For the Bridesmaids:

Your bridesmaids will love receiving something beautiful yet quite useable in their everyday life.  For instance, this thermal tote shown in painted floral cupcake (one of many styles), with their names embroidered on them.   Surprise them with them with the bag full of different types of your favorite chocolates. They won’t melt waiting for them to receive them either.

How about a cosmetic bag filled with items they may need during your wedding events, or grab them a gift card to get their make up done for the wedding day and put in their personalized pouch. We love the zipper pouch and at $12, it’s a GREAT deal!

Another option would be getting them a basic tote to carry all their belongings on the day of the event, like a Tote-Ally Awesome Tote or the Expand-A-Tote Day Extender. And you really can’t go wrong with the Retro Metro Bag.

And for the Groomsmen:

We don’t want to forget about the groomsmen.  You can give them something to keep them organized, keep the man cave clean and give them their own “thirty-One” style!   This Men’s Essentials Case is a great gift.  How about adding a little something they may need for your wedding; let’s say some aftershave lotion, cologne etc?

Now the guys are going to have their “Boys Night” too.  So, how about a thermal bag filled with their favorite drink(s), or filled with other special items on your list.

For a more formal gift, their leather Money Clip Wallet with their initials placed on the wallet with laser etching.

Most items can have either embroidery or Laser Etching for personalization.   Whether you go the “Thirty-One” style or another style, there are so many things to choose from.  For more information about “Thirty-One”, you can go to www.MyThirtyOne.com/Ginas31.

• Heavenly Gourmet Catering: www.heavenlyg.com
• Raul’s Photography: www.raulsphotography.com
• Cakes & More: www.sacakes.com
• Cupcake Photography: www.cupcakesphoto.com
• Got it Covered Events & Catering: www.gotitcoveredsa.com

Stop by our venue from 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. and try out some San Antonio’s finest caterers, photographers and cakes! Plus we’ll get you caught up on all the latest trends in linens and colors as well as show you around the space. RSVP here today: http://bit.ly/plazaopenhouse.

-Preregister! By going to http://www.weddingfairshow.com/orderform.asp you not only save $3 on admission, but you also save about 15-20 minutes when you get there by filling out your information online instead of waiting in line. Just remember to print out your receipt so there are no hassles or confusion on the day of the show.

-Wear comfy shoes. You’ll be thanking me afterwards. Since the show is at the JW Marriott, there is a lot of close, convenient parking; however, if you arrive when the show has already started, you may have to walk a pretty good distance. And, when you get inside you’ll be spending a good 2+ hours walking around. Give your feet a little break. On the flip side, if you wear something uncomfortable, there are some couches outside of the large room where most of the booths are if you (or fiancé or dad) need a break. And if you are super tired, check out the 5 hour energy sample booth! How awesome is that?

-Don’t eat ahead of time…unless you’ve already chosen your caterer, cake and chocolate fountain company. There is a lot of food at these shows, and you’ll get to taste and critique with your fiancé/mom/friend/insert any other person attending with you here. And seriously? Who doesn’t love a little cake or a chocolate dipped strawberry? They are hard to resist! Some of our caterers that will be on display at the show are:

• Absolutely Delicious Catering
• Catering by Celebrations
• Heavenly Gourmet
• Spice of Life Catering

And if you are super thirsty after tasting all of these delicious foods, you can stop by our booth for some water and to chat! We love to see our already booked brides just as much as the new ones.

-Make labels with your wedding info. Most vendors will ask you for your info, including us. Instead of your hand going numb from writing your wedding info over and over again, we have found that if you includes these items in a label, it will really save you a lot of time and hassle:

• Name, Fiance’s name
• Contact info: Address, email, phone
• Wedding date
• Approx. number of guests

-Bring a camera/camera phone. There will be lots of fabulous ideas and trends to check out at the show, so take some pictures to help you remember it all. And do not be afraid to go to booths and just take pictures of their set ups–we love the compliment that you like our taste and style, even if you’ll be having your event at another venue!

