Engagement is a magical time leading up to your wedding. You and your fiancé will get along better than ever and you will find the entire process of planning a wedding to be pure bliss… Said no one ever!

Planning a wedding can be completely overwhelming without the proper knowledge or game plan. In fact the initial planning is where I struggled the most. I didn’t know where to begin! My friends hadn’t gotten married yet, so I found myself scouring the Internet and reading bridal books for answers. After several bridal blogs and “Wedding Planning for Dummies” I began to get a lay of the land. The area I struggled most to understand was how to take my budget and properly allocate it. If I have $75,000 for my wedding, how do I know how much I can spend on the reception? What can I spend on the flowers? How many guests can I invite? The list of questions you have may seem endless. I’m here to help you figure out a financial plan.

Here is a general breakdown of what you should expect your wedding costs to be. Your reception should cost you about half of your entire budget. For instance, if you have a budget of $75,000, try to keep your reception venue to around $35,000 or so. Your ceremony should only cost you about 2 to 3%. Your attire for both the bride and groom should come in somewhere around 8 to 10%, with your flowers and music right around that same percentage. Your photography and videography will cost you about 10-12%. I found this to be one area I was willing to splurge; I made sure to cut costs in other areas to make that happen. Lastly, stationary, wedding rings, parking/transit, and gifts should all come in at about 2-3 % each. An extremely helpful piece of advice I read is to set aside 5% of your budget for things that may come up that you have not prepared for. There is nothing worse than a surprise fee or a part of the wedding you did not account for.

After preparing an outline of your wedding budget, decide where you stand. Can you come in under budget? Or, do you need to save more money to have the wedding you envision? Another helpful piece of advice is to try to squirrel away a certain percentage every month. Cutting back on non-necessities can go a long way. Remember! The longer the engagement the more time you have to save as well.

Wedding prep isn’t easy and at times can be the most daunting of tasks, but once you establish your budget and get your vendors booked you will be well on your way. The more informed you are, the easier it is! I hope this blog serves as a solid foundation for the rest of your journey.

If you found this helpful, please feel free to share this with your friends who are struggling with their wedding planning too… Yikes! <3

In today’s modern world there are a multitude of different types of weddings. No matter what the theme, every bride wants to represent her most beautiful self. This involves finding a style that is well suited and stylish. I have taken every kind of bride from classic, bohemian, beachy, rustic and vintage and provided you with today’s on-trend hairstyles.

The Classic Bride

You are the type of girl who values tradition. You seek theme in color versus details and are more than likely serving a tiered wedding cake versus cupcakes. Believe it or not, this actually tells quite a bit about your preference in hairstyles. My guess is that you are gravitating towards something sleek and timeless, but still want to feel stylish. Below are some of my favorite hairstyles that encompass both class and style.

The Bohemian Bride

If you have chosen to have a “boho chic” wedding, you may describe your style as eclectic and whimsical with an artistic flair. This anything goes type of theme allows for serious creative expression! Trendy looks for bohemian brides include headbands/flower wreaths, mix & match details, and earthy inspiration. Here are some of my favorite trendy, boho looks…

The Beachy Bride

Maybe you grew up on the beach, or maybe you just enjoy the wind in your hair and toes in the sand. You are laid back, calm and centered. Your wedding details include earth tones and natures gifts. Being more relaxed in nature, you probably prefer your hair relaxed as well. Lived in looks with simple detailing best suit you. Here are some examples of looks that are not only comfortable, but chic as well.

The Rustic Bride

Nature and farm elements inspire your theme. Your colors consist of earth tones and your décor has an abundance of wood and stone. Your wedding is probably outdoors in a warmer environment. These components also translate into the theme of your overall look. Your hair should reflect an earthy, less manicured feel. Check out the examples below of hairstyles that fit this theme, but still leave you feeling beautiful and fashionable.

The Vintage Bride

Vintage lovers typically have a love for femininity, muted colors, and lace. Delicate flowers, linen, and burlap are all common denominators. This antique vibe is beautiful and so are the associated hairstyles. Embracing vintage styles has become a modern fad. Below are my absolute favorite styles that represent not only a past time period, but now the present.

There are trendy hairstyles for every type of bride. No matter what vision you are trying to recreate, there is a style that will suit you, your theme, and today’s fashion. Search no further, as I have provided you with today’s hottest looks for every wedding theme.

Ironically, as both a hairstylist and future bride to be, I too found myself struggling with which wedding hairstyle was right for me. In a modern world of endless Pinterest boards, flower crowns, and ‘Style Me Pretty’ inspiration, I found myself overwhelmed in possibilities. I was able to pin-point which look would be best for me based on a serious of questions you may or may not have considered.

When and where are you getting married?

Are you getting married in the summer on the beach? Are you doing a winter wedding in the mountains? Are you doing a ballroom wedding in the fall? Weather and location are extremely important in deciding which style is most appropriate. If you are getting married in the summer outdoors, you may want to consider an updo to prevent humidity from wreaking havoc. If you are getting married in the winter or indoors, you may have more flexibility with your look. Location will affect the theme of your style based on suitability. Make sure the look you choose is appropriate to weather conditions and also fitting to the location of the wedding.

What do you look like?

What shape face do you have? Do you have a large or small forehead? Do you have larger ears? The idea behind the perfect wedding style is that it is most flattering to YOU. If you have a narrow, more oblong shaped face, you would be best suited in an updo with width on the sides. If you have a very round face, you may consider wearing your hair in a top knot for height to elongate your face. It’s imperative to hire a stylist that is invested in designing each strand to best suit you.

What does your dress look like?

Do you have a strapless neckline? Do you have a high neckline? Are you wearing a ball gown? Is your dress asymmetrical? Your dress is the star of the show along with you. You want your hair to complement your features as well as your dress. An asymmetrical dress may be best complemented by sweeping the hair to the side. If this dress is more or less formal, make sure the texture of the curls is representative. For example if your dress is one shouldered and very simple in nature, loose waves or a more relaxed curls would be most cohesive.

Modern Or Classic?

I definitely struggled with this question myself. I live for the floral bridesmaids dresses, beachy hair, and trendy looks but I also feel strongly about keeping this special day classic and sophisticated. As a hairstylist I am always creating both modern and classic looks, so I find beauty in both themes. I chose to not choose! I found a hairstyle modern in texture and classic in style.

The beauty of choosing the right wedding hair is that there is no “right” choice. Fill your Pinterest boards with styles that speak to you and then ask yourself these questions. Where and when is my wedding? What features do I have that I want to play up or down? What style best suits my dress? And lastly, Do I want to keep my look classic or go contemporary?