In the weeks leading up to your wedding weekend we suggest preparing a ‘bridal emergency kit’. Your wedding planner should also have one on hand throughout the day (JLW always does), but its a good idea to have a few essentials on hand in the bridal suite. Here are our recommendations;
Fashion Tape
Safety-pins
Needle and thread
Crochet hook (for all those buttons)
Mints
Tylenol
Bobby pins
Bandaids
The state of Alabama has officially changed the paper trail that it will require for marriages to be made legal in the eyes of the government. Our brides are used to the system in which they get a license ahead of the wedding date and have their officiant (minister, priest, etc.) sign and mail it in post wedding.
Photo Credit: Aimee Reynolds Photography
Beginning on August 29, 2019 couples will not be required to have a ceremony (of course you can if you wish). Instead, couples wanting to wed will submit a notarized marriage certificate that will be recorded – but not issued – by Probate Judges.
We have narrowed it down to a step by step for you to easily follow.
Couples must show proof they are legally allowed to marry.
In Alabama that means 16 years old (with parental consent), 18 years old or older. There is no waiting period, blood test, witness or residency requirements.
Obtain and fill out Marriage certificate form
You can get that form online here.
Have the form notarized by an Alabama State Registered Notary
This may have a fee of $5.00, and some notaries may have travel fees if they travel to you.
Return your notarized form to the Probate Court.
You have 30 days after notarization to file this form with the court.
You can mail this in to the court but you will need to enclose payment and ensure all lines are legible and free of correction markings. Baldwin County charges $73.00 (check with the county you file with).
You may request a certified copy if returning this to the Baldwin County Probate Court (other counties may also do this but be sure to ask if you are wanting this for your records).
How is August already over? It’s been a busy, but productive month. The kids are now in school and normal schedules have returned. We are gearing up for a busy fall season, which kicks off in just two weeks and we are so excited, but before we get there we wanted to give a shout out to all the things our team was loving this past month.
1) Goodr Sunglasses - Alex and Leslie love their Goodr sunglasses. They are $25 polarized, no slip or slide, comfortable fit. They come in so many different colors and have that classic Wayfarer look to them.
2) Qalo Rings - Jenna & Alex both love these rings in place of their wedding sets. These are great when working out, going to the pool or the beach ensuring you don’t lose any of those precious stones.
3) The Thomas Hospital Foundation - Grand Summer Ball- every year Jenna looks forward to attending this beautiful charity event with Amy and Josh Kohn- owners of SOHO Events and Rentals. The event takes places at one of our favorite venues, The Grand Hotel and it’s such a treat being a guest rather than the planner.
4) The Atlanta Braves - Jenna and her husband enjoyed a quick trip to Atlanta to see the Braves win their series against the Cincinnati Reds. Fingers are crossed for their continued success and chance at the World Series.
5) Rosebud Salve - Jenna keeps this beside her bed and in her purse and has recently started including it in our new client welcome boxes.
6) Olaplex Bond Smoother - A few members of our team often get the frizzies and Olaplex bond smoother has been a life saver.
7) it Bye Bye Redness concealer - This concealer is one of Jennas favorites. It’s great for covering up rosacea or any skin redness.
8) Tocca Giulietta Candle - The smell of Tocca candles fills our office. They can be purchased at Wildflowers here in Fairhope!
9) Lifestyle Influencer Claire P. Jones- Leslie & Meg have loved following Claire on instagram and try to soak up as many style and mommy tips as they can!
10) Lettered & Measured - Outside of wedding planning Leslie, and her husband, Justin own an Etsy shop that specializes in custom wood work and beautiful hand calligraphy.
During the months leading up to the wedding you’re bound to have one or two (or more) showers thrown for you by friends and family. Traditionally, the polite thing to do is get your hostesses a little token of appreciation for taking the time to put together one of these special gatherings, but deciding what to get them can be a bit tricky. To help we have compiled a list of hostess gifts from a few of our favorite stores.
1) A potted orchid in a beautiful vase can be purchased at Wildflowers.
2) Melamine Dish- This cake stand can be transformed into a serving tray or chip and dip by removing the base and turning it over. This can also be purchased at Wildflowers in Fairhope or for our Birmingham girls, At Home Furnishings.
3) Servings utensils can be purchased at Wildflowers.
4) Blanket can be purchased at Chapel Farm Collection.
5) Alabama Wood Cheese Boards can be purchased at At Home Furnishings.
6) Agate Coasters can be purchased at At Home Furnishings.