We really hope you have a fabulous time at the show. There are so many vendors to check out and we’d love for you to stop by our booth for more information about our facilities. There are only a few opportunities each year for wedding fairs and they really are worth the money to attend. You can knock out half of your wedding to-do list (or at least do a lot of the leg work with narrowing down your list of vendors) with your best friends while checking out some of San Antonio’s finest wedding vendors!

Til next time…happy planning!

Photo Credit: Alamo Photographic

The mother and son dance is an expression in itself.  Your mother has had that maternal bond with you since your birth.  She has cared for you and made sure you were safe, fed and clothed.  Now she is passing that torch onto your wife. The song you choose can perfectly express the bond between you and your mother, can tell the story of your relationship, and is your opportunity to honor and thank her for all she has done for you.

Sit down with mama and go over some of these songs and see if any spark her interest:

Classics:

• A Song for Mama –Boys II Men
• Blessed –Elton John
• Close to You –The Carpenters
• In My Life –The Beatles
• What a Wonderful World –Louis Armstrong
• You are the Sunshine of My Life –Stevie Wonder
• Simple Man –Lyrnyrd Skynyrd
• First Lady in My Life-Paul Todd
• Stand by Me –Ben E. King
• First Time I Saw Your Face –Roberta Flack
• Sunrise, Sunset –Steve Kirwan

Country:

• I Hope You Dance –LeAnn Womack
• Heart to Heart –Toby Keith
• The Best Day –Taylor Swift
• Angels –Randy Travis
• It’s Your Song –Garth Brooks
• I’ll Be –Reba McEntire

Modern classics:

• Hero –Mariah Carey
• Wind Beneath My Wings –Gary Morris
• Greatest Love of All –Whitney Houston

Not so mainstream:

• Dear Mama –Tupac

So many of the mother-son and father-daughter songs are interchangeable; don’t feel like you can’t do The Beatles’ In My Life with your dad just because it’s on this list. Listen to the lyrics and what speaks to you and your mother or father. And remember that you can always do a google search to help in this quest…last time we checked there was about 2 million hits about this topic, so you are sure to find something you can dance to!

While there is not a specific date that the tradition of exchanging wedding rings began,  it is to the surprise of many people that the wedding ring is a tradition that dates all the way back to Ancient Rome. However it was not to be used in the Western World however until the late 13^th century.  While modern day wedding rings are typically exchanged as a symbol of love and devotion, historically speaking, the wedding ring was a symbol of valuables and the contract of economic safety between two individuals.  During this time, the wedding ring was traditionally only given to the bride and the male partner did not wear a ring.  The double ring ceremony is more of a modern tradition beginning in the 1920’s as a result of the American jewelry ad campaign promoting male engagement rings.

While the exchanging of wedding rings is a popular tradition through the United States and Europe, it is not the only tradition used worldwide.  The exchanging of wedding rings as we know it today throughout the United States is heavily based off European influence, namely the Church of England’s Book of Common Prayer whose vows included “With this ring I thee wed, with my body I thee worship, and with all my worldly goods I thee endow: In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen”.  This practice is also seen in the Jewish, Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox religions.

While the use of wedding rings or marriage bands are nearly universal throughout the world, other symbols are used in some cultures to signify marriage.  For instance throughout South Asia, a married woman of the Hindu religion wears a gold necklace known as a Mangalsutra and the groom marks the forehead of the bride with vermillion to symbolize marriage.

In the Amish society, marriage is a very sacred institution; however, because those of the Amish community do not wear jewelry, there is not an exchanging or wearing of rings to symbolize marriage.

However you choose to symbolize your marriage, with a ring, a necklace or without a symbol at all one thing is universally consistent with nearly all cultures and societies and that is the celebration!  When you are ready for your celebration, no matter what the occasion, let Plaza Lecea help make the process a memorable one!

