17Jan2012

Congrats to Our $500 Shopping Spree Winner for December!

A big congratulations goes out to Kim and Shawn — the last winner of our monthly Shopping Spree Giveaway! December was the last month to enter and win a $500 shopping spree for www.AnnsBridalBargains.com. Kim and Shawn will no doubt enjoy shopping the wide range of products Ann’s has to offer, from save the dates and wedding invitations to accessories and bridal party gifts.Kim and Shawn - the $500 Ann's Bridal Bargains December Shopping Spree Winner

So let’s meet the lovely couple! Kim and Shawn met when they were 18 and dated for about a year, but they decided to split up and go their separate ways. Kim never stopped thinking about Shawn and decided to look him up one day on Facebook. The conversation started all over again. When visiting her area, Shawn invited Kim to have coffee and the rest is history.

A wedding date has been set for July 1, 2012. They’re planning a beautiful, blue and silver wedding. We can’t wait to hear about all the details!

Congrats, you two, and have fun shopping!

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16Jan2012

Ooh la color™ Napkins: A Perfect Match for Your Wedding Invitation

Ann’s Bridal Bargains now offers a brand new line of personalized napkins — so new they’re patent-pending! What’s really exciting about these napkins is the designs offered are exact matches to nine of our top-selling wedding invitations.

Now you can extend your wedding invitation look and style through to your wedding reception. Ooh la color™ napkins are available in both beverage and luncheon napkins. Beverage napkins are perfect for placing at dessert tables, candy bar tables and cocktail bars. Luncheon napkins look great at each place setting or on the buffet tables and food stations.

Check out the designs and all the colors available below!

 

Colorful wedding napkins

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14Jan2012

2012 Color Trends for Spring

Looking for bright, fun colors to complement your spring wedding theme?

Consider tangerine or canary. These colors are alive with energy and will bring a fresh, bold look to any floral bouquet. Use the color lipstick, similar to fuchsia, if you want the same brightness but prefer a pink.

 

Ann's Bridal Bargains 2012 Wedding Color Trends

 

If you want a color just as bold, but not quite as bright, consider the deep and engaging eclipse. It is more interesting and visually appealing than a traditional navy or midnight blue, and it provides depth and texture — a great accent color! Use coordinating ribbons to make a color statement that gets attention without extensive cost.
Pretty pastels are also available in the Spring 2012 lineup. These include petal (a light and dusty combination of pink with a hint of coral) and Lagoon (a unique blue-green color with a hint of turquoise).

Prefer to stay classic? Orchid is a beautiful hue of purple that makes a great traditional shade for any wedding. Ocean blends blue and purple, creating a soft color that’s incredibly pleasing to the eye. Let’s not forget the neutral and earthy tones such as sterling and latte, both of which are excellent accent colors.

A few of these colors were highlighted during Floral Week. Check out the looks we pulled together in the hibiscus post, the orchid post and the daisy post.

Are any of these YOUR wedding colors?

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12Jan2012

Real Wedding couple, Jake and Ellen, got married! See pics from the wedding…

Jake and Ellen were married on December 17, 2011, at the Grand Event Center in Northfield, Minn. The wedding was beautiful, but what you really want to know is how the dessert buffet table turned out, right? Here are a few pics for you to take a peek:

Jacob and Ellen's White Sox Candy Buffet

Here’s the happy couple next to their baseball-themed buffet table. The look was inspired by the Game-Time design created by our very own party planner, Carynn. See the other looks Carynn came up with when you visit our post, “Check out the looks we pitched to Jake and Ellen.”

Treat and Candy Buffet at Wedding Reception

We LOVE how the black and white wedding napkins add a touch of dramatic style to the spread. The fish bowls of treats with scoops and the vase of baseballs make great additions to the setup.

White Sox Themed Treat and Candy Bar

The glove filled with baseball candies is super clever, and the wooden crates lined with fake grass create a fun backdrop for the entire table as well as a fun spot to display more treats.

Wedding Reception Treat and Candy Bar

Personalized favor bags are easy to arrange and easy to use, making them a big favorite with today’s couples. Plus, they create a nice, clean look as a part of this buffet spread.

We’re quite pleased here at Ann’s Bridal Bargains with how well the dessert buffet table turned out. Thank you so much to Jake and Ellen for letting us be a part of their special day, and thank you to everyone who followed this Real Wedding Story.

 

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09Jan2012

Butterfly Wedding Themes: All a flutter!

One of our most popular themes that brides are searching for is butterflies. This theme fits spring and summer weddings beautifully.

Butterfly Wedding Theme

1. Small cellophane bags are filled with colorful candies, tied with purple chiffon ribbon and finished with personalized seals. Tip: smaller bags equal less candy and will save you money.

2. Butterfly in Grapevine wedding invitation and thank you note folder. This invitation is available in three color options, plus you can choose the wording ink color and fonts.

3. Have guests fill the air with bubbles as you leave your ceremony or reception for a romantic getaway.

4. Dress up glass containers with purple satin ribbon and personalized seals. Tip: cover ugly flower stems by lining the containers with large hosta leaves.