7) Candles in crystal container can be purchased at Chapel Farm Collection.
8) Custom linen napkins and drink coasters can be purchased from Bobbins Designs.
Wildflowers- 50 South Church Street #E, Fairhope, AL 36532
At Home Furnishings- 2921 18th Street South, Birmingham, AL 35209
Chapel Farm Collection- 19130 Scenic Highway 98, Fairhope, AL 36532
Bobbins Designs - visit her social media and website for ordering information
Although your wedding dress may be the most important article of clothing on your wedding day, today’s blog post is all about wedding day shoes. Below are a few helpful tips for finding the perfect fit and a round up of our favorite wedding shoes.
1) Be realistic when selecting year heel height. I know its fun to pick out 6 inch Jimmy Choo’s and more power to you if you can walk all day in those, but make sure the heel hight is something you are comfortable with and comfortable in. Your aching feet should be the last thing on your mind as you walk down the aisle.
2) Have fun with your shoes! For the most part your shoes will be hidden under your dress, so why not make them your something blue or show some of your personality with platform Kate Spade sneakers. Of course we love a traditional white or ivory heel, but this is one place you can really have some fun and more than likely you would wear them again post wedding.
3) Get your shoes early enough to break them in prior to walking down the aisle. A few months before the big day, throw on a two pairs of socks and your wedding day shoes and walk around your house. I know it’s silly, but it works to break them in and soften them up. A few weeks prior to the wedding go ahead and walk around in them without socks and add mole skin to the insides any place it still rubs. This will help you to avoid blisters while taking all those pre ceremony photos.
Today we thought we would address a common question we get from our clients, “How do I stuff my wedding invitations?” Wedding invitations can include the invitation, response card and envelope, maps, reception cards, accommodation cards and sometimes detail cards regarding a welcome party, after party or farewell brunch. With all these pieces, I can see why someone who is stuffing invitations for the first time may be a little confused, but don’t worry, it’s easier than it looks.
Photographer Sarah Kate Photography
Step 1: Lay your invitation down words facing up. *if you decide to use tissue, place the tissue on top of the invitation. Traditionally tissue was used to keep the inks from bleeding onto the other items, but these days people tend to forgo the tissue due to the upgrade in inks and other types of printing.
Step 2: Place the reception card onto of the invitation (or tissue) face up.
Step 3: If you do not have any additional inserts skip to step 4. If you do have additional enclosures such as a map or accommodation card stack those wording up on top of the reception card. The particular order of these items does not matter, just layer them largest on the bottom and smallest on the top.
Step 4: Lay the response envelope with the flap facing upwards. Tuck the response card with the wording side up under the response envelope flap.
Step 5: Place all the items in your stack inside your inner envelope. When your guest open the envelope the words should be facing them.
Step 6: Place the inner envelope inside the outer envelope. When your guest open the outer envelope their names on the front of the inner envelope should be facing them.
Photographer: Dragonfly Photography
Today's post is all about engagement rings, and what better day than Valentines day to talk about pretty diamonds! No guy wants to go to the jewelry store without some knowledge about rings and what his future fiance likes. It's a big investment so you want to make sure its perfect and with so many options for cut, color, and styles it can be a bit overwhelming. My friend Aimee, owner of Aimee Reynolds Photography, and I took a day trip to Stowe's Jewelers in Fairhope, Alabama to get a little insight on finding the perfect ring that will have her saying “I Do.”
Budgeting for the Ring: First, its important to note everyone’s budget is different, so you need to set one that you are comfortable with. It may be helpful to ring shop well in advance of your ideal proposal date so you have time to save up. Also, keep in mind that most jewelers can work out a payment plan for you to pay off the ring over the course of several months. Beautiful rings come in all price ranges. Today while at Stowe's Jewelers we looked at rings that ranged from $1,500 up to $40,000.00.
The Four C’s: Cut, Clarity , Color and Carat. Every guy should brush up on the four c’s prior to ring shopping. This will help to ensure you know the product you are getting is worth the price tag. Here is a brief description of the four c’s;
Cut: We often think cut refers to round, oval, pear, cushion, but the cut of a diamond is really about how well a diamonds facets interact with light, aka its sparkle. Even if a diamond has a perfect clarity and color it can still apear dull if the cut is bad.
Clarity: The clarity of the diamond refers to its inclusions (blemishes) on the inside or outside of the diamond. The purer the diamond the more the value.
Color: The color evaluation of most diamonds is based on the absence of color. A perfect diamond has no hue, like a drop of water. The clearer the diamond the higher the value.
