Today on The Bridal Boutique // Personalized Wooden Wedding Ceremony Wine Box by Blue Fire Engraving

One of the most meaningful keepsakes from my own wedding day (besides the marriage license, of course) was our wine box ceremony. We wrote love notes to each other, placed our favorite bottle of wine in a beautiful box, and closed it up during our wedding ceremony only to open it on our first anniversary. And I've searched high and low and found the most beautiful wine boxes for you to use for this very reason!

Beautiful wood, custom engraving, and all of the wine "tools" you need, these wooden engraved wedding wine boxes from Blue Fire Engraving are just stunning!

Head on over to their shop to choose the box that will be perfect for your wedding ceremony and will make the most beautiful accent piece in your new home together!

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It's All About the Marriage | Introducing our new marriage blog columnist!

Written with love, by Karley Kiker

Hello hello! I am so glad that, for whatever reason, you decided to stop by this brand new column on The Overwhelmed Bride! Since you’re here I’m guessing that you already know what we’ll be discussing in this little corner of the internet...and that would be marriage. It’s a subject I’ve been passionate about for years! Although I’ve only been actually married for three of those years, I’ve been thinking about things like aisles and vows and the concept of being forever-teammates since I was 14 years old.

See, at age 14 I had braces on my teeth. I wore a back brace to school every day to help correct my scoliosis. I was skinny, lanky. Male attention of the "I want to date you" variety was non-existent. But one day, I knew that would change. My future husband would desire me and pursue me. He would call me beautiful. He would see what all the “totally lame” 14-year-old guys surrounding me couldn't. He was out there somewhere, I was sure of it—loving me without knowing me, praying for me and waiting for me, just like I was for him. With these things in mind, I penned my first entry in a new journal. It had blue and white stripes on the cover and a swirly, curvy title written in thick black marker: Only You. Separate from my prayer journal and everyday journal-journal, I began Only You to write letters to my future husband.

Despite the fact that I didn’t know him, I took great comfort in writing him pages upon pages detailing the strength of my affection for him. "Just think," one early entry read, "I could know you in five or six years."

Through the years I would forget about the journal until a breakup, a bad date, or a particularly lonely day reminded me of its existence. Of his existence. When I came home from my first semester at college, my 18-year-old self shared a laugh with him about the dramatic poetry (yes, poetry) penned by 15-year-old me. At 19, I told him I was pretty sure he didn't attend Pepperdine University, and that if he did, he was taking his sweet time trying to find me around campus. At 20, I told him to forget looking for me and to keep growing and discovering who he was in Christ instead—to see the beauty that can come from pain, to grow into the spiritual shape of a man after God's own heart. At 21, I let him know that I was going to be a bridesmaid in two different weddings, and that I was still watching for him, waiting for him. And then, at age 22, I told him we had met.

Suggs Photography

I’m planning to share more of that story in the future—a cliffhanger will keep you guys coming back for more, right?—but for now, I’ll jump back to the present for long enough to drop the following disclaimer: I am not a marriage expert. In fact, I’m still in that sweet spot known as the “honeymoon phase” (minus the bronzy glow that accompanies a week spent sipping mojitos in Mexico).

So why write about marriage now? Shouldn’t that kind of thing wait 10, 20, or 50 years? I think not. I want this column to be a place to talk about marriage in the moment, right as it’s happening; when it’s less of a finished masterpiece and more of a “Where is the paint by numbers guide?” kind of thing. This is not a retrospective exhibit marked by the admiration a lifetime of achievements is due. This is a disorganized studio that’s open to the paint-slinging public. It’s also a really extended art metaphor that I can only hope at least five percent of you are catching on to.

If any of you are there—at the very beginning of a brand new marriage and feeling so excited for what’s to come, and yet a little unsure as to whether or not you’re really doing the wife thing like it’s “supposed” to be done—then this is the place for you. Scratch that. This is the place for us. A place to laugh away disillusionment and dissect the lies that Disney told us. A place to throw confetti as we celebrate the joy of exchanging the title of fiancé for wife, and then talk honestly about trading “tossing the bouquet” for the slightly less glam “throwing laundry into the washing machine.” Again. And then again. No, like, literally for the third time in one day.

Okay. Enough about laundry. There’s always going to be more than enough of that to deal with. Let’s dig into the vows we exchanged and the promises we made and find out what it’s really like to take a journey down this road called marriage!

