South Carolina Bride to Be on TLC's Say Yes To The Dress

One of my favorite “reality” wedding shows on television right now is Say Yes To The Dress. I think it is so interesting to see, both the good and bad of what goes on behind the scenes at a major bridal retailer. Not only do you get to see what Kleinfeld’s in New York is like to work for and with, but you get to see some really beautiful dresses. You also get to see the emotional roller coaster brides go through just to find their perfect dress. As they say on the website the show is “part fashion show, part bridal story and part family therapy”.

So you can imagine how excited I was when the show contacted Willrich Bridal. They asked if I would be willing to let you know that one of our own South Carolina brides would be appearing on an upcoming episode on October 10th. According to the information the show sent me, it sounds like quite the little drama, “Bridal consultant Audrey has her hands full, but it’s not her bride; it’s the family. Liz Bertoldo brought her Mom, fiancé, future Sister-In-Law, and Mother-In-Law. Rather than lend support, they hate everything Liz tries on! Consultant Audrey brings out a wide variety: A-Line, trumpet, ball gown … but Liz’s fiancé Joseph picks apart every single one of them. Audrey turns to Manager Elise for help.”

The bride, Liz, is a teacher here in South Carolina. She teaches drum corps and plays the French horn. Her fiancé is a professional tuba player who teaches at South Carolina State University.

They will appear in episode 211, so be sure and set your TiVo. It should be fun. Don’t you just love drama when you're not involved?

The Beauty of a Plan B

Natlie and Caleb get their first look at each other. They did their pictures before the wedding.

Caleb and Natalie are just the sweetest couple. Caleb runs a landscaping business and sells real estate. Natalie is a teacher. When we first met, they were both so busy and had so little time to pull together the details of a wedding they just knew they needed a planner, so enter Willrich Bridal.

Natalie and Caleb both wanted an outdoor wedding and had reserved the Rock Quarry in downtown Greenville for their ceremony. One of the first things we discussed was a plan B in case of rain. It was a good thing we did, because on the morning of the wedding it was pouring rain. So we quickly switched gears to plan B and moved the ceremony to the reception site at the Venue at Renfrew. Since the invitations had contained the “in case of rain” plan guests were already aware of the change of venue. But just to be sure, Natalie and Caleb got busy texting friends and relatives, while I made the changes with the vendors.

The Wedding: Since the ceremony and reception would now be held in the same building, we set the tables against the walls and made an aisle down the center of the venue. Guests sat at tables to watch the wedding take place. This is the first time I have had guests seated at tables for the ceremony and I really liked it. Caleb and Natalie wanted a casual happy affair and the guests sat and visited or got to know new friends while waiting on the wedding to start. It was a very relaxed and fun atmosphere.

The aisle was decorated with green plants and white roses, to help give that garden affect Natalie wanted. Different shades of pink and white petals were along the edges of the aisle. The couple stood in front of an antique iron garden gate flanked by ferns to say their vows. It was really beautiful. The service was done by Caleb’s dad, who is a minister, so it was very touching. Natalie had chosen different shades of pink and white as the wedding colors. The girls wore pink dresses, all the same color but in different styles. They carried pink roses. Natalie looked beautiful in a white mermaid style dress with a pink ribbon around the waist. She carried hot pink roses.

Natalie peeking out of the brides room, watching the processional.

The Reception: Once the wedding was over, the guests moved to the foyer for a pre-reception hour. There was a Photobooth for the guests to enjoy, along with a candy bar. Hot pink linens help set the tone. Engagement pictures of Natalie and Caleb, hung on a clothesline above the candy bar. As the guests were enjoying the pre-reception, we rearranged the reception area, with the sweetheart table on the stage and the beautiful cake behind it. The tables either held rose centerpieces or pillar candles with rose petals surrounding them. It was beautiful. Dinner was served buffet style and was delicious.

Once dinner was over, the dancing began and a great time was had by all.

Congratulations Caleb and Natalie!

Signing the license

The Vendors:

Planner - Willrich Bridal and Special Events

Photographer - Rachel Dankel Photography

Photobooth - Oh Snap!

