Strut Bridal

Alex's Bohemian Rock-a-billy Wedding

Alex was a free spirit that visited our Phoenix bridal salon earlier this year. She came in with long curly hair, a fantastic attitude, and a definite vision for her wedding. She recently shared some photos, and kind words about our service, with us:

Hi, Ann (and Strut Team)!

Ann, I wanted to thank you for helping me find the perfect dress for Jason's and my outdoor, Rock-a-billy Bohemian wedding. It was THE BEST wedding, and it all started with the dress!!

Thanks again, and I continue to recommend you and your services to every friend I know!!
Sincerely, Alex D.

Even better, Alex sent us fantastic and fun captions for her photos. Enjoy!

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These are the centerpieces I created with my mom and my mom-to-be. We made these with saved-up corks, and added our favorite wine bottles, sea shells, and flowers. All in all, the cost was minimal, as all of the items were either Dollar Store purchases or recycled materials... Although there was a LOT of wine drank to get to here! ;-)
 
Here is our cake... It was a custom-designed wine barrel on the outside, with red-velvet cake and Strawberry icing inside! Even the little grapes were edible. We served cupcakes to our guests (Orange with white chocolate icing, red velvet with strawberry icing, and carrot cake with vanilla icing).
 
Jason designed the cake, and was quite pleased with himself, based on how it turned out!!
 
 

The weather leading up to the wedding day was beautiful, typical Central Coast CA warm, sunny days and cool nights.... Except September 10.... It was cool and rained a good portion of the morning!! However, it cleared up just as the wedding started. Dad walked me down the aisle to Queen's "Somebody to Love". Mom made my bouquet. Jason told me later how thrilled he was when he saw me in the dress... Tells me, "I love strapless dresses, I think they're very sexy!" I guess I'll have to wear them more often!! ;-)

 
Here are the two of us, during the ceremony. My mom added some ribbons into the tucks of my dress, and I added a shawl. Jason was wearing a Barong, a traditional Philipino dress shirt. He chose this as it was very dressy, but did not require a jacket or a tie. My mom made his boutonniere.

 
Speaking of boutonnieres, my mom and I made one for every wedding guest who attended the wedding. We made these out of old jewelry, beads, shells, ribbons, lace, flowers, even feathers! Again, just another successful stop at the Dollar Store for some great (and personalized) wedding favors. It was really cool walking around and greeting everyone after the ceremony, and seeing which boutonniere they chose for themselves!!

 
We got married on the deck of Jason's parents' house. It was such a beautiful setting!! The girls all picked their own outfits (they just were told a specific color), and the guys were all in Barongs. One of Jason's oldest friends was also a Universal Life Church Reverend, and thusly married us. Lastly, my flower girl had a halo, wings, and a wand in lieu of a bucket of flowers!

 
At the end of the ceremony, after Jason and I kissed, we turned around to all of our guests... Wearing Fake Red Wax Lips!!! Oh, it was too funny - so much so, we needed to get a picture of us with the lips in!!

 Our wine toast was called a "Toba-tini" - one of our favorite wineries along the Central Coast in Paso Robles, CA is Tobin James, who produces a sparkling white wine as well as a late-harvest Zinfandel. A Toba-tini is a combination of these two wines. Our toasting glasses we purchased from the Fellowship Foundry, which specializes in hand-crafted pewter items. The Fellowship Foundry can be found at the Arizona Renaissance Faire every year.

 

The reception was catered by a close friend of the family, and we set it up as one long table (with Jason and I in the center). Our first dance was to (again) Queen's "Fat Bottomed Girls"... It wasn't planned to be our first dance, it just happened that way!! We were even serenaded by the caterer at one point, who came out and sang "L.O.V.E." by Nat King Cole. For dessert, one of the groomsmen brought home-made cordials, spiced rum, and cranberry brandy for everyone to toast the good time. It was a perfect day! <3
 

The Difference Between a Seating Card and a Place Card

 
Ah, there's so much wedding etiquette and terminology to learn, it could drive a girl nuts! Here's a quick guide to the difference between a seating card and a place card.

Seating card--Also called an escort card, it's usually at a table at the entrance of the reception venue and directs your guest to his/her assigned table.

Place card--Already at the table, tells your guest exactly where to sit.

Seating cards are usually displayed in alphabetical order by last name (titles like Mr. and Mrs. are optional). But you don't have to just use tent cards. Check out these creative ways to display them:

  
 

 
But don't think you're stuck with just boring old table numbers. Get creative! Your table names can reflect your theme, if you have one, or just show off your personalities. Here are some ideas for naming your tables:

• Song titles
• Places you've visited
• Constellations
• Sports teams
• Spices
• Classic TV characters
• Movie titles
• Pet's names
• Gemstones
• Types of flowers, trees, bugs, dogs...whatever you two love and/or collect!