Suggs Photography

What do I need to know before choosing my wedding invitations?

Written with love, by The Bride List Vendor Laurie Louis

Eight weeks before your wedding and your friends and family are opening a beautifully addressed envelope or box that holds the memorable invitation that announces your wedding.  As the first glimpse to what a wonderful day your wedding will be, you want to make sure that this invitation not only represents you and your spouse but it creates a future memory that everyone wants to be a part of.  Not only are they running to their calendars to put the day on hold but they are looking up hotel reservations and flight information so they can make sure they are there to attend your special day.

Although wedding invitations are not typically at the top of your “to do” list, there are a few things that you need to have answered before meeting with your stationer:

1.      What is your personal taste and style?

When you think about your wedding party and the guests sitting in the pews, are they in cocktail dresses and black tie, church dresses and suits, sundresses and khakis or something in-between? Is the event during the day or night? Is it in your hometown or a destination? Are you getting married in a church, a venue or the beach?  Think about these questions along with different adjectives that describe your perfect wedding so that your stationer can help to create your wedding suite.

2.      Define your color palette.

What color(s) are your bridesmaids’ dresses? What colors are in your flowers? What season is your wedding?  Also think about what colors look better in print. Dark and bright colors make statements, light colors tend to blend and fade.  If you have specific colors that you would like to include in your invitations or day of paper, try to find samples or swatches that you can take with you to your appointment.

3.      Do you want your wedding to have a theme or symbol?

Do you and your spouse love wine? Do you love the beach or to sail? Are you a fan of the rustic or industrial look? Are you having a destination wedding and want to use a palm tree or seashell?  Do you want to have your stationer create a logo or monogram that you can use throughout your invitations, day of paper, favors and accessories? 

4.      How many invitations with you need?

The number of guests that you invite does not equal the number of invitations.  For example, if you are inviting 200 people and everyone on the list is a couple or a guest plus one, your number of invitations is closer to 100 instead of 200. Guest lists tend to increase the closer you to get your wedding though, so it’s always good to order 10 to 15% more invitations than needed...and you want one as a keepsake for yourself too!  Keep in mind that the cost of your wedding suite is primarily based on the custom design, layout and initial set up of the printing, not the quantity of the invitations, so having to order another small quantity of extra invitations is far more costly than order extras to begin with.  Also, some stationers have minimums when ordering invitations or charge a design fee for small orders on top of the printing costs, so always ask about these charges.

5.      What different pieces do you need for your invitation suite? 

Along with the wedding invitation (generally 5x7 or 5x5) and an RSVP card or post card, you may want to think about information card for out-of-town guests, a rehearsal dinner invitation or a separate reception card. Also think about your day of wedding paper needs and whether or not your stationer can create those as well -- your menu cards, favors, programs, etc. Although it is not necessary, it always works better to use the same person to create your wedding suite and day of wedding paper if possible.  That way you know that the fonts match and the general theme is cohesive.

6.      What is your budget?

This probably should have been #1 on the list but I started with the fun stuff first.  There are several different types of printing for invitations and they range from cost effective to very costly and not all stationers can print in all mediums.  Custom designs tend to be more expensive than on-line stationery companies.  Some create designs specifically for the couple and some have templates that can be altered and colors changed.  Most on-line stationery companies have set templates and only offer certain color palettes.

If you are more of a DIY bride, some stationers will charge a design fee to create a suite for you (generally charged by the hour) and then provide you with PDF files that you can take to a local printer or print at home.

7.      Decide on the wording of the invitation.

Do you want formal writing or more casual? In the traditional past, the bride’s parents have issued the wedding invitation.  More and more couples are now including the couples of both the parents or just the couple themselves.  Your stationer can help you with wording or there are different sources online that you can reference for help in getting started.

8.      How do you want your envelopes addressed?

Do you want your envelopes to be formal or fun? Do you want to have a party and have your bridal party help you address them? Do you want a calligrapher to hand address them or to do you want them computer addressed? There are also lots of fun labels or borders around your invitations to jazz up the front of the invitation.  Just remember that there is almost always an additional cost for the stationer to computer address them or have a calligrapher hand address them.  Similar to ordering extra invitations, it is always good to order extra envelopes for misspellings, etc.

Now that you have read all these points, try not to be overwhelmed.  Take a deep breath and break them down one by one.  Any stationer that you work with should be glad to help educate you and help you to make an informed decision.