How to Style a Rustic Bridal Outfit

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A rustic wedding celebrates love in a down-to-earth atmosphere.

Rustic implies a crackling fire and cinnamon candles with a snowy backdrop; it evokes aged wine barrels and rustling leaves beneath a warm summer sun; it gives us visions of repurposed mason jars, burlap-covered tables, and bales of hay on a sprawling farm.

This theme can be interpreted in different ways; generally, a rustic venue incorporates the rugged charm of the outdoors! Whether you’re getting married in a vineyard or the mountains, your backyard or a national park, this style of wedding is enchantingly pastoral with a family-friendly twist.

A simple, idyllic bridal ensemble completes an outdoorsy wedding theme. Discover the perfect accessories for your greatest adventure yet.

Pair a Leafy Clip with Nature-Inspired Earrings

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Mirror nature’s autumnal beauty with golden leaves. A gilded leaf clip with rhinestone sprays glitters with rustic elegance. Pair it with leaf drop earrings to complete a goddess-worthy style.

Pair a Bridal Garland with a Foldover Veil

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A beautiful pearl and rhinestone bridal garland creates a flexible, versatile accent for your wedding-day look. Wear it wrapped around your hair or woven into an updo! Add a graceful foldover veil to complete a carefree, ethereal style.

Pair a Flower Crown with a Flower Lace Veil

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Flowers are trending big this year! A floral crown lends an air of organic romance to your look. Pair this lasting headpiece with a floral lace veil for a graceful, feminine ensemble.

Pair a Peony Comb with a Satin Tie Belt

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Create a classic bridal look with soft organza flower accessories. A peony comb decorated with rhinestones and lace beautifully adorns your hair with rustic charm. Add the matching belt to complete a nature-inspired ensemble.

Pair a Metallic Floral Headband with a Metallic Lace Veil

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Add enchanting elegance to your rustic-chic bridal ensemble. A beautiful metallic floral headpiece glitters with rhinestone accents. Pair it with a metallic lace veil to finish off a heart-fluttering look!

Are you ready to style your wedding day look? Check out My Bridal Style: Bohemian for more options, and follow us on Pinterest and Instagram for rustic wedding ideas!

Giving Thanks: The Absolute Best Favors for Wedding Guests

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Happy Black Friday! In the wake of Thanksgiving, we remember that this holiday is actually about sharing the bounty of harvest and giving thanks for all the wonderful things we have in our lives.

Let your wedding guests know that you appreciate their presence (and presents!) at your celebration. While a thank-you card is traditional, an additional going-away favor is a nice touch. This can be something inexpensive, practical, or even edible—it just gives your friends and family a little piece of the wedding to take home.

We’ve compiled a list of the very best favors for wedding guests. Browse these ideas for every theme and budget.

Let Love Grow

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For you eco-conscious brides (and we hope this means everyone), a favor that enriches the environment makes a meaningful gift. Seeds or a little plant beautifully symbolize the new beginning of your marriage and how your love will grow over time. You can give potted flowers in the spring, succulents in the summer or fall, and mini trees to plant in the winter. Give away your favorite varieties!
Seeds
• Mini trees
• Flowers in decorated jars
• Succulents
• Herbs

Take a Shot, We Tied the Knot

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If you’re partying hard at your reception, play off this theme with drinking accessories! Shot glasses with a cute quote or design make a fun favor. Bottle stoppers or wine openers are a classy gift for a vineyard wedding—or give personalized wine glasses, or even mix a unique vintage for guests to take home. Keep in mind your grandmother may or may not appreciate a mini bottle of jack.
• Wine glasses
• Shot glasses
• Wine accessories (bottle stoppers, bottle openers, wine rings)
• Wine
• Mini alcohol bottles (jack, rum, champagne, etc.)
• Hangover recovery kit
• Coasters

Love is Sweet

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Food is a favor that everyone will enjoy. In the spring, you can give individually wrapped cookies or chocolates; in the summer, s’mores kits, chocolate pretzels, and popcorn; in the fall, maple syrup, mini pies, jam, and candied apples; in the winter, hot chocolate, peppermints, and spices. Decorate little jars, boxes, or bags to make this gift extra special.