5. Lavender and purple napkins will add a colorful touch to your cake table or candy bar. Personalize them with your names, wedding date and a butterfly design cut. Or add a fun saying or sweet message instead of your names and wedding date.

Really love butterflies? Add them to your hair, bouquet or even dress and shoes. Ask your baker to create sugared butterflies for your cake or cupcakes. Have your young flower girl wear wings as she walks down the aisle.

Have fun with a theme — guests will appreciate the details!

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07Jan2012

Our Favorite Wedding Trends for 2012

Carynn’s Top Trends

Reception Food Stations – Food stations are making a permanent home as wedding reception dining options. Their popularity will explode in 2012. Setting up stations around the room allows for traffic control and eliminates the long wait holding a plate. Offering a variety in foods ensures guests are able to try everything and enjoy mingling. Food station ideas to consider: your favorite foods, ethnic foods, pastas, liquor tasting stations, coffee bars with baristas and so much more. You’re only limited by your imagination!

reception food stations

Dessert Tables – On a related note, the dessert table gains ground over the traditional cake again in 2012! It can include your wedding cake plus so much more: pies, cupcakes, cookies, donuts, candy, miniature cheesecakes, or a gelato cart with frozen treats. It’s a buffet of beautifully displayed flavors and options for guests. We recently posted some creative candy buffet table ideas with a baseball theme. Read, “Check out the looks we’ve pitched!”

Good Night Station – Couples are now combining food and fun for their guests at the end of the evening. Satisfy those late-night cravings with buffets of pizza and sandwiches towards the end of your reception. Set out some sweet treats they could enjoy the next morning like pastries, doughnuts and coffee or hot chocolate, and provide guests with a goody bag to go.

 

Jackie’s Top Trends

Color for the Bride – Looking for a simple gown that fits the budget, but still has personality? Add a colored sash or a large, colorful flower in your hair — a cheap way to show off your trendy style. Color is hot, and adding a pop of color to your wedding day will show everyone that you’re just as fashionable as the recent celebs that rocked a splash of color in 2011, like Reese Witherspoon and Shania Twain.
custom ecru birdcage veil
Short and Chic – Long wedding veils can be spendy, but you’re in luck! The shorter veil is chic once again and less expensive. Check out this custom-made, ecru birdcage veil with flower, rhinestone AND feather from Etsy. Just $31!

 

Robin’s Top Trends

Non-Floral Décor Accents – Brides are taking note of today’s fashion and incorporating things like feathers, fabrics, jewels, and metals into the wedding decor. Jeweled accents, “bling,” never seem to go out of style and will sparkle brooch bouqueteverywhere in the year to come. They adorn everything from the bride’s hair to the bouquets (brooch bouquets). Whether paper, fabric, tissue, felt or feathers, wedding décor like bouquets, centerpieces and pomander balls aren’t just made from fresh flowers anymore.

Full-Scale Themes – More than a color palette, wedding themes are carried throughout your wedding, from the invitations and flowers to the linens and dessert. Some popular themes include: vintage, rustic, all white, nautical and seasonal, but creativity knows no bounds, so pick one that reflects you and show it in the details. Hunt down the perfect wedding reception site and favor for your chosen theme. A winery wedding with wine glass favors and tasting stations is a beautiful example of a themed wedding.

 

Shanna’s Top Trends

E-Invitations Gaining in Popularity – Not as wedding invitations, of course, but they’re becoming more and more popular for pre-wedding events. I recently received an e-invitation for a bachelorette party from paperlesspost.com — quality animation and graphics created a realistic, stylish and elegant invitation. Now don’t get me wrong, weddings are special occasions that deserve special treatment like paper invitations, but e-invitations are also a great option.

Creative Signs – Direct guests to the ceremony, reception, toward cocktails, chalkboard wedding welcome signfood stations and more with signs that fit the style and theme of your wedding. Not only are signs an awesome addition to your wedding décor, they’re super helpful for guests. Have your signs professionally made or do it yourself. Hand-painted barn wood is always charming. Chalkboard paint on a variety of things is very popular. With a little imagination, you can come up with a perfect fit for your wedding.

 

What’s YOUR favorite trend of 2012?

 

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03Jan2012

Top 3 Winners for Best Budget-Savvy Advice

We received more than 100 comments filled with fantastic budget-savvy advice for wedding planning, and it was really difficult to narrow it down to three winners. If you haven’t read all the great advice, you’re in for a treat! These tips are bound to save you a few bucks so you can splurge on other things.

Congratulations to…

#1. Cynthia L.

“I have been finding wedding vendors and great wedding bargains through charity events and online auctions. I bought a brand new designer wedding gown at a great price from the Brides Against Breast Cancer Tour of Gowns when it came to my city in October. I got a steal on a photographer, DJ, wedding planner, and invitations from the Wish Upon a Wedding online auction which is a non-profit wish granting organization providing weddings and vow renewals to couples facing terminal illness. You can also find some great wedding-related items on “Bidding for Good” online charity auctions in your local community. I recently got a great deal bidding on a wedding hair/makeup package from a local community childcare center auction! Not only do you save a lot of money, but the money you do spend will go to some great causes so you feel really good about it!”

#2. Erin G.

