This Saturday Solutions Bridal will be visited by Party Flavor's Linda. Party Flavors are known for their unique wedding cake designs & also their Groom's Cakes. Having one perfect wedding cake for the entire wedding party is a wonderful tradition; however, a new and upcoming trend is to have two wedding cakes! One for the wedding party & one for your groom & his groomsmen to enjoy. Having fun with the grooms cakes is something Party Flavors has perfected. Take a look at these photos & visit their website for more unique ideas. -Brittany E.
For today's inspiration board I was inspired by an AMAZING engagement session that I stumbled on over on OVEREXPOSED. I love the idea of doing adding elements of an old fashioned carnival into your wedding decor. It could be done with subtle touches like the fun printed bowtie in the top right, or you could go all out and rent carnival rides just for your special day! The Anne Barge wedding dress on the right is so fabulous and fun. It just came in to the Gainesville store for our trunk show that will be running until Monday, October 5th. I think that I may have a new fave! (Clockwise from top left) Photo: Overexposed/SOTA Placecards: The Knot Bowtie: Snippet and Ink Wedding Gown: Anne Barge Invitations: The Knot Bridesmaid Dress: Watters
Featuring one of our favorite Alvina Valenta dresses and one of our very own consultants, me! The Jax Shoot Club recently started doing shoots in Jacksonville, FL. It is a group of photographers that convene once a month to try out awesome new techniques! I was honored to be in attendance and especially to get to model for this awesome group of talented people. Their website is JaxShootClub.com. Here are some selections from some of the almost 100 shots I got from all the photographers. Yay for fun photoshoots in amazing Solutions gowns! :)
THANK YOU to all our amazing vendors and participants in this past weeks Florida Bridal Expo. We truly could not have done it without the hard work and dedication of all our amazing friends. Every expo I find myself reminiscing about my own wedding five years ago and how amazing it was because of vendors such as Stuart and Susan at Powers Photography and Melissa at Masterpiece Weddings.
Photo Provided by TJM Studios, capturing our very own Kari Roy as our finale in the show!
This past Florida Bridal Expo was a HUGE success. We had over 300 brides and 50+ vendors in attendance. I'd like to thank Angela Renick at A'vie Weddings & Events for all her help in planning this years event, as well as all the wonderful people at Party Time Rentals for everything that they have done with us throughout the years in providing our rentals. We really revamped the fashion show this year and would like to thank Wayne at Wayne's World Entertainment for their music expertise, The Plant Shoppe for their beautiful bouquets, and Graceful Strands for helping our models shine on the catwalk. I'd like to also thank Macaroni Grill on behalf of all the staff and models for providing a gourmet and delicious lunch backstage as well as dessert for our VIP guests.
Each year we become bigger and better and I look forward to the next show in January! Newell Fox, CEO Solutions Bridal
We are sending special thanks to Romanos Macaroni Grill for providing a special treat for all of our VIPS, the combination of yummy lemon pound cake and decadent chocolate cake was a perfect twist for the show! The presentation was awesome and the guests enjoyed it immensely! Macaroni Grill has started a new full service catering department and does events from 10 people to 1000 people. Visit their website for more information! The pictures below are from the serving of the desserts before the show started, photos provided by TJM Photography.
With so many different schedules, it's hard to get all the Solutions girls in the one place for photographs, so the expo was the perfect place to get a couple quick snapshots of the whole crew!! We owe a huge thanks to Lindsey of Pure: Photography by Lindsey Tropf for catching these moments on film! :O)
Check these out:
All of the girls with Newell & Baby Ansley:
A couple pics of us holding Britt since she is leaving the store:
One of our brides, Amanda, just tied the knot this past summer. We were thrilled to see a glimpse of her wedding pics up on the Footstone Photography blog, and I just couldn't wait to share them with everyone!
Not only is the bride breathtakingly beautiful, but it's exciting to see the work of some of our very favorite vendors. Amanda and Joe were married at Bay Laurel in Micanopy, Florida. Angela from A'vie was there to coordinate and make sure everything ran smoothly.
Another vendor we absolutely love is Unique Designs out of Gainesville, Florida! Unique Designsis ran by Giovanni, Danny and Kenya, a trio of talented young people ready to shake up the wedding industry! Giovanni was able to answer a few questions for us during the preparation of the Florida Bridal Expo last Sunday.
How did you get your start in the Invitation Business?
"I started creating invitations before my little brother was born. My mother wanted a baby shower theme of Baby Looney Tunes (which was not available at the time). I was always being creative so I told her I would do them for her. I went to work on the design that started it all.... it was so corny and simple, it had a verse and a picture that was scanned onto the bottom of baby bugs bunny. Then the paper was rolled like a scroll and tied with a baby blue ribbon and a tiny plastic pacifier. It was cute for the time (10 years ago) =)
Since then I have always made my little brothers birthday invitations, I remember the famous Buzz Lightyear invitations that had a detachable Space Ranger card for each kid to get them access to the party, and the Bob the Builder custom tool belt invitations. That's what started getting me recognition from my mother's friends. I have always been obsessed with paper since then!"
According to Giovanni, inspiration comes from everything!
“Movies, TV shows, Music even current fashion trends. I have a lot of invitation ideas in my arsenal. I just don't have the time to make them all a reality due to my rightfully demanding clients. I am always being pushed to excel by our clients, so I get to be creative every day. That's mostly where I get my inspiration."