• Hot chocolate
• Candied apples
• Pretzels or popcorn
• Hershey kisses or chocolate
• Honey or jam
• Mints
• Candy
• S’mores
• Donuts or cookies
• Mini pies
• Maple syrup
• Coffee or tea
• Spices

You Light Up Our Lives

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For an evening ceremony and/or reception, guide your guests safely home. Candles smell nice and have a domestic feeling—especially if you attach your names or bundle some dried flowers around them. Mini lanterns are practical if you’re hosting a camping or outdoors wedding, and guests might need extra light to walk back to their cabins.
• Candles
• Mini lanterns
• Matches
• Sparklers
• Flashlights

Share the Love

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It’s nice to give back. And how often do guests really keep a favor with someone else’s name and wedding date attached to it? Skip the DIY craziness and give a gift with meaning. Donate to charity in your guests’ names. You can hand out a small flier or pin to remind them of the contribution, and everyone gets warm fuzzies all around.
• Donation to charity

Creature Comforts

bride-and-bridesmaid-showing-off-shoes-000013697769_mediumYou know that moment when you think, Oh, I wish I’d packed—insert item here—? Especially for weekend-long affairs, it can be hard to remember everything. Provide for your guests’ comfort with a thoughtful gift to use during the wedding! This one takes advance planning and possibly a bigger budget, but this stuff is so darn useful we had to list it.
• Flip flops for dancing
• Beach towels
• Sunglasses
• Fans
• Gloves
• Blankets
• Reusable water bottles
• Umbrellas
• Pashminas or scarves

Take Me Home Tonight

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Any small gift can be labeled with names or a cute quote. If you’re hosting an intimate wedding, you can even customize one for each guest! Ornaments are perfect for a holiday celebration, while crystals might be more appropriate for the summer. Choose something that feels right to you.
• Ornament
• Soap or lip balm
• Perfume or cologne
• Handkerchiefs
• Keychains
• Crystals or geodes
• Wedding soundtrack

A favor can share more about your love story, serve as dessert-to-go, or express your appreciation right away. Can’t afford a wedding favor, or don’t have time to DIY? Don’t worry! A thank-you card will suffice. Some guests don’t wind up keeping favors—but everyone likes to be recognized for attending.

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Did you go to a wedding with awesome favors? Share your favorites!

How to Get in Wedding Shape: 5 Best Practices

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With the holidays right around the corner, you probably aren’t thinking about cutting back for the big day—especially if you have lots of time to prepare!

Good news: your partner already thinks you are beautiful. So the best way to prep for your wedding day is to simply be the healthiest version of yourself.

If you’re like most of us and want to improve in some area, it’s easier (and safer) to change your habits over the span of a few months than, say, two frantic weeks before your wedding.

Here are five easy ways to commit to great health. Make this winter your best ever!

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Eat Healthy

Getting healthy for your wedding should be a lifestyle choice (not a crash diet). You don’t have to cut out pumpkin spice lattes or skip holiday cookies, but do focus on incorporating more healthy foods. Make it easier by stocking nutritious substitutes for empty-calorie snacks.

Dark leafy greens, colorful vegetables, and seasonal fruits add valuable micronutrients to your diet. Avoid white carbs that have been stripped of their nutrition, and instead opt for whole grains. Choose protein sources that are low in saturated fat, and take vitamins to bolster your immune system. Sugar can boost your mood, but keep splurges reasonable. If you’re feeling down, learn to reward yourself with something other than food.

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Exercise

For that beautiful bridal glow, lead an active lifestyle. The recommended amount of exercise is at least 30 minutes a day for 5 days out of the week. It’s best to switch up your routine to keep things interesting. You can try a new sport or revive something you enjoyed in the past: swimming, yoga, cycling, stretching, and walking are all low-impact activities. Interested in a high-intensity sport like running or kick boxing? Consult a doctor before you begin.

Build up your distance and time safely, until the exercise is a habit. If you don’t have a lot of time during the day, you can even split your workout into smaller 10 or 20 minute segments. Add weight training or Pilates to build muscle tone. Every little bit counts!

