If you’re planning a Crystal Coast destination wedding, you’re probably also planning to brave a Crystal Coast bridal show. Well, we have the antidote for the madness of most bridal shows: The Crystal Coast Wedding Salon, January 6-7, 2012 in Atlantic Beach, NC. This isn’t your average bridal show. It’s a romantic weekend of wedding planning at the beach for you and your groom.

We’ll take you and your groom on chauffeured limousine tours of Crystal Coast wedding venues. You’ll meet over 40 Crystal Coast wedding vendors in a relaxed, intimate wedding showcase–no endless rows of pipe and drape booths with no time to talk to vendors. To top it off, you’ll rock it out at our After Party, complete with fully catered dinner, drinks, DJ, dancing, great prizes, and fun!

And that’s all for one low ticket price. Tickets are on sale now. Purchase your tickets online and save 20% off the at-the-door price. Come plan your wedding with us–and have a fun weekend at the beach!

This video of Will and Hannah’s Crystal Coast wedding rocks my world. Partly because of the fine videography and music, but mainly because it showcases one of the most romantic wedding and reception sites on the Crystal Coast: the White Oak River Bistro in Swansboro.

Check it out. And turn up the volume.

IMHO, there is no more romantic place on the Carolina coast than Historic Downtown Wilmington. What with its amazing history, historic homes and businesses, and wonderful local eateries and shops, downtown is now the home for the 2012 Wilmington Wedding Salon, the weekend of February 16-17, 2012.

If you’re planning a Wilmington destination wedding, this is the wedding showcase for you. We have a weekend full of cool wedding planning events planned for you and your groom: limousine-chauffeured tours of area event venues, a spectacular wedding showcase featuring Wilmington’s finest wedding vendors at the Hilton Wilmington Riverside, and a rousing After Party with food, drink, music, and dancing at Saint Thomas Preservation Hall.

Make it a romantic weekend for you and your groom! Come experience the magic of Wilmington–and plan your destination wedding at the same time.

Hurricane Irene threw the Sheraton Atlantic Beach some big mess, and they have been recovering ever since September. And that is the home of the Crystal Coast Wedding Salon, so the area’s most unique wedding showcase has been a refugee for several months.

Fortunately, we found a new home, just down the road, with the Coral Bay Club. And we’re thrilled to announce that the Club will be our home in January for our fourth annual Salon!

Tickets go on sale in mid-November, so make plans now to come visit. After all, it’s not your average bridal show!

Hometown: New Bern | Wedding Date: July 2, 2011 | Venue:  Historic Downtown New Bern| Photography:  Distinctive Photo Images | Reception Site: BridgePointe Hotel & Marina | Bridesmaid’s Dresses & Tuxedos: The Intimate Bridal & Formal Wear

In her words: ”We met at Ballyhoos in Emerald Isle, NC, and we’ve always loved the beach. But when it came down to it, we decided on a church wedding. Our ceremony was at Broad Street Christian Church in historic downtown New Bern. We had our wedding party portraits made in front of Tryon Palace. After the beautiful ceremony, we danced the night away at at our reception held at Bridge Pointe Hotel and Marina with nothing but windows overlooking the beautiful marina. In keeping with the season, I chose fushia pink and lime green as my color scheme. Star gazer lilies, white cala lilies, hydrangeas and green buttons were my main selections for the floral arrangements.”

When it come to unique Crystal Coast bridal portrait locations, we love Cape Lookout National Seashore. Accessible only by boat, Cape Lookout has everything a dramatic portrait shoot needs: a deserted beach, a historic lighthouse, towering  dunes, and lush green areas.

This portrait series features Crystal Coast Bride Kaitlyn Tyson from Greenville, NC, who was maried on July 9, 2011.  Harker’s Island native and photographer, Beth Gillikin, was behind the lens. Beth grew up in the shadow of the Cape Lookout lighthouse and specializes in Cape Lookout portraits and weddings. Visit the Cape Lookout National Seashore web site  for information on accessibility and wedding permits.

At Ease Bridal is one of eastern North Carolina’s top wedding planners and designers. This promotional video features footage from Jayme Bustamente and Matt Bass’  wedding at Airlie Gardens in Wilmington on April 23, 2011.

Check out their YouTube page for more real wedding videos.

Choosing your beach wedding attire may seem like a difficult task. Once you let go of the traditional wedding attire mind set, however, you’ll see that it’s all about comfort and style. Plus, you’ll find the cost is a fraction of traditional wedding gowns.

THE DRESS

It goes without saying that heavy formal wedding gowns are difficult to manage on a sandy beach. Even if you’re elevated above the sand, formality and the beach don’t mix well. However, many styles area available that hint at formality but are made of light comfortable fabric and complement the setting.

When looking at beach wedding dresses, consider lightweight cotton, silk, or chiffon fabrics. Choose a dress that is strapless, has spaghetti straps, or is off the shoulder for maximum comfort and beach style.

White looks wonderful next to the sand (and your tan!). But keep in mind that the sky is the limit when considering colors for a beach wedding. We’ve seen turquoise, magenta, peach, and mocha wedding dresses this year.

Many beach brides are choosing shorter gowns, which are easier to manage. A long dress without the accompanying long train is also comfortable.

THE BRIDESMAID’S DRESSES

The same guidelines apply: lightweight, casual, and appropriate for the theme. If bright color is not your wedding gown preference, consider putting that color to work in your bridesmaid’s dresses.