Photo Credit: Alamo Photographic

Looking for a makeup artist or hair stylist for your big day? Here is a short list of some of San Antonio’s finest:

Makeup

MAC Stores:

• Macys

2310 Southwest Military Drive

P:210.334.2000

• MAC (Northstar Mall)

7400 San Pedro

P:210.375.7804

• Dillards (Northstar Mall)

7400 San Pedro
Suite 900

P: 210.344.3450

• Macy’s

200 Northstar Mall

P: 210.340.4302

• Macy’s

6301 Northwest Loop 410

P: 210.647.2562

• Nordstrom

15900 La Cantera Pkwy
Building 13

P: 210.332.1900

Even if you don’t wear makeup on a regular basis, it’s important to have some on your wedding day as you will be taking a lot of photos and you’ll want to look your best. Just a little cover up, blush and lip gloss goes a long way if you are not comfortable with a complete look. Another note is to make sure you do a trial run before your big day (the day of your bridal shower would be perfect so you don’t have to worry about doing your makeup for the event and you’ll get to show it off to family and friends who will give you their opinion of how it looks). It’s important to do this so you will be comfortable with someone else doing your makeup if you haven’t had it done before and you’ll also be able to give the makeup artist feedback as to what you like and don’t like before the big day.

Hair:

Visible Changes:

• Northstar Mall

7400 San Pedro

Suite 810

W: www.visiblechanges.com/locations/northstar.pdf

P: 210.349.1581

• La Cantera

15900 La Cantera Pkwy.

Suite 10020

W: www.visiblechanges.com/locations/lacantera.pdf

P: 210.256.8770

Versi:

5528 Broadway

W: www.versi.com

P: 210.828.8725

Changes Natural Salon & Spa:

11745 IH10 West

W: www.changesnaturel.net

P: 210.641.0900

Sergio’s Salon & Spa:

116 Losoya Street

W: www.sergiossalonandspa.com

P: 210.224.4968

If you are comfortable with your hair stylist, ask them if they specialize in up-dos or wedding-day styles as some only prefer to cut or color hair. If they do, use them as you already know them. Ask for photo references if they have any or any suggestions for styles as they know your hair and see a lot of styles on a regular basis. Also schedule a run-though as well!

Hair & Makeup (in-store or on-location specializing in wedding day looks)

Madame Makeup & Hair:

520 N. Main Ave

W: www.madamemakeup.com

P: 210.826.0138

Blush:

On location

W: www.facesbyblush.com

P: 210.842.3794

A Very Good Hair Day:

On location

W: www.averygoodhairday.com

P: 210.836.5885

Pure Posh:

Village at Stone Oak

W: www.pureposhsalon.com

P: 210.490.7873

Indulgences Hair & Body Salon:

300 W. Bitters Ste. 229

W: www.indulgenceshairandbodysalon.com

P: 210.384.0134

Ciao Bella:

On location

W: www.theciaobellastudio.com

P: 210.385.8005

Photo Credit: Alamo Photographic

Local Resources:

Alfred Angelo: http://bit.ly/aabridesmaids

Two locations in San Antonio:

• 9951 I-10 West
  San Antonio, TX 78230
  (210) 558-3168
• 209 Northwest Loop 410
  San Antonio, TX 78216
  (210) 530-5100

Hours of Operation:

M-F: 11 am to 8 pm
Sat: 10 am to 6 pm
Sun: 12 pm to 6 pm

Bella Bridesmaid: www.bellabridesmaid.com

5800 Broadway St #201
San Antonio, TX 78209
(210) 804-1000

Hours of Operation:

T-F: 10 am to 6 pm
Sat: 10 am to 5 pm
Sun-Mon: Closed

Designers: Alvina Valenta, Amsale, Anna Elyse, Badgley Mischka, Carol Hannah, Coren Moore, Jenny Yoo, Love by Enzoani, LulaKate Bridal, Priscilla of Boston, Melissa Sweet, Monique Lhuillier Maids, Simple Silhouettes, Two Birds

Photo Credit: Alamo Photographic

Bridal Galleria: http://www.sawhost.com/bridalgalleria/

7319 San Pedro Avenue
San Antonio, TX 78216
(210) 342-5752

Hours of Operation:

