Congratulations to Jennifer whose Blue Bird wedding ensemble was chosen by our readers as their favorite in our Recessionista Giveaway!  Each ensemble had to include at a minimum the wedding dress, shoes, and handbag and ring up at under $1000.  Here is Jennifer's submission, which received 48% of the votes and came in at $731.47 for all of the bridal pieces shown below:


Congrats, Jennifer!  Email us at info{at}blueorchidweddings.com with "I'm a Winner!" in the subject line and we'll get your $50 Target gift card out to you!

Don't forget to vote for the winner in our Recessionista Giveaway!  Voting ends tonight, so click here to choose your favorite!

For those of you in the States, happy Thanksgiving! For our friends around the world, happy Thursday!  May your day be filled with gratitude for the blessings in your life.

There are a couple of exciting things happening in the wedding world that I wanted to let you know about:


First, Vane from Brooklyn Bride is hosting the second annual Holiday Card Swap! The concept is simple - you sign up and then Vane sends you five names and addresses of different people to swap holiday cards with. The catch is that this year the cards must be handmade. I participated last year and it was fun to receive cards from people in the wedding blogging community. Sign up ends this Friday, so click here for all the details!



The second applies to all you brides in the Washington DC/Maryland/Richmond, VA areas. Maria from Ritzy Bee emailed to let me know that she and Janie Medley from The Bride's Cafe have teamed up, along with some other amazing wedding professionals, to offer one lucky couple professional wedding services - totally gratis!

I've been waiting to share this giveaway with you until Janie had a chance to announce some new additions to this dream team of vendors. One lucky couple will receive:

1. Flowers from Janie Medley of JM Flora
2. Photography from Elise Theuer
3. Wedding Day Coordination from Maria Cooke of Ritzy Bee
4. Wedding Documentary from Humanstory Films
5. Personalized Aisle Runner or Custom Table Runner for Head Table or Cake Table from I Do Originals
6. 200 Custom Invitations, RSVPS, Enclosure Cards, Envelopes, Labels and Seals from Magnet Street Weddings

If you're tying the knot in the DC/Maryland/Richmond, VA area between the months of April and December 2009, then be sure to check out the official details of how to enter over at The Bride's Cafe.

Good luck and let us know if you end up being the lucky winner!

{Update: a very astute reader pointed out that there was a handbag missing from one of the original final three boards, which was one of the requirements.  So the second board is a new selection, and voting has started over.  If you've already voted, you may vote again!}

Choosing the three finalists for the Recessionista Giveaway was tough! All of the wedding ensembles we received were stunning and each proved that you can be a beautiful bride without spending the equivalent of the GDP of a small country.

I also have to confess that sometimes I skim through my blog subscriptions on Google reader and as a result I completely missed the fact that my fab friend Khris from DIY Bride also did a similar giveaway recently, only the boards she requested had to tally no higher than $500. For more recessionista inspiration, be sure to check those out over at DIYBride.com.

Okay, on to the final three boards! You'll remember that each entry had to include the dress, shoes and handbag for under $1000 and if you could throw in other accessories, even better!

First up, the Pretty in Pink Recessionista by Laura:


Kay Unger Dress $370; J.Crew Satin Clutch $78; Kate Spade Shoes $298; Nadri Coin Earrings $80; Nadri Crystal Cuff $158
Total: $984


Second, Blue Bird Recessionista by Jennifer:


dress $508.00; shoes $73.47 (on sale from $104.95); clutch $105.00; earrings $16.00; hairpiece $29.00
Total: $731.47

And third, the Plum Classic Recessionista by Leah:


Shoes by Luichini $39.95; Pearl Necklace $149; Aria Dress $225; Birdcage Veil $36.95; Clutch $21.37; Rose and Calla Lily Bouquet $124.99
Total: $597.26

Which one is your favorite? Vote below! Voting will close on Thursday at 11:59 pm Arizona time and we'll announce the winner of the $50 Target giftcard on Friday!

I am still going through all the entries submitted for our Recessionista Giveaway, and I'll be honest, the reason it's taking a while is because I am having a tough time narrowing down my three favorites!  You all are so talented and each ensemble is gorgeous! 

We'll have the three finalists up tomorrow for you to start voting - I am so glad I don't have to choose the winner all by myself!

Since I don't ask my team to do anything I wouldn't do myself, I answered the same questions that I had all of them answer for our Meet the Team feature.

The ladies over at Dynamite Weddings also featured an interview with me yesterday and you can read it here.