“My best piece of advice: join forces with other brides if you can. A friend and I are both having our weddings next winter, but a few months apart. So far, we’ve used the “lure” of booking two weddings to get reduced rates on DJ, limo, and a florist. If you don’t know anyone getting married, try finding someone online on Facebook or a blog site. It is totally worth it if you can group price!”

#3. Emily

“I found that NOT mentioning the word “wedding” made a HUGE difference in the price of things! A lot of vendors try and capitalize on weddings, so I always told people that we were just planning a “party” whenever we could. Our photographer, florist, and DJ obviously know that we’re planning a wedding, but our linen rental people, for example, think we’re just having a really big party. I priced them out twice. When I called to get a quote for a “wedding reception,” the cost of our linens was THREE TIMES AS MUCH as when I got a quote for a “get-together.” So whenever you can, leave out the word wedding. Along the same lines, look in places that aren’t geared towards brides whenever you can. A “wedding photographer” is going to cost you a ton of money. A photojournalist is used to capture events without intruding as much as possible and they’re usually much less expensive. Our photographer has plenty of wedding experience, but it’s not his only income, so we’re getting high-quality work for a fraction of the cost.”

That’s not all! Here are some great runners-up we have to mention:

First, Kathryn B. suggested to “pay for everything with a credit card. By law your credit card purchases are protected so if a vendor goes out of business after your deposit and before your big day, you can get your money back.“ GREAT protection advice!

Kelli reminds us, “don’t stretch your budget to the end of its life without including the gratuity you’ll be giving people for their services or the service charges and taxes that aren’t included in that already-pushing-it price.”

Kendra shared a great site where brides can buy gently used and/or never used items from other brides: http://ruffledblog.com/recycle-your-wedding/browse-listings/. She also says, “DIY, DIY, DIY!”

And, finally, Grace D. set up a savings account that will withdraw a set amount directly from her checking account every time she gets paid, AND gets interest! She says, “it really helped my budget, and every penny coming out my account goes for something for the wedding.”

Great advice, everybody! Need more tips? Read all the budget-savvy advice.

Cynthia, Erin, and Emily — watch out for an email with your $50 off at Ann’s Bridal Bargains to spend on ANYTHING you like.

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31Dec2011

Happy New Year!

Cheers to ringing in the New Year with great family and friends and a very special new member of the family.

Congratulations, and best wishes in 2012!

Happy New Year's from Ann's Bridal Bargains

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29Dec2011

What’s your best piece of budget-savvy wedding advice?

Did you learn a few budget-savvy tidbits while wedding planning? Have advice you’d like to share with other brides so they don’t have to go through what you did? Want to win a $50 gift card to Ann’s Bridal Bargains? We thought so.

Now through Sunday at midnight, add a comment to this blog post with your BEST piece of budget- savvy wedding advice and you will be automatically entered to

Win 1 of 3, $50 gift cards to Ann’s!

Don’t worry if you don’t see your comment post immediately — we’ll be watching for them and will post each one as soon as possible.

Come back throughout the weekend to get some great tips, and visit on Tuesday to see if you’re a winner! Get some advice, win a gift card — it’s a win-win.

Good luck!

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Posted in Budget-Savvy Ideas and Tips, Contests and Giveaways | Tagged | 110 Comments
26Dec2011

Just engaged? Kick Off the Wedding Planning with New Save the Dates

What a romantic time of year to get engaged — congratulations to the newly engaged! Now it’s time find a save the date to ensure the people you love most can make it to the wedding. Lucky for you, we just added some fabulous new designs, and have some Q&As to get you started because we’re sure you’re wondering if they are really necessary…

Why send save the dates?

In today’s world, planning ahead has become a necessity. Save the dates allow your guests to plan for your wedding day well in advance. This is especially important for out-of-town guests, or if you’re planning a destination wedding.

When should save the dates be sent?

Save the dates should be sent as soon as you set your wedding date, which usually includes booking the ceremony and reception sites. This would normally be anywhere from 6 months to a year before the wedding. If you are planning to have a destination wedding or if many of your guests will be traveling, you should send save the dates a year or more in advance.

How much planning is needed to send save the dates?

Not much, so don’t worry! You will need to create a guest list but it doesn’t have to be finalized before sending save the dates. Just remember that only guests who will be invited to the wedding should receive a save the date. Save the dates are not announcements.

You won’t need a lot of details for your save-the-date wording. All you really need are your names, wedding date and something like “Invitation and Details to Follow.” If you’re doing a destination wedding, you’ll want to include the destination, travel agency you’re working with and the resort/hotel information.

What type of save-the-dates should I send?

There are lots of save-the-dates out there that will catch your guests’ attention and express your personalities. We just added new save the date magnets, photo save the dates and save the date cards. To find themed save the dates, visit our favorite wedding partner, Invitations by Dawn.

Planning a wedding can be an overwhelming task, but letting your guests plan ahead is as simple as a save the date. Check out these new designs and find the perfect one! Want to research more before deciding? Read, “Should my save the date match my wedding theme?”

Blue Photo Save the Date MagnetsBlack and White Damask Save the Date Cards

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are you sending save the dates?

 

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