The Wedding Venue: Catholic Church on Isola Pescatori (Fisherman's Island)
The Reception Venue: Villa Rusconi in Stresa, Italy
Wedding Planner: Boutique Weddings
3 Best Tips when Selecting Your Destination Wedding Dress!
This week, we’re busy packing dozens of dresses as we will be visiting Puerto Rico for our annual Monique Lhuillier Trunk Show. We’ve been focused on preparing for a destination event, so we thought it would be fitting to share some wedding dress tips specifically for brides who may be considering a destination wedding.
- Pack it Up: You want your dress to look perfect… So, when selecting a dress for a destination wedding, go with something that packs easily. Lace gowns are often an appropriate option – both for an island destination, if that’s what you fancy – and because they don’t wrinkle!
- Remember it’s a Carry-on: When you head to the destination where you’ll be saying your I dos, you’ll likely carry your gown on board the plane in a garment bag, so think about the weight of your gown. You’ll want something lightweight to make the travel process easier.
- Dress of Your Dreams: While choosing the right dress for the location is a key factor, it is most important to WEAR the dress of your dreams! We’ve worked with many brides who walked down a sandy aisle on the beach in a ball gown and conversely brides who exchanged their vows in ballrooms dressed in slim silhouettes… in the end, it’s all about how you feel in “The Dress”
Destination weddings are absolutely fantastic… so as we always say, enjoy the moment and enjoy the journey to finding the dress! In the meantime, for some inspiration here are some of our favorite real brides wearing Monique Lhuillier at beach weddings! Happy Travels!
XOXO
PS Our destination event is in Puerto Rico is this upcoming weekend Sept. 27 - Sept 29 at Caribe Hilton, click here for more information or message us via our Facebook page for your appointment!
Images:
Sole Bride: Via Brides Magazine
Bride and Groom Feet: Braedon Photography
Beach Couple 1: Audrey Snow Photography
Beach Couple 2: Elaine Palladino Photography
Felini Inpsired Wedding in Venice, Italy
Boy do we have a treat today… A Real Chic Bride with a destination wedding in the one and only Venice, Italy! Rosemary Gonzalez and Oscar Carrera fell in love with Venice on their first vacation together and they wanted to re-live that experience and share it with their loved ones. It was a magical affair with their most intimate family and friends. The bride wore a gorgeous Junko Yoshioka and a beautiful Maria Elena headpiece and veil! She was stunning, the Venice backdrop was gorgeous and the wedding couldn’t have been more beautiful. Below is how Rosemary experienced it! We think it would be a dream to do a destination in Italy... Would you do it? Tell us what you think, we always love to hear!
XOXO
In a few words, what is your style? I'm very simple, and I wanted to keep it that way for the wedding too. I wanted a vintage feel that would work well with the backdrop of Venice.
What was the mood/experience you wanted to achieve? We wanted to have our guests feel as though they were in a Fellini film- a magical experience.
Why did you choose the dress you chose? Actually my mom picked out the dress- she always seems to know my style better than I do! As soon as I put it on I knew it was the one.
What was your favorite part of your experience? It was stress and worry free, which is what we wanted. We were able to enjoy every last second of it hanks to our wedding planner Anna Bozza! We definitely could not have done this without her.
If you could change anything what would it be? Only that we could stay in Venice longer!
Photographer: Alessandro Roncaglione
Wedding planner: Anna Bozza, The Venice Wedding Planner
Ceremony venue: Santa Maria dei Miracoli
Reception venue: Riviera Restaurant
Dress: (brand/style) Junko Yoshioka
Make-up: Roberta Galesso
Hair: Lally Trolese from Trolese Hair Salon
Flowers: Munaretto Fowers