So today you get a double dose of yours truly:

Name: Liene Stevens

Location: Scottsdale, Arizona

Blue Orchid Designs Role: Founder and Lead Consultant

My Alma Mater:
Arizona State University

My Starbucks order is: 
Cafe Latte. Nothing added.

My favorite thing about weddings: 
When the couple is truly in love and invested more in the marriage than the wedding itself. Also, cake.

I am known for: 
My aversion to pretense. I tend to tell it like it is and I don't give empty or false compliments.  I am the one who, if there is an elephant in the room or something swept under the rug, will say "Hey, what's that about?  Let's talk about it."  I really believe that life is better lived when issues are dealt with up front instead of letting them build up and pretending they don't exist.  Holding grudges and being vindictive wastes too much energy and life is too short for that.

People are always surprised to learn that: 
I first learned to drive on a crazy dirt road in Mexico in a truck with standard transmission.

I can also play about six or seven different instruments thanks to endless music lessons my mother wouldn't let my sister and I skip out on growing up.

I am a member of Mensa. 

My blue eye color is natural.  No tint from contacts added.

My ancestors came over to the States on the Mayflower and one of my great aunts has a platter with an original map of Jamestown drawn on it.

By the time I'm 30 I hope to: 
Have launched my third and fourth companies (the ideas are currently percolating and not yet blog-reveal ready), be married (not much control over this one), and have taken my nephew to Disneyland (because I am the best aunt ever, and no, I am not above buying his love).

My celebrity crush is: 
Anderson Cooper because he is smart, funny, and handsome, to boot.  Alas, this match up will never happen because we are both attracted to men.  C'est la vie.

When I was a kid I: 
Went to Kindergarten twice because I was the only kid who didn't know how to read.

My favorite dish to cook is: 
Cooking causes me to lose my appetite, so I've never really spent the time developing the talent and know-how behind it.  I can, however, make a mean French press.

I think everyone should: 
Live overseas, preferably in a developing nation, even if only for a short stint. It will change your life and broaden your outlook and understanding of human nature in a way that books and movies never will.

{photo by Darby Elizabeth}

Deciding on a whether or not to include a wedding program in the items you give your guests?  Here is a list of pros and cons to this stationery piece to help you choose whether this is an extra something nice to have but that you can skip or something you really should include in the budget. 

Pros to Having a Wedding Program

*If you are having a ceremony that incorporates a lot of religious or cultural traditions (such as Catholic, Jewish, Hindu, etc) that many of your guests may not be familiar with, having a program that outlines the ceremony, lets guests know when to stand, kneel, respond back to readings, etc is super helpful for allowing guests to follow along and not feel awkwardly out of place or embarrassed that they aren't familiar with a certain aspect of your ceremony.  Your Catholic ceremony may seem common sense to you, but to someone who has never stepped foot in a liturgical church, it can be pretty foreign.

*Wedding programs allow you to honor your bridal party and other attendants by showing off their names and wedding roles in print.

*The programs can also multitask stylishly.  If your reception venue is at a different location than your ceremony site, directions and a map can be included on one of the pages for the guests who inevitably forget to bring the original reception card from the wedding invitation.

*Wedding programs give your guests something to do with their hands during the ceremony.  Granted, this should not be your top concern, but there is definitely a psychological plus to having something to hold or fidget with, especially with the emotion and sometimes nervous energy that can accompany weddings.


Cons to Having a Wedding Program

*The cost can be significantly higher than your wedding invitations depending on what you need to include and how many pages that information will take up.  This may be an area that you can skip and funnel those dollars into another portion of your budget.

*While some of your guests will keep the wedding programs for all of eternity (come on now, I know I am not the only one who does this), many will get tossed by the end of the night.  Weddings can produce a great deal of waste, and if your ceremony is straightforward and doesn't require guest participation or unfamiliar elements, you may opt to offer them a welcome glass of Prosecco as they take their seats instead.


Tips for Having a Wedding Program

*Include all pertinent information your guests should know: ceremony outline, when they should respond to a reading, specific practices regarding communion or other religious rites (is it open to everybody? just church members? etc), when they should stand, sit, kneel, and so on and so forth.

*Plan for one program per couple and one per single guest.  This will help stretch your budget a bit, reduce waste, and most people don't mind sharing.  Be sure to let your hostesses or ushers know about these numbers so that they don't hand one to everybody and run out towards the end.

*Have your wedding coordinator set a program on the seats of family members who may be included in the processional, such as mothers, grandmothers, other honored guests, etc before the ceremony begins.  This ensures that they have the program for the ceremony, but they don't have to worry about carrying it and it isn't visible in any photos of them coming down the aisle. 

Are you including a ceremony program in your wedding?  Why or why not?



