Number #1 to avoid getting pinched: Wear green! These bags by Mia Maria Bridal (top) and Cahoots (bottom) are perfect pinch deterrents as well as gorgeous handbags for yourself or your bridal party. These double-duty handbags are handmade by local designers and can be customized in different styles, prints, colors, and accents like bows and flowers. Honor your mother’s wedding dress by using its’ fabric to create a unique bag for your wedding day.

Whether it be ornately initialed or decorated with a gorgeous shoe, your multi-purpose cards are sure to complement your messages. Perfect for thank you notes, bridesmaid’s cards and personal messages. They come in various designs and patterns, flawless for any occasion!

For the every man there is an Idiot’s Guide, but for every bride-to-be there is a Wedding Workbook. Kimberly Schlegel Whitman has consolidated every facet of your wedding into worksheets, timelines, and checklists that are essential for a busy bride. This must-have will shift through your thoughts and turn them into an actuality.

Compendium has perfected the art of thoughtful giving. Their journals (bottom right and left) become family keepsakes for family members and loved ones. Filled with personal experiences, lessons, and messages to others. Rag & Bone’s guest books (top left) are beautifully made and hold the names of all those who shared the magic of your wedding day with ya’ll. Cards, invitations, or stationary, Heatherly cards (top right) will enclose your own thoughtful message in an attractive packaging. They come in many colors and designs, giving your local postman a punch of color and excitement!

You MUST run over to Style Me Pretty where our lovely library member Nicole of the Left-Handed Calligrapher is featured and giving away an incredible gift to ONE lucky bride-to-be!  The gift is 75 hand-lettered ornaments for your wedding and let me just say…they are beautiful!  We carry a few options in the boutique so come by and see them up close and personal.  You can pick up just one if that is all you need too!

Now that you are in love with these precious ornaments, let us give you the details on how you can win 75 of them…

Nicole (The Left Handed Calligrapher) will coordinate with you on the ornament color to go with your wedding colors.  You will be able to select your wedding date to be written in your choice of black, silver or gold ink and will make it to your front door 6 weeks before your wedding date.  To insure that Nicole has enough time to get these together, this giveaway is only open to weddings that take place AFTER June 2010.

Go to Style Me Pretty and view their vendor blog where you will find the post on Nicole’s giveaway.  To enter you will need to take a look at the font styles on Nicole’s website and leave a comment under the post on Style Me Pretty telling them which of the three fonts would work the best for you: Grace,  Rook, or Kegan are your options to choose from (she offers many others for other projects).  Also make sure to let them know when your wedding is and what your wedding colors will be. One reader will be selected and announced on this same SMP post next Monday morning (March 8).

More great news…

Nicole has offered a 15% discount on all reception stationery that is ordered by March 14…that is just under two weeks ladies so get to ordering  Take a look around her website and blog to see more terrific examples of her work … placecards, menus, favor tags. Make sure you mention “Style Me Pretty” when placing your order for the discount!

It has been a dreadful Winter in Dallas, Texas. Record snow fall, freezing temperatures and a lack of sunshine have left the TWPS team aching for Spring. Sure, we love spring temperatures (although we loathe spring showers), but most of all… WE LOVE SPRING WEDDINGS.

Take a peek at Hillary and Doug’s wedding captured by the oh, so talented Alex Ham. Winter weather, go away, come again another day. We’re ready for Spring!

Your Uncle Bobby recently purchased a Flip Video and has offered to shoot your wedding. Sure, it’d be free, but do you really want cousin Betty Lou to get more face time than your and your man? It is your day, after all.

Let me introduce Hakim Sons Films. Their films and talent will put Uncle Bobby to shame. From DVD invites that present your wedding theatrically, to instant edits and wedding trailers, Hakim Sons Films will create a memorable wedding experience for both you and your guests.

This is not to say that the people at Hakim Sons Films don’t understand Uncle Bobby and the rest of your family. In fact, they want to capture the essence of your funny, unique family on your big day. Hakim Sons Film stems three generations. As they say: “Our most important clients are people from the future-yet to be born. Our films allow them to see, hear and feel what their parents and loved ones were like. It’s priceless, sentimental and very personal. It’s a document of…life. This is what fuels our passion.”

Don’t just take my word for it. TWPS is hosting Cinematic Bliss on Thursday, March 25th from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. featuring Hakim Sons Films. Come discover the latest in cinematography while enjoying classic movie sips & nibbles! Hakim Sons Films presenter & leading expert Shezad Manjee will reveal cutting edge DVD invitations, instant wedding trailers & the best in blue ray. This is not your parents wedding video… discover cinematography today.