Venue - The Venue of Renfrew

Caterer and Cake - Kathy and Company

DJ - Formal Affair

Video - Creative Video

The Tea Length Wedding Dress

You know nearly four years ago, when Richard and I got married, I wanted a tea length wedding gown. Well let me tell you, back then the choices were just about zero. My how times have changed. One of the hottest trends is the tea length dress. It's even pictured on the cover of Modern Bride.

For the right bride and the right venue this is such a great look. It really has that glamorous 50's look to it but with an updated modern wow factor. I love it!

Melissa Sweet

Melissa Sweet

Real Wedding - Ashley and Gareth

Getz Creative just sent me some photos from Ashley’s and Gareth’s wedding that we did together. They are so beautiful I just had to share.




The Location: Mountain Creek Baptist Church. Pictures were taken before the ceremony at the park nearby. The reception was held in the reception hall of the church.

The Wedding and Reception: Ashley and Gareth planned a beautiful religious service to be followed by an ice cream reception. Polka Dots were the theme of the day, with them on everything from the bridesmaids’ dresses to the cake. The colors were black and white, with Gerber Daises in hot pink, orange and yellow to make everything pop. Ashley wanted it to be a playful, casual reception and it was.

The Vendors:
Willrich Bridal and Special Events
Getz Creative
Gretchen’s ABS Cakes
Good Life Catering
Pelham Florist

The Ring Bearer's Pillow

One of the simplest and cutest ways to personalize your wedding is with the ring bearer pillow. I say pillow, but it doesn’t have to be. I have seen everything from pillows, to ring boxes, to treasure chests to sea shells. Little boys are usually thrill to carry something other than the standard pillow. Think about the theme of your wedding and go from there.

If you are going with a pillow, you can have one made with your monogram on it. You can use flowers that match your colors to decorate the pillow or use lace or fabric from your mother's wedding dress or veil to make it more personal. There are just so many great choices other than just the standard pillow. Let your creativity flow.

A Hotel Suggestion For Your Wedding Guests

Last night Richard and I were invited to the grand re-opening of The Holiday Inn Express on Woodruff Road. When a hotel has been undergoing a remolding for nearly two years, you expect to be impressed and I have to say I was.

Having planned a lot of these type events myself, I loved how well organized this one was. We were greeted at the door and given a map to tour the building. At each stop on the map, someone was there to greet you and tell you about that particular room or event area.

The remolding was beautiful; the rooms are large and well appointed. They have an indoor heated pool, fitness area, hot breakfast bar (and believe me it looked good). They also offer shuttle service and wireless internet. I think the hotel would make an excellent choice for your out of town wedding guests.

They have one room they called their bridal suite, which was perfect for getting ready on your wedding day. It was large, well lit and had the perfect counter space for your hair and makeup set up.

The hotel also has a couple of small event rooms. If you were not planning a large reception, they might just work for you.

Being located on Woodruff Road, the hotel is convenient to just about everything and easy for guests to find. Based on what I saw last night I would recommend it. You can learn more about it at http://www.staysmartgreenville.com/

Choosing Your Limo - An Interview with DL Limousine Serivce

Finding just the right transportation for your wedding day can be challenging for a bride and groom. There is so much to consider, what kind of vehicle do you want, the price, the amount of time you need to reserve; will it show up on time, will it be clean? The list goes on and on. So I thought it was time to talk to a local expert and get all the facts.

At the recent wedding show, we met up with Cristina of DL Limo and she graciously agreed to an interview for our readers.

Tell me what makes your company special?

We strive to give each client an unforgettable luxurious limousine ride. Our staff is hard at work delivering the best quality service available in the Upstate. Once our clients/customers experience our level of distinguished service, they realize they have made an excellent choice in selecting us as their chauffeured ground service provider. Our ongoing commitment to high standards allows us to offer the utmost in courteous service and experience. Our objective has always been to provide ultimate level of excellence in a personalized way.

How did you get started in the business?
In 1985 there were a handful of limo companies in New Orleans and not one carried a Super-Stretched Limousines so we decided we would venture out into that market not knowing how it would work and surprisingly the city received us with open arms. In the Upstate something similar happened: we noticed no one offered the vintage Rolls-Royce Limos so we decided to try it and much to our surprise it has gone very well. We've always had a love for autos, whether it be vintage, racing or luxury vehicles so getting in the limousine business was just natural for us.