{Letterpress wedding programs produced for our clients by Sugar Paper, photo by Cheswick Photography}

Congratulations to our 15th commenter, CAS of the blog Chaitali and Michael for winning a set of 50 holiday photo cards from Kelly Ashworth Design!

Simply email us at info{at}blueorchidweddings.com with "I'm a Winner!" in the subject line to claim your prize!


Kelly's holiday line is available in her Etsy shop and is the perfect blend of modern sophistication and traditional elegance.  The cards are professionally printed (not on a standard home printer) and are available on your choice of three premium paper styles, not just heavy cardstock or photo paper.

Each set includes your choice of photo printed on the card of your choice, double-sided printing, and a white envelope with your return address conveniently printed on the back flap - making it super easy to get these cards into the mail and on to the mantles of all your family and friends.  No "I'm so busy during the holiday season" excuses necessary!

You can check out the entire collection of holiday photo cards here!

Don't forget to enter our two Blue Orchid Giveaways this week!

Simply share with us your favorite thing about the holiday season and you could win a set of 50 photo holiday cards from designer extraordinaire Kelly Ashworth!  This giveaway ends Tuesday night (tomorrow) so be sure to leave your comments on the Holiday Card Giveaway post.

You can also win a $50 gift card to Target by creating an inspiration board showcasing your favorite Recessionista bridal fashion finds!  This giveaway ends Wednesday evening, so click here for the 411 on how to enter! 

Good luck!

Two giveaways in one week?!  That's right, we just can't help ourselves!  Starbucks is getting ready to bring out their red cups, Pier 1 is already pumping holiday music through their speakers, the air is finally chilly enough in Phoenix to wear sweaters (kind of) and we are just in an all around festive kind of mood.

This giveaway is sponsored by Kelly Ashworth Design and the winner will win a set of 50 Holiday Greetings cards customized with the photo of your choice.  This is a $100 value and includes matching white envelopes with a return address printed on the back flap.  You can check out Kelly's complete holiday line on her Etsy site.

To enter, simply leave a comment telling us your favorite things about the holiday season.  Cashmere scarves?  Burberry boots?  Peppermint or pumpkin spiced lattes?  All of the above?  Let us know and Kelly's chic holiday cards could soon be gracing the mailboxes of your loved ones!

Here are the official details:
{1} Contest will close Tuesday, November 18th at 11:59 pm PST and is open to anyone - brides, vendors, random blog visitors, etc.
{2} Comments must be made on this post and the winner will be chosen randomly. Check back here to see if you won and for instructions on how to claim your prize.
{3} Limit one entry per person.




{Photo on holiday card by EME Photography}

I get mass amounts of emails from vendors with various promotions, sales, discount codes and the inside scoop on their products.  They all filter to a separate folder and I rarely, if ever, blog these.  I will however also be adding these to my Twitter updates in a segment called {inbox deals}.

First up is a 25% off discount code for White House Black Market, and it is only valid from November 13-16th.  Perfect time to buy that chic bridesmaid dress your friends can actually wear again.

These are the types of goodies that have been hiding in my inbox and that I'll now share with you.  Be sure to follow along on Twitter so you don't miss out!  I'll post the skinny on the deals 2 - 3 times weekly or more often as they come in. 

Enjoy and happy shopping!

You know the saying "practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty"?  Well I read once that our mindset should instead be to spread "consistent kindness and sensible acts of beauty."  This really resonated with me at the time and I was reminded of it again this past week. 

In an effort to make those practices part of my usual routine, I am starting a series on Twitter called {Share the Love} where I'll share tips on making our world a little bit brighter in a very tangible way.  It's easy when the economy is in a slump or things aren't as lucrative as normal to slip into a very self-centered mode.  By taking our eyes off ourselves, hopefully we can be reminded that memories and the good in life are comprised in moments and it is those moments that shape our daily habits and lives.  {Share the Love} will happen two to three times a week, possibly more if I feel inspired.

Life is meant to be celebrated so I'll also be posting some budget-stretching tips for entertaining in a series called {On a Dime}.  These are simple ways to use resources you already have or items found on the cheap to make every meal or gathering special and beautiful.  Look for these segments twice weekly.

This week on Twitter I am also doing a series called {Lessons from Burnout}.  You can read the backstory here.  While I am writing specifically for business owners, I burned out when I wasn't a business owner, so the insights could probably apply to several other people as well.  

Twitter is free to join and you can sign up here.  Follow us here for both Blue Orchid Designs and The Smart Planner updates and little doses of my sassy humor along the way.

