Buying Used Dress + Nearly Newlywed Bridal Boutique + $100 Coupon

I'm a huge believer in the used wedding dress market. I find it to be a great alternative for brides looking for the perfect dress without shelling out the big bucks. Similarly, it is also a great way to find dresses you might not otherwise find in your local bride shops. I think we can all agree that there is one huge problem with buying used wedding dresses. It is a much too important decision to leave to online purchasing with private parties (and potentially spammers). After dealing with a few spam "buyers" I turned to Nearly Newlywed to sell my own dress. This is why I find Nearly Newlywed to be such a brilliant place to purchase used dresses without all the stress potentially associated with the transaction. Aside from their wonderful shopping experience, brides have the option to sell the dress back to Nearly Newlywed making it a pain free process for you on both ends.

Melissa Sweet | Eze | $1000

Monique Lhuillier | Scarlet | $2500

Elie Saab Fully Sequined Gown | $8,700

Looking for a dress? Start shopping now! And make sure to use this coupon code for a little extra something something!

Bridal Beauty by Jennifer Fujikawa Photography

I have something absolutely beautiful for your today. Jennifer Fujikawa Photography did a phenomenal job of capturing so much beauty.

     

Photography: Jennifer Fujikawa Photography Floral, Makeup & Styling: Cammy Lau Dresses: Marisol Aparicio Model: Anne Miles

Where to Find Awesome Bridesmaid Dresses

Often times I am underwhelmed by the options in bridesmaid dresses. Between organizing my 7 bridesmaids dresses, as well as being in quite a few weddings, I have become very good at finding rad bridesmaid dresses from highly unexpected places. First tip, don't even try to look at this "bridesmaid" collections offered at stores. They just aren't worth it. Instead, here are some resources to find the perfect options no matter what style, color or price you are looking for.

Dresses from: Express, BCBG from Nordstrom, Asos, Asos, Asos

Dresses from: Urban Outfitters, H&M, Urban Outfitters, Forever 21, Urban Outfitters, Asos, Forever 21

Dresses from: Forever 21, Asos, Express, Express, H&M, Express

Asos.com is a great resource for inexpensive hip options. Searching by color is easy, and they offer so many in-fashion options for your girls! You won't find any satin or stogy looks here, only the best, and at some incredible prices.

Nordstrom is the best place to shop the best brands all in one place. No matter what style, color or price range you are looking for, you will definitely find it here.

J Crew is more sophisticated and a little more expensive than some other stores, but who doesn't love everything J Crew has to offer.

Express is probably one of the most unexpected places to look for bridesmaid dresses, but they often times have some great formal dresses that fit any body type.

Urban Outfitters is the go to spot for some incredibly hip looks. We all know that. But what you might not know is that their selection of formal dresses is really starting to look up. I find it to be a secret spot for some of the best looks if you hit them on a good day. I'm loving all the mesh they offer this season, so it is in fact one of my favorite spots for dresses.

 If you want your girls to look their best be prepared to do a little bit of hunting. Give each of your girls the color palette and have them do the shopping. It is incredibly worth the extra hours when your girls look their very best on your wedding day. And when they look good, you look even better!

Finding Your Glass Slippers

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 Now that I have my dress, Ican't wait to pick out the heels! I love the look of a neutral color with sparkles of some kind.

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 On the other hand, a brighter color would be fun.

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Other things on my checklist are that they are comfortable, stay on my feet, not be too high, and that they aren't crazy expensive. I can't wait to find the perfect ones for me. I'm thinking I'll be ordering several contenders so that I can try them on and see how they feel on and with my dress.

Where did you shop for your wedding shoes?

Finding My Glass Slippers

It dawned on me this week that because of the schedule of my dress fitting, I actually need my bridal shoes in May, which feels incredibly soon. Because of that little realization, I've spent this week looking at and thinking about different shoe options.

I'm sure that I'm not the only one that thinks of Cinderella's glass slippers as the shoes that set the bar for all bridal shoes until the end of time.

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Of course, the problem with Cinderella's shoes is that a real bride can't exactly traipse around taking photos, gracefully walk down the aisle, greet her guests at cocktail hour, and dance the night away in glass.

