Deals on Pronovias!!!

I went to try on wedding dresses a few weeks ago... and came across Pronovias Olvera. I'm in love! However, I love the champagne and was hoping for ivory. But the ivory isn't as pretty IMO. So I'm going with champagne.

Anyway... the dress is about $1400... and I was willing to pay that ONLY IF I couldn't find a better deal.

I looked all over the internet. Bridalgown.net had it for $1050. No one was reselling this exact style.

After some brooding I realized it's a 2007 and a local bridal store I visit just got in their 2009 collection last week so 2007 should be available WAAAY cheaper.

Now to the point: I found a seller on ebay offering it for $699. I emailed her to find out why she had so many Pronovias dresses for so cheap. She said she has a bridal shop and gets to buy the oldest seasons dresses in bulk (500 at a time). So I googled her name "Laura Wageman" in Bakersfield. And "Ladies & Gents Bridal" comes up. That's her bridal shop!!!

Next to the Pronovias site... IT'S AN AUTHORIZED DEALER!!!

So I offered her $480 for the dress via ebay "Best Offer" and she accepted!!!

I just saved almost $1K. SCORE!!!

I hope this all goes well. I'll let you know when it gets here!!!

FYI - Almost all bridal lines outsource to China. So you are paying a ridiculous mark-up... just like everything that is wedding related!!

Link here: Couture Bridal Gallery

Affordable Bay Area Photographers!

While looking for my own wedding photographer I suffered from sticker shock. PHOTOGRAPHY IS EXPENSIVE... these photographers shoot for under $3000 with awesome albums.

Our Winner...
Expressive Photographics
http://www.expressivephotographics.com/

The Runner Up...
Shannon Montez
http://www.shannonmontez.com/

Highly recommended...
Terra Tabbytosavit
http://www.terratabbytosavit.com/

Rochelle Mort
http://rochellemortphotography.com/

Tracy Olsen
http://tracyolsenphotography.blogspot.com/

Lilia Ahner
http://www.liliaphoto.com/

Green Wedding Dresses!

GREEN WEDDING DRESS OPTIONS!


One, the most suggested by most bridal shops, is that you buy an expensive designer gown that can be passed on for generations. I'm torn on this one. Couture gowns are often made of natural materials. But this isn't always a realistic choice. If and when you have a daughter and she decides to get married she will most likely have her own taste and style - meaning she wants her own wedding dress!

Two, you can purchase a preowned wedding dress or a vintage wedding gown from a consignment shop, thrift store, or sites such as indiebride.com
preownedweddingdresses.com
weddingdressmarket.com
usedweddingdresses.com.
Or you can find one on my favorite sites ebay.com and craigslist.org.
FYI - J Crew wedding gowns can be found on ebay for around $50! The J Crew Sophia gown is gorgeous!

Three, buy dresses made of sustainable materials such as hemp or silk from retailers like
getconscious.com or threadheadcreations.com.

Four, buy the wedding gown of your dreams then donate it to Brides Against Breast Cancer so it can be reused!

Five, buy a dress that can be worn again and again! I love the Mary L Couture Ombre "Wedding" Gown (pictured).

Green Weddings - Silk Flowers!

For realistic silk flowers at a low price,
Fiori Belli is one of the best silk flower companies out there.

Silk flowers are a great alternative to real flowers in areas where you can't get a good variety of locally grown flowers. Silk is a renewable material. Real flowers that are not locally grown may contain toxic pesticides, been picked by small children or underpaid workers in Colombia or Ecuador, and flown thousands of unnecessary miles to get to your wedding.

And if environmental reasons aren't enough to convince you:

Silk flowers will not wilt in the summer heat.

Silk flowers are much less expensive than real flowers.

Silk flowers can be reused after your wedding!

Round Hill Pines, Tahoe Beach Wedding

http://www.rhpbeach.com/weddings.html

Round Hill Pines in Zephyr Cove, NV has been shown in TheKnot.com, but for some reason it's not listed as one of it's vendors.

In Northern California, it's the least expensive beach wedding with the most services offered in one location. You can have a ceremony in the sand and a reception along the shore.

Ceremony fee (41 - 100 guests) is only $900
and includes minister, arbor, chairs, and the bridal bouquet!

Site fee - $20 per person
(includes parking, set-up, breakdown, clean up, tents, tables with linens, chairs, gift and cake tables, servers, a bar, and dance area)
Buffet - $26 per person
Hors D'oeuvres - $4 per person for two selections

You can also buy kegs. Drinks are really inexpensive and the best part of it all...
Tax is 6.75% and gratuity is only 18%.
(vs. 8.75% and 20% anywhere in the Bay Area)

Green Wedding Jewelry from Estate Jeweler Fay Cullen.

For green engagement rings and wedding bands visit Fay Cullen. They offer estate jewelry at great prices so you can get a unique, one of a kind ring that is environmentally friendly!






Fay Cullen lists new items the first Tuesday of every month and has a Bargain Hunter section that has the best deals.

From time to time they have some of the prettiest brown diamond rings I've seen.

Alfred Angelo Wedding Dresses!

If you're looking for an Alfred Angelo wedding gown check out Just Pretty Bridal. It's an online retailer that offers new Alfred Angelo gowns at the lowest prices.

And the best part of it is, they are an actual Alfred Angelo preferred vendor. No fake knock offs!

If you want to see it for yourself check here or go to Alfred Angelo and search zip code 10002 under "Find Store".


My favorite Alfred Angelo gowns (remember I love lace!) are...

Alfred Angelo Wedding Dress #1202

















Alfred Angelo Wedding Dress #1422

















Alfred Angelo Wedding Dress #1614