M-F: 10:30 am to 7 pm
Sat: 10 am to 6 pm
Sun: Closed

David’s Bridal: http://www.davidsbridal.com/Browse_Bridal-Party

Two locations in San Antonio:

• 5841 NW Loop 410
  San Antonio, TX 78238
  (210) 680-5094
• 125 NW Loop 410 (Plaza del Norte)
  San Antonio, TX 78216
  (210) 340-5385

Hours of Operation:

M-F: 11 am to 9 pm
Sat: 10 am to 7 pm
Sun: 12 pm to 6 pm

Julian Gold:  www.juliangold.com

4109 McCullough

Photo Credit: Alamo Photographic

San Antonio, TX 78212
(210) 824-2493

Hours of Operation:

M-Sat: 10 am to 5:30 pm
Sun: Closed

Designers: Amsale, Vera Wang, Melissa Sweet, Priscilla of Boston, Lazaro, Bill Levkoff, Watters & Watters

Nordstrom’s: http://bit.ly/Nordstromsbridesmaids

Nordstrom The Shops at La Cantera
15900 La Cantera Parkway
San Antonio, TX 78256
(210)332-1900

Hours of Operation:

M-Sat: 10 am to 9 pm
Sun: 12 pm to 6 pm

Designers: ABS by Allen Schwartz, Adrianna Papell, Adrianna Papell Day, Aidan Mattox, Alexia Admor, Amsale, BCBGMAXAZRIA, Betsy & Adam, Cachet, Calvin Klein, David Meister, Donna Morgan, Donna Ricco, Elie Tahari, Eliza J, Ellen Tracy, Glint, Halston Heritage, JS Boutique, JS Collections, Laundry by Shelli Segal, Maggy London, Max & Cleo, ML Monique Lhuillier Bridesmaids, Nicole Miller, Patra, Suzi Chin for Maggy Boutique, Tadashi Shoji, Tahari by Arthur S. Levine, Taylor Dresses, Xscape

The Bridal Connection: www.bridalconnectionsa.com/

6909 N Loop 1604 E
San Antonio, TX 78266
(210) 967-4696

Hours of Operation:

Photo Credit: Alamo Photographic

M-F: 11 am to 7 pm
Sat: 10 am to 7 pm
Sun: 12 pm to 6 pm

Designers: After 6 by The Dessy Group, Mori Lee, Alexia, Bari Jay, Forever Yours, Eden Bridals, bill Levkoff, Mary’s Bridal

The Bridal Salon of San Antonio: www.bridalsalonsa.com/

2150 East Hildebrand Avenue
San Antonio, TX 78209-6333
(210) 828-7931

Hours of Operation:

T-Sat: 10 am to 5 pm
Sun-Mon: closed

Designers: Watters & Watters, Wtoo, Vera Wang Maids, Jim Hjelm Occasions & Separates, The Dessy Group

There are also tons and tons (we really mean tons) of resources online that you can order from as well. Here are some unique choices that you may already shop at already!

Online Resources:

J Crew: http://www.jcrew.com/wedding/Wedding_Bridesmaid/bridesmaidpartydresses.jsp

Photo Credit: Alamo Photographic

The Dessy Group: www.dessy.com/bridesmaid-dresses/

The Limited: http://bit.ly/limitedbridesmaids

White House Black Market: http://bit.ly/whbmbridesmaids

And remember, think about your bridesmaids feelings and budget before choosing the dress. You will be in their shoes one day too! Happy planning!

We sat down to talk to Jen Tyson, owner of Cowgirls Unlimited and asked her a few questions:

(PL) What sets Cowgirls Unlimited apart from other bar services in San Antonio?

(JT) We are absolutely 100% professional in everything we do from answering the 1^st phone call to the very end of the special event.  10 years ago, we were the only company in San Antonio who operated in this sort of fashion.  We are an all-female group who can adjust to any and all, casual or formal, special events.  We firmly believe our staff personalities are extremely friendly, kind and catering to all of our client’s needs.  There is also no limit to our services as we can customize any order to fit each client’s needs and budget.