Pinterest has no shortage of "real life" glass slippers, either:

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While I'm all about sparkle, which I have made abundantly clear in past blog posts, I am also all about dancing and all about pretty while still being practical. Here are a few more down-to-earth, and less fairy tale shoes that I'm considering:

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Searching for The Skirt

Last July I semi-impulsively bought half of my wedding dress. After months of trying on wedding dresses and not falling in love with any of them, I purchased a gorgeous Monique Lhullier corset top and decided to design my own skirt. Six months have flown by, so it's time to start to seriously thinking about my other half. I love these simple silhouettes below but want something with a little more poof for the big day.

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So cool that the skirt below comes in 26 colors as I have been playing around with the idea of having a non-white (peach or gray colored) skirt.

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Sources: 1 & 2

I'm  leaning towards a skirt design that marries the two silhouettes below.

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How did you decide? Did you dare to try designing your own?

Veil-ed It! {headpiece or veil?}

My wedding gown has a lot going on. I knew that I would never be that bride that can effortlessly and elegantly pull off a crepe sheath dress (Gwyneth Paltrow I am not). That being said, my accessorizing options are somewhat limited by the fact that my dress brings the bling in a major way. Herein lies the problem: I love headpieces, like true love. I have been searching for a headpiece that combines my love of vintage, my love of bling, and is understated enough that I won't look like Honey Boo Boo (think modified tiara, not full-blown tiara). Here are a few that I love:

 Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4

Recently, veils have seemed a little more alluring. I had honestly completely written off veils, since we're not religious, not having a religious ceremony, and the back of my gown is intricate, and I wanted it to be visible. However, BHLDN has struck again with a couple of very sheer, very delicate options that are making me rethink this whole headpiece obsession.

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Showered with love {what to wear to your bridal shower}

While my bridal shower is a good four months away, and there will surely be white and cream-colored dresses a-plenty as the weather gets warmer, lately, I find my fingers wandering to sites like Nordstrom, BHLDN, and Anthropologie to search for the perfect dress to wear to my bridal shower. Requirements are as follows: 1) Effortless (no dress is ever truly effortless, but it'd be great if it at least looks effortless)

2) Chic

3) A little something extra (my mantra for all things wedding....sequins! Just kidding...sort of)

4) Bride-y (a bit hard to wear white lace on occasions when you're not being showered, no?)

What you wear should somewhat depend on the look and feel of the shower, as well as the attendees. Lucky for me, my most favorite ladies in the world know that I like to sparkle like it's my job. So, I don't think they'll mind if my dress is a bit much for a backyard ladies' luncheon in May. Here are some of my favorites so far:

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Taking It All In {Wedding Week}

It's here! Our wedding week is here! At this point, it doesn't seem real! The event that we have been talking and planning for months is now here and I am just supposed to be relaxed and "take in every moment"?!  My family and friends will know how hard this will be for me but I am going to try!

Obviously, the most exciting part is marrying my best friend and the person who makes me laugh on a daily basis, Eric! I can't wait for our first look to see how handsome and happy he looks!

I thought I'd post some of my favorite inspiration photos through the wedding planning process!

Chevron Touches:

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Outdoor Ceremony:

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Grey Bridesmaid Dresses:

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Romantic and Soft Flowers:

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It's been a blast posting on Engaged and Inspired and I can't wait to share all my wedding day photos with all of you!

xoxo

Jess

Steps to Sample Sale Success

Ohh check that alliteration in the title. Snazzy, right?Gosh I think I'm clever. Ok, ok time to get down to business. You've probably heard it all before but one of the easiest places to save some money when wedding planning is on the dress. But how? If you're anything like me, you've watched just about every episode of Say Yes to the Dress and have drooled over all the beautiful, high priced gowns they showcase. I had heard a few success stories from girls who had chosen to go the Sample Sale route but honestly, I was very weary of that. My initial thoughts were the limited options, lots of people, and the thought of settling based on a good deal. But even with those negative thoughts running through my head I decided to give it a shot and I'm so glad did!

These 6 steps are why I think I was successful at finding my dream dress at a sample sale and I hope they'll help you too:

1. Attend sample sales that takes appointments

2. Go to stores that carry dresses you like and may normally be out of your budget

3. Make your appointment on the first day of the sale (if possible)

4. Go in with a clear budget in mind

5. Have a good idea of what you're looking for

6. Be ready to buy

Shopping for a wedding dress is such a fun and exciting time. Enjoy yourself and if you're looking to save a little money know that there are options out there for you to do just that!

Did you attend a sample sale? What was your experience?