The trend that jumps out at us today is the recent resurgence in the use of the color gold in weddings. From gold leaf covered cake toppers to gold-glittered peep toes, the wedding world is gaga for gold!

Beyond the obvious ways to bring in gold to your wedding (gold wedding bands, gold charger plates, gold silverware), adding gold in unexpected places will set your wedding apart from the rest.

Complementing the springy palette of soft pinks and warm greens, gold is a great way to add some glitter to your occasion without covering everything in sequins (talk about messy cleanup!).

For the do-it-yourself brides, a gold tinged manicure for the big day is an easy and subtle way to add gold to the mix. Also, gold leaf kits are sold at most craft stores and can easily turn any object into a glittering gold cake topper or decoration!

Gold can even be brought into your wedding ensemble! Gold toned wedding gowns are on the rise as well as gold jewelry, beaded sashes, and eye makeup.

There you have at it ladies and gents! Go create that gold themed Pinterest board and fill it with beautiful and easy ways to add a little gold to your big day. Make sure to take pictures, we’d love to see your glittering results!

Photo Credits:

Cake: colincowieweddings.com  // Table & Chair: Photography: Kristyn Hogan / Event design, styling, floral and decor: Cedarwood Weddings // Nails: Glamour.com // Placecards: http://www.kthompsonphotography.com

• Dress steaming/pressing.  Bridal gowns are shipped in boxes to stores and definately need to be steamed to remove the wrinkles and make the gowns presentable.  At this time a lot of salons will also provide an in house inspection of the gown to ensure there are no manufacturer’s flaws.  This service is oftentimes included with full service salons.  To purchase it seperately can cost upwards of $40-100 in some cases.  Steaming can also be done on other gowns such as bridesmaids, mothers, and flower girls.
• Storage.  Do you have a safe place at home that your gown wont be damaged by pets, roomates, family members, or be safe from the fiance’s view?  If not, storage can be a very valuable ammenity for a bride. Some smaller stores may charge a flat or monthly fee to store a gown, and some do it for free.  Please note that some stores will not allow you to re-store a gown once you have taken it out of the store. Storage can run anywhere from $10-$50 per month.
• Alterations.  Almost every gown needs to have some type of alterations done to it to ensure a perfect fit for the bride.  It could be taking it in the sideseams, a bustle, cups, hem, and more.  Some stores have their employees that are seamstresses that do the work at their stores, some have outside contractors that do the work but will meet you at their store, and some have referrals only to outside vendors.  Having your alterations completed by someone who is familiar with your designer, dress, and has altered many gowns before could save you time and money and will ensure your dress is ready for you to walk down the isle.  Alterations typically run $30-$500 depending on your needs.
• Customer service.  When you visit a full service bridal salon, a consultant is there to help you pick out your gown, choose options and size you to your closest size on the manufacturers chart.  They will walk you through the entire process.  When your dress comes in they inspect your merchandise and report any issues to the manufacturer and act as an intermediary to solve any issues.

These are just a few things to consider when buying your gown from a salon. Heartstrings Bridal has prided itself on offering brides a free initial steaming when your dress comes in, free storage for your bridal gown, and an on-site contracted seamstress that can help tailor your gown as well as provide excellent customer service.  All of these services are value-added and are included with the intial purchase of your bridal gown, so while it may seem like you are saving money on the front end by purchasing your gown online or at a non full service salon, you will end up paying for those same services on the back end of your bridal gown purchase and will often have to spend more time and money on doing the research and visiting multiple locations to find those services.

That’s right folks! Coming up in December we will be having an Allure Trunk Show. It will run from December 28th through December 31st.

Allure will be featuring some of their brand new gowns at Heart Strings Bridal. You will be able to try on gowns that we either do not carry normally, won’t be getting from the new collection or just don’t have yet. You don’t want to miss this! On top of having their here, we will be offering a 10% discount on all Allure gowns old and new alike. This is a wonderful opportunity for you to get your gown at a discount. You won’t find them less expensive anywhere else!

Never been to a trunk show? Come see what all the hype is about. Stop in or schedule an appointment at 952-993-9090!

Hours of trunk show:

Wednesday 28th- 11-7

Thursday 29th-     11-8

Friday 30th-         11-5

Saturday 31st-      9-4

(Saturday by appointment only.)

http://mnbride.com/real-weddings/kristine-brian

For a modern update to a classic lace silhouette, this slim A-line gown touts a double tiered scalloped lace hemline created with corded lace on Point d’Esprit. The detachable satin ribbon belt features a glamorous Swarovski crystal embellishment. A softly dipped neckline is enticing, while the signature corset closure perfectly completes this look. Available with a lace edged veil.

<!––>Colors Available
White/White Ribbon Accent, Ivory/Ivory Ribbon Accent, Ivory/Black Ribbon Accent (shown), Ivory over Light Gold/Chocolate Ribbon Accent

You can buy this dress on our website at www.heartstringsbridal.com for only $1549 with free shipping.  We LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this dress and hope you do too!

To promote our newly redesigned website at www.heartstringsbridal.com with amazing 24 hour shopping experience we need your help to spread the word through social media!

To reward your hard work, we will be giving away two $50 gift certificates to two lucky people that you can use on any in-store or online merchandise at http://www.heartstringsbridal.com . All you have to do to enter is “like” our facebook page, follow our blog, or follow us on twitter. You will get one entry for each medium you follow.

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/HeartstringsBridal1

BLOG: http://heartstringsb.wordpress.com/

TWITTER: http://twitter.com/#!/HeartstringsBri

Two lucky winners will be drawn September 15th, 2011 and will be announced via social media. 

Feel free to forward this anyone you think may benefit from our website and would like an opportunity to win an extra $50 gift certificate.

Good luck!!

Heartstrings Bridal