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Sleep

This one doesn’t take months to practice, but you should be mindful of your sleep schedule as the wedding approaches. According to researchers, adequate sleep is essential to health and wellness. Lack of sleep contributes to a depressed immune system, attention lapses, irritability, poor memory and judgment, and even anxiety!

Avoid staying up late on your computer/phone, texting vendors at every hour of the day, and putting off DIY favors until the last minute. (Seriously, that project is going to take twice as long as you think it will.) Plan ahead and delegate so you can rest easy. Yes, you can use makeup to hide the bags under your eyes, but why bother? Get your full 7–9 hours of recommended sleep.

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Drink Water

Dehydration makes you crabby and forgetful—not to mention hungry. To avoid all that unpleasantness, be sure that you are drinking enough. Plain water is usually the best, and you can also get fluids through fruits and vegetables. Lemon water adds vitamin C to your diet, which is great for your skin. In addition, lemons are antibacterial, reduce inflammation, and aid digestion.

Caffeinated beverages such as tea and coffee are ok in moderate amounts; they provide some antioxidants but flush nutrients from your system. Be aware that alcohol is also a major diuretic, depleting your body of water—it also floods your liver with toxins. So be smart and drink clean, especially the month before your wedding.

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De-Stress

Did you know that stress makes you gain weight? It also lowers your immune system and puts you at risk for long-term health issues. Planning a wedding is no easy task, so give yourself a break! Delegate tasks that you don’t absolutely need to handle; ask for help from your MOH and groom. This applies to implementing a healthier lifestyle, too—when you’re trying to change a habit, a support system helps a ton! Take breaks from wedding planning, and do things that you enjoy.

Above all, keep things in perspective. You don’t need to be perfect; this is about improving your health and feeling great. Marrying the person you love is what truly makes your wedding beautiful.

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What are your best tips for getting in wedding-worthy shape? Share your ideas!

10 Trending Fall Wedding Ideas You’ll Love

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Are you planning an autumn wedding?

Get ready to fall in love with these gorgeous, festive ideas for your décor, attire, food, and more! Read on and make your seasonal wedding stand out.

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Leafy Décor

This is the perfect opportunity for you crafty DIYers out there. Decorate mason jars, hang gilded gold or silver leaves, make confetti, create a wedding arch with bright leaves and flowers, or line your wedding aisle walkway! You can also use leaves as cute place cards, on your invitations, or for your guest book.

Vibrant Flowers

The season’s most abundant flowers include sunflowers, chrysanthemums, carnations, freesias, junipers, roses, marigolds, asters, or dahlias. Pack your bouquet with bright colors, make a floral crown, and feature pumpkins or gourds for centerpieces. Incorporate greenery, lotus pods, feathers, or berries.

Autumn Themes

Fall is ideal for a variety of wedding themes. You can host a rustic or glamping celebration; a laid-back bohemian bash; or a vintage-inspired garden party. A falling in love theme also nicely fits with this season. There’s nothing more magical than an enchanted forest wedding—except for a Halloween-style soirée! If you’d prefer to avoid a specific theme, you can incorporate classic autumnal colors.

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Pop of Color

Bold colors are the hallmarks of a good autumn wedding. Rich fall hues include marsala, cranberry, plum, emerald, yellow, navy, and orange. Balance them with neutrals like ivory, charcoal, dove grey, brown, and black. Want a splash of sparkle? Copper and gold are the trending metallics. For a more rustic and down-to-earth look, you can use plaid table runners, chair covers, or napkins.

Pumpkins Galore

Would any festive fall wedding be complete without pumpkins? You can write on or carve them for your save-the-dates, make welcome signs, line your aisle, feature them in centerpieces, or use pumpkin place settings. Jack o’ lantern lights are a spooky and fun addition to a Halloween theme. For a fairy-tale celebration, paint pumpkins white or bejewel them with rhinestones.

Golden Lighting

The days in autumn grow shorter. When daylight fades, you can illuminate your reception with lanterns, candles, strung lights, mason jar lanterns, chandeliers (even outside), light-up signs, or jack o’lanterns. Be sure to light up your walkways, the aisle, your dance floor, and tablescapes. It’s worth your time to get this right: beautiful lighting creates a magical ambiance.