Fill in the blank: Unique Designs can offer their clients:
”A {unique} experience! Our approach is totally different than the rest. We don't hide who we are. We want to be different and that's the type of client we attract! Different! Unique! We are willing to explore ideas and go beyond the "normal" invitation.”
Unique Designs has recently re-launched their website. The trio at Unique had a vision for how they wanted the site to be for a long time and were inspired by a "chic New York style".
"We worked together with Lindsey of Pure: Photography by Lindsey Tropf to come up with the perfect photography of our invitations and K-Gallery for our killer head shots. Several brainstorming sessions later the new website was created. It is a sleek, sexy representation of who we are! We hope it speaks volumes for what we do, and why we do it. We are so happy with our website and we hope that clients are able to see our style through the site."
Proven true by many satisfied clients, clients will encounter a young, fresh approach to their invitations and stationery design when they book with Unique Designs.
Contact Giovanni with Unique Designs for an exclusive discount when you purchase your dress at Solutions during the remainder of September!
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Last Saturday Chad Pilster from Pilster Photography joined all of us here at Solutions Bridal for a night to remember! While helping Brides try on their wedding dresses and get ready for their special day, Chad Pilster shot some of the most amazing photographs that truly capture the magic of our event. The overwhelming sense of happiness and excitement filled the room as the girls tried on numerous gowns. Mr. Pilster captured their excitement with each individual shot. All of us at Solutions Bridal send out a big thank you to Pilster Photography for such an amazing experience. For any Florida Brides looking for a wonderful photographer to capture the true emotions of your wedding day, Pilster Photography is defiantly the way to go! -Brittany E.
What a fun day the consultants at the store had riding around town in AP Limos! Some may say it's crazy, but we had a ball with it! We drove all around Gainesville during rush hour traffic and waved at people with the music blaring! This was a promotion for our Florida Bridal Expo coming up this Sunday @ The Hilton UF, 12:30-4! Tickets are $5 in the store ahead of time and $9 at the door. It is going to be amazing and we are obviously very excited about it! Below are some awesome pictures from the crazy afternoon provided by Footstone Photography.
Professional makeup artist Simone Rosas will be offering her services free of charge for any Bride who purchases a gown from either one of our stores. The happy Bride will receive a voucher from Solutions Bridal for a free makeup trial with Simone. For those of you who are familiar with Makeover Station know that their artists have perfected the art of applying makeup, guaranteeing you to look your most fabulous on your special day! -Brittany E.
This morning I received real wedding photos of a bride that customized her gown with Anne Barge to fit the requirements of her church. Take a look at these before and after photos. Even though, 60% of bridal gowns are strapless, you can keep your options open by exploring the custom changes available within them. There are big perks to going this route. Most designers provide extra boning in a strapless gown verse a v-neck or any other neckline. All this extra structure helps keep the dress up and tends to create a more flattering waistline. Taking a strapless gown and building it up at the neckline can give you the best of both worlds.
We love when our brides do custom changes allowing the designer to create a one of a kind look just for them. In two weeks, one of the Assistant Managers will be meeting Anne Barge personally to discuss all the changes available. We can't wait to build up our product knowledge when she comes back!
Ever wonder how brides' wedding photos end up in high fashion bridal magazines? Do you want your wedding to end up in the January issue of Central Florida Brides magazine? If so, submit your information about your wedding. Include photos, videos or anything else that makes your wedding day look as special to their editors as it was to you. All you have to do is email Jennifer at jenniferk@pwg.com and cross your fingers that you end up in the next issue of Central Florida Brides. Good Luck! The deadline is October so hurry!
Last Saturday Abby Liga from Liga Photography and Amy Morelli from 2U Collection joined us here at Solutions Bridal for a wonderful day with mimosas, while brides tried on numerous designer dresses. Abby Liga shot complimentary dress documentation to all the girls that tried on a dress that day! The entire experience was wonderful and both talented girls graced us with their presence, making the event all the more special. Abby Liga's amazing photography from that night can be seen in the collage posted along with this blog! Amy Morelli's stationary collections are creative, unique and should be used for any upcoming events you might be having!
Number One Rule: Be open minded! What you think reminds you of your grandmother's dress on the hanger, may in fact be the dress of your dreams.
Bring someone that knows your style better than their own. I'm sure the groom doesn't want to see you in something that your bestfriend would wear on her wedding day
DON'T PURCHASE YOUR DRESS ONLINE! You miss out on the whole experience.
Don't worry what the groom will think. If he loves you, he will love what you pick.
Have fun! Remember that you have been dreaming of this day since you were five. Don't let the decision put a cloud over your head
If you hate the little bow on the dress, ask the consultant if you can order it without.it. Chances are you can. Keep in mind (contrary to what the magazines always say) there might be a charge for it. It won't lower the cost of the dress.
Price vs. Love: If you love the dress, GO FOR IT! Don't settle for less on what your wearing for your big day. You can always take some of the budget from the centerpieces and so on. No one will know and we won't tell.
Research designers online and make a scrap book of styles that you like. Do keep in mind, that it may all change when you start trying on.
Save the group shopping for the mall. This should be a personal experience that you should only share with one or two.
When you find it, you find it. Don't second guess yourself or you will pick your second favorite.
Come Join The Team!
~Currently Hiring~
Gainesville
Internships Available
Both Locations
Upcoming Events
Lori London Accessories Trunk Show March 11th-16th: Winter Park, Designer Appearance 14th-15th March 18th-22nd: Gainesville, Free Hair Trials, March 20th
Marisa Bridal Trunk Show March 26th-28th Gainesville