Carat: Diamond carat weight is the measurement of how much a diamond weighs. The higher the carat, the higher the price.
Oval: Below the ring in the center of the display is an oval cut center stone. It is 2.71 ct accented with .61ct diamonds and .55ct of sapphires in a platinum setting.
Cushion Cut: The ring on the top left is .74 cushion cut diamond accented with .50ct of diamonds in a platinum setting.
Round: This is probably the most popular shape of all three. The top right corner is a 1.51ct round diamond accented with .45ct diamonds in the platinum setting.
Three of the more popular cuts, round, cushion and oval.
Antique rings are usually easy to identify based on their ornate feel and ‘different’ settings. This one pictured below is a 14K Yellow Gold Setting and .68 ct diamonds.
Antique Engagement Ring
Morganite is a beautiful stone that will help those working within a tighter budget. This ring pictured below is 1.03 ct., .28 ct worth of diamonds accents and a 14k Rose Gold Setting. Rose Gold is also a very popular setting for 2018.
Morganite and Rose Gold Engagement
Halo rings became very popular about five years ago and still remain a top seller. The halo ring below features 1.0 ct worth of diamonds in a 14kt white gold setting.
Halo ring and wedding band
Colored stones are a big trend right now. We have seen pink, blue and yellow all make for beautiful and unique engagement rings. One of the most popular colored diamonds, and one of the most expensive, is the canary diamond. This ring features a 1.02ct canary diamond, accented by .46cts in a platinum band.
Canary Diamond Engagement Ring
You can never go wrong with a traditional ring like the one featured below. This 4 prong ring features a 1ct diamond with a white gold setting.
Tradtional solitary diamond ring
Stowe's also loves working with clients to design custom rings using all new diamonds and settings or turning family heirlooms into new one of a kind rings. The picture below is a custom ring designed and created at Stowe's Jewelers. It features at 2ct diamond with .25 carat baguettes flanking either side set in a platinum setting.
Custom Ring
Horice and Joyce Stowe opened Stowe’s Jewelers in 1959. Fifty-nine years later it continues to thrive under the ownership of their daughters Beth Fugard and Peggy Wiggins. Stowes specializes in fine jewelry with a wide range of prices, custom jewelry design, fine china, crystal, silver and many other serving pieces.
We hope everyone has a happy Valentines Day and best of luck to all the guys out there proposing to their favorite girls! We hope to hear from you in the coming day so we can help you plan your dream wedding.
Aimee Reynolds, owner of Aimee Reynolds Photography, and I walked through the glass doors of Stowe's Jewelers and were greeted by warm smiles, sweet southern accents and a long wall of fine china, crystal, and beautiful serving pieces. Aimee and I had so much fun playing with Peggy Wiggins, one of Stowe's owners. She shared some very helpful tips on picking the perfect pattern and how not to get stressed out over their huge selection. Here is what we learned;
1) One of Peggys biggest recommendations is to come into Stowe's and taking a look around, snap a few photos, and go home and think about it. This process doesn't need to be stressful, so she said its perfectly fine to take your time and think about the patterns, price ranges and various pieces you will need.
2) To create a finished look Peggy always recommends putting a charger on the registry. A solid color, like silver or gold, is very versatile and will work with most every day, formal, and holiday china patterns.
3) If you want to add some pizzaz or interest to a traditional setting pick a fun salad plate. It can add a little dimension and color to the setting without being so overwhelming.
4) A popular trend here in the South is monogramming your china. You can monogram your salad plate in the center, or even your dinner plate on the outer edge. This is a neat way to make a traditional and simple setting a little more fun and custom. Below you will see a monogrammed bread and butter plate and a unique salad plate paired with a more traditional dinner plate and charger.
5) Be sure to check out their every day china. These are the plates you will use for taco Tuesday, spaghetti night or morning cereal. One of the top selling brands at Stowe's is Casafina. These plates and serving pieces could easily be mistaken for hand made pottery. They are also dishwasher, over and microwave safe, which make them great for every day use.
Stowe's Jewelers has been open for 56 years and specializes in custom jewelry design, bridal registry, engraving, and fine jewelry at every price range. Stay tuned for another post on Stowe's Jewelers featuring some of their gorgeous engagement rings and a few helpful tips on picking the perfect engagement ring!
You can visit Stowe's at ;
393 Fairhope Avenue, Fairhope, AL
Jenna Laine Weddings, LLC
251-510-9530
info@jennalaineweddings.com
