Author Archives: Liz

Fashion Tips for a Happy Bridal Party

Posted in Wedding Planning by

Since purchasing my wedding dress, I’ve shifted my attention to what the rest of my bridal party will be wearing from the bridesmaids, groomsmen, and mothers of the bride/groom. This can be a somewhat daunting task because not only do I want everyone to look their best, but I’m also thinking about budget, timing and personal preferences of the bridal party.

While searching for the right looks for everyone at bridal stores, online forums & blogs, and wedding websites, I’ve picked up some tips for making sure everyone is happy. These are not the “golden rules” of bridal party fashions, but just some guidelines I’ve been sticking to during the process.

Bridesmaids

1. Keep the cost reasonable- the most important thing for me is to make sure my wedding doesn’t become a financial burden for my ladies. Your maids will appreciate your efforts to keep more money in their pockets.

2. Include your maids in the process- while you ultimately have final say about the dresses your maids will wear, they will appreciate being asked their opinions. I’ve been taking mine to visit stores with me to try on dresses. It’s helped immensely to get their thoughts.

3. Look for styles and colors that are flattering for EVERYONE- while all your maids are surely beautiful, they likely all have different coloring and body types. When choosing the style and color of the dress, make sure it will look great on all body types and that the color will flatter pale to darker skin tones.

Groomsmen

1. Get your Grooms’ feedback- I know some grooms like to be hands-off, but this is really one area they need to be involved. Ask your guy what he’ll feel best in…a suit? A tux? Showing him some magazine or blog photos of grooms may help.

2. Again, think about price- This get’s a little tricky with groomsmen, because they have a higher likelihood of wearing purchased suits or tuxes again than bridesmaids do. It’s a good idea for grooms to ask their party if they’d prefer to rent or buy their attire. You’ll find guys will be pretty frank about their preferences.

3. Determine your desired level of dressiness- regardless of if you decide to go for a tux or a suit, both can be dressed up or down depending on the theme of your wedding. Since my wedding is in a catholic church, if the guys go for a suit, I may require it to be three-piece to fit the formal atmosphere.

Mother of the Bride/Groom

1. Be hands off!- when it comes to the mom’s dresses, I believe the bride should let them wear whatever they feel the most beautiful in. Let’s face it, by the time you have a daughter getting married, you pretty much know what style and colors look best on your body.

2. Put the moms in touch- start an email chain between the moms and let them discuss dress length, colors and fabrics so they aren’t clashing. This is also a great way for the two most-important women in you and your grooms life to get to know each other.

3. Tell your mom she looks georgous- even if she chooses a dress or color you wouldn’t have picked, bite your tongue and make her feel beautiful. This is her day just as much as it is yours. Let her shine!

So what do you think? Do you agree with my bridal party fashion tips? Do you have any to add?

Leave me some love!

Wedding Jewelry Highlight- K. Amato

Posted in Wedding Planning by

TGIF everyone! The entry period for my first giveaway is offically over and I’m super excited to annouce that Angela (@AngelaTenClay) won the earrings!

And speaking of jewelry, a big smile came across my face this week when an email popped up from K. Amato jewelry here in Chicago. If you aren’t familiar with K. Amato, it’s a jewelry line designed by Chicagoan Kristen Amato that is a fan favorite of many of my girlfriends here in the city as well as publications like Lucky Magazine, Redbook, People and US Weekly.

 They recently launched a bridal line that has me swooning. Ever since I picked out my wedding dress, I’ve moved on to thinking about the big picture- the jewelry, hair and accessories, which means I’ve already spent a lot of time trolling the K. Amato website for inspiration.

My colors are green and yellow, and I love the idea of incorporating some yellow into my look. I’m pretty much in love with these earrings and necklace.

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And if my bridesmaids wear a yellow dress like I’m planning, I think this green bracelet would look awesome.

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Although I like to think I have amazing taste :), I wanted to get the professional opinion from one of K. Amato’s designers, so I sent an email their way with some questions. Katie, who’s on their design team, graciously sent back her thoughts on the new bridal line.

Liz: Why did K. Amato decide to create a bridal line?

Katie: Kristen decided to do a bridal line simply by seeing a lack in the market. Most bridal jewelry is insanely overpriced in the bridal salons- our feelings are just because its you big day does not mean you need to spend big money. We have the online bridal section on the website as well as a custom design service that we offer through our showroom (K.Amato 1229 W. Diversey Chicago, IL 60614).

Liz: You recently got married, did you wear any K. Amato jewelry? Which pieces?

Katie: Of course I wore K.Amato. I actually designed my own custom jewelry- I had 2 looks: one long lightweight pearl and crystal necklace, and one dainty pearl and rhinestone necklace made with a peal that my Mom gave me. Neither are on the website but that is why we offer a custom service out of our space.