What do you like best about your job?

Each department is different. Reservation agents: like when they can make the reservation as easy as possible for a client. Sales/Marketing: enjoy meeting the persons they will be doing business with-putting a face with a name. Maintenance: making the ride a luxurious one for the client and getting feedback of how the client enjoyed the ride. Chauffeurs: like that they can bring a smile and sigh of relief to the clients when they view their limousine ride. Dispatcher: likes the teamwork! And the Owner: likes the loyalty that everyone puts into the company.

Tell us about your favorite wedding or event?

All weddings and events are both exciting and different. To choose a single incident would be unjust. They all have uniqueness and qualities of their own.

What are the questions a bride and groom should ask when choosing a limo service?
a. Is the limousine service in compliance with the state?

b. Does limo service carry recommended insurance amount?

c. Can limo service give references? (hotel,venues,etc.)

d. Does limo service have late model vehicles? Are they maintained?

What’s the hardest thing about your job?

The horror stories we hear about an event being ruined by a limo service that was not in compliance with the state or department of transportation. Beware of "cheap pricing" it doesn't always mean you are getting a better deal or a well maintained vehicle.

Anything else our reader’s should know?

We are a premier Upstate Chauffeured Transportation Service with years of experience providing clients with safe and reliable vehicles. Our limo service suits the needs of our diverse clientele from corporate to personal use. Surround yourself in comfort and enjoy the peace of mind that comes from traveling with the leader in luxury chauffeured transportation. To learn more about our services view our website: http://www.dllimo.com/

Guest Book Ideas

The Tradition Guest Book

Everyone seems to be moving away from having the little guest sign in book, filled with pages and lines for each guest to write their names on. To me these books, while better than nothing, are just something that will get thrown in a drawer and never looked at once the wedding is over.

The Sign In Mat

Today’s bride is much more likely to have a sign in mat with her engagement picture in the center. Instead of going in a drawer, it is hung on the wall after the wedding, to admire again and again.

Another popular idea is the sign in picture book made with your engagement pictures or growing up pictures on each page, along with plenty of blank white space for guests to sign on. These books can easily be put together online or most photographers offer them.

The Sign In Picture Book

A great new idea that I ran across recently, is to take all those keepsakes you’ve been saving since your first date with Mr. Right out of the box, photograph them and use those pictures in your picture sign in book. How cute to have the concert ticket stubs of the great concert you went to or the movie stubs from your first date. Maybe a picture of that perfect birthday card he sent you or you sent him. Everything that represents your time together, collected and recorded in one book. Then each page signed by all the people who came to share that love at your wedding day. What could be more perfect.

More of the Show

As promised, here are some more pictures from Sunday's Elegant Wedding Show at the Marriot. (By the way I am completely in love with the dress in the picture above.)

If you haven't toured this beautiful event spot, you need to. If you are looking for somewhere that offers a romantic step back into the past, Aabstract might be just the spot for you.

Aren't these dresses just the cutest thing?

Mary Kay's booth had so many beautiful things to choose from. Patsy Glunt is a wonder with makeup.

I love all the choices that DL Limousine offers a bride.

Robert of Life of the Party is one of our favorite DJ's to work with.

Follow This Blog

Blogger just added something new, Follow This Blog . It allows you to easily catch any updates to my blog and lets me know just who my readers are. All you need to do is find it on the right hand side of the blog, click and sign up, just that easy. Please take a moment to do this. I would love to know who all follows my blog.

Sunday's Show

I just want to say hello to all the beautiful brides and grooms we met at the Elegant Wedding Show at the Marriott on Sunday. If this is your first time stopping by our blog, welcome and please come by often.

The Willrich Bridal Booth

The show was small and intimate, giving us plenty of time to meet and get to know the brides and grooms. I love the smaller shows because you are able to give each couple the attention they deserve.

Holly's Cakes and The Flower Box

We also get to reconnect with a lot of our vendor friends and make some new ones. It was a great experience all around.

A few of the many photographers that attended

If you were looking for flowers, photographers, videographers, cakes or just about anything you need for your wedding day this was the place to be.
If you didn’t get to make it, here are some pictures of what you missed.

More pictures tomorrow.