Many beach brides are selecting options that are flexible and can be worn after the wedding. We’ve also seen stylish convertible dresses that reflect the color theme and allow your girls to configure them how they wish.

Remember the beach is probably going to be windy, so choose dresses that are not too lightweight. Also, keep in mind that you’ll be outside in bright sunshine (hopefully), so select dresses that are not transparent. A slip is a necessity.

SHOES

Don’t let this choice consternate you. It’s the beach! You can go barefoot if you like. On the other end of the spectrum, you’ll probably want to avoid heels for obvious reasons.

White satin ballet type shoes dressed up in sequins or pearls work nicely if you want a closed toe. Many beach brides are choosing jewelry sandals, barefoot sandals with gems, or dressy sling backs. These work great and look pretty enough for a bride.

Alternatively, you can customize a plain pair of flip flops or sandals with gemstones or other bling. Think about having each member of your wedding party design their own pair of flip flops!

Wedding Date: October 23, 2010 | Ceremony Venue: Pawleys Island Chapel | Reception Venue: Reserve Harbor Yacht Club | Photography: Paula Player Photography | Coordinator: Memorable Moments Event Planning | Cake: Croissants Bistro & Bakery | Flowers: Debbie Gough

Pawleys Island is just about as far away from the hustle and bustle of Myrtle Beach as you can get without leaving the Grand Strand. So it was the perfect setting for Allison and John’s laid back wedding. The casual seaside feel of Pawleys Island Chapel was a complementary contrast to Allison’s more formal choices. The guys dressed in black suits that mirrored the ladies sleeveless black dresses. Allison’s strapless gown with ruffles continued the stately theme. Peppered with accents of pink and coral, the wedding elements were formal enough for church, but with a distinct Grand Strand feel.

By Leslie Menich | Owner, Memorable Moments Event Planning

There are many fun and trendy tips each year for weddings. Some will come and go, but these have proven to stay around a little longer than others throughout the wedding seasons. These tips are used to help cut costs in some places or to offer something unique for your guests to enjoy while attending your grand day!

1. Create a signature cocktail to match your theme, personality, or color scheme. This can be done during the cocktail hour while the couple is taking pictures or can at the open bar during the reception. Offer a twist on a cosmo, mojito, or other favorite with a unique name that reflects your personality.

2. Instead of a unity candle to symbolize the joining of your lives at the wedding ceremony, try a sand blending ceremony: you and your groom pour two different colors of sand into one container, which then becomes a nice keepsake from your wedding. It also provides a moving alternative to candles in windy outdoor ceremonies.

3. Try something different for you guest book. Guest books are rarely looked at after the wedding, so use something the two of you can enjoy: an album filled with photo booth prints taken during the wedding that guests sign by their photo; postcards from places the two have you been that your guests sign; or having guests sign a book peppered with your favorite images from the engagement shoot with your photographer.

4. Think brightly colored shoes for the bride or her girls. Nothing can be more eye-catching than pops of color on neutral backgrounds. Try black bridesmaids dresses with red, or pink shoes.  You can even wear your favorite color no matter what color your gown is. Could your shoes be your “something blue”? Color pops make for fun pictures too!

5. Some wedding favors are a waste of money because your guests will not remember to take them once the night is over. Make your favors something that your guests will remember and want to take with them. A personalized candy bar draws attention, as do luggage tags, wine stoppers, and koozies. If favors aren’t your thing, make a donation in lieu of spending money on favors to your favorite charity such as an animal shelter or breast cancer research. Display this at the guest sign-in table.

6. Not a fan of the veil? No problem! So many other headpieces are available. Pick one that suits you, your wedding, and your dress design the best, such as a flower or feather in your hair, a beaded headband, a diamond tiara, or a throwback birdcage veil.

7. You want a red velvet wedding cake, but the groom wants vanilla. If you are having a wedding cake, make each layer a different flavor that appeals to you, the groom, and the guests. Or take it one step further and offer cupcakes in different designs and flavors. They can be arranged on a stand to resemble the traditional wedding cake shape and make a visually stunning presentation.

8. Incorporate a designed monogram of your initials into the small wedding details. Some couples provide their signature logo throughout the entire wedding process, while others will highlighted it on their favorite items. Monograms are used on stationary (Save the Dates, invitations, programs, escort cards, etc.), on candies and wedding favors, on custom linens and napkins, as a gobo light for your dance floor, as cake toppers, and much more.

9. Choose centerpieces that match your venue, style, vision, color scheme, and season of the wedding. For example, if you are having your reception in a grand ballroom with high ceilings, you can go with taller, more extravagant centerpieces. However, if the reception is outdoors under a lighted tent in a natural setting, short bunchy centerpieces can be more inviting. Whatever the case, try to think outside of the box when it comes to centerpieces. This is one of the items that will make the most impact on your guests.

10.When selecting your music for the ceremony and reception, keep in mind all of the options. While bands and DJs will never go out of style, don’t forget about string quartets, a brass ensembles, a harpist, or steel drum groups. Even karaoke can be a huge hit given the right crowd. Having someone special sing your favorite song during the ceremony or reception can mean a lot to and your groom as well. If a band is for you, make sure you select one that you have heard play live so you will know the type of music that is important to both you and your guests.

For more trendy tips and helpful ides, hire a wedding planner to help make all your details come together perfectly!

*********************************************
Leslie Menich is a professional wedding coordinator located in Myrtle Beach, SC.