Liz: Brides have many different fashion styles for their big day. Can you suggest pieces for a traditional bride? Retro? Modern?

Katie: There is a big variety of jewelry on the website for all kinds of brides- you do not need to stick to the bridal section. Traditional brides love pearls, retro brides love vintage looking earrings, and modern brides go to the regular line for their looks.

Liz: Have you had a lot of interest in brides purchasing jewelry for their maids? What’s been popular?

Katie: TONS of girls buy K.Amato for their girls- we offer group discounts that make it worth their while. Here are a few items that have been especially popular:

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The Monroe initial necklace

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The Larrabee horoscope bracelet

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The Carmen earrings

There you have it ladies. Many thanks to Katie for her time spent responding to my questions! Be sure to check out K. Amato’s upcoming sample sales in Chicago for a great deal. If you don’t live in Chicago, you can buy K. Amato online too!

Is He Plus-One Worthy?

Posted in Dating, Love by

 When you hit a certain age it seems like all of the sudden EVERYONE starts getting engaged or married. If you’re single, that means navigating the ever-awkward situation of finding a suitable plus-one.

Luke and I had only been causally dating for three months before I was the maid-of-honor in my sister’s wedding. I remember fretting to friends and family about whether or not I should invite him to be my date.

Would he think I was jumping the gun by inviting him to such a special family event or would he be hurt if I decided to go alone? It didn’t help that just a few weeks before his cousin got married and he DIDN’T invite me.

I eventually decided to invite him for one reason- I thought I’d have more fun with him around. It ended up being a perfect choice because he was the ideal date: he got along with everyone, didn’t need to be babysat and was attentive to me.

Here’s a picture of us right after I gave my MOH speech.

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I was really nervous, but Luke was so sweet and kept rubbing my shoulders reassuring me that I’d do great. I wasn’t really surprised that he was a good date- he’d treated me so well from the beginning. 

Despite this WONDERFUL plus-one experience I had with Luke, I’ve also been in one that was not so pleasant. Previous to meeting Luke, I had dating a guy for 4-5 months when I got up the nerve to ask him to be my date to a benefit gala I helped plan.

He made up some excuse about already having plans to go see a “cover band” with his buddies the same night. Then when the night rolled around he ended up not even going to see the band because he “fell asleep.” LAME!

After realizing that A) he’d rather go see a cover band than spend the night with me and then B) it was all a big excuse in the first place, I was pretty  humiliated. Let’s just say the relationship ended soon thereafter.

So how do you know if the guy in your life is plus-one worthy? I’ve created a short checklist…

The plus-one worthy guy will:

– Call when he says he will and keeps plans

– Show an interest in things you’re involved in

– Make plans with you for events in the future (more than a week out)

– Put forth effort to get to know your friends and people important to you

The un-worthy guy will:

– Keep you feeling insecure by not calling when he says he will, not keeping plans and not living up to your expectations

– Only take you out during the week or won’t commit to anything on a weekend night until he knows there’s nothing better going on

– not seem interested in talking about your hobbies or interests if they don’t directly relate to him

– get two thumbs down from your pals because he doesn’t put forth any effort with them

So ladies, when your next wedding, holiday party or special event comes up, take a good look at the man in your life and evaluate his plus-one potential.

Leave some comments and let me know how YOU can tell if you’ve got a good plus-one.

How to Make Chimichurri

Posted in Sunday Supper Series by

After a couple weeks hiatus, the Sunday Supper series is back! I’m currently in Naples, FL at my parents house. My sister flew in from San Francisco to visit as well. We both like to cook, so we tag-teamed supper last night.

After a day of outlet shopping, we hit up the grocery store to pick up some food for supper- steaks with chimichurri, baked sweet potatoe fries, spinach salad and some ice cream.

You may remember from this post, but while in Buenos Aires, Luke and I took a cooking class to learn how to make Chimichurri- a sauce Portenos use to top their meat. It’s really easy to make and has a complex flavor profile that brings meat to life.

Here’s what you’ll need:

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– equal parts minced garlic, parsley and scallion

– one part red wine vinegar to two parts canola oil (olive oil works too, but then you can’t keep it very long because the oil congeals)

– a tablespoon ( or more depending on how much you make) of the following spices: dried oregano, paprika and red pepper flakes.

– Miz everything together and season liberally with salt and pepper.

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To make sure everything tastes right, I usually dip some bread into the mixture to try it out. When it’s ready, spread it across your choice of meat and you’ve got a delicious, spicy, tangy sauce that beats A-1 anyday!

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When sealed and refrigerated, chimichurri can last for 6+ months. I’d recommend making one big batch and keeping it in the fridge for anytime your meat dish needs a little awakening.

I hope you enjoy!