style, comfort &/or color {bridal shoes}

In exactly 2 months from today I will be married... OMG! The next 60 days or so will be filled with bridal showers, last minute vendor meetings, and finalizing the details. One of those details is picking out what shoes I'm going to wear. Lately the trend has been to wear a pop of color. I once thought that I would go that route, but now I'm leaning toward something more traditional and elegant. Oh and here's something we rarely think about ladies.... COMFORT! Yes we want to look gorgeous from head to toe on our wedding day, but at what cost? I don't know about you, but I think I'm going to wear something feminine and elegant for the ceremony and photos, then opt for something more comfortable and stylish for the reception. Here's some of my inspiration:

TOMS, Miu Miu, Badgley Mischka Kate Spade & Stewart Wietzman

Badgley Mischka & BHLDN Steve Madden &  Jimmy Choo

What about you? Can you swing the 5 inch heels all night, or are you going to have a second pair of fancy flats to hit the dance floor with?

Mayan Mystique Meets Urban Chic Invitations {LizzyBLoves}

I've learned something about myself through this planning process; I have a unique taste. In other words my style is not traditional. So, when it came to picking out wedding invitations I felt like there was nothing out there that really rang my bell.  However, the one invitation that I loved was custom designed by the bride herself... who happened to be a graphic designer. What I love about her invites is that they're simple, chic and a little retro. (note: Kelly + Chris' Palm Springs entire wedding is totally inspiring to me. And if you've been following me along, you'll see why :) Wedding invitations were not high on my priority list of spending, however I found myself feeling a little board with what was out there; everything looked so ordinary and predictable. I didn't want to straight out copy Kelly (above), so to overcome this obstacle I did what any Engaged & Inspired bride would do.... I got creative! I established my colors (grey and yellow) and I imagined what my perfect invites would look like, then I started a google image search. I am getting married at The Hotel Maya in Long Beach. The vibe there is described as "Mayan Mystique meets Urban Chic." Immediately I envisioned something with a Latin American flair with a modern twist. So, how does one find a custom invite that fits this locale? Well, I started by googling "mexican tile inspired invitation." Low and behold I stumbled upon Lizelly, owner of, and designer extraordinaire for Lizzy B Loves. Imagine how excited I got when I found these images!

I would love a custom invitation that has the tile/color scheme you see above in a format like the one below. By the way, the invite below is printed on Italian water color paper. It's textured and feels extra special.

Once I found the Mexican tile inspired invitations I was pretty much dead set on contacting Lizelly. As much as I use the internet, it was still pretty cool to call her and say, "hey I found your work through a google search. Will you design my wedding invitations?" Lizelly sent me hard copies of sample invitations she had done before and I loved them! Just recently I was in San Diego for my best friend's bachelorette party and got to meet Lizelly in person! We are working together to design a custom invitation that speaks to my style and vision. I feel so lucky to have found her. Thanks Google ;-)

Here are a few more hand-crafted invitations by, Lizzy B Loves. Enjoy!

How did you choose your wedding invitations? Were you pretty easy-going by just picking a simple template in person at a store, or were you pretty picky? Did you design them yourself? How crafty did you get? Feel free to share your story or any pointers you may have!

if the shoe fits {bridal shoes}

I consider myself to be cheap'n chic. That being said, I love fashion that looks fabulous and does not cost an arm and a leg. Yes, my wedding day is going to be amazing, but that doesn't mean I need a $1,700 pair of shoes to feel fabulous. Yes, you read that number correctly. Some of you girls out there feel just fine spending that kind of mulah on a pair of pumps... but I, ladies, do not. Even if I had that kind of money to spend, I would not spend it on shoes... I'd spend it on a videographer. But, to each their own. This post is dedicated to the ladies who want to look and feel fabulous with breaking the bank. Who cares what the label says on the close-up your photographer is going to get of your shoes. (Gasp!) she is not wearing designer shoes on her wedding day?! Well, I might.... and if I do you best believe I'll get them at Loehmann's or The Rack ;-)

Here are some shoes I found inspiring. By the way, the sparkly one on the right by Enzo is only $159!

and who says they have to be white?

I know there are a lot of you out there that may disagree with me on the subject of shoes. I have many girlfriends who are passionate about their Christian Louboutin's and Manolo Blahnik's thanks to Carrie Bradshaw. But tell me ladies, how much is TOO much to spend on shoes?? Oh, and what color are you going for? Traditional white, or something more daring? Please share!

wedding timeline & color inspiration {so far so good}

When I got engaged September 12, 2011 I truly had NO idea what it would take to plan a wedding. Reading magazines and discovering that the average woman takes about a year to plan a wedding was surprising to me. To look back just 5 months ago to where I was and where I am now... WOW, I've come a long way, baby. I've laughed, I've cried and I almost convinced Vinnie to elope. But I have to say, at this point in the planning process I feel good. I have approx 7 1/2 months until my big day. I may not be exactly on the "Brides Magazine" countdown, but I'm comfortable with where I'm at...Here's what I've accomplished thus far :

  • Budget
  • Venue
  • Guest Count & Bridal Party
  • Wedding website (thank you www.modwedding.com for the fabulous & chic site! Oh, did I mention it was FREE?!?)
  • The Dress (gorgeous Elizabeth Fillmore gown for 75% off....SCORE!)
  • Met with a wedding planner
  • Scouted Photographers and Videographers (still need to hire one, but not stressing about it.... yet)
  • Color Palette: Light Grey & Yellow with Succulent Green Accents
  • Save the Dates (below) I love them and they're going out TODAY!!
In the next 2 months I must do the following:
  • Meet with vendors to plan the details (flowers, rentals, menu, cake, drinks)
  • Lock down our photographer/videographer
  • Order the invitations
  • Shop for bridesmaids outfits
  • Research & book the honeymoon (Yippee)
  • Select our officiant
I am so excited to check things off my to do list these next couple months. Here is some color inspiration. If you haven't noticed, I'm pretty obsessed with grey and yellow. It feels fantastic to know where I'm going with this whole vision. Locking down my colors has surprisingly eased my nerves a bit ;-)
Mexican tile inspiration (left) by Lizzy B Loves invitation design :)

I feel like I've finally gotten into the groove of wedding planning. I'm having fun and communicating better with my fiance... he likes to be kept in the loop and lend his opinions on things too! How are you doing with your timeline? Are you ahead of your own schedule? Any tips for staying focused and not stressing?