This event is complimentary and space is limited! RSVP: 214.296.4908 or info@twpstudio.com

Introduction please…tell us about yourself:
Hey darlin’! I’m the hot mess that goes by Tracy Glesby. I haven’t sat still or gone a day without talking to at least 10 people and their moms since birth. I’m from Houston and currently attend SMU here in Dallas. Quite honestly, I think the great state of Texas should it’s own country and people who live above the Mason-Dixon line are nuts.

Why the wedding industry?
Because my boyfriend doesn’t know it yet but we’re totally going to get married and I want to know everything about weddings…JK! I’ve always been a natural event planner, dinner parties, birthdays, Cinco de Mayo events; you name it so it has been an inclination of mine to mature into wedding planning.

Why do you LOVE working at TWPS?
Because it’s a happy, personal, roomy environment where I enjoy the tasks and work that I do and it doesn’t hurt that the people here are funny to boot!

If you were to start planning your own wedding TODAY how would you describe your style and the overall feel you want to achieve?
Well if it were legal, 110% I would have blue bonnets as the flower for my wedding. I would wear a dress that wouldn’t give my Jewish grandmother a heart attack and the only jewelry I’d have on would be my engagement and wedding rings. Hundreds of people would be invited and at the same time no one in attendance will be a stranger to anyone…. Oh and it might be nice to have my husband in attendance as well : D

What do you think is the secret to a great marriage?
To not only accept but embrace change, I will not be the same person today as I will be in 5 years. That you love the person to a point where if they change or mature or alter their behavior in any way, you’ll be excited to get to know and love a newer them all over again.

Enough about weddings…more about you!  Do you have any hidden talents?
I can sew and fix about anything with my own two hands, I’m talking plumbing, broken tables, chairs, you name it.

What is your life philosophy/favorite quote?
Chuck Norris’s tears could cure cancer.

Name two things you are very good at and two things you are not so good at.
I’m good at being an ice-breaker in novel/uncomfortable situations and keeping my word.
I’m a terrible dancer and photographer.

Fill in the blank…If I were a Man I would be George Hamilton.

Three wishes….go!
1)  To get a job secure in Dallas before April but where I would start in August.
2)  To win my life-long struggle with gravity.
3)  And for my family members to live long, healthy lives

Hometown: Champaign, IL
School: Southern Methodist University
Major: Advertising and Spanish, minor in Business Administration

Hi, I’m Natalie! I have been lucky enough to intern at The Wedding Party Studio since October. While I have blogged off and on for TWPS, I recently made a goal to post more consistently. I will blog a couple times each week, as will my fellow intern, Tracy. Since you’ll be hearing from me a lot I think it is necessary that I share a bit about myself.

Why the wedding industry?
Just as everyone who goes to college must furnish a dorm room, buy books, and purchase university apparel, every bride-to-be must find the perfect florist, choose a reception venue, and decide on THE dress. It is an industry that continues despite the state of the economy, although budgets change. It is also a relatively happy industry to be in. Brides are excited about their weddings and the planning that goes into them. To be involved in the most special day of someone’s life is something beautiful and an honor to be a part of.

Why do you LOVE working at TWPS?
Since elementary school I have had a passion for weddings. In third grade I planned pretend weddings  for my friends at the country club. I created bouquets with weeds from my backyard, designed dresses out of beach towels, and made sure that each newlywed couple had the perfect cake to dig into (Klondike bars from the snack bar anyone?!). I LOVE working at TWPS because it allows me to further (and more professionally) pursue my passion for weddings.

I really do LOVE it. I have been exposed to every aspect of weddings- from venues to cakes to florals. I have had SO much fun working on PAGES (Have you picked up your copy?!), although I have developed a love-hate relationship with Adobe Creative Suite. I have also been blessed to meet so many wonderful, talented people- our members, my team, and of course, the brides! And, I barely have to lift a finger to get a Cuca Lu cruffle when the craving strikes. Lucky me!

If you were to start planning your own wedding TODAY how would you describe your style and the overall feel you want to achieve?
It will be a late afternoon wedding in my backyard, ideally in the late summer. The intimate ceremony will take place on the golf course behind my house and everyone I love will be in attendance. The reception will be a fun, beautiful bash. Picture bocce on the lawn, an overwhelming amount of peonies, a big band and plenty of colorful cocktails. I want the bridesmaids to wear Jcrew dresses and the men to wear bow ties- very preppy, yet casual. Knowing me, there will be an abnormal attention to detail, down to the font on the place-cards. Now, I just need the minor detail: a fiance.

What do you think is the secret to a great marriage?
My parents have been married 26 years. That’s not to say that they haven’t had their ups and downs, but I have observed that communication and compromise are the keys to good marriage. And, the fun must continue! No one is ever too old to flirt or go on dates.