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Signature Drink

Signature cocktails have been a huge hit at weddings the past couple years. Autumnal beverages include spiced rum cider cocktail, apple cider sangria, pumpkin apple shandy, maple-bourbon smash… Mix just about any form of spirits with berries, cinnamon, or pumpkin spice to create something nice! Hot chocolate, pumpkin spiced coffee, or sparkling cider floats are delicious, non-alcoholic options.

Seasonal Dessert

Fall is a great time to serve utterly mouth-watering morsels. Decorate your cake on an autumn or harvest theme, or go with a naked cake covered with berries. If that’s not your thing, you can serve pies or pie pops, candied apples, s’mores, turnovers, autumn brittle, pears, or candied nuts. A full-on candy station filled with your favorite goodies is a fun option, too!

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Scarves, Jackets, Cover-Ups

Let’s talk comfort. Autumn kicks off the beginning of snuggle weather! For extra warmth, you can provide blankets for your guests after the sun goes down. Keep your bridesmaids warm and dry with plaid jackets or scarves, and be sure to choose a cover-up for yourself, too! Bring an umbrella if there’s a chance it’ll rain (some brides even wear boots if it might be cold).

Enchanting Hair

Now we’re at the best part: your hair. Autumn hairstyles include braids, loose curls, messy buns, and chignons with flowers or leaves tucked in. Fall flower crowns typically feature bold colors and greenery. Another gorgeous option is to wear a sparkling tiara, comb, or garland. For a Halloween wedding, try feathers or black French net. Your veil provides an ethereal finishing touch.

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Want even more inspiration? Follow us on Instagram for bridal style updates, and check out our Fall Weddings board on Pinterest for an overload of pretty wedding ideas.

Thanksgiving Love Notes

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Happy Thanksgiving! Here at Bel Aire Bridal, we are giving thanks for our friends and families by sharing a few thoughts from our staff. Enjoy a wonderful and safe holiday, and tell us what you are thankful for!


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“I was thankful for having family and close friends there. We enjoyed good music, food, and cake! Our two dogs, Thor and Natasha, were with us.” –Margie

“I was so thankful that we avoided rain! Our families were so helpful with setting up, and the flowers were gorgeous. The best part was when my groom saw me and grinned.” –Erin

“I was thankful that so many family and friends were able to be there, and that everything went off pretty much without a hitch! But mostly, I was thankful to be marrying the man of my dreams.” –Stephanie

“I was SO looking forward to this day and my favorite memory is that it was exactly how I wanted it – all of my family and friends smiling and supporting us. Truly perfect!” –Irene


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“I am thankful for having a very understanding husband.” –Margie

“My husband and I are very career-oriented, so I’m most thankful for the time he sets aside for our marriage. He’ll drop whatever he is doing and give me attention, which shows me how much he cares.” –Erin

“Marriage is such a beautiful thing when two people work together to cultivate and nurture a relationship. With God’s help, it has all been possible.” –Obdulia

“I have too many good things to choose from but most importantly I’m thankful for the journey we have had together. Our love and closeness has grown tremendously as our families have united over these past 33 years. I am truly blessed and thankful!” –Irene

“It’s fun to have someone to talk to and laugh with. It’s such a blessing. We haven’t shut up since we met almost twelve years ago!” –Joyce


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“I am very thankful for having the most beautiful step-daughter and two beautiful grandchildren.” —Margie

“I am most thankful for the female influences in my life: my mother, sister, aunts, and cousins. They give the best advice, have been there for me, and always remind me how lucky I am to have them.” –Marissa

“The number one blessing is that God has given us our children as a result of our marriage. We are thankful for their health and well-being as they grow up and share their dreams with us.” –Obdulia

“My relationship with my mom because she’s been an amazing parent, business partner, confidante, and friend. It sounds so silly, but it’s true. I’m thankful that this is my ‘normal’: working with my family. There aren’t many industries w/ multi-generational family businesses.” –Eric