Fun Wedding Myths Exposed!

Myth: You can't marry your cousin.

Reality: Ha! You're in luck if you live in one of 19 states (plus Washington D.C.) that allows first cousins to marry.

 

Myth: You need a blood test before tying the knot.

Reality:Don't fear the needle. Only in Mississippi these days. But the practice in the states started back in the 1930s, when rubella and STDs were considered public health threats.

 

Myth: Tossed rice makes birds explode.

Reality: It doesn't. But it is super slippery to walk on. And you often need to check your venue's rules before tossing, releasing or blowing anything.

 

Myth: All cruise ship captains can officiate a wedding at sea.

Reality: They actually have to be ministers, justices of the peace, or otherwise ordained AND the ceremony has to take place where the captain's credentials are recognized AND the couple has obtained the license. That sounds complicated. So, consider getting hitched at the JOP back home and havinga renewal on board.

 

Myth: You have up to a year to give the couple a wedding gift.

Reality: Emily Post says you should give a gift as close to the wedding as possible and no later than three months afterward. Also, be thoughtful: if the couple is traveling for their wedding, it'll be darn hard to bring back presents. So gift them something easily packed (cash, checks and gift cards work well) or have it sent directly to their home.

Toya's Vow Renewal

Toya came to Strut looking for the perfect gown for her vow renewal in February. With short notice, we looked for the perfect wedding dress off the rack. We found a stunning satin ballgown. It featured a semi-empire waist with beaded bodice. The pleating in the midsection helped define Toya's waist and draw the eye upward.

 
Like many brides, Toya wanted some sort of coverage for her upper arms. Knowing that it's hard to find flattering plus size wedding gowns with sleeves, we showed Toya how she can achieve coverage with an elegant wrap.

 
In her email to us, Toya wrote:

Hi Ann! You were absolutely amazing to me and I loved my dress!!!!!!  I felt so beautiful. My renewal was small... but the love in the room was gigantic. Thank you for making my day super special. I have told every one I know about your wonderful customer service and dress selection.  AGAIN THANK YOU!!!!!!!                                                                                                                         Forever Grateful, Toya

 

 
 
Toya's ball gown style wedding dress featured beading on the skirt and on the entire hem of the train. She looked stunning and we wish her another 25 wonderful years!

5 Tips for a Fabulous Wedding Up Do

If you're looking to wear your hair up for your wedding, keep these five tips in mind:

• Always have a trial run: Bring a photo or two to a trial run with a hair stylist you know and like. If you don't like the results from the first attempt, be sure to speak up so s/he can make it right. You may want to photograph your hair from several angles to see how it looks, and be sure to note how it holds up over the next few hours.
• Don't wash your hair the day of the wedding:Wash your hair the night before your wedding so your hair isn't so slippery and up do will hold better.

• Pick a hairspray with a low alcohol content: The low alcohol content will help prevent hair from getting that crunchy feeling. Start with just a little bit and add more as needed.
• Think about your reception look:If you're taking off your veil post-ceremony, consider leaving in your tiara or adding in a jeweled comb. Be sure to have your hair stylist show a member of your wedding party how to add or change accessories without messing up your 'do. Some combs are heavy and may need extra pins for support.

 

• Consider your face shape when planning your style:A rounder head looks slimmer with an up do high on the head. Wisps of hair around the face can soften angular features.

Remember, this is your day to go big and fabulous, so consider trying a bold up do!

3 Big Wedding Reception Food Mistakes to Avoid

We're always thinking of food (and hoping to bring back cupcakes samples for our fall weekends!!) and brides. So naturally we wondered what big mistakes brides might make when it comes to their reception food. We asked a recent Strut Bride, a local wedding planner, and a caterer to give us different wedding reception food mistakes to avoid:

1. Don't overlook restaurant caterers.

Strut Bride Melissa was married at Aldea earlier this spring and used Babbo Italian Eatery to cater her reception. Melissa said, "It was a buffet style set-up. The food was absolutely wonderful. We had so many compliments on it. People were saying that it was the best food they ever had at a wedding. Some people said it was the best food they had ever had period."

Restaurant caterers often have reasonable packages and are accustomed to feeding large groups. One caveat is, though, they they may offer less customization in the menu. Also, be sure to see what your venue or the restaurant provides and what you may need to bring in (see Noelle's story below).

