One of my favorite couples of last year, Ren and Jim, are featured on Chicago Style Unveiled’s website!  Check out the details to their fabulous wedding and the amazing vendors that helped this gorgeous couple create a one-of-a-kind wedding.

I had the great pleasure of meeting with Hilda Burke of Angel Eyes Photography today. Down to earth and very creative, she is a bride’s (and a wedding planner’s!) dream: easy-going and a very awesome personality. I highly recommend you all take a look at her website (http://www.angeleyesphotography.com/) because she has an amazing eye. Her photos are so beautiful and DIFFERENT that I have since recommended her to four brides (and again, I only met her this morning). She services Chicago and the surrounding ‘burbs.

Brides–snatch her up!

Style Me Pretty creator Abby Larson has just launched the new community on Style Me Pretty for all brides, friends of brides, bride wannabes, wedding addicts, et al. called Style Circle.

Only a few spaces left to sign up and try the new Style Circle!! http://circle.stylemepretty.com

Many brides are either confused or unaware of all the different bridal gown styles.  This article from Examiner.com breaks it down for us.

Bridal Fashion Scene 101: Styles and gown lengths: Examiner.com wedding gowns no longer fit the old school ideas.. http://bit.ly/YTGJo

Need anything for your wedding?  The Wedding Outlet has it all.  Great stuff for your reception and ceremony from themed decor to unique favors.

Another thing I love about this site is that since it truly does have everything you could need for your wedding, you are reminded of things you need that you didn’t even know you needed!

Not settling for just another online wedding shop, The Wedding Outlet gives their brides a little more help.  They offer a weekly wedding tip and also have a resource page for anything that they don’t offer (links to some great vendors!) and a blog with even more tips, idea and inspirations.  Check it out at www.weddingrumors.com

So you think you need to spend a lot of money and mail out invitations? This creative couple settled on a different sort of visual…

If you’ve ever seen this:

And been stumped as to what you do with the “M”, you’re not alone. What this is is a prompt to which you’d respond with the appropriate salutation, “Miss, Mr., Mrs., Ms.” Originally, the RSVP card, being French, would include the M as standing for “Messier” or “Madame”.

In a traditional Christian ceremony, the bride walks on her father’s (or whoever has the honor of escorting her) left arm. Remember, too, that the bride’s side is to the left and the groom’s side is to the right (except in a Jewish ceremony; it’s reversed).

Some bride’s (and church coordinators) like the ease and logistics of having the bride walk on the father’s right so that when they get to the altar there is no one between her and the groom but traditionally she’s on dad’s left.

In a Jewish ceremony, the bride walks on dad’s right.

I know many brides do inspiration boards or just have their binders filled with cutouts from magazines that help them create a picture of what they envision for their wedding.

Enter Bridal Canvas.

This awesome site allows brides to create a digital version of the inspiration board a la magazine spreads.

Bicycle Bride by touchbytouch

Use their templates or create from scratch. You can even upload your own pics. This is not just for brides! Planners out there can make use of this fabulous tool as well! I’ve signed up and played around and love how easy it is to use. This will help me with clients who have no idea what they want but have some idea what they are looking for. I can take those small kernels and turn them into visual ideas that will help spark their imaginations.

You can even add music. Nuff said.

May 29-30 Preview the latest bridal gowns by designer San Patrick.

At Dimitra’s Couture, 1011 N. Rush St. #3, 312.787.0920