Adding a little "Think Pink"

You'd have to live in a bubble to not notice the waves of pink during the last couple of weeks. Professional teams, businesses, organizations, and individuals have been working so hard to increase awareness to breast cancer research and prevention. With so many lives affected directly or indirectly, there is a need to continue the efforts past the month of October.

Outside of volunteering and monetary donations, we have turned our logo pink this month to honor and celebrate the lives of the relatives and friends that have fought the battle of breast cancer.



There are also ways that you can add a little "pink" into your wedding planning.



1. Support The Brides Against Breast Cancer national tour. The tour travels across the country with hundreds of gowns donated by brides, boutiques, or designers. Purchasing a gown from this charity places money to the Making Memories Foundation. The tour will stop in Raleigh, NC on February 25-27, 2011.

2. In lieu of favors, you can make a donation to your favorite chrarity then inform your guests by writing a message on cute cards and placing them on the reception tables or a large frame at the entrance. Its such a personal way to show how loving YOU are, AND get people to care about it, too.

3. I’ve had a bride wrap her bouquet with her grandmothers handkerchief in place of ribbon to be sure her grandmother was with her throughout her wedding day. This was very heartfelt, but definitely personal!


4. Begin today by purchasing a pair of pink pumps and "step for a cure".







Whatever you chose to do, remember that sharing the love of others is one of the best ways to add personality.

Aisha

Personalizing your bridal fashion: Conversation with Elizabeth Nihart

With several bridal boutiques in the area, and so many styles to choose from, there is the pressure to get it right. Our conversation with Elizabeth Nihart, fashion designer for Gini by Elizabeth in Charlotte, NC provides tips to personalizing your bridal fashion. Elizabeth says that while designing a custom gown is not always cheap, it is created for your body, and avoids the time and cost of alterations on the final gown. Most brides choose to start the process 9-12 months prior to the wedding, however, it can take anywhere from 3-6 months to complete a gown. During the first design consultation you talk about when the dress is needed, your fitting schedule, and a final delivery date for the gown. Her gowns start at $1,500.

The biggest benefit of designing your own gown is being able to choose exactly what you want. For some brides it can be overwhelming to go into bridal boutiques and try on dozens of dresses, so being able to tell a designer what you like, and have the dress designed and made for you can relieve a lot of stress. Other brides find dresses that they like part of, but want to change other parts, so with a custom dress they can design their dream dress with all of their favorite elements, as well as choosing the fabrics, laces and embellishments.

Whether you buy your gown from a bridal boutique or determine that custom is the way to go, Elizabeth feels that it is important to make sure to choose a dress that is flattering to your body type and will show off your best assets. Another great way to show off your unique style on your wedding day is through accessories. There are many great options to choose from with veils, flowered clips, headbands, jewelry, and even your favorite colored heels under your wedding dress.

Elizabeth’s gowns were showcased in her first full bridal show during the 2010 Charlotte Fashion Week held in September at Founders Hall, Bank of America Building uptown. Describing her collection, Elizabeth says:

“My bridal collection is a very feminine, romantic collection full of unique laces, crystals, chiffon and little details. I have included a lot of pale gray and silver which I think is a fun twist on traditional bridal, as well as quite a few short white dresses that are perfect for the rehearsal dinner, or changing into to leave the reception. There are a lot of brides that look for the fun party dress to change into for the reception or even the after party, so I devoted part of my collection to that niche.”

For more information about Elizabeth Nihart’s custom bridal gowns, check out her collection at www.GinibyElizabeth.com.