Inspiration for Weddings :: Fabric Stores

The source of inspiration for your wedding design can come from anywhere. Often times, wedding magazines are the first source brides think of when seeking inspiration for their wedding. Wedding magazines are great. However, if you really want to get creative and personalize your wedding, then you need to think outside of the box.

Over the next few days, I would like to share a few unique places and things to do that will help you get inspired for your wedding design. My first suggestion is that you visit some fabric stores.

Fabric stores are a magnificent source of inspiration for weddings, especially if you are looking for unique color palettes, textures, and even themes to incorporate into your event design. I highly recommend doing this first to going to your local Home Depot to look at paint color chips. Now, I am not opposed to doing this as I like to collect their free swatches whenever I am paying them a visit. But, fabric stores are a world of their own and are filled with loads of unique inspiration. You just never know what you will find. Get Inspired!

Personal Confession: I love, love, love fabric. I can and have literally spent many hours in both fabric and furniture stores with my mother. It's one of our favorite past times to do together. However, I cannot sew at least with a sewing a machine, but give me just a needle and thread to stitch something or a stable gun to upholster benches and headboards and I can go to town.

Photo Sources: 1502 Fabrics

Event Décor Ideas :: Wedding Cake Displays

Considering that your wedding cake will be on display for the bulk of your wedding reception, it should be considered as part of your event design plan. In other words, your wedding cake should be thought of as one of the focal points of your reception.

There is nothing more beautiful and captivating than going over the top for your wedding cake display, especially if you want to add some oomph to your reception design. One of my favorite ways to display a wedding cake is to set it up under a wedding canopy that is draped with fabric. Have a look at the example featured below!

The cake setup above was created with a pipe and drape system. In addition, the cake table was lined and draped with a couple layers of fabric and decorated with a load of flowers. For more pizzazz, this designer added hanging strings of flowers. This is definitely a "WOW" factor.

What I love most about this cake display is that it is set up against a very beautifully design wall, which serves as a captivating backdrop for this cake display. The wall itself along with the lighting is bound to draw guests to the details of this display.

Finally, this wedding cake display is a great example of how a fabric backdrop and few uplights can go a long way. This design is rather simple and elegant, but full of drama as it makes a very powerful statement. Wouldn't you agree?

There are numerous ways you can display your wedding cake, so please feel free to be creative with your cake display, after all it is a focal point and your guests can ooh and ah over your design.

Photos Source: Project Wedding

31 Day Wedding Blog Challenge

A couple of weeks ago, I attended a blogging bootcamp for wedding professionals presented by Liene Stevens of Splendid Communications and one of the things that stood out to me from her presentation is that the more you blog and are consistent in doing it, the better you will become at writing blog posts.

Now, I am writer by nature. However, as any other wedding blogger will tell you, it is often a challenge coming up with original content to write about. Inspired by Liene Stevens, I asked one of my business accountability partners and dear friend, Shanika Butts of SJB Weddings and Events, if she would be up for a blogging challenge where we would hold each other accountable to blogging every day for a month.

Shanika's reply was "...let's do it! 30 day challenge starting July 1st. We must!!!!"

So Carolina brides and wedding professions, please subscribe to this blog as well as to Shanika's blog to get practical planning advice and wedding inspiration every day this month. In addition, we need your support and desire to interact with you daily on our blogs, so please leave comments on our blog posts.

Be blessed and keep evolving!

Average Cost of a Wedding in Raleigh, NC

One of the most common questions that I get asked and that often pops up in my blog's statistics is how much does a wedding cost. Following are a few statistics that may help you to set your wedding budget.

First, the national average cost of a wedding in the United States is $20,398 according to The Wedding Report, a wedding statistics and market research firm. "However, the majority of couples spend between $15,299 and $25,498 while their wedding budget is typically 50% less than the amount spent. This does not include cost for a honeymoon or engagement ring."

In addition, it should be noted that the average cost of a wedding will vary depending on where you are located. For example, in our primary service area of Raleigh, NC, bridal couples spend between $20,959 and $34,932 on their wedding excluding all costs associated with going on a honeymoon, such as airfare and accommodations, etc.

If you would like to get an idea of the average cost of a wedding in your area, please visit Cost of Wedding, a website published by The Wedding Report, which will provide you with general statistics about wedding costs in your area. All you have to do is enter your zip code and it will generate the statistics for you. In addition, the website also provides a wedding cost estimator tool.

Wedding Bouquets - Need Inspiration?

I've got the answer!


Wedding Bouquets - Over 300 Designs for Every Bride is one of my favorite wedding books for inspiration. This book was first published in 2006 in Great Britain and features full-page photos of some 300 plus bridal bouquets that are very stylish, unique, and full of texture such as the one feature below.

I can't tell you how many times I have referred this book for inspiration and have shared it with my brides. I do not just refer to the book for bouquet ideas, rather for color palette inspiration and event design ideas in general. You should check it!

Can I Ask for Money Only Wedding Gifts?

Absolutely not!

Asking for money-only wedding gifts is distasteful and just wrong. Even a great deal of your closest family and friends will be repulsed by such a demand.

That said, it is a huge violation of etiquette. Why?

The most logical explanation is that there is no way to ask for monetary wedding gifts without running the high-risk of offending your guests. Don't do it!

Spring 2010 Bridal Gowns :: Carolina Herrera

Have a look at these elegant bridal gown designs by Carolina Herrera. What I love most about these wedding gowns is that they are not traditional in the least bit of ways.

Herrera paid homage to those artists whose work featured fashion prominently. The knife strokes in Vincent van Gogh's sunflowers were reincarnated as taffeta ruffles; Monet's brilliant watercolor water lillies were hand-painted onto white English tulle, and Matisse's paper cutouts were fashioned into duchess satin leaves embroidered onto a tulle column. Source: Maria Claire.

Featured below are a couple of my favorite designs from Herreras' Spring 2010 bridal collection.

The first bridal gown is inspired by artist Vincent van Gosh. The next one is inspired by Giovanni Boldini; and the last one by George Seurat. All three of these gowns would be great for a both an outdoor wedding and a destination wedding. In addition to the design of these gowns, I like the idea of wearing a bridal hat in lieu of the traditional veil. And you? Please comment below and let us know what you think about these whimsy bridal gowns!