Enough about weddings…more about you! Name two things you are very good at and two things you are not so good at.
I’m am a phenomenal organizer, and I throw one heck of a dinner party. I need to practice patience. When I sing I sound like a whale (that is NOT a good thing).

What is your quirkiest habit?
I have a habit of obsessively cleaning- especially swiffering the floor and wiping the counter. Is that quirky? My pet peeve is dirty people…

Favorite activities, interests or hobbies?
My grandmother bought me an apron for Christmas that says “domestic diva”. I love to bake, cook, and especially entertain. See my personal blog post about dinner parties. I also love to read magazines (R.I.P Gourmet and Domino), write and stay active. My current obsession is Core Fusion, Exhale Spa’s booty kicking workout class. Traveling is my all time favorite. My friends joke that I will be a member of the mile high club in no time.

What is your life philosophy/favorite quote?
I have found that if you love life, life will love you right back.
-Arthur Rubinstein

Three wishes….go!
Only three?! I wish that the calories in ice cream didn’t exist and that my best friends and I lived in the same town. I also wish health and peace for those close to my heart.

Last but not least…we hear graduation makes you a big kid – any “career goals”???
Anyone who knows me well will tell you that I have too many long term goals to list- I want to get my MBA, attend culinary school, open my own business, be involved in the wedding industry in some shape or form, and the list goes on. But,  for the next year two years I will be in Dallas teaching bilingual elementary school as part of the Teach for America corps.

The Compendium family of books and other products are truly AMAZING!  We love them for their beauty, inspiration, quality and versatility.  Below you will see some of their great products we now have available in the boutique.  These are great gifts for all your loved ones and can be given as is or personalized with your own special notes.

This interview book is much more than the keepsake; it has the ability to become a family heirloom. It’s filled with pages and pages of expected as well as unexpected questions about her celebrated life. Its pages will contain life lessons and guidance for generations to come.  A great gift to your mother or for your mother to give to you.

This treasured family keepsake is the perfect gift for dad where all the answers to the questions you wanted to know and some you did not want to know could all be answered. His stories and memories will be passed down through generations to come.  A great Father’s Day gift or a truly personal gift dad could give to you on your wedding day.

The she book contains multiple accounts of strong, beautiful, and tender women in your life. It is an illustration of the female spirit in all its pride and glory.  This book could be given as is or you could write your personal accounts of how certain quotes truly represent the woman you are gifting.  Great for mothers, sisters and bridesmaids!

This journal translates memories into words. This keepsake is a special gift for a loved woman in celebration of her life. It starts with blank pages and unfolds into a visual literally display of personal art. This literary work is not a lone ranger for it has a counterpart female version, making it a romantic duet.   This would be a great gift to give to your fiance as a wedding day gift…holding all the accounts of your love for him and what makes him so special to you now and during your courtship.

This journal translates unforgettable experiences and memories into literary work. This gift is a celebration of a male loved one in your life.  We love the idea of both the bride and groom documenting their relationship or engagement in these pages and using particular quote over the year(s) to come up with touching vows.

This pocket-sized notebook holds the accounts of both members in the relationship, with it’s ups and downs. It is a true expression of couple-hood with it’s abilities to illustrate all the steps, anniversaries, trips, and holidays experienced during the course of a relationship.  Another incredible gift that can be given as is or with special notes throughout.

This magnetic photo frame holds two interchangeable photographs so you can display photos of how you personally see your father as your hero as he opens the refrigerator daily.  Wouldn’t this just be a darling gift to give you father…a picture on one side of you and your daddy when you were a little girl and then one with you and him on your wedding day!

The “Love is everything” notebook allows a loved one to write down their romantic thoughts in a form that not only keeps their thoughts all in one place but also is easily portable with it’s palm-size form.  The left is the front view. The right is the back view.

If you like what you have seen, you will have to come in the studio to see them in person and check out Compendium’s website for other books that we can order for you!

Ebby Halliday Realtors and The Wedding Party Studio recently teamed up to make your life as a bride easier. You found the perfect match. Let Ebby find you the perfect home. The Wedding Party Studio will take care of the rest!

TWPS recently teamed up with Ebby to help create Valentine’s Day ads. What a fun time we had! Check out Ebby’s latest blog post for a behind the scenes look at the making of the ad.

That’s right!  If you book Hakim Sons Films by February 2010 (wedding date can obviously be after that date) they will donate $250 to the Haiti Relief Efforts through the Red Cross in yours and your new hubby’s name!  Check out the link below to their website.  WARNING:  You may discover hours have passed while viewing all the beautiful footage

Hakim Sons Films Website