2. Don't plan to cook it yourself.

Some DIY brides also plan to make their own reception food. This may work with a really small group, but there's so much more to think about than just the food: tables, servers, plates, silverware, etc.

 Jo Ann Grant, a wedding planner and coordinator who owns Apropos Creations, said, "Doing it ALL yourself will become one of the biggest mistakes that you will do as a bride. You will be overwhelmed and stressed by the time your wedding day arrives. Wedding planning should be a fun and memorable experience. Another option is to hire a wedding planner if you don't want to bother your loved ones. Do one or the other will guarantee you a very pleasurable time of your life!"

Most brides will tell you that you don't want to spend the last few days before the wedding cooking or coordinating food--there are so many other last minute tasks.

3. Listen to your caterer (and your planner!).

 A lot of wedding planning stress comes from never having done it before, so you don't know what to do. And that's ok. When it comes to planning your wedding reception food, you may wonder if buffet or plated dinners are best, how many entree options to provide, etc. So work with a true wedding professional who will answer these questions and help guide you. Noelle Salinas, one of the owners of Fresh From the Kitchen, told us this story:

"This weekend we are providing a wedding cake for a bride, but not catering her wedding. Was it because of taste and quality? No, she loved our food. But, in comparing our pricing with a restaurant that said they could offer her the same thing, she went with the restaurant due to the fact that it was almost half the price. Her wedding planner had told her to book with us, but this bride thought she was saving herself money doing it her way.In the long run, it cost her more with the restaurant because, she had to hire servers, she had to rent dishes and glassware, she had to hire a dishwasher, and she had to rent chafers and serving utensils as none of these things were included with her "deal". In educating our brides, we go over these logistics, and explain to them in detail what sort of costs they are looking at if they try to "save" by doing it themselves. A professional vendor is hired for their professionalism, so they should be allowed to do their job. They have your best interestat heart, and can explain to you any concerns or issues you may have. They will help alleviate stress, and even save you money when possible. So when planning on hiring a caterer, don't just think about dollars and cents, but think of everything that comes with it. Because really, on your wedding day do you want to have to pour your own champagne, bus your guest's tables, cut and serve your cake, and be responsible for getting rentals back to the rental company to name a few? Good food and service is worth that extra dollar as it alleviates stress and leaves you and your guest happy and satisfied."

Be sure to listen to your wedding coordinator and other vendors because with their experience, they can point out true costs. If you're on a budget, it's alright to say so--most wedding professionals are able to retool packages to fit your budget.  

Glendale's Newest Hotel Is Perfect for Wedding Guests

For bridal parties looking for a beautiful hotel in the West Valley to accommodate their out of town guests, the Hampton Inn and Suites at Westgate should be at the top of their list. The Hampton Inn and Suites is a brand new property located just steps away from shopping, restaurants, bars and top sporting events such as Arizona Cardinals football games at the University of Phoenix Stadium, all located at the Westgate City Center.

 

Patrick Rogers, member of the West Valley Wedding Association and Regional Sales Manager at the Hampton Inn and Suites in Glendale, remarked that this new hotel has above industry standard amenities, and the location can’t be beat. Indeed, guests love little surprises such as complementary cookies and refreshments in the lobby, ample space for the free, hot breakfast, a large outdoor pool, free parking, and complementary wireless internet.

 

Brides and grooms who book blocks of rooms with Patrick have recently remarked, “I can’t believe I get all this for this price!”, and “Wow, these rooms are big!” With 149 guest rooms and a meeting room that will hold 30 people, the Hampton Inn and Suites is the perfect place to host a casual post-wedding brunch, too.

 

In the months ahead, Patrick foresees both room rates and occupancy rates increasing. He adds, “Preferred discounts will be the way to go for the thrifty traveler.” For Phoenix area brides and grooms, Patrick provides a link to preferred rates at the Hampton Inn and Suites. In his role, Patrick loves working with large groups and advises brides and grooms to “never go to bed angry.”

 

Make an appointment to stop by and see this brand new property in the West Valley!

 

 

Contact information:

Email: progers@ncghotels.com

Address: 6630 N. 95^th Ave. Glendale, AZ 85305

Phone: 623-271-7771

Strut Will Be Closed September 12-14

My how times flies. Our twice-yearly tradition of traveling to the bridal market returns. We'll be headed to Dallas to check out red cowboy boots, um, er, the spring lines from our favorite wedding gown and bridesmaid dress designers as well as to scope out new lines. We'll be closed Monday, September 12th through Wednesday, September 14th. Look for a full report on wedding dress trends (and cowboy boot shopping) when we return!