I read about a new term this week - the recessionista - that woman who always looks good even on a dime.  I was glad to hear it because I like to think of myself as a recessionista even when the economy is strong.  While I love Prada and Louboutins as much as the next girl, red soled pumps do not grace my closet nor my tootsies and I am perfectly content with window shopping.

Let's face it, it's easy to have a beautiful wedding and look your best when money is no object, but that is just not wedding planning reality for most couples.  So, armed with this new term that describes the sensible shopper, I decided to see what ensemble a recessionista bride could come up with on a budget. 

Here is the skinny: create an inspiration board with a bridal ensemble that includes at a minimum the wedding dress, handbag and shoes - and as a bonus, any other personal accessories.  The total cost of the items must be $1000 or less, but in true recessionista style, you can use an item's sale price while adding up your finds. 

Send your board as a jpeg to blueorchiddesigns{at}gmail.com with "Inspiration Board Challenge" in the subject line. I'll post the top three up here and everyone will vote for their favorite.  One lucky recessionista will win a $50 gift card to Target!

{Above Photos}
Lulu Leather Peep Toes, $198 from J Crew
Peony Silk-Lined Clutch, $75 from Etsy Seller Red Ruby Rose
Rosette Trapeze Dress, normally $348, currently $138.90 from Nordstrom
Recessionista Bridal Ensemble Total: $411.90

Good luck and have fun window shopping!



 
The Fine Print:
{1} Contest will close Wednesday November 19th at 11:59 pm PST and is open to anyone - brides, vendors, random blog visitors, etc.
{2} Entries must be sent as a jpeg to blueorchiddesigns{at}gmail.com with the subject line "Inspiration Board Challenge". The subject line is super important because filters will be set up for easy organizing.
{3} Include photo credits and links to sources for each item. Also include the cost of each item and the grand total. Grand total must not equal more than $1000.
{4} Limit one entry per person.

Wondering what liquid courage you're going to serve at your upcoming holiday soirees? Here are some recipes previously featured in our On the Menu segments sure to get conversation flowing and the dance floor packed (whether there is one or not).

Bloody Marys

Non-Alcoholic Raspberry and Rose Petal Punch

White Sangria

The Perfect Cosmo

The Perfect Cosmo :: Non-Alcoholic Version

Authentic Italian Limoncello

Enjoy!

Name: Jenni

Location: Seattle area

Blog or Website: momentsofablonde.blogspot.com

What do you do for a living? 
I work for a real estate development firm in the customer service department.

What is your favorite way to spend a Sunday? 
I love lazy Sundays . . . get up late, drink coffee all morning, run errands and rent a movie in the evening.

What is your dream vacation spot? 
Fiji - If we could go anywhere for our honeymoon (money being no object) I would want to stay in one of those 'overwater' huts . . . they look SO romantic!

What beauty item could you not live without?
How can I pick just one?! I guess I'll pick mascara. My eyelashes are stick straight without it.

What two people (past or present) would you have as guests at a dinner party and why? 
Ellen DeGeneres - she just seems like someone who would be so fun to hang out with. My paternal grandma - she passed away when I was only 14 and I would love to sit down with her and tell her everything that's happened in the past 14 years!

What is the best piece of advice you've ever received? 
Gosh . . . that's a hard one! I guess just to never doubt yourself - you can do whatever you put your mind to.

What are your three favorite blogs besides blueorchidblog.com?
perezhilton.com, weddingbee.com and loveisblonde.com (she was my inspiration to start blogging!)

With all this talk about the economy, I am curious as to how it has affected your wedding budget. Are you cutting back, either in scale or guest count? Are you moving forward as planned because you want to create a certain memory regardless of finances? Vote below!

Rumor has it that something important is happening tomorrow.

No matter which side of the aisle you may be on, it is safe to say that both Republicans and Democrats enjoy (and throw) a good party. Here are a couple of dishes to share with friends as you watch the election returns tomorrow evening. Serve with some bipartisan drinks to either toast your party's victory or drown your sorrows.

Yes We Canapes
Little bites of hope.

Right or Left Wings
Serve regular and boneless chicken wings and label each in accordance with your views as to which party needs to grow a spine. Dish sauces up in red or blue ramekins.

Lipstick Pigs in a Blanket
Need we say more?

Baked Alaska and Barack-y Road Ice Cream
For dessert, if you want to get fancy you can give a nod to Palin's roots with these individual Baked Alaskas (one for each of your fave GOPers), or if you're like me and allergic to the kitchen, keep it simple by dishing up some Barack-y Road ice cream.

No matter who wins tomorrow, this election will go down in history books as one of huge progress for the United States and that is reason alone to celebrate!