(PL) Do you provide clients with guidelines for the amount of alcohol they should provide for their guests?

(JT) Yes.

(PL) What other services do you offer besides bar service?

(JT) We focus 100% on the bar area.  We want to ensure our clients have the best experience when it comes to their special events.  Alcohol is such a popular but dangerous category so we want to make sure that everyone has a great time but remains safe while doing so.  We also want to make sure that our clients get the most value for their budgets.  Whether they choose an open/hosted bar, cash bar or just want to hire our bartending staff only for what they choose to provide, we always was to make sure everyone is happy in the process.

(PL) What do you hope to get out of a relationship with Plaza Lecea?

As with all our vendor relationships, we want to make sure that everyone involved in the event has a great experience with our services.  We always strive to make processes quick, easy and clean.  Upon gaining 100% trust from our vendors and facilities, we believe the entire process from beginning to end always goes much quicker and smoother.  Then in turn, we hope the healthy facility relationship with us is transferred over to each and every client and their served guests.

(PL) Is there anything else you would like to include?

We never want to disappoint anyone!  We not only cater to our clients but we are also very friendly and kind to other vendors that may be working the event as well.  Positive relationships with everyone is very important to us!

If you’d like to get in touch with Jen Tyson and Cowgirls Unlimited for your next event, check her out on the web at http://www.cowgirlsunlimited.com/index.aspx or at 210.872.8746. We’ll cheer to that!

1. Engravables: Such a fun and fancy way to remember your special day! This company offers an engravable mat or tray with a “signature engraving scribe” aka diamond-tipped pen for guests to engrave their well-wishes! And these pewter mats and trays with never fade or tarnish. Here’s the site: http://www.idoengravables.com/
2. Platter sign-in: Sort of a spin on the engravables idea, but with a platter that has some color to add to your sign in table decor. Plus this is a fun and funky way to remember your wedding when you display the platter at home. You could have the guests sign the front or back!
3. Wine bottle/Champagne: This is the kind of DIY project I could handle. Print up five labels to put on your favorite wine or champagne bottle-mimic the same font as your invite or put one of your engagement photos on the front of the bottle. Lay out a few sharpie fine-tip pens and ask your guests to sign your bottles. On each of your first five anniversaries, open up one of the bottles and toast to your marriage and the guests who signed your bottles!
4. Family tree: Had I know about this when I got married I would have certainly done this alternative guest sign-in…ugh, can I get married again? Find an etsy seller, or if you the creative gene in you, and paint a tree without the leaves. Pick up a green ink pad and a fine-tip sharpie at your local Hobby Lobby and instruct the guests to place a thumbprint on the branches and sign their name next to it! I mean how cute is that?! Here is a sample: http://www.etsy.com/listing/36216397/large-wedding-tree-pdf
5. Calendar: By far one of the most creative ways we’ve seen from our brides has been a calendar sign-in. Our bride filled the pages of the calendar with photos of them throughout their courtship and engagement and asked the guests to fill in their birthdays, anniversaries, etc. The guests signed around their photos too, but it served dual purpose so that the couple could get all their close family and friends birthdays and special events. This idea may be a fun shower guestbook idea as well!
6. Wishing rocks: One of our fun Irish brides set us up on this guestbook alternative! You will need polished black stones (you could use any color really), a silver permanent marker and a vase with water. Leave a directional sign asking guests to sign the rocks and make a wish for the happy couple as they put the stone in the water. Later, the bride can put her bouquet in the vase or just regular flowers when she gets home.
7. Make-a-wish, take-a-wish: This is kind of a twist on the wishing rocks idea above. Ask guests to leave a well-wish for the happy couple and have them place it in a designated vase. After they have put their well-wish in, have them take a well-wish from the couple in a separate vase. Normally it is a quote on love or something that the bride and groom want to share with their guests!